Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger

Cain continued walking until the others were barely visible between the parked vehicles.

After moving behind a concrete wall, he opened his Inventory.

The Orange Scroll appeared in his hand.

It felt completely different from every Scroll he had encountered before. A heavy warmth radiated from its surface, while faint lines moved beneath the parchment like veins spreading through living flesh.

Whenever one of the patterns broke apart, the two ends immediately reconnected.

Cain stared at it and mumbled to himself. ”What kind of Talent or skill are you hiding?”

He opened the scroll.

Orange light erupted around his hands as the parchment disappeared instantly.

The gathered energy did not enter his mind, it plunged directly into his body.

Cain’s eyes widened.

A crushing pressure spread through his chest. His heartbeat became so powerful that he could hear each impact.

Bang!

Blood surged through his veins. His bones began aching as an overwhelming force entered them.

The transformation spread rapidly, every muscle throughout Cain’s body tightened at once.

His feet shifted against the concrete as his body became heavier.

He placed one hand against the wall to steady himself.

Crack!

His fingers sank into the surface.

”What the fuck?”

A notification appeared.

[You have obtained the Undying War Body.]

[Undying War Body - SSS-rank Talent]

[Physique has increased by 100%.]

[Strength has increased by 33%.]

[Agility has increased by 20%.]

[Grants an extraordinarily powerful physique possessing immense vitality, endurance, and regenerative ability. The body continuously repairs damage on its own. Mana or compatible Life-energy resources may be consumed to greatly accelerate the healing process.]

[Upon suffering fatal damage, Undying War Body automatically seals major wounds, suppresses blood loss, stabilizes damaged organs, and preserves vital areas to prevent immediate death.]

Cain even forgot to breathe as he checked the description.

”SSS-rank...”

He read the description again and found that his Physique would be doubled.

That alone would have made the Talent monstrous.

Undying War Body also increased his Strength by 33% and raised his Agility by 20%.

The numbers had barely entered his mind when the transformation intensified.

His Physique Stat rose first.

The change was not comparable to gaining a few Levels.

Every part of Cain’s body was reinforced from within.

His bones became denser without increasing their weight enough to slow him down. His muscles tightened and rearranged themselves into a stronger structure.

His internal organs changed as well as Cain could feel his heartbeat stabilizing despite the immense energy moving through him.

The minor damage left by Ruin Dragon Force began disappearing.

The strained blood vessels recovered.

Even the soreness that remained after fighting the Ironhide Tyrant faded rapidly.

Cain’s breathing became deeper, as if each breath carried more oxygen through his body than before.

Then his Strength Stat increased.

The hand pressed against the wall moved unintentionally.

Crack!

A section of concrete broke away beneath his palm.

Cain immediately pulled his hand back.

Then the increase to Agility Stat followed, making the balance of his body shifted slightly since he hasn’t even fully adapted with the previous increase of 18 points in his agility.

The sudden improvements were too large.

His body had become immensely stronger within seconds, but his mind had not yet adjusted to controlling it.

Cain looked down at his arms.

No exaggerated muscles had appeared.

However, the power hidden beneath his skin had changed completely.

A wide grin slowly appeared on his face when he thought about the effect that the Undying War Body had upon his body.

”This is fucking insane.”

The Talent’s name suited its effects perfectly.

Undying War Body.

A body created to endure war without collapsing as it had the regenerative ability and could heal on its own.

Cain closed his eyes and focused inward.

The transformation had ended, but the new Talent remained active as a natural part of him.

Several figures suddenly appeared beyond the concrete wall.

Cain’s enhanced Sense noticed them immediately.

Elara arrived first, she stopped near the corner and stared at him.

Nathan followed with Emerald Tempest held in one hand.

Jack and Ron came behind him.

All of them had felt the change because when the Undying War Body formed, an enormous pressure had briefly spread from Cain’s position.

Elara’s Fracture Sight naturally examined Cain.

Her expression changed as the structural weaknesses she had previously perceived within his body had diminished.

The connection between his bones and joints had become unnaturally stable, as if his entire physique had been reforged.

Even the faint injuries remaining after the Tyrant battle had vanished completely.

”What happened to you?” Elara asked.

Cain opened his eyes.

”Nothing.”

Ron pushed past Nathan.

”Nothing?”

He pointed at the cracked wall beneath Cain’s hand.

”The entire area suddenly shook, and now you’re standing here smiling like a lunatic.”

Cain looked at the damage.

”I just used too much strength.”

”That’s exactly why I’m asking!”

Ron approached and inspected him from head to toe.

”You said you needed to piss.”

”Yeah?” Cain knitted his eyebrows.

Ron narrowed his eyes as he asked, ”You became stronger from taking a piss?”

”I guess so?” Cain shrugged.

Ron stared at him for a moment.

”Teach me.”

”No.”

”You selfish bastard!”

Ron grabbed Cain’s sleeve and demanded, ”Tell me what you obtained.”

Cain pulled his arm away.

”Why should I?”

”Because I’m your closest friend.”

”Shut up, Ron. You’ve been talking so much that you’re giving me a headache.” Cain glared at Ron.

Before Ron could continue bothering him, Cain looked at Nathan curiously. ”Did anything else change after you advanced to the First Echelon?”

Nathan glanced toward his chest.

”I formed a Mana Core inside my body.”

”A Mana Core?”

Nathan nodded.

”The System calls it a Wind Mana Core.”

He placed one hand over the center of his Mana circulation.

”It stores my Mana and continuously draws the energy circulating through my body. Once Mana passes through the Core, it becomes denser and much easier to control.”

Nathan lifted his free hand.

Green Wind gathered around his fingers without the unstable flickering that had accompanied his Skills before advancing.

The current rotated smoothly.

”I no longer need to force Mana through my channels every time I use it. The Core helps circulate and refine the energy for me.”

Cain observed the Wind carefully.

Nathan had already possessed excellent control as an Unranked Awakener. Now, there was almost no wasted energy leaking from the current.

”What about your stats?” Jack asked.

”They doubled when the Core finished forming.”

Ron’s mouth opened.

”All of them?”

”Yes.”

Ron slowly turned toward Cain and looked at him as if he was looking at a monster.

”How the fuck did you kill the Ironhide Tyrant then?”

”Was that zombie just too weak?” Ron murmured softly, his expression became thoughtful.

”Weak, my ass. I almost fucking died as I had to use my skill to the limit and place an enormous burden on my body just to kill it .” Cain replied with annoyance as he had never wanted to beat someone up as much as he wanted to beat Ron now.

Ron raised an eyebrow, then when he opened his mouth as he wanted to ask further, Cain immediately cut him off right away.

”No.”

”I didn’t even ask yet.”

”You were going to ask how I did it, what skills I used, or something equally annoying.”

”Tch, stingy bastard.” Ron clicked his tongue. ”And here I thought I might be able to kill a 1st Echelon creature on my own later.”

Then he looked at Nathan and continued his rant.

”Don’t you think that doubling every stat is ridiculous?”

Nathan gave a slight nod.

”The increase is enormous, but that isn’t the only benefit.”

He focused on the Mana Core inside his body.

A translucent panel appeared before him.

[Wind Mana Core]

[Rank: First Echelon]

[Stage: Newly Formed]

[Core Stages]

[Newly Formed —> Stabilized —> Solidified —> Tempered —> Flawless —> Perfected]