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Amidst the Devouring King's drops, Loli detected something else, shining with an aura even more intense than the others.
Vehicle Insignia (Universal) x 1 (Legendary): A rare and powerful Insignia required to level up a vehicle. Allows you to upgrade to the next global vehicle tier.
"Jhon! The Badge we needed to upgrade the bus to Level 3! It's here! Do you want to upgrade?" Loli asked, her voice vibrating with an enthusiasm Jhon rarely heard from her.
"Yes, Loli, but first," Jhon said, his mind already on the next step, "I want to add a few items before the final upgrade. Use the bird scales we collected, the rare metals we accumulated, and the skins (from the Ravager and the Lurker). I want to transform this monster on wheels into something nearly invisible and noiseless. And use the 200 cores from the B-Rank monster we killed—the Ancient Ravager cores—to increase the shuttle's energy consumption and speed."
"John, this is a risky combination! Using the cores to increase consumption can lead to rapid energy exhaustion if not managed well. And the materials... can fuse in unexpected ways for camouflage," Loli warned, her tone genuinely concerned.
"Do it," Jhon ordered, his voice unwavering. He trusted Loli, and he trusted his instincts.
"Understood, Jhon! Processing pre-upgrade enhancements. Injecting cores and fusing camouflage materials..." Loli replied.
A wave of energy coursed through the bus. The scales, metal, and skin dissolved into the vehicle's structure, its surfaces reconfiguring themselves. A barely perceptible murmur replaced the engine's roar, and the structure itself seemed to absorb the light, becoming a more diffuse silhouette against the backdrop.
"Now, Loli. Use the Badge. Upgrade to Level 3."
[Bus Upgraded to Level 3!]
Size: It grew six times its original size, expanding exponentially. It now occupied almost three lanes of the road, a veritable terrestrial Leviathan.
Agricultural Capabilities: The bus now had advanced hydroponic cultivation modules inside it, capable of growing its own vegetables, fruits, rice, and grains, ensuring food self-sufficiency.
Improved Armor: The armor was now nearly invisible to the naked eye, its surface absorbing light and sound, making the shuttle nearly invisible and noiseless when in stealth mode.
Speed and Consumption: Top speed increased exponentially, but so did power consumption, as John had ordered. Movement was smooth and silent, even at high speeds.
The bus was now a monster of biblical proportions, a self-sufficient and nearly undetectable mobile city.
Another valuable item emerged from the Devourer King's body.
Devouring King Meat x 50 (Legendary): Large portions of S-Rank monster meat. Consuming it gains power, endurance, and a significant increase in health. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Each portion randomly increases a different attribute.
"Loli, this meat...", Jhon began, looking at the pile of legendary meat.
"Yes, John. This meat is an invaluable resource," Loli confirmed. "Each serving can provide a permanent attribute boost or health extension. I recommend moderate and strategic consumption."
Jhon nodded. He carefully stored the meat. He also noticed the remaining claws of the monster and a small residual energy core.
"Loli, the remaining claws of the Ancient Rend and the rest of the monster's core... I want to forge another Katana. Let it be the sister of the Ancient's Shadow."
Loli beamed. "With pleasure, Jhon. A complementary masterpiece."
This time, the katana that emerged was a mirror image of the first. Its blade was a vibrant, almost flaming red, and its edge was an abysmal black. It radiated a heat that contrasted with the cold of the Shadow.
Ancestor's Blood Katana (MYTHIC): Forged from the claws and essence of the Ancestor Reaver. A blade of Blood Plasma edged with Arcane Obsidian. It shares the power of the Ancestor's Shadow. Together, they are the 'Worldkiller Sisters'.
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Returning to the main road was a surreal experience. The bus, now gigantic and nearly invisible, floated silently through the nighttime landscape. The 4D projections on the "windows" showed the outside world in stunning detail, but the reality was that no one but Jhon, Loli, and the passengers knew the true scale of the vehicle. Inside the bus, the ambiance was one of unimaginable luxury, a stark contrast to the devastation outside.
Jhon stood in the cockpit, watching the road through the projections, the Shadow Katana in one hand and the Blood Katana in the other. They pulsed in sync, an aura of power that Jhon now understood better. He was no longer just human. The integration of the Purified Demonic Heart had sealed his fate, transforming him into something more, something beyond. His senses were sharper, his perception of the world sharper.
As Loli guided the bus to a safe spot for the night, an area of dense forest that would now be completely swallowed by the vehicle's mass, Lua approached Jhon. Her blue eyes, under the soft lighting of the cabin, seemed deeper and more mysterious than ever. She sat in the seat next to Jhon, her soft scent of forest and something more exotic filling the air.
She watched him for a long moment, her eyes taking in every detail of him, from the new intensity in his gaze to the subtle aura that seemed to surround him. She reached out and lightly touched the hilt of the Blood Katana, feeling the subtle heat emanating from it.
"John," she began, her voice low and filled with a reverence John hadn't expected. She looked directly into his eyes, an intensity that made him feel completely exposed. "On my planet, in my culture... every woman follows the strongest man. The one who proves himself the most capable, the most powerful, the protector. She surrenders herself to him, her destiny intertwined with his, and she follows him to death, without question."
She paused, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I'm two hundred years old, John. And in all my life, in all the planets I've visited, in all the galaxies I've crossed... I've never found anyone to give myself to. Never a man who was truly worthy of my unconditional loyalty, or who possessed the strength to make me feel safe in such a chaotic universe."
His gaze intensified, becoming a soft but unquenchable flame. "Until I met you, John. You're unlike anything I've ever seen. You're... the strongest. You're my man. And I will follow you to the death."
Silence filled the cabin, broken only by the hum of the moving bus and the beating of Jhon's own heart, now enhanced and with a deeper, more powerful beat. Lua's declaration wasn't just a promise, it was an oath, a total surrender.
Jhon looked at Lua, at her blue eyes that shone with absolute devotion, at her beauty that seemed unreal. He felt the weight of her words, the responsibility they carried. He had become the leader of a group, a protector in a devastated world. And now, he had a companion who saw him not just as a survivor, but as a lord, a guide.
The promise of a harem, a concept he had barely considered in his previous world, was becoming a tangible reality. And with Lyra recovering in the infirmary, the future seemed to be shaping up in ways he could never have predicted. God's new world was, indeed, a place of constant surprises, unspeakable horrors, and unimaginable possibilities. And John, the Human-Demon, was ready to face them.