Chapter 38: [Perfect Gene Mutation Serum]

Lynn stared in awe as his hand passed through the shimmering menu screen into the space beyond.

"This inventory came at the right time," Lynn muttered aloud. "I was just wondering where I could hide all the items I got from the dungeon."

He quickly rummaged around, gathering up the objects he had brought back - the sword, backpack, container with the [Distorted Flesh], and his bloodstained clothes. One by one, Lynn carefully placed the items into the invisible storage box.

As each object crossed the threshold, it vanished from sight. But he could still feel their existence in the inventory space.

After finishing stuffing the objects into the inventory, Lynn turned his attention back to the rewards from completing the dungeon trial. Specifically, the [Perfect Gene Mutation Serum], which made Lynn uneasy.

After seeing the gruesome mutations and undead horrors unleashed by flawed experimental serums in the hospital, Lynn harbored deep suspicions about using an unknown serum on himself.

"Let me check this thing with [Evaluation] first," Lynn muttered. He manifested the serum from his inventory into his hand - a small vial containing a faintly glowing purple liquid.

[Perfect Gene Mutation Serum]

[Grade: Rare]

[Evaluation: A special liquid derived from the [Distorted Flesh]. Due to the intervention of a mysterious force, the serum's effects have been greatly diminished, but it no longer possesses any adverse side effects. It can enhance all bodily functions. Limited to a single dose per individual.]

Lynn let out a sigh. At least the description indicated this serum would not have the chaotic effects of the failed experimental versions that caused so much death and suffering.

"A mysterious force," Lynn muttered to himself. "Could it be referring to [Nightmare Paradise]?"

Lynn frowned, still unsure whether he should risk using the serum. However, the evaluation indicated it was safe.

So, without further hesitation, he uncorked the bottle and downed its contents in one gulp.

"Well, a slightly salty taste, nothing special," Lynn remarked. "Feels like drinking a bit of seawater."

Lynn closed his eyes, trying to sense any changes in his body. But nothing seemed different. His breathing remained steady, heartbeat was normal. No sudden rush of power or energy.

The results... seemed to have changed nothing.

"This isn't some fake medicine, is it?" Lynn wondered skeptically. The serum was supposed to enhance his bodily functions, yet he felt no different than before drinking it.

Just as Lynn was thinking this, he suddenly felt a growing sensation - like a thousand ants crawling all over his body. The tingling quickly intensified into searing pain.

He clenched his teeth tightly, trying to endure the intense pain coursing through him. Lynn's whole-body skin began to gradually turn red, and beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead, intensifying his sensations.

The pain continued mounting, Lynn's muscles spasming uncontrollably. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony. Lynn desperately wanted to scream, but he stubbornly choked it back through sheer force of will.

After ten excruciating minutes, Lynn, who was now drenched in sweat, finally let out a loud sigh as the pain rapidly subsided all at once. The intense sensations washed away, leaving behind a subtle but profound feeling of rejuvenation. Lynn took a few deep breaths, steadying himself as he slowly stood back up on now-steady legs.

He grumbled to himself, "Seriously, couldn't they have mentioned the excruciating pain? A little warning would have been nice."

Now that the pain had passed, Lynn could feel a tangible difference throughout his body. He manifested his status panel to check for changes.

[Player: Nameless#4984172 (resettable once)]

[Authority: F-Rank]

Class: [Doctor lv4] (32%) (redeem +200% experience)

Talent: [Gemini Soul]

Attributes:

[Strength 13] [Dexterity 15] [Constitution 15] [Intelligence 12] [Perception 12]

Class Skills: [Cell Proliferation] [String Threading]

General Skills: [Evaluation lv1] [Swordsmanship lv3]

Equipment: none

[Attribute Points: 2] [Skill Points: 8]

Just as expected, all of his attributes had increased by +1. A small increase, but across all five attributes it was a significant improvement. This became even more significant considering the absence of the zombie core, which previously served as the main means of increasing attributes.

This meant that increasing attributes would become more difficult, making each incremental gain a valuable achievement.

"Not bad." Lynn nodded in satisfaction. The [Perfect Gene Mutation Serum] had proven effective, albeit painfully so. Lynn made a mental note to be more cautious about ingesting unknown substances in the future.

However, Lynn's satisfaction was interrupted when he noticed another change on the [Personal Information] page.

"What is this? Since when do I have this additional entry?" Lynn muttered with a frown.

He stared at the line reading [Authority: F Rank] that had appeared below his name. Lynn wracked his brain trying to decipher its meaning.

As he pondered, the memory suddenly clicked into place, connecting the dots in his mind. "That's right, the last notification before the apparition of the giant eye." Lynn realized.

He recollected the message that had appeared, stating, "[The identity of the player is officially unlocked, and the corresponding authorities will be unlocked. Please wait...]."

And then the giant, disembodied eye had appeared. This seemed to coincide with the unlocking of his authority. "Perhaps," mused Lynn, "the eye itself is responsible for granting this authority." He considered that this so-called "F-rank authority" might be the key that granted him access to the inventory and other sections within the system.

The more he learned about this strange system he was embroiled in, the more questions arose. Just what kind of forces were at play here?

Lynn shook his head. Speculation could come later. For now, he was curious about what benefits a higher authority rank could grant.

He clicked on the [Authority: Rank F] text, hoping for more details. A new window popped up:

Requirements for the next authority rank promotion:

Requirement 1: Class level reaches level 10.

Requirement 2: ??

Requirement 3: ??

…

(Please fulfill the first requirement to trigger the following ones.)

Lynn's eyes widened. So he needed to increase his class level to 10 before the next rank's requirements would even appear.

"I wonder what kind of perks come with a higher authority rank?" Lynn said aloud. "Access to more resources and items? Special privileges?"