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Chapter 3
/Vrooom!/
One hour after receiving the call, a black flying limousine parked in front of Luiz's house.
Luiz was already ready to leave, having already called his parents and prepared all of his baggage for the journey ahead.
As he stepped outside, he saw a butler waiting next to the car.
"Is it you, Sebral? It's been a while since we last met."
"To be precise, we last met during young masters Zhong's coming-of-age party four months ago."
"Oh…"
'Oh yeah. During that guy's birthday…'
"Allow me to help you with the luggage."
"Thank you; there is a little bit more left. A couple of sealed compression bags."
"I see, the limousine trunk uses the most recent compression technology, so there shouldnt be any trouble."
Among the many advancements of todays era. There is the famed and praised compression technology. This technology refers to the capability of storing a bigger volume of items in a space smaller than the actual object without damaging its integrity.
There are many ways of doing such a thing, from compressing a small object to creating a separate space. The ways of storing things in todays era couldn't be easier… And pricier.
After placing all of his luggage in the trunk, Luiz entered the car.
"Sir, this vehicle, has high priority, so we should be arriving at our destination soon."
"Ho? How generous of him."
Priority. An immense luxury. In a society where flying cars are everywhere and transit is controlled by AIs, the system of priority was made.
From a normal people's car, to an ambulance. All have an innate priority. This makes it so that the AI that governs the transit system will always prioritize having the vehicle with higher priority move over others.
Such as making the red light turn green, so a firefighter can easily pass through and well… Fight a fire.
The problem is that having such a priority is extremely hard to get, it's not something that can be bought with money…
"That guy isn't holding anything back."
Sebral adjusted himself at the front seat as he added, "The young master is really excited after all. He immediately booked the entirety of Gianseng Mountain for today."
"Sigh, what a waste of money. Wait… Isn't Gianseng Mountain..."
"Yes, it's family property."
"So it's explained."
'Being rich is so damn good….'
Luiz rested his head as he waited for the car to arrive at its destination.
…
/Time passed…/
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped near a camp deep in the woods. The place was heavily fortified like a military outpost. This was the gate to the Gianseng Mountains, a private hunting area for the rich managed by the Zhong military household.
The mountain is considered a Risk-2 area, but in truth, it's a Risk-3.5. That means that there might be Rank-3 creatures very close to becoming Rank-4…
As for how this mountain can be Rank-2 yet be considered Rank-3.5… That's because this mountain extends all the way into the deep wilderness.
Luiz was currently on the periphery, but if he went deep enough, he would see stronger monsters.
The reason there isn't a stronger beast in this area is thanks to the constant hunting by the military. But mostly due to the hunting done by the Zhong family.
Although this is considered to be a property of the Zhong family, they book this place to others constantly. Of course, when they hunt, they leave all Rank-2 creatures and below out of it. Otherwise, no one would book this place to hunt.
A balance must be reached even during times where creatures breed and mutate crazily.
/Clack!/
Luiz got out of the car, and with Sebral's help, loaded all of his items into a floating cart. Sebral then led him across the periphery outpost without stopping for a single moment.
No one ever stopped them, the guards saluting as they moved past them.
…
After going through several hallways and doors, they finally arrived at a trolley leading up into the mountains.
"This is where I stop master Carter. I still need to welcome Master Hu."
"Alright, I will see you later, Sebral. Have a nice day."
"Go with the wind."
Luiz got inside the trolley, which in sequence lit up and took off into the mountain… It was only then that Sebral stopped bowing.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he checked the time.
"It seems the time has finally arrived. Once young master advances, he will finally be qualified to learn some of the family techniques. Officially at least."
"And since his enthusiasm has been rekindled, his progress will be unmatched with his current robust foundation. Although it was a little later than scheduled, the young master's foundation is far sturdier than we expected. Together with his new friends, he will grow and become unparalleled."
'Let us see if he has the qualities to go beyond humanity and transcend into that place…'
Sebral had a kind smile on his face as he turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.
…
/Five minutes later/
Luiz had finally arrived at the camp. Like before, the camp was fortified, almost more than the outpost before… Just at the entrance to the camp, Luiz saw several automatic turrets scanning the area.
"That guy loves to attract attention… Speaking of him, where is he?"
Luiz couldn't see or hear anyone in his vicinity, so he just attributed that to Zhong being inside one of the camp's many structures.
The camp was pretty "simple" since, apart from the wall with the turrets, the only thing it had were a few large houses. Making it look more like a small fort than anything.
Luiz hopped into the levitating cart and drove it inside.
/BEEP! BUZZ/
One turret beeped and shone a strong red light on top of him, but after a beep, the light turned green and the door below it opened.
"Huff… That fucking scared me, having an Anti-Monster 10MM Auto-cannon aimed at you isn't funny at all."
'These things can shoot several hundred shots per minute, I might evade a few shots and deflect others by pure luck, but I would immediately die soon after. Only the strongest martial artists are fast enough to evade such a thing with ease.'
/Tap tap tap…/
Hearing the turret activate. Someone came rushing from the house directly in front of him.
"Sorry sorry. My bad… I forgot to calibrate some things; you arrived pretty fast after all."
He had red hair and was wearing a loose shirt, sandals, and flower-themed shorts. It was Zhong Tien, son of Zhong Gulivar, military general of the River State private military army.
Since Earth changed, the concept of a country changed many times, if not completely destroyed. Although recently, since the new era started, countries have started to reappear.
They are divided into five main countries, or better put, Federations.
America Federation, englobing all of the American continent.
Eurasia Federation, englobing Europe, the northern part of Africa, and the western part of Asia.
African Federation, englobing… Africa.
The Motherland, also called the Russian Federation, a survivor from times before the collapse. It englobe all of Russia, some parts of Asia and the extreme cold North.
The Great Domain, another survivor from the times before the collapse. It is mostly the descendants of ancient China. It englobe most of the central Asia and all other lands around it. Although most of it are wildlands improper for human habitation. Some of the most dangerous areas in the whole world are found there.
And finally, The Southern Federation, englobing Australia and some of the islands near it.
'We are currently in the place that used to be Brazil, meaning we are in South America. Brazil was and still is one of the most stable geological areas in the world, and it retained much of its population throughout the disaster. But the country itself is long gone…'
'As for other areas of this continent… They are completely unexplored. Albeit the American Federation has several colonies on the coast of what was once the US.'
'We are currently in an area called "The Center". The center is just a symbolic name for the area that used to be the southeastern portion of Brazil.'
'And this area is divided into many smaller states. Autonomous areas with an autonomous government. There are twelve such areas currently in The Center. With one of them being the River State, to pay homage to the city that used to be here before the collapse… Rio De Janeiro.'
'Although that's old history and meaningless in today's world.'
While he thought, Zhong picked a small cup of water and made his way to Luiz, "Hey man, what are you thinking so deeply about? Relax and have a cup of ice water."
"Just thinking about how much of a golden spoon you are." He replied with a frown as he looked around
"Thanks." he said with a smirk as he held the urge to laugh
"That wasn't a compliment." Luiz added as he took a sip of his water
"HA! But for me it is… In any case, come inside. Skinny will take a while to arrive, so there isn't any need to stay out here."
