Chapter 5: The Hunt for Lifespan

Chapter 5: The Hunt for Lifespan

The morning sun filtered through the open windows of our house, casting long shadows on the training mat. My father stood before me, his arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning my stance. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I adjusted my footing, preparing for another round of sparring.

"Again," my father commanded.

I lunged forward, throwing a punch aimed at his chest. He easily sidestepped, redirecting my strike with a simple flick of his wrist. Before I could recover, he swept my legs out from under me, sending me crashing onto the mat.

"You're improving," he said, extending a hand to help me up. "But you're still predictable."

I groaned, rubbing my sore back. Training with my father was brutal, but necessary. If I wanted to become strong, I had to push past my limits.

After two hours of relentless drills, my father finally dismissed me. I wiped my sweat with a towel and headed to my room, my mind racing with thoughts of growth. The Lifespan Devouring System had given me an unparalleled opportunity—one I couldn't afford to waste.

The Birth of an Idea

As I rested, I stared at my system interface. 108 years remaining. If I wanted to break through quickly, I needed more lifespan. The problem was how to acquire it.

Then, an idea struck me—mosquitoes. These tiny pests were everywhere in the city. If I could absorb lifespan from them, even one day per kill would add up quickly.

Without wasting time, I left home and headed to a nearby supply store. I purchased multiple cans of insect-killing spray and returned, eager to begin.

The Mosquito Massacre

That night, armed with the spray, I scoured every corner of the house and surrounding area, eliminating every mosquito I could find. With each kill, the system notified me:

+1 day of lifespan

By the time I emptied my sprays, I had gained a total of 2 years on the first day.

Encouraged by my success, I repeated the process on the second and third days. By the end of the third day, my total lifespan gain from mosquitoes alone had reached 7 years.

Hunting Bigger Prey

While mosquitoes were effective, I needed something that granted even more lifespan. My next target? Rats.

Rats were abundant in the city's drainage systems and old buildings. More importantly, each one granted me 5 to 10 days of lifespan. Over the next five days, I hunted them relentlessly, setting traps and scouring the alleys.

By the end of the hunt, I had gained 17 additional years of lifespan, bringing my total to 24 years gained since I started.

Breaking Through

Standing in my room, I took a deep breath and focused on the system interface. It was time to use my accumulated lifespan.

Body Training Level 7 → Level 8: -8 years

Body Training Level 8 → Level 9: -9 years

As the system consumed my lifespan, a surge of power coursed through me. My muscles tightened, my bones strengthened, and my senses sharpened. When the transformation ended, I clenched my fists, feeling the sheer power within me.

I had reached Body Training Level 9.

Glancing at the system interface, I saw my remaining lifespan: 108 years.

I exhaled deeply, my body still trembling from the breakthrough. This was only the beginning. With the power of the system, I could surpass all limits.

The world had no idea what was coming.

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End of Chapter 5