Gene Integration: Egon was now capable of combining other species' genes into his own to evolve himself into a higher species. That basically meant more strength and powerful abilities.
But for now, he pushed that exhilarating realization aside and focused on the immediate situation.
He quickly went over to where Number Five lay slumped against the cave wall and checked his pulse.
Egon's brows furrowed, noticing the faint, almost unnoticeable beat. The tail strike from the Salamander had been brutal.
Just then, Five's eyelids opened slowly, his orange eyes dull and hazy. His gaze first landed on the colossal, scorched corpse of the Fire Salamander lying nearby.
A weak smile formed on his lips.
"Cough! Thanks the demon god Nine! you made it. You have killed that fiend. I am glad." The words were raspy, barely audible.
"Five, you—" Egon stammered. The complex emotions were foreign, making him unable to express his true feelings.
"Cough, my time has come, Nine. But you must carry on. You must build a legacy that no one ever has managed to do. And then let the world know you were just an Imp in the past. Tell them Imps are not the... worthless."
Finished saying, the final light dimmed from his eyes. Number Five, the courageous brute who had stood by Egon, was gone.
Egon didn't feel sad. He didn't know how to. He had forgotten that emotion very long ago.
Still he decided to carry the last wish of the first ally he had made in this world.
He now had a responsibility on his shoulder
"This is my promise to you, Five. When I become the strongest Paragon, I will keep our tribe's memories as monuments till eternity."
Egon stood alone.
The devastation was complete; the tribe was annihilated. But he had survived, and he was exponentially stronger.
First, he had to secure his position.
He knelt beside the colossal carcass of the Fire Salamander. The Gene Integrator skill was throbbing, ready to consume its ultimate prize. Egon pressed his hands onto the thick scales of the dead beast and activated his upgraded unique skill.
The shriveling effect was magnified tenfold. The Salamander's massive body began to desiccate, its internal heat rapidly draining out as its powerful essence was ruthlessly pulled into Egon's being.
Ding!
< Congratulations! Fire Salamander Gene Integrated Successfully >
Following the notification, a influx of power, far greater than the simple accumulation gains, washed over Egon.
His charcoal-red skin darkened, becoming tougher and gaining a slight, igneous sheen.
His eyes flared a deeper, fiercer orange.
Ding!
< Species Evolution Initiated! >
< Iron-Teeth Imp → Fire-Scaled Imp (Minor Species Upgrade) >
< Physical Stats Increased Significantly >
Ding!
< New Active Skill Acquired: [Fire Aura] >
< New Passive Skill Acquired: [Scale Hide] >
Egon let out a shuddering breath. He wasn't just an imp anymore. He was evolving.
[ Name: Egon Quintessy ]
[ True Name: — ]
[ Race: Demon ]
[ Species: Fire Scaled Imp ]
[ Rank: Rising Star ]
[ Conquered Territories: 0 ]
[ Soul Shards: 5 ]
Physical Stats:
[ Strength: 17.0 ]
[ Agility: 17.0 ]
[ Vitality: 18.0 ]
Skills:
• Fire Aura, Bite (1st Order)
Unique Skills:
• Genesis Overclock (2nd Order)
The physical stats increase was staggering. With just a single gene integration, his power upgraded by 70%.
However, what caught his was the number of Soul Shards. It changed without knowing how he gained them. He didn't even know about their usages yet. But since its there, it was definitely important.
Next, he looked down at Number Five's corpse. Absorbing his genes would surely grant him a slight boost in stats, but for obvious reasons, he wouldn't do it.
The very thought was repulsive. After all Five had been his ally and his first believer.
Instead, Egon lifted the corpse in his arms, now feeling its weight as very light. He couldn't leave his first comrade to be scavenged like an animal. He found a secluded, dry crevice near the ruins of the nest.
He dug a pit with his hardened, clawed hands, then gently buried the corpse, before putting a fresh patch of resilient, luminescent moss on top of the grave. It wasn't a flower, but it was the best, most beautiful thing this dark cavern offered.
Thereafter, Egon left the place silently, his movements powerful and decisive, heading toward his next destination.
He had learned a hard lesson today: without overwhelming strength, he was most likely to die like an ant.
He had no intention of dying. Since he couldn't live an ordinary life, he would choose the only path left to him: ascension.
Under the scattering moonlight spilling in from the dense canopy, Egon walked aimlessly. He was simply waiting to see where his path would lead.
The journey was unnaturally solitary. No nocturnal predators attacked him, nor did any small fries approach. He had walked for hours, and yet the whole region felt oddly deserted. This silence was strange, especially given the fiery attack on the small imp nest.
Very soon, dawn arrived. The sun rose in one direction, and having no other directional sense, Egon assumed that was East and walked straight toward it.
He continued walking for a few hours more, and only then did Egon notice something alarming.
Hiding behind a rock formation, he saw a group of Green Orcs. They were giant and monstrously powerful, clad in surprisingly sophisticated armor. They were systematically capturing a group of green goblins with terrifying cruelty.
The goblins were chained, dragged, and forcibly loaded into large, crude caravans like slaves.
The difference in power was a chasm. The Orcs were clearly dominant.
Egon, of course, had no intention of acting as a hero. His survival mattered the most.
That being said, his expression told he was planning to be crafty. He realized this high-traffic area, though dangerous, was likely a nexus point for powerful beings, and where there was power, there were opportunities—and perhaps, more valuable genes.
Egon ducked low and silently disappeared into the deeper shadows of the dense woods, observing the slave caravan route. His high Agility, boosted by his Fire-Scaled evolution, allowed him to move with near-silent precision, blending into the undergrowth like a small, charcoal-red shadow.
Today, someone's definitely feel blunt of this demonic creature.