Kryptonians: Man of Steel

Chapter 1535 Job Change
Just as the crab monster slammed its left leg into the ground, its massive body, accompanied by a deafening roar and a cloud of dust and debris, charged toward him like an out-of-control armored vehicle, and its right pincer swept across with a suicidal momentum!
Hachiman Hikigaya has moved!
He did not retreat—the narrow space and the opponent's desperate charge would instantly corner him! He chose a more dangerous and direct approach—to duck once more in the face of the sweeping giant pincers!

Almost skimming the ground, like a lizard pouncing on its prey, it charged towards the crab monster's only remaining foothold—the vulnerable gap where the carapace connected to the human thigh muscle, exposed by the forceful exertion!
call--!
The massive right pincer, whistling through the air, grazed his back, the force of the wind stinging his skin. He could feel the cold, metallic texture almost brushing against his spine, the shadow of death looming large.

But Hachiman's goal isn't to dodge, it's to attack!
It was a game-winning shot!

As the giant pincers swept across, the longsword in his hand, carrying all the power of his forward momentum and his extreme desire to survive, pierced the gap with unparalleled precision, like a viper striking.
puff!

This time, the sound was no longer the dull thud of striking tough tendons, but the soft click of a sharp blade piercing relatively soft tissue. The sword sank into the weak point where the armor met the muscle without any resistance, all the way to the hilt!
A thicker, almost dark red, viscous liquid suddenly gushed out, carrying a nauseating stench of rust and rotten crab roe.

"Gah——!!!"

The crab monster let out a sharp, inhuman wail that was completely out of tune! This was no longer an angry roar, but an instinctive cry of agony as the core of its life was pierced!
Its massive body collapsed with a bang, as if all the power had been removed from a building block!
Its supporting left leg instantly lost its strength, and its left pincer, stuck in the ground, could no longer maintain its balance. Its heavy, crimson carapace, propelled by despairing momentum, crashed forward!
The moment Hachiman Hikigaya thrust out his fatal sword, he released the hilt of his sword and, using the momentum of his forward thrust, rolled awkwardly to the side.

A massive shadow, accompanied by a deafening roar, crashed down on the spot where he had just been standing. The shockwave and debris sent him flying several meters away, his back slamming heavily against the cold, rough wall. The pain made his vision go black, and he almost suffocated.

He coughed violently, struggling to sit up and look through the billowing smoke.

The crab-like monster lay motionless on its side, its enormous body rolled over.

The longsword was deeply embedded in the joint between its left leg and its carapace, leaving only the hilt exposed. Dark red, viscous liquid gushed out like a small spring, quickly spreading beneath it and forming a pool of filth that emitted a strong, fishy stench.

Its massive right pincer lay limply to the side, the light in its compound eyes completely extinguished, leaving only a murky, deathly gray. The ridiculous loincloth lay beneath it, stained with its own eerie blood and the mud from the ground.

ended.

An indescribable sense of exhaustion and the despair of surviving a close call instantly overwhelmed Hachiman Hikigaya. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily, each breath aggravating the pain throughout his body.

Sweat, dust, and a splash of foul-smelling liquid mixed together, making him feel like he had just crawled out of a garbage dump. His arms trembled slightly from the exertion, and his fingertips were icy cold.

Just as his mind relaxed slightly, a cold, emotionless synthesized voice rang out, as if branded directly into the depths of his consciousness, dispelling all the noise and fatigue:

【Ding! 】

[Battle over.]

[Level Up! Lv.2 Hero -> Lv.3 Hero!]

[Level Up! Lv.3 Hero -> Lv.4 Hero!]

As the notification tone ended, a strange warm current suddenly erupted from the center of his body—perhaps his heart, or perhaps somewhere deeper—like a bursting dam, instantly flowing throughout his limbs and bones!

It wasn't scorching heat in the physical sense, but rather a pure, condensed life energy, carrying a gentle yet irresistible force, washing over every tired cell.

"Uh...!" Hachiman couldn't help but let out a low groan, not from pain, but from extreme astonishment and an indescribable sense of pleasure.

The deep-seated fatigue—that heavy feeling as if one's soul had been drained—was quickly dissolved and carried away by this warm current.

The muscle soreness and stiffness caused by intense exertion melt away and disintegrate like thin ice under the warm spring sun.

The burning wounds from hitting the corner of the wall or being grazed by the monster's limbs were gently soothed by an invisible hand, leaving only a slight tingling sensation, indicating rapid healing.

My body felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, and I felt so light it was almost unreal.

What shocked him even more was that an unprecedented sense of power began to grow and surge within his body.

It was still very weak, like a newly born stream, but compared to its previous weak state of being exhausted, it was like a clear and surging spring suddenly gushing out from a dry and cracked riverbed!

He could clearly feel that his muscle fibers seemed to have been infused with new resilience, his bones seemed to have been strengthened, and even his breathing had become deeper and more powerful.

Moreover, his five senses seemed to have been forcibly elevated to a higher level under the influence of this energy.

The stench of the monster's bodily fluids that was already permeating the air became exceptionally clear and pungent. The mixed smells of dust, the rotting smell of the distant garbage heap, and even the salty smell of his own sweat assaulted his olfactory nerves in distinct layers.

The previously indistinct background noise from the distant alleyway—the hum of passing cars, the faint sounds of conversation, and the echoing of sirens from who-knows-where—could now be barely discerned by him.

My vision seemed to sharpen a bit; the outlines of objects in the darkness became clearer, and even the texture of the peeling paint on the walls was clearly visible.

However, the cold system notification didn't give him much time to savor his new life. Immediately afterward, a more impactful information box, shimmering with a dark golden light, was projected into the center of his consciousness like a brand of judgment:

【Ding! 】

[Milestone Achievement Completed: First Blood!]

[Description: Successfully and independently defeat your first enemy unit of elite level or higher. This marks the true beginning of the path of the hero, signifying the first transformation from an ordinary body to an extraordinary being. Reward: Exclusive job change privileges unlocked!]

[Job Change!]

"Job change...?"

Hachiman Hikigaya's pupils suddenly contracted.

(End of this chapter)