Ryan followed Hank through a maze of narrow alleys. Under the night sky, the town felt even more silent, the only signs of life coming from the dim glow of lanterns flickering behind a few scattered windows. After a short walk, Hank stopped at a plain wooden door, pushed it open, and gestured for Ryan to step inside.
The moment he entered, warmth enveloped Ryan. The house was small but tidy, carrying the faint scent of dried herbs. Simple furniture lined the space, and a few worn-out clothes hung on the walls. Hank casually dropped the leather pouch of meat onto a nearby table and motioned for Ryan to sit.
"Big brother, you're back!"
A thin voice piped up from an open bedroom door. Ryan glanced over to see a frail girl, likely in her early teens, lying in bed. Her pallid face peeked out from under a thin blanket, and her eyes lit up at the sight of Hank, filled with both affection and worry.
Hank stepped into the room, sitting by her side as he gently ruffled her hair. "Yeah. How are you feeling today?"
She nodded weakly, her gaze drifting to Ryan with open curiosity.
"This is my buddy, Ryan," Hank introduced.
Ryan gave her a small smile.
Then her eyes caught on Hank's shoulder, and her breath hitched. "You're hurt!"
Hank chuckled. "It's nothing, just a scratch."
Alarm flashed across her face as she tried to push herself up, but her arms trembled with the effort.
"Easy,"Hank murmured, catching her elbows to steady her. He adjusted the pillows behind her, helping her sit upright before tucking the blanket around her waist.
Her fingers brushed his wound, her voice wavering. "You have to be more careful..."
"Don't worry about me,"Hank soothed. "Captain hooked us up with some good meat today. I'll cook it for you tomorrow. Rest now—Ryan and I need to talk."
He eased the bedroom door shut behind him and found Ryan watching him, questions plain in his eyes.
"My sister, Eileen,"Hank said quietly.
"She's been weak since she was a kid. Broke her leg in an accident once... never healed right. Complications set in after."
Something tightened in Ryan's chest.
He knew that feeling all too well—because he had lived it. In his own world, he was the one who had been left paralyzed. The weight in Hank's voice—the quiet helplessness—was painfully familiar, striking a chord deep within him.
Ryan didn't say anything. He just nodded.
He understood.
Hank pulled out some bandages and quickly wrapped up his wound before sinking into a chair,fatigue etched into his face.He studied Ryan for a moment, then sighed.
"I became a scavenger to heal her,"he admitted, rubbing his temples."Saving up for a Terra Worm's Lumin Core."
"Terra Worm?" Ryan echoed, frowning.
"Yeah, it's a Wild Beast with incredible regeneration.Absorb its Lumin Core, and you gain its regeneration. It'll fix her leg."
Regeneration? Able to heal paralyzed legs?
If I get one and bring it back to the real world… could it fix my spinal cord?
A dozen questions flooded Ryan's mind, but first,he needed to understand what a Lumin Core actually was.
He rubbed his chin,"Uh… can you tell me more about Lumin Cores?"
Hank's eyes narrowed."You really don't remember anything?"
Cue the Oscar-worthy performance. Ryan clutched his head, face contorting."Just my name. The rest is... static."
Hank's frown deepened. "You don't even remember our city?"
Ryan scratched his head awkwardly, forcing a sheepish smile. "Uh… yeah, no. Not ringing any bells."
Hank studied his face, searching for any sign of deception. After a moment, he let out a resigned sigh, shaking his head. "Alright, looks like you really did lose your memory."
He leaned back slightly. "This dump is called Loneflame City." He paused before continuing. "As for Lumin Cores, you've already seen one—they're what we carve out of the skulls of wild beasts."
Ryan nodded, confirming that he remembered.
"Absorb a Lumin Core, and you become an Enhancer."
Hank said, rising from his seat. He walked over to a thick wooden pillar in the corner of the house. Taking a deep breath, his muscles tensed. With a powerful motion, Hank's right fist slammed into the pillar. The force behind his punch sent a shockwave through the air, and in an instant, the pillar cracked, a deep imprint left where his fist had struck.
Ryan blinked but quickly recovered—he'd seen the man haul a 200-kg Crimson Lizard carcass like it weighed nothing.
"You gain the beast's power when you absorb its core," Hank said, shaking out his hand. "The first absorption gets you about ten percent of its full strength."
"First absorption?" Ryan caught the key point.
Hank nodded patiently. "Yeah. Gotta keep absorbing the same kind of Lumin Core to unlock its full potential."
"So if I absorbed, say, thirty different cores—"* Ryan's eyes lit up."—could I stack their powers? Become Superman?"
Hank frowned slightly. "Superman?"
"Uh… you know, like someone super strong, super powerful," Ryan quickly clarified.
"Tch."Hank wiped wood dust off his knuckles. "One core type per person. Try another, and it won't do a damn thing."
Ryan asked, "Back on the city walls, you said Enhancers can't transform?"
Hank didn't answer directly. Instead, he cracked his knuckles—a sharp pop in the quiet night—before continuing. "Once an Enhancer fully inherits a beast's power, absorbing more cores pushes them to the next stage—an Evolver."He glanced at Ryan, making sure he was following. "Evolvers are stronger, way stronger. And they can partial transformation."
"Got it."Ryan pressed further,"So what comes after Evolver? What can they do? Full transformation?"
Hank frowned, his gaze sharpening as he studied Ryan. "You sure you just lost your memory? Feels more like you're not from this world at all."
Ryan's pulse spiked, but he kept his voice steady."Just trying to jog my memory. The more I learn, the better, right?"
Hank scoffed. "And what's the point of all this? The stage beyond Evolver isn't something a regular guy like you could ever get close to."
Ryan didn't back down. "Alright, then how do you even use a Lumin Core?"
Hank replied without hesitation. "Easy. Just crack it open and drink the liquid inside."
Ryan blinked. "That's it?"
"You expecting a magic ritual?"Hank snorted.
Ryan suddenly remembered the mission from [Another World]—to obtain and absorb a Lumin Core. His pulse quickened. "You mentioned buying cores earlier. Are they expensive?"
Hank smirked. "Some are cheap, some'll cost you a fortune. The ones that give beast traits? Crazy expensive. But the kind I use—pure strength-enhancing Rampaging Bison Cores? Those are dirt cheap."
"How cheap?" Ryan pressed.
"Five gold coins." Hank stood, grabbing a leather pouch. "It's late. I need to salt this meat and get some sleep."
Ryan felt the coins in his waist pouch and inhaled sharply. "One last question. How many silver for a gold?"
"A hundred." Hank tossed the answer over his shoulder as he walked off.
Ryan exhaled. No way I'm buying a Lumin Core anytime soon…
"I—"
"Ask in the morning." Hank cut him off. "We're heading out of the city at first light."
"I just wanted to ask where I'm sleeping."
"The floor."