Darkan opened his eyes at the sound of his disciple's roar.

Looking down through the clouds, he smiled with pride. In less than a month, Nathan had already defeated his first Tier 2 monster.

What an impressive physique, he mused silently. He had lost count of how many times Nathan's physical capabilities had surprised him.

Currently, he still hadn't identified Nathan's bloodline. He had pulled strings with his contacts in the research division and spent a considerable sum to keep them quiet. Additionally, any blood samples sent for testing were under his strict supervision and retrieved afterward, preventing anyone from collecting them. This investigation had reached as far as the central powers of the Empire.

Regardless, what mattered most was that his disciple continued to develop. The initial plan was for this training to last at least two to three months before Nathan would be strong enough to defeat a Tier 2. But now, everything seemed to have been turned on its head.

Darkan wasn't particularly concerned about this deviation. The placement of the Vermilion Ape variant was specifically designed to accelerate Nathan's growth. So the current results still aligned with the intended path. He was merely wondering if Lunar Shadow would be enough of a playground for his precious disciple.

Chuckling, he kept a vigilant watch over the border region of Storm Peaks below. If anything went wrong, he would prevent the monsters from interfering. The next phase would be the true ordeal for Nathan.

When the euphoria subsided, Nathan was left panting heavily. His body went limp, arms and legs dangling loosely. The scene before his eyes grew hazy. A ringing sensation buzzed in his ears as his Berserker state at 23% dissipated. His skin returned to its normal appearance and color, no longer a mix of red and dark gray. His frame seemed to contract slightly, becoming a bit smaller.

He glanced around, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

What the hell is going on?

The red-furred beasts were all kneeling before him, including the three remaining High Vermilion Apes. They maintained their silence as if awaiting orders.

He had expected to have to drive away these remnants of the battle before he could safely do anything else. Yet the current result exceeded his expectations. Though his mind was foggy to the point of confusion, he still understood how beneficial this outcome could be.

To verify this, he gathered what little strength remained and used his knife to stab the chest of the largest Vermilion Ape corpse on the ground.

There was no reaction from the surrounding creatures, not a single breath of protest or cry of fear.

Taking this as confirmation, Nathan struggled to cut a line where the heart should be. The Leader's skin was indeed thick, even after he had beaten it so thoroughly.

Reaching through the skin and the still-warm blood, he grabbed the heart and pulled it out, holding it up before the monster horde. Blood dripped through his fingers, its metallic scent pungent yet strangely alluring to the beasts.

Still no movement.

Smiling at the intriguing situation, he contemplated his next action. Consuming a monster's heart was unthinkable for humans. Yet Nathan found himself craving the crimson organ in his hand. As if he was no longer entirely normal. [Titan's Descendant] had transformed him into something different. This became increasingly apparent as he advanced along the Physical Cultivation path. Something primal and wild had formed within him. Yet somehow, in a strange and invisible way, he knew it wasn't harmful but beneficial.

The Berserker cultivation method only taught absorption of essence from a monster's heart or organs through breathing. While effective, comparing it to directly consuming the heart was like comparing a river to an ocean.

Finally, despite the revolting sensation creeping up his throat, he tilted his head back and held the heart above his mouth. He squeezed, forcing blood to flow from the wound he'd made. The metallic liquid poured into his mouth. A bizarre sensation rose in his mind as its taste proved unexpectedly sweet. Like drinking water after a day of thirst, he squeezed harder, forcing out all the blood. His throat bobbed with each eager gulp.

When only drops remained, he lowered the heart and took a bite. The inherent revulsion toward raw food nearly made him retch. Then, another force rose up, driving away that instinct, helping him chew the meat that was both tough and crisp, swallowing without wasting a drop.

His consumption process was like torture as his human side battled with his Titan aspect. Simultaneously disgusted yet satisfied. Both revolting and delicious.

Finally, the heart was completely consumed. He stared at his blood-red hand, unsure how to feel. Whether to be horrified at his own savagery or relieved that he hadn't wasted any nutrients.

He tilted his head to look at something glinting in the last rays of daylight beneath where the Vermilion Ape Leader's heart had been. Reaching down to retrieve it, he held it at eye level for inspection.

A monster core.

