Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

Sensei Josh was glaring at Silas with a mischievous grin stretched across his face, as if he knew something Silas didn't. But the moment their eyes met, Josh quickly averted his gaze, his smirk fading. It was strange, but Silas didn't think too much about it at the time.

Turning his attention back to the portal, Silas took a deep breath and stepped inside. The moment his body crossed the shimmering threshold, he felt a strange sensation wash over him, and before he could blink, he was gone—vanished in an instant.

A few seconds later, Silas found himself standing in a new environment. He had been teleported into the mutant realm, and as he looked around, a familiar chime sounded in his ears, followed by a notification flashing before his eyes.

[Ding!]

[You are now in a Grade 5 Mutant Realm]

Silas's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening in shock as the message hovered in front of him, glowing ominously.

'What the hell? A Grade 5 realm?' he thought, his mind racing.

Just moments ago, Sir Dominic had explicitly announced that they would all be sent to a Grade 2 realm for safety. It had been made clear that this was a controlled test—safe enough even for the academy's lower-grade students. The academy staff knew that sending students to a higher-grade mutant realm would be far too risky. There was a high likelihood that most of them wouldn't make it back alive.

Even though there were staff members stationed on standby, prepared to jump in if anything went wrong, they couldn't intervene immediately. The portal required at least two to four hours to cool down after each use. If someone attempted to use it before the cooling period ended, the portal could collapse, and the mutants within it would break free, causing unimaginable chaos.

To prevent any accidents, the academy took precautions by assigning the students to a Grade 2 realm, making sure no one was sent into a situation they couldn't handle. However, the notification in front of Silas confirmed the worst—this wasn't a Grade 2 realm at all. It was a Grade 5 realm, one of the most dangerous classifications.

"Hey, is it just me, or does this place seem kinda off?" Vic asked, breaking the silence. He scanned their surroundings, his gaze moving across the dark, rocky cavern. The entire place had an unsettling atmosphere, and the air was thick with something unidentifiable.

Vic reached into his pocket and pulled out a medium-sized, orb-like object that resembled an eye. With a quick tap on the surface, the object emitted a bright red glow, casting light into the cavern and illuminating their surroundings.

"This is why we collect mutant eyes," Vic explained, holding the glowing orb up high. "They can be used as a light source or a scope, but I mostly use them as lights in dark places like this," he added, waving the object around to get a clearer view of their surroundings.

"I don't know about you guys, but this place is giving me the creeps," Ivy muttered under her breath, nervously glancing around. "I've been in Grade 2 realms before, and they've never felt like this."

"I know what you mean," Vic said, nodding. "It feels more like a Grade 3 realm, but since the academy confirmed that it's a Grade 2, there's no need to panic." He paused, then shrugged. "Let's get started. We've wasted enough time already, and we need to make sure we finish at the top," he added confidently, marching forward.

Ivy followed closely at his side, with the ever-silent David trailing behind them.

Silas and Angelica fell into step beside them. Silas hadn't said a word since arriving and reading the notification. His mind was still reeling from the revelation that they had been sent to a Grade 5 realm—one of the most dangerous places for a mutant of his level.

'They've sent us to our deaths,' Silas thought grimly, glancing at his teammates. 'Sure, there are two Grade 4 students here, but what about Ivy and David? How are they supposed to survive in a place like this?' His mind raced as they walked deeper into the cavern.

As they advanced, a familiar chime echoed in Silas's ears, followed by another notification popping up in front of him.

[DING]

[The system has detected that this is the perfect location to begin your next evolution quest.]

[Your next evolution quest has arrived!]

[Complete this quest to evolve into a Tier 4 Soul Devourer mutant.]

[Tier Information: Tier 4 is considered the weakest tier of the Soul Devourer mutants. It grants the Host extra attributes for every soul consumed.]

[Complete this quest and you'll be one evolution away from becoming a Tier 3 Soul Devourer—the final tier for this mutant type. Then you can advance to the next stage.]

[Evolution Quest: Carry your team, slay the Realm's god, and consume its soul!]

[Quest rewards will be revealed after completion.]

Silas scanned the series of notifications with a frown, taking his time to absorb the information.

'An evolution quest... but this time, I'm supposed to rely on the team for help?' he thought, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. 'I'm being asked to carry the group, meaning I'll be doing most of the heavy lifting while they just back me up.'

He continued walking in silence, his mind working overtime. 'I've never fought in a Grade 5 realm before,' he thought grimly. 'The last time I faced a Grade 5 realm god, it was a defensive-type mutant—nothing to write home about. But this time... this time, there are a lot more of them waiting for us.'

Despite his uncertainty, Silas was determined. 'I'm not sure if I stand a chance, but I'll give it everything I've got.' He dismissed the notifications just as Vic stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Vic?" Angelica asked, moving closer as she noticed him kneeling on the ground with his hand pressed against the rocky surface.

"Something's coming," Vic replied, his eyes narrowing. "They're approaching fast... and there are a lot of them."

"How many?" Ivy asked, her voice tinged with fear as her eyes darted around the dark cavern.

"A lot," Vic said sharply, rising to his feet and cracking his knuckles.

'Mutants that travel in packs and live in caves...' Silas thought, trying to piece it together. His eyes widened as the realization hit him. "Wolves!" he exclaimed. "I think they're wolves!"

As if on cue, a pack of wolves emerged from the shadows. They looked like regular wolves at first glance, but there was something distinctly unnatural about them. Their bodies were larger than normal wolves, and their fur gleamed like metal under Vic's red light. Their fangs and claws were made of solid steel, and their glowing eyes radiated a menacing energy.

[Name: Steel Wolf]

[Grade: …..