After a few seconds of holding onto his pride, which was as fragile as a tissue soaked in water, Livia finally gave up.
"Hmm... Alright, if you don't want to."
Nathan sighed in relief, though his pants felt tight again after seeing Rin's body.
"Are you ready for Meat Day?" Livia asked.
"Meat Day?" Nathan frowned.
"Yeah, we're going hunting and eating our prey today. You need to eat a lot of meat to get strong!" Livia said as she walked back toward Domina.
Nathan let out a sigh. Livia didn't give him a chance to ask any questions. He walked closer to Livia and Domina, who were getting ready to sprint.
Wushh...
The two of them dashed forward and leaped at an incredible speed, leaving Nathan behind in confusion.
"They're insane… I've never heard any hunters talk about monsters like them. Are there no monsters like Livia and Domina on the lower floors?"
Nathan sighed again. There was only one person who knew everything about the tower— the Tower Manager.
"How do I contact her?" Nathan scratched the back of his head.
"Ahem..." Nathan cleared his throat. "Tower Manager... Are you there?" He paused for a moment. "It seems like—"
[DING]
The notification sound startled him.
[The Tower Manager is currently busy. Please try again later...]
Nathan stared blankly. "Busy?" He glanced around. Then he looked toward Livia and Domina running in the distance. "There's no way I can catch up to them. My body is just—" Nathan paused.
"Energetic Photosynthetis."
"Looks like I need to try it again."
Nathan felt a warm flow spreading from his stomach throughout his entire body.
"Let's see how cool this ability really is." He stared at a tall tree ahead.
He focused. His eyes closed for a moment. He imagined the energy flowing into his legs—into the muscles, bones, joints. A tingling sensation spread through his calves, then shifted into a light pressure that felt like it was ready to burst out. He opened his eyes.
[Temporary Physical Enhancement ]
"...Okay, let's go..."
He bent his knees.
BOOM!
Nathan jumped.
"W-Whoa—!"
His body soared through the air for a few seconds, long enough to see the glittering blue leaves at the top of the trees below him. Wind rushed across his face.
"Too high!"
Gravity kicked in, and Nathan fell with a rather painful landing, tumbling several times until he stopped in a pile of bushes.
Suddenly, his body felt warm again.
[A portion of energy has been used for emergency healing]
"Ouch... Noted. Next time: prepare landing first."
But before he could stand—
RUSTLE.
From beyond the bushes came a heavy snort.
GRRHH...
Nathan turned his head.
A Steelback Boar stared at him. Its breath came out in hot puffs. Its body was thick and powerful, and the bushes around it were crushed from its passage.
[Steelback Boar – Lv. 7]
[Status: Normal – Edible]
Nathan was still lying on the ground. His eyes widened.
"I jumped in the wrong damn direction..."
The Steelback Boar slowly approached Nathan. He glanced around, surrounded by trees, his heart pounding in his chest.
But suddenly, a memory surfaced—his past. The days when he dreamed of becoming a hunter, fighting monsters, gaining thrilling combat experience, and everything that came with it.
"Tch... This is my chance!" Nathan focused the energy into both of his hands.
The Steelback Boar charged forward at full speed, and Nathan readied himself to strike. No training, no real knowledge—he simply mimicked the moves of a famous Hunter he once saw demonstrating his combat technique during a TV interview.
The ground shook with the force of the charge. Nathan clenched his fists, energy surging like wildfire through his arms. His heart was racing—not from fear, but from adrenaline. From a long-buried desire finally taking shape.
"Just like on TV... swing from the hips, rotate the shoulder—"
He stepped forward and threw his punch with everything he had.
BOOOM!
His fist connected squarely with the side of the Steelback Boar's face. A burst of wind exploded outward from the impact point. The beast let out a shocked grunt as its massive body was lifted slightly off the ground and thrown several meters back, tumbling through the underbrush before slamming into a thick tree trunk.
Leaves rained down. Dust rose. Nathan stumbled backward, chest heaving.
"Damn… I actually hit it…"
But the silence didn't last.
With a guttural snort, the boar pushed itself up—blood trailing from its snout, eyes glowing redder than before. It pawed at the ground, letting out a roar of rage.
"Oh, come on… Stay down!"
A system notification flickered weakly in front of him.
[Energy Storage: 2%]
[Energy – Depleted]
[Unable to Activate Physical Enhancement]
"Fuck...."
Sweat rolled down his temple. His breathing was heavy. The Steelback Boar in front of him lowered its body again, ready to charge with full force.
"I have to move... I have to—!"
With his body already trembling, Nathan turned and ran. His breath hitched, but his legs kept moving, pushing through bushes and tangled roots.
"Come on... Just a little more... Energetic Photosynthesis, activate...! Absorb the energy..."
He looked up, searching for light. But all he could see was a sky completely covered by thick foliage and glowing hanging plants.
"Why isn't it working...?"
[Absorption Failed]
[Light Obstruction Detected – Canopy Density: 91%]
[Photosynthetic Efficiency: 7%]
"Shit—because of the trees?!"