~ Kairo's Pov, XXX time later... ~
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My eyelids... They felt so heavy, like someone had glued them shut. Still, they twitched, cracked open just enough for light to stab through.
A dull aching spread through my skull, doing so in rhythm with my own heartbeat. I hated that feeling. It felt like I would have a heart attack that stopped attacking midway... My throat burned dry, my tongue feels like sandpaper;
"…Ugh…"
The sound rasped out of me, more a groan than a word. I blinked, trying to bring the blur of shapes above me into focus. The ceiling swam in and out, strange lines I couldn't place. My body felt weak, but weightless, almost like I wasn't even in control of it, at least not entirely.
I looked around, realizing that, I was in a bad of sorts. A large one. But, it clearly wasn't in my own home...
'…Where am I? How long…?'
The question rattled around in my head, but no answer came.
Only that pain, heaviness, and the vague awareness that something had changed. Unlike the dimly lit evening skies yesterday, it seemed relatively bright and early this time around, based on the light shining through...
[It seems you've woken up my host...]
Nexus?
I sighed: 'Yeah... I'm up alright. But, I feel dead physically speaking... and very, veryhungry.'
[That's understandable, you pushed yourself extremely hard yesterday. I was honestly quite impressed.]
Yesterday? That only confirms that a day has passed me by.
Regardless: 'I guess what I did was... Hey Nexus, could you tell me what happened while I was out?'
[Of course... Do you also want to see your status as well? I think it would be best if you do...]
My, status? Now that he's mentioned it... I haven't really checked it in a good while, so sure, why not?
I quickly responded: 'Alright, tell me what happened first, and then bring up my status after.'
[Affirmative... During your run, you had finally hit your physical limits. However, before you could collapse, your master caught you in time. He then brought you here to rest as a result. Which leaves you here now. He should be back fairly soon... And as for your status...]
A flash of blue appeared...
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Name: Kairo
Age/ Lifespan: 8 / 112 years
Gender: Male
Height: 129 cm
Weight: 79 lbs./ 35.83 kg
Race: Low-Class Saiyan
Condition: Famished and Parched
Power Level (PL): 164
Effective Power (EPL): 164 * 1.3 = 213.2
Physical Potential: 5 (The average is 5)
Mental Potential: 7 (The average is 5)
Passive-Skills;
1. Saiyan Tail {MAX}: Grants the user increased power and potential. Allows the user to access the Oozaru state. Granting a 10-Fold Increase in overall Power-level…
2. Zenkai-I: Grants the user an increase of strength after fully recovering. Increase is dependent on the residual Ki, how much you fear your opponent and how powerful your opponent is.
3. Adaptability-I: Grants the host the minor ability to adapt when under duress through all forms of conditions…
4. Warrior's Mind {MAX}: The host's mind hardly feels the concept of fear. In fact, anything that seems powerful, or physically challenging will only serve to ignite the hosts' battle spirit more…
5. Combat senses-IV: Increases the host's affinity for combat. Giving them a slight edge in all forms of fighting.
6. Pain Tolerance-XXX: Increases the host's capacity to handle, and bear pain by [150%].
7. Willpower-XXXV: Grants a [175%] boost in focus and physical resistance when the host refuses to give up under overwhelming odds.
8. Meditation-XII: Grants the host a [120%] increase in Ki-Efficiency and Ki-Recovery. This skill also gives a [60%] increase in controlling the host's emotions at all times.
9. Physical Fitness-LXIII: Grants the host [315%] increased stamina regeneration and reduced fatigue toxin build-up. The skill also grants [630%] increase to over all stamina.
10. Ki Control-III: Increases the host's ability to control, shape and manifest Ki, by [30%]
11. Strategic Mind-III: Increases the user's ability to make rational and logical decisions.
12. Sprinting-X: Increases the user's maximum running speed by [75%]...
Active Skills;
1. Devour {MAX}: When an entity is killed. Through touch, the host can absorb either corpses, taking all beneficial traits they possess, passive abilities and [50%] of the corpse's maximum power-level… (The host can only consume a target once every two weeks.)
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'What the? My power level... When did it increase so much?'
[...The weights you have been wearing all these days, has made you stronger. You have continuously pushed pass your limits many times over, especially when you fought that Moka girl and exercised yesterday. If you didn't get stronger, I would be even more surprised.]
I... Suppose he's right about that...
Still... I'm sure about one thing at least, for something that wasn't there before;
'Nexus. I just realized that I've got a new section on my status panel called, effective power level... Mind explaining that for me?' I asked him.
[Not to worry host, I added it for convenience... It's an attribute based entirely on your level of Ki Control. The higher your base power level without Ki control, the higher your power will be with Ki Control will be... Jiren from the original Dragon Ball Super timeline was stated to be around Goku and Vegeta's level physically during the tournament of power. However, what made him such a monster to begin with, was his overall monstrous level of Ki Control he possessed, allowing him to fight fighters many times stronger than what he was without it.]
Oh... I see now.
