An hour later, Wang Changle finally arrived in the central area.
On the way, no one paid him much attention because he kept his face hidden.
Though he had no parents and could be considered abandoned by everyone, left all alone, he truly wasn't afraid of getting anyone else involved or facing retaliation.
But all the Contractors here had come from the real world.
Keeping his face hidden could greatly reduce the chances of him running into trouble in his everyday life.
After all, he was still burdened by a deep-seated grudge, and he didn't want anything to stand in his way.
Besides, he wasn't very strong in combat yet. The Life Apostle class hadn't given him any significant attribute bonuses. His skills were powerful, but he didn't have a single attack skill.
When you lack the strength to fight back, you have to learn to endure first. Only by enduring could you get the chance to thrive!
The magnificent, towering buildings before him gave him an indescribable sense of awe.
[Attribute Enhancement Hall], [Equipment Enhancement Hall], [Training Ground], [Arena]...
Aside from these four buildings, the rest were shrouded in mist. He probably couldn't see them because his clearance level was too low.
Wang Changle picked a direction and hurried through the crowd into the [Attribute Enhancement Hall].
As soon as he passed through the entrance, his vision blurred and space shifted.
In the blink of an eye, he found himself in a tiny steel chamber only a few square meters in size.
Mechanical clattering sounded all around him, and a curved screen appeared before him.
[Welcome to the Attribute Enhancement Pod. Please pay the usage fee to begin. Activation fee: 100 Paradise Coins.]
After he paid, information began appearing on the screen.
Strength: 6
Agility: 7
Endurance: 8
Intelligence: 8
Charisma: 8
[Hunter may freely distribute attribute points. 4 points available.]
[Notice: Hunter's affinity attributes are Intelligence, Charisma, and Endurance. Hunter is advised to prioritize improving these three attributes.]
Normally, all Contractors could freely choose their affinity attributes, allowing them to plan their development.
But because of his Life Apostle class, Wang Changle's affinity attributes had already been fixed.
Wang Changle had expected this result. After all, the Life Apostle class was quite powerful. Besides, it was already a done deal.
When faced with something he couldn't change, the best thing to do was adapt quickly and make changes of his own, so the outcome would work in his favor!
Looking at the prompt on the screen, Wang Changle immediately assigned two points each to Endurance and Intelligence.
He added two points to Endurance so he could equip the blue-quality Armor of Toughness as soon as possible.
As for Intelligence, he was a mage, however you looked at it—even if he didn't have any attack abilities!
His skills also used a fair amount of energy. Intelligence could strengthen their effects and increase his mana pool, and it was one of his affinity attributes.
[Enhancement beginning. Enhancing attributes will cause immense pain. Use the anesthesia function? This function is free.]
"No."
Attribute enhancement came with immense pain, but it also genuinely improved his attributes.
He had already tried a 1-star Evolution Potion back when he was an ordinary person. His physique was better now, and the attribute increase was smaller than before. He had no reason to be afraid.
The enhancement pod began operating with a rapid "ka-dunk, ka-dunk," and intense pain surged from inside his body.
It was a deep, excruciating pain. Wang Changle felt as if all the muscles in his body were melting, then constantly reforming and stretching. The tearing pain came with a dull ache and tightness in his muscles.
His brain felt swollen, too. It was as if all his blood had suddenly rushed to his head, making it feel like it was swelling rapidly. Once the rush of blood passed, it felt like the pressure inside his skull was rising.
The sensation was unbearable. Several times, the pain nearly made him black out, yet his mind remained perfectly clear.
The ten minutes felt like ten straight hours of being beaten.
By the time the enhancement ended, he was drenched in sweat and felt as if he had just survived a catastrophe.
Still, he could feel that his body had grown sturdier. His slightly pudgy build was now firmer, and he could clearly sense every muscle group in his body.
The Intelligence enhancement further sharpened his mental perception. He could now clearly sense the presence of anything within five meters. If someone approached, he would notice in advance.
