"What is this celestial essence?" I whispered, my eyes wide with wonder and a newfound sense of awe.

As if breaking through a barrier, I felt a surge of power coursing through me, far exceeding the normal limits of the human body.

Shadowstrike, Cobra's Coil, Tempest Strikes—these techniques developed by H.A.R.M. were already considered exceptional. After mastering them, I possessed the strength of an ox and the speed of lightning, yet this brief, seventy-eight-word training manual had revealed an entirely new realm of possibility. An inexplicable sense of transcendence flooded through me, as if I were on the cusp of evolving into something entirely new.

"This isn't about maximizing the body's potential anymore," I realized. "It's about refining it with a mysterious matter of the universe."

"But the influx is insufficient, hindering my progress.”

I understood the problem, yet lacked a solution. My previous simulations had shown that training progress was directly linked to my current circumstances. If I was right, consuming a potent tonic as the manual described could potentially accelerate my progress.

But where could I find such a booster?

Despite my outward swagger, I had been a reckless gambler, squandering my ill-gotten gains along with my salary at the tables. I often found myself strapped for cash before the next payday.

Furthermore, the smallest simulation interval was a year. Ordinary medicines would have negligible effects.

I sighed, glancing at my still-abundant absorbed lifespan. A surge of recklessness propelled me to keep investing.

[In the sixteenth year, you exhausted all attainable essence nourishing your bones.]

[In the twenty-sixth year, lacking sufficient resources, progress slowed…]

[In the thirty-eighth year, you had fortified over half your bones, but gathering essence from ordinary food yielded minimal results.]

My expression grew tense, my eyes narrowing in concentration.

[In the fifty-second year, after years of accumulation, the bone barrier shattered, and you completed the second stage of Astral Fortification Part 1.]

As the text materialized on the panel, a sharp gasp escaped my lips. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath until that very moment.

The reward, however, was immense.

Not only was my body undergoing a profound transformation, my bones now as sturdy as steel beneath my skin, but the sense of transcendence grew stronger, drawing me in like a siren's song.

The veil over that mystical realm was slowly lifting.

Clenching my jaw, I pressed onward.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

[In the eighty-ninth year, you had grown accustomed to the gradual accumulation of essence. Year after year, day after day, you became more adept at gathering and harnessing it to nourish your body.]

[In the 106th year, one morning, you noticed a change in your skin but felt no surprise, as if it were inevitable. You had mastered the third stage of the Astral Fortification part 1.]

This time, I didn't even pause. I could feel myself drawing closer to that elusive realm.

A numbing sensation washed over me as I poured more lifespan into the technique.

Tendons, bones, skin, and muscles—only the final hurdle remained.

[In the 182nd year, you ate your meal as usual, but find it flavorless. You realized there must be something more exquisite in the world.]

[That essence was everywhere, yet intangible.]

[You looked down at yourself, suddenly understanding that the succulent duck leg in your hand was now mundane.]

[After nearly two centuries of training, your body has become the perfect vessel for that elusive essence... Mastery of the Astral Fortification Part 1 is now perfect.]

I closed my eyes. The realm seemed tantalizingly close, a mere step away.

The First Realm represented a new beginning, a new perspective, a new life in this world.

But I couldn't take that final step.

Because the seventy-eight-word training manual abruptly ended.

I felt an inarticulate anger. Why leave it unfinished, damn it! What's the point of leaving it hanging like this? After building a perfect body, what's the next step?

I surged to my feet, ready to move, but a gasp of astonishment escaped me. The shift in my body, from the languid state of indulgence to the honed precision of Shadowstrike, paled in comparison to the metamorphosis now unfolding within me.

A sense of disorientation enveloped me. I raised my hand experimentally, feeling as if I could effortlessly demolish a concrete wall.

Like a patient emerging from a coma, I began slowly testing my newfound strength, performing rehabilitative movements.

Wade emerged from the apartment carrying plates of food. "Dinner's ready."

The aroma of tomato soup wafted towards me, and I frowned. Two conflicting emotions warred within me—habitual hunger and a strange lack of appetite.

In the end, hunger won out.

I watched as Wade brought the food outside and closed the door behind him, leaving Jade inside. "I really am not that kind of person," I remarked, shaking my head.

"It's not about you," Wade replied, squatting beside the table to serve me. "She's used to eating alone."

As he spoke, the apartment door creaked open, revealing Jade Rivers peeking out with curious eyes.

"..." I pursed my lips.

"..." Wade's hand froze mid-scoop. After a moment of silence, he sighed. "Come out if you want to."

Jade emerged, soup bowl in hand, and squatted beside the table. A tentative smile touched her lips, adding a trace of sweetness to her otherwise quiet demeanor.

She had always obeyed her brother, not wanting to burden him further in his already stressful situation.

But that didn't mean she lacked her own opinions.

For instance, she knew her brother's actions today would likely create tension with his boss.

If I were truly a womanizer or kidnapper, that would be one thing.

But Jade saw something different in me. A person who could notice the sense of loss in other little girls eyes, while her brother helped her up in the vegetable field, and was willing to temporarily play the role of their brother, couldn't be that bad.

Lost in thought, she glanced curiously across the table, meeting my gaze.

We shared a brief smile.

SNAP. Wade's spoon clenched in his hand, his eyes burning with anger at me.

Scoundrel! Not that kind of person, eh? What kind of person are you, then?

"Delicious," I said, looking away, a hint of amusement in my voice.

With only a year left to live, romance wasn't a priority.

I was simply in a good mood after acquiring the Astral Fortification, and I found the girl's contemplative silence amusing.

Even if I managed to extend my life, Jade wasn't my type. I preferred women with curves, a bit older, and with a hint of worldliness in their eyes.

This thought triggered a realization. Wait a minute...

Refining the body with mysterious essence, reaching the peak of human potential! Shouldn't that grant me additional lifespan? With a hundred eighty years worth of dedicated practice, people could live longer simply by riding bicycles.

The next moment, a piece of information I had overlooked in my obsession with the First Realm surfaced.

[Remaining Personal Lifespan: twenty-one years]