Chapter Seventeen: The First Level 3 Skill!

Which skill to upgrade, hand-to-hand combat or marksmanship?

“System! Upgrade hand-to-hand combat skill!”

Without much hesitation, Yu Fei quickly chose his upgrade target.

One hundred merit points vanished.

Inside the mysterious space, Yu Fei once again embarked on an endless journey of battle.

Only this time, the environment had changed drastically.

Previously, the battles took place in an endless, blindingly white space, with only the opponents changing wave after wave.

Now, it was different.

Yu Fei transitioned from that boundless white void to vast forests, riverbanks, highlands, icy wastelands, and even the depths of the ocean.

He moved from ordinary wilderness to various extremely harsh environments.

In these settings, Yu Fei not only had to fight his enemies but also contend with nature itself—the heavens and the earth—raising the difficulty exponentially.

And that was not all.

Previously, his opponents fought barehanded, but now they wielded all manner of weapons—knives, spears, clubs, axes, and even firearms and explosives.

The scope of combat had reached its peak.

Though the environment was brutal and the enemies formidable, Yu Fei experienced astonishing growth.

Under normal training, reaching Combat Level 2 would be the upper limit for an ordinary person.

In a conventional world, Yu Fei’s combat skills would be world-class, enough to compete on a global fighting stage and possibly touch the threshold of a boxing champion.

Those undoubtedly stronger than him would either have special methods or be naturally gifted fighters.

The latter is self-explanatory.

Among billions of people, some inevitably possess “bloodline mutations.”

Born different, these individuals can push beyond normal limits through conventional training.

As for those with special methods...

Most extract power by pushing their bodies to extremes.

Though they may grow stronger in a short time, the side effects are severe. Most have their lifespans halved, often dying before thirty.

Ancient Muay Thai is a prime example.

They ruthlessly squeeze out their potential to reach greater heights.

Yu Fei’s upgrade this time was similar in concept—using extreme external hardship to ignite greater potential within.

The difference was that Yu Fei’s enhancement came without side effects—or rather, any side effects were offset by merit points.

All the results he gained were positive and beneficial.

Time passed swiftly amid ceaseless fighting.

Yu Fei himself lost track of how long had gone by.

He only remembered feeling dazed upon regaining consciousness.

For a full hundred months—over eight years—he had been fighting nonstop, an ordeal no normal person could endure.

Yu Fei could barely bear it himself.

Not even ten months, or one month, could a normal person withstand such strain.

Only because time perception was greatly diminished in the mysterious space, and his mind and body were sustained at peak condition by the power of merit points, could he adapt.

When he finally emerged, to protect his memory from too great a shock, all the memories and skills were inscribed in his body and brain in a highly refined manner.

Now, Yu Fei could still recall some details, though most memories had become blurred.

Even so, the flood of recollections left his mind somewhat disoriented.

“Looks like next time, I shouldn’t upgrade under such perilous conditions,” he silently resolved.

Though the dizziness soon passed, in certain situations it could prove fatal.

“System!”

Yu Fei sensed tremendous changes within himself, but the data on the system panel was still the most concrete and precise.

A translucent pale blue panel appeared before his eyes.

Host: Yu Fei
Physique: 1.5
Spirit: 1.1
Skills: Combat LV·3 (MAX), Marksmanship LV·2 (0/100), Computer LV·2 (0/100)
Merit Points: 65

It was clear that all his attributes had shifted significantly.

The most striking change was his physique attribute, which surged from 1.2 to 1.5.

Though both represented a 0.3 increase, the difference between this and the previous upgrade to Combat LV·2 was immense.

The last upgrade had added roughly 100 kilograms of punching power.

This 0.3 increase now granted him at least 300 kilograms of punching force!

Combined with the 200 kilograms he already possessed, Yu Fei’s total punch strength had reached an astonishing 500 kilograms!

In other words, a colossal force!

With balanced strength in both hands, a single-arm swing wielded a thousand pounds of power, a level almost inhuman.

Top-tier fighters like the legendary Mike Tyson, after scientific conditioning, could only muster about 500 pounds of force—around 200 kilograms.

That was their extreme limit, rarely achieved in normal circumstances.

Yu Fei’s 500 kilograms of full power had completely surpassed human limits.

Perhaps only some legendary ancient warriors could reach such a level.

In terms of sheer combat strength, Yu Fei had essentially reached the pinnacle of humanity.

On an ancient battlefield, he would be a peerless warrior able to face hundreds, even thousands, alone!

But that was not all.

“This significant boost in physical attributes has also elevated my other skills.”

Yu Fei casually fired a shot, instantly smashing a surveillance camera thirty meters away.

From spotting the camera to drawing his pistol and firing, less than a second elapsed.

This transformation was the result of compounded speed, perception, and reflexes.

If Yu Fei were to enter a world-class shooting competition now, he would no longer be a mere top-tier marksman barely touching the threshold of a gun champion.

He would very likely become a supreme shooting master!

Purely in marksmanship skill, Yu Fei might not be far ahead of other elite shooters, but his physical quality was an overwhelming advantage!

To put it simply,

“I can now truly be called a gifted player!”