He focused on the glowing words.
You have reached Level 20 Adept.
You have unlocked Skill Gene Reaping (SSS+) and Seed Imprinting (SSS+).
Isaac raised a brow.
These were his second and third SSS+ rank skills.
Until now, he had only one, and even that had felt like a miracle.
These two new ones were unlocked because his Class had reached Level 15 and Level 20 respectively.
The system never disappointed him with its timing, and this time it had gone far beyond his expectations.
He quickly opened the skill descriptions.
Fourth Talent Skill/First Class Skill: Gene Reaping (Unlocked when user reaches Lv. 15 Adept rank)
Skill Level: 1
Active Effect: Extracts genetic code when harvesting crops, or livestock. The first time grants a permanent blueprint in the Gene Seed Bank.
Passive Effect: Gene Seed Bank: A personal library, where you can store genetic codes of everything you’ve harvested.
Cost: 100 Mana (Scales with rarity of harvest and harvested genetic code)
...
Fifth Talent Skill/Second Class Skill: Seed Imprinting (Unlocked when user reaches Lv. 20 Adept rank)
Skill Level: 1
Active Effect: Implants a harvested gene into a seed, egg, or sapling, causing it to inherit one trait.
Additional Effect: Biosmass Conversion: Any organic waste (corpses, rotten plants, spoiled food) can be broken down into rich Biomass.
Cost: 10 Biomass (Scales with rarity of implanted gene) (For Active Effect)
Cost: 500 Mana (Scales with amount and rarity of organic waste) (For Additional Effect)
Isaac blinked, stunned by what he was reading.
"Holy mother of..." He muttered under his breath.
The first skill alone was ridiculous.
Gene Reaping allowed him to harvest genetic codes, and stored them in a permanent bank.
By itself, it might not change much immediately, but combined with the second skill, the true potential became obvious.
’With these two together,’ he thought, excitement bubbling in his chest, ’I can literally create new species of crops and livestock.’
His mind started racing with possibilities.
What if he created a crop that could grow in the wilderness outside the cities?
What if he developed a plant that absorbed the poisonous air and released pure oxygen instead?
The cities had always been limited in how far they could expand, surrounded by toxic wastelands that no one could live in.
A solution like that could change everything.
He could sell these crops for unimaginable price, and other races would buy them happily.
And that wasn’t even the end of it.
If he wanted, he could go further, crafting plants with offensive or defensive traits, things that could fight alongside him.
Plants as weapons, or livestock with mutated genes that could survive and thrive where nothing else could.
’This is insane,’ he thought, shaking his head in disbelief.
It was just two skills, yet the potential they held was world-breaking.
Even the additional effect of Seed Imprinting was powerful on its own.
The monsters outside the cities had adapted perfectly to the corrupted wilderness.
Their deaths released miasma, a poisonous vapor that varied in strength depending on the creature.
The death of a powerful Overlord rank monster could release enough miasma to kill an entire city if left unchecked.
Entire legions of Awakeners had been lost trying to clean up after battles gone wrong.
But now... Isaac didn’t need to worry about miasma at all.
’I can just convert corpses into biomass.’
’Every monster I kill, every body I come across, can fuel me instead of harming me.’
The excitement burned stronger.
He wanted to test these skills as soon as he returned home.
He wanted to experiment, and see what new life he could create with his own hands.
But before he could let his thoughts run further, he noticed another cluster of notifications blinking at the corner of his vision.
"Oh, right," he realized, "there were a lot of system messages for reaching Level 20 Adept rank."
He opened them one by one.
Spirit Power stat has reached the limit. Title: Extreme Unshaken unlocked.
Another message followed.
Isaac Hargraves has reached 2000 in all primary stats.
He has achieved the Second Perfect Foundation.
New Title unlocked: [Symphony of Self].
And then, the reward.
As a reward of reaching the Second Perfect Foundation, Isaac Hargraves has gained Skill Rank Up Card x1.
Skill Rank Up Card: Rank up any skill to SSS+ rank. (Can be shared with Bonds or Subjects).
Isaac grinned.
A Skill Rank Up Card wasn’t something you just stumbled across every day.
It was the kind of thing entire races would go to war over.
For him, it was an extra ace, a tool he could use to give himself or one of his wives an overwhelming advantage.
’Since none of them have an SSS+ rank skill yet, this could make a massive difference.’
’But I only have one skill rank up card. I’ll need to choose carefully, and wisely.’
The decision wouldn’t be made right now.
He’d think about it later, once things had settled down.
For now, he rolled his shoulders, letting the notifications fade from view, and turned his head toward Professor Catherine.
"Thanks for waiting," he said. "I’ve checked all the notifications now."
She studied him with sharp eyes, then let a small smirk tug at her lips. "Judging by how pleased you look, I’m guessing you maxed out your stats?"
Isaac only shrugged, giving no direct answer.
He wasn’t going to confirm anything more than he had to.
Professor Catherine didn’t seem to mind.
She tilted her head and leaned back slightly against the broken wall, as though thinking aloud.
"So you can gain stats by sleeping with women too? That’s a famous ability belonging to another race, but you don’t look like one of them."
Isaac’s lips twitched, but he stayed silent. He wasn’t about to walk into that conversation.
Professor Catherine chuckled softly, clearly amused at his reaction.
"You aren’t even going to ask which race that ability belongs to?" a voice suddenly whispered right next to his ear.
