List's Items Obtained

... Time passed as 3 days went by slowly and in torture... Heian Ciemnosc was sitting in the middle of nowhere, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. His hands formed his intertwined pinkies, ring fingers, and thumbs with his semi-intertwined middle and index fingers. His eyebrows were as pitchest-blackest as before but were now slightly more pronounced. They seemed so attractive they could be enough to entrap any female into his traps. Either to seduce or... devour.

Fire element flames continued to pass through him, not only from the front to the back and vice versa but also from any angle, coming out of the opposite side downright. It was painful and uncomfortable sometimes at first. But as the hours went by and days passed, he became used to it despite the pain only getting more constant and never decreasing. As Heian Ciemnosc sat cross-legged, he was actively cultivating to solidify his path after receiving many realizations about the world and, more concentratedly, of the Fire element.

Pshhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~fftt… Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes slowly opened. The reason it was slow was not because he was weary, tired, or too engrossed in revising the learned things he had gone through already. Instead, his eyelids couldn’t open at his direct request. It was as if an unknown power was stopping him from opening his eyes. He could tell his body was moving, gaining more and more intrigued to know what was happening, but he could only see blurry.

His eyelids were still over 90% closed even as a cultivator, Heian Ciemnosc, couldn’t see anything except a white scenery as if he was racing down a white hallway. Less than a quarter of a minute later, Heian Ciemnosc’s eyelids no longer felt pressured, and he could sense his Spirit Sense out. Opening his eyes wide totally, Heian Ciemnosc found himself in a spacious but limited cave. Compared to what he had witnessed so far in this trial, it was small, but in reality, it was pretty big.

This cave had no entrance or exit, 200 meters in diameter. It was made of rocks, seemingly in the slow and lengthy process of turning into magma. Heian Ciemnosc was close to the center, but another thing had the middle of it all as its own. It was a considerable rocky lump that was off and obscure compared to the rest of the walls and even the floor Heian Ciemnosc was stepping on. His clothes were gone. He was glad to have protected his Covert Space bags as the warm ground made him feel comfortable.

Just then, already expecting it, Heian Ciemnosc felt another bout of information drill into his mind, telling him that since all of the previous events were successfully gone through, he would have to go through the last one before he could be considered to have been ‘accepted’ by whatever could accept him. Heian Ciemnosc looked at the rocky lump and backed away immediately. His steps weren’t slow, but he already could feel tremors from underneath as his Spirit Sense warned him of the thing in the middle!

Step, step- brrrum- step, step- brrubmle… step, step, step- rumbleeeeeee~...

‘What am I dealing with here?’ Looking at the ‘far’ rocky lump in the middle, Heian Ciemnosc thought. The last thing he had to go through was this: fight and destroy the enemy! Heian Ciemnosc sensed the rocky lump suddenly gaining cultivating. It began from the Spirit Rebirth realm 1st stage until the fifth stage. It stopped there, and the rocky protrusion ‘sprouted’ as the floor shook even harder.

Tap, stomp. Rumble, rumble, rumble~! Heian Ciemnosc stopped 150 meters away from the center, his bare body remaining as such since he didn’t want to lose another set of clothes and end up naked again. He looked as the cave became worse than any earthquake he had witnessed, caused by a battle or anything. This was unique, but the cave wasn’t even breaking slightly apart, as not even a piece of rock fell from the ceiling or jumped from the ground.

Heian Ciemnosc looked at the ground as it started dimming out, and so did the walls and the ceiling, losing their bright magma-ish color and glow. Heian Ciemnosc’sgaze returned to the rocky lump just in time to see a 50 meters long left arm shoot from underneath and crash back on the ground, destroying the protrusion. The arm came from it, but it began growing evermore instead of dying as it was being destroyed.

PUUUH- CRASSHH. CRK CRK CRK CRK, RUMBLEEE~!

The floor shook even more intensely, so much that if Heian Ciemnosc’s bodily strength was below 20,000 kg, he would’ve been turned into mincemeat straight up. He tried flying, but it was futile. His ideas were denied as he felt the massage continue. As it did, the rocky left arm started pushing itself from the ground. It struggled hard for a few seconds. The floor crazily trembled as something finally came out from the center.

Heian Ciemnosc saw a long neck sprout from the middle of the cave, accompanied by a slim back and a pretty thin figure. Its head had no features, such as hair, ears, or an adorning aesthetic. It had the eyes, nose, and mouth outlined, but nothing was there. Still, at the very least, it wasn’t all empty sockets and a creepy image. Heian Ciemnosc watched it stand up. It wasn’t too large despite its arms already being so insufferably long.

