Chapter 118: Strength boost The next day, Alan woke up from his sleep feeling remarkably refreshed. The healing bread from yesterday had worked its magic throughout the night, leaving him with energy levels he hadn’t experienced in months. Noah wasn’t exaggerating about these specialty foods. He sat up in bed with ease that surprised him, his usual morning stiffness notably absent. The protein bar sat on his bedside shelf where he’d carefully placed it the evening before. He said this was more important than the bread. Let’s see what makes it so special. Alan unwrapped the protein bar with careful attention, noting its unusual packaging. The hospital’s morning coffee sat cooling beside him. Here goes nothing. The first bite sent shockwaves through his system that had nothing to do with caffeine. Power flooded through his muscles like liquid lightning, making every fiber feel supercharged with potential energy. What in the world— Alan gripped the bed rail with his free hand, watching in amazement as his knuckles whitened from pressure that should have been impossible. The metal frame groaned under the force his weakened body shouldn’t have been able to generate. I feel like I could lift a car. The transformation was immediate and overwhelming. Muscles that had been wasted by months of illness suddenly felt dense with strength that defied medical explanation. His grip strength had multiplied beyond anything he’d experienced even in his athletic youth. This isn’t normal nutrition. This is something else entirely. He flexed his arm experimentally. The functional strength he was experiencing made his entire body feel like an instrument designed for power. Noah...just what in the world did you give me? The protein bar’s effects continued building with each bite. Alan felt energy coursing through his frame that transcended mere physical enhancement—this was fundamental improvement to his body’s capabilities. I could probably arm-wrestle men half my age and win. When he attempted to stand, the movement carried none of his usual careful positioning to avoid strain. His legs supported his weight with confidence that made walking feel effortless. This is incredible. I feel twenty years younger. A passing nurse noticed his improved posture immediately. "Mr. Carter? You look... different this morning. Stronger." "Feeling much better," Alan replied. The protein bar’s wrapper lay empty beside his coffee cup, but the effects continued building throughout his enhanced musculature. Alan felt like he could take on the world. Half an hour passed and the temporary increase had left, Alan still felt that he was much stronger than before, but he had gotten weaker since the time he ate the protein bar. ... [Daily income stream has been rewarded!] [Wind Orb(Tier 5), Demonica Moonburgh] Inside his store, Noah surveyed the multiple protein bars on his shelf alongside the full stock of bread and tea. His auto-makers had worked through the night, ensuring complete inventory despite yesterday’s sales. Perfect timing. Everything’s restocked for today’s business. But before opening for customers, Noah approached the protein bar display with anticipation that had been building since he’d first discovered the product’s effects. Time to claim that permanent enhancement for myself. He grabbed one of the bars with care. Despite its insane effects, Noah felt no mana or anything to indicate that. My strength will fly through the roof. Unlike others who would only consume such a treasure near the end of their potential, Noah had no such thoughts. The shop was only level 2, and he would continuously get new items. So he didn’t even bother worrying about bottlenecks like others did. Noah peeled the wrapper slowly, savouring the moment before taking his first bite. The taste was incredible—rich, complex flavours that made him smile in contentment. The effects began immediately. Power flooded through his muscles like molten steel, making every fibre feel supercharged. Oh...this is intense. His enhanced strength multiplied dramatically. Noah clenched his fist, and the sound it made almost terrified him. He felt like the wind was being compressed by him. The transformation continued building with each swallow. This changes everything about combat effectiveness. When the last bite finished, Noah immediately accessed his status screen to confirm the reality of his improvement. — Host: Noah Carter Age: 28 Shop Level: 2 Daily Revenue: $135,000 Current Assets: $315,240.21 Shop Points: 1010 Attributes: Strength: 30 (+15), Vitality: 4, Intelligence: 20, Agility: 20 Skills: Swordsmanship(Level 6), Mana Control (Level 5), Aura (Level 1), Wind Manipulation (Level 4), Surviving on Ramen (Level 3), Cooking (Level 2), Programming (Level 2), Gaming (Level 2), Finance (Level 1) — My strength is currently at 30. I’ve gained ten points from the protein bar, and the 15 in brackets should be from the temporary 50% enhancement. After eating the protein bar, Noah decided to start his day as a shopkeeper. Noah opened his shop door, flipping the sign to indicate business hours had begun. The succubus didn’t give him a chance to settle in—as if she’d been waiting for the exact second he opened to barge through the entrance. "Where is it?" Lola looked like a hungry wolf as her ruby eyes immediately landed on the shelf. "T-There are so many! Where are you getting so many from?" She spotted all eleven protein bars. Noah smiled mysteriously. "Secret." "Five hundred golden coins," she said, immediately producing payment without negotiation. Unlike Noah had expected, she didn’t unwrap the bar immediately. Instead, she carefully stored it in her personal space. She’s saving it for when the 50% temporary boost will matter most. She is definitely planning something... Lola sat down and spoke with him for a while before purchasing two pieces of bread and some iced tea. After that, she left. Noah stared at her departing figure. There was a day left before his stay at the demonic kingdom came to an end. And with that, he would no longer see the succubus that always tested him, at least until he came back the next time. Of course, Noah planned to let her and everyone in the kingdom know about his departure. But he planned to leave it until the day of the departure. His next destination was the first one he had been to, the human kingdom. He had decided to sort out the issue between the two kingdoms, because it was sad to see so many people die because of the extremists.