5: Chapter 5: First Formal Feeding and a Surge in Strength

Baijiang City Nuclear Power Plant No. 1, Reactor Containment Area. This was the place with the highest radiation levels in the entire plant. Concrete walls five meters thick surrounded the reactor, their exterior plastered with yellow and black radiation warning signs.

"Over three hundred tons of high-concentration nuclear waste are stored inside," General Zhan Kuang said, pointing at the containment area's gate with a heavy tone. "The radiation level is thirty thousand times that of the outside world. Even an A-rank Awakener wouldn't last a minute inside."

Luo Yu stood outside the door, looking at the heavy alloy gate, and took the initiative to ask, "How long do I need to stay inside with it?"

"That depends on your pet's appetite," General Zhan Kuang thought for a moment before adding, "It would be best if you could stay in there until all the radiation is absorbed."

"No problem," Luo Yu understood almost instantly.

"Wait a second," General Zhan Kuang couldn't help but call out to him upon seeing this. "Are you sure you don't need a hazmat suit?"

"No need," Luo Yu shook his head indifferently. "Radiation is food to it, and to me... it shouldn't have much of an effect."

Of course,

Luo Yu wasn't just bragging.

The system showed that he and Godzilla were in a symbiotic relationship, sharing life and perception.

Since Godzilla was immune to radiation, he would also gain a certain degree of resistance. While not completely immune, at least there wouldn't be any abnormalities.

"Then suit yourself," General Zhan Kuang waved his hand and ordered, "Open the containment area."

Clang!!

The heavy alloy gate slowly opened, and a pungent metallic smell rushed toward them.

Inside the door was a long corridor. The walls on both sides were covered in cracks, and a layer of black liquid had accumulated on the floor.

At the end of the corridor was the Reactor Core Area, where three hundred tons of nuclear waste were piled up.

Luo Yu took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Behind him,

The alloy gate slammed shut.

In the command center, everyone stared at the surveillance screens.

"Radiation levels are normal," a technician reported. "Target has entered the corridor; vital signs are stable."

General Zhan Kuang crossed his arms, his gaze solemn.

If Luo Yu could really handle this nuclear waste...

Then he would have performed a great service.

If he failed...

Then there would be no other way but to seal it off permanently.

On the other side,

The corridor was pitch black,

With only the faint light from the flashlight on Luo Yu's phone.

The Little Lizard lay on his shoulder, its eyes flickering with an excited red light.

It could feel that there was a massive amount of 'food' ahead.

"Don't be in a hurry."

Luo Yu patted its head. "We're almost there."

After walking for about five minutes,

Luo Yu finally arrived at the Reactor Core Area.

This was a huge circular space over fifty meters in diameter. In the center was a massive steel container—the core of the reactor.

Countless lead barrels were piled around the container, each filled with nuclear waste.

The numbers on the detector jumped wildly.

20,000... 25,000... 30,000...

The radiation level had already exceeded the instrument's upper limit.

Luo Yu felt a momentary bout of dizziness, which quickly returned to normal. He could then feel his resistance to nuclear radiation stacking up frantically.

"Go ahead."

Once his body no longer detected any abnormalities, Luo Yu placed the Little Lizard on the ground and said grandly, "This is a buffet provided by the state. Eat your fill."

"Hiss hiss hiss!!"

The Lizard let out an excited hiss.

The next second,

Its body began to expand.

Thirty centimeters... fifty centimeters... one meter... two meters!

In the blink of an eye,

The Little Lizard had turned into a two-meter-long black behemoth.

On its back, the bone plates began to glow with a faint blue light.

It opened its bloody maw and inhaled sharply.

Whoosh—!

An invisible suction force erupted from its mouth.

The surrounding nuclear waste barrels began to tremble, and their lids flew off one after another.

The nuclear waste inside transformed into streams of green light, surging frantically into the behemoth's mouth.

In the command center, everyone was stunned by this scene. The surveillance footage showed the mountain of nuclear waste disappearing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

"Radiation levels are dropping!" the technician exclaimed. "30,000... 25,000... 20,000..."

"It's eating!"

"It's actually eating the nuclear waste!"

General Zhan Kuang stared intently at the screen, his fists involuntarily clenching.

Back in the Reactor Core Area, the Little Lizard was devouring the nuclear waste like crazy.

One barrel after another.

Ten barrels, twenty barrels, fifty barrels, a hundred barrels!

Its body began to undergo changes. The bone plates on its back grew longer and sharper, its scales became heavier and shimmered with a metallic luster, and its tail grew thicker with sharp bone spikes appearing at the end.

Luo Yu could feel it,

A powerful surge of energy was feeding back from his pet.

A warm current of energy flooded into his body, nourishing every one of his cells.

[Ding! Your pet is devouring a large amount of high-energy radiation!]

[evolution progress +1%... +2%... +5%... +10%...]

[Host receives 10% energy conversion!]

[Spiritual Power +100... +200... +500... +1000...]

[Congratulations Host, Level Up!]

[F-rank → E-rank!]

Luo Yu felt an unprecedented power surge through his body.

His vision became sharper, his hearing more acute—he could even hear the conversations in the command center hundreds of meters away.

His muscles became firmer, and his bones became tougher.

This was the power of an Awakener.

And this was only the beginning.

---

Three hours later.

More than half of the nuclear waste in the Reactor Core Area had disappeared.

The behemoth's size had also expanded to three meters.

It lay on the ground, panting heavily, the red light in its eyes growing brighter and brighter.

[evolution progress: 25%]

[New Ability Unlocked: Radiation Domain (Passive)]

[Effect: Within a ten-meter radius, the Host and pet are immune to all radiation damage and can absorb radiation energy from the environment to slowly recover physical strength.]

In the next instant,

Luo Yu felt it.

The surrounding radiation no longer made him feel uncomfortable.

Instead, there was a warm sensation, like being soaked in a hot spring.

"Can you still eat?" Luo Yu asked.

The Little Lizard looked up at him and then let out a satisfied burp.

Luo Yu smiled.

"Alright, let's take a break then."

Saying so,

He walked over to the behemoth and sat down, leaning against its warm body.

"Good work, Godzilla."

"Hiss hiss!"

The Little Lizard let out a low hiss, as if in response.

Luo Yu closed his eyes,

Feeling the power surging within him.

An E-rank ability user now.

Though he was still weak,

He had finally taken the first step.

And Godzilla's evolution progress had reached 25%.

At this rate, as long as it finished off the remaining nuclear waste...

It should be able to evolve to the next stage.

When that time comes...