"Hello? Is this the Z-City branch of the Hero Association? This is Hoop-Star Kun, B-Class, Rank 309. Look, the intel your department provided was a total disaster! That monster wasn't just a 'Tiger' threat, it was a full-blown Demon-level evolution..."
Hoop-Star Kun paced back and forth on the sidewalk, his designer overalls stained with dust and rabbit blood. He clutched his satellite phone, his voice echoing with a mixture of adrenaline-fueled fury and lingering terror.
"You're saying the monster evolved into a Demon-level threat mid-combat?"
In the high-tech, fluorescent-lit hub of the Z-City Hero Association headquarters, Gin Jiro - the Section Chief of the Intelligence Department, felt his eye twitch. This was a catastrophic professional error. In their line of work, data wasn't just numbers on a spreadsheet; it was the difference between a hero coming home or being scraped off the asphalt.
"Yes! There was absolutely zero warning in your briefing that this thing had adaptive regenerative properties!" Hoop-Star Kun snapped.
Listening to the rage on the other end, Gin Jiro did his best to maintain his "customer service" voice. He was a young man who had climbed the corporate ladder of the Association through sheer efficiency and a knack for spin control. But even as he apologized, doubt began to creep into his mind.
According to the internal database, the three heroes dispatched to the scene, a B-Class and two C-Class rookies didn't have the combined firepower to scratch a Demon-level threat. A "Demon" was defined by its ability to halt the functioning of an entire city.
"B-Class Hero Hoop-Star Kun," Gin Jiro started, his tone tactful yet probing. "If the monster truly reached Demon-level strength, I find myself curious... how did your team manage to neutralize it? From your voice, it doesn't sound like any of you sustained life-threatening injuries."
He didn't want to call the hero a liar, but the Association's early history was littered with low-ranked heroes exaggerating their exploits to climb the ranks. If three bottom-tier heroes could handle a Demon-level disaster, then Seiki, the head of the Combat Department wouldn't be pushing for the creation of a specialized "S-Class" tier.
"We didn't defeat it!" Hoop-Star Kun's voice dropped into a tone of pure, unadulterated reverence. "My idol did. He ended the fight using nothing but a pebble he picked up off the street. He flicked it, and that was it. Game over."
Gin Jiro's eyes lit up. He leaned closer to his terminal, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. Idol equals respect. A pebble equals massive power. Respect plus power equals a recruitment opportunity. "Could you describe this individual in detail?" Gin Jiro asked, his pulse quickening.
If he could scout a powerhouse capable of one-shotting a Demon-level threat, his department's earlier intelligence failure would be forgotten. It would be the ultimate "save" for his career.
"Describe him? You can't miss him," Hoop-Star Kun said breathlessly. "He has golden hair, piercing blue eyes, and three of the most badass scars I've ever seen across his face. He's a man of few words, totally stoic but he saved those civilians without a second thought. And the sound... man, his heartbeat sounds like a turbocharged engine revving up for a drag race."
While the Hero Association began their frantic search for the mystery man, Noah was currently lounging in a state of spectral comfort.
Inside the "Interrogation Room" of King's subconscious, Noah lay elegantly on his side, drifting a few inches above the white floor. He was currently in the middle of a post-battle debriefing with the System.
"So, what do you think is in the box?" Noah asked, his voice echoing in the empty void.
He raised his hand, and a shimmering, palm-sized treasure chest materialized from thin air. This was the Rare-grade loot dropped by the Rabbit Monster. According to the System's tooltips, these chests were the ultimate gacha, they could contain anything from a legendary weapon to a literal "End of the World" scenario.
Noah stared at the chest, a bead of spectral sweat forming on his brow. He was a naturally suspicious person. What if I open this and a black hole pops out? Or what if it's just a useless novelty item like a 'World's Best Stand' mug?
He gave a light chuckle, shaking his head to clear the intrusive thoughts. Should a man stop eating just because he might bite his tongue? Should a writer stop writing because they might run out of ideas?
Noah closed his eyes, took a deep, unnecessary breath of astral air, and shouted: "Open!"
