Chapter 37: New Skills, and Return

In total, I gained 200 points of Vitality just from the crystals. But the more of the bloodline I absorbed, the stronger the benefits got.

Not just the raw stats, but new abilities too. This serpent bloodline also gave me 50 points of Agility after absorbing all 10 crystals. That was a lot for my current level.

But the raw attributes weren’t even the most important part.

[Bloodline: Primordial Serpent (Kaelis)]

[Integration Stage: 1 / 10] (10% Assimilated)

[Passive: Thermal & Mana Perception (Stage 1)]

[Adapts your senses to match apex predators. Allows you to detect thermal signatures, heartbeats, and mana flows within a 15-meter radius, completely bypassing darkness and basic physical or magical concealment.]

[Passive: Apex Vitality & Tissue Reconstruction (Stage 1)]

[Reconstructs your cellular biology with primordial energy. Grants high-speed physical regeneration, enabling full limb restoration upon integration, while dramatically boosting stamina, muscle flexibility, and natural immunity against lower-grade toxins.]

[Active: Primordial Neurotoxin (Stage 1)]

[Secretes a potent, acidic venom from specialized glands. Must be physically applied to your weapons or sprayed directly at an enemy. Upon contact, the toxin causes immediate tissue necrosis, severe burning pain, and a moderate decrease in enemy movement speed. Resource Cost: High Biological Stamina. Secretion capacity is limited per day.]

The bloodline was still in its early stages, yet I already had 2 passives and 1 active ability from it.

This was the first time I was seeing something like this. Now I not only had my pocket dimension ability, but a bloodline too.

When the bloodline finished assimilating into my body, I felt my arm slowly growing back. The feeling was so weird, unlike anything I’d felt before.

First the bones grew back, then the muscles and everything else.

"Your healing speed won’t always be this fast," Kaelis said while watching my arm grow. "It’s because this is your first major change. In the future, though, maybe you could lose your head and still live."

That was fucking unbelievable. I really wanted to get that powerful eventually. Though keeping my head attached would be even better.

Once my arm finished growing back, I closed my fist and made a few circular movements to test it out.

It was as good as new. Better, actually, with the increase in agility from the bloodline. My body felt faster, lighter, and I could do things that were impossible before.

Looking around that dark cave, I noticed it wasn’t dark anymore. My eyes had changed. The pupils were vertical now, just like a snake’s, and the color had turned bright yellow, similar to Kaelis’s eyes.

It wasn’t just my sight that improved from that passive either. I could hear things that were far away, and when I looked at Kaelis, I could actually see the heat coming off her body.

"This is amazing," I said.

"Right? This will help you a lot, especially against those who use their powers or other tricks to conceal themselves."

"How does the bloodline mature?" I asked her.

I had no idea when I’d get to see her again after leaving, so it was best to learn as much as I could while I was still there.

"Give it time," Kaelis said. "Time will give you the answers you seek. Now, get closer."

I walked over to her. Once we were close enough, Kaelis closed her eyes and placed her hand on my chest. She was doing something.

A different type of energy entered my body. It felt familiar, probably because we now shared the same bloodline.

"The seal is done," she said. "It’ll last one month. It won’t change anything about your powers, it’s only there to hide your bloodline from any tests they might run on you."

"Now, take Bob and leave. The portal you’re looking for will open in 8 hours. Get there, or you might miss it."

I thanked her. Sure, what she gave me wasn’t free, but I really enjoyed the feeling of that power running through my veins.

And having my arm back was exactly what I needed.

Bob slipped back into my pocket dimension and went straight into a deep sleep, worn out from absorbing that bloodline crystal. He looked fine, no damage at all, so I wasn’t worried about him.

Walking through the cave was much easier now with my improved sight. The spider that had once tried to kill me was still on the ground, not moving, agonizing in pain.

I decided to test out one of my new abilities. I summoned my cube and shaped it into a dagger.

Then I activated my Primordial Neurotoxin. It felt like I already knew how to do it, like it was baked into my genetics now.

Two glands, normally hidden away, produced the toxin. A metallic taste spread through my mouth. I gathered it up like spitting, then spat right onto my dagger.

The toxin clung to my cube. I had a poisoned weapon now. That was just fantastic.

No idea how powerful the toxin actually was, since my bloodline was still in its early stages, but it would definitely come in handy against other hunters as well as beasts in general.

Then I cut the spider using my now poisoned dagger, getting my first real look at what that poison could actually do.

I stabbed it right in the belly. Took a while for the necrosis to kick in, but once it did, the spider let out its last painful sounds before dying.

Turned out it had some toxin resistance, which explained why it took longer to actually hurt her.

Either way, the creature was dead. I opened its body with my dagger and pulled out the monster crystal.

High quality one too, from a B-rank beast. Would definitely give me some solid upgrades once I absorbed it.

I would’ve handed it to Bob first, but he was asleep, so I just tossed it into my pocket dimension and kept moving, leaving the cave behind.

Once outside, I hopped on my cube and flew off. From up there, I was looking for the river where I’d passed out after that gecko attack.

No idea where the spider had dragged me, so I needed some kind of reference point to figure out how to get back to the portal.

Took about 5 minutes to spot that river. The spider hadn’t taken me too far after all.

Once I had my bearings, I knew exactly how to get back, so I flew toward the portal, which would open in a few hours.

Flying up there, everything felt more intense somehow. With my new senses, I was picking up on way more than I ever did as a regular human.

The wind felt different against my skin. Couldn’t really explain it.

Once I reached the spot where the portal would show up, I found a place to sit and wait. Nothing left to do but wait it out.

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Lightning started flickering, and the portal formed again. The moment it did, I could already see through to the other side.

Scientists in white lab coats were walking around, all gathering in front of the portal now that it had finally reopened.

They couldn’t see me. Only I could see them.

I walked toward the portal and stepped through, finally back in the academy.