The following day, around 4 AM, Zumi felt a surge of power coursing through him; his body felt invincible, impervious to harm. The system chimed: Ping! The body of Celeste's transformation is complete. Nothing on Earth can pierce the Host's body. This revelation left Zumi in awe, a smirk forming on his face as he embraced his newfound abilities.
Still basking in the afterglow of his transformation, Zumi was about to start his day when the system chimed again: Ping! Threat Perception Activated: There are four threats to the Host within a 4-mile radius. All skills required for combat have been activated. His leisurely morning routine was abruptly interrupted, and he immediately went on high alert, slowly exiting the bathroom and scanning his surroundings. The house was dimly lit, but Zumi's enhanced vision allowed him to see clearly in the dark.
As he approached his bedroom door, it slid open, revealing Jasmine. She locked eyes with Zumi, her fierce stare conveying urgency. With his newfound abilities, Zumi could sense a powerful yet calm aura emanating from her, tinged with a hint of bloodlust.
Zumi immediately understood that she sensed the threats too. He nodded, acknowledging their shared awareness. Just then, four shadowy figures emerged from the corners of the living room, and a wave of bloodlust filled the apartment. It was clear these intruders meant harm. Without hesitation and fueled by a deep determination to protect Ana and the others, Zumi leapt forward, dispatching two of the figures with ease.
Jasmine was momentarily stunned; she hadn't even seen him move. She recognized the assassins as members of a notorious organization in the underworld, known for their lethal efficiency. In the martial arts community, Jasmine was regarded as a master of the Southern Praying Mantis technique. While she was no slouch, these assassins were on another level. Yet Zumi had just taken down two of them in an instant.
Recovering quickly, Jasmine seized the opportunity to attack the remaining two men. She lunged at them, not as fast as Zumi, but her strikes were precise and devastating. In one fluid motion, she broke one man's arms and legs and struck his throat, incapacitating him completely.
Zumi watched in admiration, recognizing her technique. With the skills of the Monkey King now at his disposal, he could replicate any martial arts style he witnessed. Energized by his newfound speed and strength, Zumi leapt toward the last invader, executing Jasmine's technique with unmatched precision.
Jasmine didn't even realize he had moved until the figure's body crumpled to the floor. She stared at Zumi in awe, admiration flooding her expression. Just then, the system chimed: Ping! Jasmine's respect for you has grown immensely. Current progress: -10 out of 10.
Zumi was taken aback. Negative 10? What did it used to be? The realization stung, as he had always admired Jasmine. Determined to bridge that gap, he resolved to do whatever it took to make her a system connection character while staying true to himself.
Refocusing on the situation, Zumi searched the fallen assassins for clues about who had sent them. One of them bore a gold badge. When Zumi pulled it out, Jasmine gasped in shock.
Cathy had woken up, sensing the danger, and peeked out from the door, followed closely by Ana. Both girls were visibly shaken. Zumi noticed their worried expressions and asked, "What's wrong?"
Jasmine, her expression troubled, replied, "This is the family crest of the Dojima family."
Cathy revealed a tattoo on her ankle, depicting a fierce, roaring lion's face—matching the badge. The girls feared the worst: they might have a traitor in the Dojima family. This shocking revelation underscored the urgency of their situation; they needed to leave the house immediately and get Gia out of the hospital.
Everyone sprang into action, but just as they were about to leave, Ana asked, "Who will check on Gia?" As Cathy was about to volunteer, Zumi interjected, "Let me go. You two stay with Ana."
Ana looked concerned. It wasn't that she didn't trust Zumi; her trust in him was unwavering. Still, she worried about the danger they faced. Just as she was about to voice her concern, Cathy chimed in, "I trust Zumi. He's strong."
"It's true," Jasmine added. "I just saw Zumi take out three of them with ease. He can handle it, and I'll vouch for him."
Feeling reassured by the endorsements from the two women she trusted most, Ana's anxiety eased. "Once you explain the situation to Gia, she'll know what to do. Follow her lead."
Zumi nodded, determination in his eyes. "Understood. I'll bring her back safely, I swear." Just then, the system chimed: Ping! Speedster Proficiency activated. In an instant, Zumi vanished from his spot.
On his way to the hospital, Zumi decided to upgrade the system. He offered the five pieces of gold he had acquired from the Uber driver, and the system chimed: Ping! The system has upgraded to Level 2. All Host attributes and sub-points increased by 50. The Host has received a Charisma Reward Chest. All Host skills and abilities have leveled up to the maximum level. The Host's Medical skill has reached the maximum level, acquiring Grand Master TCM Proficiency.
"Open both reward chests," Zumi commanded.
Ping! Host has chosen to open reward chests, offering random rewards. Host has acquired a high-tier reward: Legendary Eagle Storage Bracelet.
