“Are you sure Alex will be all right?” Ethan asked, watching Alex’s silhouette disappear through the gate.A hint of worry crept into his voice—nobody really knew much about this strange “Chosen Zone,” and that made him anxious.Carlos clapped Ethan on the shoulder with a reassuring grin.“Relax, man. When has anything ever been too tough for Alex? If you’ve got time to worry, channel it into merging with that mutant Leopard Gene you scored. I can’t wait to see what kind of power you’ll unleash!”He tapped the small, glimmering orb in his hand, where the Beast Gene was stored.Nearby, several other students—realizing there was no point in fretting—found quiet spots on the ground and sat cross-legged.They closed their eyes in silent concentration, trying to synchronize with their newly acquired Beast Genes.They had long since learned that every idle moment was a missed chance to grow stronger.Watching them, Vice Dean Roberto felt a surge of pride.These students weren’t the pampered

Cassandra’s voice trembling, “Alex, what exactly is this ‘Nano Weapon’?”She could barely finish the question before she felt a sudden pressure ripple through her mana.A wild surge of energy roared within her, and her mana—normally a controlled flow—poured through her veins at a blistering pace.In the next breath, Cassandra’s mana blazed, and she felt her power skyrocket.Boom!A powerful breakthrough overtook her body and mind.She soared straight into the realm of a 5-star Silver-rank Magician, just one small step away from Gold rank.In fact, she could have outdueled many 1-star or even 2-star Gold-rank Magicians without much difficulty.Observing her sudden leap in power, Alex smiled softly.He took a small crystal sphere—the Beast Genetic Ball—and placed it in her hands. “Here,” he said, “integrate this.”Cassandra peered curiously into the swirling lights within the orb. “What is it?”“A Mutant Eagle, with a God-level growth rate,” Alex explained.She hesitated, overwhelmed by

Bernard’s mind flashed back to Howard’s cold, predatory gaze.The memory alone sent a chill coursing through his veins.In a desperate attempt to fight back, he snarled, “I’ll risk everything!” and summoned his Genetic Beast.His body began to shift, but before the transformation could complete, bang!Ethan’s fist plowed into Bernard’s abdomen.The impact drove all air from Bernard’s lungs; he clutched his stomach and retched so violently he thought his guts might spill out.Despite holding a high position in the Bolton Family, Bernard’s real strength was never in combat.He had only just reached Silver rank, serving as an elder who managed various affairs.One direct punch already left Bernard sprawled on the ground, his body trembling.In the blink of an eye, every one of Bernard’s men lay unconscious or groaning, completely overwhelmed.A sleek metal figure—Siri, the strange robot—strode over to Alex’s side.Its involvement had been pivotal: it single-handedly subdued three Gold ra

A tense silence filled King Arthur’s private hall as Lancelot, the third most powerful figure in the Goldenhart family—ranking only beneath Lord Clark and the King himself—delivered his report.Arthur, seated on his ornate throne, listened with a stern expression. He was a man accustomed to authority, yet worry flickered across his eyes.Lancelot’s voice was calm but earnest.“Your Majesty, our scouts have confirmed the presence of numerous Mutant Beasts outside Miracle City. Lord Clark suggests dispatching a portion of our Magicians to eradicate them. With the new elixirs from the Alchemist Association, our forces have grown considerably stronger. The high rank potion have also reduced our casualties.”Arthur nodded slowly, though the lines on his brow remained.“Yes, we’ll send out some of our Magicians. But we must be careful—the Outlaw might see an opportunity to act while we’re preoccupied.” He paused, recalling the face of a young teen named Alex.Arthur had to begrudgingly admi

Lancelot could feel the air tighten around them as Arthur’s anger grew.He thought to himself, If you truly wanted to kill Alex, you would have done it by now. Why wait, especially after he brought Siri out?But he dared not voice these thoughts.Arthur’s glare pinned Lancelot in place.Then, in a thunderous roar, he bellowed, “Do you think I fear that whelp? Alex might have Siri on his side, but if I wanted him dead, he would already be buried in the ground.”Lancelot quickly replied, “Lord Arthur, please, calm yourself. Of course you could kill Alex if you wished. But you’re too grand a man to be bothered with such trifles.”Arthur snorted, cheeks flaring red with rage. “That brat has his sights set on my daughter, and I won’t abide it. He’s nothing but a toad lusting after swan’s flesh. If he dares breathe a word about Sofie again, I’ll make him regret the day he was born.”Lancelot offered a tense, apologetic smile.He had known Arthur for years, and this fury was nothing new—tho