Chapter 10: Growing Stronger and Rengoku?

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[World Hopping System]

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[Profile: Komiya Akio]

STR: 8

DEX: 11

VIT: 9

MP: 5

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Unassigned Points: 4

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"Hmm... What stat should I invest in...." Akio contemplated whilst looking at his profile.

"MP would be the obvious choice as that would probably increase how many times I can cast my skills and their potency. But for now, I'll just invest my points on all my other stats so it becomes even. I can't go wrong with it if I do it this way. My abilities are good, but I shouldn't rely on them too much with just my reaction time. I might encounter enemies that are resistant to my skills. If such a thing happens... I'm screwed."

"Okay! Let's see what happens when I invest 1 point in STR!"

With that decision, Akio invested 1 point into his strength. Akio could immediately feel a change in his body: his chest and muscles felt as if they were being stretched and tightened, whilst his bones felt as if they were being fortified. 

Then, he felt a constant acute pain in every corner of his body before the pain suddenly spiked!

"I can't catch a break! Why's it so painful!" Akio grumbled with an annoyed expression. Though, he seemed to be taking it much easier compared to when his arm got sliced off.

However, just as the pain suddenly increased, it also went away just as fast before Akio was left with a feeling of extreme relief and comfort.

"That's much better!" Akio exhaled in comfort as all his muscles seemed to relax.

Akio simply picked up a small rock before clenching it in his fist as hard as he could.

*Crack. Crumble*

"Huh... My strength has noticeably increased. I did that rather effortlessly. If I were to estimate, my strength probably increased by 20-30 percent." Akio pondered, scrutinising the crushed-up rock on his palm.

"Let's now invest another point into STR before placing the rest into VIT so all my basic attributes would be at 10 or higher.

Akio briefly spent a few seconds–mentally preparing himself for another session of pain– before pressing on STR to add a point into it.

The moment Akio placed the point, he suddenly felt a burning sensation slowly enveloping him.

"Hoh? It's quite warm and comfortable. Maybe my body adapted to the sudden increase in strength?" Akio contemplated.

"It's much better than the first time I did it. The burning sensation is quite pleasan–"

Before Akio could finish his sentence, like a volcano suddenly erupting, the burning sensation intensified to a terrifying level. Akio's vision became fuzzy and blurry as he was about to fade into unconsciousness due to the sudden pain. Akio couldn't even muster any energy to voice out anything as his mind was occupied by the torturing pain.

Akio could feel all his cells and organs heating up as his blood, that was circulating all over his body, felt as if it was boiling inside him. 

Akio was sweating a river, however, it quickly evaporated due to the temperature of his skin, creating steam that was coming off of him.

His bones also wasn't spared. He felt as if his bones were reaching unimaginable temperatures as if they were being smelted in a furnace, slowly being refined.

After a few seconds–that felt like an eternity to Akio– the pain quickly dissipated: leaving him half conscious and barely standing.

Akio gradually regained his bearings as his cognitive functions slowly returned to him.

"...How painful! What the hell!? Why does investing points hurt so much! Do I have to experience this kind of pain every time I do this? And, why did investing a point this time felt as if I was dropped inside the sun! I felt like I was getting scalded and burned alive for an eternity!" Akio complained. Rightfully so.

However, as Akio slowly recovered from getting tortured, his body felt extremely light. All his muscles seemed to have been destroyed and rebuilt to perfection! 

Akio traced his muscles with his fingers and noticed that they were a lot denser, compact and more firm. Akio has always been quite lean as he has always been quite the athletic individual, however he could clearly notice all his unnecessary body fat had been removed. 

"What the!? Why was there such a drastic change? I only invested two points and this was the result?" Akio pondered, slightly confused.

"No... that shouldn't be the case... it's more likely that it was due to my STR passing the threshold of a regular human. That would also explain why my reaction time is so ridiculous. If my theory on dexterity was correct of course. If dexterity also increases reaction time... since it also passed into the 10 point threshold, that would mean there would have been a major boost as well." Akio analysed.

Akio's reaction time was what led to him easily killing the demon. The demon was extremely quick, especially his attacks that could be launched and hit a target in a blink of an eye. However, even so, Akio could clearly see the demon's attack, yet his body couldn't keep up. This was what led to his arm being sliced off.

"Let's test my increase in power!" Akio uttered.

Akio swiftly arrived before a tree that seemed quite sturdy. He took a casual stance before delivering a full powered kick without any proper technique.

Akio could hear the whiplash sound from the momentum generated by his right leg as his shin impacted on the trunk of the tree

*CRUNCH!*

After Akio performed the kick, he took a few steps back to see the results of his new found strength.

"Holy shit! The trunk of the tree has a deep dent on it from the impact of just one of my kicks! This increase in strength is crazy! I can easily snap someone's neck with this one kick!" Akio spoke internally, impressed by his increase in power.

"I wonder what would happen if I also increase my vitality to 10..." Akio pondered, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Whewww." Akio breathed out heavily whilst frowning slightly. "I'm a little hesitant to break my threshold for VIT, if I am going to experience a similar pain to what I just felt a moment ago. That was a hellish experience!" Akio muttered.

...

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...

Akio thought deeply about what he wanted to do, thinking carefully if he wants this for himself. On one hand, he gets much stronger. On another hand, he would experience immense agony...

"Eh, whatever! Feel the pain now! Complain later!" Akio decided, before putting the rest of his points into vitality.

With each point invested, he anticipated the familiar burning sensation. However, to his surprise, as he reached 11 points in vitality and was patiently waiting for the torturous pain, a unique sensation enveloped him.

Instead of the expected pain, Akio felt as if a surge of rejuvenation and vitality was flowing through his veins. The warmth spread across his body, not scalding or torturous, but rather invigorating. Akio's muscles, organs, and bones had once again underwent a transformation, not characterized by agony, but, this time, by a sensation akin to a soothing massage.

As the vitality rapidly increased, Akio noticed a profound change in his overall well-being. Breathing felt easier, and his bodily functions seemed to synchronize seamlessly. His body felt more robust, his heartbeat seemed to be much stronger and healthier.

Like the stat suggests... He was brimming with vitality!

With each breath, Akio felt a rush of vigor and energy coursing through him. 

"This... was what I expected when increasing my stats! Comfortable and satisfying!" Akio thought, happy he didn't experience that burning pain again.

"It seems strength and vitality complements eachother. They are both similar, but both equally important. Strength is like water, and vitality is like the cup... if I invest too much into strength without also increasing my vitality, my body won't be able to handle the vast rise in strength!"

"Perhaps that's why the pain was so immense! If I increase my vitality before I increase my strength, I wonder if the pain will disappear, or, at the very least reduce when adding points to STR." Akio thought.

Akio glanced at his new stats.

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[World Hopping System]

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[Profile: Komiya Akio]

STR: 10

DEX: 11

VIT:11

MP: 5

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Unassigned Points: 0

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"Let's go back home now, hopefully my new parents don't notice that I've left or i'll have to come up with a good excuse."

As Akio made his way out of the forest and traced his steps back into the field he had fought the demon in, he noticed a man near the house he had found the pale demon devouring a family inside.

The man had flame coloured hair and was wearing the traditional demon slayer uniform. However, what was unique was the white haori he was wearing that had flame patterns at the end of it. Furthermore, one could also see his sheathed katana by his waist and a black crow on his shoulder.

"Huh... What's Rengoku doing here?" Akio contemplated internally. He knew this person as he was an important character within the anime. He was a hashira! A rank given to the most elite of demon slayers! 

Rengoku easily sensed Akio as he casually swivelled his head his way, his golden coloured eyes seemingly scrutinising Akio.