19 Body Foundation
As soon as Rain drank the elixir, an excruciating pain shot through his body, causing his bones to crack and his muscles to tense up.
Black liquid oozed out of his pores, and it felt as though his body was being ripped apart from the inside out.
'It hurts like hell,' Rain thought, but he forced himself to remain silent, knowing that any noise could attract unwanted attention.
***
After what felt like an eternity, the pain subsided somewhat, and Rain cautiously opened his eyes to assess the damage.
He was covered in a thick, oily substance that smelled of rotten eggs.
Bits of skin clung to his body, and he could feel a slick film covering his skin.
'This is just like those Wuxia cultivation novels,' Rain thought, marveling at the strange, otherworldly sensation coursing through his veins. 'Maybe my rank has gone up.'
"First, let's get a bath," he muttered to himself, trying to ignore the nauseating stench emanating from his body.
Rain had known what to expect when he drank the elixir, so he had prepared a portable bathroom in advance.
The bathroom was a small, collapsible tent that he could easily pack up and carry with him on his adventures.
As he scrubbed himself clean, Rain noticed several changes in his body.
He had developed new muscles, and he could now clearly see six-pack abs and biceps.
His body had become more toned, but not so much that he looked like a giant.
Rain started flexing his arms, admiring the newfound strength.
He could feel the tightness in his muscles, and he could hear the faint sound of sinews stretching as he moved.
He had grown around two centimeters taller, and he felt a newfound ease and agility in his movements, as if his body had been waiting for this moment for years.
'Is it because my previous rank is restoring?'
As Rain basked in the afterglow of his transformation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
'Let's see my stats then,' he thought, eager to test out his newfound abilities.
═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═
╠═⌠ Status⌡═╣
►Name: Rain Holmes
►Title : Reincarnator
►Age : 19 years
►Rank : E Grade ( -E -> E)
►Strength: E ( -E -> E)
►Health : E+ ( E -> E+)
►Stamina : E ( -E -> E)
►Charm : A- (B+ -> A-)
►Intelligence: B-
►Mana : F+ (F -> F+)
►Luck : C
═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═
Rain sat in the dimly lit cave, feeling the effects of the elixir he had consumed the previous night.
As he counted his gains, he couldn't help but smile to himself.
'My rank has risen,' he thought to himself. 'I'm stronger and have more stamina now.'
He ran his fingers over his skin, which had become much smoother and paler since he had started taking the elixir. "My charm has broken through to A-," he thought, admiring his appearance. "I look better than ever before."
Contrary to popular belief about the foundation-building elixir, its primary purpose was not to increase strength but rather to sculpt the body into proper shape for training.
As a result, it proved to be more beneficial for lower-ranked individuals. Once your body has been extensively modified as a high-ranker, its effectiveness diminishes compared to when you're at a lower rank.
After all, it's foundation building elixir not strength building elixir.
'This elixir also healed most of the hidden injuries I had.'
While training, it was quite natural to sustain some injuries. Sometimes even though treat them, a prat of that injury might remain.
And Rain had lot of them. Yup, lot of them.
As he continued to assess his gains, Rain felt a surge of relief when he realized that his Mana had increased.
'I'll be able to use it more freely now,' he thought, feeling a sense of excitement.
In this world, Mana wasn't just for mages; many people like Rain use it for body strengthening and mana swords as well.
After that, he began examining the items he had acquired from the corpses he had encountered inside.
Among them was a high-tier space ring, which he knew was incredibly valuable.
He also got a collection of mid-tier and low-tier weapons, but many of them were broken or rusted, and he didn't have much use for them.
After considering his options, he decided to sell most of the weapons to make some extra money.
However, there was an unexpected gain. He got a gun! Yes, a gun!
After the change, one reliable guns became less powerful compared to other weapons, causing most people to stop using them.
However, some high-ranking families still train their children to use guns for self-defense.
Moreover, there were also magic guns and hi-tech gun but people rarely use them.
Rain was trained in using guns and had intermediate skills in marksmanship. However, like his proficiency in swordsmanship, he found that his proficiency in Marksmanship also decreased.
