Skill selection choices:

  Vine Entanglement: Using mana, summon vines beneath your target to trap them momentarily. The vines can be broken, but they are difficult to break. Mana consumption is based on the number of vines you summon.

  Plant Sense: The passive ability to sense plant life around you and a have a general idea of their attributes. The range on this ability is determined by the level of the skill.

  Symbiotic Partnership: Gain a plant companion that lives within your body. This partnership is mutually beneficial and is entirely dependent on how you grow with your plant companion. The plant will grow over time and can be manifested on the outside of your body. The plant companion will act independently, but you both can share thoughts with the other.

  Body Transmutation: Become one with any genome in your Gene Library. A small portion of your body will copy genetic information to transform and inherit attributes of the chosen genome. The length of the change depends on the level of this skill. You must wait to transmute again until your current transmutation runs out. (Requirements: Gene Library skill.)

  Genetic Clone: Spend a high amount of mana to have surrounding plant matter take on the genetic identity of a target of your choice. The clone will be weaker, but it will copy the abilities of the target. The mana consumption and material needed are based on level. If there is not enough plant matter present, the skill will fail.

  Synexus simply stared at the system message for a while realizing how incredible the system truly was. What were its limits? Then he did a deep read into each option.

  He started at the top with Vine Entanglement. The utility was there, and he knew that because he had just done the same thing during his last fight. This would be much faster and probably more viable in most fights, but he felt like it didn’t really capture his class. He felt like any regular druid would be able to take this skill. It was a combat skill, and he knew that was something he needed. He would move on for now.

  The second skill felt similar in the sense that most druids would probably have access to it, but he did consider it more. He needed combat skills; however, this would help him level up so much faster. Being able to find plants that he wanted to add to his Gene Library and then use with his Gene Editing would be beneficial. This one was put aside as a maybe.

  Symbiotic Partnership was interesting indeed. Reading the description, Synexus wondered what it’d be like. He’d never be alone again and it’s possible that the plant companion could help him in combat. This one felt more within the realm of Progress Druid even though it was strictly about plants. He was definitely considering this one a strong choice.

  That was until he read the last two. These were clearly connected to his class and both had combat potential without waiting for a plant companion to grow. Body Transmutation had a lot of versatility and had the potential to be powerful with the right strategy. Genetic Clone on the other hand would be straight up a boost to his combat prowess. He could fight fire with fire even if his fire was a little weaker. The only thing he didn’t like about the skill were the drawbacks. High mana was scary since he didn’t have that much to begin with and then the amount of plant matter would be a limiting factor especially since he knew he would be on a boat in the middle of the ocean for weeks very soon. He could get around it by storing a ridiculous number of simple plants in his nature dimension bag, but how long would it last? And would it be worth it?

  After thinking hard on all the choices for several minutes, he decided to go with Body Transmutation. He was hoping he wouldn’t regret his decision, but Genetic Clone just had so many unknowns where Body Transmutation could potentially help him in and out of combat.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Synexus felt a flow of information and suddenly had a basic understanding of how the skill worked. Without even thinking about it, he picked a random Gene Library entry and transmuted his arm. It felt like his DNA was being rewritten which was not pleasant. His whole arm felt like it was burning. A million different fires ignited at once as every cell transformed. It was an excruciating feeling that turned the single second it took into an infinite moment.

  After the pain subsided an instant later, he realized that Kumo was standing right there. Her rain gray eyes were looking at him in the most confused stare he’s ever seen in his life. He met them and then looked where they were staring.

  The gene entry he had chosen randomly was for the plipio flower. It was one of the plants he added on his first day, but he hadn’t thought about it since. Even though he remembered what it did, he pulled up the entry.

  Plipio Flower: A bright pink flower that produces a uniquely sweet scent. Each flower has its own scent. Often used for tracking or perfumes.

  Synexus’ arm was bright pink and gave off an extremely strong sweet scent. It was such a unique scent that he wasn’t even sure how to describe it. While he inspected the color and sniffed his arm, he heard Kumo burst out in laughter.

  “What skill did you pick? The pretty arm skill?” She said this while continuously laughing. It was like she couldn’t help herself or her mocking comments.

  Synexus went to reply, but then he started laughing too. He realized it was a pretty funny sight without knowing the skill he had chosen. “It’s a Body Transmutation skill. I can transmute a small portion of my body to replicate the genes of a plant in my Gene Library.”

  “And you chose to try that one first? You smell like my aunt Glacia’s house!”

  “I don’t know her, so I will take that as a compliment. Your aunt Glacia is obviously a connoisseur of exquisite smells.”

  This made Kumo laugh even harder before it finally died out and she just pointed East then started walking with a big smile still on her face. Synexus followed, knowing they would need to make camp soon.

  It was late at night and Synexus lay there looking up at the clouds in the sky. They looked ominous, but he didn’t think he should wake Kumo for a little rain. Instead, he thought about all the experimenting he had done with his new skill. The transmutation lasted about twenty minutes so in combat he would have to choose wisely. The skill was fascinating though. He found out that if he focused on one of the genes in the genome he chose then his arm would take more of that attribute. He was able to turn his arm into solid oak wood by using the genome of an oak tree. Many more experiments would be needed to completely understand it and that excited him even more.

  Another few minutes went by while he kept thinking about the possibilities and then suddenly, he saw a flash of light in the clouds. That was followed by thunder and a downpour of rain.

  Kumo woke up and immediately stood. She looked alarmed before turning to Synexus. “We need to find cover; this is going to be a bad storm.”

  It was pitch black in the woods except for the occasional lightning flash. They were both drenched and the rain was not planning on letting up. Kumo was worried about hail or getting struck by lightning, so they moved quickly. They had seen a mountain in the distance before turning in and a cave would be the shelter they needed.

  After nearly forty-five minutes of walking, they found what they were looking for. It was their salvation, but an ominous one. Somehow the inside of the cave looked darker than outside. They didn’t have a choice unfortunately, and went in.

  The cave was dark and damp but had done its job and gotten them out of the wind and rain. Synexus used his new ability to transmute his arm to replicate the genes of a bioluminescent fungus named aptly moonlight fungus. They kept walking deeper into the cave until they came to a bend and stopped once they rounded the corner from the entrance. By then they were probably thirty feet in this massive cave. They wanted to be away from the opening just in case.

  As they sat there in silence on the damp floor of the cave, Synexus inspected his arm to see if he could make the light brighter or dimmer at will, unfortunately, it seemed like he would have to gene edit the fungus before that was a possibility. That would definitely be a project for the next day while they were making their way East. With that he looked over at Kumo realizing she still looked upset about getting woken up like that. He was about to tell her she could go back to sleep, and he would keep watch, but right when he opened his mouth, she spoke.

  “Is it me or is this floor getting damper?”

  Synexus put his hand onto the floor and then onto the wall. “It is. Maybe the rain is blowing in because of the wind and there is a slight decline?”

  “Perhaps, but we are far in here. I don’t think it would be accumulating this quickly and why does it feel this slick?”

  Before he could answer, they both felt a shift like an earthquake before hearing an echoed roar. Thinking a monster had entered the cave they went around the bend to realize the entrance was now closed. Looking at each other, they both understood the danger they were in.

  Synexus said what they both were thinking, “We are inside a monster.”