《Eternal Gene》 The Lowest of the Low

Eternal Gene

Chapter 1: The Lowest of the Low The world had changed a hundred years ago. When the Dimensional Gates appeared, humanity thought it was the end. Monsters poured out, cities fell, and the strong devoured the weak. But then, humans discovered the power of evolution. By hunting beasts from the other side of the Gates, they could absorb their Genetic Essence and evolve. Strength, speed, intelligence¡ªeverything could be enhanced. And so, the age of the Sanctuary Realms began. But not for Zayn Kael. Zayn stood at the back of a long line of scavengers, watching as warriors in gleaming combat suits entered the massive portal ahead. It shimmered like a liquid mirror, its swirling blue surface leading to the First Sanctuary Realm¡ªthe weakest of all hunting grounds. Weakest, but still deadly. "Move faster, trash!" A guard shoved Zayn forward, his rough hand pressing against Zayn''s tattered coat. He stumbled but didn¡¯t retaliate. Fighting back against a Gene Warrior was suicide. Unlike him, they had absorbed Gene Points and evolved beyond normal human limits. Zayn clenched his fists. All his life, he had been branded genetic trash¡ªsomeone with a defective gene sequence that made him unable to evolve. No matter how many beasts he hunted, his Gene System rejected their essence. He was stuck at Level 0, while others soared through the ranks, gaining superhuman abilities. And in this world, power was everything. "Next!" Zayn stepped forward, showing his outdated wristband to the Sanctuary Officer. The man barely glanced at it before sneering. "Still scavenging, huh? Surprised you¡¯re not dead yet." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Zayn ignored the insult. He had no choice but to scavenge. Without the ability to evolve, he could only pick through the remains of dead beasts, hoping to find scraps left behind by real hunters. The officer sighed. "Fine. Go in. But don¡¯t expect anyone to save you if you get eaten." Zayn stepped through the portal.
The First Sanctuary Realm was a desolate wasteland of ruined cities and overgrown forests. The sky above was eternally twilight, a swirling mix of blue and red clouds. In the distance, a pack of Ironhide Wolves prowled the cracked streets, their metallic fur gleaming under the dim light. Zayn exhaled slowly. He couldn''t fight them. A single Ironhide Wolf had 5 Gene Points¡ªfar stronger than any ordinary human. Instead, he moved through the alleyways, searching for leftover beast corpses from previous battles. Hours passed. He found nothing. His stomach growled, but he ignored it. Hunger was normal. Then¡ª A sudden explosion rocked the ground. Zayn spun around, eyes widening as he saw a battle unfolding at the city¡¯s edge. Three Gene Hunters were locked in combat with a massive creature¡ªa Shadowfang Panther, its sleek black body flickering between reality and darkness. A rare-tier beast. Zayn crouched low, waiting. This was his chance. If the hunters killed it and left behind any genetic remnants, he could¡ª CRACK! Lightning arced through the sky. The beast roared, but it was outmatched. Within minutes, the hunters delivered the final blow, the last sword strike piercing its heart. The Shadowfang Panther let out a dying snarl before collapsing. The hunters quickly extracted the best parts¡ªthe heart, the core, the fangs. Then, satisfied, they left. Zayn moved immediately. He ran toward the corpse, heart pounding. He needed to find something¡ªanything! As he reached the remains, his breath caught. There, half-buried in the creature¡¯s shattered skull, was a glowing red crystal. A Gene Core. His fingers trembled as he touched it. Even low-tier warriors would kill for this. And then¡ª [WARNING! UNSTABLE GENETIC ESSENCE DETECTED.] Zayn¡¯s wristband flickered with red lights. His eyes widened. [ERROR! UNREGISTERED GENE CORE IDENTIFIED.][DO YOU WISH TO ABSORB?] His heart pounded. For the first time in his life¡­ his Gene System had reacted. Without hesitation, he whispered¡ª "Absorb." And everything turned black.
Evolution Begins Darkness swallowed Zayn. A strange, overwhelming sensation pulsed through his body as the Gene Core dissolved into pure energy. It rushed into his bloodstream like molten fire, setting every nerve ablaze. His muscles tensed. His bones cracked. His skin burned from the inside out. Then¡ª [WARNING! UNSTABLE GENETIC ESSENCE DETECTED.] His Gene System, which had never worked before, suddenly flared to life. Lines of blue text filled his vision. [ERROR! HOST HAS NEVER ABSORBED GENETIC ESSENCE BEFORE.][ADAPTING SYSTEM TO HOST¡­][GENETIC COMPATIBILITY: 0% ¡ú 100%][FORCED INTEGRATION INITIATED.] Zayn gritted his teeth as waves of pain wracked his body. His veins bulged. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Every fiber of his being was tearing apart¡ªthen reconstructing itself. He didn¡¯t know how long it lasted. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Then, as suddenly as it began, the pain vanished. A cold, emotionless voice echoed in his mind. [Integration Complete.]
