As the crowd broke up to follow Jorunn's orders, Scott stepped out of the underground caves and into the open air.
He took a deep breath. The first light of dawn on Sporos wasn't a warm yellow; it was a hazy, ghostly glow filtering through the thick canopy high above.
Painted in shades of soft blue and violet, making the glowing moss on the Heartwood Tree's bark pulse with a gentle rhythm.
The powerful Life Energy humming under his skin was a strange and intoxicating feeling.
Before transmigration, he was just a normal human, his body ordinary and fragile.
Now, a river of vitality flowed through him, warm and strong. It was the raw, untamed power of his First Order body.
He flexed his hands, watching the muscles bunch and knot with a density that was still surprising.
Just like Alistair, curiosity got the better of him.
He walked to a large boulder that had been knocked loose during the zombie's attack, a piece of stone that would have taken three strong men to even budge.
He wrapped his fingers around its rough edge, bent his knees, and lifted.
It came off the ground with an ease that sent a jolt of shock through him.
It was heavy, yes, but it felt manageable, like lifting a heavy sack of grain, not an immovable rock.
He held it for a moment, feeling the slight strain in his muscles, then set it down with a soft thud.
He then tested his speed, taking a few quick steps across the clearing.
He covered twenty feet in the blink of an eye, the world blurring slightly at the edges of his vision.
He stopped instantly, his feet planted firmly on the ground with perfect balance.
The +338% body forging boost from his Level 3 Bull's Frame wasn't just a number on a screen; it was a reality-bending change.
Satisfied with the test, he found a comfortable spot leaning against another root and pulled up his mental status panel.
It was time to continue the upgrades. His eyes scanned the list.
[First Order Common Gene: Level 0 Spore Dart] (Exp: 745/100) and [First Order Common Gene: Level 0 Camouflage Spores] (Exp: 950/100).
These were the original Scott's bread and butter, his main tools for hunting and hiding.
Improving them was the obvious next step. Stealth was life in this world.
He first checked the basic attributes of [Gene: Camouflage Spores].
[First Order Common Gene: Level 0 Camouflage Spores]
[ Description: Allows the user to release a cloud of microspores that adhere to the skin and clothing. These spores refract light and alter color, providing effective camouflage against natural backdrops. ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 10 ]
[ Effectiveness: 30% visibility reduction while stationary. ]
[ Sound Dampening: 15% reduction in movement noise. ]
[ Duration: 5 minutes. ]
"Thirty percent is barely enough to hide from even ordinary spore beasts," he muttered to himself. It was time for a serious upgrade.
It is not that the old Scott never thought of improving his genes, however no one from their camp knew how to do that.
He only knew that there were special types of potions that can strengthen spore genes, but as a low level camp, they never had a chance before.
But it's completely different now, with his ability to upgrade, he doesn't need those hard to find potions anymore.
"Let's start with the camo," he thought. "Upgrade Camouflage Spores."
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Camouflage Spores from Level 0 to Level 1... ]
[ 100 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 850. ]
A faint, cool sensation spread over his skin, like a light mist settling on him, but the feeling was faint.
He immediately checked the new stats.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 1 Camouflage Spores (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 15 ]
[ Effectiveness: 45% visibility reduction. ]
[ Sound Dampening: 22.5% reduction. ]
[ Duration: 7.5 minutes. ]
"Better," he thought, "but still not good enough to rely on. Let's keep going."
"Upgrade again."
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Camouflage Spores from Level 1 to Level 2... ]
[ 200 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 650. ]
This time, the sensation was stronger. It felt as if his connection to the surrounding light and shadows deepened.
He could almost feel how the light would bend around him if he activated the skill.
He checked the panel again, a flicker of excitement building.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 2 Camouflage Spores (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 22.5 ]
[ Effectiveness: 67.5% visibility reduction. ]
[ Sound Dampening: 33.75% reduction. ]
[ Duration: 11.25 minutes. ]
A nearly 70% reduction in visibility was serious business. That was good enough to fool the eyes of most common spore beasts if he was careful.
But he had more experience points, enough for one more upgrade, and there was no reason to stop now. He was aiming for mastery.
"One more time. Upgrade."
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Camouflage Spores from Level 2 to Level 3... ]
[ 300 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 350. ]
A powerful wave of energy washed over him. It wasn't just a feeling on his skin anymore; it was a fundamental change in his perception.
