As soon as Cade stepped beyond the testing gates, he was greeted by a lush, vibrant expanse of greenery. The landscape stretched endlessly, teeming with life. The soft chirping of birds and the gentle hum of insects created a serene, almost hypnotic atmosphere.

That peace, however, was shattered like glass the moment a colossal, dog-like beast entered Cade’s view.

Raising an eyebrow, Cade took in the sight of the monstrous creature—an abomination straight out of fiction. Ironically, that wasn’t far from the truth.

The beast moved with an elegance that put even the most graceful of felines to shame.

Most people would be paralyzed with fear at the mere sight of such an otherworldly being. Yet, Cade didn’t so much as flinch. His mind was preoccupied with an entirely different thought.

If I extract Mikè’s genes, will I inherit gigantification? Or something else entirely?

Trailing behind Mike were two figures. One was a rotund, chubby boy with slick, oily hair, his clothes barely containing the mass of his protruding belly. The other was a formally dressed man, likely in his forties, with crystal-clear glasses that he adjusted the moment his sharp gaze landed on Cade. He was clearly assessing his threat level. Cade immediately recognized them—Milluki Zoldyck and his ever-watchful butler, Gotoh.

Milluki raised a hand, signaling Mike and Gotoh to halt, then stepped forward to meet Cade himself.

“You must be Milluki,” Cade said, taking the initiative.

He didn’t offer a handshake, something he would normally do when meeting new people. From what he understood about Milluki’s character, outward gestures meant little to him. The only thing that mattered was usefulness.

Milluki nodded, his head jiggling like a water-filled balloon.

“You’re Cade? The freelancer who asked me to track the target?” Milluki eyed him up and down, tilting his head slightly. “Didn’t expect you to be so... young. Well, doesn’t matter. Let’s head inside.”

Without waiting for a response, Milluki pulled out an energy drink from his pocket, took a long gulp, and turned around, heading back the way he came. Cade followed closely behind.

"Master Milluki, is it necessary to bring him with us?" Gotoh interjected, his tone measured but firm. "Can’t we conclude the exchange right here?"

Milluki shot Gotoh a disdainful look.

“What, are you saying you can’t protect me from him if he turns out to be a threat? Inside the Zoldyck estate? In the midst of you and all the other butlers?”

Gotoh shook his head. "Forgive me, Master Milluki, but even if he isn't a threat, he is not permitted inside the family quarters."

It was a firm boundary—one Gotoh had no intention of budging from. Milluki was well aware of this and waved a hand, clearly annoyed.

“Don’t worry. We’re not headed there. We’re going to the eastern hill.”

A grin spread across his face.

"But isn’t that where—"

Before Gotoh could finish, Milluki cut him off with an irritated huff.

"I know IT is there. And Grandpa is waiting for me along with it."

He then turned to Cade, who had been leisurely following along, his expression unreadable.

"Are you sure you can extract its genes?" Milluki’s grin widened.

"You know, I’ve got Grandpa Zeno excited for this occasion. If you can’t do it, you’d better prepare to face his wrath."

Cade simply shrugged.

Cade remained unfazed by Milluki’s threats, following him closely as they moved through the dense terrain. His mind lingered on the message he had sent Milluki earlier that day, one that could be summarized as follows:

Cade will extract the genes of Milluki's choosing and implant them into him—under the condition that Milluki himself provides the source of those genes.

Milluki had agreed to the terms, and Cade could guess they were now heading toward that very source.

They passed through a clearing between the trees, taking several turns as they approached an unknown destination.

Along the way, Milluki chugged down energy drinks one after another, his nerves or impatience manifesting in the relentless consumption of sugar and caffeine.

After half an hour of continuous walking, they finally arrived.

The landscape ahead was an uneven field that ended in a massive rocky hill with a wide circumference. Sparse vegetation clung to the rough surface, patches of greenery breaking up the stone. But what truly caught Cade’s attention was the creature atop the hill.

It was massive—easily dwarfing an elephant in size. Its wings, a deep green, remained closed like sheathed blades, and its body was coiled in a way reminiscent of a serpent. From his position at the foot of the hill, Cade could only make an educated guess as to what it was, but one thing was certain—it was no ordinary beast.