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes focused on it as the rocky figure seemed to notice Heian Ciemnosc. Its legs were slightly longer than its arms. But it was seemingly like a puppet with an array formation transmitting information into it. Except… this was no puppet and no array formation inscribed around. It was all… nature!

The rocky figure seemed to have a hang of its body. It was like a newborn with every piece of knowledge it needed to know installed in its mind. It took a step forward. That sole motion took 3 seconds to be halfway done and another 4 to stomp on the ground with it and start lifting its other foot. After looking at the place where the second footstep would land, Heian Ciemnosc looked up at the rocky figure. However, it seemed not to notice.

STOMP! WHOOOSH- … … PUNCH!

Heian Ciemnosc kicked the ground behind him, forming a tiny cluster of dust that rose up before immediately descending back to where it belonged peacefully. Barely any damage was done to the ground. But Heian Ciemnosc was already 50 meters away and in the air before the dust could settle down. His fists led the way as his face turned deathly dark. His darkest eyes were set on his new target, ready to hurt!

His body was too fast for it to notice his movements as it arrived in front of the rocky figure. It was understandable that, with its cultivation, it couldn’t see Heian Ciemnosc’s terribly superior speed. But it was another thing that it couldn’t even predict such a movement. Heian Ciemnosc directly punched with his right hand as his left hand went Claws Out and started forming a long line through the air before the rocky figure’s body.

THUDDD. PSHIFT- CRAAAAAAACCCKKK… THUDDD.

Heian Ciemnosc’s right fist punched the rocky humanoid’s sternum, sending it back down to the ground as if to help it return where it belonged. But Heian Ciemnosc didn’t just do that. His left hand drew that long, dark Power Energy claw in the air. It arched from the position he was already in a punching motion to hit the rocky figure’s body. As it was completed, it was 17 meters long and 2 meters wide in the middle. Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Power Energy wasn’t even used up enough for half a percentage of his storage as he sent that dark Power Energy claw down.

It landed on the falling rocky humanoid, helping it remain in the air for a second as the claw energy attack slowly but smoothly drilled into its body before immediately crashing down! Heian Ciemnosc watched, in less than 2 seconds, as the rocky figure’s helpless body became partially destroyed. Its front body broke apart, revealing most of its insides, which were more gray rocks. Each limb tore itself apart from the pure pressure alone, but there was an event that surprised him. His dark Power Energy’s attack prowess was… halved!

Even then, the rocky figure was wholly immobilized. After it landed, its cracked-open head turned to bits, and it comically sat on the ground as if it had fallen on its bum. Its arms were widespread to the side, but only a thin layer remained. Its legs were gone, and most of its lower torso exploded everywhere. Heian Ciemnosc kept himself in the air as he looked at the headless body with its neck still half intact and standing out from the rest.

‘Come on.’ Heian Ciemnosc urged inside his head as his right hand and feet were already Claws Out. His dark fangs slowly started forming as he looked down. The instructions were clear: to destroy ‘the’ enemy. Not to defeat it… just once. Heian Ciemnosc looked on, and, indeed, a change happened as the gray rocks, consisting of the rocky figure’s body, suddenly gleamed. That strange glow remained as Heian Ciemnosc saw the ground itself, and whatever remained of its body and wasn’t destroyed by his ruthless attacks started moving to the rocky humanoid’s main body.

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Fwuuh~, swish swish swisshh, pew~, pew~, pew~, clatter clatter clatter…

The rocky figure’s body started forming a new body with parts of the ground and its remains. However, it also began shrinking, its body losing the previous extreme length it bore, gaining a much more stable shape, and seemingly becoming more capable. Even Heian Ciemnosc nodded as he looked at the corrections this rocky thing amended during the process. Its rocky head was forming as it shook incessantly, in long strides, towards any possible angle as it seemingly thought of what to change next.

However, even as it seemed a little intelligent now, Heian Ciemnosc could still see many errors and mistakes without using his Spirit Sense. Still, just to see what was going on with this thing, Heian Ciemnosc took his Spirit Sense out and started analyzing as when its head gave him the notion that a child was learning something. The rest of its body oozed with experience, shocking Heian Ciemnosc. It was a puny experience… but it had to do with what Heian Ciemnosc did to it.

