Energy: 101
Stamina: 12/13
Strength: 5/5
Spirit: 13/13
Skills:
- Iron Body Technique Lv.1
- Five Tigers Blade Technique Lv.4
The moment Ryan Carter gripped the beast crystal tightly in his palm, a surge of warmth flooded into his body. Instantly, a familiar prompt appeared in his vision again:
[Conditions met for Basic Skill-Stealing Card. Merge now?]
Of course! Merge it immediately!
"Now we're talking, kid!" Tiger Girl laughed heartily, slamming Ryan hard on the shoulder. "You know what I've always disliked about you? You're too damn hesitant! I'm starting to like you more and more now!"
Oh God, you call this decisive? Ryan groaned inwardly, but before he could reply, another prompt flashed urgently before his eyes:
[Target detected. Activate Skill-Stealing Card?]
This time, Ryan hesitated. He'd already failed once attempting to copy Tiger Girl's ability. Would it fail again?
He clenched his jaw. Tiger Girl might be loud and rough, but among the young generation in the settlement, she was unquestionably top-tier. The previous failure might even increase his odds this time around.
He mentally selected "Yes," and immediately four crimson cards floated gently before him.
Success! Now, which one should he choose?
Feeling a rush of excitement, Ryan randomly picked the third card. The card flipped slowly, revealing:
[Iron Body Technique Lv. 5]
As the red card transformed into countless shimmering particles and entered his body, Ryan felt his skin tightening, his muscles swelling with newfound strength, and his bones vibrating with fiery energy.
"Huh? Did you just get taller or something? Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me again?" Tiger Girl remarked curiously, eyeing him up and down before shrugging it off.
Ryan hadn't even had a chance to check his new stats properly, but he already felt like he could take on the world. He cleared his throat seriously. "Tiger Girl—bro, let me make this crystal clear once again. Let's drop this whole marriage thing, yeah?"
Tiger Girl snorted dismissively. "Ryan Carter, you spineless brat! I'm Tiger Girl—I always keep my word. Tomorrow, after your patrol shift, I'll drag your sorry ass straight into our wedding chamber if I have to!"
She paused dramatically, grinning fiercely. "Unless you beat me first!"
With that bold declaration, she turned and crawled away proudly, leaving Ryan speechless in her wake. Beating Tiger Girl? Could he actually pull that off?
Ryan quickly summoned his status again:
Energy: 1
Stamina: 35/36
Strength: 21/21
Stolen novel; please report.
Spirit: 16/16
Skills:
- Iron Body Technique Lv.5
- Five Tigers Blade Technique Lv.4
At the settlement, reaching just the third level of Iron Body Technique was enough to lead a small patrol squad, granting roughly a thousand pounds of raw power and enhanced toughness. Only rare talents surpassed that.
Even Ryan's father, Hank, at his peak, had barely reached the third level. Ryan stared at the fifth-level skill glowing on his interface, excitement igniting inside him. He'd just surpassed his father's prime strength—and by a considerable margin.
Holding the combat blade "Tiger's Roar," Ryan finally returned home.
Unlike what he'd expected, Hank didn't greet him angrily. Instead, he beckoned Ryan amicably to sit by the family's only low dining table. Two large ceramic bowls rested atop it—one packed with greasy chunks of fatty meat, another piled generously with bones still carrying thick slabs of meat.
Ryan grimaced mentally. His previous self wouldn't have been interested in such crude food. But his new body betrayed him—his stomach rumbled greedily, drool pooling uncontrollably in his mouth.
How long had this poor kid gone without tasting meat?
"Sit down, son. Have a drink with your old man!" Hank retrieved two large ceramic cups from beneath the table and carefully brought out a precious-looking glass bottle. Glass was a rare commodity in the settlement; Ryan's memories confirmed its scarcity. Whatever was stored in glass must be extraordinary.
Ryan instantly recognized the clear liquid from his past life. Though the label was long gone, he could easily identify it as Whisky, a strong liquor he'd often enjoyed.
"This, son, is a thousand-year-old liquor!" Hank boasted proudly, biting off the cap with his teeth and pouring the liquor into their cups. "Found it myself years ago in a ruin from before the Great Awakening. Dug up ten bottles. Even the Overseer himself bought two bottles from me!"
Hank chuckled mischievously. "Big Mike used to follow me around like a puppy, desperate for just a sip of this stuff. That old fool was so greedy."
Ryan hesitated briefly before downing the liquor in a single gulp. To his surprise, it tasted exactly like he remembered—strong, burning, and oddly comforting.
As Ryan savored the familiar burn, Hank grabbed a meat-covered bone and began devouring it ravenously. Ryan inwardly mocked his father's savage manners for a second—before diving headfirst into the food himself, driven by primal hunger he simply couldn't resist.
Minutes later, both men had completely cleaned off the table. Ryan finally broke the silence. "Dad, don't you have anything you want to say to me?"
Hank rolled his eyes lazily, picking meat scraps from his teeth. "What, you want some comforting words? Tiger Girl already publicly announced she'll carry you off tomorrow. What else can I say?"
Ryan stared quietly at his tough yet strangely affectionate father, feeling conflicted. This wasn't his world. The memories he inherited from the original Ryan clearly indicated the brutal dangers awaiting him outside the settlement.
Could he even survive a year in the wild?
His mind drifted, consciousness slipping away into sleep. His final thought before falling asleep was simple: please let me wake up back in my own world. Let all this be a dream.
But when morning arrived, Ryan opened his eyes to the same damp, low-ceilinged cave. He sighed, quickly checking his status screen—nothing had changed. Energy remained stubbornly at one.
"Come on, son. Time to join the patrol team." Hank's voice was unusually subdued. "I spoke to Captain Harris. He'll assign you a good mentor. Remember—stay cautious out there."
He paused, expression serious. "When I first ventured outside, your grandpa gave me one piece of advice, and I think it's time I passed it down to you: Outside these walls, we're no better than ants before the Awakening."
Ryan nodded numbly, silent as he followed Hank down the increasingly wider tunnels. More and more people appeared, many warmly greeting Hank. However, after brief conversations, they'd shoot Ryan amused, teasing glances, clearly anticipating the spectacle of Tiger Girl carrying him off.
"Hey kid, don't let Tiger Girl haul you away like cargo! Go willingly—she'll surely give birth to a bloodline warrior!" joked a sleazy-looking man named Earl, missing his left ear. "Even if you've got no guts, at least pretend you do."
Hank laughed heartily at such teasing, clearly delighted by the idea of Tiger Girl manhandling his son.
Soon, they reached a large cavernous chamber—about the size of a basketball court. Ryan felt immense relief finally being able to stand fully upright.
"Ryan, heard Tiger Girl's carrying you off today—congrats, buddy!" Dylan Ross swaggered over, grinning obnoxiously. "Guess what? I got married yesterday!"
Before Dylan could continue bragging, Captain Harris approached, his scarred face serious. "Sorry, Hank. It's just how things have to be."
"I understand. No hard feelings," Hank replied calmly.
Nearby, Dylan's stepfather, a silent, cold-faced man named Cliff, stood awkwardly. Harris barely acknowledged Cliff, clearly indicating a difference in their status. Cliff nodded stiffly and left without a word.
"My stepdad sure can't wait to see me dead," Dylan muttered bitterly, glaring after Cliff.
Ryan stayed silent, lost in thought.
Captain Harris glanced at his battered mechanical watch and spoke firmly: "Ryan Carter, Dylan Ross—come with me. It's sunrise. Time you kids finally saw the sun."
