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A heavy, oppressive aura radiated from Adam, making Stella instinctively take two steps back. Her armed Alienor, a formidable creature she had meticulously tamed, emitted a soft, trembling cry in response to the palpable pressure.
"What an overwhelming Quantum Force…" Stella muttered under her breath, eyes narrowing.
Her Alienor, already regarded as a powerhouse among its kind, was visibly rattled by Adam. If such a beast was intimidated, how powerful must he truly be?
Unease rippled through Stella's thoughts as she hastily returned Adam's identity card, a faint tremor of fear creeping into her demeanor.
"Humph. It's just a joke. No need to act so fierce," she scoffed, attempting to mask her discomfort with bravado.
Adam grabbed the card with a scowl, irritation flickering in his gaze. "I don't think it's funny."
You naive woman. Do you think your beauty makes you special?
But… damn, she's delicate.
His eyes briefly wandered to Stella's long, graceful legs before he quickly turned away, walking off with deliberate indifference.
"Wait!" Stella called out, her voice sharp with urgency.
Adam halted, his tone cutting as he responded, "What now?"
Something about his cold, dismissive demeanor set Stella on edge. She was accustomed to being the center of attention, but Adam's aloofness was a sharp contrast to the usual adoration she received. No one had ever dared treat her with such indifference.
Taking a steadying breath, she composed herself and said, "Adam, I'd like to invite you to join our Midnight Guardian team."
The Midnight Guardian was a small, ad-hoc group formed to protect the people from the dangerous creatures that roamed beyond the walls of the fortress city. It wasn't without its risks—fierce battles, monster sieges, and the constant threat of death. The team's strength lay in its diverse set of abilities, each member bringing something unique to the table.
Some were combat specialists, others experts in stealth, and some, with more modest powers, focused on reconnaissance or support.
Teamwork was paramount. A lone fighter would struggle to survive unless they possessed legendary capabilities, such as the Divine body—a rare, abnormal physique that allowed individuals to command multiple Alienors simultaneously.
Adam had heard of the Midnight Guardian but had no interest in joining such a modest group.
Are you serious? I have a system backing me up.
Why would I waste my time with you amateurs?
"Sorry, not interested," Adam replied bluntly.
Stella, however, didn't take offense. As if anticipating the rejection, she simply handed him a business card with a cool smile.
"My contact details are there. If you change your mind, don't hesitate to reach out."
Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Adam standing with the card in his hand.
He glanced down at it, noting Stella's phone number and network contact ID, as well as the name of her team: Crypta Rose Cavalry Company.
So, she's prepared. She was just waiting for the right moment to leverage her qualification as a Doom-Breaker.
Cavalry company? Horses? Really?
Adam scoffed inwardly. He despised cavalry. Infantry was far more to his taste.
With a grimace, he tucked the business card into his system space and made his way to the merchandise counter.
After his time in the slums, he was essentially penniless. The only money he had left was the generous sum from Scar Gun—tens of thousands of Dollars—but even that would not last forever.
At the counter, he picked out a few essentials: a laptop that could connect to the internet and a smartphone. The total cost was a steep 50,000 Dollar.
Expensive, but necessary.
With the internet, he could take on demon-hunting missions from alliance associations and the public without leaving his room. The phone would be essential for communication.
"You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb," Adam muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth as he completed the transaction.
Once everything was packed, he left the Alliance Association building and made his way to a nearby hotel. The room wasn't much—just a small, clean space with a separate bathroom—but it was a far cry from the squalor of the slums.
The cost for a standard single room: 1,000 Dollar per night. He paid for five nights and left a deposit, draining another 10,000 Dollar from his dwindling funds.
Lying back on the soft bed, Adam allowed the weight of the day to settle over him. As he relaxed, the familiar voice of the system suddenly rang in his ears.
[Congratulations, host, for completing the second branch mission…]
[Congratulations, host, for obtaining the exclusive skill "Alienor Modification Master"…]
Alienor Modification Master? What is that?
Confused, Adam was about to ask, but the system replied almost instantly.
[After activating this skill, the host can modify his own Tamed Alienor. The modification process requires the consumption of excess Tamed Alienors and a certain amount of experience…]
A transparent screen appeared before him, displaying two circular platforms, one labeled "Master" and the other, labeled "Unmodified," left empty. Above the left platform, Rose's figure rotated slowly, her detailed data visible alongside her image.
At a glance, Adam realized the skill allowed him to modify and enhance specific attributes of his Tamed Alienor.
But how far could this modification go?
"System, what exactly can I modify in an Alienor?"
[Monsters above Level 6 can have their abilities and attributes enhanced. Those below Level 6 can only have their appearance altered.]
Damn, that's useless for now.
Rose was only at Level 4, still two levels shy of the Level 6 required for any meaningful enhancements.
If I can't upgrade her abilities, does that mean I'm stuck changing her appearance?
Rose was already stunning. If she were in Adam's past life, she'd be a top idol!
Changing her appearance? Not a chance.
Should I dress her in a maid outfit?
Adam scoffed at the thought. He wasn't that kind of person.
"System, you're a jerk! This skill is completely useless to me right now!"
The system, seemingly in amusement, responded coolly:
[Host, you can modify certain 'imperfect' features of your Armed Alienor Rose's appearance at this stage…]
Imperfect features?
Adam glanced at Rose's image on the screen. Her delicate features, long black hair, and fair skin—she was perfect.
Well, maybe she's a little too thin.
His thoughts raced, and a flush of embarrassment spread across his face.
[Host, would you like to modify Rose's measurements immediately?]
Modify? My ass!
Adam shouted in his mind, "Damn system, I'm a gentleman!"