Right now, if you enter the second forest from the town of Tiriba, you can witness a truly astonishing sight: a man running through the sky at the speed of lightning. Each second, he covers a vast distance, ranging from 80 to 89 meters. If you were to blink, you might miss him entirely. Such incredible speed makes him nearly invisible to the naked eye, a ghostly figure moving too fast to track. Should this person be your enemy, you wouldn’t even realize when he strikes, his attack coming faster than the mind can comprehend.
At first glance, you can only see a blur of motion, a figure draped in the skin of an animal, hurtling through the air with unimaginable speed. Upon closer observation, however, it becomes clear who this person is: none other than King Armad Wilberforce of Tiriba. Armad is testing his speed limits, pushing the boundaries of his abilities. It’s a sight to behold, for his speed almost rivals the spell of Kaban Shishu.
Armad has discovered that by using the spell of Kabanshishu, he can enhance his speed dramatically, covering 100 meters in just a second. This realization has driven him to experiment further, and by increasing the toughness of his bonds, he has managed to push his speed to surpass 88 meters per second. Now, even without the aid of the Kaban Shishu spell, he can challenge his former self, demonstrating a remarkable improvement in his capabilities.
The difference between his current speed and the speed granted by Kaban Shishu is minimal. Although Kaban Shishu still holds a slight edge in terms of raw speed, the gap is narrowing. Armad’s determination and relentless training have paid off; with just a 30% increase in his bone toughness, he has come close to matching the spell’s speed. He believes that with further increases in his bond toughness, he will eventually surpass the speed of Kaban Shishu entirely.
Instantly, he became filled with happiness. Increasing the toughness of his bones was a painstaking and grueling process, each step accompanied by excruciating pain. However, the benefits he gained from it were crucial. This was just one aspect of the multitude of advantages of increasing the toughness of his bones. As his bone density increased, another significant benefit became apparent: the weight of his smash skyrocketed from a formidable 230 kg to an astonishing 405 kg. He now grasped the profound truth that enhancing the toughness of his bones had a far more significant impact on his smashing power than merely increasing the strength of his muscles. This realization dawned on him because, during a smash, the bones played the most pivotal role. While muscles were important, acting as a protective cover and providing additional force, the real core power of a smash emanated from the bones.
With only a 30% increase in bone toughness, the weight of his smash had already surged by over 175 kg. He calculated meticulously, estimating that if he managed to achieve a 100% increase in the toughness of his bones, each of his smashes would have a weight exceeding 1,000 kg. This incredible potential filled him with a sense of invincibility and confidence. He harbored no doubt about this even in the slightest. Furthermore, he realized that his newly fortified bones rendered him nearly impervious to most small-scale attacks, which could no longer cause him harm.
As Armand continued to assess and estimate his newfound power, he assured himself that this was indeed the opportune moment to test his abilities against the demonic animals that arrogantly considered themselves the kings of the animal kingdom. These creatures were notorious for their ferocity and strength, making them perfect opponents to gauge their capabilities. However, before embarking on this daunting challenge, Armand felt a strong urge to return and check on the situation with his crew.
In addition, Armad planned to use this time to produce pills from the body of Nusi. He was confident that during the days she followed his instructions, she had consumed a substantial number of demonic animals, even without his direct supervision.
What impresses him most is that the distance between them does not seem to affect the system at all. Whenever he gets close to her, he uses her body to produce the pills, regardless of their physical separation. The process is seamless; as soon as the system finishes producing a pill, he places it inside his magical bag without any visible effort. This efficiency reassures him that everything is going according to his plan. He has realized that he doesn’t need to be with Nusi all the time; sometimes, they can be apart, and the system will still function perfectly.
Furthermore, the place where he first saw the demonic rabbit is conveniently close to where his crew usually gathers. Because of this proximity, after he finishes his interactions with his group, he can quickly return to search for the rabbits without much delay.
Without wasting any time, he notices a vast wall before him. As he runs, he checks the Watch of Airids on his wrist, which helps him measure his speed and distance covered. He estimates that he covers about 100 meters every second. Given that 1 kilometer equals 1,000 meters, he calculates that he can cover 1 kilometer in roughly 10 to 15 seconds. Considering this, he realizes that from his starting point, he has managed to travel at least 100 kilometers in about 15 minutes.
Reflecting on his journey, he understands that he has spent approximately 19 minutes traveling this distance. This is a stark contrast to his previous travels through the forest, where he didn’t use any skills to increase his speed and took nine days to reach his destination, frequently stopping to hunt and rest. The fact that he completed this journey in such a short time underscores the tremendous increase in his cultivation power.
Despite this remarkable progress, he notes with amazement that he hasn’t even tapped into his cultivation power for this feat. He relied solely on his physical strength. Another significant observation is the newfound lightness of his body. It feels as though his bones are no longer weighing him down, and he moves with an ease and fluidity that he has never experienced before. This lightness and strength are clear indicators of the profound advancements he has made in his cultivation journey.
He hid his happiness deep within his mind before he concealed himself behind a large, gnarled tree. From his hiding spot, he carefully brought out the clothes he used to wear. With quick, practiced movements, he changed into the familiar garb, savoring the feel of the fabric against his skin. The transformation was complete in moments, and he headed towards the wall without hesitation.
