Chapter 7 – I'm Going Into Hiding
(First Person POV – MC)
The walk back to the apartment complex was quieter than usual.
The night air hung low and damp, clinging to my skin as if trying to weigh me down, but my steps were light. The fight had ended far more easily than I had anticipated. Three first-star physical rank police officers had confronted me, and none of them had lasted more than a few exchanges.
More importantly, I had gained something.
As I turned down the narrow side street that led toward my building, faint blue text flickered into existence in front of my vision.
New Adaptations Acquired:
Electricity Resistance – Rank 2
Battle Instincts – Rank 1
I allowed myself a small smile.
Electricity Resistance did exactly what its name implied. The shock from that officer earlier would have crippled most people at my level. Instead, it had stung—painful, yes—but survivable. The adaptation had formed almost instantly afterward, reinforcing my nervous system against similar attacks in the future.
Battle Instincts was subtler. It wasn't raw power. It was awareness. Micro-adjustments in posture. Faster subconscious threat assessment. The ability to read muscle tension and predict movement half a second before it happened.
Useful.
Very useful.
Then there was the financial aspect.
Between the three officers, I had collected over five hundred mid-tier coins. Adding the sixty mid-tier coins from the girl and the savings already stored inside my apartment, I now had well over six hundred mid-tier coins.
That was more than enough to live normally for several months if I kept a low profile.
Which I would.
Because moments later, the familiar translucent interface of Cellular Adaptation expanded across my vision.
"It would be best," the system stated in its neutral tone, "if the host went into hiding and avoided that street to prevent unwanted complications."
I slowed slightly, considering the suggestion.
"You think they'll investigate," I said quietly.
"Yes."
"They had no CCTV coverage in that alley."
"Correct. However, three officers disappearing simultaneously will trigger internal review procedures."
I nodded. That was reasonable.
"My apartment is only a few minutes away," I continued. "No cameras on the route. No witnesses. Even if they track the last patrol location, they won't have visual confirmation of me."
"Probability of direct identification: low," Cellular Adaptation responded.
"And the girl?" I asked. "She won't cause trouble."
"She remains under suspicion as well," the system replied. "Her survival instinct will prevent unnecessary exposure."
That aligned with my own assessment.
"Fair enough," I said. "I'll lay low."
Still, one question lingered in my mind.
As I turned the final corner toward my apartment building, I spoke again.
"Cellular Adaptation."
"Yes, host."
"Was I that much stronger than them… or were they just weak?"
There was a brief pause before the system responded.
"All police officers are standardized at First Physical Star Rank," it explained. "By civilian metrics, they are considered highly dangerous individuals. A normal human cannot defeat them."
"Then why was it so easy?" I pressed.
"You are a special case."
I frowned slightly.
"Define special."
The answer came almost instantly, as if the system had anticipated the question.
"Host is currently at the peak of the First Physical Star Rank."
I stopped walking for half a second.
"Peak?"
"Yes. Your body has reached the maximum optimization threshold available within First Star parameters."
I resumed walking slowly.
"And the reason?"
"When individuals absorb Void Energy, their bodies take in what they can and expel the excess. Efficiency varies. However, host possesses Void Absorption Rank 12 in addition to Cellular Adaptation. Therefore, energy intake efficiency is maximized. Structural reinforcement, muscular density, neural conductivity, and skeletal durability have all been refined to theoretical limits."
The explanation continued in a long, technical stream about cellular restructuring and adaptive reinforcement cycles.
I sighed.
"Let me simplify it," I interrupted. "You make sure my body is perfected at every rank. Correct?"
There was a brief silence.
"…Correct, host."
For a moment, I could have sworn the tone carried something close to mild indignation.
I suppressed a smirk.
Six minutes later, I entered the apartment complex. The hallway lights flickered faintly, casting long shadows against cracked walls. No one paid attention to me as I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Once inside, I closed the door quietly and sat down on the couch.
Only then did I allow myself to relax.
"Cellular Adaptation," I said, leaning back slightly. "Can you give me an approximate comparison between my strength and a normal First Physical Star Rank? Or should I estimate it myself?"
Instead of answering directly, a strange sensation spread through my body. It wasn't painful. It felt like microscopic adjustments, subtle calibrations under my skin.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Preparing comparative data display," the system replied.
A structured panel appeared before me.
First Star – Enhanced Human
Baseline Unnatural Level
Capabilities typically include strength approximately two to three times that of peak human standards. Reaction speed is roughly doubled. Individuals at this level can break bones with their bare hands and survive small-caliber gunfire, though injuries remain likely. Stamina is moderately enhanced, and Affinity manifestation remains unstable in early development.
Combat classification places them at elite soldier tier. Dangerous in individual encounters but manageable in coordinated squads. Standard police units fall within this range.
I leaned forward slightly, genuinely interested.
"So that's the average," I murmured. "And me?"
The screen shifted.
First Star – Host Status
Peak Unnatural Level
Host demonstrates strength measured at five to six times peak human capability. Reaction speed is amplified approximately fivefold. Skeletal durability and muscular output allow the breaking of stone structures with bare hands. Small-caliber firearms pose minimal threat, with injuries unlikely under standard conditions. Stamina reserves are significantly elevated, and Affinity manifestation stability is near optimal for this rank.
Combat classification exceeds elite soldier tier. Host is considered highly dangerous and difficult to subdue even by coordinated squads of seven to eight First-Star individuals.
I let out a slow breath.
"That's… a significant gap."
"Correct," Cellular Adaptation replied.
A normal First Star could break bones.
I could break stone.
A normal First Star might survive a bullet with injury.
I could survive with little to none.
The difference wasn't incremental.
It was structural.
"So this," I said quietly, staring at the screen, "is the difference between having a cheat ability and not having one."
The system did not respond.
I chuckled softly.
"If I'm already this strong at First Star, then Second Star is going to be ridiculous."
"Premature speculation," Cellular Adaptation stated. "Advancement to Second Star requires additional Void Energy accumulation and structural breakthrough."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "One step at a time."
I stood up and walked toward the window, pulling the curtain aside slightly to glance at the dark street below.
Three officers dead.
One alley that would soon be investigated.
And somewhere out there, a girl with a pretty face who had calmly paid me sixty mid-tier coins for saving her life.
"I'll avoid that area for a while," I said quietly. "No unnecessary movement. No drawing attention."
"Recommended," the system agreed.
I let the curtain fall back into place.
For now, I had money. I had strength. I had adaptations that made me stronger every time I faced something new.
But I also had enemies I didn't fully understand.
And if the police began digging deeper, I needed to ensure that when they looked, they found nothing.
I lay back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"Hiding," I murmured to myself. "Just until things cool down."
But deep down, I knew something.
Power like this didn't stay hidden forever.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE:- i will sometimes call cellular adaptation a system because i originally wanted to give MC a system but didn't and in the end it's just an ability nothing more and I also changed the screen color from red to blue for better imagining ability. Also please tell me what new i should add to the story from chapter 13 since i have the first 13 chapters planned in my mind since the beginning of this series.)