"Let's look at the next one."
Holding an apple in his mouth, Fuli turned to the second item, which was also the first B-rank ability.
[Name: Human Immortal Dao]
[Rank: B]
[Type: Passive]
[Effect: Based on the various organs within the human body used for absorbing energy, this creates a perfect digestive system. This system can instantly decompose ingested substances and convert the absorbed nutrients into Honkai Energy.
Simultaneously, the user can infuse their saliva with Honkai Energy to produce a lethal corrosive effect on all matter, especially organic matter, facilitating consumption.
This ability allows for the perfect intake of nutrients. Consequently, the user's vitality will become increasingly vigorous, their qi will gradually harmonize with heaven and earth, and they will almost cease to age.]
[Note: An immortal is a thief. What do they steal? The myriad things of heaven and earth.]
He swallowed a mouthful of apple. "This is nice."
[The D-rank Presence Concealment is a byproduct of this ability.] Prometheus popped her head out like a cat. [Will the Host use saliva to attack enemies?]
Her slightly expectant little eyes were super cute.
"That style is definitely a bit weird."
Fuli didn't say whether he would use it or not. He focused on the changes in his body and exhaled.
"My basic stats have improved a bit, and particles in the air are constantly gathering into my body... Does 'breathing' count as a form of 'ingestion'? That's quite convenient."
Just like the spiritual qi in high-magic worlds, the atmosphere of the Honkai world also contained Honkai Energy invisible to the naked eye.
Usually, this Honkai Energy was inert, like helium or neon, and could only be manipulated through specific methods.
Examples included Honkai-based technology, spells and skills that controlled Honkai Energy, or cultivation techniques passed down from Shenzhou.
"Following this classification, the Human Immortal Dao counts as a cultivation technique." Fuli scanned the character panel. "So, does the 'Passive' column in the panel refer to abilities that run continuously?"
[Yes.] The little AI confirmed. [Of the three categories related to skills on the panel, 'Passive' represents abilities that run perpetually, 'Status' symbolizes buff-type skills that last for a certain duration, and 'Active' refers to moves and methods for instantaneous bursts.]
She moved her slender, jointed fingers. [For example, the Partial Expansion Jutsu in the Host's 'Status' column.]
[Name: Partial Expansion Jutsu]
[Rank: D]
[Type: Status]
[Description: Allows a specific part of the body to enlarge up to five times its size and become as hard as iron. The multiplier can be freely adjusted between 0 and 5. Can be used for attacks or defense.]
[Note: Don't force it in; people will die.]
[This is a quintessential status-type skill. The effect and duration depend on the energy input by the Host.]
Here, the little AI paused.
She narrowed her magnificent, ruby-like eyes, closely observing Fuli's expression.
Finding that this guy seemingly had no reaction to keywords like "specific body part," "enlarge five times," or "hard as iron," she continued with mixed feelings:
[It is surprising that the Host failed to draw a single Active-type skill, but I likely do not need to provide specific examples for that category.]
"Mm."
Holding a half-gnawed wooden stool leg in one hand while chewing on something indecipherable, Fuli spoke vaguely:
"I feel like I can understand most of the items in the Items column just by looking at their names, but what is that Galactic Baseball Bat?"
[This.]
Prometheus pulled out a thick baseball bat nearly a meter long from under her skirt.
The bat was quite good-looking. The grip was a futuristic combination of black and gold, while the barrel was engraved with shimmering crystal-blue patterns.
[Name: Galactic Baseball Bat]
[Rank: C]
[Category: Item/Armament]
[Description: A bat-type item from a future world. Extremely sturdy and capable of dealing massive blunt damage. Also features a 'Hidden Edge' mode.
Hidden Edge Mode: This armament possesses the properties of a scabbard. The holder can sheathe bladed weapons up to two meters long inside it. Once sheathed, it automatically begins charging.
The longer the charge time, the greater the power of the slash upon drawing. Limit one strike.]
[Note: Rules are made to be broken!]
A sharp swish of air sliced through the cramped apartment room. Swinging the Galactic Baseball Bat in his hand, Fuli couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "As everyone knows, compared to baseball's fame in the sports world, the baseball bat's influence in the world of cold weapons is far superior."
Lacking a dimensional storage item at the moment, this thing was the weapon least likely to raise alarms with the police.
Seeing him put the bat away with satisfaction, the floating little AI leaned in. [The Host seems very happy.]
"Of course."
Fingers tapping incessantly on the table, Fuli finally couldn't hold back his true thoughts from the girl—the only one who knew his identity as a regressor.
"How should I put this? Prometheus, although I kept saying I was weak and unpresentable before, in reality, going from an ordinary person not even at D-rank to being just one step away from the legendary S-rank in just two short years... that level of talent would be top-tier even in those super-massive organizations."
How do large organizations cultivate promising juniors? And what was Fuli's situation, struggling alone in the mud?
It's like people competing for civil service jobs. Fresh graduates not only face no financial difficulties but also enjoy policy preferences for fresh grads, can sign up for prep classes, and devote themselves entirely to studying.
Meanwhile, a corporate wage slave has to face life pressures, exhausting work intensity, constant nitpicking from brain-dead bosses, and family members saying, *"Just study in your free time after work! The hardships I ate in my day were way worse than you pampered kids, blah blah blah!"*—full of assumptions and lack of understanding.
For Fuli to break through to the critical threshold in two years within such an environment—even if it was right before his death—his talent was definitely not lower than that of the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, "Bianka Durandal Ataegina," who was widely recognized as a cheater, constantly encountered fortuitous events, and reached S-rank in four years like a child of destiny.
However, even a Fuli like that had encountered monsters whose backs he could never hope to catch up to, no matter how hard he tried.
He closed his eyes, and the silhouettes of three beautiful figures—fellow survivors of Nagazora City—appeared before him.
If so-called "Children of the Destiny" really existed in this world, it had to be that bugged trio.
As the saying goes: Three parts destiny, seven parts hard work, ninety parts background. The old Fuli was indeed inferior to those three in terms of innate talent and background support. So much so that every coincidental reunion left him feeling battered, to the point of self-deprecatingly thinking, "Maybe a genius is just the threshold for seeing your backs."
But now?
The big boy opened his eyes again, his gaze burning intensely.