056BETA (Beta-rank)

After the new Aura Awakening, the Gene Sequence trembled, Li Aoz's metabolism accelerated, and the veins on his blood vessels visibly bulged and dead skin peeled off.

[WARNING: Gene Sequence is unstable!]

You have experienced a Benign Mutation; Gene Fragments integration is underway...

Your superior genetic traits are evident; please choose one direction from the following groups of mutant traits.

Li Aoz glanced at the mutation traits. His luck had clearly run out, and no perfect mutation had appeared. He decisively used another perfect reset opportunity to choose again.

[Reset complete]

[To show you, Perfect and Flawless genetic engineering:]

A - [Gene Integration Super Brain Armor]: Your genes have achieved excellent integration direction. Now, your mind is no longer a computer of genes. You can control your own body temperature, and your physical body will transform into a bio-armor of your consciousness.

Each of your physical bodies will be treated as 'cloning' equipment, which can be strengthened and modified through the alteration and transplantation of Gene Fragments.

If you choose to retain this trait, your genes will no longer be designed for reproduction and the continuation of life. You will have more mutation options for combat, intelligence, and evolution, but the frequency of reproductive mutations will decrease.

B - [Gene Filtering - Chosen Prophet and Sage]: Selects genes with stronger memory, learning, and imagination, resulting in a significant increase in intelligence. When you learn skills and knowledge, there will be no more class or level restrictions. All knowledge will come to you, and you only need to accept it.

If you choose to retain this trait, your Charisma attribute will be converted into Intelligence, greatly enhancing your learning ability. However, you will definitely suffer from depression, and during severe depression, your suicide rate will increase by 90%.

C - [Gene Recombination: The Flame Never Dies]: Your consciousness and genes have reached a consensus. In order for your bloodline to dominate the world, you can perform individual splitting and reproduction. By removing some of your own genes, you can create another offspring with independent consciousness. This offspring will inherit the ancestral genes you designated and can continue to reproduce.

Choosing to retain this trait will give all your cells the ability to divide, but the frequency of non-reproductive mutations will be greatly reduced, and the rate of birth defects in your offspring will increase by 20%.

When Li Aoz saw A, he chose it without hesitation.

It's not that B and C are bad, but that A is too good.

The [Super Brain Armor] is the most suitable mutation direction for both the [Starcaller] and [Radiant Torchbearer] paths, without exception.

In the [Dominator] class, [Starcaller] and [Radiant Torchbearer] represent two completely opposite paths in the study of consciousness and the physical body.

[Starcaller] believes in Subjective Materialism —as long as my subjective will is strong enough, it can distort the objective world; my will can overcome, or even become, a new physical law.

[Radiant Torchbearer] believes in Subjective Idealism —the objective world is merely what I subjectively believe exists; the mind is superior to matter, and the world is a holographic projection of my mind.

The Starcaller believes that will is absolute, and after experiencing enough memories and social status, it will naturally evolve into a will that governs oneself.

The [Radiant Torchbearer] believes that will is free, and that will will exist independently even without a world.

However, regardless of the path taken, both firmly believe in one thing: human will is based on the body, but it must transcend the body.

The principle is simple: both approaches believe that genes are selfish pilots who drive the body as a mecha, while consciousness is the mecha's computer.

Genes, will, and body—a trinity that together sustains the movement and progress of life.

However, there is a fatal problem in this process.

Is the pilot's ultimate goal to defeat enemies and the natural environment by piloting a mech? Or is it to explore and learn, and acquire a more powerful computer system?

No, because piloting the mech and acquiring a more powerful computer are merely consequences of the pilot's actions.

The driver just wanted to survive.

In other words, genes only think that the physical body and consciousness are merely for passing on their Gene Sequence, and nothing else matters.

Many people feel that life is meaningless—and they are right.

Most life forms in nature consider it a success once they have reproduced, and can die peacefully.

From a genetic perspective, life itself has no meaning. From this perspective, there is no difference between paramecia and dragons; they both exist to reproduce.

It is the will's desire to control life and fulfill the individual's will that gives it meaning.

Therefore, for the Starcaller and Radiant Torchbearer, who have an extremely strong desire for domination, only by making the pilots submit to the control of the computer can the mechs be freed from their fate of reproduction and used as more efficient and powerful tools to realize the great power of their will.

The term "organized body" might be a bit hard to understand at first, but Nethermark Professor's many separate bodies are actually the best explanation.

This sounds like the idea of a villain ruling the universe—but in reality, Li Aoz believes that the [Dominator] system does not crave direct control, but rather uses methods that it deems appropriate to understand and transform the world.

This is not domination, it is love.

Freed from the shackles of genes and the physical body, willpower will be elevated to a powerful dimension. No longer controlled by time and life, they will be able to truly love the world and all people.

I was so touched, Li Aoz felt like I was about to cry.

[Gene integration complete]

Your body ' Li Aoz ' has been transformed into a physical form.

[Specialty: Flesh Affinity - Triggered]

Now you can turn off your pain and sensory systems at will.

You can cultivate new implantable bodies through gene transplantation, or transfer your will to other organisms.

His body was quickly covered with a ring of red and black crystals. Through the [Eye of Truth], he saw the name of this crystal for the first time: ' Haynes Crystal '.

[You can spend experience points to adjust and modify your implanted body. The first modification is free. Do you want to begin the initial modification?]

