I sat down on my cart and enjoyed my fish stew and rice. While it wasn’t cheap or easy to prepare beforehand, it was worth it after a hard day of work killing monsters. It was good to use chopsticks picking each and every piece up.

The city itself was a mess with various factions, homelessness, crime, and other rampant problems. But none of that mattered to me. While I was not one of the elite, hunting down level 4 monsters, I was close.

The number of stories I heard each time I listened in detailed how everyone always died against level 4 monsters. While I had 6,000 total stat points, I felt it wasn’t enough. I had invested 4,000 into Body, training my ability to apply force perfectly, every spare moment. That was part of the training I was doing while eating.

Another 1,000 stat points had gone into Mind, since I was having trouble keeping up with my own movements. The remaining 1,000 stat points were spread out between the remaining seven stats. I would eventually bring them up, but having a high Body was the most important.

Speed, precision, and power. All three things came from the single stat. That was why I favored it so heavily. After this trip, I would do a tour of various monsters to test myself. A training trip would be perfect way to explore the land and experience the wide range of monsters that were present.

Knowing how to strike my first frog had not been easy. Kung-fu was not made for frogs, it was made for other people. But it was adaptable and was meant to crush any enemy. I had never dreamed of expanding my original style, but perhaps it was time to go beyond the Eagle’s Talon and develop something new. A style suited perfectly for me, but using the Eagle’s Talon as the base.

I carefully picked up a single grain of rice between my chopsticks and placed it in my mouth while I contemplated this idea. It would need to flow. Precision was a must. Attacking from above was superior. It would need a name as well. Something suitably impressive with how strong I was becoming.

Perhaps, the Dragon’s Talon. Powerful strikes from above. It would be quite impressive and I would need to work the movements out during my training trip. I smiled at this. I had been smiling more and more every single day as strength coursed through my veins. Soon, I would be unstoppable and take control of this land and implement my revenge.

Power and crystals would flow towards me. But I was still not fully ready to take that final step just yet. I paused in my eating as the ground began to shake. I set my bowl to the side and got up carefully surveying my surroundings. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

The shaking finally came to a stop, but I didn’t rest. The weather and everything else were unnaturally consistent in this land. The ground trembling was a sign that something was wrong or dangerous. I sensed a presence bearing down on me.

I turned in that direction as my limited Sense and Perception stat picked up danger. I had worked to hone both stats to a razor edge. A figure cloaked in black appeared with a sword in hand.

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How pretentious. “Show your face if you dare!” A monster or a person, did not matter. Either would suffer defeat at my Kung-fu. I advanced forward, unafraid. If I was going to die, then so be it. I would never bow to anyone.

The figure advanced towards me, accepting my challenge, but refusing to speak or show its face. It swung its sword, incredibly fast. I twisted out of the way and it almost hit me. But almost didn’t matter. My right hand struck out hitting the cloaked figure in the chest.

Its robe billowed and it stepped back, but it was not human. For I had felt no flesh beneath the robe, only hard bone. It swung upwards and again I used my superior footwork to step out of the way of the blow. I stepped in then and my left hand struck the monster’s wrist holding the sword, or at least where its wrist should be with that oversized sleeve.

I grabbed and twisted with all my might. The bone under the robe cracked. My right hand struck out with a palm towards the monster’s skull. I heard a cracking sound. I struck again and again. It soon collapsed to dust along with the sword, leaving behind a slightly larger crystal than I had seen before.

A level 4 crystal. I truly was ready to face such monsters. A tour first and then I would kill them to gain strength even faster. I smiled at the thought.

A golden light flashed, and I stepped back. Floating in the air was a golden cube emitting a golden light. I had never heard about this before. Was this a blessing or a reward? Well I would not hesitate. I reached out to take the crystal.

Ask For Three Things, Choose One

A wish. I would not squander this chance and carefully considered what to ask for. “Unlimited power for my kung-fu.”

1. Stat Adjustment: 10x Body Stat

That was good, very good. But it was not enough. I needed to be smarter, not just to hit harder. While tempting to ask for Dragon’s Talon Kung-fu style, I would make that on my own. No one else would help me. It would be entirely mine.

Instead, I wanted to never be weak again. I wanted to enhance my power. I could always increase my stats with points. I wouldn’t waste a wish on something like that. I hadn’t picked any skills yet, maybe something like that. “A skill to help me fight with my Kung-fu.”

2. Unique Skill: Passive Energy Boost

I frowned at the second option I was presented with. Energy, was what everything came from. Stats, skills, and everything else. It was what made me so powerful and restored me. I knew exactly what I needed now.

“Knowledge of how energy enhances my body.”

3. Innate Knowledge: Internal Energy Manipulation

I picked the third and final option. The golden cube flashed once and disappeared. I felt a wave of knowledge enter my head. I knew exactly how to mentally control my energy inside of my body. It would take time and training, but the world just opened up to me.

I had the Mandate of Heaven itself. Chosen by the Gods of this place for great things. My hard work was finally being recognized and rewarded. I took a deep breath, feeling the energy enter me from the air. I quickly began to filter it and take it into myself.

I stepped forward and flicked out my wrist. My power was greater than before. Now I just needed to train and complete my Dragon’s Talon style. It would be unstoppable under the heavens. While I would not bow to anyone, I would respect the Heavens themselves.

I inclined my head ever so slightly. “Thank you Heavens for bestowing upon me your mandate and power,” I said loudly and clearly. There was no response and I expected none. I lifted my head and went to my cart and bowl of fish and rice.

I carefully picked up another grain of rice. I placed it in my mouth and carefully took the energy from the grain into my body. Even if it was a speck of a speck of energy, it was another bit of power that I could control and unleash.

With the Mandate of Heaven upon me, it truly was time to go beyond and to venture forth beyond these limited frogs. To see the extent of the world and refine myself, my power, and my Kung-fu.