[Genetic Coder Module activated.]
Cain blinked at the message, surprise and confusion twisting across his face. The words pulsed in his vision like fire etched into the air. As a child of the Godslayer Humankind Empire, raised with access to libraries of science and technology, he knew exactly what genes were. They were the invisible blueprints of life, the patterns that determined flesh, bone, and blood.
But what he did not know was why the Absolute Life Form System's mysterious creator thought it important to place such a module at the very start of his journey. Why genes? Why not raw strength, or battle arts, or weapons of war?
His question barely had time to form before the system itself answered with clinical clarity.
[Genetic Coder Module: A module that grants the Vessel the means to control life's fundamental building blocks.
— Tools Available —
* Basic Genetic Stimulation
* Basic Genetic Suppression
* Basic Genetic Enhancement]
Cain stared at the glowing text, lips tightening. The names were self-explanatory—stimulation, suppression, enhancement. Yet the sheer implications made his head spin. Could he awaken new traits in himself? Strengthen his body beyond natural limits? Or twist his own genes into something no longer human?
Apex's voice cut through his thoughts like a blade.
"It is late. Standing here is foolish. Get rid of the body, destroy the jamming sphere, take the weapon, and burn your clothes before returning home. Since this is your first time using the [Genetic Coder Module], I'll guide you."
The cold practicality in the System Spirit's tone snapped Cain back to reality. He turned toward Kiron's corpse. The youth's lifeless body lay sprawled in the dirt, a grotesque reminder of what Cain had done. His chest tightened, but he forced himself to harden his spirit. He had chosen this path the moment he struck the killing blow.
With stiff hands, Cain dragged the body through the forest. His breath grew ragged, his muscles burning, but he refused to stop. For two hours he ran beneath the pale light of the moon until he reached a cave reeking of beast musk. Without hesitation, he cast Kiron's corpse into the darkness.
'By the time anyone found him, he would be bones scattered by fangs.'
Cain turned away and headed for a nearby river. There, he stripped himself bare, burned his blood-soaked clothes, and smashed the jamming sphere into useless shards before casting them into the rushing current. The flames crackled, devouring the last evidence of Kiron's death. Only after scrubbing his skin raw beneath the cold water did Cain feel clean enough to move on.
When he returned to the training grounds, he ignited another controlled fire to erase every trace of the earlier battle. The final step was retrieving the spear still embedded in the tree.
The moment his fingers brushed the shaft, a current of energy surged from his body into the weapon. Apex spoke immediately.
"Done. I've erased the serial number and purged its digital signature. Now it's yours."
Cain froze, realization striking him cold. Had he carried that weapon into the city without Apex's intervention, it would have exposed him instantly as Kiron's killer. The thought sent a shiver crawling down his spine.
It took every ounce of his strength to wrench the spear free, but as he did, the weapon shimmered and collapsed into a compact rod no longer than his forearm. Cain stared, both relieved and unnerved. The world of Wave technology was full of marvels—and hidden dangers.
A strange sight followed: a naked youth sprinting silently through the sleeping streets, clutching a rod. Luckily, it was deep into the night, and few eyes remained open. Cain slipped into his home unnoticed.
Once clothed again, he stood before the small altar where his father's picture rested. He bowed deeply, letting the ritual steady his shaking hands, before sitting cross-legged in the center of the room.
Apex allowed him a moment of silence. Only when Cain's eyes regained their usual firmness did the System Spirit speak again.
"Listen closely, brat. You've unsealed the [Genetic Coder Module] and now have access to three tools. The most important for now is [Basic Genetic Stimulation].
"According to the Empire's Science Academy, every member of the Godslayer Humankind carries fragments of ancient bloodlines within them. Your ancestors obtained those bloodlines through battle, conquest, and… other means. But over generations, they weakened. Most have become dormant—mere whispers in your genes."
