Jack's eyes sharpened.
He understood. This wasn't just an appointment—it was a test. Psykos was probing. Evaluating.
But for him? It was a path. A ladder. Power, handed to him on a silver platter.
In his previous life, he'd navigated corporate politics blindfolded. Joining a new organization? Second nature.
He lowered his head. Dropped his posture. Just enough deference. Just enough ambition.
"Thank you for the promotion, my lord. I am confident I can handle it."
A pause.
"But..."
Little Eye's gaze intensified. Pale blue psychic energy rippled outward like visible waves.
"But... what?"
Jack stood firm. Unmoving.
"I may need... assistance. From you, my lord."
Oh?
Deep underground. Monster Association headquarters.
A woman with slightly curly blue hair—glasses perched delicately—swirled a glass of red wine. The liquid caught the dim light, casting crimson reflections across the chamber walls.
Her figure was... generous. The luxurious shawl dress, though elegant, struggled to contain her. Every movement promised danger. Allure. Maturity.
Psykos smiled.
Ambitious. Good.
She'd created countless failures. Watched them die. If this one could keep growing? She didn't mind feeding his hunger.
"Interesting..." Her voice echoed through Little Eye's form. "What kind of assistance?"
Before Jack, the meatball's single eye gleamed.
Jack raised his head. Beneath the dark mask, his gaze burned.
"Monster Cells, my lord."
"A large quantity of Monster Cells."
Little Eye's expression flickered—surprise, then calculation.
Monster Cells. To Psykos? Cheap. Mass-producible. Almost limitless.
They could turn humans into monsters. Trigger secondary mutations in low-level monsters.
But unstable. Extremely. First consumption? Near 100% monsterification. Subsequent attempts? Either nothing—or explosion. The subject couldn't withstand the physical distortion. The energy overload.
This insect... seems to have awakened something. An ability to devour Cells. To grow.
Interesting.
Psykos re-evaluated through Little Eye's gaze.
A monster who could stably absorb Monster Cell energy? Rare. Valuable. Even in an association of tens of thousands.
Worth observing. Maybe... an experimental subject. Future uses.
Little Eye's laugh echoed—sharp, pleased.
"Oh ho ho ho... Insatiable appetite, I see."
"I can grant this. But nothing comes free."
Its tiny wings flapped.
"Here's the deal—you prove yourself here first. Handle Slime Octopus's territory. Feed little Rover on time. I'll have Cells delivered regularly."
A pause. Weighted.
"When I need you... don't disappoint."
Jack's mask revealed nothing. His posture remained low.
"Understood, my lord. I won't fail."
Little Eye circled him once—satisfied.
"Your work here is simple. Feed Rover on time. Maintain order. That shouldn't be difficult for you now."
A afterthought.
"Ah, yes—give yourself a name. A true monster needs a title worth fearing."
"I hope next we meet, you'll be famous."
Puchi puchi puchi...
The pink meatball flapped away. Disappeared into darkness.
Jack straightened slowly.
Watched the darkness where Little Eye had vanished.
"Yare yare... A title, huh?"
His eyes—barely visible beneath the dark mask—gleamed with depth. With knowing.
This monster body can't be faked. It's real. That's my advantage.
No matter how shrewd Psykos is, she'll never guess—
The Wolf-level failure she casually created?
Now houses a human soul. From another world.
Playing with fire. Always risk.
But also? Opportunity.
Psykos was right about one thing—
In this twisted world...
Power is everything.
Only overwhelming power guarantees control over one's own destiny.
And Jack had just secured a lifetime supply of fuel.
Free Origin Points. Courtesy of S-Class Sugar Mommy Psykos.
Now came the real work—convert resources into strength. Turn potential into power. Prepare for the uncertainties ahead.
No hesitation.
He calmed his mind. Summoned the panel.
His gaze swept across the golden icons. Settled on the first.
SSR — 「Overgrowth」.
Jack understood this ability without needing the system's explanations.
It wasn't flashy. Not direct offense or defense.
It was the foundation. The core of Rover's power system.
Like Hashirama's Wood Release—world-destroying in the right hands, apartment-construction in the wrong ones. The strength wasn't the technique. It was the stats behind it.
「Overgrowth」 was that stat engine. Limit-breaking growth potential. Near-infinite vitality. Vast energy reserves. The very thing that made a Dragon-level peak possible.
Max this first. Build the foundation. Become a stat monster.
No—not a monster.
Every step of growth is my own hard work. My sweat. My effort.
His gaze sharpened.
"System. Show me your limit."
"ADD POINTS."
[ Consumed 1000 Origin Points. 「Overgrowth (SSR)」 Lv1 → Lv2! ]
BUZZ—!!
A dormant volcano ignited.
Life potential—vast, pure, unimaginable—erupted from his core. Scorching energy flooded every limb. Every bone. Every cell.
"Ugh... AHH—!"
Jack's body hunched. Involuntary. Overwhelmed.
CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE—
Bones reshaped. Stretched. Forcibly extended by invisible hands.
Muscle fibers tore—regenerated—tore again—each cycle strengthening.
Expansion. Everywhere. Indescribable.
His total energy surged—streams becoming rivers. A 50% increase. At least.
His dark-armored frame swelled—1.95 meters to over 2 meters. Still growing.
The crimson patterns on his carapace blazed brighter. Hotter. Pulsing with each breath, radiating palpable heat.
"Hoo—hah—"
Steam—scorching, nearly white—burst from his mouth. Hellfire aura.
Core ability enhancement = all-around stat boost.
The pleasure of growing power—stronger, denser, more—rushed through him like the finest liquor. Intoxicating. Addictive.
His crimson pupils burned.
"CONTINUE. MAX IT."
[ Consumed 2000 Origin Points. 「Overgrowth (SSR)」 Lv2 → Lv3! ]
[ Consumed 4000 Origin Points. 「Overgrowth (SSR)」 Lv3 → Lv4! ]
[ Threat Level Increased! ]
[ Ability Slot Limit +5! ]
BOOM—!!!
This time? No standing.
The torrent of energy—terrifying, near-uncontrollable—slammed him to the ground. One knee. The hard rock floor shattered beneath the impact.
"URGH AAAAH—!!!"
Pain. Exhilaration. Transformation.
His dark carapace—hard as steel moments ago—shattered like cheap porcelain. Grotesque cracks spread across his entire form.
Beneath? New tissue. Crimson. Glowing. Wriggling. Regenerating.
His height exploded—2 meters. 2.5. 3. 3.5.
Like a balloon, inflated by godly power.
Until—nearly double his previous height—it stabilized.
Silence.
Then—slowly—Jack rose.
Three and a half meters of monster. Dark armor re-formed, but different now. Deeper black. Crimson patterns blazed—not just patterns, but veins of living magma.
His eyes opened.
Red. Deep. Burning.
The air around him shimmered with residual heat.
He looked down at his claws. Flexed them. Felt the weight of power within.
「Overgrowth Lv4」.
Foundation laid.
Now the real work begins.