Sitting on a tree branch with his legs hanging off the side, Marco basks in the moonlight. His scarlet eyes stare at the beautiful girl lying in front of him, his hand clutching a blue stone.

“If I go to sleep, will my stamina recover faster allowing me to keep the illusion active? But I can't actively gather Qi in my sleep anyway so it's pointless” shaking his head he looks at the flowing river. The sound of rushing water fills the area, drowning out any possible noise from animals.

“If I can't sleep, I might as well try and cultivate” pausing for a moment, he furrows his brow “When I brute forced the right side of the chest I shattered my ribs and collapsed my lung. What would have happened if I didn't do my head gate first, causing the damage to be more intense, would I be brain damaged?”

Squinting his eyes he thinks for a moment.

“Ok, I can't brute force the last chest, groin, back, or core gate or I'll probably die. So I can only open the four gates in my hands and feet with brute force and not kill myself.”

Gripping the blue stone in his left hand, he uses his right to pull the last black robe from his bag. Using the robe he covers his left hand.

Focusing he begins to practice Revolver Qi. Using the Qi from the stone it goes a lot faster. After a few seconds, he shoots the Qi towards his left hand, at the same time the leftover Qi from his chest gate rushes at it from the inside. As the Qi crashes into the gate an audible crunch is heard.

The bones in his left hand instantly break. As the Qi drills into the gate, it begins to crack. Like a tree branch through a grinder, the bones turn to dust. The pain is so great his teeth begin to bleed from clenching them so hard. The nerves in his hand are on fire, like dipping it in magma. The muscles in his hand begin tearing into shreds. Blood pools in the skin turning it into a balloon.

Under the robe blue flames erupt healing the hand just as fast as it's being destroyed, causing perpetual pain. Suddenly, the gate cracks open. Qi pours in through his left hand and now that the destruction has stopped the flames are able to heal it. A cold sweat drips from his forehead as he looks at his right hand and feet.

“Who said these gates won't kill me??” a smile forms on his face “If I deactivate the Illusion I'll have enough Qi to activate Mangekyou Sharingan, but I'll need two more gates to use close range Kamui. Five in total, but if I open six it will be perfect” taking a deep breath he moves the robe and stone to his right hand.

Focusing he activates Revolver Qi. Slamming the Qi from outside, plus Qi from his hand and chest gate inside, his bones don't even have time to break and directly turn to powder. The muscles in his hand shreds to smithereens and his skin begins to wither on impact. The blue flames ignite to try and offset the destruction, but its withering to fast.

Unsure if the total destruction of his hand will affect the gate he backs off the Qi, giving the flame time to heal.

After a few seconds, he bombards the gate again and finally causes it to crack. Seeing that it's an effective strategy he does it again. Backing off the Qi he gives it time to heal before ramming it again.

Blood pours out the side of his mouth, as doing it this way is a lot more painful even if it is safer. To save Aura he doesn't use flames to heal his bleeding mouth and cracking teeth.

After ramming in three more times the gate finally opens and the stone turns to dust as it runs out of Qi.

“That's four gates down, two to go" pulling out another stone from his bag he holds it in his hand. “My Aura is almost used up from the healing so I need it to recover. Tomorrow I need to hunt some Demonic beast as My Aura now is no longer cutting it.”

Using Revolver Qi and Qi from his newly opened gates, he sends his Qi to gently whittle over his last chest gate. The Qi moves like a paintbrush on a canvas, there is very little pain but also no visible progress.

As his Aura slowly recovers he continues to whittle at his chest gate. Grabbing a new Qi stone every now and again, unknowingly hours go by.

As the stone in his hand turns to dust sunlight gleams onto his face. Opening his eyes he looks around.

“I finally get how cultivators in all those novels Patrick read go into closed meditation for hundreds of years, it's very relaxing.”

Grabbing the girl he throws her over his shoulder.

“I've decided, it'll be too dangerous to open the last two gates as I am now. So it's time to go hunting.”

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Jumping from the tree his arms don't transform, but all his free Qi rushes to his legs and softens his fall.

Smiling he begins walking along the river away from the small town from earlier.

Taking a swig from the canteen he begins to think.

“If I follow the river long enough I should run into civilization, right? Or should I go the other way as I doubt I'll find something in the forest”

Closing his eyes for a moment he listens to the river.

“Ok, I'll stay in the forest for now and hunt demonic beast. But it's too boring alone”

Stopping for a moment he places the girl down. Backing up he decides to release the illusion. If he does he'll only have to keep one Qi gate open, greatly reducing his stamina consumption and save his Aura.

Releasing the illusion the girl immediately begins to stir.

“Uhhh” wiggling on the ground she opens her eyes, the first thing she sees is Marco's scarlet eyes. Her brow wrinkles and she scrunches her nose, making her look adorable. Confused if his eyes always looked like that.

