Body Cultivation Hurts - Chapter 5

A bright light came and went as Nathan was teleported away. He found himself in the same starting place he had before entering the trial. He allowed himself to plop to the floor.

The wall of text was waiting for him.

~ For fighting alongside others and guaranteeing that the majority of your party the trial, you have caught the attention of the Progression System.

Achievements

Most zombies killed.

Boss monster killed.

More than 20 solo zombie kills.

More than 50 solo zombie kills.

More than 100 solo zombie kills.

More than 500 solo zombie kills.

A 1,000 group zombie kills.

You have completely cleared the trial of opponents.

Congratulations!

Total Points Earned: 100,000

~

He stared at the text, blinking, then the number of points again. He’d only earned about 30,000 in his first life, and even though he knew what to do to earn the maximum total, there were still exceptions the system could make if it didn’t like how he handled the situation. Obviously, it did.

~ Your influence on the other players’ progress in the trial was undeniable.

The system is not against you. It is designed to train future warriors to fight against our common enemy.

Your performance was exceptional. ~

He remembered the man that had gotten hurt despite how foolish his actions were. It seems he’d been able to same to guy.

After a minute he looked up. Not only had he earned points, but he’d hit the jackpot. He had 147,000 points to spend.

He crossed his legs and determined within himself not to make any decisions until he’d considered his options one more time. Well, not every option, but all of the good ones.

He even went back and considered the Monster races like elf, dwarf, half giant, half orcs, halflings, and many more. Most of them in this category were little more than a cosmetic changes for all practical purposes—if a change in gene structure could be considered just cosmetic. Some of them came with strength and speed improvements, but none of them counted as a path on their own. However, the more exotic ones did. Centaurs, fairies, nymphs, elementals, and orcs for example. There were also the obvious ones like vampire, dragon, giant, and goblin. He ruled them all out.

If he really wanted to, he had enough points to make almost any path viable now. But he didn’t want just any path.

He didn’t skip over other options just because Body Cultivation was his preference, but no other top-tier options really compared. The longer he looked, the clearer his decision became.

He took a break to take a shower and get a bite to eat. Then, addressing the interactive wall of text, he stated his decision to the system. “I will take Body Cultivation Specialization to the max for a cost of 60,000 points to achieve Rank A Talent.”

~ Request for primary path received. Revaluation complete. Unique options available.

The system appreciates your methodical approach to choosing your class. In addition, those who have 100,000 points to spend are given advanced, customized options. Yours are as follows.

There are many approaches to Body Cultivation. All of them have the same goal, a perfect divine body. This ideal varies. Some see unlimited strength as the ultimate end, while others speed, and other want to become indestructible. Your focus will determine your path as much as any method or technique.

Note: Perfection is unattainable. It is even impossible to perceive because we lack a perfect example to compare it to. Without this comparison, the best we can do is use history’s best examples as our unit of measurement.

Focus

Strength

Speed

Flexibility

Toughness

Your choice will not put the other characteristics out of your reach. They will simply be a byproduct of your cultivation instead of the goal. ~

He blinked at the screen and read it again. Reevaluation? Unique options? He’d only heard rumors of such things in his last life, but who would’ve actually had 100,000 points to be given the option?

A great debate began to rage in Nathan’s mind as he argued with himself. He could easily make a case for each Focus. After a minute of thinking it over, he decided just to ask. “Which focus has the most potential?”

~ The one that is truest to your personal philosophy. The one you depend upon in your time of need. ~

He started chuckling to himself. He didn’t have to even think about it to know his answer. He’d been in too many life and death battles. His mouth remained shut as he continued considering his options though. If he chose what he was thinking, would it hinder his future? The more he thought about it, the more he knew it was his answer. “Toughness.”

~ The system approves your selection. If you continue, 100,000 Points will be removed from your total. What you will receive is as follows.

Body Cultivation Talent – S Rank

Personalized Energy Gathering Method – S Rank

Martial Technique Primer – G Rank

Do you confirm?

~

A change in talent from Rank A to S was unheard of. What did it even mean? And a personalized energy gathering method? He stilled his mind to not allow himself to get over excited.

What was even crazier was that he wouldn’t have to purchase a separate Energy Gathering Technique. When he asked about the Rank S Personalized Energy Gathering Method, the system explained that it would be custom built with his genetics in mind after he’d awakened his prime path.

As for the Martial Technique Primer, it would explain to him the basics of martial techniques, how they worked, and what to look for when choosing future ones. To him, who already had ten years experience competing with the best cultivators in the world, it was useless. It wasn’t an actual Martial Technique. Those he’d still have to develop, purchase, or find someone to teach him. He certainly had the points.

With all his questions answered, he finally said the words, “I confirm.”

~ Congratulations on your selection of Rank S Cultivator’s Talent!

You have chosen Toughness as your focus, so you will walk the path of the Indestructible Body.

Do not worry.

You won’t be allowed to die even if the pain becomes unbearable.

Father Wei will ensure your evolution’s success personally.

The system looks forward to your future advancement.

Grit your teeth.

Now. ~

Nathan had already snapped his jaw shut before he finished reading the last line. His teeth weren’t exactly grit, but the pain arrived as he tried to fix that. His body began to grow. If he hadn’t shut his mouth, then the pain would’ve forced it shut anyway. He was certain he wouldn’t have a tongue left to scream with.

Thankfully he was sitting, for his head slammed back onto the matts, missing his pillow. Every muscle in his body flexed to the max. He felt like he was being frozen, burned, melted, drowned, corroded, eaten, electrocuted, and tickled all at the same time.

His mind went wild when the pain became too much to bear. He had visions of clouds and bubbles, but the forces of hell weren’t willing to be outdone, so the fire and corpses came next. As soon as he thought he’d met his first fairy, he envisioned a minotaur headbutting him in the face to even things out. To make matters worse—for he learned quickly that things could always get worse—every woman he’d ever been attracted to in his life seemingly lined up and began slapping him across the face in turn. Not with womanly strength, or even elite female athletic strength, but with Andre the Giant, grizzly-bear-smacking-the-head-off-a-horse-kind of strength. It seemed that his body didn’t want to be alone in its misery, so it persuaded his already broken mind to help ground his confidence and dignity into pounder along with it.