First Self Geno Core

It was different than the typical flow of energy. This time, Han Sen's body was generating a strange substance that was new to him. It came out of his cells and went to sit in his Sea of Soul. And as this transparent substance gathered together, he was able to see it clearly.

The substance was a little like water, but thick like a gel. It was like a non-newtonian fluid, but different, as well. It was difficult for Han Sen to determine what it was, exactly.

Han Sen already knew different hyper geno arts could produce different geno cores, and because he'd been using Jadeskin, that was what he used to generate his first.

The substance that was bleeding into the Sea of Soul continued to amass and compose its form, all as one.

Unfortunately, Han Sen had no time to watch the process. He was still under fire and had to fight back the army of creatures, but there at least seemed to be a light at the end of that very long tunnel. All he had to do now was hold them back and allow the process of the geno core's production to finish.

Furthermore, Han Sen could not control the shape or form the substance was building. The finished geno core was not something sculpted by the person's desire; it was constructed through the host's genes under the influence of their hyper geno art. They themselves had no personal hand in it.

As Han Sen battled his way through the tide, he felt something amiss in his Sea of Soul. Something else was occurring.

Han Sen took a peek back inside his Sea of Soul, and there, he saw his Black Crystal glowing. It was generating another substance; something black. And this substance was mixing in with the geno core that was currently in production.

The geno core was transparent, but the black substance was darker than dark. It was blacker than ink. It was concerning.

When the two mixed together, though, the overall substance looked like cream. But this intrusive substance did not enlarge the form of the geno core that was being built; instead, it was acting like a light tincture that altered its color.

Han Sen wished to stop the Black Crystal from interrupting or possibly damaging the process, but he found himself unable to. And from this Black Crystal, more and more liquid began to ooze. Han Sen then noticed a change in the crystal's form. It had become smaller, somehow. Throughout its time in three sanctuaries, it hadn't once changed its shape. But now, it was. Whether that was a good omen or a bad one, he could not tell.

Han Sen was unable to play any part in the formation of the geno core, and all he could do was allow the events transpiring in his Sea of Soul to play out. But once the Black Crystal had shrunk by ten percent, it stopped shrinking.

The creamy geno core began to look like an enclosed flower, on the precipice of opening in full bloom.

This was also the point Han Sen acknowledged to be the most crucial moment. He eagerly anticipated the reveal of the geno core, and the effect the Black Crystal had had on it.

Han Sen was unable to watch it constantly, though. He feared he might miss the initial reveal due to the constant pressure the four silver-winged apes were putting on him.

And then, a vibration, like a violent tremor, sent shockwaves through his body and Sea of Soul. It was like a high-magnitude earthquake.

When Han Sen popped his head in to take a look once more, he was shocked.

"What is this? What is it?" Han Sen wondered.

Sitting inside the Sea of Soul was a cream-colored item. It looked like a ceramic object. Its shape was very strange, however. It was oval, not too far off the shape of an egg.

"Has it not finished yet? Do I need to fetch a spoon and break the top off?" Han Sen wondered.

Leaning in for a closer look, Han Sen checked out its basic info.

Self Geno Core: Bronze Crystal Core

Han Sen was frozen. He was not expecting to receive something special, but he didn't expect to receive something so inherently dull and basic as that, either.

A lame name didn't always mean something was poor, but something as horrendous and plain as Crystal Core was awful. It was as uninspired as its shape.

Han Sen thought he'd receive a weapon like the chef possessed. He thought he'd get something that would help him out of his current predicament.

But all he had received was an egg.

Not wanting to remain a pessimist, though, Han Sen decided to look on the bright side and say, "Well, looks can be deceiving! Never judge a book by its cover; never judge a geno core by its shape. It might actually be really powerful."

Han Sen decided to summon the egg geno core.

The creamy, egg-shaped crystal appeared in front of Han Sen. It hovered in the air before him.

Han Sen commanded it to strike one of the beasts near him.

Seeing the egg go for the creatures, Han Sen wondered to himself, "Hmm, I wonder if this will strike them like a bullet? Or better yet, work like a grenade and explode?"

Han Sen didn't want to be so negative, so he remained optimistic and hoped for the best. After all, the crystal had been generated by Jadeskin. Perhaps it was just the appearance of the item that was lame.

The egg struck the head of one of the monsters as Han Sen crossed his fingers and waited for a miracle to happen.

Bao'er grasped Han Sen's neck so she could lean forward and squint, equally excited to see what might happen next.

Then, a second later, their eyes opened wide as if they had just encountered a ghost.

But it was all for the wrong reasons. The egg hit the forehead of a creature and... that was it. There was no explosion. The ape did not even reel back in pain.

Like a bouncy ball, it bounced back.

Han Sen could not believe he had generated something so useless.

And due to the item's oval shape, it bounced off in a different direction and drifted off behind Han Sen.