UNLOCK: I CAN SEE MY STATS

chapter 28 : new DNA

The Open Sea, on the deck of the ship Marcus had seized after killing its crew.

"Hmm... someone’s here."

Erin said this quietly, sitting atop the ship’s mast with his legs dangling in the air, his eyes fixed in surprise on the young man sleeping in the worn-out chair at the center of the deck.

The young man stirred slowly, then opened his eyes with a groan and a scowl.

"Man... it’s pretty rude to barge into someone else’s place without asking."

Marcus spoke in a heavy tone as he sat up straight, stretched out his arms, and yawned before lifting his head to look at the unexpected visitor.

Marcus studied this stranger with unusual features, a face sprinkled with freckles, a wide hat being slapped back and forth by the wind, and a confident gaze unlike any ordinary adventurer’s.

He whispered with a touch of amazement as he examined him closely.

"You’ve got to be kidding me, right?"

He cast a quick glance around, as if something in his memory had just been triggered.

Above, Erin watched him with curiosity from his high perch.

"Is he looking for a weapon?"

Erin muttered as he observed Marcus leaning forward to shuffle through some papers until he finally pulled something out.

"There it is..."

Marcus gripped the poster, held it up to his eyes, then looked again at the young man sitting atop the mast.

He compared the printed picture to that face, its hair shifting with the breeze, then crumpled the poster slightly in his trembling fist.

His eyes lit up with something like excitement.

"There’s no doubt... this man is... Lightning Fist Erin."

Erin jumped down from the mast with ease, his feet touching the deck with a faint thud as his hat dipped slightly over his eyes. He brushed dust off his trousers with a confident smile.

"Hey there! Sorry for waking you up..." he dipped his head in a small apology, then looked around until his gaze landed on Marcus’s right wrist stump and added,

"Are you the owner of this ship? It looks like it just came out of a battle. Anyway, do you have any food? I really haven’t eaten in a while..."

Marcus stared at him, listening to his rambling for a few seconds before slowly smiling, a grin that unsettled Erin a little, his hand squeezing the poster so tightly the edge tore.

"Rude, arrogant, sitting there like this ship belongs to you... no wonder, you’re the big wanted man, Lightning Fist."

Erin let out a light laugh and adjusted his hat.

"Ah, looks like you’re a fan... or are you here for the bounty?"

Marcus tossed aside the bounty poster, which had become slightly crumpled.

"Fifty million ner..."

He said it in a low voice, as if the number alone carried weight.

Erin picked up the poster and looked at it, his smile freezing for a moment, then he pointed at the paper with playful excitement.

"Ah, this poster’s new... I think they just reassessed my talent." He added with a laugh, "Good to know I’m famous."

"Yeah..."

Marcus muttered, then lifted his eyes to Erin.

"In fact... fifty million ner is a pretty tempting sum, and lately I’ve been thinking seriously about changing careers."

"Huh?"

Erin raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Marcus answered, gesturing again to the poster.

"An adventurer hunter... full-time work, steady income, constant adventure... and today I’ve found fifty million reasons to start."

A short silence fell, then Erin chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"Let me guess... this isn’t a coincidence, is it?"

"No, I was enjoying the peace... until you dropped out of the sky."

Marcus shrugged with a sigh, then added in a tone that was almost a mock threat.

"And since you’re here... how about coming with me to the nearest guard branch...?"

Erin’s eyes narrowed, his tone sharpening.

"Careful how you talk. I don’t like people who throw around empty threats."

Marcus ignored Erin’s warning and said as he prepared to transform.

"Let’s see if your reputation is really deserved, Lightning Fist."

Erin smiled, and faint sparks began to dance across his body.

"And I like proving fame doesn’t come for nothing..."

Marcus watched with curiosity as the electricity rose from Erin’s body.

"Hmm, electricity... so you’re a Dream-Bringer user, no wonder they call you Lightning Fist."

Grrrr!!

Just as the tension peaked, Erin’s stomach growled loudly.

The sparks faded, and he scratched the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

"How about we postpone this fight until after lunch?"

Marcus let out a helpless sigh.

"Man, you’re something else... I’m literally targeting your head for the bounty, and you’re asking me to feed you."

Erin laughed a bit awkwardly.

"Well, you see, I’m really hungry..."

Marcus ignored him and focused instead on the voice in his mind that popped up when Erin had gotten close.

[New DNA detected...]

[Scanning DNA...]

"What!!?..." Marcus shouted internally, shocked.

"Wait, wait! You mean you can copy the DNA of people who also have Dream-Bringer abilities!?" he asked quickly and with excitement. When he’d previously transformed into that tiny creature, thanks to the boost in his intelligence, he’d gained a rough idea about how the bracelet worked.

[Positive. I can automatically copy any strong DNA within scan range...]

If Erin hadn’t been there, Marcus might have jumped from joy at the bracelet’s reply.

"Damn! That means I can copy other people’s abilities..."

[Scan complete...]

[Estimated time to integrate DNA: 47 minutes and 12 seconds...]

[Access to full transformation mode temporarily blocked]

[Access to hybrid transformation mode temporarily blocked]

"Wait, what!!?..." Marcus suddenly yelled, startling Erin, who by then had stepped away to help his friend climb onto the ship.

"Oh! This is Dice, a member of my crew, hope you don’t mind..." Erin said, thinking Marcus was angry about someone else boarding his ship.

Marcus waved a hand impatiently.

"Do whatever you want..."

Then he turned his attention back to the bracelet.

"Hey bracelet!? Why is transformation access blocked!?" he demanded with irritation and anger.

[Access to transformation mode temporarily blocked.]

Marcus cursed in frustration and kicked the chair.

"What’s wrong with him!?" Dice asked with a scowl, having just climbed aboard, staring at Marcus who looked like a madman, kicking and cursing.

Erin shrugged and answered cheerfully.

"I don’t know. I think... he’s just a little eccentric."

Dice gave him a sidelong glare.

"Really?! You’re the one saying that?"

Erin laughed heartily, but quickly fell silent when he saw Marcus take a deep breath and sit down slowly on the edge of the chair.

A little away from them, Marcus calmed down after venting his anger.

"How am I supposed to take that Erin’s head..."

He sighed in frustration. "Anyway, it’s best not to get into a fight with them, at least not until the bracelet finishes integrating the new DNA..."