In fact, Heian Ciemnosc even felt a kind of wariness from this rocky creature as it started rising to its feet. As it did, it looked at him with an untold gaze that only an enemy could understand from their enemy. This made him a bit awkward, but Heian Ciemnosc didn’t look away and continued studying the rocky figure as its size was now only 60% of what it was before. Its arms changed, gaining some volume but still remaining 50 meters long.

Its legs were a little shorter, and its upper torso was thicker. The rest lost some volume, and even though it made no sense, Heian Ciemnosc felt a stronger sensation as he felt that, if he was only a match for this rocky figure, he wouldn’t be able to break it open until a few rounds of bouts. But he was not. He was countless times more powerful than a mere Spirit Rebirth realm 5th… no, 6th stage now!

“...” Heian Ciemnosc felt his head understanding a thing as he sensed the increase of cultivation base from this rocky creature. He looked at its torso, then at its head again. The rocky figure looked at him, and Heian Ciemnosc felt its gaze this time. It had noticed him and the possibility of him attacking it at any moment.

“Hmf,” like a proud before looking at its after, Heian Ciemnosc grinned and slowly crouched. His body movements alerted the rocky figure, but it only knew to put its arms before its chest in a defensive posture, ready to take another hit. It wasn’t so gullible, however. Its legs were positioned so it would back away or sidestep in case Heian Ciemnosc wanted to surround its arms and attack from the sides.

‘Not enough,’ Heian Ciemnosc looked at the rocky figure’s attempt to defend itself, more like a cute child doing its best. He tensed his thighs and lower section of his legs as his dark claws clicked, touching each other in anticipation of the itchiness of another and more fights!

Wh-oosh! Fwutwo- PPAAM! CRAAACK~, SWISH- WAASSH, PAM PAM PAM PAM… THUDD.

Heian Ciemnosc’s body disappeared from the Spirit Rebirth realm 6th stage rocky creature, with its gray rocks now slightly gleaming strangely. It was a sudden notion. It heard Heian Ciemnosc’s body flying before sensing Heian Ciemnosc had disappeared. The next thing it knew, Heian Ciemnosc was before its conjoined wrists and about to punch forward. Even as it had no Power Energy to speak of, or at least didn’t use it, it tensed its body to receive his attack.

Heian Ciemnosc, however, didn’t even bother using dark Power Energy this time, as he employed all 32,000 kg of bodily strength from both arms to punch with the reverse of his fists the rocky figure’s wrists. Immediately, they cracked open, as like skin, its rocky body rippled outwards with several waves as if hitting a fat piece of meat like a butt with a resounding slap. Yet, the stony skin broke apart further with each wave, consisting of air as it scrapped off layer after layer.

Even the expansive waves were nullified after dealing some damage, astounding Heian Ciemnosc as he was in the midst of changing positions as the rocky figure’s body fell and toured around it to start beating the shit out of it in midair. Its wrist broke apart, a hole appeared in between both, and the rest of Heian Ciemnosc’s bodily strength prowess landed on the rock figure’s sternum.

As it was inevitably blown back and to the ground again. It was hurt but felt no pain and immediately motioned to pick itself up and land in a way that wouldn’t leave itself helpless to a continuous attack. However, before it could move its body amidst the blow, Heian Ciemnosc was already below its back, its knee striking upwards at its upper back. Heian Ciemnosc’s speed was, undoubtedly, mind-breaking to the rocky creature.

He was above itself on second. 2 seconds later, it was already bashing its body back up, but without letting it have any balance and its stomach flat facing the ceiling. Heian Ciemnosc was below it as his right knee felt the blow mitigated by half. It didn’t matter, though, as it was enough to break another section of its upper back and send it up.

Right afterwards, Heian Ciemnosc flew up and left his Vocón Link, already penetrating and forming a tight hold of the rocky figure’s body. Heian Ciemnosc’s body reappeared above its stomach. And without any further delay, he sent his right fist onto the rocky figure’s solar plexus. The blow was enough to break yet another large section of its stony skin and insides, but before the creature could understand this, as it looked at Heian Ciemnosc, a left fist fell on the same general spot, sending debris of its body flying everywhere!

It couldn’t scream, much less feel pain, but it understood it was over as soon as Heian Ciemnosc broke off more parts of itself. And just like before, but with more continuous blows, Heian Ciemnosc immobilized the rocky creature after its body was partially destroyed. However, this time, it took him a bit to immobilize it as he had to get rid of a few more parts than before. It seemed that, with its knowledge and cultivation base increasing, it would become more demanding to kill.