Standing at the base of the hill was an old man. His eyes, sharp as blades, studied the approaching individuals with unwavering focus. His white mustache curved downward at the edges, extending past his chin, and his thick, spiky, silvered hair gave him an almost legendary air.

Why do all the Zoldycks have such cool hair? Should I get them to donate their hair genes to my collection?

The thought amused Cade, though outwardly, his expression remained unreadable, as if he were meeting this old man for the first time—which, of course, he was.

Zeno Zoldyck stood as steady as a rock, watching them approach with a gaze as piercing as a falcon's. The weight of his scrutiny was enough to make Cade’s pulse quicken.

This old man is something else. He hasn’t even said a word, yet I can already feel the pressure. I guess there’s a reason he’s one of the strongest in the world.

Despite the mixture of nerves and excitement swelling within him, Cade maintained his composure. His restraint did not go unnoticed—Zeno raised a single eyebrow, mildly surprised. Though no words had been exchanged, he had already begun assessing the young man before him, and Cade had proven himself at least somewhat tenacious.

Before Cade could speak, Milluki beat him to it.

"Grandpa Zeno, here’s the freelancer you asked about. I already told you about his ability. As I said before, I just want my wings—you can handle the rest."

Cade felt Zeno’s gaze lock onto him like a hawk setting its sights on prey.

After a brief moment, Cade took a step forward and placed his right hand over his chest, offering a respectful bow.

"I have heard many great things about you, Mr. Zeno. I hope you don’t judge me too harshly."

"Be at ease, young man," Zeno responded, his voice calm yet firm. "Go ahead with the demonstration."

Cade nodded. "I assume Milluki has already informed you of my ability—to extract genes from humans or other creatures and implant them into another, granting them new capabilities. As for the demonstration—"

His gaze swept across the gathering, searching for a suitable candidate. His eyes landed on Gotoh, the butler.

"I will need a volunteer," Cade announced.

Gotoh was the ideal choice. Cade had no intention of disturbing the Zoldyck family’s more prominent members, and at the end of the day, regardless of his authority, Gotoh was still just a servant.

With a nod of approval from Zeno, Gotoh stepped forward.

"Very well, Mr. Cade. You may proceed."

"Perfect." Cade folded his arms, taking a moment to set the stage. "Let me begin with a simple question—how far can you see clearly? Without using Gyo. Just an estimate will do."

Gotoh considered the question before answering, "Roughly eighteen feet or so."

"That will do." Cade nodded in approval.

From the small sling bag over his shoulder, he retrieved an unusual-looking Rubik’s Cube.

Unlike Milluki, who simply stared, both Zeno and Gotoh's eyes glinted with recognition.

It’s a Conjured item.

Without explanation, Cade began solving the cube with practiced precision. The moment the last piece clicked into place, an engraving of a snake appeared on one of its sides. Then, without warning, the cube expanded like an inflating balloon—

Whoosh.

In a puff of smoke, the cube vanished, replaced by a sleek, black-scaled serpent coiled tightly around Cade’s arm.

Cade stepped toward Gotoh with the snake in hand, but the butler tensed, his glare sharp.

"Relax," Cade assured him. "It’s not poisonous—at least, not right now. Now, give me your hand."

Gotoh clenched his teeth. After a few moments of contemplation, he extended his right arm.

Cade gave the snake a silent command. In response, the serpent stretched its neck and sank its fangs into Gotoh’s vein, injecting a single unit of Vision Bio-Serum into his bloodstream.

The snake then recoiled, rubbing its snout affectionately against Cade’s forearm. Cade smiled inwardly.

Yes, I know. You did well.

Milluki, who had been watching the process unfold, visibly recoiled.

"Grandpa, he didn’t tell me I’d have to be bitten by a literal snake! I don’t like this at all!"

Expecting some form of reassurance—or even a scolding—Milluki turned to his grandfather. But when he saw that Zeno was entirely focused on Gotoh, his expression unreadable, Milluki clenched his fists and wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.