But now he possessed an artifact gun and decided to use it in battles.
►[Thunder Eagle: Rare mid-tier
Details:
It is a semi-automatic handgun, which lookes like a pistol.
It has a magazine capacity of 12 rounds. It has weight of 5.5 kgs with magazine.
Effects:
-Increase the accuracy of its wielder's attacks at long ranges (Upto 100 meters).
-Create a localized electromagnetic pulse (EMP) upon firing, temporarily disabling nearby electronic devices.
-Stun its targets with a thunder bullet (1-2 seconds).]
Rain examined the details of the gun, noting that while it wasn't as rare or special as some other weapons, it was still a good firearm.
He made a mental note to upgrade it in the future, envisioning the benefits it would bring.
With this gun, he could excel at long-range shooting and improve his marksmanship, and his hunting speed would increase as well.
After carefully checking the area, Rain left the cave, knowing he still had many hidden treasures to uncover elsewhere.
He didn't want to stay on the mountain any longer, as the killing aura there had the potential to corrupt his mind or put him in danger.
'I don't know when that evil organization will come to raid this place,' Rain thought to himself. 'If I happen to run into them, it could mean game over for me. They're a bunch of lunatics, after all.'
***
After descending from the mountain for about an hour, Rain reached the foot of the Red Mountain.
Even though his rank had improved, it was still dangerous for him to wander around here, and he knew the dangers increased the higher he went on the mountain.
"Someday I'll come back here, but not now," Rain resolved, gazing up at the top of the mountain.
Once he had left the mountain behind, he took out his Space Sprinter from his space ring and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, I didn't run into anyone," he thought.
"Next stop: Silver Mine. Let's go."
***
After a few days since Rain had left Blood Mountain, the air was still heavy with the stench of death.
Although the mountain was supposed to be quiet, today there was an unusual disturbance.
A group of individuals, cloaked in black coats with strange markings, made their way up the mountain.
Their faces were obscured by hoods, and they left destruction in their wake, showing no mercy to monsters, trees, or rocks.
As they approached the cave where Rain had once resided, the leader, a tall and muscular man, barked out orders.
"Check every nook and cranny. Search everywhere. Bring anything you find to me first."
Without hesitation, the group began to scour the area, digging up the graves that Rain had made and even taking the bones of the deceased for experimentation.
Suddenly, one of the members called out to the leader, "Elder, there is something written over here."
The tall man approached the person, his eyes bright with curiosity.
"Show me. It could be an important clue to a legendary artifact or hidden information. Step aside."
The person pointed to a boulder, where some words had been engraved.
As the tall man read the inscription, his expression grew increasingly intense.
[ "Your greed has crossed the line. You shouldn't have come here. However, I knew you the sole regret of the universe will surely come here. Take this advice from your true Father. Smash this stone and return to your pigsty, you uncultured swine. How much I wished I had used protection when I spent that night with your mother, Elder Burion. You should know..."]
Elder Burion's hands shook as he read the message. He didn't even finish before he bellowed, "Who was the bastard that wrote this?"
Veins bulged on his forehead as he infused his leg with mana and smashed the stone with all his might.
"KABOOM!!"
Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the cave. Above them, boulders broke loose and tumbled down, crashing into the rocky ground with deafening force.
The sound was overwhelming, a cacophony of destruction that seemed to surround them.
Panic gripped Elder Burion as he looked for safety. But it was too late.
The ground beneath him gave way, and he was thrown into the air as the cave exploded around him.
Debris and dust filled his vision, blinding and choking him.
As the dust settled, he struggled to regain his senses.
His body was battered and bruised, and a sharp pain throbbed in his leg.
He forced himself to his feet, using his flashlight to survey the disaster around him.
The cave had collapsed, with rocks and debris strewn everywhere.
A massive landslide had occurred, blocking off the exit and trapping him and his team deep within the cave.
His heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation.
He was alone, injured, and trapped with no way out.
The acrid scent of dust and rubble filled his nostrils as he cursed the one who triggered the trap that sealed their fate.