He instinctively understood how to release the spores to perfectly match the texture of bark, or the shimmer of damp moss.
His eyes snapped to the panel.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 2 Camouflage Spores (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 33.75 ]
[ Effectiveness: ~95% visibility reduction. ]
[ Sound Dampening: 50.6% reduction. ]
[ Duration: ~17 minutes. ]
Scott couldn't help a wide grin. Ninety-five percent.
That was practically invisible.
But he could feel that he couldn't act rashly around Second Order Lifeforms.
But in front of First Order Lifeforms, he could walk right past a patrol or stand feet away from his prey without being seen.
The fifty percent sound reduction was just as huge. This single skill, just at Level 3, had already become his ultimate survival tool.
Now that his defense and stealth were secure, his eyes drifted to his primary offensive tool.
He focused his attention on the Spore Dart gene.
The base stats appeared in his vision, a reminder of how weak the original skill was.
According to Scott's memories, he never wanted to absorb such a weak gene, however this gene was absorbed by his body automatically when he absorbed the gene core with the camouflage gene.
[First Order Common Gene: Level 0 Spore Dart]
[ Description: Allows the user to generate and launch a small, hardened spore from their fingertips. It is a silent, ranged attack for hunting or distraction. ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 10 per dart ]
[ Range: 20 meters. ]
[ Velocity: 30 m/s. ]
[ Impact: A distracting tap. ]
"Upgrade Spore Dart to Level 1," he commanded.
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Spore Dart from Level 0 to Level 1... ]
[ 100 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 645. ]
A sharp, tingling sensation, like pins and needles, shot through his arms and concentrated in his fingertips.
The feeling wasn't painful, just intense.
It felt as if the very cells in his hands were rearranging themselves, creating tiny, efficient pathways for life energy to flow.
The skin on his index finger felt a little tougher, more resilient.
He checked the stats.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 1 Spore Dart (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 15 per dart ]
[ Range: 30 meters. ]
[ Velocity: 45 m/s. ]
[ Impact: Stings like a paintball. ]
"A paintball sting," Scott laughed. "Annoying, maybe it can cause some damage to ordinary lifeforms, but it won't stop anything serious." He didn't hesitate. "Upgrade again."
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Spore Dart from Level 1 to Level 2... ]
[ 200 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 445. ]
The tingling intensified into a low, warm hum that vibrated from his wrists to his knuckles. He could feel the biological structures within his fingers becoming more complex. It was like his body was growing a tiny, internal weapon, reinforcing the launch mechanism and perfecting the spore's composition. For a brief moment, a faint green light glowed under his fingernails before fading.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 2 Spore Dart (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 22.5 per dart ]
[ Range: 45 meters. ]
[ Velocity: 67.5 m/s. ]
[ Impact: Can now break the skin of ordinary Life forms, with power comparable to ordinary arrows… hitting in the weak spots can cause higher damage from the impact. ]
"Now we're talking," he whispered.
The ability to break skin from almost 50 meters away, silently, was a significant advantage.
It could cause bleeding and pain, disrupting an enemy's focus. But he knew he could push it further.
He had the experience points, and he wanted this skill to be a killer.
"Upgrade."
[ Upgrading First Order Common Gene: Spore Dart from Level 2 to Level 3... ]
[ 300 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 145. ]
A jolt of pure energy, like a powerful static shock, coursed down his right arm. His hand clenched into a fist on its own.
The warmth in his fingers became a focused heat, and the skin there felt dense and calloused.
New knowledge flowed into his mind: how to condense the spore for maximum density, how to impart a slight spin for stability in the air, how to shape the tip into a needle-fine point.
His fingers had become biological launchpads for lethal projectiles.
He eagerly scanned the final stats, a predator's smile touching his lips.
[ First Order Common Gene: Level 3 Spore Dart (+50%) ]
[ Life Energy Cost: 33.75 per dart ]
[ Range: 67.5 meters. ]
[ Velocity: 101.25 m/s. ]
[ Impact: Pierces thick hide… can cause damage to First Order Lifeforms with low defense.]
Over 100 meters per second. That was faster than a competition-grade crossbow bolt. And it could pierce a thick hide, if used well targeting vital parts, this could take down the First Order spore beasts.