"This is my territory. Who allowed you to move in here without permission?!"
"Huh?" Saitama tilted his head up, curiously looking at the streetlight that had grown human facial features. "So you mean I have to pay rent to you? But I don't have any money."
"No money and you still want to live here for free? No, that's not the point!" The monster streetlight stretched its thin, stick-like body like a praying mantis. Its lamp head twisted into a grotesque face as it laughed wildly. "Since you're here, just die for me! Hahahaha… huh?!"
A thunderous crack echoed through the air.
Jason activated Lightning Chakra Mode and leapt to the top of the streetlight monster in a single bound.
The ability of "Stormheart" was originally a ranged assassin skill, but in Jason's hands, the character card had been forcibly turned into a melee build.
If one punch can kill it, why bother stacking buffs? That was the true philosophy of a mage going tank.
Without another word, crackling lightning condensed in his right hand. His body drew back like a drawn bow, then snapped forward. Under the streetlight monster's suddenly dumbfounded expression, he threw a completely unembellished punch.
BOOM!
Metal meant nothing before a fist wrapped in lightning. The streetlight's head shattered instantly, and the rest of its body was reduced to twisted scrap metal by the electrical surge.
"Next time you meet trash that talks too much, just kill it on the spot."
"Got it!" Saitama's eyes lit up, clearly agreeing with Jason's approach.
Jason used telekinesis to repair the damaged ground and tossed the monster's remains into a nearby abandoned construction site. Then he absorbed a wave of stats by dismantling the monster card.
It looked tall and intimidating, but it was actually weak, only around Tiger level. The stats it provided were negligible, roughly equivalent to one or two Strength N-rank cards.
The sun set. After tidying up the place, Saitama officially moved in, and Jason brought out hotpot ingredients and beer he had prepared in advance as a housewarming celebration.
This time, Saitama's combat efficiency during eating had clearly improved. He shoveled boiling food into his mouth without hesitation, and even gained noticeable resistance to spicy broth.
Jason, shocked, had to switch on serious mode just to keep up and barely get full under Saitama's relentless offensive.
"Burp…"
"Cleaning duty is yours. I'm heading out first."
Saitama: "…"
Watching the irresponsible policeman slowly fly away from the balcony, Saitama lay on the floor in satisfaction, rubbing his stomach. He was already looking forward to the next battle.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Fragment] ×20
[Fusion Available!]
After that hotpot, the card collection was finally complete, and the system avatar finally sent a fusion notification.
Fortunately, compared to the first fusion, the requirement only doubled.
Jason sighed in relief. He had originally thought the second "Limiter Breakthrough" would require at least a hundred fragments.
By the time he was on his way home, the fusion had already completed.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Breakthrough ACT2]
Card Type: Special Card
Rarity: N+
Description: A conceptual force formed from unknown fragments. Invisible, yet real.
Effect 1: Limiter Release
Select any entity and break one stage of its species growth limit.
Effect 2: Controlled Breakthrough
Select a single attribute of any entity and forcibly break its species growth limit.
Jason's eyes lit up as he looked at the card featuring Saitama's familiar bald silhouette. The fusion of twenty fragments had indeed made the card significantly stronger.
The slight increase in rarity was negligible. The real upgrade was the new Effect 2: Controlled Breakthrough. It felt tailor-made for him.
"Hm? Why aren't you stealing this one?"
Jason summoned his system avatar in confusion. The pile of fantasy cards in his hand, always the same thickness, transmitted a weak, aggrieved feeling.
"Too full. Still digesting…"
"Tch, useless thing. You've got no real strength."
The fantasy card was shoved back into the void by the ruthless mockery.
Jason quickly showered, wrapped a towel loosely around his waist, and stepped out.
Droplets of water glistened across his perfectly sculpted physique. Every muscle line looked like it had been carved by a master sculptor.
Damn, I'm handsome.
After admiring himself in the mirror for a moment, Jason prepared to use his newly obtained Limiter Breakthrough.
He pressed it into his chest.
It was hot. Extremely hot.
A molten surge erupted from his heart and spread across his entire body in an instant.
Jason was startled and quickly checked the floor beneath him. It was intact.
Only then did he realize the overwhelming heat was being tightly contained inside his body.
Relieved, he fully immersed himself in this unprecedented evolution of his species.
First came a full surge in attributes and abilities.
Under the Stand-like system, his four core stats skyrocketed. After reaching their peak, they broke through the limits of species itself and continued to rise.
Flesh surged. Soul ascended.
Compared to daily card draws and monster absorption, this was like jumping from the steam age straight into nuclear power. The difference in scale was absurd.
Then came his various abilities.
Spider Sense ↑
Telekinesis ↑
Twenty Years of Punching Power ↑
AT Field ↑
Flowing Breath Technique + Instant Step → Flowing Rock Fist (Incomplete)
Not many abilities, but all of them were refined at the same time. Power, speed, efficiency, mastery, everything improved dramatically.
In martial arts terms, he had gone from barely scratching the surface to full mastery.
Everything progressed naturally, without resistance.
When it all finally settled, the burning sensation faded like a tide.
But the evolution was not over yet.
Strength, speed, constitution, and spirit.
Four attributes appeared in his vision like a holographic interface.
Jason focused his will on the one he had already decided on.
The next moment, a second surge of Limiter energy erupted.
Spirit.
A deep blue psychic force burst from his consciousness, spreading into reality. Polygonal barrier planes flickered in and out of existence around him.
Creak, creak…
The building itself began to groan under the pressure.
Jason snapped back to awareness.
His telekinesis had already expanded across the entire apartment building. From above, the blue glow looked like neon lighting up the structure.
He quickly reined it in, stabilizing the building.
But something was wrong.
His normally obedient telekinesis was showing signs of going out of control.
He glanced at the night sky outside and made a decisive move.
His massive psychic force propelled his body out of the apartment like a flash of light.
At the same time, an unusually solid AT Field formed beneath his feet.