44 Something Seems Off
Twelve hours, Jack slept like a hibernating lion thanks to the calming atmosphere and the soothing temperature of the bar. He noticed the blanket that was laid on top of him.
Immediately after, Malkuth could be seen preparing something on the counter table.
"Morning there," Jack greeted her with enthusiasm.
"Here, your breakfast is ready,."
After a delicious meal, Jack tried to see the status of his tentacle.
[ Name: Petra Tentacle {Power Level 1}
Type: {Grappler >> Fighter} Upgrade in Progress > 30%
Length: 138cm(+2)
Width: 26cm-12cm
Weight: 17kg
Kinetic Strength: 55kg
Toughness: F
Regeneration: G
Growth Rate: F
Unique Feature: Suction Pads]
"Malkuth, can you give me my current stats within the universal system?" Jack said with a wide smile.
"You can try to flick your finger upward above the counter."
[<<Name: Jack Armstrong (With no Petra Tentacle)
<<Species: Forbidden Bearer
<<Level: 122
<<Type: Psychic Beast
<<Strength: 8.2
<<Agility: 13.9
<<Intelligence: 68.7
<<Survivability: 599.8
<<Fortitude: 202.2
<<Ability: Unknown
<<Trait: Unknown ]
"'With no Petra Tentacle', that is a neat indication to differentiate the status of my both states." Jack caressed his chin. "Eight times stronger than a normal human, huh. Did something change when I fell asleep?"
"Your original strength without the influence of One Sin And One Hundred Good Deeds and Petra Tentacle as a whole was supposed to be 5.1, that is a 3.1+ increase after your body used the nourishment I served to repair some of the body cells through the physical trauma."
"Huh, that is a lot of increase in just a single nap!"
"I wouldn't really call a twelve hours of resting as a nap."
"Still absurd regardless, is it related to the food I consumed?"
"Correct." Malkuth threw a forced wink and finger gun while maintaining the same indifferent expression. "I'm just that talented, after all."
"Sometimes I forget that you're Sephiroth in any way."
"Though, do remember that the nourishment would mostly be utilized by the body if you suffered any kind of physical trauma. Otherwise, it will turn into flappy fats that will hang in front of your belly."
Jack wryly grinned. "That is one way to put it."
After some more liquor and vibing with the calming jazz on the bar, Jack grabbed his glaive. Malkuth gestured to him to go to the shelves on the right corner of this place, he noticed a row filled with an unlit lantern and picked up one of them. Malkuth helped with the preparation of it afterwards when Jack brought it to her.
After everything was done, Jack walked towards the glowing exit.
"Remember, you could only summon the 'door' once per day in real time," Malkuth casually added before Jack left the place.
"I'll be seeing you tomorrow then!"
Jack waved to Malkuth as if he was a husband who went off to work. The moment he exited the place, the door of light immediately shrank into nothingness.
"Time to continue where I left off."
[How is the experience?]
"A little bit too good, I say." Jack lightly chuckled with closed eyes. "It's a little bit unbelievable that I would be able to feel such comfort after the whole time I stepped out into this world."
[Don't worry, you will get used to it after a day passes by in this world. Although, are you sure to further proceed without your tentacle available?]
"I'm eight times stronger than a normal human. Unless I meet some random high leveled Players on my way, I think I'm fine."
[Regardless, after assessing your battle performance, I can safely assumed that you might be able to tackle level 300 and above with your battle experience and reaction alone_
[Because apparently, the universal system's stats assessment isn't that much reliable and precise when it comes to battle prowess, as the valued numbers were mostly a raw estimation of a recorded potential.]
"Especially now, where I'm at my best form." Jack confidently smiled as he struck a pose with his glaive. "I'll show them who's the veteran~!"
Both of his body and mind were currently brimming with energy in an obvious manner. Knowing that it was still the same tunnel that he entered, he wanted to see if it was further down the path if there were any left traps still triggerable.
To his surprise, the former location where the place was broken down by the Toxic Trap Slime was repaired or reverted as if it was the first time Jack went through here.
"Wait, doesn't that mean."
<<Level 120 Toxic Trap Slime is coming at you at an alarming speed>>
"It's the very same type of sentence!"
Jack avoided most of the dangerous locations and did the same to determine the place where the red slime would come out. The moment his brain noticed that there would be a potential threat within his vicinity, the straight blade of his glaive unleashed a burning white vapor.
'Huh?'
As soon as the Toxic Trap Slime came out from the crevice of the trap triggers tile, Jack deliberately thrust his glaive before slashing upward and down. The burning white substance from the glaive stayed on the red gel and corroded the entirety of the slime like a raging wildfire.
And just like that, Jack had finished his annoying nemesis without exploding a rock or two.
[One could say that you've improved. Although, the glaive was the MVP of this fight.]
The burning white vapor dissipated right after, Jack cradled it to his other hand and gazed on it before he analyzed what happened.
"This is a rather powerful partner to have." He could see his own face on the clear metallic surface of the blade.
As Jack went on with his journey to the exit, he noticed more and more that things were getting reversed. Either that or he went back into the past.
"What is happening?"
The very same skeleton with the strong safety equipment set was there right in front him, shimmered by the light of his lantern.
[Something seems off.]
"Oh well, it's a free equipment restoration. Hah!"
Jack then switched his damaged safety sets from the boots, pants, jacket, and helmet with the one that the corpse had once again. There was no sign of the improvised clothing that he left behind.
On the far side of the tunnel within his vision, he noticed a mysterious illumination.
