The priest closed his eyes and clasped his hands together, and suddenly the trees around them began to emit a pulsing green light. The energy ran down the trunks and into the ground, causing the grass to glow with an otherworldly radiance. The pool, once clear as crystal, began to shine with the same magical light.
At first, the water felt like a gentle, soothing caress. But soon, it grew more intense, and Carn felt the water entering his skin, penetrating his very cells. The water seemed to have a mind of its own as it slowly started to reshape every facet of his body.
Suddenly, an intense pain shot through his body, and he cried out in agony. Every cell felt like it was on fire as a black liquid began to seep out of his every pore. His bones felt like they were shattering and his muscles ripping apart. He tried to scream, but only bubbles escaped his lips.
As the pain grew more unbearable, a searing migraine hit him like a hammer. It felt like every neuron in his brain was revolting against him. More black liquid poured out of his body, as if all his impurities were being vanquished.
The young priest looked at Carn with a concerned expression, continuing his chant as he watched the water turn from crystal clear to ink black. The number of impurities in the boy's body was alarming, and he had never seen a wood to copper tier-up ritual be so painful before. The only indication that Carn was still alive were the bubbles rising to the surface.
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Carn's eyes fluttered open to the blinding sunlight that flooded the balcony. His body was limp, like a rag doll, and he couldn't move an inch. He had endured unimaginable pain for 24 hours, but now he was back in the real world. The pain was less intense than in God's Paradise, but it still coursed through every fiber of his being. And to think, he had two more days of this agony left. Carn shuddered at the thought.
Exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep and when he awoke, he reached out for the nurse call button, only to remember he was no longer in the hospital. A sudden panic surged through him as he realized he had forgotten to call Alicia as promised. He frantically called out, "Call Alicia Williams!"
The sound of ringing echoed through his mind a couple of times before an image of Alicia materialized before him. She was seated on a bench in the park, dressed in a jogging outfit, and her silver hair shimmered in the sunlight.
Carn's voice was barely audible as he spoke, his body wracked with pain. "Sorry I didn't call yesterday, I had to make dinner for the Cho family and things were very hectic. I really am sorry."
Alicia's expression softened as she listened to him. "It's fine, really. I ended up being pretty busy yesterday as well. Are you alright, Carn? You look and sound terrible."
"I started my tier-up ritual yesterday and it was really painful. I still can't really move," Carn replied, attempting to chuckle but only managing a weak cough.
Alicia's eyes widened in surprise. "You're in that much pain from a wood to copper tier-up ritual? You're not being dramatic, are you?" She remembered her own tier-up ritual, which had felt like a bad sunburn but nothing worse.
Carn thought for a moment before answering. "Is it normal for your bones to feel like they're broken and your muscles to feel like they're being ripped apart? If that's the case, how do kids want to keep playing God's Paradise?"
Alicia's concern deepened. "It's not supposed to be that bad. Where are you right now? No, I'm sending a location request via the comm' pill." She pulled out her device and quickly sent the request.
A voice occurred in his head, “Alicia Williams would like to know your location, will you accept or decline?”
Carn
“Accept,” Carn responded
"Alright, I'll be there in a couple of minutes. Hang tight," Alicia said, ending the call.
A few minutes later, a blinding flash of light filled Carn's vision and Alicia materialized before him.
Alicia arrived with a gust of wind, panting for a few seconds before composing herself. "God, I hate that spell..." she muttered under her breath, glancing at Carn with concern.
Carn looked surprised, having only heard of long-distance teleportation being operated by machines at national airports. It was rare for an individual to use teleportation so effectively.
Noticing the confusion on his face, Alicia explained, "My latent talent is short-distance teleportation. I got a grasp on this magic pretty easily thanks to that."
"Damn, that's cool. All I have is fast mana regeneration and some stats," Carn said, coughing from the pain.
"It'll get stronger after every tier-up ritual, so you shouldn't worry too much. Anyways, let me take a look at you." Alicia placed her hands over him, closing her eyes as they illuminated with a white light. After a while, she stopped and said, "You're right about your condition. It's like you said: broken bones and torn muscles. Honestly, injuries like this from the ritual usually only happen at much higher tiers where every time you tier up, you're essentially reborn as a greater species. Maybe it's because of your high-elemental blood?"
Carn asked, struggling with the pain, "Could you heal me?"
"Nope. It's a big no-no to heal someone during a tier-up ritual. It just undoes the work the pool provides, and in the end, the ritual will take even longer," Alicia explained.
"How about some water then?" Carn requested.
"I can do that, but no food though," Alicia said, getting him some water. However, when she returned, Carn was fast asleep.
Alicia formed giant hands made of pure light and carried Carn to bed, cracking the windows open for some fresh air. After taking a shower and summoning some new clothes, she found a guest room to sleep in, determined not to use the teleportation spell again as the nausea was unbearable.
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The night in God's paradise was never-ending, and the agony remained unrelenting. Carn struggled to differentiate between reality and the illusionary world he was trapped in. As the day wore on, the pain in his body started to subside marginally, but the water pool was now completely opaque and pitch black, making it impossible to tell if the black impurities were still flowing out of his body.
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The priest's chanting continued, but something unusual caught his attention. The grass around the pool was also turning black, a common occurrence for a higher tier-up ritual, but not for a first-timer like Carn.
When he eventually returned to consciousness, Carn was in his bed, and he noticed a glass of water on the bedside table. After quenching his thirst, he passed out again.
