Genetic Ascension

A python, one extinct for ages, hung high in the trees. Its 12-meter-long body looped again and again, carrying such mass that it looked to be a miracle that the tree could hold it up at all.

Sylas had only just thought that he hadn't seen a single carnivore in the region, only to find one mere minutes from his original location.

Goosebumps erupted across his skin. Without the slightest hesitation, he decisively left. This was not a creature he wanted to get entangled with.

As a researcher, he mostly worked with venomous snakes, and rarely constrictors like this one. However, he had just as much healthy respect for them as the former. This was about the worst kind of extinct creature he could meet, other than maybe dinosaurs themselves.

The only good news was that pythons of that size were very slow. But the fact its Physical was that high despite what was likely low Speed and Dexterity meant that its Strength and Constitution must be off the charts.

This was in part due to the Aether, Sylas was sure. But its evolution wasn't even over yet.

Sylas made a note to himself that his scouting abilities weren't perfect. He was human and he could only use his eyes. He wasn't the only creature that could blend into the environment, and he was definitely the worst suited to doing so on top of that.

Soon, Sylas found another cascading waterfall of Aether.

[Red Fox (F)]

[Physical: 17]

[Mental: 0]

[Will: 1]

'Red foxes should be mostly nocturnal, but it's asleep. This is a plus for my theory about the Aether.'

The high Physical stat threw Sylas off, but at this point he had pretty much confirmed that this was the benefit of Aether. As the night went on, these creatures would only get stronger. By tomorrow, he would be surrounded by superhuman-level beasts and his odds of surviving would only plummet.

He moved slowly, making sure to carefully check around the region to ensure that there were no other lurking dangers like the titanoboa. Then he exploded into action.

He raised the femur spear up, activating Blade Aura and preparing to stab down. But then his heart skipped a beat.

Time seemed to slow.

The first thing he noticed were the twitching ears of the red fox. As Sylas' steely green eyes rushed through the night, they picked up on every detail, each one more of a flashbang to his senses than the last.

First it was its ears, then its tail swayed, and by the time Sylas loomed over it, it had hopped to its feet, spinning around with a sharp glint in its eyes.

'Another mistake.'

Sylas was being hard on himself, but that was how he always was. Even so, he didn't slow down or hesitate as he pierced downward.

The fox's body blurred, moving so fast that Sylas' eyes almost couldn't keep up in the darkness. But he still felt something connect.

A yelp came from the fox as a deep gash was torn into its front left shoulder.

Sylas felt its intention to run away immediately. Remembering its Will stat, Sylas put two and two together, realizing that this might be a method of telling the tendencies of these creatures as well.

This timidity only benefitted Sylas.

The red fox turned in an attempt to run, but its injured front leg threw its balance off and it stumbled.

Precisely what Sylas was waiting for.

He raised up the femur spear again and drove it down, this time right through the spine of the red fox.

Another yelp echoed, but it was pinned to the ground and its strength was quickly leaving its body.

Sylas retreated. With its spine damaged, the fox couldn't run away, but that didn't mean it couldn't try to harm him in some way. It was better safe than sorry.

He watched as the red fox breathed its last, his green irises floating in the darkness like eerie orbs of death.

Walking forward, he placed a hand on the red fox.

[Red Fox]

[Gene Detected]

[Attempt Assimilation?]

[Yes][No]

Sylas accepted the assimilation. He wondered if, since this was a Dexterity Gene, it would also mean that his Title would activate.

Dexterity had been quite useful to him until now, and it appeared in subtle ways. The more he thought about these stats, the more he felt that they had multiple layers to them.

For example, just now, he used all his strength but still managed to drive the femur spear exactly where he wanted it to go. Someone else's accuracy might have been lacking in that rushed moment.

As expected, Sylas did feel his Title take effect, and he got a 10% boost to his success.

[Gene Assimilation Starting…]

[Gene Assimilation Triggered]

Sylas felt his body seize up for a moment before relaxing.

[Gene Assimilation Successful]

'No wonder there's a choice. If I seize up like that at a bad time, I could die. It's likely that the more intrusive the Gene, the worse the experience will be.'

Sylas exhaled a breath.

He might have been successful, but he didn't forget about the fox waking up as soon as he approached. He didn't think that was a coincidence.

It shouldn't be that the fox had a special ability, though that was a small possibility. Sylas was more inclined to believe that it had been startled awake, maybe even by the Aether itself.

Maybe it wouldn't be as easy as he thought to take advantage of this loophole.

'There's only one way to find out.'

Sylas went back on the hunt, but this time he was looking for another creature similar to the red fox. Preferably small and weak, with abilities that skewed more toward Speed or Dexterity.

[Red Fox (F)]

[Level: 0]

[Physical: 18]

[Mental: 0]

[Will: 2]

Sylas hid behind a tree and the first thing he did was throw a rock. It soared just over the ears of the red fox.