Genetic Ascension

568 Violet Rose Peacock

[Violet Rose Root (Bronze) (Symbiote)]

[An insatiable parasite.]

The information that his Skill could give him about this Symbiote was minimal. Yet, although he had seen several Silver Treasures until now, he didnʼt dare to underestimate this Bronze one.

When he shattered the orb it was within, it almost immediately lunged for him. It was just a small root covered in tiny, sharp hairs. It looked no different from any other plant, except for the fact it moved on its own.

It was clear that between the peacock and Sylas, the Symbiote preferred Sylas several times over.

However, although Sylas knew that it would likely benefit him, he had no interest in taking this route.

He caught the Violet Rose Root with ease. It tried to burrow into his palm, wiggling about wildly, but it couldnʼt even make a dent in his Scorned Wraps. In fact, it ended up hurting itself.

Realizing that it might harm itself beyond repair if this continued, Sylas slammed it into the chest of the peacock.

The Symbiote couldnʼt survive for long without a host now that it was outside of the orb. Now, behind it, there were the Scorned Wraps that harmed it every time it tried to tear into them, and before it was the much more malleable flesh of the peacock. There was only one choice to make.

The root tore into the body of the peacock, shredding a path down to its very heart. And yet, there was no blood at all. Half of the lifeblood of the peacock had been frozen to ice while the other half had been greedily sucked away by the Symbiote.

And then the changes began to be triggered once more.

The beautiful fanning feathers of the peacock fell one after another. There was a burst that came from its back as black-violet branches began to extend from its body.

Its eyes snapped shut while it struggled in pain, but the feathers of its body were continuously falling off. Soon, the once gorgeous bird looked like a zombie, its flesh atrophying and what remained of its skin sticking close to its bone.

Sylas didnʼt react much to this at all, watching the process silently, his palm still placed on the large creatureʼs chest.

The hollow bones of the peacock were being drilled into by a dense network of roots. Sylas could only imagine the kind of horrible pain it was in. However, luckily for the peacock, soon enough, its nervous system was commandeered as well, cutting off its

senses.

From the outside, the situation only seemed to be going from bad to worse. But just when it seemed like the peacock would lose its life entirely, something almost magical snapped into place.

The Symbiote reached an equilibrium with its new body, and the peacockʼs shuddering stopped.

And then the rapid healing process began.

All of the blood the Symbiote had forcefully taken was expelled once more along with a large amount of energy.

The peacock had grown to three times its original height. Its long, slender legs and claws now looked as though they had been carved from wood until thorns of violet began to grow from them.

These violet thorns increased in density until they snapped downward and into place, forming a shingle system that looked like the scales of a reptilian beast.

The tail feathers of the peacock had already fallen, littering the ground with a gorgeous array of icy-blue plumes. All that had been left were the spindles that had once fanned them out into an eye-catching array, but now those spindles were replaced by long, wooden vines that waved about in the air.

They waved back and forth in an almost mesmerizing pattern, but the moment one became lost in their cadence, the eyes began to appear.

Soon, an array of feathers radiating colors of black, violet, and icy blue took shape, fanning out so large that they covered over ten meters.

With a single shudder, the trees in the surroundings crumbled to ash, their essence pouring into the bird beast.

The flesh of the peacock regained its vitality, and its skin was covered in thorns that quickly formed a shingle system of scales before they were covered by even more feathers.

The last to take shape fully were its wings.

It spread them out in a fleshly mess. It was a truly grotesque sight for just a moment before it became just as mesmerizing as the rest of it.

SHIIING! SHIIIING! SHIHING!

Like the blades of a sword, one sharp feather after another formed, and yet they danced with the flexibility of silk in the wind.

The final touch was the growth of feathers on its head.

It raised its proud neck to the skies and unleashed a cry that shook the leaves of the trees that had managed to survive its ire.

And then it opened its eyes.

Like the swirling madness of chaos, blues, violets, and blacks danced within like exploding nebulae before they too settled down.

LUBDUB. LUBDUB. LUBDUB.

The creature slowly lowered its wings that kicked up fierce winds for dozens of meters, its gaze looking down to meet Sylas!

The oppressive might of the Symbiote Peacock wasnʼt to be sniffed at at all. Sylas could feel that if his Will wasnʼt so powerful now, he would actually feel some of it as

well.

Now this... this was a creature worthy of being his mount.

The Symbiote Peacock lowered its head and roared into Sylasʼ face, the violent uprising of wind kicking his hair back and nearly causing him to take a step back.

But he stood there in silence, his arms crossed, his body unmoved.

He stared at the peacock that towered over him. It might have been over three times his height, but to Sylas, it didnʼt make one lick of difference.

And then, slowly...

The peacock obediently lowered its head.

[Violet Rose Peacock (Bronze) (Symbiote Mount)]

[Level: 1]

[Attribute: Poison, Wood, Ice]

[+200% Speed and Dexterity]

[Limit: 500 Speed and Dexterity]

[Talents: Replenish]

[Absorb life force from wood, poison, and ice affinity to replenish its stamina and heal

itself]