Spirit Beast Lv 2, but I'm Still At The Bottom? Explanation Please!

Inside his soul space, Kazel stood with his arms crossed, gazing at his spirit beast. The Mustang Black Rabbit sat before him, its sleek black fur illuminated by the soft glow of the white flames above its head—two now, instead of one. The sight brought a smirk to his lips.

The endless days of hunting in Heir Forest had paid off. Every beast he had slain, every drop of blood spilled, had contributed to this moment. His Mustang Black Rabbit had leveled up.

"Very nice," Kazel muttered, tilting his head slightly. "So, I take it there's no skill, just another buff of speed?"

The rabbit twitched its ears in response, its sharp crimson eyes meeting his. There was no grand display, no sudden surge of newfound power—just an undeniable sense of increased agility.

Kazel exhaled through his nose. ( Speed is good. But a skill would've been better )

As Kazel stood before his father outside the Immortal Sect, his muscles hummed with energy, a competitive glint shining in his eyes. "Father, let's race again," he challenged, rolling his shoulders. The memory of their last race still lingered—how he had barely managed to edge out a victory before collapsing, his body too weak to sustain the newfound speed for long. But now? Now, things were different.

Noel arched a brow, arms crossed. "Feeling confident, huh?" He smirked, though there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Fine, but this time, I'll be the one to call the start."

Kazel smirked back, the corners of his lips curling in excitement. "Agreed."

Noel took his time, letting a long pause stretch between them, perhaps hoping to make Kazel twitch, to catch him off guard. Kazel remained still, his focus sharp. His father was strong, and even if this was just a race, Kazel knew that any hesitation could mean the difference between victory and loss.

Then—

"Go!"

Kazel shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. His feet barely kissed the ground as he propelled himself ahead, the surge of the Mustang Black Rabbit's speed thrumming through his very being. Unlike last time, his body didn't struggle to keep up. His muscles no longer burned, his breath stayed even, and his movements felt more like instinct than effort.

The world blurred past him in streaks of green and brown as he weaved through the landscape with ease. The wind whipped against his face, but he didn't flinch—he relished it. This was what power felt like. This was what it meant to conquer.

Before he even realized it, he was there.

Home.

He skidded to a stop just short of the entrance, his feet planting firmly on the ground. He straightened, rolling his shoulders, barely feeling winded. ( So it was efficiency ) Slowly, he turned, waiting.

Seconds passed. Then, the sound of hurried steps filled the air. Noel arrived, coming to a stop before him, his expression shifting from mild exertion to something far more telling—pure surprise.

Kazel could see the exact moment realization struck his father. Noel's sharp eyes scanned him, noting the steady rise and fall of his chest, the complete lack of exhaustion.

"Did you level up?" Noel asked, his voice tinged with both curiosity and amusement.

Kazel didn't answer right away. Instead, he let the smirk on his lips widen, his head tilting slightly.

"You think I can win the Scale Dalgona with just this strength?"

Noel let out a low chuckle, rubbing his chin. "Well, no, you need more than speed."

Kazel let out a frustrated sigh. "I need to gather more strength," he muttered, clenching his fists. Despite all his hunting and cultivation, he felt like he was barely making progress.

Hearing his complaint, Noel furrowed his brows. "Let me check your cultivation realm." He placed his hand on Kazel's back and carefully examined the core of his meridian.

His expression shifted into one of confusion. "Strange… you're still at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm."

Kazel simply nodded, unfazed.

Noel's eyes narrowed. "Did you absorb the spirit stones I gave you?"

"Yeah," Kazel replied, holding out his hand. On his palm were the used-up spirit stones, their once-vibrant glow now completely faded.

Noel frowned deeply. "That doesn't make sense… a hundred spirit stones should have been more than enough to push you to the second level, at the very least."

"But it is what it is," Kazel shrugged. "I absorbed everything, and this is the result."

His father fell silent, his gaze fixed on Kazel as if trying to solve a puzzle. There was no doubt—something about his son's cultivation was different.

"Noel, Kazel, it's time to eat!"

As their mother called out for supper, Kazel and his father made their way to the dining table. Lana served a warm meal, but Kazel barely spoke as he ate. His mind was elsewhere, still pondering over the strange revelation about his cultivation.

Once supper was over, he quickly excused himself. "I'm heading to my room," he said, standing up before his parents could question him.

Lana raised a brow. "You've been restless lately," she remarked.

"Just got things to figure out," Kazel responded vaguely before walking off.

He entered his room, shutting the door behind him. Without hesitation, he turned to an old wooden shelf, its surface coated in dust from years of neglect. His fingers brushed across the worn spines of the books, scanning them until his eyes landed on one in particular. It was an ancient, tattered book with faded lettering on the cover—"Cultivation."

A smirk played on his lips. "I knew something like this existed."

Brushing the dust off, Kazel sat down and flipped the book open. His eyes darted across the lines, absorbing the knowledge hidden within its pages. It wasn't long before his brows furrowed in realization.

'The efficiency of cultivating is deeply tied to the strength of one's soul. An efficient cultivator may advance quickly, while one with a vast and powerful soul requires more resources to progress. In other words, the stronger the innate soul, the harder it is to achieve the next level due to its vastness. However, they have the potential to integrate with mightier spirit beasts compared to their peers.

For example, a hundred spirit stones may allow an average cultivator to advance from the first to the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm. A naturally gifted one may reach the third level. But a highly gifted individual—one with a vast soul—may only advance to the second level.'

Kazel slowly closed the book, letting the words settle in his mind.

A wide, knowing grin stretched across his face. "So that's how it is."