Training

Having deduced the formula for his physical progression, Xi Gu, armed with concrete evidence, immediately started making predictions about his future growth.

Currently, his bench press strength stood at 164kg. If he grew at a rate of 1% every day, theoretically, his strength would exceed 442kg in a hundred days.

— This figure was close to world record levels but not enough to cause an outright shock.

However, two hundred days later, his strength would escalate to around 1200kg, nearing the weight of a Porsche 911. In a short span, he could evolve into a Superman-like figure capable of lifting supercars with his bare hands.

Three hundred days later, his strength would cross 3243kg, enabling him to grapple with light trucks head-on.

Four hundred days into the future, his power would be close to 9000kg, allowing him to effortlessly carry small buses on his shoulders.

And, if one looks forward to a little over two years, or a thousand days later—

3437301kg.

3437 tons.

That would be Xi Gu's physical prowess.

Visualize the combined weight of about eighty main battle tanks, or nineteen Boeing 747s, all condensed into a 178cm stature.

Just imagining such a scene made Xi Gu nearly suffocate.

More crucially, this was an all-rounded enhancement in his physical attributes—from strength, speed, vision, to smell and other bodily metrics—all growing in tandem.

He could just visualize it: stomping the ground and causing massive fissures in the street, raising his hand and inducing a mini-tornado, running at speeds causing sonic booms, or even escaping Earth's gravity to venture into space...

No way! I'm not ready to be an astronaut!

A massive lament erupted within Xi Gu's heart.

...

From this day on, Xi Gu drastically changed his modus operandi.

No longer did he contemplate becoming an athlete.

Even though, at his current growth rate, he could shatter all existing human sports records in no time, it was prudent to remain discreet to avoid becoming a spectacle and challenging the prevailing societal order.

He resolved to not draw attention, avoiding any physical confrontations during sports classes, fearing a mere punch or kick from him might blow up the ball.

Studying diligently, interacting moderately with classmates—keeping a safe distance but not appearing aloof—he ensured he wasn't the subject of pranks, as a reflex reaction from him could be catastrophic.

—Of course, the most important aspect was control.

Exercising control.

With a consistent 1% daily increase in all physical attributes, ranging from strength to speed, mastering control became paramount.

As of now, the power growth curve was akin to adding a one-kilogram weight to a hammer each day; but a few years later, it would be like adding a Mount Everest to the Himalayan range daily.

Thus, control was the absolute core of training.

From the day he realized this, Xi Gu worked rigorously to harness his power, mastering the nuances of every ounce of strength.

From every finger while clenching a fist to every toe while walking, from the crown of his head to the tip of his hair, he felt the flow of power, simultaneously modulating its magnitude, honing his control to a precision of kilograms, and even grams.

The very next day, when Xi Gu woke up and felt another 1% increment in his strength, he realized he'd have to undergo another round of training to control this newfound prowess.

Despite the challenges, he diligently persisted in honing his control. The risk of inadvertently bringing down a school building under the weight of his power was not one to be taken lightly.

Days turned into weeks. Over a month passed, and when Xi Gu woke up one day, he made a delightful discovery — his ability to control his strength was growing in tandem with his physical prowess.

He distinctly remembered the previous night's struggle to contain his strength within the kilogram scale. However, the next day, though his strength had again amplified, his control over it had paradoxically advanced.

Initially, he thought to himself, "This can't be happening," but as the days progressed and his power doubled, he could still discern with ease whether he was exerting around a hundred grams of force or two hundred.

This revelation was a breakthrough for Xi Gu.

"So, in addition to the natural growth of my physical abilities, can I incorporate other skills through rigorous training? Is my 'power' fundamentally conceptual in nature?"

Upon this realization, Xi Gu began sneaking out every night, training his control over speed. His reflexes, which now surpassed human limits, were becoming increasingly harder to mask, especially when he started drawing attention from the school's tennis coach.

