Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 74

*—The Watcher declares that their lifelong ramen standards have just been reset.*

 

The praise—so genuine, neither excessive nor lacking—made Yeonwoo’s smile deepen.

 

*—The Watcher admits they usually hate adding stuff to ramen, but for you, they’d always beg for extra toppings.*

*—Their eyes glisten with tears as they say this.*

 

But Yeonwoo couldn’t laugh anymore.

 

Because it was time to **use up** the last remaining ramen in this world.

 

“But… this is the **last pack**.”

 

It wasn’t just Yeonwoo and the Watcher who needed feeding.

 

Kim Kkokko’s beak counted as a mouth. So did the tiny maws of the baby Aris.

 

To fill those mouths, he’d have to open this **precious** ramen—still within its three-day expiration window (and technically edible even beyond that).

 

Just as he was about to tear the packet open—

 

*Tap.*

 

A wing, not a hand, stopped him.

 

Kim Kkokko shook her head **gravely**.

 

If her eyes seemed to say, *“Save the ramen. Can’t you cook something else?”*—was that just his imagination?

 

“Oh, right. You guys can’t even use chopsticks. I’ll make something else!”

 

Yeonwoo put the ramen away and started prepping another dish.

 

*Kkok?*

 

Kim Kkokko, who’d been about to protest (*“Finally my turn?”*), shut her beak.

 

If he was cooking something else anyway, she didn’t care what.

 

*“HYAAAAAH!”*

 

Yeonwoo’s hands moved **fast**.

 

He already had **two dishes** in mind.

 

*‘I’ve memorized the stir-fried pork recipe!’*

 

Like any Korean man, Yeonwoo **loved** *Jeyuk Bokkeum* (spicy stir-fried pork). Especially the squid-infused version, where he could enjoy **multiple textures at once** without compromise.

 

Sure, he lacked the **fatty, tear-apart-tender pork belly**…

 

“But **root octopus** is enough!”

 

And so, *Jeyuk Bokkeum* was whipped up in no time.

 

Meanwhile, water boiled in another pot, and Yeonwoo showered it with **Rift Sea Salt**, flakes falling like snow.

 

Into that went a **whole slab of root octopus**—

 

*Plop!*

 

The result? **Root Octopus Sashimi**—a dish that relied **entirely** on the ingredient’s natural flavor.

 

Intentional or not, the **spicy stir-fried octopus** and **sashimi** hit the table **simultaneously**.

 

Both were **delicious**.

 

The proof? Kim Kkokko—whose appetite had dwindled after laying eggs—**ate until the plates were clean**. True to her bamboo-shoot-addicted nature, she even **dipped the spicy octopus in magic bamboo shoot paste**, which was… a choice.

 

The five Aris, oddly silent, nibbled on thick-cut sashimi slices.

 

*Nom nom nom…*

 

The Watcher’s mind was already screaming: *“SO GOOD! TOO GOOD!”*

 

Yeonwoo agreed wholeheartedly.

 

The stir-fried octopus used his **signature pork sauce**—how could it **not** taste amazing? Especially paired with such a premium ingredient.

 

Unnoticed, the sashimi vanished **faster** than the stir-fry.

 

Proof that its popularity **rivaled** the main dish.

 

“Honestly, even grilled or boiled, this would’ve been incredible.”

 

Hands down, the **best octopus** he’d ever eaten.

 

And there was **so much left**—enough for **20 more meals**. Since it would be **dried**, it wouldn’t spoil easily. In fact, he was curious how it’d taste as jerky—would it resemble dried squid or regular octopus?

 

*—Root Octopus Jjamppong Ramen satisfaction: 100%*

*—Spicy Stir-Fried Root Octopus satisfaction: 100%*

*—Root Octopus Sashimi satisfaction: 75%*

*—11 skills listed.*

*—Please select 3.*

 

“Whoa…!”

 

**Eleven skills!**

 

Yeonwoo could pick **three**.

 

This was the **reward** for defeating the root octopus—a monster so strong it made the **Bull Shark Juvenile** (which had nearly killed him) look like a **child**.

 

So… **what skills did it have?**

 

With bated breath, Yeonwoo checked the list.

 

—

 

1. **Camouflage (F) (Active)**

2. **Limbs Regeneration (A) (Passive)**

3. **Limbs Division (A) (Active)**

4. **Eyes on Limbs (A) (Active)**

5. **Sturdy Teeth (F) (Passive)**

6. **Seed Production (A) (Passive)**

7. **Seed Firing (A) (Active)**

8. **Intelligence Limbs (E) (Passive)**

9. **Ink Production (F) (Passive)**

10. **Eyeball Morphing (C) (Passive)**

11. **Octopus Heart (C) (Passive)**

 

—

 

“……”

 

His excitement **dimmed**.

