Another ten days flew by amid regular meals, training, and secretly activating the Devour Talent.
Lin Mo could clearly feel that the energy he had accumulated inside his body had reached a critical point. Every inch of his muscles brimmed with explosive strength, his bones were hard, and his senses were sharp enough to hear the faint flutter of insects' wings dozens of meters away.
The specially prepared Beast Soldier Rank monster meat had become his daily staple. Each time he deliberately activated the Devour Talent to digest the meat, the barrier leading to a higher level of life grew a little thinner.
He knew a breakthrough was imminent.
That premonition became especially strong late on the twentieth night.
Wang Keke was already fast asleep, her steady breathing particularly clear in the quiet room.
But Lin Mo wasn't sleepy at all. He lay in his soft nest, feeling as if countless little mice were scurrying around inside him. A scorching torrent surged and roared through his meridians—if beasts even had such things—hammering at the invisible barrier.
He didn't dare make a sound. All he could do was curl up tightly and endure the torment, which was both painful and filled with anticipation.
Finally, when the moon was directly overhead, the barrier shattered with a crash like fragile glass!
Vmmm—
An energy far more powerful and surging than any before burst forth from deep within his body! A faint white halo, like moonlight, appeared uncontrollably across his skin, illuminating one corner of the dim room.
Within the halo, his body visibly swelled, growing larger. His already muscular frame became even longer and more powerful, his claws sharper and thicker, and the blurry markings on his forehead grew clearer, faintly forming the beginnings of a majestic "king" character.
He had officially entered Beast Soldier Rank!
But the changes didn't stop there.
The instant he completed his leap to a new level of life, the two lumps that had long rested quietly on his back began to throb with tearing pain and unbearable itching!
"Grr..."
Lin Mo couldn't help letting out a restrained growl, edged with pain and surprise. He could feel the tissue inside the two lumps multiplying, dividing, and extending at a frantic pace!
Rrrip—
With a faint sound like cloth tearing, the thin skin and down covering them stretched apart. Two damp patches of tissue, streaked with a little clear fluid, abruptly unfolded from his back near his shoulder blades!
They were two... wings!
They were still very undeveloped, with slender bones and a sparse layer of soft white down. They looked more like enlarged bird hatchlings' wings, somewhat out of proportion with his now mighty tiger body. Fully spread, they were about half the length of his body and drooped limply at his sides.
Ignoring the discomfort in his back, Lin Mo tried to control his new organs.
At a thought, the tender wings trembled slightly. Then, guided by his will, they began to flap, clumsily at first.
At first, he was awkward and nearly spun in place when the force was uneven. But he had powerful Soul Control and quickly mastered the basic coordination. As his wings beat, they stirred a faint breeze, and he felt his body suddenly grow lighter!
He tried to leap out of his nest. His four limbs pushed off as he sprang upward, and at the same time, he beat his wings as hard as he could!
Whoosh!
A noticeable lift carried him far higher than usual, and his descent slowed considerably. He glided through the air for a stretch before landing lightly on the carpet at the other side of the room.
He couldn't truly fly yet, but this basic ability to glide filled him with delight!
Wings! I really have wings! I'm a Winged Tiger through and through! Lin Mo was ecstatic. This meant his mobility and future fighting style would undergo a complete transformation.
As he reveled in his breakthrough and his new wings, a far larger stream of information suddenly flooded his mind without warning.
It was no longer a vague feeling, but clear, specific information, as if branded into him:
[Combat Devour Talent] · Effect: By devouring living beings (primarily monsters), plunder their life essence to accelerate your own growth and evolution. There is a very low chance of analyzing and inheriting the target's [core talent] or [skill fragments]. · Inheritance Probability: Related to the target's bloodline rank, talent rarity, completeness of devouring, and your own strength. Current probability: extremely low (approximately 0.1%–1%). · Analysis Ability: Can passively sense latent talents or skill information contained in devoured targets (vague). · Growth Potential: Strengthens as your own level of life rises (effects, probability, and analysis ability).
The sudden influx of detailed information made Lin Mo instantly understand the true uses and potential of his golden finger!
It didn't just accelerate his growth; it also gave him a chance to acquire other monsters' signature abilities! The odds were pitifully low for now, but as long as he kept devouring and growing stronger, they would surely improve! This meant that his future was filled with limitless possibilities!
He looked at his tender wings and powerful claws, his eyes blazing with wild fire.
Beast Soldier Rank was only the starting point. The ability to glide was merely an appetizer. With the Devour Talent guiding him, he would one day bite off a territory of his own in this vast starry sky!
He carefully concealed the glow and aura from his body, then slowly folded his new wings against his back. They looked like nothing more than two bumps, a little bigger than before. As he felt the surging power within him and the clear information about his talent in his mind, a confidence unlike anything he had ever known rose within him.
Wang Xiao, I'm going to eat your Iron-Claw Wolf!
He silently returned to his soft nest and curled up, as if nothing had happened.
But after tonight, everything had changed.
Before you continue