Resigned, he thought, "No way, coach. If I take up tennis, I won't become the next Federer. I'd be more like a 'Phoenix of Byōdō-in Temple', turning tennis balls into deadly projectiles."

Thus, under the cover of darkness, Xi Gu would carefully control his speed and reactions, ensuring he didn't sprint faster than Usain Bolt.

However, it didn't take long before he managed to bring his speed and reflexes under the "1% daily growth" category.

This cautious and incremental approach ensured his high school life progressed without significant incidents. The weights he'd purchased became obsolete, their cumulative weight of a thousand kilograms being no different than soap bars to him.

On some nights, he'd venture to the city's bus transit center, using the buses as his new weights. At first, he'd only manage to drag them, but in a month's time, he could balance entire buses on his head.

Xi Gu got a bit carried away by his overwhelming power. Using cars and buses as playthings, he'd toss them around like toy cars.

That is until one night, a passerby spotted him. Just as the witness's eyes widened in shock, about to scream, Xi Gu, in sheer panic, dropped the bus he was holding and darted home at a speed fast enough to break the sound barrier.

The next day, news channels reported an oddity — a "midnight floating bus." A witness claimed to have seen a bus levitating a meter above the ground, only to drop suddenly. They also claimed to have seen a blurry shadow, though it moved so fast they brushed it off as an illusion.

Authorities wrote it off as the work of a car theft gang, though they couldn't fathom why anyone would attempt to steal a bus. This audacious act spurred a city-wide crackdown on vehicle thefts, leading to a significant decline in crime.

Unaware that his unintentional actions inadvertently contributed to public safety, Xi Gu returned home that night, trembling with trepidation. He reflected on his actions for days, deeply contemplating the consequences.

He had a profound realization—despite his rhetoric about "not wanting to draw attention" and "not wanting to be dissected," deep down, as his power grew, he harbored an urge to showcase his abilities, yearning for the admiration and gaze of others.

Dreams of fame, of stardom, of being an idol—the temptation to utilize his power for attention, to create news, to emerge as a national hero or a world superhero was palpable.

Although such thoughts were typical of a teenager, they were fitting for Xi Gu, a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore. Yes, a sophomore. Time had passed since he first discovered his power.

However, after nearly exposing his abilities, Xi Gu began to critically consider the aftermath of a potential public revelation.

Firstly, he would undoubtedly be unable to continue his schooling. While this didn't particularly trouble him, leaving school at his age meant he wouldn't fit anywhere else in society.

Secondly, his abilities, once revealed, would certainly send shockwaves through academic circles worldwide. Xi Gu would become the prime research subject for biologists, chemists, theoretical physicists, astrophysicists, and scholars from every field. Every part of him—from saliva to hair, blood to urine—would become invaluable research material. Such scrutiny would undoubtedly rob him of all personal freedom.

A lab rat, no matter how unique, is still just a lab rat. And no sane person would willingly cage themselves.

Next, from a societal perspective, Xi Gu would undoubtedly become the most influential celebrity in human history. But with that would come the public's curiosity, scrutiny, skepticism, jealousy, and hatred. He would be in memes, criticized on forums, with comments like, "Why can't it be me..." "He's just average looking..." "If I were him, I would've..."

The thought of these irresponsible remarks made Xi Gu nauseous. He questioned whether he was mentally prepared for the world to view him as an anomaly.

Lastly—and most crucially—his growth rate was alarmingly rapid. In merely five to ten years, his full-strength blow could be cataclysmic. Several decades down the line, creating a black hole with a single punch might become a reality.

In comparison, the pace of human technological advancement seemed baby steps.

If he exposed his abilities, faced the relentless scrutiny, endured societal animosity, Xi Gu feared he might snap and unleash his full strength upon the Earth.

This thought plagued him.

Destruction is easy.

But where would he belong if human society ceased to exist?

Thus, for humanity's sake—and his own—it was imperative to ensure his emotional stability.

Xi Gu silently made a resolution—never to reveal himself to society.