Skill Farming...

~Omniscient Pov~

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Yohan's laughter filled the small entryway, echoing off the walls... He could barely believe his luck. "A physique," he muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. Physiques were extremely rare, practically legendary in some circles, and here he was, sitting in his own home with the power he had gotten after a simple scuffle.

Not only did he get a new physique, but he even acquired a much better level of physical talent than before, going from F- to D-, which was technically a massive jump in its own right...

He leaned his head back against the door, a grin still plastered on his face. "One of a kind, huh? Not anymore." Without a moment's hesitation, he accepted the plundered skills he had gotten. However, the pain this time was different.

Yohan's body convulsed, every muscle tightening as an overwhelming surge of pain shot through him. His grin vanished instantly, replaced by a grimace as he doubled over, clutching his chest. It felt as if his bones were being pulled apart, stretched, and then shattered only to be reformed again. His muscles tensed and twisted under the pressure, every nerve in his body screaming in protest.

"Arghh…!" he groaned, his voice barely escaping his throat as he collapsed to the floor. This wasn't like before. The previous plunder had been painful, sure, but this? This was something else entirely. It felt as if his very existence was being rewritten, his body undergoing a violent metamorphosis to accommodate the sheer change of the physique he had stolen...

No, he knew it was...

His vision began blurring, dark spots dancing at the edges of his sight as the waves of agony crashed over him. It was like his body was rejecting the change before finally giving in, each second dragging on for what felt like an eternity. Yohan's fingers clawed at the floors, trying to find some anchor to hold onto as his muscles spasmed disgustingly, his muscles kept dislocating themselves, with his chest feeling as if something was digging it out of his chest.

'Why!!!... why is this so much worse?!!' he thought, teeth clenched, every breath a battle. He felt his bones crack and reform, his muscles expanding and reshaping, forcing his body to adapt to the newfound strength. The process was brutal—merciless even—but deep down, he knew it was necessary. This was the price for a stolen power, and he would pay it. He had to.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the pain began to subside... Yohan lay there, panting, drenched in sweat, his body still trembling from the aftershocks. Every inch of him felt different—stronger as if it was more resilient—but also heavier.

"Urgh..." He groaned for a bit and slowly got up. He couldn't stay here either, he felt as if he wanted to regurgitate whatever he had eaten from what he had just gone through...

'Fight through it... just fight through it...' he repeated in his head, gritting his teeth. Every step was a battle against his own body as he stumbled toward the bathroom. With every wobbling movement, his legs threatened to give out from beneath him, but he couldn't stay on the floor. Not now...

He reached for the door, fingers shaking as he pushed it open, feeling a faint sense of relief wash over him as he saw the sink. Barely making it to the edge, he leaned over, clutching the sides for support as his stomach turned violently.

Yohan gripped the sink tightly, knuckles whitening as he fought the sensation of his insides churning. His reflection in the mirror was pale, sweat dripping down his brow. He took a shaky breath, trying to hold himself together.

Then, without warning, it all hit him at once. His body jerked, and he retched into the sink, the force of it almost knocking him off balance. Every muscle in his body felt like it was being torn apart as the transformation continued.

He barely managed to stay standing, his entire body trembling as if it was being rewritten at a molecular level.

As the pain slowly started to ebb, he spat the last of the bile into the sink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "W-What the hell... was that?" he muttered, staring into his own exhausted eyes in the mirror. But when he glanced towards it, he could see it...

His reflection... Something's changed, 'My... My shoulders, have they gotten wider? And, my chest... Was it always this wide?' He wondered if he was going crazy from all this, maybe he really needed to lie down from what he had just gone through. Yet, when he began to question it, he remembered he had taken two talents that gave him broad shoulders and a full chest...

Yohan blinked, still gripping the sink as his gaze remained locked on his reflection. His shoulders were undeniably broader, and his chest had expanded slightly, giving him a much fuller, more fuller appearance, despite being skin and bones. It wasn't his imagination—he had definitely changed.