"Lead the way."
...
Zhong led Luiz inside the house. The place was pretty bland, with lots of grey and white. This was certainly a military outpost, not a place meant for rich guests to spend their vacations on.
"Everything is ready. Skinny will bring the capsule and a few other materials, although I think it's unnecessary."
"I see, you brought some of your own. Is everything already processed?" Zhong asked as he sat on a nearby black couch
"Not really, some things need to be processed. If necessary I'll…"
"No problem, leave it to me."
/Snap!/
Zhong snapped his fingers, and a maid entered the room. She was a beautiful blond maid with green eyes, her appearance was top notch; she was perfect in all areas.
But Luiz didn't care, since he knew this was one of Zhong's "Girls". She isn't a whore, please… Not even close.
Although Zhong is a womanizer, he is one who takes good care of his lovers. And as far as I know, this girl is the private maid assigned to him; they have known each other for over a decade already.
It was true love… a distinct type of love compared to pre-disaster Earth, but still love.
"Bro, do you remember Wendy? Just give her what needs to be processed, and she will have it done."
Wendy bowed to the two of them, not saying anything.
"It's been a while Wendy, a shame you were sick during this guy's birthday. It's good to see you safe and sound."
"Thank you, master. I'm now in top-notch condition thanks to young master's care."
Luiz looked at Zhong and he laughed drily… this son of a…
"… I am sending you a list of the items that I need processed. No need to be hasty since we will probably not be advancing today."
""!""
Zhong was stunned. Same thing for Wendy, although she quickly recomposed and picked the floating cart.
"Oi oi! Not today?! What do you mean by that?!"
"... See you later, Wendy." Luiz said as he completely ignored Zhong
Wendy turned around and bowed with a smile before leaving the room.
"Dont ignore me!"
"Sheesh. Dont scream; you are going to scare all the beasts in the mountain range with your screech."
"Then answer me, bastard."
"It's nothing special… I want to test a few things, and that will require heavy physical activity. We also need to get ourselves warmed up and ready for the procedure. Did you really think we could just enter the capsule and wait?"
"Oh… I see… But what is that you want to test?"
"Keke… I got my hands on this new technique… A rank-5 one."
"HA!! And you didn't even tell me?! Show me right now!"
'Because my father doesn't allow me to see any technique above Tier-3 in the family vault, I have to rely on Skinny and Luiz to see higher ranked techniques… I do manage to sneak a peak at some of them from time to time, but without father's permission, I can't practice them otherwise I would be found out.'
'Not that it hasn't prevented me from learning it ahead of time, I just haven't used them much… Skinny is in the same situation as me, so our only source is through the Nexus or buying them privately.'
'There are other sources, but they aren't reliable. We got some through this method, but they were either too expensive or too trashy to be used… Our parents don't give us a high allowance exactly because of this. They don't want us wasting our money acquiring techniques too high-ranked for our current level.'
'It used to be different, but after we refused to advance, they began placing heavier sanctions on us every day to compel us to advance and honestly… It was getting hard to breathe.'
"The technique is called Continuous Marching. A light style movement technique."
"OHHH! I know this one, I've heard of it… Come! The training area is right on the side."
Zhong quickly went to the arena. When Luiz arrived, Zhong had already switched clothes. Ready for battle.
…
"... You are fast. Give me one of these sets as well."
"Take it and keep it, I was thinking of giving it to you anyway."
Zhong threw a small disk to Luiz.
/SHA!/
He picked the disk and placed it in his chest. It burst into a large gray cloud. By the time the cloud dispersed, Luiz's old clothes were on the ground while in their place was a new dark set of skin-tight training clothes.
"Alright. I think this is good enough."
"I want to at least reach the second stage of understanding in this technique before we advance."
"WHAT?! You want to grasp a Tier-5 while being only an Awakened Human? Dont fuck with me, Luiz! There's a limit to everything!"
"Hehe. You know just how important it is to challenge oneself as much as possible before advancing. I have already reached the Introduction stage. Give me a few days, and I will be ready."
'In the few hours ever since I learned it, I compiled everything I knew and reached Introduction… or at least I believe I did. It'll take some time and practice to solidify this understanding and keep moving forward.'
"What?..."
'Damn! I forgot this guy is a fucking monster when the thing is martial arts… I could barely catch up with him even when he taught me, how the hell am I going to train in a Tier-5 technique when Mastering one Tier-4 almost took me my soul over several months of struggle?!'
"Scared? You looked pretty excited a minute ago."
"Just do it! I want to see it with my own eyes."
"Alright... Continuous Marching isn't a burst-type movement art but something to be used over long distances. But for us, even that speed can be extreme… still, speed bursts can be attained with other more suitable Tier-4 techniques, so what matters from this art is its explosive force we can generate with our feet."
"If we release it just right…"
Luiz posture became fully straight. He placed his left foot in front of his other foot before placing one arm behind his back and the other one in front.
"This..."
Zhong could feel the energy radiating from Luiz. It wasn't strong, but it was controlled.
'Shit, is this guy really capable of pulling this off? It's already incredible that we can use Tier-4 techniques without innate energy control and a suitable vessel, but this guy… His control of the little speck of energy he has is so perfect that he most likely surpasses even some Energy Accumulation experts.'
'And this is considering he hasn't even developed the necessary senses of a martial artist! I thought I was close, but he widened the gap again… Tsk! Dont be cocky! I will also reach that in due time!'
/SWOOSH!/
/Shaaa…/
After the energy transferred across his body, Luiz disappeared. The only things that were left behind were faint footprints glowing on the ground, the energy within each step radiating into the air like water sizzling in a pan.
Zhong couldn't follow him with his eyes, at least not directly. Whenever he looked at an angle, Luiz' shadow would bolt by like lightning. As time passed, the glowing footprints became more and more obvious until the ground was fully covered in them.
/Stop…/
Finally, Luiz stopped, out of breath, "Phew… That was tough."
"This is it, the full movement sequence. I am by no means a master, but this should be enough for you. According to military laws, I can not teach you anything. Otherwise, your father would beat me up if he saw you using it."
Luiz shrugged with a small smile, "But there aren't any rules saying it's forbidden for you to learn by seeing, hehehe. The cameras and data should be more than enough. I am here if you need any questions answered… but if someone asks I never said anything and will deny it to my grave!"
"... Shit. Just you watch! I'll catch up in no time at all."
Zhong's "aura" suddenly changed as he became incredibly focused. He watched the steps and concentrated. In the corner of his eyes, a slow down video was being replayed over and over again… After five minutes, Zhong took his first step, and another one, and another…
/BAM!/
But after the 10th step, he slipped and fell on the ground.
"Arg! I think my leg is cramped!" Zhong said as he rolled on the ground.
"You tried a little too much… But look at you! You did almost a fifth of the entire set in one go! Perhaps you can actually do it!"
'Zhong has talent, a lot of it. But he wasted most of it being a womanizer over the years. He was always so far from his competition that he never really cared with improving.'
'Only in the past few years did he start to pay attention to martial arts once again.'