As he willed the chest to unlock, a pillar of prismatic, seven-colored light erupted from the lid. The void was momentarily filled with a brilliance that would have blinded a living person. When the light subsided, the chest was gone, replaced by an ancient-looking parchment scroll that floated gently into Noah's hand.
[Item: Attribute Adjustment Scroll]
- Description: A mysterious artifact created by a legendary mage who hit a developmental bottleneck. In a fit of cosmic rage, he questioned why his "Charisma" and "Stamina" stats were so high when he only wanted to be smarter.
- Effect: Allows the user to permanently decrease one designated stat to increase another.
"Now this... this is exactly what I needed," Noah muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He didn't hesitate. He tore the scroll in half, activating its magic.
"I want to lower my Range to increase my Destructive Power."
As he spoke the words, the parchment dissolved into golden embers that swirled around his soul. Noah felt a strange, tingling sensation, like invisible hands were kneading his very essence, reshaping his metaphysical "muscles." When the feeling passed, he immediately summoned his updated status panel.
[Character Panel: NOAH]
- Stand Name: Emperor Engine
- Stats:
Destructive Power: B (Upgraded)
Speed: B
Range: C (Decreased)
Persistence: B
Growth Potential: A
Precision: C
Note: Stats are currently "diluted" by the User's mental state.
Looking at that "B" in Destructive Power, Noah let out a satisfied laugh. He had taken his first real step toward true power. Sacrificing Range was a tactical necessity. As King's bodyguard, Noah didn't need to be able to hit someone from three blocks away. He needed to be able to delete anyone who got within arm's reach of his "host."
To protect King was to protect his own ticket home. In this world, the life of your partner was your own life.
"System? You there? I've got a question," Noah said, sitting back down on the white floor.
"I'm here, Noah~"
The System's voice had shifted again. It was no longer the sultry big sister or the manipulative damsel. It was cool, intellectual, and professional. The sudden change in "personality" made Noah's skin crawl slightly.
"Tell me," Noah began, his expression hardening. "Why is there such a massive discrepancy between my power in this 'Soul State' and my power when I'm actually attached to King? When I'm merged with him, I feel like I'm fighting in slow motion. But when I detached to flick that pebble... I felt like I could have punched a hole in the moon."
Noah had realized the gap the moment the Rabbit Monster died. Attached to King, he was a mid-tier hero at best. Detached, he was a god.
"Think about it, Big Brother~" the System teased, its voice regaining a bit of its playful edge. "Have you considered that your strength in your 'Stand Soul State' is your true, unfiltered potential? When you are attached to King, you aren't just a Stand, you are a part of him. You are subject to his fears, his physical limitations, and his subconscious mental blocks."
Noah's pupils constricted. He wasn't a fool; he understood the implication immediately.
"In my Soul State, I am my complete self," Noah whispered. "But when I'm merged with King, I'm an incomplete version. I'm being throttled by his anxiety."
He thought back to the legendary battles he'd seen in media before transmigrating. In the most desperate fights, the most powerful warriors always manifested their spirits fully. They didn't just "buff" themselves; they summoned a separate entity to do the heavy lifting.
"So," Noah said, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "If I want to exert 100% of my power, I have to step out of the shadows. I have to be the one who stands in front."
[Bingo!] the System chimed. [But remember, Host: if you are outside King's body, he is completely vulnerable. And if he dies while you're busy being a 'Soul State' badass... well, you go down with the ship.]
Noah stood up, his golden armor clanking softly. He looked at his hands, feeling the newfound weight of his B-Rank destructive power.
"Vulnerable, huh? Then I'll just have to make sure nothing lives long enough to reach him."
Down below, in the real world, King was finally walking through his front door, his hands trembling as he clutched a bag containing a limited-edition dating sim. He had no idea that his "inner ghost" had just traded a portion of his "reach" for the power to shatter mountains.
All King wanted was a soda. But Noah knew that tomorrow, the Hero Association would come knocking. And when they did, he had to be ready to show them why King was the "Strongest Man on Earth"—even if Noah had to do all the work.