14 Scared
While Jim was unconscious, a pale green aura began spreading from his mangled hadn, moving up his arm and rotting it to the point where it was unrecognizable as a human limb. A golden light surfaced from his head and moved to his shoulder, forcing the pale aura backwards. Hours passed with the two mystical forces clashing, the golden arm attempting to repair his arm as it regained ground, finally the pale green aura was exhausted, it flickered out of existence, the golden light began it's work on the mangled flesh.
Jim woke with a start, his right arm was numb, looking over he found his hand to be in far better condition than before, but he couldn't move, nor the rest of his arm, he immediately started channeling Reiki through his left hand into his right, two hours passed before a slight tingle was felt, he released the breath he wasn't aware he was holding.
"Status."
[Name: Jim Garrett]
[Species: Human]
[Level: 7]
[Experience: 273/8,000]
[Job]
[Stats]
[Cultivation Realm: Lower Foundation]
[Qi: 140,912/241,372]
[Skills]
[Powers]
[System Functions Unlocked: Log, Status, Shop, Skill Assist, Cooking Assist, Level Up, Improved Rest, Stat Allocation, Inventory Lv. 2, Job System, Powers]
[Host, Nerve Damaged Detected, Muscle Atrophy Detected, Death Energy Detected, Recovery Progress 47% Complete]
Finding his level had increased, Jim was not particularly happy, that experience in the illusion barrier had shocked him, he was starting to feel invincible by running at speeds above other humans and blasting things apart with his fists, when suddenly he was reduced to helplessness and paralyzing fear. His hand no longer being in such an extremely bad state made him thank the Improved Rest function, but also made him aware it had its limits.
'What WAS that thing!?', The sudden appearance of such a strong monster was completely unexpected, the illusion barrier world was created by himself albeit using the system, so far all of the enemies had been managable. Thinking it over, if the pressure didn't fall on his that soundless extremely fast cloud would have reached him before he noticed what was happening, if he didn't already have the Fear Resistance and Willpower skills he would have just been unable to move at all.
'Unacceptable, I have to be more careful from now on.' Jim started entering the Illusion Barrier world to become stronger, he enjoyed the feeling of growth but wasn't one of those battle maniac story characters, a terrible creature that could kill him in an instant was not something he ever wanted to face again.
'I need to be tougher!', spending a long time pondering, Jim formed a resolve, his system allowed for growth at a ridiculous speed and the ability to break through human limits, Power and Speed were both useful, but it was meaningless if he just died in one hit, he needed an unbreakable Defense, as soon as possible, Jim began practicing Copper Body again.
[Copper Body Outer Technique Level Up]
[Copper Body Outer Technique Has Reached Level 5]
Jim was afraid of pain but the need to grow overwhelmed that fear, he took the spear out of his Inventory and slightly pressed the tip against his leg, he needed to test how tough he is, the skin bent with elasticity but wasn't punctured. Jim placed more pressure, he needed nearly his entire strength before the skin broke, he withdrew the spear before it sunk in too deep and started chanelling Reiki, the newly formed small pool of blood stopped coming out at a noticable pace. 'Not nearly enough'
He started actively circulating Copper Body, once his skin took on a bronze sheen he attempted to press down with the spear again, the elasticity of the skin seemed to be the same, but after applying slowly applying up to 100% strength didn't allow the spear to penetrate. Jim took a deep breath, lifted the spear up, and drove it down, the force of the blow penetrated the skin and some muscle, it was very painful, but not as much as he thought it would be.
[Piercing Resistance Skill Obtained]
[Sensory Control Level Up]
[Sensory Control Has Reached Level 2]
'Huh?' Jim began chanelling Reiki, once he was comfortable with the amount of healing done he investigated the skill list.
