Monstrous

"I'm really an idiot to take so much time to realize this simple solution." Prad chuckled, "Simply increasing the time to complete one combined circulation would decrease the load on my body, In addition I'll have to consume a large amount of food at regular intervals."

Prad ordered a delivery of dry fruits, canned food and energy drinks enough for 6 months of consumption, and meanwhile went for a shower. After freshing up, he changed in to a clean blue shirt and cozy black pajamas, shaved his beard and combed his hair. His thin face and lean body gave a graceful charm.

"Now this looks much more handsome, I don't know why the young people nowadays keep growing beard, even when it doesn't suit their face." Prad said while admiring his own face.

When the delivery arrived, he carefully opened the seal and after everything was placed inside, he hurriedly closed the door and activated the seal on his house again.

"It seems like the Prince still hasn't got the wind of me being alive." Prad said while looking at look at the large boxes of food.

The delivery couldn't be tampered otherwise the leading investigation cannot be avoided and he had a faint feeling that the Prince Sebas only had support of a small fraction of the Royal Family, Otherwise the news of him being here would have spread really quick.

After storing the food, Prad checked some random samples of food for potential poisoning, every sample turned out to be safe to eat, he had truly underestimated the status of Scholar's City, being the hometown of one of the five Legendary Heroes, the Scholar's City certainly had quite a unique status, even the actions of Royal and Aristocrats were quite limited.

Prad arranged the food neatly in an organised manner in his room and started to circulate his Chakras and chant the Matras, after completing this dual circulation at a much slower pace this time, he didn't felt much hunger and still felt his body absorbing a vast amount of power from surrounding.

He didn't stop to ponder upon it anymore and circulated the combination method again, making a series of complete combined circulation.

Slowly he can feel a faint and powerful whirlpool forming above him, which gathered the surrounding mana and environmental energy in a frenzy.

After an hour Prad couldn't hold his hunger anymore, thus he stoped cultivating and ate a large chunk of food and after that started cultivating again.

After 5 days he opened his eyes filled with genuine sadness, and said "I have finally reached Grade 1 of Level 0, but this rate is still slow, The repeated hunger keeps distracting me and as a result, I took one or two fold more time to reach Grade 1." If someone were hear him talking such words, then they'll quickly grab his collar and slap him twice. Anyone who could reach Grade 1 even in a couple of months would be a genius among geniuses, an idol for the current generation, but now Prad was unhappy to reach Grade 1 from Grade 0, in mere 5 days.

"I can't think of any better method, though it is surprising that despite eating so much, it seems like my body isn't gaining any fat, in fact it seems to have gained more mucles, coupled with the power stored within my body in the form of mana and environmental energy, I would be more than a fold stronger than an average Grade 1 minion." Prad said after some thought.

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The doorbell rings and Prad jolted back up on his feet, and said with surprise "Can the news of me being safe have already spread? But how could he have guts to send someone here, doesn't the Prince know that I have contacted enforecers and my house will be under surveillance, if someone tries to open my seal forcefully then the authorities will be immediately notified and reinforcement will arrive shortly."

Authorities will never pay such attention to everyone living in the Scholar's City, but as Prad being one of the Top Class talent of the Scholar's City, they were more than obliged to insure his safety, what more when he had submitted a request for protection.

Walking upto the door, Prad opens the CCTV footage of the door and notice a beautiful girl with long jet black hair, curvaceous body and delicate facial features standing in front of his door. Upon seeing her Prad smiled bitterly in his heart. "Looks like the Prince have really gotten the wind of me being alive, To think that he will actually send his cousin Shiba just to confirm about the news."

He knew that not opening the door would not change anything, his seal being active was enough proof of him arriving back to his house. Prad avoided hospitals for the same reason as it will lead to the news of his well-being spreading faster.

Outside Shiba was also shocked after seeing the seals of Ray's house being active, She knew that her cousing Sebas has taken actions to eliminate Ray, and the chance of him being alive was next to impossible after his soul was extracted, but the reality was opposite to all her beliefs. 'Ray really survived?.....the assassins made such a careless mistake?.....Those bunch of useless scums' Shiba thought in her mind.

Just when she was about to leave, The doors of the house opened and a lean youth weaing black pajamas and blue shirt walks out. 'So he really is alive' Shiba thought while looking at Ray, "Ray how are you? I was having trouble in my studies, can you help me?" She said with puppy eyes.

Prad laughed bitterly in his heart, The Royal family have tried to take his life and still have the guts to pretend to be innocent, going as far as to ask for private tutions? How laughable was it.

Despite knowing this he could not tell Shiba that he knew that Prince was behind his assassination attempt, because then the Royal family will try to take his life with all the resources they can dispose, along with trickery. But he still looked admiringly at Shiba and said "Though it will be my honor to be of a service to the Princess, but I have to ask for your forgiveness, I had recently stumbled into a problem while cultivating and have to stay in seclusion for some time."

How could he afford time to waste chatting with the Princess, though rejecting her will give a faint expression, that he knew who was behind his assassination but he couldn't care less. This was because the day for the second examination of Hero academy was near. He cannot miss his chance for being selected, Otherwise the Prince will find a way to deal with him sooner or later.

Shiba was surprised on listening to his response, she had never been rejected in her life before, Usually others would jump in queue to help her with any trivial task, but now she was rejected and that was even after she has pleaded for help in studies. How could she not feel bad. Could this young man in front of her have buttons instead of eyes?

'Can he know that Prince was behind his assassination attempt? No he is smart and would've tried to please me, if that was the case.' Shiba thought but still decided to narrate the incidence to the Prince, word by word. She then exchanged few more words of courtesies with Prad and then left.

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Inside his room Prad felt a sense of urgency and danger, he knew the matter was far from over, to secure his own little life he had to get stronger "I have to reach Grade 3 before the Examination or else I have to hide my face and run for my life."

After reaching grade 1, his rate of cultivation had increased and his hunger slightly decreased for the same amount of circulation. Now he can go on a hour and a half without eating. "I need to get my cultivation speed much higher to get to Grade 3 before the examination."

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Only a week was left before the competition when Prad opened his eyes glimmering with profoundness while a faint glow surrounded his body momentarily, "Grade 2 Finally!!!.... " Prad can't stop the emotions bubbling in his heart, According to the memories of Ray in his mind, He can feel that, although he had only reached Grade 2 but his power was much more than that of any other Grade 2 minion, infact he may be able to fight an average Grade 3 minion for some time, without any issues.

"It's time for the final spurt, even if I can't reach Grade 3 but I have to increase my power as much as possible." Prad said with determination in his eyes.

"But I'll have to order more food before that." Prad sighed, while looking at the empty containers that filled his house. He ate food, enough to last 6 months, within a single month. His appetite was also certainly beyond monstrous just like his cultivation speed.