Muta Beasts. Aka the main reason, billions of Humans died during the Decade of Anarchy.

Sure people lobbing fireballs and leveling buildings was bad, and plenty of people died to powered individuals carelessly using their abilities but honestly, that's nothing compared to losing our status as the apex predators of the world.

Now to Jerry Helfer or better known and feared as The Splicer, estimated Grade-A ability, with records of his life before the change describing his short uneventful career as a high school English Teacher.

So this guy, just an average joe at the time, gains the ability to take two creatures and just slam them together into a godforsaken monstrosity. Doesn’t sound too bad right? Well, maybe a bit if you happened to be there when the Beast gets hungry, but still not humanity crippling bad yet.

Unfortunately for everyone, his wife Layla Helfer happened to be a Geneticist and a pretty damn good one at that. Add the fact that she had a Grade-S support ability that allowed Splicer’s own ability to pick and choose exactly what he wanted to mix….. Well, it didn't take long for shit to hit the fan when this power-mad couple got to work.

In a devolving world were the biggest fist made the rules, these two started churning out all sorts of monsters that would make any wild animal look like a plush toy in comparison, but it wasn't until they spliced in the gene that allowed Humans to awaken their powers that they lost control of their little project. All it took was a little test mouse escaping and being eaten by some wildlife to enter the ecosystem and spread around the world in less than a year.

A bear twice the size of an SUV with bulletproof fur? It's now able to make stone spikes burst from the ground. That 100 foot long Serpent with wings? Now it could summon gales as strong as a category five hurricane. Even a stupid average squirrel could gain the ability to grow 10 times its size. God forbid you get anywhere near its nuts.

They didn’t even need to splice creatures any more to get something nasty as many of mother nature’s own creations evolved as though millions of years were flashing by in the span of a few years.

As for how we classify Muta beasts, we use three main categories, so as to better determine the danger they might carry.

Natural, weird as it might be to categorize something like an undying possum under Natural, this category is meant for all creatures that never had any direct interactions with Splicer or his wife and simply gained abilities due to their little accident. It's not to say that these creatures aren't any dangerous simply because they were initially regular wildlife, it's just less likely that the beaver that felled that entire acre of woodland a mile behind your yard is less interested in how you taste. If we were to compare these creatures to the human ranking, we use they would average around Grade F- to D- with the scarce chance the animal breaking its limits and going above its predetermined grade.

Evolved, Now we start getting to the dangerous ones, the ones that ordinary civilians hope they never have to encounter within the confines of their safe cities. Normal animals gaining random abilities is dangerous, but these animals forming a new species focused around it, and reproducing? That's as apocalyptic as it can get, and if you think otherwise, 3.5 billion slaughtered humans might just tear you to shreds when they get their hands on you in the afterlife. These new species also always happen to have traces of Splicers work in their DNA, so the Heroes Guild can only assume that the dregs from the splicer’s and his wife’s experiments were never properly gotten rid of and were simply tossed into the wild to go have tons of sexy time with the ‘regular’ animals. Now, as for their ranking, they usually average between D- to A+ Grade, with the odd chance of S-grade beasts being born.

Spliced, need I explain this one? Directly worked on by Splicer and his wife, these creatures can be of all grades meant to fill any and all requirements that the couple might have for them, but as for their personal guards? Yeah, you don’t want to get on their bad side… Scratch that you don’t want to be on any side near them if you value being alive.

There is also the whole fiasco about the Enhanced and how they eventually came from this, but that’ll be for another time.

A great lesson on Muta Beasts, if I do so say myself. Way more than any civilian should know, at least if the presentation I gave my class back in the 6th grade was anything to go by. Eva’s mom was not all too happy when she found out exactly how much classified information my loose-lipped dad had let his young son hear.

It was a good thing I didn’t include the rough locations of a few Garden’s in the presentation; otherwise, Susan would have strangled my dad with the first object she could get her hands on.

All the girls besides Lucia and the sleeping log Alice held different emotions on their faces to my explanation, with Alsha’s own reminding me of a starving wolf that had just found sheep to rip to shreds. Well, I guess considering I hadn’t seen her eat anything since I’ve met her she might just be.

“Muta Beast flesh and fur, as well as other parts of their bodies, are useful for a variety of reasons, so the goal will be to hunt down at least three Equinox Foxs. Their grade usually sits around D, but their combat potential lags behind at D-. The reason for this is that they are exceptionally skilled at stealth and agility, but not so much direct confrontations. This being the time they start looking for mates makes it easier to catch them, but it also allows us to harvest their unusual coats, that have the unique ability to change shades as the seasons flow by from golden yellow in the summer to glacial white in the winter. Their Coats alone will earn us an around 30k, while the rest of the body could be sold for another 5k. This is an especially high price point since the average D Grade Muta beast usually never breaks over a few grand.”

