The night after the ambush, JP sat beside the dwindling campfire, exhaustion weighing on his limbs. His pack was scuffed, his clothes torn, and his nerves still raw from the fight. Lyra had already drifted into a light sleep, her blade resting across her lap.
But JP couldn't sleep. Something inside him itched. The memory of those glowing panels—the "status board" his niece once rambled about back on Earth—kept tugging at him.
"…Status," he muttered under his breath.
And then, it appeared.
Name: JP (Electrician → Alchemist-Inventor)Level: 6 → 8HP: 120 / 160MP: 90 / 120Strength: 14Endurance: 16Dexterity: 18Intelligence: 21Luck: 8
Skills Acquired:– Appraisal (Lv. 3) – Greater detail, broader range.– Tinker's Insight (New) – While crafting, automatically highlights weak points in design.– Pulse Craft (New) – Infuses small objects with temporary electrical charge.– Basic Combat Instinct (New) – Slightly enhances reaction time when in danger.
JP's eyes widened. "So that fight… pushed me up."
He scrolled through the shimmering words, excitement and fear mixing in his chest. He wasn't just surviving anymore—he was evolving.
The Tinker's Insight explained why his last few inventions had come together more easily, as if invisible hands guided him. The Pulse Craft ability, though… that was dangerous. It meant he could weaponize even scraps of metal or wood with electrical bursts.
He clenched his fists. "If I can keep growing like this, I won't just survive in a city. I'll thrive."
For the first time since waking in this strange world, JP didn't just feel like a lost electrician. He felt like an adventurer.
Behind him, Lyra stirred faintly, her silver eyes cracking open. She didn't speak, but she studied the faint blue glow around JP as he closed the board. Her thoughts remained hidden, but her lips curved faintly.
"You're changing," she whispered.
And JP knew she was right.