'That makes sense Nexus, thanks for the explanation... I guess, I'll really need to up Ki Control then... By the way, when scouters are used on me, which power level would they sense?'
[The effective power level...]
'Thanks, good to know.'
I looked further down, seeing some of my old passive abilities. That was until I had reached Willpower, Pain Tolerance and Physical Fitness...
'What the hell!? Why are their levels so ridiculously high?'
All these looked looked absurd, almost unrealistic!
[...Confused?] Nexus asked me.
'Of course I am...' I shot back;
'A few hours worth of just running doesn't begin to explain, this. How the hell did I level up so fast?' I asked him.
[I don't think you truly understand the concept of skill progression, it doesn't just work on raw time alone. It also scales with difficulty. The harder you push yourself, the greater the experience each passive gains...]
I guess that was plausible... But, this still doesn't explain this kind of growth entirely.
[...Think of it this way host. Running laps on an open field already grants steady progress, then we add the amount of reps, it grows higher. Furthermore, running those same laps with weighted gear further pushes your body to its breaking point multiplies the strain manifold, and therefore the growth of the skill. The system recognizes the level of effort that was also put in, and the state that which you put your body through, not just the passage of time...]
Given those factors, now it was beginning to make a little sense to me.
[The use of weights forced your body into continuous high-difficulty adaptation as well... For example, it doubled, sometimes tripled, the rate of skill experience gain... Mere hours under those conditions equaled weeks, or even months, of standard training. That is why the numbers might have seemed so inflated. But, trust me host, they are not inflated. They are earned. What you did was reckless and foolish, in fact... You almost died.]
I almost died...?
Well... It didn't feel that way, that's for sure. I remembered a vivid sense of excitement despite the pain I was in.
Hell, training to me no longer felt like some kind of chore... Strangely enough, I think I was actually starting to get addicted to it.
'I guess this must be how Kakarot felt...' I laughed to myself.
'So... The more brutal the training I put myself under, the sharper the growth I'll experience.'
[Yes... Your Saiyan physiology also thrives on extremes as well, you know this as well... The harsher the challenge, the faster you evolve. Speaking of such, those weights you have on will no longer have an effect on you.]
I chuckled weakly at that, my throat was scratching like broken glass;
'Yeah, but… I feel like absolute garbage right about now.'
[Well, that's because your stomach is empty, your throat is dry, and your muscles are still repairing. Once you eat and drink, you'll feel like yourself again in no time.]
Hmm... I suppose they won't... But, it's not like I can really move my body much to test that theory.
'Still... I don't regret this pain one bit.'
I slowly shifted upwards in the bed, the sheets rough against my skin, and sat up slowly.
"D-Damn it..." I said, hoarsely.
My arms trembled a little, but they didn't give out. The dizziness made the room sway, and I almost collapsed back down, but I managed to steady myself, but barely.
Patoosh~
"Kairo..."
That voice...
I turned my head and saw him. My so called master, the same old man who had offered to train me. His eyes seemed to scan me for a moment..
"You're awake...?" I heard him say, almost surprised even, before setting down a massive tray stacked with food that practically steamed and sizzled with scents so strong, my mouth instantly flooded with saliva...
I almost dove at it, but his voice cut through the my haze:
"Hmm... Not so fast. Eat steady, or you'll choke on your food."
I froze, then forced myself to nod: "...Yes, sir."
Piece by piece, I ate. The taste didn't matter, I would've eaten rocks at that point, but the warmth spreading through my chest with each bite felt like the fire was practically bringing me back to life...
[(NEW) Metabolic Overdrive-I: Increases the body's nutrient absorption and digestion by [15%], as well as accelerating muscle repair by [20%]...
Metabolic Overdrive has leveled up...
Metabolic Overdrive has leveled up...]
I could feel a subtle sensation in my stomach.
A comforting energy was spreading throughout my body as it did...
'Was the passive already taking effect this quickly?'
The warmth from the food slowly spread through my chest, creeping into my limbs, making them feel alive again.
Each swallow seemed to revitalize my muscles, as if they were remembering what it felt like to move without screaming in protest... My fingers twitched; a fist clenched naturally, then relaxed. My legs, though still shaky, handled my weight without complaint.
Other than that, I could feel my master watching me silently, his gaze was sharp, yet calm, like he expected me to react this way.
Finally, he spoke up, his tone low as well: "Good boy… That's how you should respect your body. Feed it, push it, heal it… Then push again."
I nodded, swallowing another massive bite, feeling the warmth settle in like a shield around my chest. Due to how fast I was eating, I was on the 7th serving already...
[Metabolic Overdrive has leveled up…]
When I heard Nexus' voice, I had felt even better...
But, why do I feel as if I've forgottensomething important...?
'...Wait a minute.'
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I looked around once more...
I glanced at my master.
Then, I looked at the bed I was in.
And finally, I realized who's home I was in.
'Oh... Fuck...'
I did forget something...
And that person...
Was non other than my mother...
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END