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“That’s all dandy and such but exactly how are you going to help with the hunt? You look like any random smuck off the streets could beat you to a pulp, and despite how much I hate to say this, without my gear I wouldn’t be able to do much besides getting in the way.” Pointing out the largest hole in my plan, I could only agree with Reol and her skeptical opinion.”

“That's why you and I will be hunting Shroom Toads while Xue, Alsha, and Lucia go after the Fox’s. While not nearly as ludicrous in value as an Equinox Fox, the mushrooms that grow the back of the toads have plenty pharmaceutical uses and go for as much as a 100$ a pop.”

“So I'm stuck with you looking for frogs in a rancid swamp?” I guess she wasn’t all that thrilled about the arrangement if the two inwards pointing diagonal lines that were her pink eyebrows were obvious enough.

“First of all we’re hunting toads not frogs, and second I’ll take you to the city to a tech yard after this meeting to buy whatever the hell you want as long as it's within my current budget, which I may add contains most of the cash I was going to use to pay for college.” Sucked but with all the crazy shit going on with me having to take care of these five girls, its nothing but a pipe dream to think I could afford all the food and living expenses they were going to bleed me of.

So Illegal hunting it is!

“Add a new PC, and you’ve got your self a deal!” Her expression morphed into one of greed as she started muttering in excitement at the stuff she planned on making once she drains my wallet. I could only sigh and agree with her as I’d seen what she could make with the junk in my house. Now just imagine her making stuff out of the junk that used to be something useful.

“I hope you don’t forget I’m still wearing your hand me downs and as nice as I rock this tomboyish look a lady does need her own clothes.” Chiming in Lucia reminded me of another expense my poor pathetic wallet was going to have to suffer through.

“You can come with us as well…..” If wallets could cry, my back pocket would be soaked.

“When will the hunt commence?!” In her usual abrasive tone, Alsha asked a question that sounded more like a demand.

“Tomorrow. The first thing the morning, so I expect you to actually be awake by then.” Is it that hard to speak normally, like tone it down a few decibels.

“The prey’s warm flesh does have a more succulent taste in the morn, but this One requires a small meal to stave off the hunger.” As though to further make her argument a deep, loud rumble echoed out from her stomach, but she stood there without an ounce of shame.

“Fine, I'll order some steak, and just to be safe, I’ll get as much as they allow me to buy.” If Lucia and Reol were enough to empty out the food from my home, I dreaded how much a literal dragon could consume.

“This One accepts your offering.” With a nod, she leaned back onto the wall, her tall frame stretching out as she brought her well-defined arms behind her head leaving her in a casual position as she kept her burning eye’s fixed on me.

Seeing that Xue didn’t have anything to add, I continued with the plan.

“The hunting grounds we’ll be going to are around 80 miles to the northeast from our current location, in an area called the Stony Hills. Reason for the odd name being that Grade C Stone Bears hibernate in the area during the winter, but during the rest of the year they migrate north for better food sources. A small swamp to the south of the area is where me and Reol will be while the rest of you hunt the foxes.” Stony Hills was around 15 Square miles, but from what I’ve seen from these girls, they shouldn’t have any issues moving around quickly.

Lifting up the map and showing them the hunting grounds, I was interrupted with a question I was going to answer soon enough.

“Where do you plan on selling the spoils?” Xue still floating there like it was the most normal thing in the world gave her thoughts on the plan.

“Remeber how I told you all about the Garden of Eden? Well, we are lucky enough to have a small outpost near enough that getting there after the hunt shouldn’t be too hard. Its called Garden Point 871 Lichen Cave. It's a very insignificant location that even the Heroes Guild despite knowing where it is haven't bother getting rid of it since the Garden's main business is hunting, which saves them money on having to send out patrols to thin out the beasts from becoming a horde.”

“Is it really as simple as entering and selling our wares?” Why do you have to stump me like this Xue! It's not like I’ve been there before!

“Of course!” I could only hope that the words coming out of my mouth were right.

“Anyways that's all for today's plans! Xue, and Alsha your both a little bit too eye-catching with your clothes and how should I put it….. air of presence? So I don’t think it's safe for me to take you out yet so please keeping watch over our slumbering elf.” Despite Reol’s own attractive appearance as part glowstick, it was easier to hide with a beany. She was also much more reasonable when it came to behavior than the prone to anger dragon, or the elegant and distant Xue.

“I’ll meditate and await your return. We still have some things to talk about from before.” And she’s still miffed at me….

“Once this One has eaten, she will return to her lair to rest until the hunt.” Good, she’s not making a scene. I hope the delivery's fast.

“As for the two of you get ready, we’ll be heading out once Alsha’s food arrives.”

They were about to speak up when a doorbell ding rang across the house.

Who could that be? I live in outskirts of town, and the only people that would visit me would call me first.

A males voice pierced through the walls of the mansion as though they weren't even there.

“Mr. Rivan, we have some questions for you, don’t be alarmed it won't take more than a few minutes.”

“Shit.” I couldn’t help but whisper under my breath as I started my walk on the tightrope towards the entrance.