I Spread my Genes to Level Up in the Apocalypse

"We aren't helpless. Aren't you the Planetary Being of the Sun?" Vanessa asked.

"But we can't really help him. Although I've gained the ability of fusion, at the level he's fighting, we are of no help," Yuna replied, shaking her head with a sigh.

"Sigh."

Vanessa's attempt to uplift the mood backfired, and she too began feeling down, along with the other woman.

"We should focus on our children first. I heard Freya's daughter, Isabella, is getting married soon," Vanessa said, changing the subject.

"Wait, is that true?" Everyone's faces lit up with curiosity.

"Well, you should ask the source," Vanessa shrugged.

Freya closed her eyes as the other woman stared at her intently before she finally admitted, "Yeah."

"Did Ray approve of this?"

"Why haven't we heard anything about it?"

"As stepmoms, we have the right to know!...."

Immediately, chatter erupted around them as everyone started bombarding Freya with angry questions one after another. Freya, caught in the middle of it all, stood flabbergasted and stunned.

"I…" She parted her cherry lips to respond, but her mind was in such disarray she couldn't decide what to address first.

"Damn you, Vanessa!" Freya suddenly shouted, her frustration spilling over.

"Hehe," Vanessa giggled mischievously from the side before swiftly making her escape. "That should lighten the mood. Now, off to meet my stepdaughter who's apparently getting married."

With that, her figure vanished, only to reappear moments later in another room.

This room was simple yet elegant, with gray walls and a spacious layout. A small bed sat off to the side, and a study table occupied the center, giving the space a subtle sense of aesthetic charm.

"Oh, Isabella, why are you so simple?" Vanessa muttered, shaking her head as she surveyed the modest surroundings.

Isabella, seated at the study table and engrossed in a book, was startled and quickly stood up. "Why are you here, stepmom?" she asked, her tone both curious and surprised.

"Can't I come here or something?" Vanessa huffed, feigning annoyance.

"It's not like that," Isabella said with a small smile. "You don't visit me often, so I was just curious."

Vanessa nimbly approached her and tugged at her cheeks. "Oh, so now you've become cheeky, huh?"

"Umu!" Isabella's cheeks were pinched, turning red as she protested, "Why are you here?"

"Well, I came for a simple reason: to meet my son-in-law."

"He isn't here, though," Isabella replied with a slight frown.

"Then where is he?" Vanessa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"At the academy, studying," Isabella answered, tilting her head.

"Great," Vanessa said with a sly grin. "Let's go there."

Clapping her hands, Vanessa beamed, ready to leave.

"But… but…" Isabella stammered, a hesitant expression on her face.

"What *but*? Let's go," Vanessa said, dismissing her concerns.

Without giving Isabella a chance to protest further, Vanessa grabbed her hand, and the two vanished from the room.

Moments later, they reappeared outside a massive building, nearly as large as their own base.

Hundreds of people bustled around, moving in and out of what appeared to be a glowing portal.

"There's the Academy block," Vanessa said, pointing to a purple portal marked with a large sign that read Gene Academy in bold letters.

"Yeah…" Isabella murmured, cheeks still slightly red from earlier. She sighed but allowed herself to be dragged along.

They stepped through the portal, emerging inside another vast building. It was surrounded by a large group of people clad in sleek black coats, moving with urgency.

Vanessa closed her eyes briefly, focusing intently before turning in a specific direction.

"There. I found it," she said confidently.

Before Isabella could react, their figures vanished once more, reappearing inside a large, well-lit room bathed in a serene, almost eerie silence.

The space was lined with numerous shelves filled with books, and sleek nano-computers were casually placed at various stations, available for everyone to use freely.

At first glance, the room seemed devoid of life, but a closer look revealed the opposite. People were quietly engrossed in their tasks—some typing diligently on the nanocomputers, others poring over books at neatly arranged chairs, creating a tranquil yet industrious atmosphere.

In the farthest corner of the library sat a short, lean man with glasses. His eyes were fixed intently on the book before him, completely absorbed, as though the world around him didn't exist.

"Is that the guy?" Vanessa asked, her gaze fixed on the young man. "He's quite the studious one."

"Of course, he is," Isabella replied with a nod of pride.

"Well then—"

Vanessa's words were interrupted as a group of people entered the library and approached the boy.

"Hey, look what we have here," one sneered.

"Our nerd is studying…" another mocked as they grabbed his book and began to bully him.

Vanessa's brows twitched in irritation as her eyes flicked to Isabella, whose expression had already turned icy.

"Well, he'll need a lot of training to become a true warrior," Vanessa sighed. Slowly, she raised her hand, a faint, dangerous smile playing on her lips.

But just as Vanessa was about to act, Isabella stopped her with a calm smile.

"You don't need to do anything," Isabella said, her tone brimming with quiet confidence.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow but relented. "Alright, if you say so."

