Hearing the system's suggestion, Zayne was quite conflicted, but he still decisively refused.
'I don't lack power now, so I can wait for the second simulation. Even if not for that, I have no plans to kill someone who hasn't offended me.'
'I won't mind causing a genocide or doing heinous, abhorrent crimes in the doomsday life simulation if it's for the sake of becoming stronger.'
'After all, everything in the simulation will have no effect in reality. But the real world is different. If I wantonly kill people here, they'll truly die.'
'If I was in desperate need to increase my power, I am still flexible enough and won't mind killing Jade. But it's not that serious yet, and my power is more than enough to survive the first week, or even the first month in the real world.'
Simply put, Zayne knew that if even with his power, he couldn't survive the Apocalypse World Update Era's first month, then humanity was as good as dead.
Spending a year in the Global Ocean Survival World, he knew just how powerful he had become.
Any mass weapon of destruction that humanity had created, such as nukes, would be useless against him. He could easily seal the surroundings and prevent them from harming him.
He also knew that the Zombie Apocalypse World wasn't that dangerous, as the zombie virus wasn't a threat to him due to his Stage 5 Abyss Sovereign Body.
While Zayne thought so, he soon finished healing Jade's injured arm with the healing fish scale paste.
Just as he was about to leave and head to the computer lab to find Alan, Jade interrupted him as she requested, "Can you protect me forever? It won't be for free, I'll use my talent on you!"
Hearing Jade's request, Zayne's interest was piqued as he shifted his gaze towards her.
True to her name, Jade Willows's hair was as green and lustrous as jade. Her beautiful jade-green eyes stared at him with anticipation.
Her skin was white as milk and as smooth as jade. Her figure was even voluptuous and slender, with a C-cup bust and long legs in black silk stockings that would tempt any man to play with it.
Zayne admitted she was truly beautiful, and he even knew her as she was the one of the school beauties in their college.
The only reason he had ignored her and wasn't tempted was due to him encountering a group of charming mermaids in the Global Ocean Survival World, which increased his resistance to charm.
In other words, if Jade weren't beautiful, then those male students wouldn't have hurried to protect her from those zombies.
Kurt's intentions might be pure, as he had a high moral compass and truly wanted to save a fellow student, but the other male students simply assisted due to wanting to gain Jade's favor.
What interested Zayne more was Jade daring to request him to protect her "forever". Wasn't that simply a confession?
Even if not a confession, in the end, it won't be much different, as not all married couples would be loyal to each other forever, let alone protect each other.
'What I find baffling is that she clearly has an SSS-rank innate talent. With such a god-given blessing, even if her talent isn't for combat, she shouldn't be troubled enough to be under me and let her be protected by me forever.'
'Unless, despite her talent being an SSS-rank, it's useless for her and can only be used to bargain for a powerful person to protect her?'
While Zayne was wondering about that, he decided it was better to ask the person in question.
Without any hesitation, Zayne created a metal chain and used it to wrap Jade and lift her.
Amidst their shock, Zayne used his chains to maneuver in the air until he eventually arrived at a school building's roof deck.
The edges of the roof deck were surrounded by tall metal fences to prevent students from falling or jumping off.
There wasn't anyone present, but Zayne still used his sealing ability to seal the surroundings and prevent others from eavesdropping.
"No one's here, and I've sealed the surroundings. Now, tell me what your innate talent is and the reason why you want me to protect you, as that will determine whether I accept your offer or not."
Listening to Zayne's straightforward words, Jade was glad that he was as reasonable and blunt as she expected him to be.
Since she wanted Zayne to protect her forever, she naturally decided to be with Zayne and trusted his character, or else she wouldn't have proposed such an absurd offer.
Not planning to lie to him, Jade didn't withhold any information as she answered, "My SSS-rank innate talent is called 'Innate Talent Upgrade'."
"I can upgrade another person's innate talent to SSS-rank if their talent isn't at SSS-rank. But if it is, then their innate talent can be upgraded to a rank above SSS-rank."
"However, I can't use this talent on myself, nor can I use it multiple times. It's only a one-time use talent, and after I use it, I won't have any innate talent anymore."