[Integrating Xenovian DNA…]
"Gah!" I cried out in pain as my veins bulged, revealing violet blood flowing to all parts of my body.
Soon, my entire veins turned black, and my skin began shifting from normal human flesh to that of a sturdy, violet-colored, scaly beast.
During the constant changes, the edges of my lips tore open forcefully, causing blood to flow down my damaged mouth. My normal set of white teeth grew into razor-sharp, shark-like teeth, numbering around five hundred at least.
I grabbed my belly as my body trembled and my consciousness slowly began to slip. I desperately tried to reach for something—anything I could hold on to while enduring the pain of the gene fusion—but I couldn't find any.
I could only grit my teeth and endure until the fusion was complete.
[Human x Xenovian DNA successfully fused…]
Huff!
Exhaling loudly, I lay on the ground with my eyes closed. I felt my ripped lips stitching back together.
Ding!
The sound of a bell rang in my head, causing me to squint in displeasure.
"I just survived something worse than death. Can't you let me rest a bit?" My eyes fluttered open lazily, and the first thing I saw was a set of texts.
[Xenovian Royalty bloodline ability acquired: Devour]
Ding!
[Host genes stimulated by fusion]
[Host innate ability unlocked: Hand of God]
A series of messages bombarded my ears, but even with my eyes open, my vision slowly faded. My body was at its limit. It needed rest…
[Congratulations. You have become something beyond human,] the voice chuckled as I fell into a deep sleep.
—
Huff!
My eyes yanked open, and I mechanically sat up. My clothes felt uncomfortable, and when I looked, I was shocked to see they were soaked with sweat.
"Did I swim in an ocean or something?" I muttered while rubbing my face, only to realize it was also covered in sweat.
My eyes darted around, but it was too dark to see. The meteor had lost its brilliant light, inviting darkness into the lonely tunnel.
[Five hours of sleep… I guess the fusion really took a toll on you.]
"Wh—"
Cough! Cough!
I coughed hard and clutched my chest. My throat felt so dry I couldn't speak, and my stomach ached with an insatiable hunger like never before.
It felt like I hadn't eaten in months!
"What is this feeling?" I gasped, struggling to get my words out.
[This is the adverse effect of my Devour ability. It's a powerful ability, but it comes with an insatiable hunger that you need to learn how to control—or feed.]
"What?" I gasped weakly, then froze and wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me.
Before, I was just hearing a voice in my head, but now I was hearing the voice and seeing strange texts.
"What's going on here?" I couldn't help but ask.
[If you read the texts that appeared during our fusion, you should already know I am a being from another planet. Royalty, to be exact.]
I could visualize a smug smile on a random face I painted in my head representing the voice. It sounded extremely proud when adding the last part, but I couldn't care less. I was focused on some keywords.
"Did you say fusion?" I asked.
[You weren't paying attention?]
"I was about to pass out! Who would pay attention to anything else at a time like that?" I rolled my eyes.
[Ooh, I forgot humans are very fragile creatures. Fortunately, that won't be a problem for you anymore—now that you have the Xenovian royal blood flowing in your veins.]
I could only sigh at this as I grabbed my belly and rose to my feet.
"Oh?" I was shocked to realize my broken leg had healed.
[The Royal Xenovian genes improve your physical capabilities and regenerative prowess. Your sight and sense of smell have been improved as well. You are practically a human with superhuman capabilities.]
"Wow." I was genuinely shocked. Apart from the insatiable hunger I had to endure, I felt amazing.
Much lighter than usual.
[That is just the beginning. I had everything about you put together for better understanding.]
[Name: Lucius]
[Race: Hybrid – Human/Xenovian]
[Xenovian Ability]
Devour: When used, the host's Xenovian genes are activated, forcing him to take a form more befitting of the Xenovian lineage. The Devour ability is one-half of the Royal Xenovian lineage inheritance, which allows the user to consume anything and everything without fear. By consuming, the user gains nutrients that can be used to hasten his regenerative capabilities. The legendary power of Devour also allows the user to permanently gain the unique abilities of anyone consumed. It is said the being with this power is destined to swallow the entire universe.
[Human Ability]
Hand of God: The user can absorb the matter of anything, which can be used to reinforce his skin for additional durability and strength. The user can also absorb energy in its purest form, using it to supercharge his cells and gain a temporary burst of power—but such actions may result in a backlash.
"Human ability?" I was confused.
Before meeting this strange being, I didn't have any ability. If I did, my family would be living a good life in New York with the other nobles.
[The fusion stimulated your dormant human genes, allowing you to awaken your true power. You can thank me for that.]
I nodded absentmindedly as my gaze shifted to the Xenovian ability.
"So, what does this Xenovian form look like?" I asked out of curiosity.
[You will get to see it when you use it, but I suggest you don't use it in the presence of other humans.]
"Why?" I asked.
[You sincerely don't know how horrible your race is? Well, it's understandable, since you were just a powerless human until a few hours ago.]
"What do you mean?" My brows furrowed.
[Amongst awakened humans, there are Guardians—the people hailed as heroes, the face of the new age—and then there are Deviants. The difference between Guardians and Deviants is their evolution pathways. While the Guardians gained abilities through their evolution and maintained their human forms, Deviants are those whose bodies changed during the evolution process, making them look more like monsters than humans. But it doesn't change the fact that they are humans.]
[With the threat of beasts hovering over humanity at all times, the current society is very sensitive to anything beast-like. Deviants were forced out of society—and most times, killed if found. The thing your people called racism is what those unfortunate humans are forced to endure. They are constantly on the run, hiding from humans and beasts alike. They belong nowhere, and that's why I said their lives are worse than that of slaves.]
"Damn…" I mumbled.
The more I learned about humanity, the more I felt ashamed to be associated with them. Currently, there was nothing good I could say about my race—and I'm sure millions of American slaves shared the same sentiment.