The process had been painful, but the results were wonderful. That was enough for him.
If every sacrifice brought a reward, then it was all worth it!
After the enhancement, Wang Changle's Intelligence and Endurance were both at 10.
He hadn't eaten for a long time—not since leaving the Derivative World and arriving at Cycle Paradise. The attribute enhancement had also drained a great deal of heat from his body.
He was ravenous. He immediately used his mark to return to his private room, then opened the door again and headed for the Staff Members' gathering place.
Staff Members were the producers unique to Cycle Paradise. Most had one or several production skills, and cooking was naturally among them.
He found a Sichuan restaurant and spent just five Paradise Coins on a thoroughly satisfying meal.
After eating his fill, Wang Changle went to the [Training Ground].
He had experienced a Derivative World and gained equipment, skills, and attribute enhancements. He certainly felt much stronger than before.
But whether he was fighting Iron Skin Zombies, Blood-tongue Lizards, or Terror Sheep, it seemed he had never really fought a proper battle.
Either he had attacked by surprise or helped someone else get the kill. He didn't have a clear understanding of his own combat ability, so he needed to find out where he stood.
The [Training Ground] before him was the best place in Paradise for that. Whether he wanted to test his strength or get used to it, it was the ideal choice for any Contractor.
[Welcome, Hunter, to the Training Ground. Please select a mode.]
[Assistance Mode / Combat Mode]
[Assistance Mode selected. Please choose an illusion to summon.]
Three options appeared before him: Low-Tier Illusion (100), Mid-Tier Illusion (1,000), and High-Tier Illusion (10,000).
Seeing that he had 7,040 Cycle Coins left, he decisively chose the Mid-Tier Illusion.
Wang Changle paid 1,000 Paradise Coins to summon a Mid-Tier Illusion for one hour. A ball of milky-white light suddenly appeared before him.
As the light faded, a white-haired man in camouflage stood before him, wearing a black mask and a Forehead Protector, with a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand.
The scene around him shifted in an instant, turning into a densely vegetated forest.
[Illusion summoned: Hatake Kakashi, from the Naruto World.]
Looking at the lazy man before him, Wang Changle narrowed his eyes.
Kakashi Hatake was a character who appeared throughout the entire Naruto series. He was an elite jonin, the teacher of the new Sannin, and a student of the Fourth Hokage.
Whether it was his combat prowess, mastery of Ninjutsu, or teaching ability, he was an outstanding figure.
Though the man before him was only an illusion and not Kakashi himself, his power came from the same source.
"Ah, hello. My name is Kakashi Hatake. Are you the client who requested this mission? Then tell me what you'd like me to do."
Kakashi Hatake casually put away Icha Icha Paradise, took his left hand out of his pocket, and looked at Wang Changle with a sleepy expression.
"Yeah. The request is simple. Teach me how to fight."
"Sure. We don't have much time, so let's get started."
Kakashi Hatake beckoned, signaling for Wang Changle to attack.
Wang Changle charged at Kakashi and swung the Steel-hardened Battle Axe in his hand toward his head.
But Kakashi sidestepped, and Wang Changle felt a tremendous force slam into his chest, sending him flying backward.
"Root Entanglement!"
Green light flashed over Wang Changle as he activated the skill midair. Vines swept out.
Kakashi merely raised his eyelids. With a Body Flicker, he vanished from the vines that had wrapped around him.
He dodged a skill that should have been guaranteed to hit without even triggering its hit check.
Following the feedback from the plants, Wang Changle flung a glowing chain toward the rear left.
"Life Extraction!"
"BOMM~"
A burst of white mist flashed. The glowing chain formed by Life Extraction passed through a block of wood, then vanished into the air. The skill missed again!
Suddenly, a cold, sharp sensation came from above his head.
By the time he came to his senses, a black Kunai had already withdrawn from between his eyebrows. Kakashi Hatake was looking at him with a warm smile.
Before you continue