Marcus woke up feeling like shit. His whole body ached from whatever the herbs had done to him last night. It was still dark outside, maybe 5 AM? Hard to tell without his phone. God, he missed his phone. And coffee. What he wouldn't give for a decent cup of coffee right now instead of whatever bitter tea they drank in this world.
The system had been quiet all night, which was weird. Usually it chattered at him whenever he ate something. Marcus sat up, bed squeaking loud enough to wake the dead. His room smelled like sweat and that musty scent that never seemed to go away no matter how many times Aria cleaned it.
"System?" he whispered. "You there?"
[Present, host. Your body required rest to process yesterday's consumption.]
Right. Made sense, he guess. "So what's my status now?"
[Current cultivation: 15% progress toward Qi Gathering Level 1. Significant improvement, but insufficient for your deadline.]
Fifteen percent in one day wasn't bad, but he needed 100% in six more days. Math wasn't his strong suit, but even he could see that was gonna be tight. Really tight.
Marcus got dressed in the same crappy robes from yesterday. This world's fashion sense sucked. Everything was either boring brown or boring gray, and it all felt like wearing a tent. He missed jeans. And hoodies. And clothes that actually fit properly.
The hallway outside his room was empty, servants probably still asleep. Good. He needed to experiment without people watching. The family gardens had more stuff than just the basic herbs he'd grabbed last night. If he was gonna make this deadline, he needed to take bigger risks.
The main garden was behind the manor, separated from the wild growth by a stone wall. This was where they grew the expensive stuff, the herbs and plants that actually mattered. Problem was, it was also where they'd notice if things went missing. But what choice did he have?
Marcus climbed over the wall, dropping down into neat rows of cultivated plants. These looked way different from the wild crap he'd eaten yesterday. The qi grass here was thicker, glowing brighter. Some kind of purple flower caught his eye, probably worth more than his allowance for a month.
He grabbed a handful of everything he could reach, stuffing it in his mouth before he could chicken out. The purple flower tasted like concentrated lightning. His whole body buzzed with energy, muscles twitching. The system went crazy.
[Consumed: Thunder Blossom (Mid-grade). +10 Qi Capacity, +5 Lightning Affinity, +3 Cultivation Speed.]
Holy shit. That was way better than anything from yesterday. Marcus kept eating, working his way through the garden like a human lawn mower. Most of it tasted awful - one plant was so bitter he actually gagged - but the system kept rewarding him.
[Consumed: Iron Root (Low-grade). +2 Physical Defense, +1 Earth Affinity.]
[Consumed: Moonlight Lily (Mid-grade). +8 Qi Purity, +4 Mental Clarity.]
[Consumed: Flame Moss (Low-grade). +3 Fire Affinity, +1 Heat Resistance.]
By the time he finished, Marcus felt like he'd stuck his finger in an electrical socket. Energy coursed through his veins, making him jumpy and restless. But it was working. He could feel his cultivation base solidifying, qi pathways getting clearer.
[Current cultivation: 45% progress toward Qi Gathering Level 1.]
Forty-five percent! In one morning! At this rate, he might actually make the deadline. Problem was, he'd basically eaten half the garden. That was gonna be noticed.
"What are you doing here?"
Marcus spun around, dirt still on his lips. A girl stood at the garden entrance, maybe his age, wearing servant clothes but cleaner than Aria's. She had sharp eyes and an attitude that screamed trouble.
"Uh," Marcus said intelligently. "Morning walk?"
She looked at the destroyed garden, then back at him. "Did you just... eat the thunder blossoms?"
Busted. "Maybe?"
The girl stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Those cost fifty silver each. And you ate them raw. Are you insane? That much concentrated qi should have exploded your meridians."
"But it didn't," Marcus pointed out.
"But it should have!" She stomped closer, poking him in the chest. "Nobody can process raw thunder blossoms without proper preparation. It's impossible!"
Marcus shrugged. "Guess I'm special."
That made her even angrier. "Special? You're the trash third son! Everyone knows you can't cultivate!"
Okay, that stung. Even from some random servant girl. "What's your name?" he asked.
"Mei Lin. I work in the herb processing shed. And I'm going to report this to Master Chen immediately."
Great. This was exactly what he didn't need. Marcus thought fast. "Wait. What if I could prove that eating them raw actually worked?"
