[ New Gene Skill Acquired! ]

[ Skill: Beast Arm (Level 0) ]

[ Type: Active ]

[ Description: Temporarily transforms the user’s right arm into a beast‑like appendage, increasing raw strength and impact force.

Strikes deal +25% bonus damage and can fracture defensive barriers.

Duration: 20 seconds.

Cooldown: 120 seconds. ]

[ Activation Cost: 70 SP ]

[ Note: Transformation places strain on the body. Overuse may cause fatigue or minor tissue damage. ]

Kai stared at his right arm as the faint glow faded.

For a brief instant, he had seen claws forming, his forearm swelling with unnatural power. He flexed his hand, feeling the lingering heaviness as it returned to normal like nothing really happened.

"...Beast Arm," he muttered. "Interesting."

He tested a punch against the wall, stopping short before impact. Even without activating it, he could sense the potential... a skill designed to break through armor, crush obstacles, and overpower enemies in close combat.

Furthermore, it wasn’t really that limiting to use. The duration was 20 seconds, and the cooldown of 2 minutes wasn’t that bad considering the cost of activation.

Then, he also learned something...

"This... stacks perfectly with Bronze Skin," Kai realized.

"It covered both defense and offense... Spirit Pulse for ranged bursts, Specter Step for mobility, and now Beast Arm for brute force."

Kai exhaled with a grin tugging at his lips.

"The System really wants me to fight head‑on."

At this time, just as Kai was about to relax, another notification appeared before his eyes.

Ding!

[ Compatibility Detected! ]

[ Passive Skill: Bio‑Adaptive Constitution (Level 5) ]

[ Active Skill: Beast Arm (Level 0) ]

[ Status: High Compatibility Confirmed ]

"What? There’s something like this?" Kai muttered, pausing as he read the new message.

It was surprising, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. This was the first time he had obtained a skill that directly transformed his body. Naturally, Bio‑Adaptive Constitution would respond to such a change.

The passive skill wasn’t just about resisting rejection from synthetic modifications — it also triggered whenever his physiology underwent transformation. In this case, it was stabilizing Beast Arm, ensuring his body could handle the strain without tearing itself apart.

In any case, the notification didn’t end just yet.

[ Effect Integration: ]

- Bio‑Adaptive Constitution stabilizes Beast Arm’s transformation, reducing strain on muscle tissue and preventing rejection of foreign augmentation.

- Fatigue penalty reduced by 100%.

- Transformation duration extended from 20 seconds to 45 seconds.

- Damage bonus increased from +25% to +35%.

- Barrier Fracture chance improved: +15% effectiveness against hardened defenses.

- Recovery time shortened: Cooldown reduced from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

[ Additional Note: ]

[ Due to seamless integration, Beast Arm’s growth potential has increased. Future leveling will unlock advanced mutations (multi‑limb reinforcement, claw extension, or dual‑arm transformation). ]

Kai blinked at the sight of it. He was stunned. "It... boosted the skill?"

He flexed his right arm again, recalling the heaviness he had felt earlier. Now, the System confirmed it wasn’t just brute force... his body had adapted instantly, thanks to Bio‑Adaptive Constitution.

"This is insane," he muttered.

"My constitution actually canceled the drawbacks of the Beast Arm. Instead of strain, I get more power, longer duration, and faster recovery."

Finally, Kai opened his inventory, and this time, he focused on the icon of a purple crystal.

[ Item: Skill Fusion Crystal ]

[ Effect: Allows fusion of two or more Gene Skills into a new hybrid skill. Higher compatibility produces stronger results. Single-use, bound to the player. ]

He materialized it into his hand. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary stone. It was dull, smooth, and unimpressive. But the moment he held it, the System reacted.

Ding!

[ Skill Fusion Crystal Activated ]

[ Eligible Gene Skills Detected ]

[ Active Skills: Spirit Pulse Lv5, Specter Step Lv5, Fast Appraisal Lv5, Beast Arm Lv0 ]

[ Passive Skills: Keen Sense Lv5, Bio‑Adaptive Constitution Lv5, Battle Trance Lv5, Bronze Skin Lv5 ]

[ Instruction: Select up to 5 Gene Skills to fuse together. ]

[ Note: Minimum requirement is 2 Gene Skills. Fusion will proceed with chosen skills. ]

[ Warning: The more skills selected, the higher the risk of failure or unstable results unless compatibility is high. ]

[ Recommendation: Choose carefully. Fusion outcomes are permanent. ]

Kai frowned as he read the notification. "Up to five skills... but that’s insane. If compatibility isn’t perfect, I could ruin everything."

He thought of Spirit Pulse and Specter Step... both seemed to be spirit‑based, both offensive and evasive. They might fuse well. But adding Beast Arm or Bronze Skin into the mix? That was riskier.

"No... not yet," Kai muttered. He canceled the process, and soon the crystal dimmed back into in his hands.

"I’ll study compatibility first. I can’t waste this."

Just like that, he stored it back in his inventory.

His gaze shifted to another item in his inventory... one he had nearly forgotten.

[ Prototype Gene Weapon Core x1 ]

[ Effect: Can be bound to a Gene Weapon to unlock hidden attributes or evolve it into a higher tier. ]

Kai’s lips tightened. He currently had two mid‑grade Gene Weapons.

He needed one more to break through the requirement for his level cap. But Gene Weapons were permanent... once bound, there was no turning back. Binding a low‑grade weapon would be a mistake he might regret forever.

Still... with the Prototype Core, he could change that. He could evolve a low‑grade weapon into something greater.

Kai reached into his inventory and pulled out a black cube... the dormant form of his low‑grade Gene Weapon. It had been sitting there for weeks, untouched.

"Alright... let’s see what you can become."

Without any more hesitation, he activated the cube.

[ Dormant Gene Weapon Detected ]

[ Do you wish to awaken it and become its owner? ]

"Yes," he said firmly.

Just like that, the cube vibrated, and it started reshaping.

Slowly, it unfolded, reshaping itself into an item...

[ Activating Gene Weapon. ]

[ Connection in progress. ]

[ Synchronizing Spirit Resonance. ]

[ Awakening Sequence Initiated. ]

The cube unfolded, and its segments elongated instead of compressing.

Soon, metallic shafts extended outward... The core stretched into a long pole, while the tip sharpened into a spearhead of dark alloy.

Just like that, the weapon stabilized... It was a lance, built for piercing through armor and striking at range.

[ Gene Weapon Awakened: War Lance ]