His gaze locked onto both [First Ordered Foundation Gene: Lvl 0 Mycelial Heart] (Exp: 1977/100) and [First Ordered Foundation Gene: Lvl 0 Bull's Frame] (Exp: 1910/100).
He concentrated further on those foundational genes, wanting to know exactly what he was working with.
As if responding to his will, his Reader function activated, and two more panels with clear details about the genes appeared in his mind's eye.
[ First Ordered Foundation Gene: Lvl 0 Mycelial Heart]
[ Description: The core of spore man evolution, this gene integrates a symbiotic mycelial network throughout the user's cardiovascular system. It modifies the host's heart, allowing the direct absorption and processing of ambient Life Energy.]
[ Status: Passively absorbs ambient Life Energy to sustain the host's body. Efficiency is low, providing just enough for basic survival and slow regeneration of minor wounds.]
[ Effect (Lvl 0): Improves Hosts cultivation of max Life energy by 0.05 per day. Life energy recovery rate +20%. One fixed point of upgrade experience is gained daily, with additional, random experience points earned through continuous exercise.]
[ Hosts upgrade Path: Each level will significantly increase the efficiency and speed of Life Energy absorption by an additional 50% each level and 100% every five levels by expanding the body's capacity for storing Life Energy, directly improving recovery rate and stamina.]
[ First Ordered Foundation Gene: Lvl 0 Bull's Frame]
[ Description: A powerful transformative gene acquired from the spores of a Grave Horn Bull. Successfully absorbing the gene will fundamentally rebuild the user's musculoskeletal system for incredible strength and resilience.]
[ Status: Reinforces bone structure and increases the density of muscle fibers. Provides a physical foundation far superior to a normal spore man, though it is currently suffering from systemic failure due to Life Essence depletion.]
[ Effect (Lvl 0): Physical body forging effect, Physique +1.5 and one fixed point of upgrade experience is gained daily, with additional, random experience points earned through continuous exercise. ]
[ Upgrade Path: Each level will directly repair and enhance the user's physical body by an additional 50% each level and 100% every five levels by restoring bone density, rebuild atrophied muscle, and increase overall physical strength, durability, and resilience.]
As Scott read through the descriptions, the path forward became crystal clear.
Those two genes were like two sides of the same coin.
The Bull's Frame was the body, the machine. The Mycelial Heart was the engine that powered it.
A powerful machine was useless without a good engine, and a strong engine was wasted on a broken frame.
His current problem was that both were failing.
However, the Bull's Frame upgrade Path can directly repair his damaged body.
While the Mycelial Heart can improve the efficiency of Life energy inside his body to maintain the upgraded Bull's Frame.
The synergy was obvious. He needed to upgrade the Mycelial Heart first.
A more efficient heart would pull in more Life Energy, which would not only stabilize his condition but also provide the fuel needed for the Bull's Frame to repair itself when he upgrades it next.
Together with the continuous life energy provided by the Heartwood Tree, it was a one-two punch for full recovery.
He has 1977 experience points for the heart and 1910 for the Bull's frame.
With enough experience he could at least upgrade them more than twice.
Just thinking about upgrading made him feel relaxed and a feeling of control, the first he'd truly felt since waking up in this world, washed over him.
"Upgrade Mycelial Heart." he commanded inwardly, his focus sharp as a razor's edge.
A new rule flowed into his mind, simple and logical: For Foundation genes Lvl 0 to 1 requires 100 points of exp, 1 to 2 requires 200 points of exp, 2 to 3 requires 300 points of exp, and so on.
[ Upgrading First Ordered Foundation Gene: Mycelial Heart from Lvl 0 to Lvl 1... ]
[ 100 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 1877. ]
The moment the command was given, a gentle warmth bloomed in the center of his chest.
It started as a faint flicker, like a pilot light catching flame.
He could feel the fine, white mycelium threads wrapped around his body pulse with a soft green light, and the flow of life energy from the Heartwood Tree quickened, drawn into him more easily.
The constant, draining weakness that plagued him seemed to lessen by a tiny, but noticeable, fraction.
It wasn't enough. Not even close.
"Again," he thought, not even pausing to savor the small victory.
[ Upgrading First Ordered Foundation Gene: Mycelial Heart from Lvl 1 to Lvl 2... ]
[ 200 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 1677. ]
"More," he commanded, a surge of adrenaline sharpening his senses. "Upgrade it again."
[ Upgrading First Ordered Foundation Gene: Mycelial Heart from Lvl 2 to Lvl 3... ]
[ 300 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 1377. ]
With two consecutive upgrades, the gentle warmth in his chest intensified, becoming a steady, warm heat.
This time, he could feel a distinct change.
His own heart, the physical organ, began to beat in a stronger, more stable rhythm, perfectly in sync with the flow of energy from his new, improved mycelial network.
The next upgrade to Level 4 would cost 400 points, and he still has enough experience left.
"More," Scott thought, his mental command echoing like a hammer strike. He still had plenty of experience points left.
[ Upgrading First Ordered Foundation Gene: Mycelial Heart from Lvl 3 to Lvl 4... ]
[ 400 Experience Points deducted. ]
[ Upgrading First Ordered Foundation Gene: Mycelial Heart from Lvl 4 to Lvl 5... ]
[ 500 Experience Points deducted. Remaining Exp: 477. ]
[ Unlocked at Lvl 5: Minor Energy Siphon]
[ Insufficient Experience for Level 6… Exp Required: (477/1200)]
The moment the fifth upgrade settled, a tangible shockwave rippled through the healing chamber.
Thump-thump.
His heart... beat with such force that dust shook loose from the cavern ceiling.
The thin, white mycelium roots that had been gently feeding him suddenly gorged themselves.
The green light flowing from the Heartwood Tree didn't just drift into him anymore; his body was vacuuming it in.
The air in the small cave swirled, creating a vortex of pure bio-luminescent energy that funneled directly into his chest.
He took a breath, a real, deep breath that filled his lungs which felt like dried paper just moments ago.
For now, this was as far as he could go.
But the difference was like night and day. He felt stable. The feeling of his body actively failing stopped.
A light smile touched his lips. The engine was now running smoothly.
It was time to fix the frame. His eyes shifted on the status panel to the next target.