"Sit down and do a stretch session since you'll need it. I will tell you what you did wrong in the meantime..."
…
Time passed while Zhong and Luiz practiced alone… or so they thought.
Despite his mastery over so many techniques, he was utterly unable to tell he was being watched by someone. Or rather, two people?
A little further away, on top of a small hill, a man and a woman watched the training of the young boys through a hologram.
"..." The man was silent, looking at his son practicing a forbidden technique, improving with every minute…
He wore a dark blouse and pants. His hair was also dark, and his eyes were sharp. He looked like a strict person. And his energy reflected that, being heavy and dense, like a block of iron.
Seeing this, the woman laughed faintly, putting her hand on the man's shoulder as she hugged him, "Look at you, aren't you proud? Come on! Say some encouraging words to him! Dont be shy!"
She was beautiful, having full red hair that seemed to shine under the sun. She was rather tall, being over 180 Cm. The red dress she wore went all the way down to her knees, complementing her figure.
"... He is just doing what he was supposed to do. There is no need for me to interfere." Zhong's father said with a small smile on his face as he looked at her
"Ohhh! Look at you! You say that, but you are clearly ignoring the fact that the boy is learning a military technique in an illegal way, right? Look at your smile... Don't be so stiff."
"... Sigh. You tire me sometimes. And don't say that out loud, if someone overhears it, I'll be forced to actually do something about it."
'But she is right. He grew up, huh… He's starting to act like me when I was his age… Except in his antics with women. He must've gotten that from my father… he is his spitting image.'
'I used to be worried that my son would grow up to be a good for nothing, but since his grades and everything seemed alright, I never interfered.'
'But it all changed thanks to those two... They pushed him outside his shell, and it cracked. Now he can finally be the man he was meant to be. Albeit he still hasn't cast aside those unhealthy habits of his.'
'I fear what he'll do once he's at the Academy. The last thing I want is a scandal or to find out he impregnated some other magnate's daughter… I don't want him to do the same thing I did.'
'I guess blood flows thick in some ways, huh…'
His sight switched to the other boy, Luiz, 'He is indeed talented.'
'I remembered when he first mastered a Tier-3 technique all those years ago. At that time I thought he was only a prodigy, but it was when he successfully helped my son master a Tier-4 art that I noticed he was a talent.'
'This boy can easily reach Adept comprehension over any technique given to him in a matter of days to a week or two. I don't think I've ever seen him take more than a month to do it. As for Mastery… he usually hides it, but it's pretty evident whenever he achieves it.'
'A talent that is hiding itself… The only thing I can do is ignore you for now. The current elite society wouldn't accept such a talented individual without a background... I can understand.'
'Looks like it was the right choice… Once they grow up, together with the son of that fat bastard, they are going to become a powerful and influential trio.'
'Sometimes men must rise on their own and create their own forces… This might be one such case. Tien is only going to rise from now on; there isn't anything else to watch.'
'Once he advances, he will come to me to ask about the family techniques. There is no more need to push back… It is finally time to properly act like a dad.'
'As for the other kid… I probably should indirectly give my son the approval for him to teach some of the neutral techniques of the army so he can continue to advance… It shouldn't matter much given where he's going, but given his talent, wouldn't he just figure them all out eventually from clashing with my son every day? What's even the point of preventing his access to them?'
'I should instead find a way to keep him quiet… Should I introduce him to my older daughter? She has been single forever, and I fear the possibility that she will remain so for a long while.'
'Hum… If I could make this young man enter my family, he would get access to all of our secret techniques without those limitations. I wonder how fast he would master them if given the chance.'
'But wouldn't that interfere with Tien growth? He might switch from being a good friend to a competitor to the family inheritance... I will think about this later.'
/BRUMM!/
""…""
From the sky, a loud horn echoed. A large spaceship suddenly descended from the clouds, announcing its presence to the world.
It looked incredibly bulky, and the technological guns on the sides didn't look friendly in the least.
The ship was red and white with a few touches of dark and blue. There was a cross symbol displayed via a hologram right behind it like a flag.
It read: Cosmos Medications.
"... That fat bastard is here..."
As if waiting for this, a blue beam suddenly formed behind them, and a well-dressed middle-aged fat man appeared from inside the beam.
He wasn't overly fat as he looked more like a… healthy fat kind of guy… Bulky! Like a strong-armed Russian with wide arms, legs, and a chest as thick as his belly.
Despite that, he looked like a gentle uncle… but that was where his persona ended. His eyes were incredibly sharp, as if trying to pierce through someone.
"You are here too, fatty." Zhong's father said as he crossed his arms
"I couldn't miss the day my son advanced after all. Isn't that why you are also here?"
"In any case, I will not take much of your time. I am already cutting a few things out of my schedule just to be here. And as you can see, I couldn't bring my wife otherwise she would've been here too."
He took out a small cube-shaped device and a hologram suddenly appeared from within.
"This is the list of everything I brought today. Only the highest quality materials, as per my son's request. I don't want you to pester me later, so here you go."
Zhong's father took a look at the list and was surprised.
His wife looked at the list and her eyes brightened, "You truly didn't hold anything back!"
"Of course! It's our sons' future we are talking about here."
Zhong's father then said, "... I'll pay you for the material cost later… But what about the third boy?"
The fat man's expression changed, "Are you talking about young Carter? Pfft! Who do you think I am? I'm not that cheap to leave a kid like him behind. I'm paying for him, of course."
"It was thanks to him that my son changed so much. And for me, that's priceless. If he can continue to encourage my son to advance… haha… They might even become Energy Accumulation experts before their 20s."
"You are putting a lot of faith in them." Zhong's father added as he smiled faintly as well
"Aren't you too? Hahaha!"
The three talked for a little more, before Skinny's father disappeared in a blue beam of light and the pair also left in a flying car.
"… Should we take our leave too, dear?"
"Uhum… Everything's done now. It seems it'll take them some time before they advance, so let's stroll around and return when it's time."
"Zhong's personal maid should warn us when they decide to enter the cabins."
He looked at the camp and turned around. He already did what he had to do.
Let the children figure things out by themselves...
Chapter 4
…
Luiz had just finished correcting Zhong once again, but this time, he decided it was enough.
"Okay, let's stop for now. We've warmed up enough and you'll need the strength later. Skinny should also be arriving by now."
/THUD!/
Zhong collapsed with one knee on the ground. He was upset due to how much energy he had spent.
"Huff... Huff… Huff…"
Seeing Zhong's ragged breathing, Luiz couldn't help but think about it, 'Even though Tien is talented, such a technique is too far above our level for us to even train it.'
'I managed to do so because I can just spend points, but if I were to try to train it normally, I would end up just like Zhong, with my muscles aching and my internal energy depleted from just a few executions.'
'This isn't even the technique's full power. It's just a fraction of it. No matter how capable we are, performing higher levels technique will always end up with a massive decrease in force. Only when we advance will everything balance out.'
'That's why our advancement is so important. Our power will explode many times over.'
