The morning sun pierced through the canopy of the forest, casting long shadows across the uneven ground
Kael Veyron stretched his limbs, feeling every inch of his body alive with a new, pulsating energy
The Origin Energy coursing through him was no longer a vague, unfamiliar sensation—it had become a living part of his body, responding to every thought, every twitch of his muscles
He looked at his hands, flexing his fingers, and the faint bluish glow that emanated from his palms made him smirk
The boy who had been deemed Aetherless was no longer powerless
Today, the forest would become his training ground, his proving ground
Kael glanced at the Spirit Stones in his inventory. Five small orbs of concentrated energy rested inside the Storage Ring
Each contained just enough power to push him further along the path to Mortal Body Stage 6, if used wisely
"Let's see how far I've come," Kael murmured, focusing inward
The system interface appeared in a translucent shimmer before him
Quest Update: Train to Unlock New Combat Abilities
Objective: Reach Mortal Body Stage 6
Reward: Skill Unlock – Origin Slash
Progress: 0%
The boy took a deep breath and sprinted toward a cluster of Horned Forest Boars that had been grazing nearby
These creatures were small but agile, perfect for practicing combat with Origin Energy
He charged, fists glowing faintly with power
The first boar looked up in surprise, sensing something unnatural in the boy's presence
It bolted, but Kael was faster
He pivoted mid-stride, swinging his arm forward
The Origin Energy condensed into a sharp, visible strike
It cut through the air with a whistling sound and connected with the boar's shoulder
The impact threw the animal several meters back, leaving a shallow crater in the earth
Kael stopped, panting lightly
"Not bad," he muttered, feeling the adrenaline rush
He observed his system progress:
Experience +30
Mortal Body Stage 5 → 5.4
The boy repeated the process multiple times, hunting and striking, feeling his reflexes sharpen, his speed increase
Each blow, each dodge, each heartbeat seemed synchronized with the flow of Origin Energy inside him
By midday, Kael had pushed himself to exhaustion
He sat on a fallen log, wiping sweat from his brow
The system screen flashed again, brighter this time
Level Up!
Mortal Body Stage 6 Achieved
Skill Unlocked: Origin Strike —A concentrated burst of energy that amplifies strength tenfold for a brief moment
Kael exhaled, the magnitude of his progress finally hitting him
For the first time, he felt the intoxicating thrill of real strength
the kind that cultivators talked about, the kind that could make even the proudest warrior take notice
"This… this is just the beginning
" Kael said to himself, standing and scanning the forest
His eyes, now sharpened by Origin Sense, caught movement in the distance
A large shadow approached, far stronger than any beast he had yet faced
A chill ran down his spine
The first real test beyond mere hunting had arrived, and Kael felt his heart beat faster—not from fear, but anticipation
"If I can handle this… nothing will be able to stop me"
The shadow moved closer. Its energy signature was unfamiliar, terrifying, yet strangely enticing. Kael clenched his fists, a confident smile crossing his face
"Origin Energy… let's see what you can really do."