Zayn gasped, his body slumping forward. His vision was still blurry, but he could feel it. Something had changed. He clenched his fist. His fingers felt stronger, his grip firmer. His heartbeat had slowed to an unnatural calm, as if his body had perfectly adjusted to the changes. Then, the system prompt appeared again. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
[Gene System Activated.] ?? Name: Zayn Kael?? Level: 1 (Evolution Unlocked ?)?? Gene Points: 10?? Abilities Acquired:
Zayn¡¯s eyes widened. It worked. It actually worked. For years, he had been stuck at Level 0, unable to absorb even a single Gene Point. But now¡ª 10 Gene Points. That was more than what some scavengers earned in months! And even more shocking¡ª He had abilities. ¡°Shadow Step¡­¡± he whispered. Instinctively, his body reacted. A faint black mist curled around his feet, and the next second¡ª WHOOSH! He vanished, reappearing a few feet away. Zayn stumbled, his breathing ragged. ¡°What¡­ the hell?¡± It wasn¡¯t teleportation. It was something¡­ different. He had felt himself slip into the shadows, moving like a wraith before emerging again. He clenched his fists, exhilaration flooding his veins. For the first time in his life¡ª He wasn¡¯t weak anymore.
Footsteps. Zayn¡¯s excitement vanished instantly. He ducked behind a pile of rubble as two figures approached. Their combat suits gleamed under the dim Sanctuary light. Hunters. Zayn held his breath. They must¡¯ve come back to check the corpse. If they found out he had taken the Gene Core, they¡¯d kill him without hesitation. One of them kicked the Shadowfang Panther¡¯s remains and cursed. ¡°Damn it. Someone took the core.¡± Zayn¡¯s heart pounded. The second hunter growled, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll find them.¡± His eyes glowed red¡ªan ability-enhanced sight scanning the surroundings. Zayn froze as those glowing eyes passed over his hiding spot. His mind screamed: Run. Hide. Escape. But then, another thought entered his mind. Or¡­ fight. For the first time, he had power. He had a system. Maybe¡­ he didn¡¯t have to run anymore. Prey Becomes Predator Zayn stayed completely still. His heartbeat felt slower, his breathing controlled. Something about his body had changed¡ªnot just strength, but instincts. The two Gene Hunters scanned the area. One of them muttered, "Whoever took the core couldn¡¯t have gone far." The other grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Then let¡¯s flush them out." Zayn tensed. They knew. A second later¡ª BOOM! The ground exploded beside him as one hunter punched the air, sending a shockwave that blasted apart rubble. The sheer force sent Zayn flying backward, crashing against a broken wall. Pain flared through his body, but he was still alive. "Got you." The first hunter, a bald man with cybernetic implants on his arms, stepped forward, grinning. "Hand over the core." Zayn wiped blood from his lips. His body screamed in pain, but¡ª He wasn¡¯t the same weak scavenger anymore.
?? Gene System Update [Host has engaged in combat for the first time.][Gene Adaptation Activated.] You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ?? Gene Points Available: 10?? Suggested Enhancement: Shadow Step ¡ú Rank E?? Alternative: Increase Physical Strength (+5 Gene Points)
Zayn¡¯s mind raced. The system was giving him a choice. He had 10 Gene Points¡ªenough to either upgrade Shadow Step or increase his strength. Speed or Power? He didn¡¯t hesitate. "Upgrade Shadow Step." A surge of energy coursed through him. His body felt lighter, faster¡ªas if the very air bent around him. [Shadow Step has evolved ¡ú Rank E.][New Effect: Now allows instant movement up to 10 meters.]
