Chapter 4: Opening the Portal

In the United States, there are many private farms.

The day after Rod placed his order, a healthy Belgian Blue cow was delivered from a nearby farm.

Standing before him was this massive creature, all muscle, its physique more exaggerated than even the most professional bodybuilders. Simply standing still, the cow exuded an intimidating presence.

In terms of size, the Belgian Blue was about 30% larger than an ordinary beef cow, with far more muscle mass. Its endurance and strength were exceptional. Of course, its price was also significantly higher than that of a regular cow.

Rod placed his hand on the cow.

"This is my first time sacrificing a living thing. Let's see if it works."

Sacrifice!

A bright light flashed from his hand. The Belgian Blue began to dissolve, starting with its flesh, bones, and organs. Eventually, even its soul was consumed by the sacrifice. The entire process was over in an instant, with no pain at all.

As the cow was sacrificed, Rod immediately felt an immense surge of power flow into his body. With every breath, his strength continued to increase.

After a few minutes, the rush of power stabilized. Rod opened his eyes and clenched his fist slowly.

He could feel that his strength had grown to an astonishing level.

"Even my clothes don't fit anymore."

Rod glanced down at his pant legs. His once perfectly fitted trousers now seemed short, as if they had shrunk. He had always been tall, standing over 180 cm (about 6 feet), but after sacrificing the cow, his height had shot up to over 190 cm (around 6'3"). Even in the United States, this was considered impressive.

Rod took off his shirt and walked into the bathroom.

Looking into the mirror, he saw his chiseled features, the sharp lines of his face. His body had a perfect ratio: broad shoulders, narrow waist, and every inch of his physique screamed power. His once soft belly now sported well-defined abs, as though he had spent years training in a gym.

His muscles were full and developed, as solid and strong as those of an ox. Even from a distance, anyone could feel the oppressive aura of strength he now radiated.

Rod rubbed his chin and couldn't help but feel a resemblance to Jotaro Kujo from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

In addition to the enhanced body he gained from sacrificing the Belgian Blue, Rod had also awakened a new ability: Rage Mode.

With a thought, Rod's whole body trembled.

In the next second, it felt like his blood was being pumped with air, rapidly coursing through his veins. His heartbeat echoed in his ears like the steady beat of a drum, getting faster and faster.

Rod watched in the mirror as his eyes reddened, his skin turning a deep crimson. His muscles swelled as if inflated, and within moments, his height shot up to nearly two meters (about 6'7").

However, the price of this transformation was the gradual loss of his rationality, as it was replaced by a primal, animalistic rage.

Rod's body slowly returned to normal, and he gasped for breath, his whole body aching. In just a few minutes, he had expended nearly half of his energy.

In Rage Mode, his physical capabilities exploded, increasing his strength and defense by two or three times. However, as a downside, his rational thinking was severely diminished, and his stamina was consumed at an accelerated rate. After the Rage Mode ended, he also experienced a half-hour period of weakness.

Although the side effects were significant, in critical situations, this ability could easily turn the tide of a fight.

With his current strength, he could only maintain Rage Mode for about ten minutes before exhausting all his energy. As such, he would need to use it sparingly and only in crucial moments.

"With this power, I should be able to explore the other side of the portal now."

Feeling the surge of strength in his body, Rod's confidence skyrocketed.

Although he had no idea what dangers might lie on the other side of the portal, his current abilities should be enough to keep him safe, even in the face of unexpected threats.

Still, it would be wise to prepare thoroughly, just in case.

In the United States, firearms were mostly legal in many areas, but purchasing them required a gun license and a permit. Fortunately, Rod had both.

He drove to a gun shop and bought one of each type of weapon: a handgun, a shotgun, an automatic rifle, and a sniper rifle. He also picked up several boxes of various types of ammunition and stored them all in his personal space.

There were no limits on how many firearms one could own in the U.S., but they did need to be registered at a designated location after purchase.

Rod had originally wanted to buy a few crates of grenades to store, but unfortunately, those were military-grade equipment, unavailable through regular channels. He had no choice but to give up on that idea.

After spending half the day gathering other supplies, like machetes, combat knives, and tactical gear, he stored everything in his personal space and went to bed, making sure he was well-rested and at peak condition.

The next morning, Rod called his professor and asked for three days off.

Once he was sure everything was ready, he took a deep breath and activated the portal.

Whoosh!

As the portal opened, a semi-transparent rift appeared before him. Holding a double-barrel shotgun in his hand, Rod slowly stepped through the portal.