Rook trudged home, mentally drained from another day plagued by Ayush's relentless pestering. "That damn Ayush," he muttered bitterly, "I wish his nuts would explode at his own wedding, right in front of his wife." The curse offered a brief release of tension, but Rook quickly shook off the negativity.

There was no time for dwelling on such petty frustrations. Tonight, he resolved to unravel the mystery of his recurring dreams with renewed determination.

"Yes, today I'll crack this dream wide open," Rook muttered to himself as he collapsed into bed, disregarding even basic hygiene. Sleep came swiftly, his mind already anticipating the grassy plains that awaited him.

In the grassy expanse, the wind caressed Rook's skin, a gentle reminder of the reality of this place. His eyes shone with excitement as he took in the familiar scenery. "Yahoo! It's real, not just a dream!" Rook cheered aloud, celebrating his newfound certainty.

Yet, in his elation, he failed to heed the inherent dangers of this mysterious realm.

Wandering through the swaying grass, Rook scanned the horizon, intent on finding the elusive cotton candy beasts he had encountered the day before.

Unlike his previous search, today yielded swift results—five of the creatures appeared before him.

But what caught his attention most was the formation of a sixth beast, materializing from thin air, its creation accompanied by a dazzling display of essence concentration.

Rook got utterly shocked as he never hear the any life being created like this out of thin air. This true opposite to what he learned in his lower classes.

Rook wasted no time in launching his assault on the innocent and unsuspecting beasts, eager to conduct his experiments.

With each strike, he felt the surge of power coursing through his veins, his essence storage expanding fourfold since the previous night.

"Wait, you wretched beasts, I'm coming for you!" Rook's voice rang out across the grassy plains, drawing the attention of the creatures.

They reacted with fear, mouths gaping to reveal their formidable teeth, yet they made no move to defend themselves.

Undeterred by their display, Rook charged forward, delivering powerful punches with precision and force. His newfound strength allowed him to dispatch one beast with just ten blows, a marked improvement from his earlier struggles.

"You beast, die! Die!" Rook's triumphant shouts echoed through the tranquil landscape, his exhilaration palpable.

In this moment of victory, he felt an almost omnipotent sense of control, a stark contrast to the doubts and mysteries that had plagued him just hours before.

—-

After a grueling battle, Rook triumphed over the six beasts, each one melting away and leaving behind a greyish double helix gene crystal. His excitement was palpable, his eyes gleaming with a hunger for the power these crystals promised.

With cautious eagerness, he reached out and touched the first gene crystal, triggering the familiar hoarse male voice in his brain.

"Cotton Beast Gene obtained - Gene tier F rank," the voice echoed, and Rook's face lit up with happiness.

Despite lingering fears of the pain from the previous day, his greed for power outweighed any hesitation. Seating himself, Rook prepared to absorb the gene crystals.

As he began absorbing the first crystal, it melted into greyish essence that slowly entered his heart. This time, the pain was manageable, nothing like the excruciating torment he had experienced before. The essence blended into his blood, permeating every cell in his body.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Remarkably, Rook found himself processing two more gene crystals simultaneously while the first one continued its transformative journey.

With each crystal, Rook could feel his cells brightening even more, imbued with the essence of the cotton beasts' genetic power.

The process was intense yet exhilarating, propelling him further down the path of newfound strength and potential.

—---

"Ahhhh!" Rook screamed, the pain intensifying as he foolishly tried to absorb multiple gene crystals at once. "Ahhh, f*ck my greed," he muttered, reflecting on his mistake.

Suddenly, the hoarse voice echoed in his mind again, "Genetic Mutation Started."

The surrounding essence surged into his body, entering his cells and causing his muscles to bulge. The greyish essence began to cleanse each cell, increasing their capacity for essence.

As the process continued, Rook's pain gradually diminished, replaced by a sensation of pleasure that grew into pure bliss.

The intense purification was transforming his cells, enhancing them beyond their natural limits.