"Let's rest while we wait for James to arrive. I am sure that he will want to have a go at it too." Luiz said as he tossed a bottle of ice-cold water to Zhong
"After he gets tired and rests, we can think about our preparations for the advancement."
"Sure… I also want to see how well he goes. At least to him, I won't lose."
"There's nothing to lose here man…"
…
/Light…/
As they waited, Luiz opened his palm and concentrated… Slowly, a small speckle of light appeared on his hand before it quickly dissipated.
Zhong was stunned when he saw the scene; he didn't know what to say.
'… My manipulation of energy has gotten to absurd levels… Qi, that's the name of the mysterious energy that covered the planet. It sprang from the center of the world when the supernova's light reached our planet.'
'It was as if the light had awakened it… It mutated the plants and animals, even the very rock we stand on. Humans learned how to harness this energy through martial arts… Such techniques that use the human body at the core ended up becoming the focus of the civilization.'
'After a long time of research and yada yada, we arrived at our current age.'
'Just what is this energy? Hard to say, some scientists defend the idea that it is a particle while others say it's a wave or something like that… What does it do? Many things. It facilitates life, it hardens, strengthens, decomposes… A particle that can seemingly be interacted with at will.'
'How? That's another issue…'
'Nevertheless, humans still braved the unknown and unveiled its characteristics, allowing the next generation to better themselves on the mistakes of their predecessors.'
"Oh yeah, Luiz, what sort of Martial Root will you be aiming towards?" Zhong asked as he pushed himself off the ground
"Hm… High-Grade, of course."
"Sigh… I knew that, but what type? Will you focus on Fluidity? Offensive power?..."
"..."
Martial Root, one of the many bizarre things that appeared during the mutation of Humans. The Root is an organ that only appears when one reaches Energy accumulation, but it is important to nurture its seedling from the very start. One of the reasons why Luiz took so long to advance as well.
In simple terms, the Root is a nervous system responsible for anything related to Qi inside one's body. A.K.A, internal energy.
It's like a system of roots that grow in your brain and spread into the body, the bigger and more complex it is, the better. And no, being bigger does not affect the brain's normal functions; on the contrary, it enhances it.
One of the many reasons why having a strong and good Root is so important. A Root is defined at birth, although machinery can be imprecise, so, grading is left until one actually becomes an Energy accumulation master.
'When I was born, I was said to have a Low, First Grade Root, the best of the Low tier. There are many things that define a Root Quality, but the most important is its sensitivity to energy since it impacts pretty much everything in the career of a martial artist.'
'From martial arts and beyond… My brother, for example, was given a High, Third Grade Root, the weakest of the High grade…'
Root Quality is divided into nine grades. Low, Middle, and High.
It's simple so that the population may understand it. It used to have complex names and while specific nomenclatures may be more precise, at the grand scheme of things, they are unnecessary.
Each of these three Tiers are further divided into three sections. From lowest to highest, Third grade, Second grade, and First grade.
'I am aiming for a High, First Grade root, but this may be a bit too difficult given my genes. No matter how much I trained, its unlikely my root developed this much… That's why Zhong is asking me.'
'When the resources are low, the best way to keep yourself competitive against others is to specialize in something. That way, you can still compete against someone with a stronger Root while having a weaker one.'
'Even for Zhong and Skinny, it might be difficult for them to achieve High, First grade Roots, the resources necessary for that are too rare and expensive. So usually it's mostly through a lucky birth that one achieves it.'
'Still, some can get their hands on such resources. A shame they only appear in areas with abundant Qi for them to grow.'
'And if plants love such environments… Beasts are fated to follow… and with it, their predators.'
'Rank 4 and above Risk areas, that's where you find such resources… Although Zhong and Skinny were born with High tier roots according to the analysis from the machines, they would still need a lot of resources to go to the pinnacle, much less me.'
"… My goal has never changed. I want to choose whatever I want, so I will get the best possible Root. There can be no other possibility."
Zhong didn't seem surprised.
"Aren't you a bastard… Frick, if only my dad was a bit stronger. Then getting top materials for all of us would be a walk in the park."
"Mr Zhong is a hardworking man already. Not many can reach the SuperHuman stage. Besides, don't worry about it. Who knows?… I may even awaken a Special Root!"
"Stop bragging. If you could awaken a Special Root, I would awaken a double Unique one..." Zhong said with a faint smile as he waved his hand around
"I hope you can..."
'Maybe in the future I'll be able to invest points into my Root and maybe even steal orbs from others to grow Unique Roots… That would be incredible.'
Special Roots… The name given to Roots with some sort of special property. This isn't a mystical martial arts novel. Roots don't have elemental affinities that tune to heaven or whatever… But they can be molded to better synergize with some techniques; that's why passing down manuscripts within a family is so important, and bloodline is so well valued.
Even then, Special Roots goes beyond that, allowing its possessor to do things other would consider superpowers or even magic… Things like, Telekinesis, Mind control, Fire Manipulation… These aren't elemental affinities, they are unique powers akin to martial arts that a Root can perform almost instinctively.
Real Supernatural powers… although the government doesn't call them that. They have a specific name for these abilities… Awakened Arts.
And that isn't even going into Unique Roots… The supreme of all Roots… And also the weakest.
Unique… It means it's one of a kind… in most situations. Some families carry Unique Roots in their bloodline, studying them across generations.
In some eras, it could mean the world, and in others, its value may be the same as trash. A great example is a martial artist who awakened a Special Root that allowed him to control electricity and imbue it in his martial arts…
That, however, was three hundred years ago during the collapse… Electricity was rare during those times.
But if that ability were brought to today's age… That guy would probably be killed in a few days due to how dangerous he would be.
This is how society works: if you are too dangerous or if you are considered a liability for the government, you can only be processed. Unless you have a background or are a stone able to hold itself against the tides, you'll only be swept away.
No one will cry for you; there is no justice here. The strong make the rules… the weak think they are in command.
The most important aspect of these Special and Unique Roots is that they can be passed down to their next generation… This causes a lot of implications and moral ones as well, so it's better to just ignore them for now.
People can also awaken with multiple Roots, just like Zhong said. The word rare isn't enough to describe them though, they are like… Legendary.
Having two Roots… The only problem is that the amount of resources to practice and grow doubles, while the effort triples and the time to rest disappears. To some, it may be a blessing to be born with multiple Roots but to others, it's a curse or a liability.
If you are born poor with two Roots… what are you supposed to do? You can either go to the government or seek support, but that is pretty much selling oneself.
What if you are born with two very dangerous and opposing types of Roots? Are you blocked from progressing in your martial career forever, even though you are supposed to be a genius?
There are even records of Triple Roots, although that particular person died due to their opposing characteristics… How unlucky. Out of thousands of possibilities, that talent died from a mix of incompatible origins.
Nevertheless, the media will never show this side of the story, only the even rarer cases of success.
'For me, the only thing I need is a top-grade Root so I can continue with my style of being a User of All, Master of All kind of martial artists… The System is more than enough of a cheat for me to rely on.'
/DING/
The mechanical voice of the House's Artificial Intelligence flared in the room, [There is a guest waiting for you at the door, master Tien]
"Finally, James arrived. Let's go greet him." Zhong said as he left the room in excitement
"... I guess he really wants to advance."
