Champions not only had much stronger physical attributes than normal humans but they also practiced special techniques that made them killing machines. The medieval kingdoms that made up this world were mostly run by Champions.
My Johnson family was a Champion family. My father Leeroy and his father before him had all been noble Champions to serve the Otoris Kingdom. My father had even done enough meritorious service to be granted the noble title of Baron, sadly the Johnson family was not high standing enough to enjoy the perks of a hereditary title.
Every generation a Johnson had to work hard to keep their noble title. Although a Baron wasn't that high ranking of a noble, it was a noble none the less. Nobles were of much higher standing than commoners.
Every Champion family would have secret training techniques they would use. Looking to the past I remembered the moment my father first began teaching me about the Johnson family's secret Champion techniques.
"Every noble family has their own set of Champion techniques that they choose to pass down," said my father.
"Although our Johnson family isn't that high standing, we have a great set of Champion techniques that have been passed down for many generations letting us keep our place in high society. To become a Champion you must stimulate the hidden potential within your body. By stimulating your body's hidden potential you can become stronger and more powerful than the common man."
"To stimulate our hidden potential we practice breathing techniques. A breathing technique is the core secret of a Champion family. It's much more important than the combat skills we teach because the class of your breathing technique determines how far you can go along the path of Championship."
"Watch well as I show you our Johnson families Snake Breathing technique. Breathe deeply and hold your breath for 60 seconds. Wiggle your tongue as you imagine yourself as a serpent lying in the grass. Take three long breathes holding your breath for 60 seconds at a time. After that take 2 short breathes of only 30 seconds."
"While entering this rhythmic breathing you must imagine yourself as a snake in the grass unconcerned with the mundane world. Imagine the breath you take snaking through your body, flowing through all your internal organs strengthening them, and removing the impurities."
I began to enter a state of breathing like my father had showed me in my memory. Visualizing my breath flowing through my entire body as I held it in.
Clean air is breathed in while toxic impurities are breathed out. On my first breath, I didn't notice anything strange. It was just like normal breathing. But as I practiced it more and more I felt my breath become more hot and heavy as I exhaled.
My face grew red as my expression became pained as I continued to practice the technique. I could only maintain the rhythmic breathing for 15 minutes before I had to give up. I opened my eyes on my last breath and saw a large black plume of smoke come out of my mouth. Those were the impurities held within my body!
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[Gained +.05 Str +.05 Agi +.05 Vitality]
[Would you like to improve this technique?] [(Yes)/[(No)]
Sitting there exhausted I choose yes, wondering how the system could assist me.
[(Yes)]
[Gained +.05 Str +.05 Agi +.05 Vitality]
[Quest issued:] [Add +100 Gold to Dragon Hoard.]
[Reward:] [Snake breathing experience]
I figured what did I have to lose, I needed to get stronger. This 100 gold could show me the value of this system and by adding this 100 gold to my Hoard I'd complete my daily quest for the day.
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[Quest completed:] [Add +100 to Dragon Hoard.]
[Dragon Vault: 65 Gold] [Dragon Hoard: 125 Gold]
What about my daily quest? Where's my +1 Dragon Point?
[Daily quests are standalone quests.]
I fumed in rage at this heartless system before my mind swirled into the memory of a garter snake.
I experienced what it was like to be a snake crawling through the underbrush breathing and exhaling. I felt what it was truly like for a snake to breathe. As a snake, I didn't have a diaphragm like a human so I could only circulate air in and out of my lungs by narrowing my rib cage and pushing the air out and then widening it again to create a vacuum to suck air in.
I noticed that after every breath I would experience a stop in breathing that would last a few seconds to a few minutes. This was just a natural part of a snake's breathing cycle. My one lung was filled to the brim as I crawled through the underbrush, but it was enough to support the movement of my serpentine body.
The entire experience was very surreal. I got to know what it was truly like for a real snake to breathe. This knowledge was invaluable for practicing the Snake Breath technique. This was well worth the gold I sent into my Dragon Hoard!
I knew my next practice of the Snake Breath technique would better than my father's, even though he had diligently practiced this technique for years. The technique was based on how snakes breathed, and I had now been inside the mind of a snake. With this one experience, I was now a master of snake breathing!
Unfortunately, I couldn't put my new knowledge into practice just yet. Breathing techniques were very destructive to the body, practicing them was like lifting weights. If you only did it for a short time every day you would gain the greatest benefit.
Your body needed a day to repair itself after such a strenuous activity. If you continue practicing them for a longer time, it would no longer be helpful but turn detrimental. I would have to wait until tomorrow to practice the technique again with my new insights.
I stayed in my comfortable carriage bed the entire evening while Miya waited on me hand and foot. She was a great maid, I rested comfortably that night knowing I had her to take care of me.
When I woke up the next day my concussion was cured. Miya had given me a wonderful concoction to treat my ailment and my body had been improved from practicing the Champion technique.
I felt great. My body felt better than ever, the recovery phase of the snake breathing technique had come to full bloom.
[Gained +.03 Str +.03 Agi +.03 Vitality]
I waited around until the next evening when it was time for me to practice the Snake Breathing technique again. At that moment, Miya came along to give me my supper.
[Daily quest failed:] [Add +25 Gold to your Dragon Hoard.]
[New ailment: Dragon Withdrawal]
[Dragon Withdrawl: By failing to maintain your dragon hoard you have become weak in body and mind succumbing to instinctual draconian urges!]