“Don't do anything funny" placing his hand on his sword “I don’t want to hurt you, but If you try to gather Qi this will be the last time you wake up.”

The girl is silent for a moment as she stares him down. “Why are you doing this? Even if you are strong, you'll never be able to beat the Zhu mountain sect. If you let me go I'll make sure no one comes after you.”

“Oh?? You have a lot of power and sway in the sect?”

“.....no"

“Then get up and walk"

“Hmph!” squirming on the ground she tries to stand but struggles due to her hands being bound. After a few seconds, she manages to stand up.

“Where are we going?”

Marco points at the river “Following the river.”

“Following the river?? Deeper into the forest? Why is everything you do so suicidal?!?! You couldn't even beat a pack of Crystal Back Wolves!” because she is not gathering any Qi, she cant tell that four of his gates are now open, double from yesterday.

Shaking his head he looks at the girl “It doesn't matter, now walk"

“Ahh!” she stomps her foot on the ground “You're too much! You have no idea how to treat a lady!”

Bewildered, Marco's brows jump up. “What do you mean?”

“First you tell me not to use Qi! But now you tell me that we are walking Deeper into the forest with Demonic beast! If I don't die from trying to keep up with you, the beast will kill me!!”

Listening to her reasoning, it makes sense. If she uses no Qi it will be like a normal person walking through the woods and will slow him down. Nodding he looks at the girl.

“OK! But let me warn you, if you attack me, try to run, or do anything strange I will do everything possible to kill you.”

“FINE! now untie me!”

“No!”

“What if I have to go to the bathroom!?! Will you feed me as well??”

“I'll help you with both!” Marco shamelessly declares.

Hilda’s cheeks turn slightly pink as she quickly turns her head. Stopping her foot a few times she begins to walk “Jerk!”

Watching her walk away for a bit he finally starts following. His eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

After walking in silence for a while he finally spots something.

“Hey, stop"

“What!?!” turning her head she stares angrily at him.

Walking towards her he smiles “What's your name?”

Squinting her eyes she looks him up and down “Hilda"

As he walks closer Marco puts his hand on his sword “Well Hilda, don't move"

“What??” taking a few steps back “I've done everything you've asked!”

Pulling out his sword he slashes at a nearby bush.

“Ha! Ha!” suddenly a yellow monkey jumps from the bush. In his hand is a wooden spear.

“Yellow monkey?? Where did that come from?” the Hilda backs up, contemplating if she should break the bonds as her eyes dart between Marco and the monkey.

“So they're called yellow monkeys? Good to know.” staring at the monkey he waves his sword around.

“Haaaaa Haaaaa!” the monkey begins to howl as it charges towards Marco.

“Tsk, useless”

“They never travel alone!” Hilda yells as she sees Marco doesn't want to flee.

“I know, I can see them" as he finishes speaking ten monkeys jump from the nearby trees, spears pointed at Marco.

All four of Marco's gates open, pouring in Qi. The three tomoe in his eyes rotate as a smile forms on his face as his eyes flicker about for a moment.

All eleven monkeys drop to the ground, trapped in an illusion of black mist.

Hilda's eyes go wide. She knew he had a strange technique, but since she was always on the receiving end she never knew how it was used. Seeing that he did nothing, and eleven yellow monkeys who are usually equal in power to 5th gate Qi gathering cultivators dropped like flies. Any thought she had of resisting has finally disappeared. Looking at Marco her body begins to shiver, finally noticing he's opened four gates. She knows for sure he only opened his second gate last night in the cave.

“See, no problem” smiling at Hilda he walks towards one of the monkeys.

Moving the sword along the monkey, he stabs it in. Twisting the sword he opens a hole. Reaching into the monkey he pulls out a bronze core and places it into his bag. Doing the same with the rest of the monkeys, he collects all eleven cores.

“What are you going to do with all those cores? You planning on making a treasure or pills?”

“You can use cores to make weapons?”

Hilda raises an eyebrow as she looks at Marco “If you're not going to make a weapon or pills, what are you doing? Who are you really??”

“I thought I already told you who I am” Marco returns the sword to the sheath, unfastens the sword from his hip, and put it into his bag. He pulls the saber from his bag and puts it back on his waist.

“Why is it I can put Qi into that sword, but not this saber? I like the feel of the saber better, so why is it worse?”

“I don’t understand how your technique is so powerful yet you know next to nothing" scrunching her nose she looks weirdly at Marco.

“Haha well, I was a soul slave the other day.” pointing forward he looks at the Hilda “Walk, and tell me about treasures.”

“You were one of those slaves? Hmph! If you don't want to tell me, at least don't lie!” stomping her foot she turns and walks.

Seeing her walk away, he grabs a core from his bag and pops it into his mouth like candy. As the energy is absorbed into his core he begins to follow Hilda.