Mei Lin crossed her arms. "Prove it how?"
Marcus closed his eyes, gathering the qi he'd absorbed. It felt weird, like trying to flex a muscle he'd never used before. But slowly, energy flowed to his hands. A faint glow appeared around his fingers, weak but visible.
Mei Lin's mouth fell open. "That's... that's qi manifestation. You're actually cultivating."
"Yeah. Told you I was special."
She circled him like he was some kind of exotic animal. "This is impossible. You've been trash for three years. How did you suddenly start cultivating overnight?"
Marcus grinned. "Trade secret."
Before Mei Lin could ask more questions, voices echoed from the manor. Servants starting their morning routines. Time to go. But as Marcus headed for the wall, Mei Lin grabbed his arm.
"Wait. If you can really cultivate now... could you teach me?"
That stopped him cold. "Teach you what?"
"Whatever you did. I've been stuck at Qi Gathering Level 2 for months. The family won't waste pills on a servant, so I'm on my own. But if you found some new way to cultivate..."
Marcus looked at her desperate expression. Reminded him of himself, honestly. Stuck at the bottom, no resources, everyone looking down on you. "I can't teach you my method," he said. That was true - he couldn't exactly explain the system. "But maybe I could help in other ways."
Hope flashed in her eyes. "Really?"
"Meet me tonight. Same place. We'll figure something out."
Mei Lin nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Young Master Chen."
Young Master. Nobody had called him that respectfully before. It felt good. Really good.
Marcus made it back to his room without getting caught, though he could hear servants discovering the garden damage. Lot of yelling and cursing. Someone was gonna get blamed for that, probably him eventually. But for now, he had bigger things to worry about.
Like Wei standing in his room, arms crossed, looking pissed.
"Morning, brother," Marcus said, trying to sound casual.
Wei's eyes narrowed. "You did something yesterday. During our fight. I've been thinking about it all night."
"Did I? Must have been your imagination."
"My imagination?" Wei stepped closer, qi radiating from him like heat. "My imagination made you fast enough to dodge my punch? Made you strong enough to push me back?"
Shit. Marcus had hoped Wei would just write it off as a fluke. Should have known better. His brother might be an asshole, but he wasn't stupid.
"Maybe you're just not as strong as you think," Marcus said.
Wrong answer. Wei's face turned red with rage. "You little shit. I'll show you strong."
He lunged forward, fist aimed at Marcus's face. But this time, Marcus was ready. The energy from the garden herbs was still flowing through him, making everything clearer, faster. He sidestepped the punch easily, grabbed Wei's wrist, and twisted.
Wei yelped in pain, dropping to one knee. "What the hell?"
Marcus felt the system stirring. [Opportunity detected. Target contains significant qi reserves. Consume?]
Consume his own brother? That seemed... extreme. But Wei had been making his life hell for years. And Marcus needed all the power he could get.
"Sorry, brother," Marcus said. Then he bit down on Wei's wrist.
Not hard enough to draw blood, just enough to make contact. The system activated immediately.
[Consuming qi essence. Processing...]
Wei's eyes went wide as his cultivation started draining away. Energy flowed from him into Marcus, warm and electric. "What are you doing to me?" Wei gasped.
[Consumed: Qi Gathering Level 3 cultivation base (partial). +25 Qi Capacity, +10 Strength, +8 Agility.]
Marcus let go, feeling amazing. Strong. Powerful. Wei collapsed backward, breathing hard.
"My cultivation," Wei whispered. "I can barely feel it anymore."
[Current cultivation: 78% progress toward Qi Gathering Level 1.]
Seventy-eight percent! From one bite! This was incredible. Marcus could probably reach Qi Gathering tonight at this rate. Maybe even higher.
"How?" Wei stared at his hands like they belonged to someone else. "How did you steal my cultivation?"
"Magic," Marcus said, grinning.
That's when the door burst open. Father stood there, qi blazing around him like a storm. His eyes took in the scene - Wei on the floor, Marcus standing over him looking satisfied.
"What happened here?" Father's voice could have frozen fire.
Wei struggled to his feet. "He... he did something to me. Stole my cultivation somehow."
Father looked at Marcus, expression unreadable. "Is this true?"
