This Jefferson's Ground Sloth was, without a doubt, the largest prize James had claimed since his rebirth. In the natural order, it usually took an entire pride of Smilodon to bring down a ton of stubborn muscle and dermal armor.
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[DING! Host killed a Jefferson's Ground Sloth. Gene Points +150.]
---
A clean 150 points hit his balance. James felt a rush of adrenaline that had nothing to do with the hunt. The time spent stalking this tank had paid off in spades. But the best was yet to come.
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[DING! Detection: Suitable gene replication subject nearby—Jefferson's Ground Sloth.]
[DING! Blood sample collected. Data added to Gene Bank. Replication cost: 30 Gene Points. Please check the Gene Bank for details.]
---
"Jackpot "
James felt like he'd just hit the lottery. The system was picky; not every animal gene was worth the effort of replication. Because he was using a local sample rather than a blind pull from the system's database, the cost was significantly lower.
He opened the interface to see what this prehistoric fortress had to offer.
---
1. Skin Strength and Hardness Reinforcement (30 GP)
2. Claw Reinforcement (30 GP)
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"Decision time." James didn't hesitate. He had already reinforced his skin once using the Flat-headed Peccary genes. Choosing the sloth gene would push that attribute to Lv2. As for the claws? They were his primary tools for survival.
"Can I just get one? Hmm… why not choose both? Let's try and see if it works."
---
[DING! Deducting 60 Gene Points. Beginning Gene Replication!]
---
James had grown used to the evolutionary itch, but this was different. This was a structural overhaul. First, his skin began to sear, every hair follicle vibrating as if struck by a tuning fork. Then came the claws—a grinding, rhythmic
CRUNCH-CRUNCH
sound echoed in his ears as his claws began to lengthen and densify.
The pain was a hot flood that wiped his mind blank. He collapsed next to the sloth carcass, his body twitching as his biology was rewritten.
Finally, the fire receded.
---
[DING! Congratulations, Host. Successfully integrated Jefferson's Ground Sloth genes. Skin Hardness and Claws have been reinforced.]
---
"Hooo..."
James exhaled a ragged breath, waiting for the world to stop spinning. He stood up and immediately felt... Heavy.
"Lv2 Skin Hardness. This has to be on par with a rhino or a hippo, right?"
His hide felt different to the touch—more rigid, almost metallic in its density. He felt as though he'd traded his fur coat for a suit of tactical Kevlar. It added weight to his frame, but the sheer hardness was worth it.
He thought back to the Clovis hunters and their atlatls. Against humans, you had two choices: Bulk up or Stack Armor . Bulk meant thicker muscle to trap the spear before it hit an organ. Armor meant making your skin impenetrable. James was now doing both. He wasn't interested in being a glass cannon; he wanted to be an apex predator that didn't have to worry about a lucky shot from an upright ape.
Next, he checked the claws. The change was visual and immediate. His claws had grown from roughly 6cm to a staggering 10cm.
He extended them. They didn't just grow longer; their curvature had adapted to his weight, and the original dark sheen now had a dull, gunmetal luster. They looked like surgical tools designed by a madman.
He turned toward the sloth carcass to test the new hardware. He gave a casual swipe at the thick chest hide—the same hide that had resisted his earlier attacks. The claws slid through the leather like a hot scalpel through butter, exposing the ribs with zero resistance.
"Damn , These upgrages are too Overpowered."
"Status Panel."
---
--- STATUS ---
[Name]: James
[Species]: Smilodon fatalis (Male)
[Age]: 1 Year
[Smilodon Gene Level]: Lv2 (0/100)
[Strength]: 93 (+)
[Agility]: 88 (+)
[Physique]: 90 (+)
[Gene Points]: 155
[Integrated Genes]: Peccary, Clouded Leopard, Hyena, Shark, Alligator, Xenosmilus, Jefferson's Sloth
[Reinforced Parts]: Skin (Lv2), Tail (Lv1), Claws (Lv1)
[Added Abilities]: Bite Force (Lv1), Tooth Regeneration (Lv1), Immunity (Lv1)
---
James gave a low, vibrating roar of pure satisfaction. With Lv2 defense and upgraded weaponry, he had officially climbed another rung on the evolutionary ladder. Even a fully grown Smilodon would find him a nightmare to deal with now. If three or four tried to jump him? He'd still like his odds.
The transformation had drained his energy reserves. He didn't waste time. He tore into the sloth, swallowing the warm, iron-rich organs and drinking the fresh blood to replenish his system. It was the most satisfying meal of his life.
Once he was sated, he dragged the remains of the sloth back to his hidden caches. Finally, he decided to do a manager's walk-through of his fishing reservoir.
He arrived at the pine tree and stopped dead.
His latest batch of fish jerky—the result of hours of agonizing, thumb-less labor—was nearly gone. The drying rack was empty of its best pieces.
"Are you kidding me? A thief? In MY house?"
He lowered his nose to the dirt. He saw several tufts of white fur caught in the bark, along with a set of messy, paw prints leading away into the brush.
" It's that damn Snowball , I'm going to kill you for real ."
The Pale Princess had turned into a Petty Thief. James bared his 10cm claws, the metal-like sheen glinting in the twilight. It seemed his neighborly dispute with the white female was far from over.