Explanation: This bracelet acts as a storage unit, with a unique space that can store up to 500 elephants.
A black bracelet with an antique bronze plate, engraved with an eagle, materialized before him. Zumi slipped it onto his wrist and summoned his staff. Once it arrived, he envisioned it entering the bracelet's space, and it was instantly absorbed.
The system chimed: Ping! Opening Charisma Reward Chest for Host. One moment. As Zumi sprinted toward the hospital, the system chimed again: Ten mysterious people are following the Host. Threat Perception activated.
Without hesitation, Zumi took a detour into an alleyway, where a group of figures materialized from the shadows. A palpable wave of bloodlust enveloped him; it was clear these individuals were after Gia, and Zumi was their sole hope of finding her.
He realized he needed to take them out before he could reach Gia. With a silent prayer for her safety, Zumi thought about wielding the Staff. It immediately warped out of the eagle bracelet, floating in front of him. Zumi grasped the Staff, displayed some maneuvers, then took a fighting stance, gesturing for his pursuers to come at him while projecting his killing intent.
Standing confidently in the dimly lit alleyway, Zumi faced a group of twenty strong martial artists, their muscles tense and eyes filled with determination. As the first attacker lunged at him, Zumi swiftly extended his Staff, the metal shaft elongating to twice its original length in the blink of an eye. With a powerful swing, he knocked the assailant off balance, sending him crashing into the brick wall behind him.
The remaining martial artists charged at him, fists and feet flying in a flurry of kicks and punches. But Zumi was faster and more skilled, effortlessly twirling and spinning the Staff to deflect their blows and counterattack with precision strikes.
As he fought, Zumi felt himself growing stronger and more agile. His movements were fluid and graceful as he danced through the chaos of the battle. The alleyway echoed with the sounds of metal meeting flesh, cries of pain mixing with grunts of exertion.
Despite being outnumbered, Zumi held his ground, his determination unwavering as he faced his foes head-on. He utilized the Staff's shape-shifting abilities to switch seamlessly between long-range strikes and close-quarters combat.
One by one, the martial artists fell before him, their bodies littering the ground as Zumi emerged victorious. With a final, decisive blow, he sent the last opponent sprawling, the fight concluding with a dramatic flourish.
Breathing heavily, Zumi stood alone in the alleyway, weapon still in hand. He had proven himself a formidable warrior, a force to be reckoned with in martial arts. Realizing he needed to increase his endurance and stamina, Zumi burst out of the alleyway, eager to continue his mission to find Gia.
After a few more minutes of running, Zumi arrived at a building that looked abandoned. He double-checked the address; it was indeed the right place. As he approached the dilapidated structure that served as a front for the Mafia-owned hospital, unease settled in. The exterior was shrouded in darkness, with overgrown grass and twisted shrubs surrounding the entrance, creating an eerie and foreboding atmosphere reminiscent of a horror movie.
Taking a deep breath, Zumi pushed open the creaking doors and stepped inside. To his astonishment, the interior was a stark contrast to its dilapidated facade. The floors gleamed with a fresh coat of wax, the walls were painted a pristine white, and the air was filled with the antiseptic scent of cleanliness.
Only four people were in sight: a receptionist behind a polished desk, two nurses in crisp uniforms hurrying down the hallway, and a doctor in a white coat studying a clipboard. Zumi's heart raced with apprehension and determination as he scanned the room.
Approaching the receptionist, he inquired about a woman named Gia. The receptionist glanced up from her computer screen, her expression unreadable, and informed him that Gia was in room 305. Without a word, Zumi turned and hurried down the corridor. Jasmine had already informed the hospital of his arrival, describing him to the receptionist, who immediately recognized him as he walked through the door.
Reaching room 305, Zumi pushed the door open. His eyes found Gia lying in the hospital bed, looking pale and fragile. Her dark hair spread out on the pillow, but her eyes lit up with recognition and relief as she saw him.
Rushing to her side, Zumi took her hand, his voice filled with emotion as he whispered words of comfort and reassurance. Gia's eyes brimmed with tears; she was grateful for his presence, relieved to see him safe.
Zumi wanted to help Gia, and now that he could use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), he knew he could treat her, but he needed acupuncture needles. Just then, the system sounded: Ping! Opening Charisma Reward Chest. The Host has received a high-tier medical artifact: Jade Acupuncture Needles. A jade box appeared in front of him, glowing with green light. As he opened it, he said to Gia, "I will help treat you and heal your legs. After that, we need to leave here, and I'll explain everything."
Gia had many questions, but she decided to trust Zumi. She nodded, giving him the go-ahead, and he began the treatment without hesitation.
