The forest didn't change.
But time did.
A faint panel appeared.
[ Status Panel ]
Fitness:
Taijutsu → 16
Genes:
Ordinary → 100 / 100
Primitive → 100 / 100
Mutant → 69 / 100
Sacred → 10 / 100
Geno Art:
Jade Skin → 9 / 100
Beast Souls:
Armor → Shadow Armor
Weapon → Mutant Blade
Weapon → Mutant Sword
The panel faded.
Han Chandu moved forward.
No pause.
No delay.
Only continuation.
Time—
Didn't break.
Didn't reset.
It flowed.
Minute by minute.
Step by step.
Hunt.
Kill.
Eat.
Absorb.
Repeat.
Again.
And again.
And again.
A mutant creature fell.
He ate.
→ Mutant Gene +1
Another portion.
→ Mutant Gene +1
He stopped.
Limit.
He stood.
Moved again.
Another creature.
Another kill.
Another consumption.
→ Mutant Gene +1
Time passed.
Not in days.
Not in breaks.
But continuously.
Minutes stacked.
Hours layered.
Fights repeated.
Movements refined.
Breathing stabilized.
Control deepened.
Again—
A kill.
→ Mutant Gene +1
Again—
Consumption.
→ Mutant Gene +1
Stop.
Limit.
Move.
Repeat.
The pattern didn't change.
Only the number did.
Became—
Then—
Then—
Slow.
Steady.
Accurate.
No jump.
No excess.
Only accumulation.
Time stretched.
Long.
Unbroken.
More than a month—
Passed.
But it didn't feel like time.
It felt like repetition.
Endless.
Controlled.
Until—
The final hunt.
A mutant creature stood before him.
Stronger.
More resistant.
But still—
Not enough.
It attacked.
Han Chandu moved.
No hesitation.
Jade Skin activated.
Impact.
Controlled.
Step.
Strike.
Crack.
Second strike.
Final.
The creature fell.
Dead.
→ Mutant Creature killed
→ No Beast Soul gained
He sat.
Cooked the meat.
Ate.
→ Mutant Gene +1
Another portion.
→ Mutant Gene +1
He stopped.
Then—
He checked.
[ Genes ]
Mutant → 100 / 100
Complete.
From 69—
To 100.
Not rushed.
Not forced.
Minute by minute.
Point by point.
Through repetition.
Through control.
Through time itself.
He stood.
Silent.
Because this—
Was not a moment.
It was a process.
And now—
It was finished.
Ordinary.
Complete.
Primitive.
Complete.
Mutant.
Complete.
Three foundations.
Built.
Without error.
Without waste.
Without interruption.
The forest remained unchanged.
But he—
Was not.