The bright red core, small as his thumb, felt cold in Nathan's hand. Inside seemed to contain a mysterious mist. Hidden within were waves of red energy that rose and fell. The core stored precious essence and energy for cultivators. Typically, it would be processed with medicinal ingredients and mana to create products like 'Initial Advancing Pill' or used entirely for 'Condensed Essence Pill'. This showed just how valuable it was.

On the surface, seeing Nathan defeat a Tier 2 monster while not even being at the same tier might make one think monster cores were easy to harvest. But the truth required examining from different angles. Among the monsters in Moirath Forest, he had chosen several notable candidates to fight, including the Vermilion Ape. These monsters at Tier 2 still focused primarily on physical strength, unlike other species possessing stranger abilities. Take the Sovereign Wisp, for instance, which possessed a weak body but carried some of the most frightening skills in Moirath Forest. Or the Heat Basilisk, this dragon-kin monster not only had a powerful body, but its breath was also a formidable problem. Therefore, by focusing largely on muscle power, Nathan wouldn't fear combat.

Even so, he still encountered the Vermilion Ape Leader variant when it used blood as whips or could grow four arms to fight. The monster failed to properly utilize its skills' potential, leading to its defeat. Just with that blood whip ability alone, Nathan had already thought of many ways to fight. This made him more cautious about facing Cultivators. They would use mana aspects like water and wood much more skillfully than monsters.

That’s why monster cores still required Tier 2 cultivators to harvest, often necessitating group efforts. The Vermilion Ape Leader might have fallen to Nathan alone, but one of its punches was enough to shake a mana shield. Without proper evasion, a few more hits would be enough to send someone to meet their ancestors. Similarly, a cultivator like Keira could also easily defeat the Vermilion Ape Leader if careful and quick, using illusions to bind the monster's movements. But against Spirit-focused types like the Sovereign Wisp, her skills would face obstacles when not operating at full capacity. Ultimately, the principle was knowing one's strengths and weaknesses to choose opponents rather than charging in recklessly.

While examining his best spoil of war thus far, Nathan's heart suddenly pounded hard. The nutrients from what he had just consumed were beginning to take effect. He glanced around at the surrounding Vermilion Apes. Seeing them maintain their fearful and reverential attitude toward him, Nathan decided to cultivate right there. After all, at his current state, one punch would be enough to send any of them who dared attack straight to heaven. Most importantly, the boiling energy in his body wouldn't allow him to move anymore.

The essence absorbed from the monsters he had defeated crashed over him like tidal waves. Once again repeating the cultivation method from that night at Storm Peaks, he let the essence flow rapidly throughout his body, destroying cell after cell. His recovery speed had increased significantly after jumping from Phase 3 to Phase 7, making the cultivation process slightly faster.

He gritted his teeth as the essence's ferocity showed no signs of stopping. The nutrients in the monster's heart were clearly substantial. Moreover, he had absorbed them raw, in their purest form. His own heart beat faster, driving blood circulation in all directions.

Combined with the partially automatic cultivation progress from earlier, he quickly broke through.

Physical Cultivation, Tier 1, Phase 9.0.

A shockwave emanated from him, startling the Vermilion Apes. They jumped around not in fear but in joy. They were herd monsters always needing a supreme leader to protect them from other Tier 2 monsters. Thus, the stronger their new leader became, the more excited they grew.

Unlike the beasts' joy, Nathan was struggling. Before he could savor the satisfaction of his new level, he was assaulted by the needle-like pricks of essence. Indeed, too much of anything wasn't good. He now felt no different than someone who had eaten far too much.

The essence's devastation was so severe that blood leaked from his eyes, while his nose bled stubbornly, streaming down his neck.

Phase 9.2.

It felt as if he was drinking blood only to leak it out again. The wounds on his body seemed even more serious than during the battle. The sound of flowing essence hissed constantly in his ears.

Phase 9.4.

Now his ears were also filled with fluid. Nathan's mind had to struggle tremendously to maintain clarity. He could expel all the rampaging essence. However, to him, such action would be wasteful. Berserkers had to cultivate through such torment. If he didn't push his limits further or stopped here, his future cultivation speed would decrease significantly.

Phase 9.6.

Using the memory of the humiliation he endured at Verdant Spire Sect, he refused to let himself stop. After pain would come rewards. After suffering would come glory. He had to cling to this belief, even though it wasn't always true, wasn't always the absolute truth. But if he couldn't even believe in this, what else could he believe in?

Phase 9.8.