As he approached the wall, he slowed his pace, taking a moment to center himself. Without wasting any time, he allowed his spiritual sense to expand outward, examining the wall from one end to the other. The structure was impressive, stretching at least 7 kilometers. He was unsure when the construction had started, as he had been away, but he did not doubt that building such a formidable barrier would require a significant amount of time and effort. However, this was not his concern. His primary objective was to ensure the wall’s completion before the evaluators, whom his father had mentioned, arrived to assess his progress in six months.
With a resolute mindset, Armad decided to inspect the construction more closely. Without relying on any advanced skills, he simply crouched, gathering his strength, and then launched himself upward, easily clearing the height of the wall. As he landed softly on top of the wall, he glanced to his right, his eyes scanning the area. He quickly spotted Nusi and Ai, standing together, their eyes focused on the task at hand. They seemed unaware of his presence until the moment he landed on the wall.
Their heads whipped around at the sound of his arrival. Initially, they mistook him for an enemy, which explains why they instinctively closed their eyes. However, it only took a moment for recognition to dawn on their faces. They immediately approached him, bowing deeply and greeting him with reverence, “Welcome back, King Armad.”
Armad nodded in acknowledgment, his heart swelling with a mixture of pride and appreciation. Their reaction was exactly what he expected. Among the orders he had given before departing was the eradication of all demonic animals in the area before commencing construction. The progress they had made on the wall, reaching this far, indicated that they had successfully eliminated the threat. As he studied Nusi, he noticed that her skin and muscles had achieved 100% toughness, a testament to her dedication and hard work. She had reached the same level of physical resilience as he had.
Beside Nusi stood Ai, who had not yet achieved the same level of toughness, but her progress was evident. He could see the determination in her eyes, and he did not doubt that she was on the right path. There was a great possibility that she had already surpassed 50% in increasing the toughness of her muscles, and he was confident that with continued effort, she would reach their level soon.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The devas also continued to make progress in their cultivation, which he attributed to the pills he had ordered for them. While their advancement did not quite match the rapid pace of Nusi and Ai, they were still performing admirably. He took the time to assess their progress thoroughly, offering valuable advice to each of them. He gives Nusi an additional supply of pills to further enhance her cultivation.
After carefully considering the deva's overall performance, he resolved to increase their motivation by adjusting the pill distribution. Instead of the initial three pills per five meters, he decided to grant each deva five pills. His decision was driven by a desire to accelerate their cultivation, not out of concern that the previous amount was inadequate, but rather to ensure that they could achieve their full potential.
Subsequently, he called Ai over for a detailed assessment. Upon confirming that she had achieved a 51% improvement in muscle toughness, he swiftly retrieved 3,000 pills designed to enhance muscle toughness. Unfortunately, he did not have any pills specifically for bone toughness available for Ai at that moment. He had allocated all such pills to Nusi and realized that the pills would not be sufficient for even Nusi.
After that, he jumped down from the wall and made his way back into the dense forest from which he had originally emerged. His mission now was to confront the demonic animal at the peak of the deva level. He had been able to see them earlier, which was why he had ventured into this area. Yet, days had passed since his initial arrival, and the forest seemed to mock his efforts with its silence. There were no signs of the demonic creatures—no footprints, no traces, no lingering aura. Despite this, he remained resolute and determined. His quest was not easily deterred by the absence of immediate evidence.
With a growing sense of frustration, he spread his spiritual sense throughout the forest, scanning for any hint of the demonic animals. Hours turned into a grueling search, with no success. He contemplated that his usual methods might not suffice in this situation. Given his recent acquisition of enhanced speed and the teleportation spell of Kaban Shishu, he decided to employ these new skills. By combining his swiftness with the spell, he could penetrate deeper into the forest’s heart. The denser regions of the forest were more likely to harbor the creatures he sought, and he was confident that the deeper he ventured, the more likely he was to encounter a demonic animal of the peak of deva level.
He recalled his previous encounters with such demonic animals, whose power had varied significantly. Some had surpassed the level he was now seeking, and he felt well-prepared to handle the challenge. However, this was the first time he aimed to confront such a creature head-on, and he hoped to face one with lower power to gauge his readiness.
As he was about to leave and had activated the Kaban Shishu spell, preparing to move with renewed purpose, he suddenly heard a voice from behind him. “Are you looking for me?” The voice was soft, gentle, and unmistakably feminine.
Surprised, he turned to find a figure he had not expected. Instead of a young woman, he saw a boy who appeared no older than fifteen. The boy’s hair was strikingly white, reminiscent of the demonic rabbits, though his hair was long, cascading down his back and covering his ears. The boy’s most unusual feature was his eyes: the irises were a deep, unsettling red, and the sclerae were an eerie gray. This peculiar appearance made it clear that the boy was no ordinary human. The boy stood there, his gaze calm and penetrating, as if he had been waiting for the right moment to reveal himself.
