The lizard stood motionless, blood drying along its claws, mind calm and focused.
*A lot of materials… Yin, Essence, cores, flesh.*
*All of them work toward the same result.*
Its blurred gaze narrowed slightly.
It addressed the system directly—calm, precise.
*If recovery is possible through consuming all of this… if it can heal my sight… then what about Evolution Points? Can I use Evolution Points instead?*
The question formed cleanly, without hesitation.
---
**{System}**
> **Negative.**
---
**{System Response}**
> **Evolution Points cannot be used to directly restore damaged organs or instantly heal injuries.**
> Your ocular damage is the result of **spiritual backlash and soul-linked trauma**, not a missing or defective structure.
> Such injuries must heal through **time, nourishment, and regeneration.**
---
The system continued, tone neutral and exact.
> **However—**
> **Evolution Points can be used to improve the systems responsible for recovery.**
---
### **Available Evolution Paths (Relevant to Vision Recovery)**
**1. Ocular Evolution (Indirect)**
* Enhances resistance to spiritual backlash
* Reduces sensitivity to soul-based attacks
* Prevents future damage of similar type
* Slightly accelerates ongoing recovery
> This path does **not** instantly restore sight, but **shortens the remaining recovery time.**
---
**2. Regenerative Evolution (Primary Recommendation)**
* Improves natural regeneration of flesh, nerves, and spiritual channels
* Increases efficiency when processing Yin and Essence
* Allows injuries to heal **faster and more completely**
> This path compounds with consumption-based recovery.
---
### **Outcome Projection**
> Evolving regenerative traits will:
> ▸ Gradually reduce recovery time
> ▸ Increase healing efficiency per consumed resource
> ▸ Allow full vision restoration earlier than projected
> **Full recovery remains inevitable if survival is maintained.**
---
The system fell silent.
The lizard absorbed the information without reaction.
*So not a shortcut.*
*But a multiplier.*
That was enough.
It shifted its stance slightly, satisfied with the answer, already weighing **when** and **how much** to invest—
not whether it would do it at all.
A clear path forward.
The lizard remained still for a moment, then directed its attention inward again—precise, measured.
*How many points do I have now?*
---
**{System}**
---
**{System Response}**
> **Evolution Points:** **93,300**
> **Gene Points:** **0**
---
The number settled in.
The lizard let out a low, controlled **hmn**.
*93,300…*
That was substantial—**close to a threshold**, not just random accumulation. Enough to force real decisions, not minor adjustments.
Its blurred vision didn't bother it for the moment.
*Almost a hundred thousand.*
The lizard folded its wings partway, then snapped them open.
With a single smooth motion, its body **compressed midair**, bones and flesh drawing inward as if obeying an instinct older than thought. By the time it descended, it was smaller again—light, compact.
It landed on the bed without a sound.
The mattress barely dipped.
The lizard crouched, tail curling close, claws resting against the fabric as its thoughts sharpened.
*Regeneration…*
If it evolved its **natural regenerative trait**, wounds like this wouldn't linger. Blood loss would stabilize faster. Internal damage would knit itself together without relying on external consumption. Injuries that threatened death would become inconveniences.
It wouldn't need to bleed out before adapting.
Then its thoughts shifted.
*Eyes.*
Not just vision.
Its eyes were tied to its soul attack—the medium, the anchor. Strengthening them wouldn't only sharpen perception; it would amplify the attack itself, refine control, and—most importantly—reduce backlash.
Less self-damage.
The blinding recoil that followed reckless use.
That could be reduced. Controlled. Maybe even eliminated over time.
More room to use it freely.
The lizard's claws flexed once.
It remained crouched on the bed, breathing slow and steady, weighing the cost of becoming harder to kill…
against the cost of becoming harder to touch.
Then it spoke.
---
**The lizard said to the system:**
> *Use 20,000 points to evolve my natural regeneration.*
> *20,000 to evolve my eyes.*
> *20,000 to evolve the White Scale Lizard gene.*
> *10,000 to evolve my scales.*
> *10,000 to evolve the Ice gene.*
> *5,000 to evolve the Earth gene.*
> *5,000 to evolve the Wind gene.*
As the final command left its mind, a single thought followed.
*Better to evolve both.*
*Better to be complete.*
---
**{System}**
> **Confirming Evolution Choices…**
> **Confirmed.**
> **Beginning Evolution.**
---
The lizard felt it immediately.
Pain surged through its body like wildfire, rolling through muscle, bone, and scale in violent waves. Heat bloomed from its core, spreading outward as if its essence itself were igniting.
It rolled onto its side, curling tightly, eyes squeezed shut as the force tore through it.
Its wings flexed instinctively.
Its tail lashed once, then stilled.
Its claws dug into the bedding as energy churned through every chanel.
Each point spent was fire.
Each evolution, a rewriting.
Cells broke and reformed.
Nerves screamed, then strengthened.
Spiritual pathways widened, hardened, sharpened.
The lizard's breathing turned ragged, body trembling as the transformation took hold. Pain was absolute—overwhelming—but beneath it, power was being forged.
It did not resist.
It endured.
Curled tight, unmoving, it let the process consume it—waiting for the fire to subside.
Because when it opened its eyes again…
It would be stronger.
Sharper.
Harder to kill.
And far more dangerous.