[Skills: Cooking Lv. 9, Appraisal Lv. 3, Focus Lv. Max, Reading Lv. Max, Fear Resistance Lv. Max, Willpower Lv. Max, Mental Corruption Resistance Lv. Max, Nausea Resistance Lv. Max, Distant Reading Lv. Max, Parallel Processing Lv. 3, Reiki Healing Technique Lv. 4, Copper Body Outer Technique Lv. 5, Jade Crane Inner Technique Lv. Max, Snow Treading Steps Lv. Max, Lower Dark Fist Technique Lv. Max, Iron Gut Lv. 1, Spearmanship Lv. 7, Surprise Attack Lv. 6, Pain Resistance Lv. Max, Physical Attack Resistance Lv. 2, Intimidating Presence Lv. 3, Qi Manipulation Lv. 9, Qi Battery Lv. 5, Soaring Immortal Bird Lv. 1, Bursting Thunder Steps Lv. 2, Great Dark Fist Lv. 2, Unarmed Combat Lv. 4, Punch Lv. 9, Lower Light Fist Lv. 1, Serene Mind Mental Technique Lv. 1, Pressure Resistance Lv. 1, Death Resistance Lv. 3, Magic Resistance Lv. 2, Indomitable Will Lv. 1, Sensory Control Lv. 2, Piercing Resistance Lv. 1]
Several things had changed, Fear Resistance and Pain Resistance had maxed out, Pressure Resistance, Death Resistance, Magic Resistance, Indomitable Will, and Sensory Control had been added, following the trend of a skill maxing and granting a derived skill, Jim assumed Indomitable Will and Sensory Control were generated this way, which means the other three had been generated independantly, That weight on his shoulders making him unable to move must be the Pressure. 'Oh god...' He realized one of them was resisting Death, just how close had he actually been to meeting his maker?
Calming himself down, he resumed training.
[Copper Body Outer Technique Level Up]
[Copper Body Outer Technique Level Max]
[Copper Body Outer Technique Derivation Skill - Iron Body Outer Technique Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Reiki Healing Technique Level Up]
[Reiki Healing Technique Level Max]
[Reiki Healing Technique Derivation Skill - Automatic Recovery Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Parallel Processing Level Up]
[Parallel Processing Has Reached Level 7]
[Piercing Resistance Level Up]
[Piercing Resistance Has Reached Level 8]
[Physical Resistance Level Up]
[Physical Resistand Has Reached Level 5]
[Bleeding Resistance Obtained]
[Bleeding Resistance Level Up]
[Bleeding Resistance Level Max]
[Bleeding Resistance Derivation Skill - Blood Generation Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Sensory Control Level Up]
[Sensory Control Has Reached Level 4]
[Qi Manipulation Level Up]
[Qi Manipulation Level Max]
[Qi Manipulation Derivation Skill - Qi Sense Obtained]
[Qi Battery Level Up]
[Qi Battery Has Reached Level 6]
Spending two days, Jim stayed cooped up in his room, if someone had entered they would have smelled blood and seen him sitting on the floor repeatedly stabbing himself while muttering under his breath, it was a rather disturbing sight.
Sensory Control had an interesting effect, Jim could focus and dial one of his senses up or down, lowering his feeling of touch to almost completely remove pain left him hardly able to hold the spear, he couldn't feel it in his hand anymore, Jim had to resort to feeling only half pain. His Hand and Arm had fully recovered by now, the wounds inflicted on his legs were healed in full without even leaving behind scar tissue every night.
Jim no longer felt anemic from blood loss after the first day, he guessed it was related to the Blood Generation skill, it had started at max level. Using Copper Body, Stabbing the Spear, healing with Reiki, and controlling his senses were performed at the same time. Jim could now stab at his abdomen with full force and just be pushed back slightly, Copper Body had been doing it's work, but he felt it wasn't enough, his small strength would surely pale in comparison to other existing creatures.
