Genetic Ascension

1591 Life Seal

Chi. Chi. Chi.

The claws sank into the young Rhinoʼs chest, drawing blood. But then it was like they had been frozen in place.

The claws of the Lion Lineage youth bent back under the pressure, and then suddenly sparks and blood melded into the air.

BOOM!

A fiery pillar of silver rose into the air, and a Gene descended before the Rhino Lineage youth. It integrated into his body, and his Rune Armor spontaneously manifested as a result.

It wasnʼt a perfect Rune-Sylas didnʼt have the time to force such a thing. It was instead a Rune formed to Vitality Mastery.

Even so, it was unlike anything the Rhino Lineage had ever seen in the history of the 073 Sanctum.

The stats of these F-tiers were so low to begin with. With the Rhino Gene and the Warlord Armor stacked atop one another, each one coming together for a tenfold increase.

By comparison, the Lion Lineage youth hadnʼt even summoned his Armor yet, choosing to focus on speed.

It had to be remembered that not everyone was Sylas, capable of drawing their Rune Armors in an instant. Even with an integrated Gene, this ability didnʼt come naturally unless you had drawn your Rune Armor to 100% Mastery.

In this entire gathering, you could count the number of people who had done such a thing on a single hand-and only for the F-Grade.

Out of the tens of millions that had come here to participate, there were only so few. This Rhino Lineage youth would certainly not be one of them... and neither would this Lion Lineage youth.

Unfortunately for the latter, that caused him to suffer.

The fusion of the Rhino Warlord Gene had been used by Sylas as a bridge for the spontaneous formation of the Rune Armor.

While outsiders might think he was trying to help the youth draw the Rune Armor, Sylas knew that this was impossible.

He had once used Gwenu to test a theory of his. There was a natural understanding that came with being a Spark Master that seemed almost metaphysical. These days, when he comprehended things about Rune Mastery, it almost felt like the universe was whispering to him.

He was used to comprehending things by piecing them together along a logical train of thought. But his Rune Mastery had long surpassed that.

Whenever he did cobble something together based purely on logic alone, it usually came with an unfathomable breakthrough.

So, back then, Sylas had wondered if he could share some of this unique insight with someone else, guiding them subtly with a light normally only he could see-a Spark only he could create.

It had worked back then. Thanks to him, Gwenu had shown a sudden burst in comprehension and touched upon a new level.

Of course, he hadnʼt needed her to with the E-Grade level of the Rune Master challenge, but it had been a proof of concept.

Thanks to that, he had been able to help Nosphaleen grasp the Whale Lineage perfectly. Though that was a lot easier since she was his contract, so he could be even more hands-on.

To Sylas, this proof of concept was little more than aiding him in grasping secrets of Spark Mastery he hadnʼt understood before. He had no interest in going around helping people... Until his hand was forced here.

But with limited time and few options, he couldnʼt use this method the same way he had with Gwenu. This ability was incredibly limited. He couldnʼt just turn anyone into a Rune Master genius-they had to have a baseline of talent to begin with.

Nosphaleen had been a telekinetic expert with talent for Rune Mastery from the moment Sylas met her. Gwenu spoke for herself as one of Gralithʼs cherished disciples. Despite the fact she had left the Warlord Path most suitable for her, turning her back on the Serpent Lineage to join the Scorpion Lineage, she had still accomplished so much.

Compared to them, this youth was an utter waste of space. What could Sylas possibly do with him?

But then Sylas thought of something.

He couldnʼt use Extricate on a living being. He had been through that with Nosphaleen before.

He also couldnʼt kill the youth because there was a good chance the overseers might just use that as an excuse to expel their whole Sanctum and continue to cut corners to save time and nurture their personal laziness.

But... the system could apply a Gene for him.

Sylas used Ancient Ithkuil to trigger comprehensions within the youthʼs Will. Thanks to Reaper Sealwright, he was able to clearly feel the Rhino Will as though it were right before him, and he acted as the bridge to the young man.

But this was only just the beginning.

As the youthʼs feel for the Rhino Will deepened, the space the system had made within his body to draw the Rhino Warlord Gene when it was ready to be formed was opening up, growing stronger as it prepared to accept a stronger Gene.

That was precisely Sylasʼ angle of attack.

Through Reaper Sealwright, he applied Life Seal-not in an attempt to seal the young man away in a Gene Lock, but instead to force the Gene to respond not to the young manʼs drawing of the Rhino Warlord Armor, but to Sylasʼ own drawing of it.

The result?

When the Gene appeared before the young man, even through so many filters, it was the Unique Gene of a Rhino Armor drawn to Vitality Mastery.

On top of that, the guiding light Sylas had been using to help the youth process the complex Runes bloomed.

The instant the Gene was no longer under the influence of Life Seal, it erupted, imposing what lingering Will Sylas had left behind into the outside world.

The result...?

A Rhino Armor that spontaneously formed-not at Vitality Mastery...

But Spark Mastery.

In a complete daze, standing there with a blank expression, the Rhino Lineage youthʼs

Physical stats shot up by more than 100,000.

The arm of the Lion Lineage youth exploded.