Isaac stiffened slightly.
The presence pressed close against him, arms wrapping casually around his waist. Her chin rested on his shoulder, and he realized it was either Professor Catherine or one of her clones.
"Which race is it?" he asked, deciding to play along.
"Mine," she said, her voice low and teasing. Her breath brushed his ear, and an alluring scent clung to the air around her.
He felt something brush against his legs. It was soft, and bushy.
’Her tails,’ he realized.
Invisible tails coiled lightly around his thighs, one of them stroking dangerously close in a suggestive way.
"It’s not just stats you can gain," she whispered. "There’s more. Something better than stats. So what do you say? Do you want to try ’it’ with this big sister?"
Isaac gave a dry laugh and stepped forward, breaking her hold on him.
"I’m fine as is. Thank you."
When he turned to face her, he was grinning.
"And you’re right. My Spirit stat reached 2000. That’s the limit for an Adept rank Apex species. Thanks to it, my mental defenses are strong enough to resist your skill."
His grin widened.
"What now, ’big sister’? How are you going to tease me now?"
Professor Catherine tilted her head, amused.
"Hehehe, this is good. There’s no fun if the prey can’t resist at all," she muttered more to herself than him while licking her lips seductively.
Though her tails were invisible, Isaac could almost swear he felt six of them swishing in the air behind her.
Her eyes had a hungry gleam, like she was looking at prey she couldn’t wait to play with.
"What do you mean by that?" Isaac asked, narrowing his eyes.
"You can finally resist my temptations," she said with a sly curve to her lips. "That means it’ll finally be a challenge to play with you.
"Ah, but I’m about to evolve to an Apex rank species soon. I wonder if you’ll still be able to resist me then. Wouldn’t that mean you’ll eventually fall to me anyway?"
Isaac cursed inwardly.
The jump from High rank to Apex rank wasn’t small. It was a massive leap. Her abilities would be amplified many times over.
’Was it a mistake giving her the Bloodline Evolution Potion?’ he wondered briefly. But he didn’t let his thoughts show on his face.
Instead, he kept a calm smile.
"I can handle it easily," he said.
Professor Catherine’s eyes curved like crescents. "We’ll see in the future."
Then she glanced around the room and raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, you destroyed the entire room. Do you know how costly it is to set up this place?"
Isaac finally took a proper look around.
The training chamber was wrecked.
The mana surges from his advancement had torn through the reinforced walls, leaving cracks and scorch marks across every surface.
"Cough." He cleared his throat and looked away. "Do I... need to pay for this?"
His tone made it clear he was reluctant.
"It’s fine," Professor Catherine said with a dismissive wave. "This time it was our fault for underestimating how powerful your evolution would be. We should’ve reinforced the room better."
She turned toward the door.
"Now, follow me. It’s time we get your next class advancement quest."
"Already?" Isaac asked.
"Yes," she said firmly. "You’re already at the peak of Adept rank. It’s better to know what requirements you’ll need for Elite rank now, rather than wait."
Isaac nodded and followed her.
They left the wrecked chamber behind and crossed the hallways of the academy building, heading for the same location where he’d received his first class advancement quest.
The place was bustling as usual, students and instructors walking in and out while the quiet hum of machines filled the air.
When they stepped inside the main office, Ruby, the city’s AI, was standing behind the counter.
Her appearance was just as Isaac remembered. Beautiful features, light green hair, and pointed ears that gave her an almost elven air.
"Ruby, we need a class advancement quest for him," Professor Catherine said.
Ruby blinked, surprised. "Already? It’s only been a few weeks since his last advancement. And from what I can deduce, his requirements weren’t exactly easy."
Professor Catherine’s lips curved into a small smile. "Then it seems we have a genius on our hands. Please hurry. We’re on a tight schedule today."
Ruby gave her a long look before sighing. "Fine."
She turned her attention to Isaac. "Give me your hand."
Isaac placed his hand on the counter.
Ruby grasped it lightly, closed her eyes, and began her search.
For a few moments the air was quiet.
When Ruby finally opened her eyes, she was staring at him with a peculiar expression.
"What are you?" she asked, her tone sharp with curiosity.
Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Ruby tilted her head slightly, almost as if trying to make sense of something. "Last time, I could search for a Class for you. But now I can’t. Your Talent’s rank is too high. The system access I have here can’t match you with a Class anymore."
"What does that mean?" Isaac asked.
"It means you’ll have to go to a Tier 2 city if you want a proper Class advancement Quest," Ruby explained. "A Tier 1 city like Fortified City 50 simply isn’t equipped to provide anything suitable for your Talent."
Professor Catherine’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you certain about that, Ruby?"
"I am," Ruby said firmly. "His Talent is far above what we can handle here. That’s why I can’t find any Class pathways for him anymore. Considering that fact, his Talent rank must be above—"
"Thank you for the guidance," Professor Catherine interrupted smoothly before Ruby could finish.
Her eyes flicked to the other students in the hall who were moving about with their own tasks. She didn’t want Ruby’s words overheard.
"We’ll be taking our leave now."
Ruby gave a polite nod. "Very well."
Professor Catherine turned on her heel, and Isaac followed her.
They left the office, passing through the busy corridors until they reached her private office on the higher floor in another building.
She closed the door behind them, sealing the sound.
The moment they were alone, she fixed her gaze on him. "What’s your Talent rank?"