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Upon learning the quantity they needed to consume, Sparrow and Vulture swiftly darted towards the belt bag, each determined to retrieve ten crystal cores.

Once they secured the precise count, they hurried outside to cleanse them thoroughly.

The last thing they desired was to endure the nauseating stench of decay when ingesting them.

After ensuring that the crystal core had been thoroughly washed with soap several times, Sparrow and Vulture finally summoned the courage to place it in their mouths.

To their surprise, they were greeted with a sweet, candy-like taste.

Instantly, they glanced at each other, their expressions mirroring incredulity as if they couldn’t believe the crystal would taste like candy.

As the crystal melted on their tongues, they found themselves able to swallow it whole.

As the crystal core reached their stomachs, they experienced a gentle warmth spreading from their stomachs to every fiber of their bodies, feeling it reach every part until the sensation gradually faded away.

After trying the first crystal core, their hesitation diminished, and they found themselves less reluctant to consume the second, then the third, until they were devouring the crystal cores like peanuts.

They even considered putting everything in their mouth, until they heard Kisha’s voice echoing from inside the room, cautioning, "Don’t attempt to consume everything at once, or you might risk exploding from the sudden surge of energy.

" It was then that they exercised restraint, opting to consume one crystal at a time, waiting until the warm current subsided before indulging further.

As they consumed the crystal cores, their previously injured comrade stood nearby, their expression twisted in disbelief as they observed Vulture and Sparrow devouring the crystal cores extracted from the zombies’ skulls.

Despite feeling repulsed by the notion, they couldn’t help but be intrigued by the two’s apparent enjoyment.

Driven by curiosity, they decided to witness firsthand the outcome of consuming everything they held in their hands.

They also vaguely heard what Kisha had said inside the room while everyone was busy tending to the injured who suddenly became better after drinking the vial of blue liquid.

When they heard from Sparrow that it was from Kisha, they somehow felt like Kisha was some kind of a mad scientist who developed an elixir that gave a miraculous effect because they literally saw their open wounds closing but of course, they happened to have extracted the bullet first before they consumed the vial of blue liquid and seeing their wounds closing just like that made them thinking if the bullet would be stuck inside their wounds if they drank it right away.

As they consumed the final crystal cores, Sparrow and Vulture experienced an extraordinary sensation.

Their bodies seemed to shed weight, and a profound sense of rejuvenation washed over them.

They sensed an inexplicable transformation, a newfound strength and agility that defied verbal description.

Their entire beings seemed to radiate with energy that glowed brightly, albeit in distinct hues — Sparrow’s aura emanated a vibrant yellow, while Vulture’s took on a deep, earthy brown hue, a marked different from Bell’s earlier glow.

At that moment, Kisha and Duke emerged. Duke’s arm was wrapped around Kisha’s waist, and despite her attempts to free herself, he held on steadfastly.

Resigned to his embrace, Kisha allowed him to maintain his grip, while Duke beamed with self-satisfaction, his eyes forming crescents as they walked out of the room together.

The Winters didn’t find it particularly surprising after witnessing it once or twice, as such behavior was commonplace among Winters’ men.

They simply shrugged it off. However, they struggled to adapt to Duke’s current appearance with the disguise still covering his face, finding it unfamiliar and somewhat disconcerting.

Consequently, they avoided direct gazes, unable to fully reconcile with his pirate-like guise.

As the Winters and Tristan witnessed Vulture and Sparrow’s level up, their bodies aglow with hues distinct from Bell’s earlier radiance, a question arose.

The brilliant light persisted for a mere five seconds before fading away.

"Why do they emit different colors when they level up?

" Mrs. Winters couldn’t help but voice her curiosity about the disparity.

"The glow of light emanating from their bodies is simply the release of energy following their level up," Kisha elucidated.

"It occurs when their energy core expands, allowing trapped energy to burst, making room for a more potent energy flow.

However, this released energy is subsequently drawn back in, essential for consolidating their energy core and fortifying their foundation. "

"Whoa! I feel lighter and stronger than ever," Vulture remarked, marveling at his hands.

[Do you like to check Vulture’s status window?]