The last day of the ritual was a different kind of agony altogether. His muscles and nerves no longer burned, but the pulsing pressure of blood rushing through his veins caused unbearable discomfort in his chest. However, the real torture was in his eyes, which felt like they were being gouged out or repeatedly sliced apart, a pain that defied explanation. By the end of the day, the black impurities had spread to the roots of the trees, dying them in the same black color.
Finally, the pain subsided and a message rang through Carn’s head, “Congratulations you have successfully tiered up to the low-copper tier! New skills have been gained. The benefits from your species have increased and your latent talent has been improved! Stats have been multiplied based on your base stats. 1.5x multiplier for base stats at 10, 1.3x multiplier from base stats at 5-9, and 1.1x multiplier for base stats at 0-4.”
- The following stats have been affected -
Strength 1.3x
Base: 6 | Old: 64 | New: 83
Resilience 1.3x
Base: 5 | Old: 31 | New: 40
Agility 1.5x
Base: 10 | Old: 96 | New: 144
Will 1.5x
Base: 10 | Old: 41 | New: 62
Intelligence 1.3x
Base: 9 | Old: 74 | New: 96
Wisdom 1.3x
Base: 9 | Old: 46 | New: 60
Fortitude 1.3x
Base: 8 | Old: 35 | New: 46
Charisma 1.3x
Base: 8 | Old: 39 | New: 51
Luck 1.1x
Base: 0 | Old: 30 | New: 33
As Carn emerged from the pool, he felt a newfound strength coursing through his body. The changes he had experienced during leveling up had been gradual, but this was something else entirely. He felt like he could lift mountains with ease. And his vision! It was like he had been given the eyes of an eagle, able to spot the tiniest speck of dust in the air.
His mind was also clearer, and his muscles felt stronger. Even his chronic back pain had vanished. But as he looked down at his stomach, he saw that the scars left by the blood imp were still there.
Looking around, he saw that the grass had turned black and the water in the pool was so dark it couldn't reflect the light from the magic trees. Speaking of the trees, they were now pulsating with bright light. The black impurities that had previously been in the water appeared to be rushing toward the trees, where they were purified.
After a few minutes, the priest stopped chanting, and all the black impurities had disappeared. The priest then plucked several pear-like fruits from the trees, explaining that they were used to create more of these rooms. He urged Carn to come back if he had any questions.
As he left the church, Carn was filled with a sense of renewed energy and purpose. He returned to his bed in the guild and instantly fell asleep. Clearly, his body was more tired than his mind.
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As Carn roused from his slumber, he could hear the distinct sound of clinking kitchenware coming from downstairs. After shaking off the grogginess, he ambled into the bathroom and took a look at himself in the mirror. At first glance, he didn't notice much of a difference, but as he leaned in closer, he noticed his green irises were no longer plain circles. Instead, they looked like galaxies, slowly rotating in a cosmic dance. He couldn't help but stare at them, mesmerized by the subtle change that made a world of difference.
Feeling refreshed after a hot shower, Carn dug through his pack and pulled out the clothes that the Cho family had kindly given him. They fit snugly against his newly strengthened muscles, and he felt like a new man. He glanced at his reflection again and decided that his long hair needed some professional attention. He had always cut it himself in the past, but with his newfound financial freedom, he could afford to splurge on a decent haircut.
Carn descended the stairs and was greeted by the aroma of sizzling chorizo and eggs. He spotted Alicia, who was dressed in a gorgeous purple sundress that complemented her dark skin and purple eyes. Her silver hair was styled into a sleek ponytail that highlighted her long, pointed ears.
“Mornin’,” Carn said with a sheepish smile.
“Good morning, you feel better?” Alicia replied, keeping her eyes focused on the stove.
Carn walked closer to the stove and looked over her shoulder, “Much better, this looks good. Do you need any help?”
Alicia jumped a little, surprised by Carn's sudden proximity. She wasn't used to people interacting with her in such a casual manner, but it reminded her why she liked Carn. “Nope, I’m all good. Go sit down, I'll bring the food.”
A few moments later, they sat down to savor the mouth-watering omelets Alicia had prepared. The chorizo was spicy and the cheese melted perfectly, blending into a delicious combination that made Carn's taste buds dance.
After they finished eating, Carn put their plates in the sink and got an interesting thought. “You know what? I’m gonna make dinner tonight as thanks for all the help you've given me. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner and dessert?”
Alicia’s brows rose skeptically. “You can cook?”
Carn puffed out his chest with pride. “I have been told I am quite a good cook. I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants so I am quite confident in my skills,” he said, grabbing a pen and paper.
“Is that so? Alright, well my favorite dish is beef empanadas with grilled corn and Spanish rice. When I was a kid, my mom made empanadas on basically every holiday, so they are my favorite now. And for dessert, I really like flan with strawberries,” Alicia said, reminiscing about her childhood.
“I can do that. For like a year, I worked at a Mexican restaurant, and the owner said my flan could make countries go to war,” Carn boasted with a smile.
Alicia chuckled. “You are quite confident. My dad’s flan is hard to beat, you know.”
“I’ll knock your socks off, and that is a promise,” Carn said with a grin before remembering something else. “Do you know a good place to get a haircut?”
“Yeah, I do. It's quite close, actually, at Long Beach. A bunch of my friends go there. Oh, there is a really good sandwich place there as well,” Alicia said.
“Alright, how about we go to Long Beach to get me a haircut and some lunch? We can get some groceries on the way back.” Carn suggested.
Alicia’s face flushed red, wondering if he was asking her on a date. She cleared her throat and replied, “Sounds like a plan.”