'I shouldn't leave Skinny waiting either.'
…
"Good afternoon everyone."
As Luiz crossed the door, he saw a blue-haired man enjoying a cup of water as he talked with Zhong.
This boy was James Hu Cosmis, son of the magnate CEO and owner of Cosmos Medications, one of the biggest Medical corporations of the River State.
"You sure took a while, James, and what a grand entrance." Luiz said as he looked at the massive ship in the sky
James placed his hands behind his head as he laughed.
"Father wanted to bring me directly, you know how he is and how he likes to show off... Took me a while to get everything loaded up, so I apologize for the delay."
James was a tall boy, around 1.96M tall. He had short blue hair and green eyes… No… his hair was not colored. It was indeed natural, a mutation brought about by the changing times.
James was rather fit, and with his height, he looked rather imposing. It was a rather strange scene seeing three boys, one with blue, another with red, and the last one with blond hair talking with each other side by side.
"Come inside. We can talk about materials and whatnot later; let the AI handle that." Zhong said as he walked past Luiz and entered the house
""…""
Luiz and James watched him and soon followed him.
…
/A few minutes later…/
Once inside, they talked for a bit about how they had spent the past few days ever since the Unified Exams.
The Unified Exams were a series of exams that were meant to test the abilities of a student. It was how all youths applied to their universities. Be them looking for a more traditional job or to become martial artists.
It had been around a week since the exams ended, and they had all finished commemorating and preparing for what was to come… Joining their respective universities.
"…. You what?... Tier 5? Really?... Heh, Luiz… you never cease to amaze me."
Despite his words, James didn't seem surprised about the revelation.
"... Is that it? Show a bit more enthusiasm! Do you understand what this means? How many can boast about doing such a thing?"
"The issue is that all of those talented enough to do it likely advanced before they even began putting their hands on Tier-3 techniques, much less Tier-5, Zhong... and well, I mean... My father has quite the number of Tier-5s... I just can't read any of them."
"Only Luiz is crazy enough to remain at the first stage for so long. It's as if he's doing an in-game challenge in the real world… Beating the game at Level 1 kind of thing."
"Tche! My father is just like yours." Zhong said with a scoff as he crossed his arms
"There is a reason for that. Training in such techniques can be harmful to our developing bodies, so staying away from it is what we were supposed to do. Mastering Tier-4 techniques was already over the top. We're skipping a stage just for the sake of it."
"Just because we are talented enough to learn them, it doesn mean we should." Luiz added with a nod
"You are the last person I want to hear this from!... I know you're right, but at least take a look!"
James let out a sigh… "When did I say I wasn't? Show me. I bet you were waiting to show off too, right?" He asked as he looked at Zhong.
But before James could even finish, Zhong had already left his seat. Making way to the training area.
Luiz and James looked at each other before sighing.
It was time to work!
…
/Around two hours later…/
"Okay, so here's the deal…. First, we'll drink the supplements in order. Then we'll move to the prep chamber and submerge in the sub-zero liquid while being injected with the serums. After that, we'll be moved to the Advancement Cabin where the machine will guide our bodies towards evolution." James said as he went through the awakening process
After training together, boasting to one another and having fun. The trio moved to another room, where all the equipment had been installed. Everything was ready, and they were just waiting for them to step inside.
Luiz hadn't originally intended on advancing today, but after Samuel said his father was waiting for them to do so, he dropped the towel… He wouldn't make a magnate in his spaceship wait for him just because of a measly promise.
It's not like much would change even he mastered the technique, it was only a sentimental thing for him at the end of the day, so he quickly gave up when he knew there was no turning back anymore.
They had all taken deep showers and put on the correct clothing prepared ahead of time. It was similar to the training suit they put on before, but it was slightly bulkier and full of unique nodes and machinery attached to it.
It made them look like astronauts without a helmet from a certain angle.
"So eat, take a bath, get vaccines, and we're done?" Zhong asked as he scratched the back of his head
"If you want to oversimplify it, then yes. Do remember that the last process isn't entirely autonomous; we still need to channel our internal energy if anything goes wrong in accordance with the manuals."
"The chances of that happening are near zero though given the tech father lent us, but you never know… I know Luiz is fine, but you know the protocol, right?"
"You think I'm that negligent? I've mastered that years ago! I rehearse that several times a year and have at least done so once a day ever since the exams!"
"Then it's fine. No need for us to wait anymore…" James said as he closed down the hologram before him
"… Wait! You've all fasted for at least half a day, correct?"
/Nod/
They nodded; they had been preparing for this day after all. Although Luiz wasn't intending to do it today... he was planning on pranking them after forcing them to fast… even though he also fasted…
"So… are we doing this one at a time or together?" Luiz asked as he stretched his arms
"The medical team will accompany our progress, so there's little risk. But if you were to ask them, they'd recommend for each of us to go alone… I vote for the contrary though."
"Is there even a need to ask? We're all doing this together, right Luiz?"
"Time to evolve."
""Mutate!""
They smiled at each other as they repeated the lines from a classic superhero show of their childhood.
"I'll take the set in the middle." Luiz said as he took a step forward
"Then I'll take the one on the right cause that's what I am." Zhong added as he took a turn
"Since the cabins are facing us, from a certain perspective, wouldn't that be left?" James pointed out as he moved to the other cabin
"What… Shit… I hate you, James!"
/Chuckle…/
As they stepped inside the room, they were tended to by the doctors and specialists waiting for them in full white hermetic suits.
As said by James, they were first fed a series of material, processing them slowly through their techniques while the doctors measured their vital signs and prepared the injections.
After half an hour of consuming and letting the medicine take its place inside their bloodstream. They were led inside the sub-zero pods and lowered inside gently with a mask over their faces so they could breathe.
As the cool liquid dropped their body temperature, they were injected all over the body with needles. And after an hour, they were pulled from the tubs.
However, rather than freezing, their bodies were… steaming hot! It was almost as if they were burning!
"It's time now." Luiz proclaimed as he looked left and right
"Do you want to bet on who's coming here stronger?" Zhong asked with a smirk as he entered the cabin
"Are you asking to bet on who has the better genes?" James asked as he raised an eyebrow
"Why not?!"
"Ha! Then what does the loser gains?" Luiz asked as the doctors strapped his body to the machine and got everything ready
"Let's see… how about this… The loser has to get the number of a girl in uni! The girl is chosen by us, of course."
James frowned, "You gotta be kidding me, Zhong. Is the only thing you think about girls?!"
"Let's simplify things. The loser has to approach a girl and ask for her number, if she refuses or not doesn't matter." Luiz added as a mask was placed on his face
"Good! I accept these terms!"
"Sigh… I'm counting on you, ancestors…"
/Close…/
The pods were closed and the machines came to life.
It was time to advance, the next step in human evolution.
"Turning on Advancement Cabins in three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
/VROOOM!!/
…
/C-Clack!/
/Shaaa…/
The cabin opened with a sizzle of smoke as it decompressed. The doctors approached it with a series of equipment, prying it open as they helped the one inside move.
