"Kneel," he commanded the gorilla. A violent tremor coursed through its massive frame, yet the beast remained upright, defiant.
"Kneel!" he repeated, intensifying the pressure, focusing his mental energy directly into the creature's primal consciousness. The gorilla began to shake uncontrollably, though it remained rooted to the spot. After a moment, its heavy feet scraped backward.
"Kneel!"
This time, Edard unleashed the full weight of his will. The creature's eyes rolled back, turning white for five long seconds. When it finally regained its senses, it was broken. It had no choice; it buckled and knelt—not out of desire, but out of absolute necessity.
"I... obey."
Edard let out a triumphant laugh. Something extraordinary had happened—a small experiment that had yielded a massive harvest. Back on Earth, Edard had used his skill to try and domesticate cats and dogs, not once or twice, but many times. In every instance, he had failed. Those animals would eventually rebel or act against his wishes; ultimately, they possessed a mind of their own that he couldn't bridge.
But in this new world, Edard had achieved the impossible through the assistance of the Intimidation skill. By weaving together Intimidation and Interracial Communication, he had forged a power he could never grasp on Earth. His worldly experience was finally paying off in the most supernatural of ways.
He pointed a finger at the hulking ape: "Stay here. Guard this entrance. Do not move from this spot until I call for you."
Hoisting the corpse once more, he stepped into the depths of the cave. As he moved, the familiar status box flickered before his eyes:
Edard looked at the festering wound on his arm and immediately allocated fourteen attribute points into his Resistance stat. Among his internal abilities, Resistance was what bolstered the durability of his skin and internal organs. With the remaining six points, he distributed them evenly, giving two points to each of his other attributes.
A new prompt appeared:
< Skin Tempering >
< Muscle Tempering >
< Bone Tempering >
Edard stared at the box in amazement. If forced to choose between hardening his skin, his muscles, or his bones, he would choose skin every time. His logic was simple: if the skin does not tear, the muscles beneath remain unmarred. Most wounds are inflicted by piercing the outer layer first. If his muscles stayed healthy, his vital organs—his heart, kidneys, and liver—would remain protected. While it was true that a powerful impact could crush bones even if the skin remained intact, hardening the skin would negate almost any bladed weapon.
He thought of his battle with Kalahari. Most of that man's dark magic required a sample of the target's blood to take effect. You cannot get blood without breaking the skin. By elevating his skin's durability, he was effectively making himself immune to such sorcery.
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