"Uncle Zach? Where is he?"
Warren turned around and pointed toward a nearby open area. "Over there."
Leo followed his gaze. Zach Mercer was leaning silently against a wooden post, expression calm as always. When Leo approached, Zach glanced at him with a hint of acknowledgment.
"You're here. Not bad, what you pulled off this time," the limping man said flatly. "But don't get cocky. That horned charger? It's still just a low-tier beast. If you ever meet a mid-tier one, you'll realize your bow's nothing more than a back-scratcher."
"Uh…"
Warren and the others exchanged looks.
Was this guy serious?
Leo had basically carried the whole hunt, and the entire settlement was praising his name. Would it kill Zach to say one nice thing?
But Leo just smiled and nodded. "You're right. We actually ran into an Armored Rhino out there."
"What?!"
"Holy—!"
Everyone froze.
Even Zach's calm expression twitched as his one good eye narrowed sharply.
"We circled around. Didn't attract its attention," Leo added.
Warren exhaled so hard it sounded like a deflating waterskin. "Damn, Leo. You nearly gave me a heart attack. That thing's not something anyone can mess with."
"Yeah, I heard a settlement once lured one in by accident. The thing went berserk and smashed through their perimeter walls. Took half a day to calm down enough to leave."
Leo nodded and turned back to Zach. "That's why I wanted to ask. Do you know any techniques—punches, forms, anything—that build physical strength? If I ever get stuck in a real fight, I want more than just a bow between me and death."
"…Strength-building techniques?" Warren echoed, mouth falling open.
Zhao looked stunned. All of them stared at Leo, then back at Zach, caught between confusion and disbelief.
Zach raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "So you've heard?"
Leo nodded. "The Wells brothers… they must have learned something, right? They didn't start out able to draw 100-pound bows."
Warren blinked. Zhao's breathing quickened. Something told him they were brushing up against knowledge they were never supposed to hear.
"…You're not wrong."
Zach's gaze swept across the group before settling back on Leo.
"You remember what I told you about martial ranks?"
"Yeah." Leo straightened.
"After the world changed, some people Awakened—gained powers to rival firearms. But even those without powers aren't helpless. Even before the change, people could strengthen their bodies. Now that the human limit's been broken, ordinary folks can refine their flesh and bones to become far stronger. We call this stage: Body Tempering."
"Body Tempering?" The name echoed off the training yard walls.
Even Leo found himself repeating it.
It was new to Warren and the others, but Leo had already guessed something like this. His system's Rank field still said [None], but he had a strong feeling that once it changed, it would read exactly what Zach had just said.
Zach folded his arms, tone turning instructional.
"Body Tempering is split into three levels, based on muscle strength. Most people—regular adults—can throw a punch with about 50 kilograms of force. That's the average here in the stronghold.
"But once someone breaks past 100 kilograms of force, they enter Stage One. That's when we call them a true Martial Initiate. The Wells brothers were around that level when they left. They could draw a 200-pound bow—but only once, before they were spent. A 100-pound bow is more realistic for consistent use."
Zach glanced at Leo.
"A 100-pound bow, fired accurately, can pierce leather armor at 200 meters. Even chainmail wouldn't hold up. You could take down an Armored Rhino with a shot like that."
Leo sucked in a breath.
He was only just managing a 60-pound draw. He still had a long way to go.
Zach continued, "If you hit 150 kilograms of muscle force, you're at Stage Two. 200 kilograms? That's Stage Three—comparable to pre-cataclysm boxing champions. Someone like that could draw a 200-pound war bow and strike targets half a kilometer away."
The group collectively gasped.
Leo's heart pounded faster.
Then he looked Zach dead in the eye and asked, "And that's just the start, right?"
Warren choked. "Wait, what?! That's the start?!"
But Zach… smiled slightly. "You've got a good head on your shoulders."
He nodded.
"Yes. Past Body Tempering comes the Body Refinement Stage—sometimes called the Ironbody Stage. At that level, your muscles aren't just strong—they're like steel cables. A single punch carries over a thousand pounds of force. You could draw a 500-pound war bow with one hand. And even a beast like the Armored Rhino? Nothing but a walking target."
The air turned cold.
Everyone fell silent, stunned by the image painted in their minds.
Leo swallowed, but pushed forward. "What comes after that?"
Zach's face turned solemn.
"Then comes the Force Adept Rank. And that's when it gets tricky."
He seemed to drift into memory.
"Force Adepts are divided into three stages: Bright Force, Hidden Force, and Transcendent Force. Before the world changed, I only ever heard of people reaching Bright Force—a level where your punch creates sonic booms. As for Hidden Force… maybe a few people claimed to reach it, but most were con artists. Transcendent Force? That was just fantasy."
"But now that the world has changed…" Leo said softly.
Zach gave a slow nod.
"Now it's different. In Anshan City, not even a hundred kilometers from here, someone reached Transcendent Force. People say their strength defies logic. And there are rumors…" He paused.
Leo finished the sentence. "That some have even awakened… essence. True internal power."
"What?! Essence cultivation?!"
"No way! Is that real?"
Excitement rippled through the group like wildfire.
Leo stayed quiet. His eyes, though, gleamed with realization.
Could Zach be… one of them? A Force Adept? Maybe even someone who had cultivated essence?
But Zach didn't let the moment linger.
"Don't get too excited." His voice was cold again. "Even the strongest Force Adept can die if a bullet hits their head. Even someone who's cultivated essence… probably can't stop a bullet."
Leo didn't flinch. He just smiled.
"Still, having the power to protect yourself in this world… that's worth something."
Zach looked at him for a long moment… and then nodded.
"Fair enough. Even reaching Body Tempering Stage One puts you leagues ahead of ordinary people. So, you really want to learn from me?"
Leo opened his mouth to answer, but Zach raised a hand.
"Let me finish first."