Lizarius awoke to the sound of the system's voice.
> "Evolution complete."
He stretched his limbs, feeling the power coursing through his new body. He was faster, stronger—smarter.
"System, can I see my rank?" he asked.
> "You are a Rank 1, Low Tier Beast," the system replied.
Without wasting time, Lizarius left the cave and headed into the forest.
I should go back to where the human corpse was, he thought.
Moments later, he arrived at the site. Activating his invisibility, he climbed a nearby tree and peered down at the ground below. The bodies were gone. Only the scattered footprints of wild beasts remained.
I'm lucky I left when I did, he thought. Otherwise, I would've been eaten too.
He climbed back down and moved deeper into the forest.
Before long, he came across a small pond. As he approached to drink, his sharp eyes caught movement—a black, rat-like beast with blue stripes and a single horn jutting from its forehead.
Lizarius immediately turned invisible and whispered to the system:
"What kind of beast is that?"
> "Lightning Rat. Rank 1, Low Tier Beast," the system responded.
"It can channel lightning through its horn. They usually move in packs."
But this one's alone... Lizarius observed. He glanced around the area carefully.
No movement. No scent of others. No sounds but the gentle rustling of leaves.
It really is alone.
He crept closer, silent and unseen. When he was within striking distance, he lunged, aiming for the rat's neck—but the creature reacted fast, narrowly dodging the attack. Lizarius became visible.
The rat hissed, its fur bristling, and charged, lightning crackling across its horn. It struck, but the bolt bounced harmlessly off Lizarius's newly hardened scales.
Unfazed, Lizarius met its glare, his yellow eyes glowing menacingly beneath a shadowed brow. He opened his jaws and bit down, his sharpened teeth sinking into the rat's flesh, drawing blood.
The rat shrieked and thrashed, lightning surging through its body in desperation—but the shock only made Lizarius bite harder. Moments later, the beast went limp.
As Lizarius tore into its corpse, the system chimed:
> "You have gained 40 Evolution Points and a Lightning Rat Gene."
"System, what's a gene?" he asked between mouthfuls.
> "You can gain the lightning ability from the Lightning Rat's gene. Do you wish to fuse it?"
"Yes."
A tingling sensation spread through his skull. Suddenly, two small white horns with glowing blue tips emerged from his forehead.
He focused, trying to channel his new power. Sparks flickered from his horns—weak, but real.
"System, why is the lightning weaker than when the rat used it?"
> "You can use Evolution Points to strengthen the ability—or fuse additional Lightning rat Genes to enhance it further."
Lizarius asked his rank.
> Species: White Scale Lightning Lizard
Rank: 1, Middle Tier Beast
So, by eating more Lightning Rats, I can evolve this ability
Lizarius thought.