[YES] OR [NO]

[YES]

[Code name: Vulture]

Level 1 (EXP. 0/300)

Strength: 25 (+5)

Stamina: 27 (+5)

Defense: 33 (+5)

Agility: 20 (+5)

Mental Capacity: 23 (+5)

Charm: 10 (+5)

Leadership: 13 (+5)

Title: None

Skills: Earth Spike, Earth Manipulation

Talent: Strong Defence

Gift: Affinity with Earth

Ability: Earth

[Do you like to check Sparrow’s status window?]

[YES] OR [NO]

[YES]

[Code name: Sparrow]

Level 1 (EXP. 0/300)

Strength: 23 (+5)

Stamina: 30 (+5)

Defense: 21 (+5)

Agility: 34 (+5)

Mental Capacity: 24 (+5)

Charm: 12 (+5)

Leadership: 12 (+5)

Title: None

Skills: Whirlwind Level 0, Windblade Level 0

Talent: Scouting

Gift: Hawk eyesight

Ability: Wind

"After reaching Level 1, you should notice enhancements across various aspects of your physical performance like stamina, strength, agility and etc. However, it’s crucial to continue consolidating your energies as before to strengthen your foundation before progressing to Level 2.

Only with a solid foundation can you fully utilize your awakened abilities.

Avoid rushing the leveling process; as you advance, it becomes increasingly challenging to consolidate your energy cores and overcome the bottlenecks on your path to the next level." Kisha’s advice after she explained what she knew about leveling up.

Her gift ’Eye of Truth’ only made it easier for her to know when a person is about to level up and if they are making progress as they consumed the crystal cores.

As one’s level increases, the demand for higher-level crystal cores also rises. Lower-level crystal cores become less effective as individuals progress. Therefore, to experience significant improvements, one must consume crystals that match or exceed their current level.

She also recognized the need to develop her newly awakened ability, which had surfaced only today.

However, given her exceptional mental capacity, she anticipated mastering her ability with greater ease.

Glancing discreetly at Duke, she couldn’t help but speculate, ’Likewise for this big guy, he’ll likely breeze through it without breaking a sweat. ’

For some inexplicable reason, Kisha felt a twinge of irritation upon realizing Duke’s remarkable constitution, almost as if he were born a battle god. "Why are you feeling jealous of him, host? Remember, you have me, and he doesn’t have a system," 008 offered, attempting to comfort Kisha.

"Yeah, right! My system, which has caused my death multiple times. I’ve perished more from the missions you’ve assigned me than from encounters with zombies or betrayals, you know," Kisha retorted with annoyance directed at 008. For her, it felt deeply unfair.

While others might perceive her system as omnipotent, she saw it as a double-edged sword, one that seemed intent on thwarting her success and even endangering her life.

Upon hearing Kisha’s sentiments, 008 choked up, feeling on the verge of tears.

It had already clarified to Kisha that it wasn’t responsible for assigning missions; rather, it was the constellation above it.

Despite its efforts, Kisha seemed to have formed her own negative perception, leading her to resent the system.

"Right, speaking of missions. Don’t I have a current S-Class mission ongoing?" Kisha’s heart skipped a beat as she recalled the task. S-Class missions and above were laden with death flags and required meticulous attention. She had almost forgotten about it.

"Host, would you like to check on your mission board?" 008’s voice resonated in her mind, tinged with concern.

"Yes," Kisha responded tersely.

[S Class Mission "Taking nest for 30 days" (Current Days Spent: 4 Days)]

[Mission Description: Spend 30 days in City B’s base, immersing yourself in the community of survivors, understanding their way of life, and forging connections. Failure to complete the mission will result in immediate death.]

"Wait, why does it show 4 days when we’re currently outside?

" Kisha questioned aloud. As she pondered, her mind began counting the days since their arrival at the shelter, including the time spent searching for Duke’s family outside.

Suddenly, it clicked — today marked the fourth day since their arrival, precisely as displayed on the board.

’Does that mean we’ve already met one of the requirements to continue the mission even while we’re outside the shelter?

’ Kisha pondered. Suddenly, a realization struck her.

’Right! The reconnaissance mission!’ It dawned on her that this endeavor fell in line with how the community operated — completing missions to earn rewards.

If that were the case, Kisha and the others could venture outside the shelter under the guise of fulfilling the shelter’s missions. Perhaps they only needed to adhere to the time limits stipulated by the shelter’s missions.