 

The skills were… **baffling**.

 

“Seriously?”

 

Many questions arose, but the biggest was: **Why F-rank skills?**

 

The system had labeled the root octopus **AA-rank**. Yet it had **F-rank skills**—and not just any, but ones **fundamental to octopuses**.

 

**Sturdy Teeth (F)?** Other monsters’ teeth scaled **above** their rank, never **below**.

 

**Camouflage (F)? Ink Production (F)?** These were **basic octopus traits**—why were they **F-rank**?

 

*‘It’s still an octopus, even if a root one… Wait!’*

 

Was **that** it?

 

What if the root octopus **hadn’t always been one**?

 

If it was **once a regular octopus** that **assimilated with plants** on land, its original abilities might’ve **degraded to F-rank**.

 

Sacrifices for becoming **plant-like**.

 

Hell, it had **lost its edible teeth**—so even having ** Sturdy Teeth (F)** was ironic.

 

*‘That’s why its current skills are high-rank?’*

 

A plausible theory.

 

But it didn’t ease his gloom.

 

Because the skills he **wanted** were the **F-rank ones**.

 

*‘Limbs Regeneration (A) is a must. Camouflage (F)? I’m not an octopus, so probably can’t learn it… Need two more, but nothing else appeals.’*

 

He **didn’t** want to split his legs into four or eight. Or grow **eyeballs** on them. Sure, extra eyes could be useful, but **human dignity** held him back.

 

And if his limbs gained **sentience**? He might end up like the **first root octopus**, whose head got stolen by a **sentient sweet potato**.

 

**Seed skills?** Hard pass.

 

**Ink?** No thanks.

 

**Eyeball Morphing?** He’d have to **square his eyes** permanently.

 

“That leaves… **Octopus Heart (C)?** No clue what that even does.”

 

As he groaned internally—

 

*—You have learned Camouflage (F) (Active).*

*—You have learned Limb Regeneration (A) (Passive).*

*—You have learned Octopus Heart (C) (Passive).*

 

“……Huh?”

 

*What?*

 

…He’d only **thought** about them!

 

“No way!”

 

*—The Watcher asks what’s wrong, concerned by your stunned expression.*

 

“I, uh…”

 

Yeonwoo’s mouth hung open like a gaping fish.

 

Too absurd to explain—and he didn’t want to worry the Watcher.

 

*‘They’re already learned.’*

 

**Limb Regeneration** was fine—he’d planned to take it anyway.

 

But **Camouflage** and **Octopus Heart**?

 

He’d **given up** on Camouflage, assuming his **human skin** couldn’t mimic octopus texture.

 

And Octopus Heart? He’d barely **wondered** what it did!

 

Yet the system went: *“Oh, you like these? HERE!”*—like naming someone’s painstakingly forged greatsword **“Jawsbar”** on a whim.

 

**Since when could he learn anatomy-mismatched skills?!**

 

*‘It usually asks for confirmation…’*

 

Not this time.

 

They just **auto-learned**.

 

Even skills that **should’ve been impossible**, like **gill-breathing** or **spine-projecting**, were now his!

 

**How?!**

 

If his **body structure** didn’t matter now, why had **gill-breathing** been rejected before?

 

Yet here he was—with **octopus skin** and **heart skills**, despite being human.

 

Yeonwoo **liked** his human heart.

 

*‘What even is an octopus heart’s trait?’*

 

The Watcher might know, but asking now would **raise suspicions**.

 

*—The Watcher hesitates, biting their lip.*

*—They’re terrified something’s wrong with you.*

 

This guy **obsessed over Yeonwoo’s safety** more than Yeonwoo himself. Explaining would just panic him.

 

So Yeonwoo lied.

 

“Just… got a skill called **Limb Regeneration**. Was wondering if I should **chop off a leg to test it**…”

 

*—The Watcher yells that that’s insane.*

*—But admits it’s a good skill for emergencies.*

*—They quickly add they hope no such emergency ever occurs.*

 

“Hahaha! Y-Yeah, right?”

 

**Crisis averted.**

 

Outside, he laughed. Inside, he **wept**.

 

The thought of his **heart and skin turning octopus-like** nearly gave him a panic attack.

 

**Why did this happen?**

 

What changed in him that let him **bypass anatomical limits**?!

 

*‘Wait…’*

 

Only **one thing** came to mind—

 

The skill he’d gained after **taming the Giant Root Octopus as a pet**.