Cain's eyes widened, a tremor running through his body. Bloodlines. He had heard the stories—warriors born with the strength of beasts, mages who carried elemental fire in their veins. Bloodlines were one of the few ways a person of low Wave Talent could defy fate.
"The [Basic Genetic Stimulation]," Apex continued, "searches for those dormant genes and awakens them, allowing you to reclaim what time has buried."
Hope flared in Cain's chest, his pulse quickening. If he could awaken even a fragment of a powerful bloodline, he could step beyond the chains of his Low Tier 1 Wave Talent.
"Calm yourself," Apex snapped. "Unlike the [A.I. Chip Module], which required nothing from you, the [Genetic Coder Module] consumes Destiny Force to function."
Cain immediately recalled the strange stat from his earlier scan—Destiny Force, 10.2 points. The final unanswered question resurfaced in his mind, and Apex, ever attuned to his thoughts, explained.
"The Absolute Life Form System is not omnipotent. Every action requires fuel. That fuel is Destiny Force. To understand it, you must first grasp destiny itself.
"Destiny is the sum of a life. Talent, willpower, perception, background, even luck—they all shape it. And destiny is not static. It shifts with every choice you make. Enter a danger zone and emerge with treasure? Your destiny grows. Flee from an opportunity in cowardice? Your destiny shrinks.
"Thanks to your flawed link to the Eternal River of the Afterlife, the system can harvest this destiny, convert it into measurable force, and use it to empower its modules."
Cain's brows furrowed. The concept felt abstract, but he understood the gist: every choice mattered.
"You're fortunate," Apex went on. "The system began with ten points, just enough for your first [Genetic Stimulation]."
Cain's eyes narrowed. "But I have 10.2. Where did the extra come from?"
Apex chuckled darkly. "Ah, that. While lucky chances are the cleanest way to grow destiny, they aren't the only way. Destiny can be stolen."
Cain stiffened.
"You've already done it, brat. When you killed Kiron, his destiny became yours. He was weak, yet not without potential. That earned you 0.2 points."
A cold chill slid down Cain's spine. He had killed in self-defense, but Apex made it sound as if he had reaped a reward.
"Don't fool yourself with morality," Apex said, voice hardening. "The world is cruel. Killing is inevitable. To spare an enemy is to betray yourself. Learn this truth now, or you will regret it later."
Cain wanted to argue, to scream that he wasn't some butcher who killed for points. But deep inside, he knew Apex wasn't entirely wrong. He drew a deep breath, forcing his emotions into stillness.
Finally, he whispered, "System, activate [Basic Genetic Stimulation]."
[Basic Genetic Stimulation requires 10 Destiny Force points. Proceed?]
"Yes."
[Activating Basic Genetic Stimulation.]
The response was immediate. Cain's blood boiled as though molten metal coursed through his veins. His muscles spasmed, his vision blurred, and exhaustion slammed into him like a hammer. Darkness claimed him.
And then—dreams.
He had no body, only essence, lightning itself coursing through endless storm clouds. Bolts danced around him, splitting the sky with radiant fury. Beneath, the earth trembled, and beasts cowered. All lowered their heads in submission—save one.
A gorilla, titanic in size, rose like a mountain from the jungle. Its roar shook the heavens, defiant against the storm.
But defiance meant nothing.
Cain—no, the storm that was Cain—descended as a pillar of blinding light. The lightning struck the beast square in the chest, splitting flesh, bone, and spirit alike. The gorilla collapsed, its roar dying in its throat, body cleaved into halves.
From the pillar's fading brilliance, his form shifted. Lightning condensed, shaping itself into fur, flesh, and bone until a wolf emerged. Two meters tall, its body rippled with power. Its fur glowed silver, arcs of electricity sparking across its body.
The wolf stood over the gorilla's corpse, crimson staining its muzzle. Though small compared to the fallen giant, it was more terrible, more complete. Its howl shook the storm and echoed into eternity.
Cain's dream-self felt it in his bones—the thrill of predation, the dominance of a hunter born to rule the storm.