(Arc: Vainum) body modification

Changing your body structure was something frowned upon as the body was viewed as a sacred entity not to be trifled with. However, I would do anything to get stronger...even becoming demonic.

I had grown accustomed to the surreal feeling of the pit, the moon only appeared as a white speck and the rain could not reach me. I couldn't fathom the laws that governed this place, almost like it wasn't supposed to exist. The time has come to bid farewell to this hellhole.

The heart is an organ connected to most of the body through blood vessels; it was also the best option to connect to my energy source.

If the modification was to be completed, I would have a higher rate of energy absorption. The air that everyone breathed in contained energy and that energy was usually left untouched by other martial artists; however as the heart is connected to the lungs, I could soak up that energy.

My circulatory system would in essence act as an energy circulation system!

With every breath that I drew, my strength would increase...that was too overpowered. The regular absorption of energy was done through the pores and was a slow process; most fighters had to resort to searching for treasures to consume if they wished to quickly jump stages.

I would absorb nearly four times the amount of energy that a regular person could in the same time frame.

Additionally, all of my the energy would be conveyed through my blood and essentially, my whole body would become my source! Raising my energy circulation level would be rendered meaningless as the main benefit of doing so, the size of my source, would not matter. I could store an enormous amount of energy and use as much as I wanted...I would be surpassing the human limitations. The only thing holding me back would be my swordsmanship level.

I was treading in uncharted territories. The chances of me failing were astronomical and death was virtually a certainty, but I was ravenous for power. A new-found lust for strength could be seen in my eyes, I swore to never suffer such humiliation again.

While still lying on my stomach and with a stern expression, I concentrated on my source and caused the energy to go rampant. I was doing my best to break the source which might sound ludicrous, but it was a critical step; as it was about to crumble, I used all of my might to direct the cracks to a single location.

My body felt like it was about to collapse in agony; my eyes began to squeeze and my nose wrinkled. I gritted my teeth in an attempt to deal with the pain; every muscle in my body tensed up and my fists were clenched. My norm-defying willpower was the only thing that empowered me to advance.

At the breaking point, I used the energy that was seeping out of the fissure to form a bridge to my heart. As the energy came into contact with the organ, I visualized the bridge solidifying. My heart began pulsating and beating rapidly as it was adjacent to the unknown object. By extruding the end of the bridge, I penetrated the heart; the process was slow and unbearable. Moreover, the feeling was very much like being stabbed a thousand times with a razor-sharp blade. I allowed the energy to surge inside and link with the organ. My heart had to become accustomed to the foreign substance as they would be cohabiting from now onwards.

My heartbeat slowed down gradually before stabilizing and a sigh of relief was heaved. I had done the impossible! The pain subdued thereafter and my body was hovering over a pool of pungent smelling sweat. I could sense the energy being absorbed from the air and being transferred to my blood; carried around my body before making its way back to my heart. My body was saturated with strength and vigor. With a gentle push off the ground, I hoisted myself.

Before moving on to the next project, familiarizing myself with the surroundings was a necessity. Step by step, I ambled around the cave. The area was littered with the corpses of the unfortunate souls who did not make it out. The pit was quite vast and unimaginably deep therefore not attempting to climb out was a no-brainer. On the far-side, a gargantuan stone door covered in moss blocked the passageway.

With a single strike, the door shattered and crumbled like clay. Rays of light pierced through and illuminated the interior. As I had suspected, the pit was man-made, but to serve what purpose. My question would soon be answered as there was a message engraved on the dusty wall.

'If you see this message, that means you're worthy enough to have the opportunity to obtain my inheritance, good luck - Ian Keller'

My eye almost popped out of its socket as I read the name; Ian Keller was nothing short of a legendary figure, he was infamously dubbed 'The Silent Killer'. Finding his inheritance was akin to discovering the holy grail. The Keller family was composed of mages; their magic was flamboyant but deadly and they soared to the top with their crushing spells. If the treasure of a mage were to fall in my hands, I could dabble in both magic and swordsmanship. Although martial artists of the past who tried to wield both did not go too far, that was not applicable to me with my seemingly endless energy supply.

I sauntered inside the tunnel until I set foot in a borderless white room; I appeared to be in a different dimension. Because the environment had a calming effect, my guard dropped involuntarily. Although swordsmen and mages did not know much about each other, creating a different space was a feat that everyone was aware magic could accomplish.

An off-white door appeared to float a couple of meters in front me, that was most likely the way to the trial. Taking in a deep breath, I prepared myself for what I was about to undertake. With my right leg forward, I stepped inside. Contrary to my megalithic expectations, the reality was anticlimactic to say the least. I walked into another white room...this time however, there was another message on the wall.

'In a year's time, you will be attacked by a golem on par with a fighter in the tenth stage of energy circulation and magic, if you do not manage to find a way to survive or get stronger, you will perish. Spell books have been provided to help you.'

Three grimoires seemingly popped out of thin air. My eyes raced across the book covers as my jaw dropped on the floor.

'Energy solidification'

'Fire blast'

'Energy barrier'

Energy solidification was the missing component to forming a new arm!