Chapter Three: The Cause of Mutation

The parents, who had been devouring their food, saw the expression on their son’s face and could not pretend they weren’t distressed. The only reason their entire family had moved to this city was for Kuangchi—for their son, hailed since childhood as a prodigy in martial arts.

When it comes to Kuangchi’s family background, it’s necessary to delve into it in detail. Kuangchi’s grandfather was the owner of the planet beneath their feet—the Berserker Star.

The Berserker Star had been the hereditary domain of the Kuang family, ruled by their clan for nearly seven thousand years. Generation after generation, the Kuang family had lived on this planet. Yet, despite being direct descendants of the Kuang clan, Kuangchi’s family had spent the last ten years in a small city on the Martial Berserker Continent. To understand this, one must look back to Kuangchi’s childhood.

Back then, the head of the Kuang family was not Kuangchi’s grandfather, but his great-grandfather. Kuangchi remembered that his great-grandfather cared for him more than anyone else. If three days passed without seeing Kuangchi, the irascible old man would fly into a rage. From a young age, Kuangchi’s word was law at home; not a single family member dared to upset him.

He still remembered playing chess with his great-grandfather as a child—at that time, no one dared to mock his slow growth.

But age claims all. Despite the advanced technology of the era and his great-grandfather being one of the top masters in the Carol Empire, after living more than three centuries and repeatedly declaring his intention to pass the family leadership directly to Kuangchi, the old man did not live long enough to see Kuangchi reach adulthood. Kuangchi was seven when his great-grandfather passed away.

Afterward, the position of family head went to Kuangchi’s grandfather, who loved his grandson dearly. Yet Kuangchi’s father had five brothers; though most family members still wouldn’t dare ridicule Kuangchi, some of his direct cousins, spurred on by schemers, began to mock and deride him.

With both sides of the family equally precious, Kuangchi’s grandfather could not completely silence such voices. Thus, Kuangchi’s family departed from the main clan’s settlement in Berserker City and moved to this small city on the eastern edge of the Martial Berserker Continent, living under assumed names for ten years.

Kuangchi’s mother, seeing the pain etched on her son’s face, couldn’t help but gently hug his arm, which was almost as thick as her waist.

His father patted Kuangchi’s head and said, “Son, have your classmates been mocking you again? Don’t let it bother you. They have no idea you possess an even more frightening twin divine martial beast. Didn’t your great-grandfather once tell you that everyone needs a secret as their lifeline? Do you remember?”

Upon hearing his father mention his great-grandfather, Kuangchi gathered himself and asked, “Dad, why do I look so different from others? My teacher said last time that I must be sick and told me to go to the big hospitals in Berserker City. But you always say I’m not sick. Why?”

His mother, saddened, took his left hand, covered in scales. His father suddenly said, “Wife, our son’s grown up now. I think it’s time he knows the truth. It might ease his mind.”

Kuangchi pressed, “Dad, what are you hiding from me?”

His father didn’t wait for his wife’s response. “Son, you’ve always asked why your left hand is so different from everyone else.”

Kuangchi nodded eagerly. It was a question that had troubled him for a long time. Others called him a monster because of his hand, and his parents had always told him to say he had a rare disease, explaining its odd appearance.

His father pondered for a moment. “Son, do you know why your great-grandfather wanted to pass the position of family head directly to you?”

Kuangchi shook his head, puzzled. Precocious for his age, he understood that this was why his uncles and cousins were particularly unkind to him.

His father sighed. “Son, do you know why, at the age of ten, you managed to master the second level of our family’s Berserker Dragon Technique?”

Kuangchi replied with a hint of pride, “Of course, because I’m a genius.”

His mother couldn’t help but laugh, and his father playfully smacked his head. “You think you’re a real genius? If not for that left hand, how could you have mastered the Berserker Dragon Technique’s second level at ten? Do you think it’s so easy to train?”

Kuangchi, a little indignant, snapped, “How should I know? You never told me why my left hand turned out this way.”

His mother sighed and stroked his head. “Honestly, son, we don’t actually know why your left hand is like this. The true reason may be known only to your great-grandfather. Until the day he died, he never told us. He only said that your left hand holds a treasure he acquired during a youthful adventure. He never revealed what it was. Haven’t you always felt an immense energy stored in your left arm when you practice? That’s likely the reason. Your slow growth is probably due to it as well. You don’t have dwarfism; you simply grow more slowly than others. Do you understand?”

It was as if nothing had been said at all, but at least Kuangchi now knew why he was different, which brought some comfort.

His father suddenly warned him, “Son, remember, you must never tell anyone about this. Not even your grandfather knows the reason. Your great-grandfather said the fewer people know, the better. Do you understand?”

Kuangchi nodded reluctantly and protested, “Why can’t I tell? I don’t even know what’s inside my arm. Who would want it? If anyone wants it, let them try to take it.”

His father slapped Kuangchi’s head hard. “Don’t worry about what it is. Just never tell anyone. That’s all you need to know. If you don’t listen, I’ll send you to your grandfather for special training.”

At the mention of returning for clan training, Kuangchi quickly hugged his father’s leg. “I’ll listen. I promise I’ll listen.”