Zayn stayed completely still. His heartbeat felt slower, his breathing controlled. Something about his body had changed—not just strength, but instincts.

  The two Gene Hunters scanned the area.

  One of them muttered, "Whoever took the core couldn’t have gone far."

  The other grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Then let’s flush them out."

  Zayn tensed. They knew.

  A second later—

  BOOM!

  The ground exploded beside him as one hunter punched the air, sending a shockwave that blasted apart rubble. The sheer force sent Zayn flying backward, crashing against a broken wall.

  Pain flared through his body, but he was still alive.

  "Got you."

  The first hunter, a bald man with cybernetic implants on his arms, stepped forward, grinning. "Hand over the core."

  Zayn wiped blood from his lips. His body screamed in pain, but—

  He wasn’t the same weak scavenger anymore.

  [Host has engaged in combat for the first time.][Gene Adaptation Activated.]

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  ?? Gene Points Available: 10?? Suggested Enhancement: Shadow Step → Rank E?? Alternative: Increase Physical Strength (+5 Gene Points)

  Zayn’s mind raced.

  The system was giving him a choice. He had 10 Gene Points—enough to either upgrade Shadow Step or increase his strength.

  Speed or Power?

  He didn’t hesitate.

  "Upgrade Shadow Step."

  A surge of energy coursed through him. His body felt lighter, faster—as if the very air bent around him.

  [Shadow Step has evolved → Rank E.][New Effect: Now allows instant movement up to 10 meters.]

  The bald hunter sighed, cracking his neck. "Fine. We’ll just beat it out of you."

  He lunged. Fast.

  But Zayn was faster.

  WHOOSH!

  In an instant, he vanished.

  The hunter’s eyes widened as his punch hit nothing but air. "What—?!"

  Zayn reappeared behind him.

  Without thinking, he drove his knee into the hunter’s back, sending him sprawling forward.

  The second hunter cursed. "He’s using a movement ability!"

  Zayn smirked. Yeah. And it’s better than yours.

  The bald hunter growled as he got back up, his cybernetic arms humming with energy. "You little—"

  WHOOSH.

  Zayn disappeared again.

  Then reappeared right in front of the second hunter.

  CRACK!

  He landed a clean punch to the jaw, sending the man crashing into a pile of debris. One down.

  The bald hunter roared in rage. His cybernetic arms whirred, and suddenly—

  His entire right arm transformed into a cannon.

  Zayn’s eyes widened. What the hell?

  The hunter grinned, his cannon glowing red. "Dodge this, kid."

  A massive energy blast erupted toward him.

  Zayn had one second to react.