Transmigrating as Cannon Fodder

A woman's figure caught Ethan's eye as she left the restaurant. Something familiar about her silhouette tugged at his memory, but he couldn't place it. 

Maybe his predecessor's memories playing tricks again.

The meal hit differently after days of military slop. Real flavours, actual seasoning.

"Thanks for the meal." Ethan dropped fifty stars on the counter, earning wide eyes from the young woman and her father working there.

"Sir!" The woman scrambled for change. "The meal's only twenty-five stars-"

Ethan waved it off, already heading for the door. "Keep it."

Her grateful smile followed him out. "Thank you!"

Small kindnesses. They didn't advance his rank or boost his stats, but they reminded him he was more than just another grinding monster.

Back in the dormitory, Ethan crashed into his bunk. 

Dawn broke. Another day, another scouting mission. The squad assembled at the gates, weapons checked, expressions grim. Everyone knew the beast activity had spiked. Good news for Ethan, bad news for anyone without a secret power-leveling ability.

"Five-hundred meter perimeter check," the captain ordered. "Standard formation."

Perfect setup for Ethan's disappearing act.

Two days of grinding later, Ethan's hands sank into the Mid-Iron wolf's chest. Core extracted, mission accomplished.

"Finally," he muttered, the glow of his tenth Mid-Iron core reflecting in his eyes. "Ten cores."

The collection had been frustrating. 

It was as if he was determined to stay in the Mid-Iron farming zone. He had encountered nothing but mid-iron beasts and nothing of higher rank.

But ten Mid-Iron cores meant one Bronze core at the exchange. One Bronze core meant rank advancement. And rank advancement meant freedom from being a slave to the system.

Ethan wiped blood from his hands and checked his status. Still Peak-Iron, but not for long. Tomorrow would change everything.

His plan was being fulfilled with each passing hour.

Ethan would set up the "re-awakening" scenario during a team mission when danger hits. Act surprised when his rank suddenly jumps to Bronze as his talent increases. Play the confused but grateful soldier.

Everyone loved a good second awakening story. 

The military would want to study him, of course. Maybe run some tests. 

But they'd also value him more. No more cannon fodder assignments. No more expendable status.

…

Arriving back at the city, Ethan headed straight toward the old man. The pouch of ten mid-iron cores hit the counter with a satisfying clink.

"A bronze core, thank you," he said, cutting straight to business.

The old man's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're quite fast at farming cores. Are you a hunter?"

"Had some stored," Ethan replied smoothly. "Borrowed the rest from friends."

The shopkeeper clearly didn't buy it, but cores were cores regardless of origin. "Here you go, strength-type low-bronze core."

The core gleamed differently than its iron counterparts - same size but with energy so dense it practically hummed in Ethan's palm. 

"Thanks." 

Ethan said before leaving hurriedly, he had no time for small talk. Not when ascension waited.

He practically flew back to the dormitory, heart pounding harder than it had during any beast fight. 

After securing the door with a cabinet, he perched on his bunk and held up his ticket to a new life.

'Yes.'

The core dissolved into pure energy, rushing into his body like a river finding the sea.

The power surge made his previous level-ups feel like static shocks. This was lightning, raw and transformative.

Ethan immediately checked his attributes. He felt that he had broken through significantly.

Ethan's face split into a grin as he scanned his status window. There it was in black and white: Low-Bronze rank! His strength had spiked to 60, officially crossing the threshold.

But his other stats remained stubbornly at 40. His talents and transformations hadn't budged either, despite all those Mid-Iron beasts he'd devoured.

"Let's test something," he muttered, pulling out a Low-Iron core of the Shadowfang wolf, which was meant to increase his agility.

Nothing. No stat gains.

"Damn it! Another core wasted." His fist slammed against the bed frame. Every trial and error cost him precious resources.

The realization hit like a cold shower. Bronze rank wasn't a simple one-and-done upgrade. Each attribute needed its own Bronze core to advance. Four more Bronze cores meant... well, more grinding.

But that could wait. The important part was done - he'd officially reached Bronze rank. Time for phase two.

'Tomorrow I'll head into the forest and push for an E-Rank talent evolution. Then I'll act like I've just re-awakened mid-battle.' The perfect cover story practically wrote itself.