The wolf's whole body tensed up while the change happened.
Ash's silvery green mana kept pouring from the seed on his chest to the wolf's venom sac.
The silvery green mana injected the DNA. Modified it. Adding it to the wolf's body.
When the process finished, the wolf's tense body finally relaxed again.
The venom it had in its sack now also contained the properties of the berry's venom.
As if knowing its work was done, the wolf slowly stood up. It felt the change in its body and knew that its venom had become stronger.
It was impatient to test out its newly acquired power.
But Ash stopped him.
"Wait, I might be able to give you another nice thing that will help you out greatly."
As if understanding human words, the wolf lay back down and waited for Ash.
Ash took the berry once more. Inserting his mycelium back inside.
He already knew which DNA he wanted to steal from the berry, so he didn't waste much time exploring and learning again.
He absorbed the DNA using the mycelium and stored it once more in his seed.
Ash returned to the wolf, injecting his mycelium once more.
But this time, the wolf didn't whimper. Ash had only used his mycelium to go inside the plant part of the wolf.
The ones who could shoot out vines and grab their enemies.
The berry's DNA was transferred to combine with the wolf for the second time, and it succeeded with ease.
The process was quick this time, the wolf didn't even feel anything other than a slight discomfort on its back.
"We're done. Now you have your own alluring berry to use to bait your opponents!
Now make sure you can finish off any annoying creatures that tried to enter the forest, okay?
Especially if it was a man named John."
Ash rubbed the wolf's head, which the latter repaid by licking Ash's fingers.
Ash smiled at the wolf's gesture.
'Now I understand why dogs existed…'
The wolf jumped down from the wooden table, rubbing its fur to Ash one last time before running out of the cave.
Before exiting the clearing, the wolf turned back and barked once more before continuing to run back to the forest, its tail wiggling left and right nonstop all the time.
"You've done a great job, child."
The ambiguous voice resounded in Ash's head once more.
"I guess having that foreign power inside you really helped you manipulate your mana. It just flowed naturally following your command.
I'll give you a 10/10 for your work. You've passed the first phase with flying colors!"
The words of praise traveled deep into Ash's heart. He was numb to it before when he started achieving academic and athletic excellence.
But now, every single word was etched deep in his soul, continuing to fill the blank space he felt in his chest.
'Thank you.' He replied, not knowing whether his words could be heard by the voice or not.
"For your next trial, let's see whether you have the creativity and skill to be the savior of all the creatures in this world.
Please use your new ability to morph a creature. A creature that is able to travel fast distances, can avoid danger, and most importantly, can properly share its findings with you.
Good luck, child. I know you can do it."
Ash waited for more creatures to come to the wooden cave for him to use his ability on.
He waited and waited, but no creatures even came close to the border of the clearing and the forest.
Ash thought, 'Did you mean that I need to find my own creatures to splice their DNA now…?'
Ash had never fully explored the forest. What kind of creatures lived inside was still unknown to him, other than the few creatures he met in these few days.
He didn't even know how large the Verdant Necropolis was. All the information about it that was taught to him was that it was a dead zone.
No place for humans to live.
And after living in the place for a few days now, Ash understood clearly why that was the case.
Most of the creatures here were out to kill you and kill each other.
Even a seemingly random patch of weed could plant parasitic vines inside your body to eat you from the inside.
But now, Ash needed to explore it in earnest.
Whatever the human, or the unknown being, had told him to do, Ash was willing to experiment more with it.
He had gained a very useful ability, one that enabled him to modify his own creatures, according to his will.
It didn't close the door of opportunity that he would be able to do much more.
'Wait… Doesn't this mean I can also modify my own DNA with the DNAs of the creatures here…?'
It became a huge question mark, one that commanded an immediate answer.
But Ash could bury them for now.
The unknown voice told him that he was currently in a trial given by it.
If he could finish the trial, then he might have even more powerful abilities, one that would give a certain answer to his pressing question.
'So I do need to go out to find my own creatures to modify. However…'
A certain memory that happened just a few moments ago returned to Ash's mind.
It was still as clear as day.
The sight of the vine stag chasing after him, wanting nothing other than to take his life.
But as if capable of sensing his worry, the voice spoke once more, "Don't worry. That child won't be bothering you. For now."
Ash sighed in relief, but tensed a little when he heard the last part.
'For now? What do you mean…?'
But the voice never answered this question. It just remained silent, as if nothing had ever been said to Ash all this time.
Ash checked the seed on his chest. It was still there, glowing faintly.
'This wasn't a dream. I have a second trial to complete. To possibly unlock even more powers…'
Taking a long breath to prepare himself, Ash finally walked out of the wooden cave.
Savoring the feeling of fulfillment under the encompassing shadow of the banyan tree.
Even when he left the embrace of the tree and walked back to the moonlight, the seed kept pulsing, constantly reminding him of the tree's beatitude.