Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1026  Excellent

The two stared at each other for a long while.

Sylas had felt what Lorien was talking about as early as the Trial of the Summoning. When he first entered the Basilisk Kingʼs Dungeon, he had undergone what could be considered his first major evolution, and his body reacted in the wildest of ways.

Back on Earth, it was already commonly understood that death and being around death did something odd to the libidos of people. It was often explained as a drive for procreation, an instinct to pass on oneʼs genes before they could be wasted in death.

But this was on a completely other level from that.

Lorien probably had no idea just how right she was by mentioning ”Potential,” but Sylas could feel it intimately now that Taboo Bond had reached Level 50 in earnest.

Every time he rearranged his genes, or added some new unique skills to his body that he wasnʼt naturally born with, he had to connect to something particularly primal within him. That primal aspect of him was the most bestial essence of who he and everyone around him were.

It was what drove people, what decided the underlying reasons for all their actions.

It was the nature part of everyone, that could only then be trimmed and controlled by nurture.

The more Sylas pressed on that gas pedal, the more prominent those feelings became. He realized it all the more intimately after that incident with Megean. If he hadnʼt closed his eyes, he wasnʼt even sure if he could have controlled the rushing of his own blood.

However, understanding was one thing. Accepting it was a different matter entirely.

Sylas accepted the contract only because taking out that clause would be a waste of his time. But that didnʼt mean that he had any intention of using it. If nothing else, it would make sure that Lorien stayed in line.

Part of it was for Cassaraeʼs sake, but there was a much larger part of Sylas that just refused to be ruled by his own carnal desires. He had been a man of great discipline all his life, and he had no intention of changing now.

If it was necessary, he wasnʼt opposed to doing what needed to be done. But by the same token, he had a Greed Seed inside of him that would likely require powerful Will anyway. Why not just kill two birds with one stone?

There was a light tremble in Lorienʼs pupils when she felt the link form, but after a breath, she was able to calm down.

She had already thought about this enough. There was no other way at this point. This path made sure that she wouldnʼt be discarded, and also would help carve out a path for her Mist Race.

As Sylas rose, if she could prove herself useful, so too would she and her Race. That was what mattered the absolute most.

She would make sure that everything she did counted for double.

She lowered her head. ”I felt that you need a release already. But if you could please wait until we reach a more private location, I would be grateful.”

Her tone was almost oddly demure, when Sylas knew for a fact that the woman before him was arrogant down to her bones.

”Tell me,” Sylas suddenly started out of curiosity. ”Donʼt women feel the same way?”

Lorien looked up. ”… It depends on the race. The mating strategies of some alien races are a lot like men, in which case the answer to your question would be yes. Some races also have men that have mating strategies more like the women you are familiar with, in which case they wonʼt feel like you even though they are men.

”This corner of the universe is more in line with what youʼre used to, but other corners arenʼt necessarily so. At least from my understanding.”

”And your Mist Race?”

”… Iʼm sure you know the answer to that. Itʼs why we chase after the highest status male we can find… and control.”

”The control aspect is just something you added yourself. Thatʼs not actually part of your mating strategy, now is it?”

Lorien froze for a moment, suddenly understanding what Sylas was getting at.

”I…”

Sylas nodded and it made Lorien tremble. She could tell that no matter what she said now, it wouldnʼt matter.

Essentially, she was still a lurking danger. If Sylas helped her to accelerate her improvement, then she might very well reach a state of heat as well. If she fell in love with one of Sylasʼ enemies and ended up hardly able to control herself, then she would become a liability.

The reason Cassarae loved him so much even though she had never said it in so many words was because she knew he would put himself on the line to protect her.

Protection.

Sylas wasnʼt arrogant enough to believe that that man would definitely be him. Only a fool would think looks and strength were enough to attract a woman, especially an intelligent woman like Lorien.

The reason Cassarae loved him so much even though she had never said it in so many words was because she knew he would put himself on the line to protect her.

Protection.

Did Lorien have the same reassurance?

Of course not.

Because of that, there was no certainty that the man Lorien fell for would be him. In fact, logically speaking, he would probably be the last man she fell for.

Suddenly, Lorien almost felt like she had signed her soul away for no reason. This was not enough to gain Sylasʼ trust at all. He might even just place her on a back burner somewhere and forget about her existence.

”I…”

Lorien was about to say something when there was a sudden strong pulse of Aether and an old man with a mess of white hair that could only be classified as ”furious” appeared, his hand on the shoulder of a familiar young lady.

He rode forward in a wheelchair that seemed far too large for his top half, but Sylas assumed he must still be in his horse form.

”You, you. Hurry into the UniForge. I need to see this for myself!”

Sylas gave the man a look and then did as he was told. Not even a few seconds later he had been ripped out, his shoulders gripped tightly.

For the second time that day, he was practically nose to nose with a Unitaur.

”Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Come! Come! Weʼre registering you immediately! I have so many experiments...!”

The old man seemed to have lost his mind.