With each passing moment, the pain subsided further, replaced by an almost euphoric sensation. The essence flowed through him, cleansing and expanding his cellular structure.

Rook could feel his muscles tightening and strengthening, the very fibers of his being infused with newfound power.

His senses heightened, and his awareness sharpened, every detail of his surroundings becoming more vivid and clear.

The process continued for an extended period, but Rook no longer felt the need to scream or writhe in agony. Instead, he welcomed the sensation, embracing the transformation.

He could feel his body adapting to the influx of essence, the genetic mutation settling in. The initial fear and hesitation melted away, replaced by a sense of empowerment and exhilaration.

Rook tries to use other 3 genetic crystals but like previously they did not enter his body. But he listens the hoarse voice saying " You have used enough genetic crystals, try to find genetic crystals of other beasts " and also said " use remaining crystals for essence recovery ".

Rook got the info and stopped using the remaining crystals and stored it for future.

" Huh, is this genetic mutation? " Rook felt an overwhelming surge of energy coursing through him. His cells had been thoroughly cleansed and enhanced, and he knew he was no longer the same person.

—--

"Let's test this new power," Rook muttered to himself, excitement and curiosity propelling him forward. He ventured deeper into the grassy plain, forgetting any thoughts of returning home. T

he day passed as he traversed the vast expanse, encountering only the familiar cotton beasts in overwhelming numbers.

"I'm out of hope. I want to go home," Rook thought, his optimism waning as he trudged onward. Just as he was about to give up, the rustling of nearby bushes caught his attention. Something was moving within, coming toward him.

Gulp.

"What's this beast? Is it a new one?" Rook's heart raced with a mix of fear and tension. He couldn't identify the creature, but its movements suggested it was something different from the cotton beasts he had been hunting.

Rook braced himself, his muscles tensing as he prepared for whatever was emerging from the bushes. The leaves parted, revealing a creature like a rat but with long fangs piercing from its mouth.

"Okay, Rook, you've got this," he whispered to himself, trying to steady his nerves. The beast's presence exuded an aura of danger, but Rook felt the newfound strength coursing through his veins.

He wasn't the same person he was before the genetic mutation. He was stronger, faster, more resilient.

With a deep breath, Rook lunged forward, aiming a powerful punch at the creature. It dodged with lightning speed, retaliating with a swipe of its claws. Rook barely managed to evade, feeling the rush of wind as the claws narrowly missed him.

He countered with a kick, connecting with the beast's side. It let out a yowl of pain but quickly recovered, circling Rook with predatory grace.

—-

"Shit, it's fast! How should I face it?" Rook muttered, eyes locked on the beast's movements. The creature, a fanged rat, darted toward him with lightning speed. In a sudden, unanticipated leap, it slashed Rook's arm, blood pouring from the wound.

"Holy... Is this my last fight?" he murmured, clutching his injured arm. The pain was sharp, immediate, and real.

He could feel his heartbeat in the wound, each pulse sending waves of agony through his body. The rat paused, gathering essence from the air, its body beginning to glow ominously.

"It's going to use a mega attack to kill me," Rook thought, despair creeping in. The thought of impending death sent shivers down his spine, making his hands tremble.

"Oh, rat king, give me a painless death, and only a little punishment for my greed," he prayed, voice barely a whisper, accepting his fate with a grim smile.

The rat's body shimmered with the absorbed essence, its eyes glowing brighter. Rook's heart pounded in his chest, the rhythm almost drowning out his thoughts.

He could see his death in the creature's glowing eyes, a cruel inevitability.

The rat moved with terrifying speed, a blur that Rook's eyes couldn't follow. He felt the world tilt as the rat's claws sliced through his neck.

In Rook's mind, time slowed. "Father, Mother... is this the end?" Tears welled up and fell from his eyes, but his face remained calm.

No fear, no dissatisfaction—only a serene smile marked his final moment. The world around him dimmed, his last thoughts drifting to his parents, and then, nothing.