"Wait, eating meat increases Stat Points?!!!"
The realization struck Leo like lightning.
He quickly pulled up his Status Panel again—sure enough, the number had changed. What used to be 0 was now 1. And the system prompt still lingered faintly in his mind.
'This world underwent a mysterious transformation, and everything from beasts to plants evolved. If these beasts have grown stronger, it only makes sense that eating their meat would strengthen people as well.'
That thought aligned perfectly with what the Wells brothers mentioned earlier—beast meat did have body-enhancing effects.
'So, the meat I eat is directly converted into Stat Points by the system. Once I collect enough, I can upgrade my body… That must be it.'
With his theory taking shape, Leo shoved another slice of meat into his mouth.
He had to admit—his mom's knife skills were top-tier. Each piece was evenly cut, and the texture was just right.
----------------------
+1 Stat point
----------------------
Another familiar chime echoed in his head.
As piece after piece of meat slid down his throat, his Stat Points kept rising at an encouraging pace.
Across the table, Grant and Helen Carter exchanged a smile. Leo was clearly starving.
But even in that lighthearted moment, Grant's brows knit into a frown. Without the Wells brothers, hunting swift prey like wild hares would be almost impossible. Traps were now their only hope—and traps were unreliable at best.
Eventually, ten pieces were gone. And right on cue...
----------------------
+1 Stat point
----------------------
Leo stared at his Status Panel with mounting excitement.
Originally, he would've needed to wait until tomorrow evening to accumulate two Stat Points. But thanks to the beast meat, he could now upgrade tonight. That meant not only greater strength—but a huge advantage for tomorrow's archery training.
'No—why wait until tomorrow? I'll do it tonight.'
"You're still hungry, aren't you, sweetie?" Helen asked, her eyes full of concern. She pushed the two remaining pieces of meat in her bowl into Leo's.
Leo quickly moved them back, faking a full-bellied sigh. "I'm really stuffed, Mom. You eat them."
Before she could insist, he was already pushing his chair back. Turning to his father, he said, "Dad, I'm heading to see Uncle Zach. I want to squeeze in some more training tonight. Just leave the door unlocked for me."
"What?" Grant blinked, visibly surprised.
Helen looked just as stunned. Nate, still too young to grasp the situation, only blinked curiously.
"Dad, now that Uncle Wayne and Travis are gone, we don't have anyone trained in archery. Hunting's going to be even harder. If I can master it quickly, I can start helping you sooner."
Leo's words were steady and sincere.
A warm current spread through Grant's chest. He nodded, deeply moved. "That means a lot, son. Thank you."
"I'll be off then."
And with that, Leo dashed out the door.
"...He's grown up, hasn't he?" Grant murmured to Helen.
Her feelings were far more tangled. She was proud, yes—but deeply afraid too. Sooner or later, Leo would be joining the hunting party. That much was inevitable.
'Still one more hour left…'
Leo glanced at the Status Panel again. No rush. He had time.
As he reached the training grounds, he saw the familiar glow of a campfire. The smell of roasting meat drifted through the air.
"You're here," Zach Mercer greeted him without turning. "Want a bite?"
"If you're offering for real, I won't say no," Leo said honestly, eyes locked on the juicy, crisp-skinned rabbit leg sizzling over the flames.
"Too bad I wasn't," Zach snorted. "That was just me being polite."
He casually shifted to block Leo's view, then motioned toward the bows laid out nearby.
Leo rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to flip him the finger. Quietly, he walked over, picked up the bow, and immediately felt himself lock into rhythm.
Just like earlier today—only smoother.
Without wasting time, he resumed training.
Zach finished his meal, then leaned against a post to watch, bored but curious.
Time ticked by. At first, Leo felt great—well-fed and energized. But after a dozen arrows, the familiar ache in his arm returned. The soreness from earlier hadn't vanished—it had merely been forgotten. Now it surged back with a vengeance.
After each shot, he had to rest three or four minutes before the next.
By the end of an hour, he'd only managed just over twenty arrows.
----------------------
Skill: Basic Archery – Lv.1 (16%)
— Trait: Reinforce Body Lv.1
— Trait: Iron Arm Lv.1
— Trait: Slowfire Lv.1
----------------------
'At this rate, I might hit Level 2 by tomorrow noon—assuming my arm doesn't give out before that.'
"Kid, maybe you should call it a night," Zach called behind him. "You keep going like this, you won't even be able to hold the bow by morning."
"I'll do just a bit more," Leo replied with a grin.
"Suit yourself," Zach muttered as he got up and stretched. "Fire's yours. If it starts dying, throw on some logs—there's a pile right over there."
"Got it. Thanks, Uncle Zach."
With a wave, Zach hobbled back into his room and shut the door.
Leo exhaled slowly.
Rest?
Sure, that'd be nice. But he didn't have time to waste.
He pulled up his Status Panel again—and his eyes lit up.
Two Stat Points. Right on time.
And next to his Level...
A small glowing plus sign had appeared.
'Finally... time to level up.'
He willed the points into his body.
"No freebies this time—this was an upgrade paid in full."
State points used.
And just like before, a powerful surge rushed through his veins. A burning warmth spread from his chest outward, rushing through every muscle, bone, and nerve ending. He could hear faint cracks as his skeleton subtly shifted—his skin pulled tighter, leaner.
The feeling faded slowly, leaving behind a sense of incredible vitality.
----------------------
Status Panel
Rank: None
Level: 3 (0/4)
Physique: 8 + 98
Strength: 7 + 87
Agility: 7 + 77
Clarity: 5 + 55
Skills:
Skill: Basic Archery – Lv.1 (16%)
— Trait: Reinforce Body Lv.1
— Trait: Iron Arm Lv.1
— Trait: Slowfire Lv.1
Stat Points: 0 (+1 per day)
----------------------
'Ten percent across the board. My physical stats are basically on par with a grown man now.'
Leo couldn't stop smiling.
What shocked him more was the complete disappearance of fatigue—his aching arm, the lingering tension in his back, even his mental fog—gone.
'So body enhancement clears exhaustion too? That's... incredible.'
His eyes gleamed.
If he used this well, he could train like a machine—from dawn till nightfall—nonstop.
And right now, that was exactly what he planned to do.