Chapter 13: Merge Point

Thud!

Shimmering golden rays glistened on the wet grassland, and steady footsteps passed over it, with a drop of sweat falling on the grass.

The cold season was still showing some effect before leaving completely.

The boy, with a small towel hanging on his shoulder, jogged with steady gait. He took out the towel and wiped his face.

"This is enough."

Controlling his breath and inhaling and exhaling through his nostrils, he stretched his body. It was said that inhaling and exhaling through the mouth tired you quickly and also increased the breathing speed, which was a sign of exhaustion.

In the vast playground, there were also some boys doing their regular exercises.

...

Coming out of the bathroom, he wore simple pants and a half-shirt while doing normal chores.

"Now everything is done," Sam whispered under his breath.

He had a total of two months before getting the matric examination results, so this was also an opportunity for him to explore various options.

Shaking his head, he gave a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm lost in debt."

Getting to the study table, he took out a spiritual fire ganoderma from his storage ring and urged the rune energy on his palm.

Swish!

In an instant, he found himself at the same previous place. With a smile, the merging ability took over, and the ignition process started.

Opening his eyes, he slumped on the table with a fine bead of sweat on his forehead.

'All the rune energy is exhausted.'

Closing his eyes, Sam meditated to restore his rune energy.

After spending 45 minutes, his rune energy was restored.

The same process continued again.

Exhausted, he slumped on the chair once more with his eyes closed.

Some moments later...

Knock! Knock!

"Wait!"

Getting up, Sam strode toward the door.

Clink!

"Breakfast time!"

A boy with curly hair stood before him.

"Coming!"

Sam replied and took a key lying below the pillow, then locked the door.

"Let's go."

"Are you busy? Somehow you've changed. And your face also looks pale!"

Sam's body flinched.

"Maybe I've changed, Rahul."

Rahul nodded since he already got the gist of Sam's disappearance, and it was also natural after experiencing such vicious encounters.

"It's okay." Rahul patted his shoulder.

Sam just nodded.

'What do you expect me to do since I myself don't know the behavior very well of the previous owner?'

To conceal his disguise well, Sam calmly continued to move until Rahul started the conversation again.

"Which college are you planning to go to?"

His footsteps halted, and his expression recovered.

"RPS College."

"Well, I'm also planning to go to the government college."

"Sir!" Sam mumbled, and silence descended between the duo.

"Good morning, sir!"

Both of them greeted the teacher and moved toward their destination.

...

Clink!

The door faltered, and Sam entered his room.

Clink!

The door locked again, and Sam took his previous spot, becoming busy with using the merging ability.

Moments... Seconds turned into minutes... Minutes turned into hours.

And finally, Sam collapsed on the table with a faint smile and light overflowing in his eyes.

Some time later...

Sam's face regained some color, and his body got enough energy to make basic movements. His fingers pressed over the wristband.

Strength: 2

Agility: 2

Physique: 2

Spirit: 10

Endurance: 3/3 [Physique + 10% Spirit]

Rune Energy: 10/10 [Spirit]

Rune Abilities:

Special Abilities: Merge [Merge points: 1500]

Cheek resting on his palm, Sam pondered over his thoughts.

'That's why the merging ability is urging me to use merge points.'

When he was in the third round of refining, he got the urge from the merging ability, and somehow he also received instructions on how to use it in his mind.

So, taking a deep breath, Sam gently rubbed his right hand, like Aladdin rubbing a genie lamp, with his eyes closed.

In an instant, Sam found himself rejuvenating in a healing river. All his tense and strained muscles relaxed as they came into contact with the healing water, greedily absorbing every drop like there was no end.

"Ah!"

A soft moan escaped his mouth.

Some time later...

He started to feel like the river's temperature was rising with every passing minute, but still, his body remained in the water, witnessing the rebirth of his previous cells.

His body was droving even more deeper as time passing, and the pressure acting on him was also increasing.

But his body still resisted leaving, knowing fully that this could boil him down to a dead end.

Strangely, his mind also encouraged his body to go even deeper.

Slowly yet gradually, pale burn marks started appearing on his skin, but his body quickly regenerated, and the dead cells fell away, leaving his existence unknown to anyone.

The speed at which his body regenerated outclassed the burning.

Persistently, he dove even deeper, and a flash of light passed through him, momentarily snatching his vision.

His eyelids trembled, and his eyes regained vision.

"Was that a hallucination?!"

With wide-open eyes, Sam looked left, right, up, and down.

'What was that? A dream?...'

Everything had felt real a moment ago, but after regaining his vision, he found himself staring at his right hand.

His eyebrow raised.

'How dumb of me!'

His fingers unconsciously pressed on his wristband.

Strength: 3

Agility: 4

Physique: 7

Spirit: 10

Endurance: 8/8 [Physique + 10% Spirit]

Rune Energy: 10/10 [Spirit]

Rune Abilities:

Special Abilities: Merge [Merge points: 1000]

His eyes blinked twice.

'I'm really hallucinating.'

Getting up from the table, his grip tightened.

Crunch!

The arm of the table shattered in his grip, unable to handle the sheer stress. The broken parts hung down on both sides, barely held together by the nails.

He stared dumbly at his hand.

'Am I really that strong?!'

This was his soul's response because, since childhood, it had been every boy's dream to break a chair arm with their grip, showing off to friends and impressing their crush.

"Wait, I broke the table arm!"

Reality dawned on him before he could fully enjoy it.