'So, it's real... The talents are affecting me physically now...' he thought, a strange mix of awe and disbelief washing over him. He ran his fingers over his shoulders, feeling the new width beneath his skin. The transformation had been a bit subtle, but it was there, unmistakable.

He scoffed and wondered how this worked. If the chest and shoulder talents were true... Doesn't that mean the height he took was also real? 'Still, why were these talents though? They didn't provide me much, if any tactical beni-' He stopped the thought.

Broad shoulders and full chests might not be talents for combat purposes... 'Being tall is a talent for basketballers, having broad shoulders for models, and chest for body-builders... It actually makes sense.'

Talents weren't limited to just metaphysical bonuses or even physical bonuses that solely boosted his stats or senses. They were just anything that gave him an edge in the real world, likely in all aspects of it, whether combat-wise or not.

He smiled, "It's a damn good thing that I brought such loose clothing. It really came in handy." He wouldn't have to worry about clothing for a decent while...

Though thinking over it for a moment, he held his chin firmly, 'If I got this much from just one person, how much more could I get if I beat the rest of those arms wrestlers? I could potentially gain more skills...' Thinking of it further; a psychotic smile slowly formed on his face.

'I think I just found a farming spot...'

Yohan took a pleasant bath that night...

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~Omniscient Pov, the next day~

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'Why do I feel Yohans changed lately...' She looked at her oddly for the past few days. He had been acting slightly different. But, the changes were for the better in her eyes. He used to sleep and stay in the house day in and day out. Reading books was his entire forte', but now...

Worried, she took her time and walked up to his room. As she got closer, she heard what she perceived to be small grunts of pain...

"Yohan, are you alright!?" She barged in, however, all she saw was her son's form now sweaty. Doing exercises... This was not what her son usually did when he was alone.

"Uh... Mom... What are you doing?" Yohan stopped his push-ups and looked curiously.

"I... Uh-I was just checking on you, to see if you were ok..." She said, not hiding her fascination well. 

Yohan just shrugged, "I'm fine, thanks for checking up on me..." After he said that, he continued right back to doing whatever he was doing. His mother just looked a bit worried, but she wouldn't question his development...

"Alright... Breakfast will be ready soon..." She sighed, and slowly closed back the door...

'Huh... That was a bit weird.' Yohan ignored it and continued his workout, 'Let's aim to get my strength, and agility endurance to 8 before my few days are finished.

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And so, this was what Yohan's new schedule consisted of. Exercising until he hits his limits, next was arm wrestling the men at the bar he found in the night. Which was Prince and repeated for the past 4 days, constantly.

Currently, he was currently on his last day until he would go back to the academy... And at this very moment, this was his night of arm wrestling...

The crowd in the dimly lit bar roared with excitement as Yohan locked hands with a hulking man, his muscles bulging as he strained against Yohan's grip. The wooden table between them creaked under the pressure, and Yohan's face remained calm, though his body was nearing its limit. It was the fourth night of this routine—pushing himself to the absolute edge in every way possible.

"Come on, kid! Don't give up now!" one of the men shouted, his voice barely audible over the cheering and jeering from the onlookers.

Yohan gritted his teeth, feeling his arm shake under the weight of his opponent's strength. His newfound physique and plundered abilities had given him more than just raw power—they'd given him endurance, resilience, and overwhelming control, this little rendezvous all it did was just sharpened them further

With a huff and sudden burst of strength; Yohan slammed the man's hand down onto the table. The crowd went wild, and the man slumped back, panting. Yohan barely broke a sweat, though his arm tingled from the effort.

"That's it?! Thought you'd put up more of a fight," Yohan said with a slight smirk, flexing his fingers as if loosening them up.

The man glared at him, but there was respect in his eyes now, as with many others who had underestimated Yohan these last few nights. The word had spread quickly about the "young kid" who took down seasoned fighters without breaking much of a sweat.

The crowd was still chanting as Yohan stood up, nodding to the men. "Alright guys, I think I'm done for the night."