Marcus met his eyes steadily. "We were sparring. Wei attacked first. I defended myself."
"Sparring?" Father's gaze flicked to Wei, who was still pale and shaky. "You look like you've been drained dry, Wei. What kind of sparring does that?"
"I don't know!" Wei exploded. "He bit me and my power just... disappeared!"
Father stepped closer to Marcus, studying him with new attention. "Show me your cultivation base."
This was it. Moment of truth. Marcus gathered his qi, letting it flow through his meridians. The energy was incredible now, ten times stronger than yesterday. Father's eyes widened as he felt it.
"Qi Gathering Level 1," Father murmured. "Peak stage. How is this possible?"
"Hard work," Marcus said simply.
"Hard work?" Father laughed, but it wasn't the mocking kind from yesterday. This was amazement. "You've made more progress in two days than in the previous three years combined."
Behind him, Wei made a strangled sound. "But my cultivation—"
"Will recover," Father cut him off. "Cultivation can be rebuilt. But this..." He gestured at Marcus. "This is unprecedented. Perhaps I underestimated you."
Marcus felt a warm glow that had nothing to do with stolen qi. Finally, finally, some recognition. "Does this mean the marriage is off?"
Father was quiet for a long moment. "Continue progressing at this rate, and we'll discuss alternatives. The academy entrance exam is in two weeks. If you can reach Qi Gathering Level 3 by then, I'll submit your application."
Level 3? That was a huge jump. But with the system, maybe possible. "I'll do it."
Father nodded slowly. "We'll see. Wei, come with me. We need to discuss your... training methods."
They left, Wei shooting poisonous looks over his shoulder. As soon as they were gone, Marcus collapsed onto his bed. The power rush was fading, leaving him drained but exhilarated.
[Excellent work, host. You've discovered the true potential of consumption.]
"That was just the beginning, wasn't it?" Marcus asked.
[Indeed. Every living thing contains essence that can be devoured. But be careful - power gained too quickly can corrupt even the strongest will.]
Marcus thought about that as he stared at the ceiling. In his old life, he'd been nobody. Powerless. Now he had the ability to take strength from others, to become whatever he wanted. It was intoxicating.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. "Young Master? It's Aria."
She came in carrying a breakfast tray, smiling shyly. "I heard what happened with Wei. The whole manor's talking about it."
"Good things or bad things?"
"Mostly shocked things. Nobody expected you to suddenly become so strong." She set the tray down, then hesitated. "The herbs we collected last night... they really worked, didn't they?"
Marcus nodded. "Better than expected."
"I'm so happy for you," Aria said, and meant it. Her genuine joy made something twist in his chest. When was the last time someone had been happy for his success? "Does this mean you'll be going to the academy?"
"Maybe. If I keep improving."
Aria's face fell slightly. "Oh. That's wonderful. Really."
But her tone said otherwise. Right, the academy was far away. If he left, he'd be leaving her behind. Marcus hadn't thought about that.
"Hey," he said softly. "Whatever happens, I won't forget who helped me get there."
She blushed, looking down at her hands. "I just want you to be happy, Young Master."
"Marcus," he said. "Just Marcus."
She smiled at that. "Marcus."
The way she said his name made his heart skip. Dangerous territory there. Marcus barely understood his feelings for his old life, let alone navigating romance in a fantasy world. But Aria was sweet, kind, and the only person who'd shown him genuine care.
"I should let you rest," she said, backing toward the door.
"Aria, wait." She stopped, looking hopeful. "Tonight, when we... collect herbs again, maybe we could talk? About stuff?"
Her smile could have lit up the whole manor. "I'd like that."
After she left, Marcus ate his breakfast while planning his next moves. The garden raid had been successful but risky. He needed safer ways to gain power, at least until he was strong enough to not care about consequences.
The system had mentioned that every living thing contained essence. What about the servants? Or other family members? Could he drain them without anyone noticing? The thought made him pause. That was a dark path to consider.
But then he remembered three years of beatings, humiliation, being treated like garbage. Maybe dark wasn't such a bad thing.
Marcus finished eating and lay back on his bed. Six days until his deadline with Father. Two weeks until the academy exam. Plenty of time to become someone worth respecting.
Or someone worth fearing.
Either worked for him.