He tilted his head back, opening his mouth to roar in release. Yet the sound that escaped was only a weak choke, as if someone was strangling him. Unable to close his eyes anymore, he opened them wide, bloodshot with visible veins, staring into the darkness that had descended.

He thought his spirit had given up, had reached its limit and passed out. Yet his body was still responding.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Phase 9.9.

The essence seemed to materialize from its invisible state around him. It appeared like tiny mirror fragments flowing in streams throughout his body. His Phase accordingly continued to rise,

Phase 9.91...9.92...9.93...

Until reaching the threshold of 9.99.

Breath seemed to be stripped from him. Though his body didn't expand, it felt like it was stretching to its limits as if he had drunk an entire pool of water. His mouth was rigid, only able to make hoarse, spasming sounds as if on the verge of death.

Not yet, a bit of rationality roared.

Triggered [Self-Emotional Support]. One credit given.

He frantically circulated essence according to the Berserker cultivation method.

One minute.

Two minutes.

More than five minutes passed while he remained stuck in place, unable to achieve his desired result of a major breakthrough to Tier 2.

Bottleneck? He silently panicked.

This was precisely what he hadn't considered due to his constant confidence in his Bloodline. The way he always advanced quickly and his automatic essence absorption mechanism that worked like a cheat had made him assume he would level up without any obstacles. He hadn't applied Spirit Cultivation logic to Physical Cultivation—that going too fast would cause the body to rebel. Even geniuses had to pace out their cultivation process. That was why Xander or Zahra didn't rush to advance too quickly. Even after reaching Tier 1 Phase 9.9, they still took time to settle before attempting breakthrough.

Keira, Nathan suddenly thought of her and her desperate method during the outer sect tournament semifinals.

He knew the two situations were completely different. Keira's bottleneck had lasted quite long, necessitating such measures; it wasn't simply about body resistance anymore but due to specific circumstances. However, the core aspect of Physical Cultivators' constant risk-taking made him think of this. A spark of inspiration flashed in Nathan's mind.

Essence is not enough!

Hadn't the Titan bloodline always demanded far more essence than normal physical cultivation? He had to defeat higher-level monsters in greater numbers just to level up. That wasn't even counting the precious essence water. If not for [Titan's Descendant], he should have reached Tier 2 faster by now. But then again, without that skill, the strongest monster he could fight would only be at Phase 3 or 4, let alone Tier 2.

Having already taken risks, Nathan was someone who would always take even greater ones. He flicked the monster core up, creating an arc that fell straight into his mouth. This would perhaps lead to an unimaginable result, or the most foolish doom.

Using all the strength in his rigid jaws, he bit through the outer layer of the monster core that felt like glass. In that instant, his mind completely departed.

The essence was even more terrifying than the combined remains of all other Vermilion Apes as it poured through his throat and throughout his body.

This time everything had lost control. Blood vessels burst catastrophically under the essence's impact, blood gushing from his body like a human fountain.

The monster horde witnessing this let out worried cries. They wanted to know what was happening but lacked both the intelligence and courage to intervene, only able to fidget anxiously on the sidelines.

"Mother of god, you've gone mad, Nathan," Darkan shouted in horror.

He had descended very close to Nathan now. With just a thought, he could instantly break his insane disciple's process. But something within him held his actions back. An inexplicable anticipation.

He had thought Nathan would have to endure to reach Phase 9.9 then stop, using the upcoming time to stabilize before finding a way to break through to Tier 2 Physical Cultivation. However, what surprised him was that the excessive essence overflow was indeed suitable for attempting a Tier 2 breakthrough. In his position, he would have done the same. For him, that would have been enough. The problem was, for Nathan it wasn't.

Even though Berserkers were a collection of extremists, no one encouraged biting and swallowing monster cores. Not only did they carry essence, but they also contained part of the monsters' 'nature'. If they were docile creatures, it wouldn't matter, but when they were fierce ones, this nature would contaminate the essence. As a result, the absorption process became several times more difficult. The neutralizing medicinal ingredients in pills were specifically to eliminate these characteristics.

Therefore, Nathan's action couldn't have come from the skill orb he had given him. Though they had only interacted for a short time, he knew Nathan wasn't foolish enough to act recklessly without basis.

"That must be his bloodline," he silently concluded. That was also why he hadn't intervened immediately.

His gaze gradually shifted to one of excitement.

