The evening wasn't quiet at all.
Besides the howls and growls of monsters and nocturnal predators, there was a sound of sizzling fire.
Egon's face scrunched up when he noticed flames and ashes rising into the sky from the direction their nest was located.
His calmness crumbled instantly.
"The nest!" Number Five cried out in alarm.
He immediately dropped his newly acquired stone axe and started running like a madman toward the plume of smoke.
Egon failed to stop him. Though his Agility far surpassed Five's, the raw terror driving his companion was too fast.
"F*ck! This is bad!"
Egon cursed and followed behind Five. His instincts screaming that this was an ambush or a trap, but he couldn't just do nothing right?
He had to confirm it with his own eyes.
And just as he feared, as they passed the thick wall of overgrown bushes near the nest's entrance, a heartbreaking scene unfolded before their very eyes.
A giant lizard, bathed in flames and eyes filled with predatory hunger stood there.
Chrunch!
It just finished chewing down a little Imp's corpse, while the nest was completely reduced to ashes and charcoal.
The other imps of the tribe were nowhere to be seen. Most likely they were also incinerated or eaten.
"Number Six!" Number Five cried out.
His eyes instantly turned bloodshot as he recognized the fate of the smaller imp inside the monster's jaws.
His panic instantly turned to blind, reckless rage. He lowered his head and charged at the giant Fire Salamander without a moment's thought for his own life.
Egon, witnessing the scene, felt a cold, calculated terror mixed with a flash of white-hot fury. It was the same species of monster that had killed his imp-host's body the first time.
The cycle of brutal, weak existence was currently repeating itself.
This wasn't just a low level threat like Cave Hoppers or Rock Beetles. This was the real deal.
The Fire Salamander immediately registered the puny imp charging at it.
Bang!
Then with contemptuous ease, it swiftly swung its massive, whip-like tail, striking hard against Number Five's reckless charge.
Crack!
Five's muscular body was flung backward into the air with a sickening crack audible even over the roar of the residual flames, and a spray of bright red blood spewed out of his mouth.
Five hit the a sturdy tree with a wet thud and slumped motionless to the ground.
"Sssssss..."
The Salamander didn't wait. It opened its mouth wide, and a jet of searing fire erupted, intending to incinerate the daring insect in mid-air.
Whoosh...
However, just then, Egon gathered up his courage and charged in, swinging his stone axe low.
He didn't wish to interfere and risk his life at all. But the residual will of the former host influenced his body to act.
Using the creature's momentary distraction, Egon managed to connect with the soft-looking belly of the Salamander.
But—
Thwak!
The crude stone blade failed to pierce the skin. It wasn't soft at all; it was hard, thick, and surprisingly tough. It felt as though Egon had struck a thick slab of dense wood.
The impact alone jarred his small arms painfully, and the Salamander, though barely bothered, shifted its attention from the falling imp to the nuisance nipping at its feet.
Hisss...
A sound of supreme annoyance and contempt escaped the lizard's throat as it slowly turned its massive, fiery head down toward Egon.
"Not good..." Egon muttered, the shock of the tail strike still vibrating through his bones.
Retracting the stone axe, Egon tried to retreat but was struck squarely on his chest by the Salamander's tail. Egon was flung away the same way Number Five was, but luckily he landed on a patch of soft grass, minimizing the wound, though he still felt his internal organs shake.
Meanwhile, the massive raptilian monster conjured flames in its maw, preparing to cook Egon alive.
However, Egon was already prepared.
Holding the axe, he charged at it again. This might seem reckless, but he had a plan in mind. If he could somehow obtain its superior Gene, he could become stronger and faster. It was the only way to survival.
Sizzle, Sizzle...
He barely dodged the torrential wave of fire. However, using the stone axe, he managed to scrape up a few scales from the Fire Salamander's flank. He hurriedly collected the scales and retreated before the fire breath could target him again.
Taking cover behind a large rock, Egon immediately started accumulating the gene into his own body.
His body instantly reacted to the Superior Gene, enriching his own core structure.
Ding!
< Gene Accumulated: Fire Salamander (E) >
< Strength +1, Agility +1, Vitality +2 >
Egon roared in exhilaration. This was it. This was what power felt like.
With this sudden, massive increase in power, his movements and strikes became faster and stronger. Using his human mind, he didn't fight it head-on like any reckless monster would do. He used provocation, trickery, and the environment to his advantage, stealing the Fire Salamander's genes piece after piece.
In just tens of minutes, Egon's constant absorption of the Fire Salamander's genes elevated his stats to an unbelievable level.
[ Strength: 10.5 ]
[ Agility: 11.0 ]
[ Vitality: 11.0 ]
This represented an increase of over 120% since the last time.
The first time he saw this Unique Skill, he instinctively knew this was the key to ultimate power, and now his assumption was coming true. Just by absorbing meager sliced up scales, he was growing stronger.
He was now almost comparable to an average, trained human in physical strength, perhaps even a little more. His whole body trembled due to the addictive sensation of raw power.
Egon's grip on the stone axe tightened, and he gazed up at the puzzled Salamader with cold eyes,
"Not today, lizard. I refuse to die. I'll claw my way up and become the strongest existence this universe has ever feared."
With that resolve, he charged forward with terrifying momentum. His movements might have lacked the expertise of a veteran warrior, but his sheer determination to survive and grow was enough to bring the Fire Salamander down.
After another ten minutes of fierce, tactical battle, the Fire Salamander let out its final, agonized screech before it fell onto the ground with a loud thud. Its whole body was scratched and gouged as if giant ants had devoured its flesh in chunks. Those sturdy scales were now equal to fish scales against Egon's vastly increased power.
Although, his body was also covered with scratches due to moving around in the darkness of the evening. Still a victorious smirk plastered itself on his face.
Not just because of the victorious sensation of slaying the mighty Fire Salamander, but because of the notification that flashed in his vision:
Ding!
< Congratulations! Your Unique Skill Genesis Overclock has upgraded to second order: Gene Integrator. >