With only 2% of the human population remaining after a year of monster invasions from another dimension, encountering another human in the devastated urban environment was rarer than winning the lottery.
Especially in Tokyo, Japan, which was the first country hit by countless waves of monsters emerging from dimensional portals. As a result, the number of humans left across all of Japan didn't even reach three digits.
From what Charlie heard from Kei, the girl had survived alone for nearly four months.
Kei always avoided interactions with others for her own safety. She was fully aware that she was a beautiful girl, and even though she tried to hide her beauty with a deliberately dirty appearance, it was only a weak protection.
If caught by a group of men, she would likely be reduced to nothing more than a sex toy.
In a post-apocalyptic world like this, the worst side of humanity often revealed itself completely.
Back to the main topic.
After testing his flying speed, which now reached the Second Cosmic Velocity, Charlie shifted to measuring how much his raw strength had increased after promoting to Level 6.
Through a series of tests conducted amid the city ruins, he finally found the answer.
"My punching power reaches 15 tons, equivalent to MCU Spider-Man's Tom Holland version."
Standing in the lifeless metropolitan area shrouded in a gray sky by dust clouds, Charlie felt a slight regret for rushing the level-up, leaving an information gap.
"Unfortunately, I didn't get to know how much improvement the Strong Body Development Ability brought when it rose to Rank H."
"Back when I was still Level 5 with Strong Body at Rank I, my punching power was only 2 tons. If I had measured after Strong Body rose to Rank H, my raw strength might have already jumped to 6–10 tons. And now, after reaching Level 6, my raw strength increased again. The combination of Level 6 and Strong Body Rank H gives me 15 tons of raw power."
Charlie was certainly happy with his strength increase. The feeling of becoming stronger never bored him.
"Flying speed and raw strength are known. The remaining issue is adaptation. The sudden significant power boost causes slight inconsistencies in motor nerves and body coordination."
With his goals achieved, Charlie had no intention of lingering outside.
*SHUUU!*
*BOOM-WHOOSH!*
A gust of wind enveloped his body, making him hover in the air. By exerting Wind Spirit Art, his figure shot like lightning, breaking the sound barrier and leaving a loud booming sound echoing among the collapsed buildings.
In an instant, he vanished from sight, leaving the dead city that was once the center of human civilization.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Less than ten seconds.
For Charlie, ten seconds was enough to cross dozens of kilometers with his new speed. In just a flash of wind and a delayed sonic boom, he was already back at the uninhabited house they used as a temporary base.
His new speed truly changed his perception of distance.
"Welcome back, Onii-chan."
That was the greeting from Est, his Holy Sword Spirit.
Her petite figure and unparalleled beautiful face could drive pedophiles insane—bold enough to try catching her and stuffing her into a sack, even at the risk of getting arrested by the police.
However, Est's expression was always flat, like the finest doll. Even Charlie, as her contractor, often couldn't read what the cute girl was thinking.
"Charlie looks happy. It seems the results were very good."
This time, the monotone voice came from Aishia.
Like Est, Aishia was a High-Rank Spirit, but her form was different. She didn't appear as a petite girl but as a teenage high school girl.
If Aishia went to school, she would surely be the primadonna: a primadonna with a sea of male suitors, and simultaneously hated by jealous women for her natural beauty.
"Do I look that obvious? What kind of expression is on my face, Kei?"
Charlie touched his temple, feeling nothing unusual with his expression. He then asked Kei, the survivor girl they had saved.
"Aishia-san is right. At a glance, people can tell Charlie-san is in a good mood. Like people who win at pachinko."
"Next time, choose a better metaphor, Kei."
The corner of Charlie's mouth twitched. He was somewhat offended to be compared to gamblers whose brains, in his opinion, were already damaged by pachinko machine addiction.
"So, what's Charlie's next plan?"
"Gathering survivors in one place to protect them from monster threats, exterminating monsters and destroying portals, or searching for your two comrades, Wang Jian and Elena?"
After Charlie sat on the dusty mattress, Aishia asked gently.
As contracted spirits, Aishia and Est would follow Charlie's orders no matter what, even if he commanded things outside the norm.
In the corner of the room, Kei listened seriously. She wanted to know Charlie's plan, which could very well determine the fate of this world.
"Before discussing that, I need to adapt to my new power. Will you be my sparring partner?"
Postponing an important decision for a bit shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, Charlie would soon regret this decision.
"Sure, I will."
Nodding lightly, Aishia agreed easily.
Thus, the four of them moved to the empty backyard behind the house.
Est and Kei observed from the edge, with Est standing calmly while Kei was slightly nervous watching what was about to happen.
Charlie and Aishia faced each other several meters apart. They agreed to use only physical strength without involving Spirit Art or other special abilities.
The purpose of this sparring was purely to help Charlie adapt to his power increase, not about winning or losing.
Without further words, Charlie and Aishia gave each other a small nod. That was the only signal before starting.
*WHOMP!*
Charlie's first punch slammed into where Aishia stood a tenth of a second earlier, creating a two-meter-wide crater in the ground. Dust and gravel flew before touching the ground, swept away by the accompanying shockwave.
Aishia had already shifted position, her slender hand striking toward Charlie's neck. He blocked with his forearm—
*CRACK-BOOM!*
A thunder-like sound shook the area as their collision created a pressure wave that shattered the windows of empty houses around them. Kei had to cover her ears, her eyes struggling to follow movements that were nearly impossible to see.
*WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!*
They chased each other in high-speed blurs. Charlie's feet slammed into the ground, leaving spiderweb-like cracks every time he maneuvered. On the other hand, Aishia was lighter and more elegant, barely touching the ground, gliding like a leaf blown by a typhoon.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
A series of punches exchanged in a deadly rhythm. Each impact created mini sonic booms that shook the air. Charlie moved with overflowing raw power—too strong and too fast—while Aishia responded with perfect precision, every movement measured and efficient.
One of Charlie's punches missed, his fist only hitting air but enough to tear a five-meter line in the ground, splitting concrete debris like a hot knife through butter.
*BAM!*
Aishia countered with a low kick that made Charlie stumble. He nearly fell but spun unsteadily, his other arm sweeping sideways and unintentionally toppling a already-damaged utility pole.
*BANG!*
The iron pole fell with a loud crash, adding to the chaos in the battlefield.
(No matter how many times I see it, this isn't power a human should have…)
Kei's eyes tried to follow, but all she could see were flashes of movement, explosions of dust, and trails of destruction left behind. It was as if two forces of nature were clashing, each too fast to see, too strong to comprehend.
"Huuu…"
Charlie finally managed to adjust his rhythm, his punches becoming controlled, more focused. When his fist met Aishia's palm in the final clash—
*BOOOOM!*
The shockwave pushed Kei a step back, forcing her to hold onto the wall to stay standing.
"…"
Both paused for a moment, still in fighting stances, Charlie's breath slightly ragged while Aishia remained calm. Around them, the ground was a mess of craters and cracks—evidence of the power exchange that had just occurred.