Buy Early, Enjoy Early

Aerial drone footage, wobbling and trailing black smoke, suddenly dropped from midair.

Luckily, it had not been very high off the ground and landed in the grass, so it did not shatter.

A moment later, two young men who had originally been filming a wilderness special but had temporarily switched to filming Homelander hurried over in a panic.

"Where's my drone? I saw it fall around here."

"There, Charlie, look."

Soon, the two of them found the drone.

"It's badly damaged." Charlie looked heartbroken.

Tony turned the drone over as he inspected it. "If I hadn't reminded you to bring this thing back quickly, we wouldn't even have had a chance to recover the body."

"Got it."

He took a memory card out of the drone.

"Let's hope it isn't damaged."

"Otherwise, all our hard work will have been for nothing."

*

*

*

Interstate highway.

"Homelander!"

"Homelander!"

"Homelander!"

The soldiers cheered excitedly. A looming disaster had been resolved beneath Homelander's beams.

They could return home safely, reunite with their families, and go on dates with the girls they loved.

How could the soldiers not be grateful to Azu?

At that moment, information appeared across Azu's retina.

You have perfectly resolved this incident.

This incident's disaster rating: D-

Settlement rewards for a 'perfect' evaluation: 1. Proficiency Essence x11; 2. Black Bat Circus Gold Coin; 3. Multiverse Treasure Chest (Random) x2

New items have been added to your store.

Proficiency Essence.

Black Bat Circus Gold Coin.

Multiverse Treasure Chest (Random).

There were more reward items now, and their contents differed from before.

Could it be that the higher an incident's disaster rating, the more rewards he received, and the more their contents changed?

Just then, Azu heard the soldiers cheering. Even though the information about Talent proficiency was floating before his eyes, he could only put off checking it for now. He turned around, smiled, and gave the soldiers a military salute.

The soldiers immediately grew solemn, stood straight, and returned Azu's salute.

Azu nodded, slowly rose into the air, then changed direction and flew toward Silver Tree Town.

To take Angelina away.

It was only on his way back to Seven Tower that he opened his Status Bar.

Name: John (Homelander)

Life Level: Level 5 (Transcendent)

Status: Normal

Talent: Heat Ray (45/200), Flight +2 (29/100), Super Speed +2 (19/100), Steel Body +2 (76/100), Super Strength +2 (22/100), Self-Healing +1 (13/30), Insight +1 (21/30)

Items: Dim Proficiency Essence x6, Proficiency Essence x11, Black Bat Circus Gold Coin, Multiverse Treasure Chest x2

Flight, Super Speed, and Super Strength had all leveled up!

Azu immediately checked the changes to the upgraded abilities.

Flight +2: Flight altitude +115%, flight speed +55%, flight maneuverability +40%.

Super Speed +2: Speed +230%; grants the accompanying ability 'Afterimage.' When moving, an illusion remains at the starting point and can be used to confuse enemies.

Super Strength +2: Base strength increased by 155%; all other effects unchanged.

After reading the information, Azu shut the Status Bar with satisfaction.

He then opened the store and browsed the newly updated items.

There were three new items.

The first was the NK Gene Modification Potion: Black Widow.

Description: This is a targeted Gene Potion. In addition to retaining the various Talents of the 'Improved Model,' the formerly random awakening can now specifically awaken the 'Thread Manipulation' ability.

Price: Dim Proficiency Essence x60

The second item was a targeted Talent Capsule: Absolute Hit.

Description: After consumption, it can specifically generate a gene fragment for 'Absolute Hit' without affecting existing Talents.

Absolute Hit: Any target within your line of sight can be marked. From then on, all your long-range attacks are guaranteed to hit the target.

Price: Proficiency Essence x10

The third item was a targeted Talent Capsule: Self-Replication.

Description: After consumption, it can specifically generate a gene fragment for 'Self-Replication' without affecting existing Talents.

Self-Replication: You can replicate yourself, but only one unit can be replicated at a time, up to a maximum of 20 units. The first replica possesses 80% of the original body's combat strength. Thereafter, each replica evenly divides the combat strength of Replica No. 1.

Price: Proficiency Essence x10

Well, damn!

After reading the information, Azu became so excited that he nearly threw Angelina away.

That first item was clearly from the Emma Department Store incident.

The latter two were products of the Silver Tree Town incident that had just ended.

Azu had no interest in the first item.

But the latter two both tempted him.

'Absolute Hit' could ensure that his 'Heat Ray' never missed. As long as something entered his field of vision, it could be marked and locked on.

That way, his opponents could only take the attack head-on, clash against it, or neutralize it with a Talent ability similar to 'Dimensional Projection.'

As for 'Self-Replication,' it was even more absurd.

When used by Replicant herself, this ability was rather useless and could only serve to distract and confuse others.

But for Azu, it was unquestionably a god-tier ability!

Just think about it—Replica No. 1 alone possessed 80% of his combat strength.

If he replicated more units afterward, Replica No. 1's combat strength would indeed be divided among them.

But he must not forget that, as the material being replicated, Azu himself could level up! His Talents could increase! His combat strength could continuously rise!

In other words, the later things got, the more outrageous the Talent 'Self-Replication' became!

Perhaps Azu himself could form a 'Superman Army'!

Although it required ten Proficiency Essences, meaning that after buying it, he would basically be unable to upgrade his other Talents.

Azu still bought it without the slightest hesitation.

Buy early, enjoy early.

Thus, a 'Talent Capsule' appeared in his Inventory.

Back at Seven Tower.

Azu set Angelina down, thought for a moment, and said, "Your training will have one additional component from now on."

Angelina blinked her beautiful large eyes and looked at the powerful man before her.

"When you can skillfully use Shadow Capture on liquids, it will be time for us to carry out 'that plan.'"

Azu smiled faintly. "So when we begin depends on you."

At once, a striking red glow flashed in Angelina's eyes. "I'll work hard, Master."

As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he ran into Ashley.

"Homelander, you're finally back."

"The Costume Team has asked about you many times already. Do you have time?"

Azu smiled. "They've already waited so long. I don't think they'll mind waiting another day."

Ashley nodded, then added, "Also, Annika from the Criminal Analysis Department came looking for you. She said there was news regarding the matter you asked her to investigate."

She looked at her watch. "But she should be off work by now."

Azu casually asked, "Do you have her address?"

Ashley looked at Azu in surprise.

"You're going to visit her in person?"