After two days of incessant mutations, the first to emerge took his first step outside his cocoon.
/Shaa…/
His breathing mask was removed, and with it, Luiz took his very first breath with his evolved body.
/Inhale…/
'The world… It feels so different… sounds, smells, vibrations, colors… Everything feels more…. vibrant.'
'Also… this incredible energy within my body… It's overwhelming! I know Physical Transformation masters aren't supposed to wield energy yet, but I feel as if I've already stepped into Energy Accumulation!'
"We'll be conducting some tests to see if you're in optimal condition. Do you comply?" One of the doctors asked as he stood before him with a hologram floating before him
"Yes."
"Consciousness seems to be stable. Can you count to ten?"
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten."
"Now do the reverse."
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."
"Blink twice with your left eye and then three times with your right one."
"…"
"Now tell me what you feel when we do this." The doctor said as another doctor pressed a cold item against one of the nodes on his suit, touching his skin directly
"It's cold."
"Can you discern the shape?"
"Like a stethoscope?"
"We'll pinch several areas of your body, describe the pain to us in a scale of one to five, with one being light pain like that of being lightly tapped too hard, and five being severe to extreme pain you can barely tolerate."
"Okay… One… One… One… One… One… One… One… One… Hm… Two."
"What about now?"
/Flinch!/
"Ouch! That caught me by surprise… like being zapped… I give it a three at best."
"Ever since we started this training, we've had several bells echo in the background. Can you tell us how many there were?"
"Uh?… Erm uh… Eleven."
"Can you hold your breath for me? No techniques and anything, just open inhale, and hold."
"Sure."
Luiz held his breath while the doctors inspected his body with strange gadgets. It was only after fifteen minutes had passed that Luiz exhaled.
"Phew… Maybe I can go for a little longer…"
"Uhum… Here. Can you smell this?" The doctor asked as he raised a small white baton before him
/Sniff…/
"Erm… Like uh… Vanilla ice cream?"
"Okay… That's enough for now. We'll continue with the exams over time. For now, we'll collect a blood sample and perform further exams by comparing the samples from before and after the transformation."
"All samples will be destroyed afterward, so don't worry."
"Okay… Ouch!… That hurt… Four!"
The doctor smiled underneath his suit, "For Physical Transformation individuals, we collect blood from inside the bone marrow in your vertebra, so the incision may sting a little. Don't worry though, as it'll heal quickly and the wound is closed up with a special solution."
"You held your pain rather well; most cannot do it at first and need anesthetics afterward… If they even do it that is."
"Okay. What now?"
"You can wait for the results. We'll continue with the exams later but for now, you're free to do as you want."
"Sure!"
Luiz looked at the two cabins and smiled, leaving the room before going to take a shower.
/Shaaa!/
Under the warm water falling on his shoulders, he did something he had been holding back for a while now…
'Open Vital Sheet.'
[
Points: N/A
Second Stage of Strengthening (Middle)
| Martial Root |
Awakening: 7.8%
| Body Disposition |
Mind -> 17.32
Physical -> 28.98
Energy -> 33.12
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
| Martial Arts |
Tier-5 Continuous Marching
Tier-4 Hard Metal Boxing
Tier-4 Nimbus Steps
Tier-4 Flowing Spear of Water
Tier-4 Nameless Footwork
Tier-4 Nameless Boxing
Tier-4 Nameless Defensive Technique
Tier-3 All Absorption
Tier-3…
…
]
'This!…. The system panel changed. It's cleaner and more detailed than before. Several new things and modifications to the page…'
'Body disposition?… These stats are really high. I now understand why the system put my progress as Middle. For one to advance to the next stage, they must attain a Physical value of at least 70, with 10 being considered on the low end for the stage.'
'Only when someone goes past 20 is that they're considered having reached the Middle. And for someone to reach the high ends, they need to reach 50 at the very least.'
'These values equate to real-life, physical force. But I care little about that since with martial arts, how strong one physically isn't that relevant. Being too stuck to numbers doesn't do well.'
'Honestly, I didn't expect this procedure to almost triple my physical stat. This is excellent news, and I doubt anyone will be able to surpass it. The issue here is my Martial Root… I didn't expect the system to display it this soon.'
'But awakening, huh… do I invest points in it to awaken it? What happens when I do? Will I advance right then and there?… Will I unlock some sort of unique feature?'
'I'm really curious… but one step at the time. I'll push my physical stat to the limit and prepare for the advancement before touching it. This way, if I end up advancing, then my body will be ready.'
Luiz closed his eyes and closed the shower valve.
"Now we wait."
He dried himself, put on some clothes and returned to where the cabins were to continue with his exams and wait for his friends to awaken.
Once they did, their training would start.
…
/Twenty minutes later…/
/C-Clack!/
/Shaaa…/
The second cabin opened, and this time, it was James who stepped out.
Luiz couldn't talk with him from beyond a glass window as he watched him undergo his initial exams, but he could tell everything was fine.
When he finished his exams and left the room, the two met for a short talk before James left to take a shower and change clothes, but overall, things looked good for the group.
/C-Clack!/
/Shaaa…/
It was only half an hour later, almost an hour after Luiz stepped out, that Zhong took his first step out. Luiz frowned as he looked at him. Even at this distance, he could feel it… the ravenous energy inside him.
Only when Zhong stepped out were they able to talk, but rather than ask everything at once, Luiz said it was best for him to shower, and for James to deal with the handling of the operation in the meantime.
With everyone busy doing their things, Luiz took the extra time to rest and continue studying the martial art. Even now, he thought about it, deepening his comprehension.
And around ten minutes later, the trio met again.
…
"… So?… Is everyone good?" Luiz asked with his arms crossed
"Couldn't be better. The question is… who is the weakest here?" Zhong asked with a faint smile as he looked left and right
Luiz cleared his throat, "I'll start then… According to the statistics of the doctors, my strength value is estimated to be 29."
"That high? Are you sure you don't have a hidden bloodline?" James asked with a frown
"We'll have to wait for the doctors for that. My bet is just that the items you all used were quite high class… what about you two?"
James exhaled in disappointment, "22… My family was never known for having a strong body. My statistic is the highest for this stage in a hundred years, so there's that…"
"Hehehehe…"
""??""
Zhong began to laugh… "Looks like we have our loser."
"Come on…"
"My estimation… was that of 36!! You're the weakest here, James!"
"That's quite…"
"AHHHH! Come on! This is ridiculous! How can it be that high?!"
"Heh… If everything the doctors said is correct, there might be a chance I awakened a part of the bloodline within me. My Martial Root might have already begun showing signs of activation."
"!"
When he heard this, Luiz's had an epiphany, 'Maybe this is what my Martial Root is doing… If I activate my Martial Root ahead of time, would that count as my bloodline awakening? Do I really have a bloodline to awaken?'
"The laziest on here got the luckiest… of course…"
"Stop being a sore loser. Once we're at the university, I'll be a nice freshman for you to ask out. You'll do fine. We just need to get you in shape, and I doubt you'll fail." He added with a smug smile as he tapped his back
"Fuck off…"
"Speaking of that. Is it really decided which university we're going to?" Luiz asked as he looked at the doctors through the glass
"Yes? I thought we had agreed beforehand to go to Emperor's Road?"