As he turned to leave, one of the older men clapped him on the shoulder. "You got some real strength there, kid. Don't burn yourself out before you go back to the academy, though."

Yohan nodded, giving a small smile, but his thoughts were elsewhere. 'I need to keep pushing myself... No matter what,' he thought as he left the bar, his mind wandered over the skills he had gotten over the past few days...

'System..'

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Mental Growth Rate: {C+}

Passive Skills;

Enhanced Grip Strength {B}: Increases grip strength by +400%, providing an extraordinary advantage in any activity requiring strong hand or finger pressure. This significantly enhances control and force application for any task requiring grip.

Endurance Mastery {B}: Increases resistance to fatigue build-up by +60%, allowing for prolonged physical exertion without a drop in performance, ideal for continuous bouts of arm-wrestling over several days.

Stamina Boost {C+}: Grants a +40% boost to stamina reserves, reducing recovery time and allowing individuals to maintain peak physical performance for extended periods.

Pressure Adaptation {C}: Increases resilience to the buildup of muscle strain and joint pressure by +35%, reducing the likelihood of injuries or performance drops from prolonged strain.

Pain Tolerance {C}: Increases resistance to physical pain by +30%, allowing you to push your limits without being overwhelmed by discomfort or strain-related pain.

Joint Flexibility {C-}: Improves wrist and elbow flexibility by +20%, reducing the risk of injury from awkward or high-torque positions.

Talents;

Muscle Density Enhancement {B-}: Increases muscle density and size by +50%, giving the appearance of thicker, more defined muscles, particularly in the arms, shoulders, and chest. This talent enhances overall strength and endurance while increasing the physical intimidation factor.

Vein Prominence {C+}: Enhances vascularity, making veins more prominent in the arms, forearms, and neck. This improves blood flow and oxygen delivery during physical exertion, enhancing both stamina and recovery speed by +25%.

Bone Reinforcement {C}: Strengthens the bones of the arms and wrists, increasing bone density by +35%, making them much more resilient to stress and fractures. This talent adds a slightly bulkier, more solid appearance to the forearms and wrists, enhancing physical toughness...

Tendon Durability {C+}: Increases the durability of tendons by +30%, providing superior resistance to injury from repetitive or high-pressure movements. This also improves overall grip and pulling strength by +20%.

Muscle Tone Refinement {C}: Refines muscle tone, giving the muscles a more aesthetic and defined look, whilst increasing muscle control by +20%.

Posture Optimization {D+}: Enhances overall body posture, making individuals appear more upright and confident. This increases your balance and core stability, as well as reducing fatigue during long physical strains by +50%.

Sharp Facial Features {B-}: Gives the user a more pronounced facial structure; such as the eyes, jawline, nose, and eyebrows...

Thin Waist {B-}: This talent decreases your waist size by 4 inches... It greatly reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases; such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers by +20%.

Enhanced memory {C+}: Allows you to retain and process information by +75%.

Strong Quads {C-}: Your quad musculature is dance and refined. Increase your movement speed, and jump power by +25%.

Full calves {C}: Your calves are full and aesthetic, yet powerful. It greatly increases your movement speed and jump power by +35%.

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He had just gotten the last five talents, as well as the last four passive earlier; Now he needed to go home and merge them into himself... Especially the mental rate he had acquired, which in itself was a massive boo-

As he made his way home, his ears picked up a conversation nearby. A man's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Haven't you heard? There are rumors of people being sucked dry and left on the streets dead. Likely a Vamp's..." The voice trailed off, but Yohan's interest piqued for a brief moment.

Vampires? He hadn't come across one yet, thankfully; but hearing about them now stirred up some worry in him... Especially since they and werewolves could blend into society almost perfectly... With that thought, Yohan picked up the pace. Not for himself, but for his mother.

Just because of that, he'd likely need to keep an eye out for her. However, on the way, going back to the academy was still weighing on his mind... 'I'm still so weak.' He bit his lower lip...

However, he was planning on rectifying that little issue.

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END