Chapter 3: The Price of Power
"No, host," the system's voice was firm and unyielding, devoid of any warmth. "You will always remain human. There will be no change to your face or body. After absorption, you will not transform into the being you absorb. Don't worry, the system has taken care of all of this."
A wave of relief washed over Ron. He had envisioned himself turning into a pink, bloated creature, a thought that filled him with dread. He trusted the system's words, and without a second's hesitation, he commanded, "Merge Majin Buu's powers into me."
A sudden surge of immense energy coursed through his veins, a force so potent it knocked him unconscious. He fell into a deep sleep, right there in his dining chair.
He awoke the next afternoon, feeling more revitalized than ever before. He looked at his hands, his left one completely regenerated, the mangled stump now a perfect, unmarred limb. He felt a newfound sense of youthfulness, a vigor that had been absent for years. He grabbed a fruit knife from the kitchen and, with a casual motion, sliced his hand.
He felt no pain. No blood emerged from the wound. The cut was like a line drawn on his skin, a momentary change that disappeared as quickly as it came. The flesh simply knitted itself back together, the wound closing in a flash, leaving no scar, no trace of the injury. The knife was as clean as the moment it had been washed.
"What a healing ability," he whispered, a thrill of excitement coursing through him.
He looked at the corpse of the Shadow Wolf, which he had received from the lottery. The beast was known for its terrifying speed, its movements leaving afterimages in its wake. It was a mid-level beast lord, and its shadow-like speed and lethal claws made it one of the most feared assassins in the wilderness.
Without hesitation, Ron reached out his hand and touched the wolf's corpse. His fingers began to exude a viscous, pink-colored liquid. It spread across the beast's body, and the corpse began to dissolve, being absorbed directly into Ron's palm. As the liquid merged with his body, he felt a colossal surge of power coursing through him, a feeling of immense strength that was utterly intoxicating.
When the last of the corpse had been absorbed, Ron took a few moments to acclimate to his new powers. He felt his strength increase exponentially. He was now a mid-level battle general, a rank that only a handful of warriors in his city could claim. He decided to test his new abilities.
He began by using his new shadow speed. The small space of his dining room was instantly filled with a series of afterimages. He moved so fast that it appeared as though he were a phantom, a blur in the air. The speed was incredible; in a straight race, no one at his current level could possibly keep up.
Then, he focused on the other skill he had gained from the absorption. With a single finger, he jabbed at a thick steel column in his room, shaping his hand like a claw. His finger tore through the metal like paper, leaving deep gashes. It was a secondary skill, but it was just as deadly. He thought of the man in the War God ranking who had a technique called "Iron Claw," said to be able to break through the defenses of beasts at his level with just his bare hands. He wondered if he could now rival him.
He was filled with confidence. With a system and powers like this, reaching the pinnacle was no longer a pipe dream. He felt like he could finally compete for a spot at the top.
Just then, the system's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Ding. Host, I forgot to mention something. You can only absorb a being one major level higher than your current level. For example, at the Apprentice level, you can only absorb Planetary-level beings. At the Stellar level, you can only absorb Universe-level beings, and so on. You cannot absorb a being with an overly high cultivation level."
"That's fine," Ron replied with a grin. "A man's got to chew what he can eat. This is still a great way to level up like a rocket. For now, I'll just have to hunt beasts on my own and absorb them."
He felt unstoppable. With his immortal-like regeneration and new-found shadow speed, he knew he could become stronger in just a few months. He went to his closet and took out his old battle suit—a black, armored uniform that his wife, Jiang Feng, had bought for him. It was designed to withstand attacks from an advanced-level warrior, but it was all he had. He grabbed his sword, an excellent-grade mixed-alloy weapon that was now little more than a trinket for his level. It was good enough for show, but it would be useless against a lord-level beast.
He put on a mask of Asura, a terrifying mask he had purchased from a local shop long ago. With his new gear in place, he strode out of his villa, his destination the gates of the base city.
The cosmic energy radiating from his body was an intimidating presence, defining him as a battle general. There were only a few dozen warriors like him in the city, and even fewer could stand a chance against him. He was a predator in their midst, and everyone instinctively gave him a wide berth.
He left the city, his body a blur of motion. A few kilometers outside the city's perimeter, he was nothing more than a shadow, leaving faint afterimages in his wake. He was hunting for a specific target—a five-tailed fox beast, a lord-level creature known for its powerful soul attacks. The beast's ability to control others of its level meant it could create a devastating beast tide. He had gotten the information from the Extreme Martial Dojo market. The fox's last known location was surrounded by five other lord-level beasts.
Ron decided to wait for the cover of night. With his silence and speed, he would have the element of surprise. His target for tonight: a Silver Gorilla Lord, a beast renowned for its brutal strength.