"I was under that impression as well."
Emperor's Road was the name of the capital city of The Great Domain. However, they were referring precisely to a specific place within the city.
In Emperor's Road City, there was a road that gave it the name. Emperor's Road is an ancient road created during the Age of Warlords when the most powerful nation of the time rose. This nation tried to bring back their civilization, naming themselves the Great Shin Empire.
The Great Shin Empire lasted for centuries, but as the modern times arrived, the method of governance of the land naturally shifted, and the Great Shin Empire became the Great Domain. The royal family still exists somewhere, but information about them is scarce and hard to come by in this land.
Emperor's Road is a unique road that leads directly to the Shin Palace in the mountains behind the city. It was once the place where the Emperor made constant parades and events for the people, but now it has another purpose… It serves to test those willing to reach the top of the world!
The Palace of Rulers! The biggest martial arts institution in the whole world. Also called the Divine Shin Sect!
To enter it, one must pass two tests… three depending on where you live. First, you must be fluent in the language of the The Great Domain, at least be able to read and write. Second, if you live outside The Great Domain, you must reach sufficient scores in approved exams to be granted passage onto the land so you can be given the right to even attempt the trial.
The last requirement is simple… You just need to walk upon the Emperor's Road and reach the Divine Shin Sect!
The journey of ten thousand steps!… Although due to some reforms which pushed the actual palace further down the wilderness… It's more like one hundred thousand. Which is closer to something around seventy to eighty kilometers of road.
Throughout the journey, one cannot eat, sleep, or even drink! They must continuously walk until they reach the palace, even if it means bleeding or doing something worse on the road.
The test is done twice a year, once in the height of Winter and once in the height of Summer. They will be undergoing the test during winter, which makes it easier to tolerate the journey… but to some, that isn't anything better. The Extreme cold can wear someone out just as easily as the heat can, if not faster.
One just needs to make the journey, nothing else… Of course, there is something of a saving grace to this test. Throughout the journey, there are three stops where people can eat, sleep, and drink for free! But there is a catch… if they use them, their total score diminishes, and it is almost certain they will end up in lower-tiered classes right off the bat.
One can always climb upward; that's the philosophy of the Divine Shin Sect. But would anyone want to start at the bottom?
"I was just asking. Just in case someone had the wrong impression. It doesn't hurt to confirm things, does it?"
"Now then, we have about uh… a month and a few days before the new year. We can take a few days off for our journey there, maybe even more… So I say we have about three weeks to train before we depart?" He asked as he looked at them
"That's fine with me. We wouldn't want to be late after all."
"I agree. When do we start?"
"Let's start tomorrow. Let the doctors do the exams and whatnot… In the meantime, you two should go talk with your parents. I'll go notify mine as well."
There was no need to say anything. They had been waiting for this moment for years! It was finally time to get the techniques their parents had been holding from them!
"Get everything we need. We'll be moving to the wilderness tomorrow, and we'll only return when the time comes!"
"Sure thing."
"I'm already prepared."
The trio laughed a little before they went on their ways.
…
In the mountains surrounding the camp…
/Swoosh…/
/Step…/
Zhong appeared from the woods like a specter, floating above the grass with his arm tucked to his sides.
"… Nimbus Steps. So you've mastered it behind my back."
"Father."
At a mountain overlooking the camp and the woods, the father and son met!
"I see you've advanced. Right about time. Any longer than this, and I would've shoved you inside those cabins. How can you take so long when you plan on walking through the Emperor's Road?"
"You know the reason dad."
"Hum… I've read the report, your strength…"
"I'm not so bad, am I? I even beat Luiz by a little bit!"
"… Is that something to be proud of? You almost beat a boy with no special attributes by luck?" He asked with a frown as he looked down at him
"… Luiz isn't a normal person."
"He isn't, but are you?"
"No."
"Then why do you act the way you do?"
"Tsk! We've had this conversation before. If you've called me all the way here to say that, then let's talk later! Just send me the techniques…"
"No."
"But you promised! How can you keep the techniques of this stage from me now that I've reached it?!"
"Because of a simple reason. Do you deserve it?"
"What?"
"Answer me."
"Of course I do! It's my birthright!"
"Birthright… I thought you had matured, but it seems there's still a long way to go… I'm just here to say one thing."
The father took a step forward, and in the next moment, he was beside Zhong, his right hand on his chest as he pressed a small box against him.
"If you keep this attitude, that boy will surpass you. You will become a burden on his path. It's about time you manned up."
"You won't have help out there. You'll have to rely solely on yourself… That's all."
/Swoosh!/
As he disappeared, a single voice echoed in the wind… "Congratulations on your advancement."
"… Dammit…"
/HUG!/
"?!"
"Ohhhh! My sweet boy! I never thought I'd see this day!"
"M-Mom…"
"Don't pay attention to your dad; he's too proud to say anything. He meticulously prepared everything perfectly for you inside there, so don't skip any of it, okay?"
"Y-Yes…"
"We'll take care of Wendy and everyone, so focus on yourself and go as far as you can."
"Mom… I'm not leaving today, there's still a month…"
"But I can't help it!"
/HUG!/
"M-Mom… you're suffocating me…"
"Oh? Oh dear! I'm sorry!"
"Urg…"
…
When the trio met again, they spent the rest of the evening and night discussing their plans for the future while complying with the doctor's requests.
They performed extra physical exams and texts, and when they were finished, they each retreated to their rooms, taking a well-deserved rest.
When morning came, they received their documents from the doctors who had spent the entire night working, and with everything in hand, they departed to the depths of the Gianseng Mountain.
It was time to start training.
…
"… We're here. Let's begin."
"Already? We barely even finished moving all of the equipment into the camp."
"Now you want to act like a normal person? Leave it to the servants to finish moving. We need to start training to make their hard work worth it."
"Like we discussed yesterday and on the way here, we'll begin with hunting. Let's get used to our new bodies by culling everything in our path! Once we're done, we'll return and start studying the martial arts you got."
"Even if we have a few Tier-3 and 4 martial arts, at least in your case, you two are better suited for your respective clan's techniques than the standard military ones I got. Our goal should be to master them before we leave."
"Mastering them may be a bit difficult… Maybe one, but multiple…"
"He's right, James, we have to make it happen somehow… Here, I have a list of nests in the region, I prepared it in advance for this moment."
"The Gianseng Mountain has been closed for over two months in preparation for this day, so the beasts should be ripe for picking!"
James sighed, "The combat suits are ready. Latest model. Can't say the same for the weapons though…"
"Don't look at me like that! I've already got everything prepared." Zhong added as he pointed at a few green metal cases behind them
"Just grab what you need and let's go!"
The trio began their preparations. The combat suit was sleek and smooth, possessing several plates spread around its surface. Knee and elbow protectors, pauldrons, arm guards… anything that didn't block movement.
Their boots were large, and it was evident they possessed some kind of technology to assist in their movement, and on their backs, they had something that was akin to a backpack but smoother and thinner.
