Muscles...?

As Christopher stood up, brushing his clothes free of the grass that clung stubbornly to the fabric, a sudden notification blinked into existence before his eyes.

[Arcane Shop Unlocked]

"Huh… So this is where I spend those arcane points?" he murmured, curiosity prickling at his senses.

The moment he spoke, the entire panel expanded rapidly, growing huge and sprawling before him. A massive list appeared—an endless catalog of items, each one tagged with absurdly high prices that made his eyes widen.

He scanned the options carefully, hoping to find something worthwhile.

"Even the lowest cost item is thirty arcane points… Useless to me at this point," Christopher sighed, swiping the panel away with a flick of his fingers. Yet, despite his disappointment, the excitement from his earlier discovery—the ability to absorb objects—still simmered inside him, keeping his spirits buoyed.

But that didn't mean he had the energy to push on much longer.

"Guess I better head back. I've already got a few eyes on me… I wonder what kind of reputation I'll have by tomorrow…" he muttered, glancing nervously over his shoulder as he made his way back.

…

Christopher's Room, Morning

The soft glow of morning light filtered through the curtains, gently rousing Christopher from his sleep. He was accustomed to this early awakening; mornings meant more time to get things done. Sleeping in was simply a waste.

As he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, something immediately struck him as unusual—his body didn't ache. Not a hint of soreness or discomfort lingered.

"What…?" he whispered, puzzled.

Without hesitation, he strode over to the mirror and lifted his shirt to inspect his torso.

What greeted him was startling. His body had grown noticeably leaner overnight. The excess fat had melted away, leaving a more streamlined silhouette. He wasn't muscular by any means, but he had definitely shed unnecessary weight.

"How the…?"

"Is this your doing?" he asked the system aloud.

[Yes. Devouring consumes energy from the body to function. In this case, it used up fat reserves.]

And just like that, the downside of his devouring mechanic was clear.

Christopher had always known there was no such thing as free power in a world this competitive and dangerous.

But oddly, it didn't bother him.

If anything, it presented a unique advantage.

"So the more I devour, the more it consumes from my body?" he inquired further.

[Correct.]

"But after that razor wolf attack, can't I also use mana to regenerate my body?" he pressed.

[Correct again.]

"Can I use it to regenerate or even increase muscle growth then?" he asked, hope creeping into his voice.

[...]

[Yes?]

"Bingo," Christopher breathed, a small grin creeping onto his lips as the gears in his mind started turning.

This was a major cheat code.

If devouring drew energy from his body and favored consuming fat first, it meant it targeted only what wouldn't harm him much.

That was why it avoided carbohydrates and other essentials.

And if devouring granted mana—and mana could be used to improve his physique?

He'd found the perfect method to get into peak condition with minimal effort.

Suddenly, another notification appeared:

[Arcane Points Granted: 15]

"Huh?" he muttered, surprised by the sudden influx. "What's that for?"

[You gain points through innovation and creativity alongside quests. In this case, it was for body building.]

"A system that rewards innovation and creativity? That's certainly something," he mused.

Still, even with the new points, he lacked enough to buy even the cheapest item in the shop, so he decided to put that aside for the time being.

With this new revelation, Christopher set a fresh agenda for the day: get his body into shape.

"A healthy body means a healthy mind," he muttered thoughtfully. "Never thought I'd be taking this so seriously."

Without wasting a moment, he changed clothes and headed toward the cafeteria—this time with a pouch full of money clutched firmly in hand, ready to spend it all.

His plan was twofold: eat as much as possible to fuel his body and build up enough energy to devour repeatedly without setbacks, and then return to the Ashen Forest. This time, he intended to use mana from the beasts he'd slain to further enhance his scholarly physique.

Part of him thought he might be rushing things, but with the mana exam looming next week, he was determined to score top marks and prove to everyone that he wasn't done yet.

"Isn't he the one who was just picking flowers in the courtyard?" one student whispered.

"What's he planning now?" another asked, eyebrows raised.

A few students nearby chuckled and shook their heads. Christopher had already made quite a name for himself—mostly as someone who had gone insane.

"Don't mind him," Michael said from a nearby table, surrounded by other students. "He's probably just trying every trick in the book to pass the exam."

He was mingling, gathering support and connections wherever he could.

"As for me?" Michael grinned darkly. "I just want to see him fail—badly."