"Let's see what you got," he said with a loud laugh.

As Darkan had guessed, Nathan acted this way due to a subconscious urge. The train of thought about Keira was merely to satisfy his brain's rational side that always sought cause and effect.

He had fallen into a state of ego death, the pain so shocking that his mind could no longer remain stable. But this was one of the steps in Physical Cultivation. As Darkan had said, when cultivating this path, Nathan would still possess some resistance to mental attacks like illusions. To achieve this, one first needed to push their limits and then recover. The pain he experienced would make his mind more callused.

To reach Tier 2 in Physical Cultivation, a person following the conventional path would damage their body sufficiently, as Nathan was doing. Internal organs, blood vessels, muscles, bones, skin, brain—all were under constant attack. This was the moment for transformation. A true metamorphosis. After surviving this, the new body would transcend ordinary human limits, not only becoming stronger but also denser. Common blades and swords couldn't easily cut through anymore. A slash would only leave a mark; only repeated strikes could cut through. In essence, the body became like full-body armor.

That was the normal process, but Nathan was going through something even more terrifying. His metamorphosis was being carried out too literally. The essence's savagery tore apart his thin clothes, leaving him naked. Starting from his eye sockets, his skin separated as if burned crisp. These layers of skin were blown away by his burning hot body and the surrounding energy flow, dissolving into the air as tiny fragments.

The miraculous thing was that one could clearly see the muscles and nerves beneath, yet blood no longer flowed out. This most vital fluid that had poured like rain just moments before seemed to be sucked back into his body, not allowing even a drop to escape. This process continued to spread down to his ears, cheeks, chin, neck. His scalp also separated like broken puzzle pieces. His hair remained attached, floating in the air.

His body gradually revealed more horrifyingly red areas. He looked as if someone was slowly skinning him, appearing no different from the anatomical models used in biology classes. His chest revealed powerful muscles, while the bones in his back showed white vertebrae.

Peeling off and continuing to peel off, until Nathan's entire body had no skin left.

He roared in agony, his hands slamming into the ground to release his suffocation.

BOOM!

His new strength caused the ground beneath to sink, creating a shallow bowl. His hands clawed into the earth, carving grooves as he groaned.

Physical Cultivation Tier 1, or what was anciently called Refining, focused on cultivating the entire body first. This established the foundation for later Tiers. At Tier 2, while maintaining the path of strengthening all parts, there was a specialized direction. That was the skin. Hence, Tier 2 was called Iron Skin by the previous generation. Because skin was what first contacted the environment, essence, and attacks.

When cultivating to the peak of Tier 2, the skin would become a part that could continuously grow until later Tiers, reaching the height Darkan mentioned, even harder than dragon hide.

As powerful as this was, no one had ever cultivated as torturously as Nathan. Physical Cultivation already pushed the body to extremes, yet he seemed intent on breaking limits further.

Inside his body, the mist escaping from the monster core formed a hazy image of the Vermilion Ape Leader. It bore an enraged expression, seeking ways to slip through and devastate Nathan's body. But before it could venture far, another smoke figure materialized before it in human form. This humanoid shape had no face nor clear features. Initially, it stood only as tall as the Vermilion Ape Leader. Then gradually it grew until the ape monster became nothing more than an ant-like existence before it. The giant opened its mouth wide and inhaled. The monster was swallowed whole, with no time to resist, no chance to cry out. Afterward, the gray humanoid figure dissolved, having completely digested the last remnants of the Vermilion Ape Leader's consciousness.

Outside, everything was approaching its conclusion.

Skin separation was an agonizing process. However, the effects it brought were undeniably superior.

Also starting from his bloodshot wide-open eyes, skin gradually regenerated. Tiny skin points began forming. This process came very quickly, unlike the peeling which took over ten minutes to complete. In about a minute, the devastation had been rebuilt. A new skin grew to cover Nathan as he knelt.

This horrifying scene was watched from start to finish in silence by the monster horde. They even felt pain on behalf of their new leader. Anyone who would cut their skin would drive them mad. Yet this was removal of everything, leaving nothing behind.

A bit of rationality returned to Nathan. He didn't understand what had happened to his body. His only memory of the breakthrough process stopped after swallowing the monster core. What concerned him most now was that the essence in his body had decreased significantly. And when examining his internal organs, he smiled with joy. Maintaining the essence consumption process, he closed his eyes, concentrating on the final stage of breakthrough.