For their weapons, Zhong went with a long spear for his main weapon and a heavy pistol.
James picked a large axe as his main weapon and a shotgun.
Luiz covered his hands with special knuckles to reinforce his fists and two long curved swords. And as the one with the highest energy of the three, he also connected with a Field-Bot to assist them.
A Field-Bot was a type of robot that was meant to assist martial artists in the wilderness by boosting their detection abilities. It possesses all kinds of unique sensors, but its battery life is short. It needed a martial artist to provide constant energy for its maintenance.
The Field-Bot could float on its own for days, but that was one thing separated from its battery systems dedicated to those aspects.
After they got their hands on their primary equipment, they loaded everything else onto a large floating truck and flew to the horizon in search of their first target!
…
/Step… crack!/
Near the foot of a precipice, the trio walked through the woods, approaching a cavern hidden amidst the rocks.
"This is it. According to the scouts, a Rank-2 creature lives here." Zhong said as he looked around for clues
"Anything on the creature itself?" James voiced out as his grip over his axe tightened
"It's a large bear."
"… I'll take it out first." Luiz said as he stepped forward
"Let's begin the hunt."
'I need these damn points… At this rate it might be impossible for me to make any meaningful progress. What good is there in getting a few points every day from hunting these creatures? Not to say I'll have to share it with the two of them…'
'I can only get one Point per kill, so…'
"It's all yours. Anything to say Zhong?"
"Let's get this over with. I want to try something more challenging."
Luiz entered the cavern and raised his right hand, using his energy to connect with the Field-Bot. Using it to scan the cavern, he soon found his target sleeping deep inside.
"First, let's get it outside."
/Raise…/
/BAM!/
/TREMBLE!/
Luiz raised his foot and smashed down, causing the cavern to quake for a moment as the echo of his stomp reverberated deep inside.
/Growl…/
Awakened from its slumber, a large creature with gray fur crawled out from the dark. It didn't seem intimidated by him at all.
A bear over two meters tall while standing on its four legs. Its eyes met Luiz's from afar.
/ROAAR!/
The bear growled loudly, trying to scare him off. Most animals were like that, tending to prefer avoiding trouble then direct confrontation.
/THROW!/
But rather than waiting for it to attack, Luiz started by throwing a rock at its face, angering the beast and causing it to charge in his direction!
"Alright!"
/BANG!/
The bear charged through the cavern, knocking down everything in its path as Luiz led it outside. As the sun shone on its face, the bear momentarily squinted, and at that moment, a fist slammed against the side of its face, sending it sliding back as it lost its footing.
/Sheen…/
"HUM!"
'An Orb!'
/Grab…/
Once he smashed his fist against the bear, Luiz saw a small orb of light fall on the ground. And as the creature rose from the ground, he stomped on it with his feet, absorbing it.
[Physical has increased by 0.02]
He could feel the energy rushing inside his body. What a marvelous feeling!
'This is my first time getting an orb like this, and it still mattered… All other times it was too late for anything.'
'The only orbs that ever mattered were martial art orbs, but those are so damn rare… The few I ever saw came from Zhong and James themselves whenever we sparred.'
Luiz was pumped up. He was going to milk this bear for everything it was worth!
A horrendous pummeling began.
…
/BAM!/
/Growl…/
/PUNCH!/
/… growl…/
"… Could this be considered animal abuse, James?"
"Don't… don't say anything… If he hears you, you're next."
"…"
/PUNCH!/
/Crack!/
Another mighty punch to the bear's face, cracking one of its teeth and sending it flying.
"Huff…"
'This is the power of Hard Metal Boxing. Even a powerful creature like this can't resist it… But enough of this.'
'I probably delivered well over a hundred strikes at this creature, but it's been a while since the last Orb dropped… It's time to move on and get my points.'
[…
Mind -> 17.45
Physical -> 30.38
Energy -> 33.41
…
]
'If I assume each beast will give me around a third of a point on the Physical stat. It'll take me well over a hundred for me to get to the threshold for evolution. But of course, that's not what I want.'
'If I take the other stats as well, it'll likely take more, maybe somewhere between two hundred and three hundred Tier-2 beasts being utterly beaten up for me to reach the cap… I must say, this system evolution has been quite worth it, the number of orbs it drops has increased significantly.'
'It's not like this is my first time taking on a Tier-2 creature. But even then the number of orbs wasn't as significant…'
/SPLURGE!/
Luiz slammed his fist against the back of the bear, shattering its skull and bringing it to a swift end.
[You have hunted 1 Basalt-Fur Tall Bear and gained 3 Points]
"!!"
'Three points?! This is my first time gaining more than one at once!… Could the update have increased the cap of points I can gain at once just like that?… Then maybe it is indeed worth it to invest in advancement early.'
"… We're done here."
""…""
"I can see that…"
"What do we do with the body?" Luiz asked as he wiped his hands of the blood
"Just… Just leave a marker here and the team will collect it…"
"Are you two okay? You look a little faint."
"No no… just… can we move on, James?"
"Yup! Yup… let's move on…"
"?"
The trio braved the forest, hunting every single Rank-2 beast they found. Only when the skies turned dark did they turn around and return to camp.
There, they would revise their progress and study their techniques, and then the next day, they would exercise, spar, and go out on a hunt again. This would repeat every day until it was time to leave.
Although Luiz called it a spar, it was more about him beating the two of them up to force them to drop orbs. Now that he knew that orbs could be gathered reliably, he stopped holding back and began pulling everyone as he experimented with the System's abilities to understand them better.
At night, rather the sleeping, he'd go hunting Rank-1 beasts to gather points and use them to learn Tier-3 and 4 martial arts faster, the same ones James and Zhong were learning. Albeit thanks to their orbs, he rarely needed to do so.
He spent most of his earliest points on his Energy Stat and Martial Root Awakening progress instead.
Because of their teamwork and supplies from their families, their progress skyrocketed, and by the time parting day arrived, they were utterly different beings…
…
"Phew…"
'Open Vital Sheet…'
[
Points: 38
Second Stage of Strengthening (Completion)
| Martial Root |
Awakening: 99.99%
| Body Disposition |
Mind -> 49.99
Physical -> 99.99
Energy -> 49.99
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
| Martial Arts |
Tier-5 Continuous Marching
Tier-4 Hard Metal Boxing
Tier-4 Nimbus Steps
Tier-4 Flowing Spear of Water
Tier-4 Nameless Footwork
Tier-4 Nameless Boxing
Tier-4 Nameless Defensive Technique
Tier-3 All Absorption
Tier-3…
…
]
There were two things that contributed to my quick growth. First would be the fact I received three times the number of points per Rank-2 beast I took down, and the second would be how each beast would give me almost a whole point worth of stats after I beat them up thoroughly.
The issue was Rank-1 beasts… They only gave me a point and rarely did they give me orbs, and even then, their orbs wouldn't be worthwhile. Their only worth was being hunted quickly and in large numbers to fill up my sheet so I could spend them somewhere else… which to some degree was more efficient than punching a Rank-2 beast in the face for a few minutes.