In the gravity chamber, four dull thuds echoed as 60kg lead weights crashed to the hard floor, sparking briefly.
Rick dragged himself to the bench, guzzling nutrient fluid. Sweat poured from every pore.
It was the seventh day—the final day Arthur had predicted. Rick's fate would be decided today.
He felt the insect within, now one with his body, stirring back to life. This omen meant it might awaken soon.
Grabbing a towel, Rick dried his dripping face and body. Once his exhausted muscles regained some strength, he donned a prepared jacket, shut off the chamber's gravity regulator, and hit the hydraulic door switch.
With a hiss, white steam billowed as the door opened. Rick glanced at the regulator's 15x gravity mark, smiled confidently, and stepped out of the chamber where he'd spent seven days.
Emerging into normal gravity, Rick tensed as if a binding rope had snapped. Every muscle seemed to surge with power in the sudden lightness. He now resembled a panther in prime, his muscle definition sharpened by super-gravity training—steel-like sinew clung to oiled skin, radiating explosive power.
"I won't become a monster... I refuse!"
Fastening his coat, Rick's eyes burned with resolution. He took a key from the wall, unlocked a hidden door, and stepped into the dark, damp dungeon.
Inside, the Wormmen—once human—roared madly, slamming against their iron cages.
"You failed, but I will succeed." Rick studied these raging failures deeply. He unlocked a cage, entered, and tossed the key outside.
Sitting in the cell's corner, Rick closed his eyes. The surrounding roars vanished; the world fell silent, as if he alone existed.
Regulating his breath, he slipped into the Breath Refinement Technique. His heart pounded forcefully, driving blood through his veins. Soon, blood vessels surfaced, and his body grew scorching hot.
The nutrient fluid he'd consumed was frantically broken down by abundant blood flow, converting to energy that surged into every cell. In normal gravity, energy recovery accelerated—15x gravity had drained him even at rest, a strain now lifted.
Moreover, the training's effects fully manifested in normal gravity. 15x gravity was just a number; through insane training, he'd adapted to far more. Wearing 60kg weights under 15x gravity meant carrying 900kg—nearly a ton—plus his body weight. The calculation was staggering.
It was hard to fathom that anyone could survive such inhuman training, and in merely seven days. This wasn't just a physical ordeal—what truly endured were Rick's willpower and capacity to suffer, the key to withstanding the insect consciousness' erosion.
After a full half-hour of the Breath Refinement Technique, when Rick opened his eyes again, all exhaustion had vanished. The brilliance in his eyes shone like cold stars in the darkness, a sharp aura that silenced the dungeon's monsters in an instant, cowed by his power.
Both body and mind were at peak condition. But just then, the vivid insect tattoo on his back flared red, and Rick felt something stir within.
Suddenly, his heart raced uncontrollably, each throb sending electric shocks through his body, tensing every muscle. His blood even began the impossible—flowing backward.
The insect within was attempting to seize control. This bloodless war began its fierce prologue.
Victory meant life, defeat meant death.
A battle with no retreat, Rick fought an invisible foe—he must conquer the demon he'd nurtured within.
Gritting his teeth, Rick panted deeply, focusing all will to slow his heart. Seven days of pushing limits and using the Spirit Refinement Technique had gifted him unprecedented control over his body, even internal organs. The abusive training had forced his organs to grow tough exponentially—otherwise, the earlier surge would've burst his heart.
Control and endurance—Rick grasped the key to survival. Accustomed to pain at the edge, he ignored the tearing agony, channeling all focus into regulating his heart and organs.
Gradually, the internal war stalemated. Rick's sudden surge of control reclaimed his nerve center, severing the insect's connection and trapping it to suppress.
"You changed my fate, but that doesn't mean I'll surrender everything to you!"
Rick clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. His will had never been firmer, focus never keener—he could sense the insect's presence clearer than ever.
As his brain and nerve center concentrated intensely, his cells rallied around the insect, beginning assimilation. The insect was losing this invisible battle.
In the cell-by-cell war, it was a contest of viability. Rick had overcome the innate physiological gap, his cell vitality far exceeding the once-evolved insect.
Both Rick's and the insect's cells divided and died at astounding rates, but each second, Rick produced slightly more cells. This advantage grew, invading the insect's cells, compressing its space, forcing assimilation.
Hours later, Rick's pained expression faded, and his back tattoo returned to its normal dark cyan. He had seized control—now only needed to wait for his body to tame the defiant creature, accepting it as an extra organ.
The process lasted ten hours—an eternity to the exhausted Rick. But now he felt he'd truly tamed the inner demon, which had become the body's obedient part, like any other organ.
"I... I did it..."
Rick lowered his lashes, body trembling with emotion.
He had won a great battle. This victory not only resolved the hidden worry that had plagued him but also propelled him to a higher realm.
Insect Master—he now deserved this glorious title. He had joined the world's strongest ranks, destined to have his name engraved on the long steps of the Insect Hunter Guild.
"I... I really did it..."
Rick wept with joy, tears shimmering in his eyes. Recalling the hardships along the way, the joy of triumph over adversity made it hard to contain his surging emotions.
"Congratulations. I never expected you'd actually succeed." Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded from outside the cell.
Rick looked up, surprised to see Arthur standing there, still looking tense.
"You..." Rick hesitated. "Have you been here long?"
"Yes, since you began this battle. It truly has been a long time." Arthur smiled, picking up the key Rick had tossed on the floor. "Now I can unlock the door. I was so nervous I almost died, fearing I'd never pick up this key. After all... I've seen too many..."
Arthur gazed at the monsters in adjacent cells who would never leave. Once, he had watched his followers enter their own battles like this, but they failed, and Arthur could only destroy their cell keys.
"Yes, I'm grateful to have pulled through and see the bright sunshine again." Rick relaxed his taut body, his face glowing with victorious joy.
"Sunshine?" Arthur paused. "I'm afraid you can't see that yet."
"Why not?" Rick tensed, worry flashing across his face.
"Because it's night." Arthur laughed, twirling his beard, amused by Rick's dumbfounded expression.
"You old codger, that's a terrible joke." Rick rubbed his brow, half-laughing. He had indeed been spooked.
Creak!
As the key turned in the lock, the iron door scraped open with a grating noise.
Stepping out of the cell, Rick paused and looked back, feeling as if a lifetime had passed.
"I... I'm back!"