Armad’s heart raced as he looked at the boy before him. This was a sign he had heard about when a demonic creature reaches the peak of deva, it can assume a human form. Yet, even in this form, certain features would always set them apart from genuine humans. Whether it was their eyes, ears, hair, or skin, there were unmistakable markers. Some of these beings might possess multiple heads or a long, serpentine tail. As Armad considered the tail, he noticed a long, sinuous appendage swishing behind the boy. It was well-known that demonic rabbits, especially those of high power, preferred to keep their tails hidden from view, particularly from those they considered unworthy. The sight of the tail caused Armad’s expression to darken, a frown etching itself onto his face.
At that moment, Armad recalled the peculiar voice he had heard earlier—it was unmistakably that of a young woman, not a man. This raised a question in his mind: did the boy possess a voice that belonged to a woman, or was it simply a woman speaking?
He dismissed these thoughts with a shake of his head. His purpose here was clear: to challenge the demonic rabbit. Armad took a deliberate step back, the resolve in his eyes sharpening. With a confident smile, he inquired, “How did you know I was searching for you?”
The rabbit’s voice, smooth yet laced with a hint of disdain, answered, “You’ve been tirelessly searching for me, returning to the spot where we first crossed paths days ago. For the past five hours, you’ve scoured this area. Despite your weakened state and diminished sight, you cannot perceive everything around you. If I had not chosen to reveal myself, it is highly likely that no matter how much time you spent, you would not have been able to find me. Don’t you think it shows a lack of respect, considering your current level, to challenge me.?”
Armad wasn’t entirely sure what kind of skill the rabbit used to conceal itself, but he was surprised that he hadn’t noticed the demonic creature until it suddenly appeared beside him and spoke. It made him wonder if she could have attacked him without his awareness. As he considered this, he shook his head, dismissing the notion as improbable. He reasoned that while such a skill could be used to hide from view, it wouldn’t prevent someone from moving, speaking, or using their cultivation abilities. If the creature had tried to move or attack, its hiding place would inevitably be detected. Skills like these were crucial for evading capture but less effective in combat, where one couldn’t hide and fight at the same time. Resolving to push the fear from his mind, Armad focused intently on the situation before him.
He recalled a book he had read during his time in the palace. The book detailed that when a demonic animal transforms into human form, it is permanently bound to that form. This transformation serves to set them apart from other animals, making them distinct and often more formidable. According to the text, leaders of the remaining animal factions would be unable to revert to their original forms, thereby illustrating their superiority. Moreover, transforming into human form significantly amplifies their inherent power. The strength of their blood determines the extent to which their power is multiplied during this transformation. Although the book provided numerous reasons for this phenomenon, Armad could only recall a key point that had left a lasting impression on him.
The book states, “When you encounter a demonic animal that has reached the peak of Deva but has not yet transformed into human form, it indicates that they are not as powerful as those who have transformed. The longer a demonic creature remains at the peak of Deva, the longer they can sustain their human form. The most powerful beings among them can remain in human form for a century, a millennium, or even an eternity without reverting to their animal state. Conversely, if you observe a demonic creature in its animal form, it suggests that they have not maintained their peak status for long. Some might spend just a day in human form and then revert to their animal form the next day.”
The reason he remembers this statement is that if today is his lucky day, the demonic animal before him might be young among the demonic beasts, as mentioned in the Book. This would give him a significant advantage, and with this possibility in mind, he pushes all fear out of his mind. The thought of gaining an upper hand fills him with a renewed sense of determination.
Unlike before, when he did not use his skills and relied solely on his physical power, he now tapped into his full arsenal of abilities. He activated all his skills, his cultivation, his world, and all his physical strength—skin, muscles, and bones. He brought out everything he had, summoning his inner strength. His pol strings, all 99 pieces of them, floated in the air, shimmering with a faint, ethereal glow. They moved with precision and purpose, heading toward the demonic animal like a swarm of predatory spirits.
The atmosphere grew tense as the seconds ticked by. After some time, the demonic animal did not move. Armad stood idle, holding his position, not attacking her. He wanted to see what she would do, to understand her strategy and gauge her power. He had already calculated a precise moment when, if she did not attack him, he would launch his offensive.
“Have you finished all of your preparations?” A soft, almost melodic voice of a young woman emerged, although it came from the mouth of a young man, making it all strange for Armad. The juxtaposition of the feminine voice with the masculine form was disconcerting, adding another layer of unease to the encounter. However, he was not overly concerned about this oddity. What truly troubled him was that she seemed aware of his preparations. Despite his face not visibly changing during his efforts, she had noticed. This surprised him, as no one could see when he activated his Miyura or his world. These were invisible events, deeply personal and hidden from the outside world. Even his core and pol strings, which no one could see, remained undetectable. Did this mean she was aware of everything that was happening? Armad did not realize when a cold sweat flowed down his back.
He pondered her awareness, wondering how she could perceive his actions. Was it a result of her advanced cultivation? Did she possess some hidden ability that allowed her to see through his concealments? The possibilities were endless, and each one made him more cautious. His mind raced as he considered his next move.
Despite this, he did not feel fear. He just adjusted his stance to the form that members of his tribe usually took when facing significant enemies. His posture was one of readiness, a balanced blend of defense and offense.