Zarek was more than a little surprised by what he saw. A Variable Mutant was a rarity, a true one, even at the start of the apocalypse.
Variable Mutants were the result of an evolutionary screw-up on the part of the system, though technically it was serendipity on the part of the Variable Mutant themselves… well, other than the fact they were dumb as rocks.
Mutants could grow to be quite intelligent, but Variable Mutants were exactly how dumb people assumed animals to be, except they were actually so dull, while animals tended to be more intuitive and clever than they were given credit for.
The problem with Variable Mutants was clashing thoughts and ideals. They were the result of accidental fusion between several immature Turned in the process of becoming mature Turned.
Because of the, well… variables involved in their formation, Turned almost never reached this point.
The reason why Zarek was so surprised, though, wasn't because of the rarity, but instead because there shouldn't be a Variable Mutant here.
The imprint on history Variable Mutants had was very strong. They might be dumb, but in a quirky, evolutionary logic sort of way, they made up for that in spades with their power.
What they lacked in intelligence, they covered by being ridiculously strong.
'Jiade must have brought it here; there's no other explanation. But how would this Variable Mutant know which Tear I want to enter if Jiade doesn't?'
Zarek began to wonder if he just wanted to blame Jiade because he hated the man with every fiber of his soul right now, or if there was really some merit to his thoughts.
By his side, Priya remained as silent as a mouse, not even breathing too loudly. She knew that for Zarek to be taking so much time, there had to be something wrong.
'I can use this…' Zarek thought.
He couldn't confirm with 100% certainty whether Jiade had truly introduced this Variable Mutant to this city or not, but what he did know was that if he could make it past it, things would become far more convenient.
Turned could strengthen themselves around Godsfall Tears, but they couldn't enter them. So if they could sneak by, Zarek would get himself a convenient guard dog.
—
Name: [Sextupling Blood Hound]
Role: [N/A]
Core Stats:
[Strength: EE]
[Dexterity: E]
[Intelligence: F+]
[Endurance: EEE]
[Charisma: F]
Talents:
[Sextuple Split: E-]
[Abilities: Rejuvenate]
[Divide and conquer. Separate your body into its six portions and swallow your enemies whole. Dominate with numbers and power at the cost of your Strength and Endurance, but gain substantial Dexterity in return]
[Empty]
[Empty]
—
'No Skills. Sextuple Split's ability being Rejuvenate is interesting considering its description doesn't seem to be related to its name at all. Must be another hidden ability…'
For the abilities to still be hidden from Zarek's sight, even with a perfected C Class Scouting Skill on him, it meant that the Growth Potential of this Sextuple Split Talent was simply off the charts. It was at least A, if not S.
'Endurance is also ridiculously high. In that case…'
Zarek was sure. The healing factor of this Variable Mutant was off the charts for sure.
The underlying, hidden implication of being able to split its body and fuse it back together was that it could freely form and split cells in its body at an alarming speed.
Killing it would probably not only require severing all six heads, but doing so at the same time.
Zarek thought for a few more moments and then came up with a plan.
"Let's go, babe. We're going for another piggyback ride today."
Priya shook her head. She felt like a backpack these days, but she just obliged.
This time, when she sank onto Zarek's back, she felt a power that hadn't been there before. Maybe it was her sensitivity to energy, but she could tell…
Zarek had grown a lot more powerful, and not by a small margin either.
The moment Priya was strapped to his back, Zarek took a strong step out. He didn't unsheath his heavy Godsfall Steel machetes, nor did he bring out his desert eagles.
With a strong slam of his foot to the ground, he shot forward.
The street was littered with dirty rainwater, scattered garbage, and the dense smell of rotting blood. It was the sort of part of town anyone would be hesitant to go down, even those that called this place home.
But right now, there was just one man and one beast… well, six of them.
The eyes of the hound flashed open, the folds of its facial skin waving in the wind as it stood to its feet, its powerful claw digging into the concrete.
Zarek flashed it a smile, then he held out a hand.
He had gotten very familiar with glass after last night, so it was about time he used it for something other than jumping through.
—
[Talent {Temp Duplicate} has shown great progress]
[Temp Duplicate: F-]
[Temp Duplicate: F]
—
Zarek's mind felt sharper than ever before. The intricacies of the glass he was forming reflected not just in form, but in substance.
The benefit of such a high Class Scouting Skill was that it would boost almost everything else as well. Though Temp Duplicate had a poor Growth Stat, and even after several days of constant practice, it hadn't budged from F- while this damned mutt already had an E Class Talent…
Zarek knew how to force the issue.
All of a sudden, the Variable Mutant went from looking at an enemy rushing right toward it, to looking at a perfect reflection of itself.
It had just been about to pounce when it turned its head in confusion, shaking its head from side to side as though in an attempt to rub its complicated thoughts away.
It shuddered as the mirror came closer and closer. How was it moving without moving its legs? It couldn't understand at all.
It backed up, and then backed up again.
Then it suddenly yelped as the Godsfall Tear almost cut it in half for touching it.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't kill yourself by accident now. I still need you." Zarek flashed a grin. He knew the Godsfall Tear would have to be much more powerful than this one to do that, but this dumb mutt wouldn't understand that anyway.
With a flash of his steps, Zarek tossed the mirror at the hound's head.
Soaring through it, he stepped on one of its heads and leapt through the Godsfall Tear behind it with Priya on his back.