Chapter 2 To the civilization

Jaune's decision to acquire the God Physical Body from the Against the Gods world sent shivers down his spine just from the name of its origin.

[Host has made an astute acquisition with the God Physical Body. The Flood Dragon's physical form is now integrated; please review the specifications.]

Ciel's melodious voice filled Jaune's ears as he examined the details of his new form. The sheer power it exuded was palpable.

[Name: Flood Dragon Physical Body]
[Origin: Against the Gods]
[Rank: Silver]
[Abilities: This physical body elevates the Host to superhuman levels. The Host can now cultivate Profound Energy, which can be used in conjunction with Aura in the Host's world.]
[Price: 200 msc]

Jaune's heart leaped with joy at the original price. Winning this for a mere 9 msc felt like an incredible stroke of luck – a 200 msc prize for just 9!

As his elation peaked, Ciel's voice gently guided him through the integration process.

[Be advised, Host, that the initial assimilation will involve significant discomfort. Would the Host prefer to enter unconsciousness while the system manages the transition?]

Ciel explained that he could choose to sleep through the process and awaken with his new body, or remain conscious to experience the pain, which would temper his mind and spirit, proving invaluable for future breakthroughs.

“Breakthroughs? What kind of breakthroughs are we talking about?”

Jaune inquired, his understanding of cultivation still nascent from his recent purchase.

The concept of prolonged, passive training felt tedious to him.

[A bottleneck, Host. You will encounter these in your cultivation journey. While pills from the God of Medicine can bypass these bottlenecks, they require gold coins. The conversion rate is 100 msc for 1 mgc.]

Jaune sighed. Gold coins were a distant prospect given his current weakness.

The silver coins he possessed were a comforting gift from Ciel following his initial demise.

For now, he was likely limited to copper-ranked items.

After a moment of contemplation, Jaune's resolve hardened.

“If enduring this pain will strengthen me mentally, then I will face it. I am no coward.”

[Host has made a commendable decision. Ciel will expedite the process.]

The forest then echoed with tormented wails that sent chills down the spines of passing huntsmen, who quickly christened the area the

"Wailing Ghost Forest,"

A place to be avoided at all costs.

The next morning, Jaune awoke with a face etched with exhaustion.

The previous day had been a relentless nightmare of pain, a strange repetition of death that held no true finality for him.

“Oh, the agony…”

He groaned, pushing himself up.

He finally approached the mirror he hadn't been able to see before.

His reflection stared back, yet something felt profoundly different.

“Uh, Ciel, is that really me in the mirror?”

He asked, needing confirmation.

He wasn’t trying to be vain, but the transformation was striking.

“Damn, it’s…overboard,”

He muttered. His features were sharp and undeniably handsome, like a protagonist straight out of an Eastern fantasy novel.

[Affirmative, Host. Ciel ensured the Host's form was crafted to perfection. A handsome and elegant appearance will facilitate future transactions.]

He bore no resemblance to the timid boy who had perished during the Beacon initiation.

The weakness that had defined him was gone.

He felt that if he were to face that fateful tree again, the tree would be the one to fall.

A hearty laugh escaped his lips.

His current strength rivaled that of veteran Aura users reinforcing their bodies, yet he wielded only raw physical power.

“This ATG physical body is insane. Not just the strength, but the looks too!”

It was more than good; it felt almost unreal.

Ready to leave the forest, Jaune considered using the [Fly] ability from his flight necklace. But then, a crucial realization struck him.

“Oh right. Now that I have a physical body, the Grimm can actually notice me.”

Indeed, Grimm who had previously ignored his incorporeal form were now charging towards him.

He lacked any formal combat training, but the sheer physical might of the Flood Dragon's body allowed him to dispatch them with his bare hands.

Beowolves lunged, their ferocity apparent.

A flicker of fear touched Jaune, but a sudden wave of calm washed over him, replaced by a sense of disdain for the creatures.

“Hey Ciel, what’s happening to me? I was scared, but now I just feel…calm, and these mutts seem insignificant,”

He commented, casually smashing a Beowolf's head with a single blow.

[This is a consequence of the Flood Dragon bloodline, Host. Even a flawed dragon possesses an inherent superiority compared to these Beowolves. Hence, your feeling of disdain.]

Jaune nodded, then began to systematically eliminate the remaining Beowolves.

His initial movements were clumsy, lacking any finesse. He knew no martial arts.
However, against these relatively weak Grimm, a simple punch was devastatingly effective.

They charged, and he met them with lethal force.

After the last Beowolf fell, a glint on the forest floor caught his eye – copper coins.

“Beowolves drop copper coins?”

Jaune was surprised. He hadn't expected any material reward from these encounters.

He had slain over ten, yet only found three coins. The drop rate was clearly not consistent.

[They are among the weakest Grimm, Host. Such a drop rate is to be expected.]

Collecting his meager earnings, Jaune activated [Fly] and soared into the sky. He had no specific destination in mind, but assumed a settlement wouldn't be too far.

“Of course,” he muttered, a hint of resignation in his voice. “Used up all my luck on the physical body.”

He flew for over four hours without sighting any sign of civilization.

His journey was punctuated by encounters with more Grimm, which he dispatched, adding to his growing collection of over 100 mcc.

He could convert them to msc, but felt it wiser to hold onto them for potential copper-ranked purchases.
Exhaustion finally compelled Jaune to seek respite.

He found a Grimm-free cave and decided to engage in a brief cultivation session.
He had already reached the 1st level of the Elementary Profound Realm.

His strength, speed, and perception had been elevated to superhuman levels.

Yet, his Aura remained stubbornly locked.

He knew he needed someone willing to break the law to unlock it for him, a service rarely offered due to the legal repercussions.

After his cultivation, Jaune resumed his flight, trusting Ciel's assurance that he was heading towards civilization.

Another six hours passed before a familiar sight greeted him.

“Isn’t that Vale harbor…?”

The image was etched in his memory from his arrival in Vale – a beautiful harbor, now marred by significant destruction.

“Something happened to the city… Wait a damn minute. It was attacked by a horde of Grimm!”