Taming the Wilderness
[10 hours later]
"Ahhh!" I held my head in frustration after not being able to track even my 'easiest' hunt. The forest was in an even more decrepit state than the spirit had believed, barely containing any significant signs of life.
'Even with her memories, she only knew the general location of their habitat.' Despite her 'assurance' of their whereabouts, I had not encountered a single one of them since starting my chase.
Saying I was a little annoyed would be an understatement. Not only had I 'wasted' days gathering intel, but I was also now painstakingly searching for my prey. It would have been so much better if I just had to wait without expectation. I was trained by monks, after all. However, just knowing the prize at the center of the forest made it too difficult.
Even so, I was not foolish enough to let such needless thoughts get in my way and mess up my plans. It was absolutely crucial for me to 'assimilate' this creature's gene sequence before beginning my assault on the dungeon.
While others might think I was hunting for some 'large catch,' it was quite the opposite. In fact, my current target was barely larger and quieter than a church mouse. Actually, if not for the system's 'limitations,' most of my future 'hunts' would probably consist more of small critters and insects than anything else.
'After all, their strength, speed, and dexterity compared to their size and body weight are unmatched by even the most monstrous of creatures.'
'Although I have no idea how strong a dragon truly would be, my senses tell me that without relying on some insane innate magical properties, even it would be no match for a common dung beetle that can pull 1,141 times its own body weight.'
Looking for speed? Forget about the cockroach and consider the paratarsotomus macropalpis, a mite known as the fastest organism on Earth relative to its body length, able to travel at speeds of around 322 body lengths per second. If proportioned correctly, the equivalent speed for a human running as fast as this mite would be well over 2,000 km/h.
Unfortunately, as if mocking my beliefs, my 'fantasies' were beyond what the system could offer.
"Really, a magical world isn't too much to ask, but integrating the gene sequences of insects is where you draw the line?"
It was an interesting limitation to explore—what the system could and could not take. Before, even the possibility of trying to integrate non-human genes was too much for the system's capabilities. However, after upgrading, that limitation was somewhat breached.
Despite never receiving a system note or anything of that sort, I could somehow feel it in my bones—the current capabilities of the system, including what I could and could not devour.
Like anything else, the system was a tool, one that I would rely heavily upon to fuel my journey moving forward, especially considering its usefulness after its upgrade. Not only had it given me a mind-reading ability so soon after the upgrade, but it had also somehow managed to integrate such creatures' genes into my body.
Unfortunately, it was still somewhat of a lottery when considering the impacts the assimilation of certain gene sequences could have on my body. Just looking at the effect of integrating the blood of that Serpent King was enough to raise countless questions.
'Back then, when I first gained that demon's blood, I theorized why the system refused to acknowledge the changes taking place in my body, not commenting on either the demon back and brain that I now clearly possessed.'
'Even now, the changes taking place in my body are clear. Although I did not gain any extra abilities like spitting venom or covering my body in scales after devouring that beast, I can tell that in my transformed state, I now possess both greater durability and defense, as if I truly did have scales instead of just skin.'
In short, from my best guess, the system was like a processing machine that takes the many gene sequences and modifies them to fit my body.
'Integrating Pickle's and Yujiro's blood and abilities was probably much simpler, considering their largely human characteristics, so it makes sense that I would gain the demon's back and brain as they are the standard evolution one could predict.'
'The system had titled his extracted blood as Evolved Homosapien, leading me to believe it was the natural state of progression for the human body.'
'Plus, assimilating the gene sequence of different creatures has a disproportionate effect on my increase in system stats as well—Ah!'
'I get it, I'm finally starting to understand.'
It was never about gaining the skills and abilities of other creatures, but about tapping into the innate potential naturally present and trapped within the human body.
'Integrating Pickle's blood allowed me to break past my natural ceiling of strength, and integrating that demon's blood allowed me to evolve further. Once again, integrating this serpent's blood allowed me to tap into even greater potential housed within my body, one that I need to train to fully utilize.'
'Finally, it all makes sense. I had never stolen anything from anybody. It's almost as if my body is relearning how to make use of the characteristics of others and remembering how it, too, can accomplish the same goals.'
As I stood amidst the quiet forest, pondering these revelations with a small smile, a faint rustle caught my attention.
My senses sharpened instantly, and I crouched low, peering through the dense foliage.
'There it is...' I was more pleased than I could let on, standing as still as a statue as I waited for it to enter a suitable range. Anything less than a 100% possibility to capture was unacceptable.
'[Flash]'
My 'claws' pinned the little rat into the ground, ending its life before it could even process its death.
[Processing Sample…]
[Purification Of Sample Initiated]
[Assimilating Gene Sequence To Host]
'[Status]'
------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: Kuzan Rosan
Age: 16.5 years
Title: [Martial Master]
Strength: 1593/10000
Stamina: 1633/10000
Intelligence: 1311/10000
Dexterity: 1776/10000
Will-Power: 1598/10000
Perception: 1594/10000
Skills: [Earth Mastered Skills (5)] [Divine Vision (50/10000)] [Warlord's Sovereignty (67/10000)] [Divine Indifference (57/10000)] [Reaper's Shroud (78/10000)] [Walk of Grim (67/10000)] [Trans-dimensional Anatomy Mastery (87/10000)] [Poisoncraft (310/10000)] [Divine Tongue (65/10000)] [Divine Reflection (22/10000] [Autonomous Ultra Instinct (17/10000)] [Martial Mirage (256/10000)] [Divine Grasp (15/10000)] [Celestial Transcendence (locked)]
Martial Arts: [Earth Mastered Martial Arts (13)] [Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist (790/1000)] [Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist (599/1000)]
Mystic Arts: [Light Magic (298/10000]
Genes Synced: (5/13) [Primordial Homosapien] [Evolved Homosapien (Demonic Path)] [Soulweaver (Psychic Medium)] [Serpent King (Growth Potential: Basilisk Queen)] [Swellrat (Growth Potential: Greatsweller)]
Transformation States: [Demonic Beast (initialized)] [Basilisk Form (initialized)] [Compact Form (initizalized)]
------------------------------------
Swellrats, also known as Greatswellers once they matured into adults, were supposed to be a common sight in the depths of Emeraldwood Forest. They were renowned for their beautiful fur that seamlessly blended with the earthy tones of their surroundings, providing perfect camouflage as they navigated the dense undergrowth.
