"This is my territory! Who gave you permission to move in?!"
"Hey." Saitama looked up curiously at the lamppost monster with its grotesque human features. "Do I have to pay you rent? I don't have any money though."
"Stay for free without money? No, this isn't about money!" The streetlamp monster spread its skinny, stick-thin body. The face formed by the lamp head grinned hideously. "Since you're here, you might as well die! Ahahahaha—"
Thunder roared.
Jordan activated his Lightning Mode and leaped onto the streetlamp monster's head mid-laugh.
Kennen was clearly designed as a ranged assassin, but in Jordan's hands, the character became pure melee bruiser.
Why bother stacking passives when you can kill with one punch? That's the true essence of battle mage philosophy!
Without preamble, he gathered crackling lightning in his right fist, pulled back like drawing a bow, and threw a straightforward punch under the streetlamp monster's beady-eyed gaze.
Metal meant nothing before a lightning-wrapped fist. The lamppost shattered with a single strike. The remaining body exploded into twisted scrap metal, electricity arcing through the wreckage.
"Next time you meet a weakling who likes to monologue, just kill it."
Saitama's eyes gleamed with admiration. He strongly agreed with Jordan's philosophy.
Using telekinesis, Jordan repaired and leveled the ground damaged by the monster. He dumped the streetlamp corpse at a nearby unfinished construction site, then disassembled the monster card to absorb its attributes.
This guy looked tall and imposing but was all show. Strength barely Tiger-level. The attributes extracted were negligible, equivalent to maybe one or two N-rank Strength cards.
Evening
As the sun set, Saitama finished tidying his room and officially moved in. Jordan brought out hot pot ingredients and beer prepared beforehand to celebrate.
When battle resumed in a different context, Saitama's fighting power increased dramatically. He stuffed piping hot food into his mouth without flinching. His resistance to spicy broth had clearly leveled up.
Shocked, Jordan had no choice but to switch to serious mode. Only then could he barely eat his fill under Saitama's relentless assault.
"Dishwashing duty is yours. I'm out!"
Watching the irresponsible policeman leisurely fly away from the balcony, Saitama, sprawled contentedly on the floor, rubbed his satisfied stomach. Already anticipating their next battle.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Fragment] x20
One hot pot meal completed the collection. The Stand finally signaled it could fuse them.
Fortunately, it only required double the fragments compared to the first fusion.
Jordan breathed a sigh of relief. He'd originally feared the second Limiter Break would require at least a hundred fragments.
On the flight home, card fusion completed.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Break ACT2]
Type: Special Card • Rarity: N
Formed from unknown fragment fusion. Conceptual power originally invisible and intangible.
Effect 1: Restriction Removed
Designate any target to break through one racial growth limit.
Effect 2: Controllable Breakthrough
Choose a specific attribute of any target to break through racial growth limitations.
The familiar bald Saitama appeared on the card again. Jordan's eyes lit up. Limiter Break ACT2, fused from twenty fragments, was definitely more powerful!
The half-tier rarity increase was negligible. The newly added Effect 2, "Controllable Breakthrough," was practically tailor-made for him.
Huh. Why isn't the Stand fighting over it this time?
Jordan summoned his Stand in confusion. The deck of fantasy cards, whose thickness never changed, sent a pitiful message.
So full... still digesting...
Pfft. You little garbage, no willpower at all!
The fantasy card suffered merciless mockery before being dismissed back into the void. Jordan quickly showered, wrapped a towel around his waist, and walked out of the bathroom.
His body, perfect as if cast from steel, glistened with water droplets. Every muscle line held nearly perfect proportion.
Damn, I'm handsome!
After admiring his reflection for a moment, Jordan steeled himself and pressed the newly acquired limiter card against his chest.
Heat exploded through his body.
A molten, searing sensation erupted from his heart and spread throughout his entire body in an instant!
Jordan startled. He checked the floor beneath his feet first. Intact.
The surging heat from the card was locked entirely inside his body.
He forced himself to relax. Immerse completely in this unprecedented species evolution.
The first benefit came as comprehensive improvement across all attributes and abilities.
Under the Stand system, his four-dimensional attributes rose rapidly. Reaching their peak. Ignoring racial limits entirely. Breaking through. Continuing to break through!
Flesh and blood ran rampant. His soul ascended!
Compared to daily card draws and dismantled monster cards, the changes brought by Limiter Break were like leaping from the steam revolution to the nuclear age. The magnitude existed on entirely different dimensions!
Next came the various abilities Jordan possessed.
Spider-Sense UP↗
Psychic Power UP↗
A Punch Honed Over Twenty Years UP↗
Flowing Water Breathing Technique + Instantaneous Movement → Flowing Water Rock Smashing Fist - Fragment
Though few in number, only the finest abilities were refined simultaneously. Power, speed, efficiency, proficiency all increased dramatically.
In martial arts terms, progression from initial glimpse to basic understanding, then straight through to mastery and expertise!
Everything happened naturally. No obstacles whatsoever.
Once everything settled, the burning sensation enveloping his body receded like a tide.
But the enhancement process wasn't finished.
Strength. Speed. Constitution. Spirit.
Four attribute options appeared before his eyes like a retinal projection.
As Jordan's gaze focused on his already-chosen option, the energy that had been restricting breakthrough surged forth once more!
Blue spiritual power broke through the sea of consciousness between his brows, spreading continuously into the real world. Countless polygonal force field planes, centered on Jordan, constantly appeared and vanished.
In an instant, Jordan heard groaning. The apartment building's internal structure protesting under immense pressure.
He jolted awake.
His spontaneously expanding psychic power had already enveloped the entire building. From above, blue light resembled neon signage, clearly marking the apartment structure against the ground.
Under Jordan's control, the telekinetic power began subsiding. The apartment building, which had endured unbearable weight, gradually stabilized.
But the crisis wasn't over. He discovered his usually docile psychic power showing signs of losing control!
He glanced at the night sky outside his window. Quick decision made.
Driven by immense psychic power, his body flashed out of the apartment. Simultaneously, an exceptionally solid AT Field materialized beneath his feet.