Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

The notification flashed before Silas's eyes, with the word "last" standing out in bold. It was over. No more ambushes, no more surprise attacks. He had slain them all.

For a moment, Silas just stood there, panting heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow. The sun beat down on him mercilessly, but the heat was the least of his concerns.

"It's only just the beginning," Silas muttered, his brow furrowing in frustration. "And I've already lost 10 soul points. I can't afford to lose more... not when there are even tougher mutants waiting ahead."

He stood there for a few moments, catching his breath, before advancing forward. His feet sank into the crimson sand with every step he took, each one feeling heavier than the last. The weight of the journey was pressing down on him, but there was no turning back now.

"Come to think of it... I haven't been receiving any rewards for slaying the mutants," Silas pondered internally, his scythe gripped firmly in his left hand while his right rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess all rewards will be granted after the quest is completed. That's if I even succeed."

He continued walking through the arid desert landscape until he halted in his tracks upon seeing a thick forest looming just a few meters away.

"Hmm..." Silas mused aloud, his gaze fixed on the dark and imposing treeline. Without giving it too much thought, he resumed his steps, his legs carrying him toward the forest.

Once inside, the coolness of the shade was a welcome contrast to the sun-drenched desert. Silas walked steadily through the dense forest, chopping down thick tree branches that obstructed his path with quick, efficient swings of his scythe. His eyes, however, were always scanning the area, never resting. The quiet of the forest was unnerving.

**RATTLE! RATTLE! RATTLE!**

Silas suddenly stopped after hearing strange footsteps from several different angles, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He gripped his scythe tightly with both hands, eyes darting around as he tried to pinpoint the source of the sound.

As he glanced around, his sharp eyes caught sight of figures lurking high in the treetops.

"Mutants," Silas thought grimly after spotting the hidden shapes. The glowing red eyes, flickering in the shadows above, were unmistakable. There were more of them than he'd anticipated.

"There are too many of them!" he whispered urgently to himself as more glowing eyes appeared, all focused on him with predatory intent.

Though their features were obscured by the canopy, the sheer number of glowing eyes was enough to make Silas realize he was surrounded.

"A mutant that hides in trees... hunts in groups... monkey-type mutants," Silas murmured, his voice a low, measured monotone as he assumed a ready stance, waiting for them to make the first move.

He remained still, listening to the eerie silence of the forest, until finally, one of the creatures emerged from hiding and leaped from the tree. Now out in the open, Silas could finally see what it was.

It resembled a chipmunk, but it was far larger than any natural rodent. Its claws were nearly as long as a katana blade, gleaming dangerously in the forest's dim light. Two vicious fangs jutted from its mouth, capable of ripping flesh and bone apart with ease. Black fur covered its entire body, and those glowing red eyes bore into Silas with malice.

The creature looked menacing, to say the least.

**[Name: Crazed Chimptant]**

**[Grade: 2]**

[HP: 100/100]

A notification screen materialized in front of Silas, displaying the basic information of the mutant. But even though it was only Grade 2, Silas wasn't relieved.

"Even lower-graded mutants like this will wear me down," Silas thought, clenching his teeth. "Especially since there are so many of them."

"Bloody monkeys," Silas muttered through gritted teeth, preparing himself. When the mutant came within striking range, he swung his scythe in a wide, horizontal arc. The blade sliced through the air, and the mutant fell to the ground, neatly cut in half.

Dark purple blood sprayed across the forest floor as the creature's body collapsed, its limbs twitching uselessly for a few moments before it went still. The once lush forest floor was now littered with fallen leaves and the lifeless mutant.

**[Congratulations, you have slain a Crazed Chimptant]**

A notification screen blinked into existence, but Silas paid it little attention. His focus immediately shifted back to the treetops, where the remaining mutants had begun to stir.

The rest of the mutants leaped down from the trees simultaneously, descending toward him like a rain of claws and teeth. Their red eyes burned with savage intent.

Silas's eyes widened slightly, his instincts kicking in. At the last second, he jumped back, narrowly avoiding their attack. They crashed into the spot where he had stood only moments before, claws digging into the earth with a thud.

Before Silas could catch his breath, six more mutants were on him, slashing at him from all sides. Their sharp claws arced toward him, but Silas was faster. He swung his scythe in a blur of motion, deflecting their claws with a loud, metallic **CLANG**.

Without wasting any time, Silas retrieved his scythe and swiped it through the air again, faster and more precise this time.

**SLASH!**

Three of the mutants' heads were severed from their bodies in a single swing. Dark purple blood gushed from their wounds, staining the ground as their heads fell to the dirt.

Without missing a beat, Silas turned his body, dodging the incoming attacks from the remaining three mutants.

"Die!" he growled as he countered their strikes, slicing them cleanly in half with a swift arc of his scythe.

**[Congratulations, you have slain a Crazed Chimptant]**

**[Congratulations, you have slain a Crazed Chimptant]**

**[Congratulations, you have slain a Crazed Chimptant]**

The floor was now a gruesome battlefield, soaked with the dark, sticky blood of the Crazed Chimptants. Silas panted heavily, his chest heaving as he surveyed the remaining mutants. They were clearly hesitant, watching their comrades fall so easily.

For a moment, they simply stood there, unsure of whether to attack. But eventually, driven by whatever instinct or madness governed them, the rest of the Chimptants charged at Silas all at once.

Silas tilted his head slightly, rolling his shoulders in preparation for the next wave. Just as they were about to reach him, he dropped his scythe, took a single step forward, and extended his right hand.

**[Soul Claws has been activated]**

Blue, glowing energy shot out from his fingertips, forming into five ethereal claws that sliced through the air. The glowing aura streaked toward the incoming mutants, striking five of them in quick succession. The creatures were flung backward, their bodies hitting the ground with fatal force.

Silas didn't stop there. He swiped his hand again—twice more—sending out ten more Soul Claws. The energy tore through the air, ripping through the rest of the mutants and sending them flying to their deaths.

**[Congratulations, you have slain the last of the Crazed Chimptant]**

"Phew… I've been dying to test out that particular skill. It's quite handy, and it doesn't even require a lot of soul poi—" Silas's words were abruptly cut off by a sharp, stinging pain in his back. The force of the attack threw him off balance, sending him crashing into a nearby tree with a loud thud.

**[You have sustained a critical injury]**

**[You're bleeding]**

**[-10 HP]**

**[Passive skill: Super-Fast Healing will now activate]**

**[-10 Soul Points]**

Silas gritted his teeth against the pain, forcing himself back to his feet. He shifted his gaze toward the creature that had attacked him, eyes narrowing in recognition.

Standing before him was a mutant much like the ones he had just killed, but larger—much larger. It stood at nine feet tall, towering over him with claws the size of small swords. Its eyes glowed brightly, filled with fury. On its head sat a rusty, golden crown, signifying dominance.

[Name: Crazed Chimptant King]

[Grade: 4]

[HP: 1,000/ 1,000]

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A/N: Vote with your Golden Tickets and Power stones! Thanks!