[Iron Body Outer Technique Level Up]
[Iron Body Outer Technique Level Max]
[Iron Body Outer Technique Derivation Skill - Steel Body Outer Technique Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Automatic Recovery Level Up]
[Automatic Recovery Has Reached Level 4]
[Piercing Resistance Level Up]
[Piercing Resistance Level Max]
[Slashing Resistance Skill Obtained]
[Slashing Resistance Level Up]
[Slashing Resistance Level Max]
[Crushing Resistance Skill Obtained]
[Crushing Resistance Level Up]
[Crushing Resistance Level Max]
[Physical Resistance Level Up]
[Physical Resistance Has Reached Level 7]
[Sensory Control Level Up]
[Sensory Control Has Reached Level 6]
[Qi Sense Level Up]
[Qi Sense Has Reached Level 3]
Another 3 days had passed, this training, if you could call it that, was painful and maddening. Qi Sense allowed him to feel all of the qi energy within his body, it was like having x-ray vision but only for himself. Near his chest Jim discovered a small darkly colored orb, reaching his senses into it revealed a lake of energy, he realized this must be his Dantian. Near the center of the lake were 10 clumps of qi reaching upwards like plants sprouting from the ground, he felt a boundless power from them and assumed they were his spirit roots. Searching around, Jim spotted what looked like a large green feather bird, it was completely still as though someone had taken a 3-dimensional photograph. Being able to sense inside his dantian would normally make him very happy, but he quickly lost interest in the face of his new focus.
Jim had purchased a short sword and club from the System Shop to gain more resistances, he was saddened by no derivation skill appearing from maxing them out. Jim felt he could now take a speeding bus to the chest and come out unharmed, but thinking of explosives and antitank rifles made him feel he was still too fragile, there may be mystical techniques that could far outstrip them, he didn't fall to fall prey to anything ever again, his hellish defense training continued.
[Steel Body Outer Technique Level Up]
[Steel Body Outer Technique Level Max]
[Steel Body Outer Technique Derivation Skill - Titanium Body Outer Technique Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Titanium Body Outer Technique Level Up]
[Titanium Body Outer Technique Level Max]
[Titanium Body Outer Technique Derivation Skill - Persistent Body Skill Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, Host Has Achieved Maximum Level In A Skill, Skill Max Gift Pack x 1 Awarded]
[Automatic Recovery Level Up]
[Automatic Recovery Had Reached Level 7]
[Physical Resistance Level Up]
[Physical Resistance Level Max]
[Physical Resistance Lv. Max, Piercing Resistance Lv. Max, Slashing Resistance Lv. Max, Crushing Resistance Lv. Max Confirmed - Conditions Fulfilled - Great Physical Resistance Skill Obtained]
[Parallel Processing Level Up]
[Parallel Processing Has Reached Level 9]
[Sensory Control Level Up]
[Sensory Control Has Reached Level 9]
[Qi Sense Level Up]
[Qi Sense Has Reached Level 5]
[Qi Battery Level Up]
[Qi Battery Has Reached Level 7]
*Crack, Crack, Crack*
This round of training caused unpleasant sounds to echo from Jim's body, it was a bit painful but strangely relaxing, like he had just let go of some invisible weight.
Finding his Qi had increased by 21,000, Jim had caught on by now that each level of Qi Battery seemed to follow the Fibonacci Sequence, each level giving sum of itself and the previous number * 10,000, with Qi Battery Level 7 his Qi Capacity had reached an astounding 581,372. Checking his skill list he was disappointed that Persistent Body was already Max Level, he decided to check it with appraisal
[Appraisal Level Up]
[Appraisal Has Reached Level 4]
[Persistent Body]
[Weak Points Removed, Body Continues Functioning Until Vitality Is Depleted, Body Reinforcement Techniques Now Persistent]
'Wait, weak points removed? What does that mean? I still have my brain, eyes, and throat.' After a bit of testing, he found that every part of his body had gained the effects of actively circulating Titanium Body despite not circulating it, including normally soft targets, it was like his entire body had suddenly gained an exoskeleton or barrier which was invisible and consumed no Qi.
Jim no longer had a body technique to practice and his physical resistance skills had reach maximum save for the new Great Physical Resistance, he felt it was finally time to stop this self inflicted torture, with the two granted while unconscious before, he had 8 Max Skill Gift Packs, he opened them immediately.
[Skill Max Gift Pack x 8 Opened]
[Congratulations Host, System Upgrade Module x 16 Obtained]
[Congratulations Host, 80,000 Points Obtained]