Zumi prepared to perform the miraculous feat of healing Gia's broken legs and other injuries she had suffered from the accident. He carefully selected a set of jade acupuncture needles from the small jade box; each needle was intricately carved with ancient symbols and imbued with powerful healing energy. The system chimed: Ping! TCM Master Skill activated.
With a steady hand, Zumi began inserting the needles into specific acupuncture points on Gia's body, following the principles of TCM to restore balance and harmony. As the needles penetrated her skin, Gia responded, a warm sensation spreading through her limbs as the healing energy of the jade needles worked their magic.
Zumi closed his eyes, his focus intense as he channeled his spiritual energy into the treatment, drawing from centuries-old techniques passed down through generations of healers. For hours, he worked tirelessly, his movements precise and deliberate as he addressed each of Gia's injuries with a combination of acupuncture, herbal remedies, and spiritual healing. Gia lay still, her breathing steady as she surrendered to the healing power of the ancient techniques.
Finally, after two hours of intense concentration, Zumi stepped back, his eyes revealing a glint of satisfaction and relief. Once pale and lifeless, Gia's face now glowed with a healthy flush of color, her breathing deep and steady.
With a deep breath, Gia sat up, testing her legs tentatively. To her amazement, she felt no pain or stiffness—only newfound strength and vitality coursing through her body. With a sense of wonder and gratitude, she stood up, her movements fluid and confident as she took her first steps, feeling the ground solid beneath her feet.
Zumi smiled, pride swelling in his chest as he witnessed her transformation. Through the power of the jade acupuncture needles, ancient TCM techniques, and spiritual healing, he had not only healed Gia's broken legs but also restored her health and vitality in a miraculous way. Gia looked at Zumi with awe and gratitude. She knelt before him and said, "Master Zumi, I owe you my life. I acknowledge you as the Shateigashira (Second Lieutenant) of the Dojima Family."
Zumi asked Gia to stand and hugged her, saying, "I'm so glad you are alright." Gia's heart pulsed with happiness and shock. She had never experienced the warmth of a hug or the tenderness of affection.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted them. One of the nurses entered, handing Gia a brand-new set of clothes. When Gia returned from changing, Zumi was mesmerized. She had adopted a gothic aesthetic. Her long, black hair flowed down one side, partially covering her face, while the other side was tucked behind her ear. Her eyes glowed a fiery shade of orange, as if rejuvenated with a burst of energy.
Her ears were adorned with multiple earrings, and she had a sharp gaze accentuated by thin, high-arched eyebrows. She wore a gothic suit, complete with a tie and a pair of black, thin-framed glasses. Zumi returned to his senses, about to speak when the system chimed: Ping! Gia's respect for you has grown immensely. Current progress: 10 out of 10. Attribute points +10. Gia's loyalty towards you has surged dramatically. Current advancement: 9 out of 10. The embrace you bestowed upon Gia earlier elicited profound joy within her. You hold the distinction of being the first person ever to embrace Gia, causing her to feel intimate towards you. Current intimacy level: 4 out of 10. You have successfully fulfilled one of Cathy's System Character Quest prerequisites. For Gia's legs to improve, two additional requirements must be satisfied to elevate her status to a system character.
Zumi smiled, and after this, he began recounting everything that had happened. Gia absorbed his words with unwavering focus, her gaze reflecting sharpness and fierceness, maintaining a profound silence throughout. It was as though she were a devoted pupil, hanging on every syllable uttered by a revered master, embodying reverence and admiration in her attentive demeanor.
After listening, Gia was shocked that Zumi had managed to take out twenty high-level martial artists on his own. "If that's the case, we must move quickly. I know where Ana will be taking Cathy and Jasmine. It's a trade secret of the Dojima family. I recently became an attendant to Ana, and I was told about it in tiny detail. I can find them."
She continued, "As for the assassin possessing the Dojima family badge, that's concerning because only high-level officials have that badge. Lower-level officials have a small tattoo. This means someone high up has betrayed us; if my suspicion is correct, it's the former second lieutenant."
He had gone missing years ago and was presumed dead. They had been looking for a replacement and rejected many candidates until they finally decided on Zumi, who hadn't even been trying for the position. Their Oyabun had a good feeling about him and gave him the title.
Zumi listened to Gia, deep in thought. Just then, his phone rang. He quickly picked up without checking the caller ID. Jasmine's voice sounded grave on the other end. "Hey, Zumi, we made it to a safe house, but you should come with Gia as soon as possible. There have been some grave developments, and Ana needs you. Your presence is the only thing that can calm her down right now."
Jasmine paused, her voice trembling as she continued, "Please make it back safely with Gia. For Ana's sake, I don't want to see her sad anymore." The line went dead.