The party was only starting. Heian Ciemnosc felt his dark claws and fangs growing restless but also satisfied finding the way to ease it up.

. . .

An hour later. Still in the same cave, with the same two opponents facing each other. Only, things were increasingly growing more complicated.

“Huff, huff, huff… huff… huff, huff- kaagh, huff…” Heian Ciemnosc breathed heavily as his back swung up and down. Just now, the damned rocky creature at the Broken Crystallization realm 3rd stage had given him enough time to understand he was growing tired. But this thing grew stronger and more intelligent even if he used the same moves. This rocky figure could evolve his thoughts, ideas, and theories every time he immobilized it.

Heian Ciemnosc stood on the ground, his body bent as his thighs and lower stomach were cut through with dark blood seeping out. It wasn’t much, but on his pale skin, they stood out. He was still bare, and so was his enemy. While Heian Ciemnosc had a psychological advantage, the rocky figure was indifferent, for it had no organs to begin with, let alone sexual ones. However, it knew it was an important place and had attacked it a few times already.

Each time, it failed, but Heian Ciemnosc grew too annoyed at its stupid, childish attempts. Currently, the last time this thing re-transformed itself, it was only 30 meters tall and had strong, long arms and thighs according to its size. It was bulkier, and it even adopted a bestial appearance without any Fauna in mind since it had not seen any other thing or living being than this cave and Heian Ciemnosc.

Coincidental or not, however, its head took the appearance of something similar to Heian Ciemnosc but grotesque. Although Heian Ciemnosc understood this was the rocky creature hating its killer’s result, he couldn’t bother with it. Ever since it reached the peak of the Spirit Rebirth realm, it started using Power Energy. Heian Ciemnosc’s bodily strength was enough to deal with anyone under the Second Step, even those half a step into it.

Its size was improving, but it was still hell on keeping it on a gigantic scale. Maybe it had something to do with how it was born, but it refused to decrease its size too much. Heian Ciemnosc watched as only the upper torso and a thin layer of what its arms used to be - remained. He had to destroy this much in order to immobilize the rocky creature. Otherwise, it would send annoying energy attacks that forced him to use some of his dark Power Energy to not be injured.

There was still the difference between First Step and Second Step Power Energy, after all. Heian Ciemnosc would be undoubtedly injured if he didn’t protect his body from an all-out energy attack like that. His body wasn’t that damaged, but it had received a few blows every time this thing was reanimated. Right now, Heian Ciemnosc’s wounds on his thighs and lower stomach slowly closed as Heian Ciemnosc felt a squirming sensation within. Something was ever closer…

However, his focus was on the ongoing fight. He didn’t know if this thing would die or reanimate again and could only wait. But, at second worst, he had a hypothesis. Maybe this thing will no longer attack him if it is defeated at the same level, namely battle prowess, that he could fight in. The worst of them all would be if this rocky creature just never stops getting damnably stronger.

“!” Heian Ciemnosc’s raggedly breathing body stiffened, immediately relaxing but with his muscles tensing as he lifted his head. Looking at the platinum-gray rocks transforming the creature’s body, Heian Ciemnosc quickly grimaced once before standing up straight. His back looked strong despite lacking muscle. He stood not even 5 meters away from it and waited until it completed its change.

Swish, swish. Clatter clatter clatter clatter… Stomp, stomp~~~...

When Heian Ciemnosc felt the rocky creature’s cultivation base increasing from the 3rd stage to the 4th before it finished re-transforming, it weirded Heian Ciemnosc out. His brows slightly sunk. But then, his eyes widened as the increase didn’t stop at the 4th stage! More than that, the ground and rocks from its previous body’s remains made a figure that was no longer than himself.

In fact, it had Heian Ciemnosc’s shape! Albeit more muscles and no penis or testicles, it was basically Heian Ciemnosc’s body without claws or fangs!

‘... No longer want to play? Motherfucker. Good!!’ Heian Ciemnosc looked at the rocky creature as it finished re-transforming its body. Its cultivation base finally reached the peak of the Broken Crystallization realm 5th stage and just a few steps before the 6th stage. Heian Ciemnosc thought as he formed fists and tightened them, gritting his dark fangs as his darkest eyes showed ultimate coldness and his face remained impassive.

His thoughts, however… were all bloodthirsty and baleful!

…