--
[System Interface - Status Page]
Name: Maxwell Scott
Race: Human
Level: 0
Title: [None]
Gene Skill: Hell Fire
Health: 100%
Mana: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Strength: 9
Agility: 10
Endurance: 11
Perception: 13
Intelligence: 14
Willpower: 12
--
I stared at the floating panel for a moment, my thoughts reeling.
'My gene skill has changed. Even some of my base stats.'
I shifted my focus to the skill tab and tapped it, prompting it to display further information.
--
[System Interface - Skill Page]
Hell Fire (Rank: B) – A sovereign flame renowned for its unquenchable nature and its capacity to inflict relentless, unimaginable torment.
Basic Combat Instincts (Rank: F) – Grants a minor increase in reaction speed when confronted with danger.
Survivor's Grit (Rank: F) – Slightly increases mental resilience, reducing the chance of breaking under stress.
Devour (Rank: ?) – ERROR: Access denied. Authority level too low to reveal rank or functional parameters.
--
I studied the skill page closely, noting the major changes.
The first was HellFire... a B-rank skill.
'Heavens know how hard I'm trying just to keep a straight face.'
Sure, I'd had a flame skill before—but that was a puny E-rank, barely one step above useless. I'd managed to push it up to C-rank, but even then it hadn't helped much.
'And I knew exactly what it cost me to raise its rank twice.'
My gaze drifted across the remaining three skills, but my brows slowly drew together when I reached the last one.No details. No rank. Nothing but a name.
'Devour?'
I wanted to fire a question at Nox, but I held back. This was the Nexus's domain, and pushing too much communication here was a risk I couldn't afford.
"I'll think about this later", I muttered under my breath, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose and steady the rising stress.
With a soft exhale, I dismissed the panel and let my gaze sweep over the people nearby.
Some still had their eyes wide and bulging, staring at the empty air as if trying to force sense into what they'd seen. Others were cautiously poking at nothing—fingers tapping, swiping, prodding—testing the invisible interface only they could see.
I almost let out a chuckle… they looked a little comical, though to be fair, my own reaction had been far worse the first time I'd seen my status panel.
Suddenly, the space above began to brighten as countless white spots appeared far above, intensifying rapidly.
[Now that you have all accessed your status page, you shall now be transported away.]
[Good luck, survivors.]
Those were the last words heard before the beams of light descended, whisking everyone away.
The next moment, the once crowded, noisy space fell deathly silent, the only sound left was the soft, almost soothing hum of the hologram lingering in the background.
----
My eyes fluttered open.
For a moment, I just lay there, gaze unfocused, until my vision sharpened and the heavily cracked ceiling snapped into clarity.
My eyes widened. "Need to get out of here," I whispered, panic creeping in.
A soft cough, followed by a weak whimper, drew my attention. I turned to see the fox lady trembling, struggling to push herself upright.
'Seems like she also withstood the wave.'
{'Yes, sir. The fox lady currently shows no signs of mutation, though her vitals are slightly elevated.'}
'You can read vitals?'
{'Yes, sir. I can monitor both your vitals and those of others. Accuracy may vary depending on strength differences.'}
I gave a slight nod, then pushed myself up from the ground.
Stepping toward the fox lady, I stopped in front of her trembling form and extended a hand.
"Need a hand?" I asked, my voice low but steady.
She froze for a moment, then slowly lifted her head. Her eyes traced my outstretched hand before drifting upward to meet my gaze.
Her mask was coated in dust, a thin trail of drool clinging to its edge.
'Must've been rough… even for her.'
She held my stare for a moment, then slowly reached out to grasp my hand. I pulled her up gently, keeping her steady until she found her footing, then guided her toward the bed.
She sat down, bracing herself with both hands, her breathing still uneven. Clearly, she was still processing everything that had just happened—but that wasn't surprising.
I gave her one last glance before crossing the room to grab my bag. I brushed off the dust, slung it over my shoulder, then turned back to her.
"We need to move," I said quietly. "Staying underground isn't safe anymore."
She gave a slight nod and slowly rose to her feet
{'Her vitals are stabilizing.'}
'Good. Looks like she won't be a burden'
She crouched beside the bed and pulled a wooden box from underneath it.
A muffled rumble shook the room, followed by distant, sharp thuds that sounded like gunfire from somewhere above.
Another tremor rattled the cracked ceiling, sending dust raining down.
"Come on, we have to go!" I snapped, almost shouting.
She hurriedly retrieved a small bag, a pair of twin curved daggers, and another fox mask from the box. She stuffed a few extra items into the bag before hurrying over.
----
Fshhhhhht
With a pressurized hiss, a door slid open, revealing a chamber bathed in deep red.
A figure stepped through, and the door sealed behind them with another hiss.
Heavy, measured footsteps echoed across the dim room, before the silhouette came to a halt, instantly dropping to one knee at the foot of a massive throne.
The woman seated on the throne gazed down at the kneeling figure, her golden irises drifting lazily over the silver plates of his armor. Intricate patterns swirled within her eyes like a celestial map slowly rotating.
"What is it?" she asked at last, her chilling voice slicing through the thick, oppressive silence.
Belzebob lowered his feral ears instinctively, keeping his head bowed.
"Your Highness, a further report from the Nexus orb has arrived," he said. He paused, then added, "It contains the full data on all gene-activated creatures on the targeted planet."
A long, tense silence stretched between them.
Then—
"Show me."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Belzebob straightened, then tapped a sequence across his armored wrist. A glowing interface sprang to life, and with a few more taps, the chamber lights dimmed even further, plunging the room into a deeper crimson glow.