[Escape -1]

"Huff. Whoo."

In the pitch black room with nothing but a bed.

Sitting in a lotus position in the center of the room was a figure wrapped entirely in bandages, breathing in and out.

"Huff. Whoo." 

Each time he inhaled and exhaled, the area around him seemed to ripple and sway.

"Huff. Whoo!"

The moment he breathed three times, his eyes snapped open, glinting grey.

[Ding! Accumulating breath has risen to 7th stage.]

[Ding! Accumulating breath has been changed to the set 1st stage.] 

[Ding! With the 1st stage of accumulating breath, a dantian will be created.]

[Ding! Please designate a location for the dantian.]

The grey light flowing from his eyes condensed into a single orb. 

Staring at it, he murmured:

"Top of the head."

At his words, the grey orb swiftly flew up and pierced the center of his forehead, settling inside his head.

[Ding! Please select a power to apply to the dantian.] 

"The power of wood."

[Ding! Applying the power of wood. Breathe while visualizing the breath incantation.]

Following the voice's instructions, he slowly breathed in and out.

"Huff. Whoo."

'Wood is a tenacious lifeforce that stretches forth.'

"Huff. Whoo." 

'Adapting to any circumstance, growing on its own.'

"Huff. Whoo."

'I shall survive in any situation.'

[Ding! Wood breath incantation registered successfully.]

[Ding! From now on, just breathing will activate wood breath.]

"Yes!!"

He clenched his fist tightly and cheered loudly.

"Haha! How do you like that, damned God!"

\--------------------------------------------------

Finally, accumulating breath reached the true 1st stage.

The breathing techniques I created in middle school were modeled after internal energy cultivation methods. When accumulating breath reached the 7th stage, it would turn into the true 1st stage. A dantian would form, and whenever I used accumulating breath after that, I could build up the power of whichever breath technique I applied to the dantian, just by breathing.

"In other words, just using accumulating breath daily is the same as using wood breath."

In game terms, it's a combo skill!

In computer terms, it's multitasking!

"And there's one hidden function!" 

Looks like it just materialized my breathing techniques, but the most OP part is:

"At true 1st stage, just breathing makes me stronger!"

I got the inspiration from the invisible dragon that gets stronger just by walking.

From now on, every breath will give me the effects of two accumulating breaths, and also heal my body through wood breath.

"Hehehe."

I designed wood breath based on the tenacious vitality of trees that survive through any climate, growing sturdily. At higher levels, it can even regenerate severed limbs.

"First priority is staying alive. Survive first."

They're ignoring the bastard child dying from full body burns, but if I don't die, their suspicions will naturally grow. 

From this body's memories, the two sons here want me dead.

"Probably been about a year." 

About 9 months left since 3 months have passed for me.

"There's no time."

It's long but also short.

If they come bursting in tomorrow instead of waiting the full year, I'm dead meat.

"Explain accumulating breath."

[Ding! Displaying explanation for accumulating breath.]

[Accumulating Breath (True 1st Stage) : Each breath absorbs the surrounding energies into the body and dantian. The effects of basic accumulating breath are doubled. At true 7th stage, an additional dantian will form.]

Good, it's as I designed it.

"Praise me, past middle school me who designed this!"

My goal going forward is making at least 2 more dantians. 

Then I'll get 4x effects per breath.

"Just you wait, OP-ness! I'll attain you!"