Four red Spider Lilies swayed gently in the filth of the black bear's territory. Scattered bones of small animals, bear scat, and tufts of fur surrounded them, the air thick with the stench of a wild beast. Chuck reached out with predatory haste and plucked all four flowers.
[Special Materials Collected: Spider Lily (Red) x4!]
In the alchemy tab of his workbench, four seductive red blossoms appeared. Though his "Botany Master" buff was pinging him with notifications about new resources nearby, Chuck ignored them all. He turned on his heel and sprinted back the way he came.
Pick flowers, take the heart, synthesize. He had done this enough times that it was muscle memory. Janet, who had been hesitating at the edge of the redwood forest, let out a massive sigh of relief as he reappeared.
"You found it?" She didn't know what he had gone back for, but she was glad he was safe.
"Yeah." Chuck nodded, brushing past her. He knelt before the bear's carcass, pulling out his bronze knife to carve open its chest. Then, he remembered something and looked back at Janet. "Go over there for a bit," he said, pointing toward the redwoods.
If she saw the glowing heart, it would lead to a mountain of questions he didn't want to answer. Better to send the mature blonde away while he brewed his cocktail.
"Why?" Janet touched her forehead, confused. She wanted to leave this dangerous place immediately, but after seeing him fight, she wasn't about to argue. "Whatever you're doing, make it fast." She turned and walked toward the trees.
Chuck watched her go, a smirk touching his lips. He'd expected more pushback, but it seemed her attitude toward him had undergone a fundamental shift. He looked back down at the bear, sliced through the thick hide, and retrieved the pulsating, blood-red heart.
[Workbench: Black Bear Heart x1 placed.] [Synthesis Hint: This heart contains powerful vitality. Combine with 4 Red Spider Lilies to refine the ultimate Red Potion.] [Time: 1 Minute. Begin?]
Chuck slammed the button. He stared at the countdown until it hit zero, and four glowing red vials appeared on his interface. He pulled a ceramic jar of Elena's milk from his storage, dumped all four potions into it, and downed the entire thing in one go.
The warm, fragrant milk washed the potions down his throat. Within seconds, a familiar heat exploded in his gut, but this time, it was far more intense than anything he had felt before.
It felt like liquid fire racing through his veins. A primal energy erupted from his spine, surging through every limb. His heart hammered like a war drum. He could see the veins under his skin bulging, snaking across his muscles like whipcords. Every fiber of his being was being unmade and remade, denser and tougher than before. His bones popped and stretched, and his perspective literally rose as his frame expanded.
A wave of pleasure, more intense than any orgasm, crashed over him, forcing a guttural roar from his throat.
[Potions Consumed: Red x4] [Congratulations! Your physical attributes have increased by 70%! Current Total Bonus: 110%!] [Warning: Your physical body has surpassed the theoretical human limit!] [Lifespan increased by 50%! Total Lifespan Bonus: 100%] [New Passive Unlocked: Blood Qi Mastery (LV.1). You can now channel your vital energy into specific body parts to temporarily increase strength and density by up to 10%.]
Chuck exhaled a plume of hot steam. The searing heat faded, replaced by an unimaginable sense of power. His exhaustion was gone, replaced by a terrifying vitality. He looked at his hands; his palms were wider, his knuckles thicker. He turned to a tree nearly as wide as a man and threw a punch.
CRACK!
It wasn't a dull thud. The wood shattered with the sound of a gunshot. Splinters and sap flew everywhere as a deep, clean fist print appeared in the trunk. Chuck looked at the faint scratches on his knuckles, his mind reeling. From 185cm, he had shot up to over 190cm. His shoulders were broader, his muscles looking like organic armor—strong, aesthetic, and lethal.
He looked down at his crotch and smirked. Blood Qi Mastery... can increase density anywhere, huh? "What was that noise?!" Janet came running back, startled by his roar and the sound of the tree breaking. When she saw him, her panic turned to pure bewilderment. Her blue eyes traveled up and down his frame—his massive shoulders, his giant hands, his powerful legs.
She felt a strange "illusion." Why did he look so much bigger and more imposing than he did five minutes ago?
"It's nothing," Chuck said, deciding to test his new "skills" later. He knelt by the bear and waved her over. "Help me skin this."
Janet shook off the "illusion." After all, nobody grows several inches in five minutes. She had seen bodybuilders and athletes, but this was Captain America movie territory. It had to be a trick of the light.
As they walked back across the rocky beach toward the cliff, Chuck carrying the rolled-up bear hide, Janet looked at him.
"By the way, Chuck... why did you insult that woman earlier?"
"Insult?" Chuck frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"The words you said to her. Cyka Blyat." Janet looked at his confused face and realized the truth. "You... you don't know what that means?"
"Uh... it means 'Hello'?"
"Oh my God." Janet face-palmed. She had thought they had a history, but it was just a spectacular cultural fuck-up. "Chuck, that means 'Bitch' or 'Whore.' It's a very vulgar insult."
"..." Chuck stood frozen. The pieces clicked into place. No wonder she punched him the second he opened his mouth. He had basically walked up to a lethal warrior and called her a dog-born bitch. "I'm a fucking genius..."
"You certainly are," Janet teased, patting his shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. We all do stupid things. Just don't tell the girls."
They pushed open the door to the cabin, and Julia was there instantly. Seeing the blood and the dented armor, her face went white. "You're hurt?!"
"Just some bruises," Chuck said, dropping the heavy hide and peeling off his armor. Julia rushed forward, lifting his blood-stained shirt to inspect his torso. Seeing the massive purple bruise on his chest, her eyes filled with tears. She traced the edge of the injury with a soft finger. "Does it hurt?"
"A little. Give me a kiss."
Julia bit her lip, her face flushing. She stood on her tiptoes, closed her eyes, and leaned in.
Thud. Her forehead slammed into Chuck's nose. He looked down and laughed. "I said a kiss, not a headbutt."
"Ah...?" Julia blinked, rubbing her forehead. She took a half-step back and really looked at him—the broad, "double-door" shoulders, the height, the raw, predatory magnetism.
Her heart began to race. A deep, throbbing heat started in her lower abdomen. The "essence" he had filled her with over the weeks seemed to react to his presence, making her legs feel weak and slick. Her female instinct to submit to the strongest male hit an all-time high.
Chuck looked down and noticed a large, dark wet patch blooming on Julia's denim shorts.
"Darling... why do you feel... even sexier than before?" Julia was actually salivating. Her eyes were glazed over as she leaned into his chest, entering a state of total, frantic heat.
Chuck stroked her blonde hair, feeling the fire in her body. He looked at the daylight outside, then at the bed. He had just cheated death; he deserved a celebration. He scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed, ripping off his bloody shirt as he climbed over her.
Julia's long, pale legs hooked over his shoulders. He ripped her soaked shorts and panties off, tossing them to the floor. The "cannon" was aimed at the jade gate.
Chuck's fingers traced her face, parting her lips to touch her teeth. Julia, lost in a trance of submission, sucked on his fingers, her tongue swirling around them as her hips ground against his "spear head."
Suddenly, Chuck's Blood Qi surged. Without him even trying, the heat and energy rushed to his crotch. His "weapon" grew even hotter, even harder, and pulsed with a faint steam. It even seemed to swell in size.
Julia felt the change instantly. The sudden, scorching heat against her entrance made her eyes snap open. Looking down at the monstrous, pulsing state of him, a single thought crossed her mind—
He's going to fuck me harder than he ever has. He might actually break me.