"The pinnacle of mortals?!"
Yang Xu stared at the description, initially stunned, then understanding dawned.
So, the Black Iron level represented the absolute limit of human potential, while Bronze involved extraordinary abilities. It was a chilling thought that the Joker, through sheer force of will, could rival those with supernatural powers.
Moreover, this wasn't just any Joker; according to the system, this version possessed a philosophical depth, a twisted sense of "judgment" and "redemption."
Shaking off his complex thoughts, Yang Xu turned his attention to the other character he'd drawn:
[Character: Fujiwara Takumi]
[Rank: Black Iron]
[Source: Initial D]
[Skills: Drift Racing, Drainage Channel Cornering]
(Receives a significant bonus during racing and chases!)
(Capable of overtaking in extremely tight spaces!)
[Introduction: AE86 conquers mountains, Audi A6 conquers trees]
"Wait, 'conquers trees'? Natsuki? And an A6?"
Fujiwara Takumi's abilities were immediately overshadowed by Yang Xu's incredulous internal monologue.
It took a moment to regain his composure before he examined the eight Black Iron-level items he'd acquired.
[The Cunning Gun (Black Iron): Hits front, then back, quite cunning.]
[A Very Cheap Kidney (Black Iron): Tradeable for a smartphone.]
[Five Donuts (Black Iron): Delicious donuts, hahahaha!]
[The Blood-Stained Hatchet (Black Iron): Easily decapitates the deceased.]
[Fat House Happy Meal (Black Iron): Soda, fried chicken, pizza—you deserve it.]
Toothpaste, toilet paper, shower gel...
With a mix of bewilderment and resignation, Yang Xu suppressed a groan and focused on the ten fragments.
As he watched, the Black Iron fragments began to assemble themselves.
Soon, a new character materialized:
[Character: A Wei]
[Rank: Black Iron]
[Source: A Public Service Announcement]
[Skills: Drunken Charm, Vengeance]
(100% attraction to the same sex when intoxicated!)
(Transforms into an "Avenger" form, counter-attacking the same sex, when wearing black-framed glasses after being attacked!)
[Introduction: Brother Jie~~No, no! Brother Jie!]
Yang Xu stared, dumbfounded.
After a long pause, he checked the system panel again and erupted:
"Why?! Why are these characters so bizarre? Binbin, A Wei—why not just throw in Brother Jie and make a drunken posse?!"
His outburst subsided, and he noticed a new system message:
"Congratulations! Black Iron character acquired. System permissions expanded!"
"Host can now transfer extracted character abilities to others."
"Those granted abilities will be loyal and incapable of actions detrimental to the host."
Yang Xu's eyes lit up. "Ability transfer!"
"I can extract abilities and build a faction."
"And with A Wei's 100% same-sex attraction, I could use his drunken charm to control enemies. Perfect!"
The logic seemed sound; this ability had propelled A Wei to the Black Iron level.
However, the activation method was… unorthodox.
Yang Xu, despite his criminal inclinations, found this particular application too morally questionable.
He decided to shelve A Wei.
The loss of a potential asset wasn't a significant regret.
He then replaced "Joker" with "John Wick" as his active character.
He intended to use the Joker's abilities to create an "assistant" for his reputation-building schemes.
As the character changed, Yang Xu felt his muscles tighten and his reflexes sharpen.
Firearm expertise and knowledge of human anatomy flooded his mind, becoming instinctive.
He practiced a few combat maneuvers in the cramped room, quickly disassembling and reassembling a pistol he'd acquired.
Then, he hesitated, wondering how the "Ability Transfer" truly worked.
"Does it overwrite personalities, or just implant knowledge? And how does loyalty work?"
As he pondered, an idea struck him.
"Why recruit humans? The system doesn't specify the container must be alive!"
He recalled the artificial body from "Death God," a perfect vessel for a soul.
He retrieved a mannequin from his inventory.
He then focused on the "Joker" screen, placing his hand on it, attempting to extract the character's essence.
The Joker's image glowed with a dark green light, solidifying into a bronze-like card.
The card featured the Joker's portrait and information, while the back displayed intricate, rotating runes.
Despite careful examination, Yang Xu found no discernible function in the card's artistic design.