The two of them stood back, silently watching the scene unfold.

As the group continued their taunts, the boy with glasses slowly stood up. Adjusting his stance, he clenched his fist, his intent clear.

"Hahaha! Are you gonna beat me now, nerd?" one of the bullies mocked, laughing loudly.

*Bang!*

The laughter was cut short as a fist connected solidly with the bully's jaw. Blood trickled onto the floor, and the sharp sound of teeth hitting the ground echoed in the room.

"You bastard…" the same bully growled, but before he could act—

Bang!

Another punch landed squarely on his face, sending him crashing to the floor.

The boy straightened, his piercing gaze sweeping over the remaining group. "Anything else?" he asked, his voice calm but menacing.

Silence.

The library grew deathly quiet, everyone too stunned to react.

"You…" the bully started, his voice rising with indignation.

"Hey, let's get out of here," one of his friends interrupted, tugging at his arm. "The library isn't a place we can fight over."

Reluctantly, the bully allowed himself to be dragged away, grumbling under his breath as the group left the library.

"Cowards," the boy muttered before calmly sitting back down and resuming his reading, as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, looks like the boy isn't bad—he's got some backbone," Vanessa remarked with a nod of approval. She turned to Isabella, a sly smile on her face. "You already knew, didn't you?"

Isabella said nothing, simply shaking her head with the faintest curve at the corner of her lips.

"He promised me," she smiled.

"Haha, good, good," Vanessa chuckled, pleased.

…

Ray levitated within the capsule as energy filled the chamber, his body steadily absorbing it and gradually recovering his strength over time.

His wounds began to heal, his skin regained its vibrancy, and his muscles regenerated, restoring his physique to its former state.

After what seemed like an eternity, Ray slowly opened his eyes, revealing their striking blend of crimson and gold.

"Hmm, it took me longer to recover than I expected," he muttered, turning his head to survey his surroundings. In an instant, all the remaining energy in the capsule surged into his body, fully restoring him.

As the last of the energy integrated into his form, his recovery was complete.

"Why did it take so long for me to recover?" he wondered aloud, a frown creasing his features.

He took a step forward, and the capsule's door hissed open, revealing his naked form as he stepped out onto solid ground.

The moment Ray stepped out, everyone in the room froze, their gazes locking onto his perfectly sculpted body as if it had been crafted by the hands of a god.

For a fleeting second, the women felt their cheeks flush with heat, while the men's eyes filled with unmistakable jealousy.

*Cough! Cough!*

Breaking the silence, Ray snapped his fingers, summoning clothes that materialized mid-air and seamlessly adorned his body.

The group awkwardly averted their gazes, though the tension only thickened under Ray's questioning look.

"Hey, I don't mind showing off for the ladies," he teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "But why are the boys staring at me?"

A burst of nervous laughter broke out.

"Haha! Sorry, boss," someone stammered.

"Brats," Ray snarled, shaking his head before striding out of the room.

Relieved, everyone returned to their tasks, the atmosphere easing as the awkwardness dissipated.

Though the women still had a faint red hue to their faces, Ray would have felt a sense of pride had he seen it.

After leaving, Ray updated his women about his swift recovery, and they were all happy to hear the news.

However, he soon discovered that Vanessa had left with Isabella.

"What is that troublesome girl up to now?" Ray thought with a sigh. Without wasting another moment, he vanished from his location, reappearing behind the two women.

"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow, observing the two women as they watched the boy with glasses, who was quietly studying in the corner of the library.

"Oh, are you watching your son-in-law?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

Vanessa casually turned around, meeting his gaze. "Yeah," she replied nonchalantly.

"You don't seem surprised that I'm healed," Ray remarked, eyeing Vanessa with a playful grin.

"Of course, I trust my husband after all," she said proudly, nodding her head with confidence.

"Oh, nice then." Ray chuckled, clearly amused.

"What do you think?" he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Vanessa paused for a moment, then smiled. "You look handsome."

Ray blinked, slightly taken aback. "...I mean my son-in-law."

"Oh, he's not bad," she replied, a thoughtful expression on her face. "He has some guts, and he's hardworking. He's a perfect match for my daughter."

"Alright, then what are we waiting for?" Ray began walking toward the boy.

"Wait, father!" Isabella tugged at his sleeve, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What is it?" Ray stopped and turned toward her.

"Isn't this going too fast?"

Ray raised an eyebrow and asked instead, "Don't you love him?"

Isabella hesitated but nodded.
Experience tales at empire

"Good," Ray said with a satisfied nod. "Then I'll ask him if he loves you. If he does, you two will get married."

With a casual shrug, Ray suddenly appeared in front of the boy.

"Hello."

"Eh," Hearing the deep voice, the boy raised his head with a stunned expression.

"Do you love my daughter?"