Zumi's eyes blazed with intensity, but his voice remained steady and controlled. His anger simmered beneath the surface, a powerful force waiting to be unleashed. Despite his outward composure, Gia could sense the fierce tempest raging inside him, waiting for the perfect moment to break free.
"Let's go!" Zumi exclaimed. Gia nodded, and as she was about to exit the room, the system emitted a ping: Threat perception activated. Zumi shared the ominous feeling with Gia. He reached for her hand, halting her movement. Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated through the room, and the opposite side of the door disintegrated as if consumed.
Zumi and Gia stood frozen in fear as a wave of bloodlust washed over them, sending shivers down their spines and making their hearts race with dread. The air around them felt heavy and oppressive, pressing down on them with a weight that threatened to crush them.
Their minds clouded with a primal urge to kill, to destroy, to unleash their most savage instincts upon the world. Gia's eyes widened in terror as she felt the darkness of the bloodlust seeping into her soul, threatening to consume her from within.
But just as Zumi felt himself teetering on the edge of madness, he jolted back to clarity. With fierce determination burning in his eyes, he reached for his bow staff and spun around to face the source of the bloodlust.
A man stood before them, his eyes ablaze with a twisted hunger for violence. He bore down on them with a malevolent grin, hands outstretched to strike them down with ferocity that sent chills down their spines.
But Zumi, wielding the bow staff, was not about to be taken down by this monster. With a swift and fluid motion, he lunged forward, his weapon slicing through the air with deadly precision. The man's eyes widened in shock as he felt the sharp sting of the staff striking his flesh, causing him to stumble back in pain.
Gia watched in awe as their attacker fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the bloodlust he had unleashed began to fade away.
Zumi and Gia breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to have escaped the clutches of death that had seemed so close mere moments before.
As they stood there, catching their breath and trying to make sense of what had just happened, Zumi attempted to step on the man's face. Yet, to his surprise, he stepped into thin air; the man vanished and reappeared a few feet away, holding his face in shock.
Amid the moonlit night, the air crackled with tension as Zumi faced off against the mysterious assassin, a shadowy figure cloaked in deadly skill.
With muscles rippling and fierce determination in his eyes, Zumi stood his ground as the assassin moved with lethal grace. The clash began with lightning speed, Zumi's Shaolin martial arts meeting the assassin's expert techniques in a whirlwind of blows and strikes.
Zumi's enhanced eyesight and ability to see in the dark gave him an edge, allowing him to anticipate the assassin's moves. However, the assassin's strength, honed through years of training in assassination, proved to be a formidable challenge even for the mighty Zumi.
As the battle raged on, Gia watched in awe, her eyes wide with disbelief at the incredible display of skill and power unfolding before her. Zumi and the assassin moved with such speed and precision that it was almost as if they were dancing a deadly dance under the moon's pale light.
After a few intense minutes of combat, Zumi, feeling the strain of the fight, made a strategic retreat, his breath heavy and muscles weary. With a knowing look, he told the assassin their paths would cross again before summoning the last of his strength.
With a swift movement of his staff, Zumi created a powerful gust of wind, stirring up a cloud of dirt and confusion. In that moment of chaos, he seized Gia and, moving at the speed of sound, made a daring escape into the night, leaving the assassin behind in a swirl of dust and uncertainty.
As they disappeared into the darkness, the echoes of their battle lingered in the air, a testament to the clash of two powerful forces and the promise of a future confrontation yet to come.
Zumi stumbled into an abandoned house, his breath ragged and his body weary from the intense battle. With a heavy thud, he gently placed Gia on the dusty floor and sank down beside her, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath in the dimly lit room.
"I don't think he will find us now," Zumi managed to say between gasps, his voice strained. Gia, still wide-eyed and in awe at the incredible display of strength and skill she had just witnessed, looked at Zumi with newfound admiration and respect.
In that moment, as the dust settled around them and the echoes of their escape faded into the silence of the abandoned house, Gia made a silent vow to herself. She decided that she would serve Zumi, the mighty warrior and her savior with powers beyond imagination, for the rest of her life.
Suddenly, the system chimed: Ping! Gia's respect for you has reached the maximum of 10 out of 10. Gia's loyalty towards you has reached a maximum of 10 out of 10. Gia's intimacy towards you has reached a maximum of 10 out of 10.
As the words echoed within Zumi's mind, a sense of destiny and connection filled the air. The system, a mysterious force that seemed to govern their fates, declared that Gia had met the requirements to become a system connection character.
A quest was deemed unnecessary, with her loyalty, respect, and intimacy towards Zumi reaching their peak. Gia was officially recognized as a system character, bound to Zumi by an unbreakable bond.
From that moment on, Gia would never leave Zumi's side. Their lives, intertwined by fate and sealed by loyalty, would now walk a path together, facing whatever challenges and adventures lay ahead.