"In that case..." Li Aoz, combining what he had learned from Assistant Physician Anna in "Doctorate Level: Basic Pharmacology" with his own limited biological knowledge, and began to try his best to adjust his body.

The crimson and black Haynes Crystal pierced his blood vessels, completely enveloping Li Aoz, like an egg-shaped incubation chamber, and began to comprehensively modify the unreasonable parts of his body.

First, it corrected the retina, which was supposed to be the human eye's retina that had grown backwards, and effectively constructed blood supply channels, allowing it to freely adjust intraocular pressure and the lens, thus preventing the recurrence of myopia symptoms.

With the photoreceptor cells in the correct position, the shadow on the retina instantly disappeared. The brain's computing power, which was originally used to render and process shadows, was immediately freed up. The freed-up brain space could be used to process various information, which forcibly boosted Li Aoz's [Intelligence] attribute to 7 points.

The human recurrent laryngeal nerve has to go through a large artery that passes through the heart to reach the jaw. Under the intervention of the Haynes Crystal, it was directly and decisively pulled out of the artery and properly shortened and reconnected.

"That's not enough."

After thinking for a moment, Li Aoz started making modifications again.

In order to walk upright, the long-term accumulation of gravity caused varicose veins, which was repaired, and the exposed reproductive organs could be hidden to prevent them from being hit by enemies.

The kidneys, which are prone to forming stones from crystals, have undergone drastic strengthening and modification.

The trachea and esophagus are now separated, preventing choking.

The appendix, which was originally of little significance, has been reactivated as a digestive aid system that stores a large number of probiotics.

Endocrine hormones can be freely controlled and regulated like an accelerator. When explosive power is needed, adrenaline is secreted; when calmness is needed, dopamine is antagonized; and when happiness is needed, large amounts of dopamine and endorphins are secreted.

This body will no longer be addicted to any drugs; it will become the best bio-armor.

Finally, Li Aoz made further modifications to the brain.

The human brain has a left and right division of labor. Once the corpus callosum is severed, the left and right hemispheres can no longer recognize and control the same things.

His brain's computing power has been liberated, and his nervous system has been fully optimized. Now, it no longer needs to divide tasks.

[Plant-equipped body, modification complete]

Your attributes have changed.

Strength - 16, Dexterity - 15, Constitution - 20, Charisma - 77 [Actual Gain: 100.1], Intelligence - 7 [Promotion Task Completed]

[Individual Sublimation in progress...]

Under your influence, genes begin to aggregate.

They attract each other, understand each other, devour each other—and eventually merge into one.

Li Aoz's body slowly floated up from the spot. He did not use gravity; the whole world was gently lifting him up.

His Transcendent and Refined charm made the world accept him, pamper him, and shower him with good things without hesitation.

The crimson and black crystals slowly dissolved, merging with his flesh and blood, and under the world's favor, gently imprinted themselves on his skin.

Li Aoz's body quietly activated the Overlord Form.

The muscles no longer violently twisted in and out, but grew and multiplied in a completely natural way. The exoskeleton armor was covered with exquisite red and black crystals. His body slowly rose up, and the pale bone plates covered his body, making the whole body more beautiful. His skin was no longer wet and sticky flesh, but as if it had been burned, showing a solid hard texture.

His hair was also covered in crystals, and bone spurs slowly grew on his originally unremarkable head, forming a crown like thorns.

[Sublimation complete]

Your lifespan will be increased by 80 calendar years.

[Rank Effect: Any attack or attribute judgment against a target lower than your rank is considered to have only 80% effectiveness. When you attack or judge an attribute against a target lower than your own rank, it is considered to have 200% effectiveness. (Beta-rank)]

The Overlord Form has evolved.

[In Overlord Form, your Aoneng gain is increased by 20%, you gain 30% bonus health, and your movement speed is increased by 80%.]

[Specialty: Flesh Affinity - Triggered]

When you are in Overlord Form, armored weapons will also be integrated into the Overlord Form and used as skills.

Now, you can integrate the limbs and organs of other creatures into your body, giving the Overlord Form even more biological characteristics.

Finally, I've advanced to the Beta-rank.

I have mastered the bio-armor expertise required for [Mutant]. Now, I can focus on manufacturing bio-armor to enhance my Combat Power.

Before Li Aoz could even catch his breath, he immediately opened the Task Panel.

The Side Quest "Roar of Freedom" has met its completion requirements.

[Reward Settlement]: A. "Children of the Volcano" - You must completely overthrow the comprador group in Gurant, help the Grantian regain power, and rebuild the republic.

Current progress: Republican regime stability - 77.7% (meets settlement criteria) Reward: 1.2 million experience points

B. "Buried in Ultramarine" - The greatest obstacle for the rebels is the rulers of the Old World, who kill the Grand Duke of the Grant Duchy.

Current progress: Gamos Luvenchi Grant (1/1)

Rewards: Random rewards (based on task evaluation; higher evaluation yields better rewards). Task rating calculation in progress...

No teammates died in this mission (√)

People witnessed your final kill (√)

Output accounted for 80% (√)

The calculation is complete. The evaluation for this task is: outstanding.

[Do you want to enable random rewards?]

[Rewards have been issued]

You have acquired the skill [Aura of Goodwill]

It's the end of the month, let's start making a big splash tomorrow.