Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

A few seconds after the group stepped into the portal, they arrived in the mutant realm. Taking a moment, they surveyed their eerie surroundings, allowing the strange, desolate landscape to sink in.

The area resembled a forsaken cityscape, its streets scattered with dilapidated buildings that towered ominously against the horizon. Debris and shards of broken glass littered the ground, remnants of the buildings' past grandeur. Some skyscrapers leaned dangerously, as though the slightest gust of wind would send them tumbling down, while a few still stood firm, surprisingly resilient against the odds.

"I wonder who built these buildings in this realm," Vic muttered, his gaze sweeping across the hauntingly silent city.

"I can't believe you just asked that question, Vic. Don't you ever pay attention in class?" Angelica replied, arching an eyebrow as she regarded him with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Err..." Vic stammered, scratching his long, snow-white hair as he fumbled for a response.

"You don't need to mock him just because he doesn't know," Zoey interjected, her glare directed at Angelica. "If you know the answer, just tell him already."

"Chill out, Zoey, she's just joking," Vic said with a frown, but Zoey forced a tight smile, her expression softening only slightly to please him.

Angelica held Zoey's gaze for a tense moment before shifting her attention back to Vic and the rest of the group, ready to explain.

"These buildings were built by mutants who dwell here in this realm," she said, her tone taking on a more serious edge. "If you'd been paying attention in class, you'd know that certain types of mutants have the ability to travel from one realm to another."

She continued, her voice calm but audible, "It's often the gods of realms who move to other realms when they realize they don't stand a chance against the hunters sent in to clear them. That's why a realm's grade can suddenly spike. For instance, if a Grade 4 realm's god ends up in a Grade 3 realm, the realm's grade level will increase from Grade 3 to 4."

Angelica paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, "And when a foreign realm's god arrives in a new realm, there's often a fierce conflict. The foreign god tries to take control, building these sorts of structures to create safe zones for weaker mutants to hide while the stronger ones fight for dominance."

The group listened closely, taking in Angelica's explanation as they considered the complex dynamics of realms.

"So... does that mean there's a foreign god in this realm right now?" Vic asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I doubt it. This realm's grade is still just Grade 2," Angelica replied, shaking her head. "If a foreign god had come here, it would likely be from a Grade 1 realm to keep the grade the same. Either that or the realm's mutants managed to kill it before the scientists even discovered and documented this place." Vic nodded thoughtfully, trying to absorb the information.

Silas, however, remained detached from the conversation, his focus locked on a screen floating before him, his face a mask of neutrality as he studied it.

[Your next Evolution Quest has arrived.]

[Complete the evolution quest to become a Tier 3, the final stage of the Soul Devourer Tier.]

[Tier 3 Soul Devourer Information: The host gains the ability to obtain a skill card from each soul consumed. Each skill card will last five minutes and can only be used once.]

[Evolution Quest: Slay the god of the realm and consume its soul.]

[Quest rewards will be shown upon completion.]

[Time limit: 6:49:22]

Silas scrutinized the screen, his expression unwavering as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I can't believe the system has given me an evolution quest in a low-graded realm," he mused internally, his eyes narrowing as he considered his predicament. "Most of my evolution quests have been in high-graded realms, so this feels like a bonus... but something's not right."

Then, a sudden realization struck him—he wasn't alone in this realm. Hundreds of students were also present, all racing toward the god's chamber to defeat it and boost their scores in the test. The system had likely triggered his quest to force him into a competition, challenging him to complete it before anyone else.

"If the other students reach the god's chamber before I do, the quest will be over. And if they show up while I'm fighting, the quest will also be over—there's no way I could keep battling with everyone watching," he thought, frustration simmering as he contemplated his limited options.

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"Damn it... what now?" Silas pondered inwardly, strategizing as he searched for a way to outmaneuver the impending obstacles.

The evolution he was striving for, Tier 3, represented the ultimate form of his Devourer abilities. It would grant him the power to absorb skills from each soul he consumed, allowing him to gather a temporary arsenal of potent abilities. But reaching that level hinged on the success of this single, precarious quest.

After a tense silence, Silas finally broke his focus and spoke.

"Uh... would it be cool if I went off on my own?" he asked, glancing at the group. "If we split up, we might be able to gather more valuable body parts than if we all stick together."

"You? Go solo?" Zoey scoffed, looking at him with disdain. "You're just a boy with no mutant abilities. Do you want to end up as mutant fodder?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Very well, then. Angelica, come with me," Silas replied calmly, ignoring Zoey's remark as he turned and began to walk away.

Angelica hesitated for a brief moment, casting a sidelong glance at Zoey before following Silas, leaving the rest of the group behind.

"Are those two... a thing?" Zoey sneered, watching them walk away. "I wouldn't be surprised. Loser dates loser."

Vic, unfazed by her comment, shifted his gaze to the side as he noticed a mutant lurking several meters away.

"Looks like we've got company," he said, bracing himself. "You all stay back while I—"

**WHOOSH!**

Before he could finish, a powerful gust of wind surged past him as Devastator charged straight toward the mutant. In an instant, Devastator closed the distance, his fist swinging forward with relentless force.

**BAM!**