Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1003  Reshuffle

Sylasʼ eyes sharpened. An attack was coming right his way, but his gaze shot up to the skies, feeling something shifting within it. He felt something that was eerily familiar.

He knew what the feeling was immediately. It was the vision he had seen within Gogoʼs Gene Lock. It was undeniable, that suffocating pressure from above.

But it wasnʼt coming toward him. It was at a distance? What was happening?

It was outside the range of his visualization. He couldnʼt grasp the details of what was happening at all. All he knew was that he was more than likely missing something quite important.

ʼGo.ʼ

Sylas stomped a foot and shot into the air. An array of ranged attacks soared toward him, but he ignored them all, pouring his Will into his Scorpion Warlord Armor and sacrificing one limb after another in a continuous stream.

He could feel the suffocating drain on his Will with every step. When he started off high in the air, it was difficult to deal with him. But there was a huge gap between that and rushing up into the skies from a position on the ground.

Instead of giving him an advantage, that instead put him at a great disadvantage.

But it had to be done. No matter what, he had to get eyes on what was happening.

He rampaged through, focusing his entire mind on sacrificing and replacing the pieces of his armor.

…

Jala felt as though he had been frozen in place. High above his head, an eye had appeared. But it wasnʼt the red eye of the system. This one was a resplendent blue, peering down from above not with fury, menace, or ill intent, but an indifferent chill that didnʼt care the slightest bit for the plight of the creatures beneath its rule.

Callous, but perfectly impartial.

BANG!

Jala felt his heart explode beneath the pressure. Blood flowed out from his mouth.

He was stunned. Was that it? Was he dead now?

It was so unceremonious, so… cruel.

He felt his thoughts fading, but out of the corner of his senses, he saw a figure suddenly dash out of the shadows, rushing into the distance.

The eye that had had its attention focused on Jala slowly turned toward the fleeing figure. It was calm and unhurried, as though it simply didnʼt matter how far away this figure escaped at all. The result would be obvious in the end.

And so it was.

The figure froze, and Jala finally got a look at them. Or, rather, him.

The shroud over the Legacy member shattered and a man that was best described as a science fair project gone wrong appeared.

Veins of blue and green covered him from head to toe. Various tubes and wires wrapped around his body, some coming out from where his heart should be to attach to a shoulder, some coming out from the back of his skull to connect to various locations along his spine.

His eyes were replaced by a pair of monocles that looked welded into his eye sockets, an eerie whiteness coming from them that didnʼt make it clear exactly what he was looking at.

But then there was his clothing, or near lack of it. Other than what seemed like a metal speedo protecting his crotch—if it could be called one at all considering how flat it was—he wore nothing else.

Birthmarks that looked like terrible burns dotted him, especially on the baldness of his head.

If not for the fact the manʼs body was bulging with muscle and vascularity, no one would be a fool for believing that he could keel over and die any moment now.

Well… at least that was before the eye locked onto him.

Jala seemed to understand now. His heart really had burst apart, but that was because the eye was targeting something very specific, a tag or tracker of some sort this man had left within him. Jala didnʼt even know when it happened, but he had a hard time caring right now.

If he was going to die because of this… what was he supposed to do? Thank the eye for its graciousness in alleviating him of this ”great burden” in death?

”Fuck… you…” Jala muttered with what strength he had left.

The roar of the science experiment of a man drowned out what he wanted to say.

”HALL CLAN! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!”

”Rot in… hell… you dickless… pussy…”

Jala didnʼt forget to curse on his deathbed.

”HAHAHA! THE PROFESSORS ARENʼT SO EASY TO STEAL FROM!”

Jala coughed up a mouthful of blood, not bothering to respond.

What kind of stupid name was ”The Professors”? Did they let a few kids pick it out for them?

He had no idea the sort of weight the title held. Every organization had their factions, and The Professors were easily amongst the two strongest of Legacy. The death of one would certainly raise the eyebrows of the others.

BANG!

The science experiment gone wrong shattered to pieces, not even leaving a rain of blood behind. There was nothing but ash, but even that was wiped out before it hit the ground.

True nothingness.

He had been completely erased, so much so that Jala was having trouble recalling what he even looked like.

The realization made Jala shudder. Just what sort of power was this? Was he going to be erased too? Would his family forget that he even existed as well?

Did the science experiment not even know this would happen? Why was he so confident that The Professors would get revenge for him if he would be forgotten?

ʼI donʼt… want to… forget…ʼ

The eye suddenly turned its attention back to Jala. It gazed at him as he slowly died, the last breaths being pulled out from his body as though the kiss of the reaper continuously touching his lips.

—

[Imbalance Detected]

[Destiny Quest Triggered]

[Luck will be reshuffled]

—

The skies trembled and a red eye began to appear, only to shatter before it got the chance to fully form.