After more than an hour of meditation, the needle-like pain finally stopped. The process of upgrading every part of his body was complete.

Nathan felt as if he could see the heavy door blocking his breakthrough opening before him. With one final circulation of essence, he roared.

The door swung wide open. He stepped through, becoming a new person.

The system immediately modified his information.

Nathan Reed (24 years old -- male)

Spirit Cultivation Level: Tier 1 (Initial), Phase 3.8.

Physical Cultivation Level: Tier 2 (Iron Skin), Phase 1.1.

His roar was deeper and more majestic than even fierce beasts or monsters. It didn't come from humans, but from an entirely different species. This very sound made the ape monster horde tremble like leaves in the wind, hastily prostrating themselves. In their primitive nature, this fear was greater than when facing their old leader, or even the Lord of the Forest. They felt as if just a strong enough roar would burst their hearts, shatter their brains, batter their bodies to pieces. The Vermilion Apes no longer thought about seizing position as their combative nature usually demanded. The existence before them was absolute. No irreverence allowed.

Darkan felt as if he was back in the cultivation chamber when Nathan transformed into a Berserker. What emanated from his mouth was like a rallying cry of an ungovernable, untamable existence. He looked at Nathan with a sparkle in his eyes. But simultaneously, he was also feeling fear. Initially doubtful, but now even without test results, he could see the high possibility that it was 'that' bloodline. Not daring to think too deeply, he still hoped it wasn't so.

Looking at his disciple, Darkan presently just wanted to savor the moment of witnessing this new force being born. Nathan perhaps didn't realize how superior the skin he now possessed was. But he, as a high-level Physical Cultivator, understood clearly. It had already entered a category higher than normal Tier 2s.

Returning to his height among the clouds, Darkan smiled in anticipation of when Nathan would discover his own uniqueness.

Deep in Moirath Forest towards the north. Atop a bare, stripped mountain, there was a large and deep cave that looked quite strange. The surrounding trees hadn't failed to grow, but were devastated. Weeds lay scattered about, cut so small they were like dust particles. Tree bark faced a similar fate, reduced to tiny fibers mixed with soil.

At this moment, a Vermilion Ape reached up to grasp the cliff edge of the mountain face. Its hands bore wounds torn to the bone, and were spotted with blood not its own. It struggled to use its strength to throw itself onto the empty ground surface ahead.

It rolled once, then stood up, revealing its missing left arm. At the shoulder, only mangled flesh remained. Its face drooped, grimacing with half-closed eyes. It wearily dragged itself forward. When it reached the cave entrance, it tried to adjust its mood. Its eyes tried to open wide, showing reverence. Then it knelt down, facing the pitch-black void ahead and called out. Its howls carried deep sorrow, bitterness, anger, and unwillingness.

The cave was like a giant's ear, silently listening to the Vermilion Ape pour out its heart.

When it finished speaking, its eyes full of expectation, there was no sound from the cave. The monster maintained its respectful attitude, bowing even deeper, its severed shoulder scraping the ground causing it intense pain. But it ignored this, satisfied just to have reported the situation.

Suddenly an invisible wave passed over the Vermilion Ape making it start, raising its head to look behind. It couldn't hear, but the energy field just now was quite similar to when a monster broke through. This phenomenon was like an announcement to the forces in the forest. From this, either old powers would come seeking war, or avoid the territory of the new force.

The Vermilion Ape didn't understand much, only shuddering before returning to its deep bow as before.

However, it was precisely because of this small wave in nature that the entity inside the cave moved for the first time. Its breath spread out of the cave, cutting new scratches across the Vermilion Ape's body. It gritted its teeth to endure, rejoicing that it had finally succeeded.

When the red-furred monster looked up, it could see two white dots lighting up in the cave's deep darkness. A second later, it heard the angry roar of the existence within.

The Vermilion Ape was torn into tiny pieces by that wind-splitting roar. Its flesh fragments scattered in the air. The final moment for it was just relief. It had managed to report to the force that would restore justice for its tribe. Its brothers and children had all been exterminated in the night. So even in death, it accepted its fate with a peaceful mind.

Peaceful in knowing that the Lord of the Forest would maintain order, would punish those outsiders who came to disturb Moirath Forest.

The White Ward had been awakened.