Increase in Strength

As the group reached the periphery of the Dark Forest, the oppressive atmosphere of the ancient woodland settled over them like a heavy blanket.

The dense canopy above blocked most of the sunlight, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

The deeper they looked into the forest, the more they could feel the presence of powerful beasts lurking within, their low growls and rustling movements blending into the surroundings.

Alia, who had been leading the group, suddenly turned to Lester, her almond-shaped eyes filled with curiosity.

She had been observing him since their encounter, and something about him didn't add up.

"Lester, what's your cultivation realm?" she asked abruptly.

Lester raised an eyebrow slightly, but his expression remained calm. He had expected this question sooner or later.

"Why do you ask?" he replied smoothly.

Alia crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Even my two attendants, both in the 4th Layer of Energy Accumulation Realm, can't perceive your cultivation level. That means either you have some kind of concealment artifact, or you're an expert beyond their level. Since you don't seem old enough for the latter, I'm guessing it's the former."

At her words, Alistair's expression darkened, and the two hidden attendants in the shadows subtly tensed, their interest in Lester now piqued.

Even they had assumed that his aura was hidden by some high-grade treasure, an item that only came from powerful backgrounds.

Seeing no harm in revealing a partial truth, Lester decided to answer. "I don't use artifacts to hide my aura. The reason you can't sense my cultivation is that I am a physical cultivator."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "If compared to Qi cultivation, I am at the Energy Accumulation Realm."

The moment his words fell, the group's reactions varied.

Alia was stupefied.

She had guessed that Lester was powerful, but she had never imagined that he was already in the Energy Accumulation Realm at just 18 years old.

Even in the Stoneheart Empire, geniuses of this caliber are none.

Alistair's expression soured.

His hands clenched into fists as he felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.

He had fought hard to climb to his current realm, overcoming numerous life-or-death battles, yet here was another arrogant noble, effortlessly reaching a realm he himself had been struggling toward.

In Alistair's mind, Lester was just another privileged noble who had everything handed to him.

The two attendants, hidden in the shadows, exchanged glances.

They were now convinced that Lester came from an extraordinary background.

To have reached such a level at such a young age meant that he was either the heir of a great empire or trained by a reclusive sect with access to heaven-defying resources.

A brief silence followed before Alia suddenly hesitated, then glanced at Alistair. A conflict played out in her mind, but after a moment, she seemed to come to a decision.

She reached into her storage ring and pulled out an old, worn-out booklet and handed it to Lester.

"This is a fighting technique manual for physical cultivators that I found on one of my past adventures,"

she said casually.

"I was planning to give it to Alistair since I suspected he was a physical cultivator, but now that I've met you, I think it suits you better."

Lester's eyes flickered with understanding.

In that instant, he realized he had stolen an opportunity meant for the protagonist.

He had read enough cultivation novels in his past life to recognize the signs—this was the moment where Alistair was supposed to receive this technique and use it to rise above his peers.

Instead, fate had shifted, and the technique had fallen into Lester's hands instead.

Alistair, unaware of the significance, only felt a deep sense of loss.

Though he couldn't pinpoint why, he had a sinking feeling in his chest, as if something precious had just been taken from him.

After a brief moment of thought, Lester accepted the booklet. "Thank you, Alia," he said sincerely.

The moment he stored it in his system space, a notification appeared before his eyes.

[System Notification: New Item Acquired]

[Physical Cultivator Fighting Technique - Nameless Fighting Book]

[Note: Can be used until Peak Core Building Realm (Physical Cultivation).]

Lester's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

This was far beyond what he expected. The technique could be used all the way to the Peak of the Core Building Realm, making it a rare and valuable treasure.

Normally, such a technique would cost at least 600 system points in the System Mall, and yet, he had obtained it for free.

Just as he was processing this, another system notification popped up.

[Do you want to Master the technique?]

[Beginner - 100]

[Minor Accomplishment - 200]

[Major Accomplishment - 400]

[Perfect - 800]

Without hesitation he choose perfect mastery.

[YES] - 800 system points

[NO]

Lester didn't hesitate. Instead of settling for Beginner Mastery, he decided to increase his proficiency to Perfect immediately.

[Upgrading to Perfect Mastery – 800 system points deducted.]

As soon as the system confirmed the purchase, a surge of knowledge flooded Lester's mind. It was as if he had trained for hundreds of years, practicing every movement, every stance, and every technique to perfection.

His eyes flashed with an oppressive light, and a powerful aura involuntarily spread from his body for a fraction of a second before he forcibly suppressed it.

For that brief moment, the entire group felt an overwhelming sense of pressure, as if standing before a powerful war god.

The two attendants, who had remained composed throughout the journey, instinctively took a defensive stance, their instincts screaming at them that the young man before them was far more terrifying than he appeared.

Alia, on the other hand, was fascinated. She could feel the shift in Lester's demeanor. His aura, once concealed and composed, now carried the air of someone who had undergone countless battles and slaughtered countless enemies.

Even she, a princess of an empire, felt an involuntary sense of caution.

Lester quickly recovered and let out a small breath. "Thank you, Ali," he said again, but this time, his tone carried genuine gratitude.

Now that he had a fighting technique, he could fully utilize the power of physical cultivation, making him even more dangerous in battle.

Meanwhile, Alistair, who had been quiet all this time, felt a deep, unsettling anxiety creep into his heart.

For the first time in his life, he had an unshakable feeling that something was wrong.

Something important—something that was meant to be his—had just been stolen from him. But he had no idea what it was.

Alistair clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He didn't know why, but for the first time, he felt powerless.

And that realization filled him with a rage he couldn't understand.