'However, it wasn't their fur that I was after...' In their juvenile form as swellrats, they appeared like ordinary rats but with a fascinating twist—they could expand and contract their bodies at will, scaring off potential threats while slipping through narrow gaps in tree roots.
'I can feel it, my muscles contracting together...' Gaining this 'ability' was absolutely crucial for the future and was even pretty useful right now, especially since I was already nearing 8 feet tall after devouring that monstrous snake. I had already experienced the consequences of a significant skew in my system stats, and I was cautious not to undergo something similar again.
'Who knows, maybe a large increase in strength could cause my muscles to inflate like balloons?' Therefore, I took a page out of Diana's book and decided to prioritize this aspect of my preparations first. Though I did not 'shrink,' I could sense my muscles becoming more 'contained' and coherent for what lay ahead. Thus, I was no longer concerned about the effects the future 'evolution' in strength would have upon my body.
'Now that that's out of the way, it's time to move on to the rest-'
"RAAAAARRR!"
'FINALLY!'
I wasted no time and sprinted to the location of my prey...
'That has to be a warbear's roar!'
Warbears, the figurative 'father' of all battle bears, were the most sought-after creatures for any commander in battle. An army would be lucky to have even one in their ranks, as their individual power alone was sometimes enough to turn the tides of war in one's favor...
'But those little ones are trained, just think how juicy a wild one would be...' My mouth watered at the thought of sampling some of it myself...
'Hmm... it roared, I wonder if it's hunting something?'
However, as I arrived at the source of the sounds, I made a startling discovery. 'It's not hunting something... It's being hunted.'
In front of me was a truly rare sight to behold. The sun's shine reflected perfectly off its opponent's fur, leaving no room for mistake in identifying it...
'It's a Goldfang...'
The creature was similar in appearance to a saber-tooth tiger—however, what it lacked in its teeth from its counterpart, it made up for in its robust body, being twice as large as any saber-tooth I could imagine.
Its name came not only from its sharp bite but also from its indispensable golden fur, which was sought after as a symbol of strength for nobility in their dresses and gowns.
Although not quite as rare as dragon scale, it was no less difficult to procure... not only were Goldfangs notoriously deadly and wild creatures, but they were also one of the few 'animals' in this forest to show profound intelligence, so much so that they were even able to hold grudges.
There were even tales of a single Goldfang once bringing down an entire dukedom's estate and ravaging its army after the foolish duke captured a couple of its cubs, despite knowing full well that it was impossible to tame them.
Both of the towering beasts noticed my presence, however, I simply ignored their looks of fury and let them continue their 'match.'
After all, it was an unspoken rule among animals in the wild not to interfere in another's battle.
'You're better than this, Kuzan...' Although I would have loved to have a rodeo with both of them, by holding true to the respect among man and beasts, I would once again be able to assure myself of my control over my 'greed.'
Hunting both of them would serve no purpose and deliver no increase in strength, while letting one be killed would ensure that I don't fall further down that dark path of killing needlessly...
"ROARRRR!" The Goldfang screamed in victory over its kill, as the bear had grown only more and more tired since the start of this battle.
'Ain't that something,' I thought with a small smile, 'it's pretty smart...' I was thoroughly impressed by the Goldfang's strategy for the hunt, as it continued to deliver small scars with its claws in exchange for no damage to itself by constantly dodging the warbear's paws.
Finally, in its fault, the warbear was just a second too slow to protect itself when the Goldfang jumped up and crushed its neck within its powerful jaws, ending any chance of escape for the warbear.
'Guess that's why they're called Goldfangs.'
I gave the creature a few seconds to catch its bearings before standing up from my audience 'seat' and getting ready to truly participate as one of the 'competitors' in this little 'arena.'
We looked at each other, as a wide grin started to take over my face before hiding behind my mask...
'Although it's not enough to raise my hairs on end, it'll be enough for a light snack.'
For such a little kitten cub, I needed no tricks, no techniques, and especially no magic to have some 'fun.'
'All I need are my little old hands to 'pet' this kitty into oblivion.'
I stopped, however, in confusion at the Goldfang's next move. Instead of moving forward to begin our little 'dance,' it broke away from our eye contact and simply turned around, not acknowledging its open back towards me.
'That doesn't make sense, even if the little pipsqueak wanted to run away it would do so in a flash, not so 'slowly' like this...'
Its next actions continued to puzzle me, as it once again went back to its hunted prey and started dragging it towards me before leaving it at my feet.
"Come on, really..." Despite knowing full well in my heart what was transpiring in that little jungle kitty's mind, I was still a little disappointed at this outcome...
"Sigh," I sighed in refusal, while at the same time letting out some of my frustrations...
"Purrrr..."
However, the sound escaping its mouth left no room for argument about this 'ferocious beast's' true intentions...
'It's purring...'
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