The bald hunter sighed, cracking his neck. "Fine. We¡¯ll just beat it out of you." He lunged. Fast. But Zayn was faster. WHOOSH! In an instant, he vanished. The hunter¡¯s eyes widened as his punch hit nothing but air. "What¡ª?!" Zayn reappeared behind him. Without thinking, he drove his knee into the hunter¡¯s back, sending him sprawling forward. The second hunter cursed. "He¡¯s using a movement ability!" Zayn smirked. Yeah. And it¡¯s better than yours. The bald hunter growled as he got back up, his cybernetic arms humming with energy. "You little¡ª" WHOOSH. Zayn disappeared again. Then reappeared right in front of the second hunter. CRACK! He landed a clean punch to the jaw, sending the man crashing into a pile of debris. One down. The bald hunter roared in rage. His cybernetic arms whirred, and suddenly¡ª His entire right arm transformed into a cannon. Zayn¡¯s eyes widened. What the hell? The hunter grinned, his cannon glowing red. "Dodge this, kid." A massive energy blast erupted toward him. Zayn had one second to react. Power Unleashed Zayn¡¯s instincts screamed. The hunter¡¯s cannon arm glowed with deadly energy, the red-hot core humming like a bomb about to explode. There was no time to think¡ªonly to move. WHOOSH! The energy blast erupted from the cannon, a blinding beam of destruction tearing through the air. Zayn¡¯s body vanished just as the ground where he stood exploded into molten debris. [Shadow Step Activated.] He reappeared ten meters away, just in time to see the aftermath¡ªa massive crater where he had been standing. The force of the blast had melted the ground itself. Zayn¡¯s breath was ragged. That would¡¯ve killed him instantly. "Ha! Not bad," the bald hunter sneered. "But how many times can you dodge before your luck runs out?" He raised his arm again. The cannon whined, charging for another shot. Zayn narrowed his eyes. Running wasn¡¯t an option. Dodging wasn¡¯t enough. He had to attack.
?? Gene System Update [Host has survived a life-threatening attack.][Gene Adaptation Boosting Combat Capabilities.] ? New Ability Unlocked: Instinct Reflex (Rank F) ¨C Increases reaction speed when sensing danger.
Zayn felt his muscles tighten, his vision sharpening. The hunter¡¯s next move became crystal clear in his mind before it even happened. He could predict it. And he could end it.
The Counterattack The bald hunter fired again. But this time, Zayn didn¡¯t just dodge. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. He charged forward. WHOOSH! Using Shadow Step, he flickered left, right, left, dodging at the last second as the energy blasts tore apart the ruins around him. Each movement was faster, smoother. The hunter¡¯s face twisted in surprise. "What the hell¡ª?!" Zayn closed the distance in an instant. With his enhanced reflexes, he saw the openings. The tiny moments between attacks where his opponent was vulnerable. His first punch smashed into the cannon arm¡¯s side joint. ? CRACK! Sparks erupted, metal twisting. The hunter stumbled, his cannon arm momentarily disabled. Zayn didn¡¯t stop. He drove his elbow into the hunter¡¯s ribs, then kicked him square in the chest, sending him skidding backward. For the first time, fear flickered in the hunter¡¯s eyes. Zayn grinned. Now we¡¯re even.
The Kill The second hunter¡ªwho Zayn had knocked down earlier¡ªbegan stirring. Zayn didn¡¯t let him recover. He moved like a shadow, appearing behind him in an instant. The man barely had time to react before¡ª CRACK! Zayn grabbed his head and slammed it into the rubble. The hunter collapsed, unconscious. Now only one was left. The bald hunter growled in frustration. His cannon arm was smoking, sparking. He knew he was outmatched. "You damn brat¡ª!" He turned to flee. Zayn didn¡¯t let him. He flashed forward, grabbing the hunter¡¯s arm. Before the man could react¡ª ? CRACK! ? Zayn twisted the arm backward, breaking it in a single motion. The hunter screamed as his cannon arm was torn from his body, sparks flying. "Where¡¯s that confidence now?" Zayn muttered. The hunter collapsed to his knees, gasping in pain. "P-please¡ª" Zayn¡¯s gaze was cold. He knew what would happen if he let this guy live. He¡¯d report him. Hunt him down. Kill him when he was weak. So Zayn did the only logical thing. ? CRACK. ? With a swift strike to the throat, he ended it. The bald hunter collapsed, lifeless.
?? Gene System Update [Host has defeated two Gene Hunters.][Calculating Genetic Essence Absorption¡­] ?? Gene Points Gained: +15?? First Human Kill Bonus: +5 Gene Points
Zayn exhaled, feeling the surge of power flow through his body. ?? Gene Points Available: 20 He stared at his hands, realizing the truth. He wasn¡¯t just a scavenger anymore. He wasn¡¯t prey. He was the predator. And this¡­ was only the beginning.