The plaza of the City God Temple outpost was thick with the smell of scorched ozone and blood.

  *Thud. Thud. Thud.*

  Heavy footsteps approached. The Slayer returned, dragging the hundred-meter-long corpse of the Abyssal Python.

  His movements were visibly stiff. With every step, the Praetor Suit emitted a teeth-grinding *zzzt* sound. The servo indicators at his joints flashed angry red, like an ancient machine rusting for centuries being forced to run.

  It was the rejection of laws. The chaotic will of the Abyss was crushing this precision equipment from the world of Order.

  The Slayer reached the massive bronze incense burner and released his grip.

  *BOOM!*

  The python's corpse hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

  He turned to face Singularity's holographic projection. He pointed at the dead python—its scales still glistening with dark luster even in death—then pointed at the sluggish Argent reactor in his chest.

  Finally, he made a gesture: hands clasping together, pressing down firmly.

  Singularity understood instantly.

  "Roger that, Slayer. We're doing a non-destructive hardware overlay. Flashing some 'local firmware'."

  Singularity commanded several engineering golems to surround the corpse, armed with laser cutters and runic blowtorches.

  "This 'Abyssal Earth Wyrm' has already cultivated a semi-draconic body. Its skin is the perfect insulation layer against these laws. It isolates environmental suppression and comes with extreme biological activity."

  "It might be hot. It might hurt. Though I know you don't care."

  The Slayer didn't respond.

  He walked straight up to the python, bending down.

  He didn't wait for the golems.

  He plunged his iron-gauntleted hands directly into the gaps of the scales at the python's neck.

  Muscles bulged.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  *RIIIIIIP——————!!!*

  A tearing sound that made scalps tingle echoed through the plaza.

  Like peeling a sticker, the Slayer used pure brute force to rip the layer of black scales—tough enough to deflect armor-piercing rounds—right off the python's flesh.

  Blood splattered onto his visor, but he didn't wipe it off.

  He threw the massive, dripping hide, reeking of abyssal miasma, onto the "Refining Platform" Singularity had prepared.

  "Start!"

  Singularity shouted.

  The City God Temple's defensive array inverted instantly, focusing all energy onto the platform.

  "Samadhi True Fire, ignite! Biomass Fusion Protocol, ENGAGE!"

  Ghostly blue flames intertwined with golden runes, wrapping the massive snakeskin. Under the dual assault of heat and magic, the skin began to dissolve and purify, transforming into a floating mass of black-and-red semi-liquid gel.

  Within the gel, a miniature black wyrm could be seen swimming and roaring.

  Singularity looked at the Slayer.

  "Slayer, step in. Don't move."

  The Slayer strode directly beneath the glob of bio-gel.

  He spread his arms.

  Singularity slammed his finger down.

  "Enchant! Implant!"

  *SPLASH!*

  The boiling, living "Demon Dragon Skin" solution poured down, instantly covering the Slayer from head to toe.

  *HISS—ZZZZZZT!!!*

  This wasn't a simple coating.

  Under Singularity's micro-control, the bio-gel acted like sentient parasites, frantically burrowing into every seam, every port, every groove of the Praetor Suit.

  On the surface of the original military-green armor, a layer of dark, scale-like biological keratin began to emerge.

  Maykr metal and Abyssal biomass reacted violently.

  The Slayer’s body shuddered.

  He could feel the oppressive environmental resistance fading rapidly.

  Replacing it was a warm, slick, almost *breathing* tactile sensation.

  The armor was no longer dead matter. It was breathing.

  The sluggish whine of servo motors vanished, replaced by a low, powerful thrumming sound—like the heartbeat of a behemoth.

  Three minutes later.

  The light faded.

  The Slayer stood there.

  His appearance had changed drastically.

  The sharp, sci-fi lines of the power armor were now covered in a layer of matte, rough black dragon-scale texture. Bone spurs jutted aggressively from his pauldrons and knees.

  He looked wilder, more savage, and infinitely more... integrated into this hell.

  The Slayer raised his hand.

  Clenched his fist.

  Zero latency. It was even smoother than before, the power transmission more direct.

  He rolled his neck.

  *Crack.*

  The scales on the armor surface opened and closed with his movement, as if the suit had become his second skin.

  Just then, the Slayer deliberately used the Doomblade on his left arm to slash a gash across the new armor on his right arm.

  *Schwing—*

  A deep cut appeared.

  But a second later.

  The black scales writhed. Countless visible black tendrils wove together at the wound site, growing rapidly.

  In just two seconds.

  The scratch vanished. Not a mark remained.

  The Slayer looked at the pristine arm.

  He slowly lowered his hand.

  Then, he faced Singularity's camera and gave a short, forceful nod.

  [SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE.]

  [Current Armor: Abyssal Dragon Praetor Suit.]

  [New Trait: Bio-Active.]

  [Effect: Self-Repair Enabled. Environmental Adaptability 100%.]

  The Slayer turned around, facing the deeper darkness.

  Now that the speed limiter caused by "acclimatization" was removed.

  Next.

  Nothing would slow him down.

  *Next Chapter: Reflective Thorn Armor. The Slayer encounters enemies he can't be bothered to dodge. The armor's spikes extend—hit me, and you die.*