Fading from Kaelen's chest came a glow - warmth throbbing inside. Not sharp or scorching, just heavy heat crawling beneath his flesh, moving slow with each thump of blood. Instead of fire, it felt thick - like molten rock seeping through veins.
Kaelen dropped to his knees, gasping hard. It felt wild. Seventeen years - this frame stayed wrecked, couldn't keep a hint of energy till this second when power ripped inside like it might tear everything apart.
"System," Kaelen bit through his teeth. "Status report. What is going on with me?"
[Responding to host. The 'Old Dragon Bone Training Method' reshapes your body slowly - melting out weaknesses while hardening bones like dragonhide, one piece at a time.]
[Progress: 40%... then 60%... now full at 100%.]
[Reconstruction complete.]
Kaelen hit the ground face-first, hands vanishing into soggy earth. Sweat streamed down, drenching what was left of his ragged blue cloak. Totally wiped out, he suddenly felt something wild - pure power surging through him, like back when he led troops on Earth.
He got to his feet. It happened smooth, like no effort at all.
To stand up was tough for Kaelen Vance - weak legs, sore back. But now he's light, almost weightless. His arms caught his eye. Gone was that pale, tender skin. Instead, tight muscle ran underneath, twisted like wire, not bulky like a gym rat, just dangerous-looking - more like a sprinter or climber made for quick bursts and hard hits.
"I need to check the inventory," Kaelen muttered. "I still have that potion."
He wanted to check the system menu. Inside the inventory spot was a tiny bottle filled with red stuff - Full Body Recovery Potion.
The method gave him power, yet a dull ache stayed deep inside from when he'd crashed down. He pressed the symbol - suddenly, a tiny vial appeared outta nowhere right in his palm.
He opened it, then gulped everything - left nothing behind. The taste? Like cherry medicine mixed with something burning sharp.
A chill ran down his body right away. His sore ribs? Gone. Scratches from the twigs closed fast - no marks left behind. Seconds later, he felt stronger than ever.
"System, now show me my stats," commanded Kaelen.
[Updated Status:]
Name: Kaelen Vance
Race: Human (Dragon Bloodline Initiated)
Cultivation Level: Body Tempering Realm - Stage 1
Health: 100% (Perfect Condition)
Strength: 15 (Average Adult Male: 10)
Agility: 18
Defense: 20 (Scale-Skin Effect Active)
Skills: Eyes of Truth (Level 1)
Kaelen smiled. "From a level 3 weakling to surpassing an average adult in minutes." Not bad.
His protection worked twice as well as a regular person's. The "Ancient Dragon" move wasn't something you took lightly.
Crack.
The snap of broken sticks from behind froze Kaelen stiff.
In his old days, that noise would've had him grabbing his gun fast. Now, without thinking, he crouched down sharp and whipped toward the sound.
A creature crawls out from the dense, knotted bushes - resembles a feral pig yet packs the weight of a compact vehicle. Dark gray hides cover its frame, hide tougher than stone, almost metallic. Two huge horns jut from its jaws, deadlier than blades. Hunger burns in its crimson stare.
[Target Identified: Iron-Hide Boar] [Level: 1 (Low-Tier Beast)] [Status: Aggressive]
A creature," he muttered quietly in Kaelen's past thoughts, sparking a flash of clarity - back then, something like that'd require a full squad with weapons just to bring it down. On his own, hurt like this? Total endgame.
The boar huffed, scraping dirt with its hoof - spotted a weak little person, ripe for eating.
"There you go, Bacon," taunted Kaelen, gesturing with his barren fist. "This'll put my new body to the test."
Let out a scream, then the boar rushed ahead.
It moved quick - surprisingly quick for its size. Dirt flew when it charged toward him, ready to stab with those sharp tusks.
Kaelen stayed frozen. Not scared - just buzzing with energy, pulse calm but sharp. Eyes tracked the boar's shift, weighing how fast, which way, when to move. Instead of panic, focus carved each thought.
Like breaking through in a mission, he figured. Hold back till the chance shows up.
Ten feet - then five. A step back, maybe less.
Just in time, Kaelen shifted position.
He stayed put. Instead of fleeing, he moved forward, spinning sideways - showing off how nimble he was with that 18 agility. The beast's tusk grazed past his gut, missing by just a few inches.
Fleeing the creature without thinking, yet managing to hit back.
With the force from twisting his body, he slammed a hard punch sideways at the boar's neck. Not some flashy move - just a raw, direct strike like soldiers use.
THUD!
It came across like a sledgehammer hitting a soaked sandbag.
"Squeeeeee!"
The huge creature cried out, yet its limbs gave way to the side. It was like punching solid concrete, still nothing cracked. His 'Dragon Body' stayed intact somehow.
Confusion flared in the boar's mind, mixed with fury. It twisted sideways, tumbling through filth, slamming against soil, spraying muck along with gore. Kaelen moved fast - no pause - and leapt onto its back, shoving hard using power from his frame. Again and again, he drove a blazing punch into its head.
One strike. Then another. After that, a third.
CRACK.
The skull cracked open - suddenly, the creature froze. No more twitching followed.
Kaelen stayed put for a second, sitting on the fallen beast, breathing hard. Blood coated his fingers, yet a wild thrill shot through him. By himself - no weapons - he'd taken down that thing. Just raw strength did it.
[Ding!]
[Target Eliminated: Iron-Hide Boar (Level 1)] [Experience Gained: 50 XP] [System Points Gained: 10]
Congrats - you just hit a new level. Right now, your training sits at Body Tempering Stage Two
A warm rush spread through his body. Because of that, the tiredness from the battle disappeared right away. His muscles tensed a bit - now they were tougher than before.
"Leveling up just by killing?" Kaelen laughed, standing up and wiping the beast's blood off his cheek. "This System is a cheat code. If I stay in this forest and hunt, I could become a god in a month."
He glanced toward the cliff where he'd tumbled down. Hundreds of feet tall, straight stone without breaks. Once, it trapped him. Today, only something in his way.
"But I don't have a month," he said, his voice turning cold. "I have a family reunion to attend."
Kaelen moved toward the foot of the cliff. His hands gripped the jagged rock as he stretched upward. A quick jerk lifted him off the ground. No effort needed. Fast like a spider crawling, he scaled it using holds others couldn't manage.
While climbing, his thoughts drifted to the old Vance house.
By now, Darius likely spread the word about Kaelen's fall. Chances are, they're faking sorrow but actually relieved - seeing him as nothing more than dead weight removed. Instead of real grief, there'll be a hushed ceremony, one meant for someone the family wanted to forget.
Kaelen hauled himself up past the cliff's rim, dropping quiet onto the grass - same spot he'd collapsed earlier that day.
The sun dipped low, splashing the heavens with streaks of deep orange and violet. Yet the breeze tugged at his ripped shirt.
He turned to where the Vance place glowed far off. A huge property it was, packed with open halls and small plazas, boxed in by tall barriers.
"You wanted me dead, Darius," Kaelen whispered to the wind. "You wanted the inheritance all to yourself. You wanted the title of Clan Heir."
He moved toward the lights, step by step, like something hunting. His rhythm didn't change - calm, focused, relentless.
"Too bad," Kaelen said, his eyes glowing faintly in the twilight. "The dead don't stay dead. And hell has come to collect."