Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

Chapter 160 Shadowy figure

"Yes!"

Silas called out, and immediately after that single word escaped his lips, the room was engulfed in a fierce wind. Books, papers, and other lightweight objects spun wildly, caught in the turbulent air. The wind intensified with each passing second, a chaotic dance of fluttering pages and shifting debris filling the confined space.

Moments later, a portal materialized before Silas. Its swirling vortex shimmered with an unsettling mixture of deep red and pulsating purple—colors he had never encountered in any previous portals. The aura it emitted was both ominous and mesmerizing.

Silas took a cautious step closer, his eyes narrowing as he studied the swirling anomaly. Just as he prepared to enter, a translucent notification flashed before him.

---

[Choose an item you wish to take along to the realm]

[Note: You can only choose one item]

[1. Item Number One: Cloak

Information: This cloak prevents the host from shivering in the cold.]

[2. Item Number Two: Orb of Destruction

Information: Once activated, this orb grants the wielder a fire ability for the duration of one minute.]

[3. Item Number Three: Grade 5 Katana Blade

Information: This blade grants the host an additional five attribute points to all attributes.]

The holographic screen hovered before Silas, each option glowing faintly. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a look of deep contemplation etched across his face.

"This is the first time I've received a notification like this," he muttered. "The system must know this quest is going to be insanely difficult if it's offering free items. How generous..." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he examined the choices.

He read the description of the first item aloud. "A cloak for the cold? What use is that in this stifling heat?" He glanced around the warm room and immediately dismissed it. "Useless."

His eyes moved to the second option—the Orb of Destruction. An orb that bestowed a fire ability for one minute. That sounded far more promising. His gaze briefly flicked to the third item, the Grade 5 Katana Blade. Though powerful, his arsenal was already stocked with weapons.

"I don't need another blade," he concluded. His decision was made.

[Host has acquired the Orb of Destruction]

A confirmation popped up, and within seconds, the orb materialized in his right hand. It was about the size of a baby's head, its surface smooth and glowing a deep crimson. The orb pulsed with latent power.

"I can't wait to see what you can really do," Silas smirked, his fingers tracing the orb's surface. With a swift motion, he stored it in his arsenal.

"Equip!" he commanded in a firm tone. Immediately, a brilliant blue energy enveloped his body, crackling and illuminating the entire room. The energy flared brighter before gradually dissipating, revealing Silas clad in his upgraded armor.

The once plain armor now bore intricate spiked designs along the shoulders and forearms. The dark metal pulsed rhythmically with a subtle energy, as though alive. He flexed his limbs, testing the fit.

"Good," he muttered, satisfied. "It doesn't restrict my movements." He shifted from side to side, shadowboxing to verify his agility. The armor held up perfectly.

With everything set, Silas turned his gaze back to the swirling portal. He inhaled deeply, steeling himself, then strode forward. Without hesitation, he stepped through the vortex and disappeared in a flash.

---

A few seconds later, he emerged into a stark, freezing landscape—the Grade 5 mutant realm. The air was frigid, biting into his skin like tiny needles. He instinctively wrapped his arms around himself, his body shuddering violently.

He closed the distance to the nearest mountain lion in an instant. With a swift, powerful swing, his scythe carved through the air and met the mutant's neck.

SLASH!

The head separated cleanly from its shoulders, and a geyser of dark purple blood erupted from the wound. The body toppled forward, twitching as it hit the snow.

Silas didn't pause. His body moved in a seamless flow, a blur of motion and steel. He sprinted toward another mountain lion, his scythe already mid-swing. The blade met flesh with a sickening schlik, and another head fell.

Dark purple blood splattered across his armor, but Silas barely noticed. He was a whirlwind of lethal grace, his movements fluid and merciless. His eyes blazed with focus as he danced through the battlefield, cutting down mutants one by one.

In less than six seconds, twelve mountain lions lay dead, their bodies sprawled across the bloodstained snow.

[Lightning Dash Deactivated]

A brief wave of exhaustion threatened to wash over him, but Silas clenched his jaw and forced it down.

[Active Skill: Lightning Dash Activated]

The world slowed once more, and Silas surged forward, his scythe flashing like a streak of light. His clones had no chance to strike as he dominated the battlefield, each of his attacks swift and precise.

He targeted the final mountain lion, a hulking beast with fangs that gleamed like daggers. Silas closed the distance in the blink of an eye, his feet barely touching the ground as he leaped into the air. He raised his scythe high above his head, the blade shimmering with power.

[Passive Skill: Soul Slash Activated]

A glowing blue aura enveloped the scythe, pulsating with raw energy. Silas's eyes gleamed with steely resolve as he brought the weapon down in a crushing arc.

SLASH!

The blade cleaved through the mountain lion's body, splitting it in two with a gruesome crunch. The halves fell apart, dark purple blood steaming as it soaked into the cold ground.

Silas landed lightly, his breath coming in sharp, controlled bursts.

[Congratulations, you have slain all Grade 4 Mountain Litants]

The notification flashed before his eyes, but he dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Something else had caught his attention.

A figure stood atop a snow-covered peak several meters away. Silas squinted, trying to get a clearer look, but the distance and swirling snow made it difficult to discern details. All he could see was the figure's silhouette, tall and imposing, standing upright on two feet like a human.

But it was no ordinary human.

Two glowing red eyes pierced through the snowy haze, staring directly at him. The malevolence in that gaze made Silas's blood run cold. A shiver crept up his spine, and his heart pounded against his ribs, faster and louder than before.

His grip on the scythe tightened involuntarily.

"What the hell is that?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. The figure's presence radiated an obvious, suffocating dread. It was like staring into the abyss, knowing something monstrous was staring back.

A bead of sweat rolled down Silas's temple, freezing before it reached his jaw. His breath caught in his throat, and for a brief moment, doubt wormed its way into his mind.

He swallowed hard, forcing down the rising fear. His muscles coiled, ready for whatever nightmare was about to unfold.

Whatever this figure was, Silas knew one thing for certain:

The real battle was only just beginning.