Breaking the Body
Night swallowed the courtyard.
Kael sat alone, legs crossed, spine straight. A single candle flickered beside him, its flame bending slightly toward his body.
The Void Tempering Art stirred.
Stage 2 was not refinement.
It was destruction.
Kael guided his Qi inward, not to strengthen, but to compress.
Pressure built instantly.
His muscles tightened, then trembled. Bones vibrated violently, as if trying to crack from within.
Kael's breathing slowed.
"One step at a time," he murmured.
Pain surged.
Not sharp.
Crushing.
It felt as if his body was being squeezed by an invisible hand.
Kael's vision blurred. Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth and nose.
[Void Tempering Art: Stage 2 Initiated]
[Risk Level: Extreme]
Kael did not stop.
He focused on emptiness.
On letting go.
Muscle fibers tore apart, then collapsed inward. His skin flushed dark red, veins bulging unnaturally.
The candle flame went out.
Darkness filled the room.
Kael's heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Too fast.
Too strong.
His Qi began to spiral out of control.
[Warning: Structural Instability Detected]
[Collapse Probability: Rising]
Kael clenched his teeth.
"No," he whispered. "Not now."
He remembered the Trial Grounds.
The pressure.
The beasts.
The elders who tried to erase him.
Resolve hardened.
Kael forcibly stabilized his breathing and slowed the Qi flow by sheer will.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
The pain reached a peak—
and then—
dropped.
Suddenly.
Kael's body went still.
[Void Tempering Art: Stage 2 Completed]
[Condition: Survived]
[Effects:]
— Body Density: Major Increase
— Internal Stability Enhanced
— Physical Strength: + Significant
— Qi Storage: Expanded (Minor)
Kael collapsed backward, gasping.
His body felt heavy.
Unmovable.
But when he flexed his fingers—
the air trembled.
Kael slowly stood.
The wooden floor cracked under his foot.
He froze.
"…I need to be careful," he muttered.
Outside, dawn was breaking.
Three days had passed.
The duel was today.
The training arena was packed.
Disciples filled every tier, excitement buzzing in the air.
An elder stood at the center.
"Duel between inner disciple Lian Voss and outer disciple Kael," he announced.
"Rules: No weapons. No killing. Duel ends at submission or incapacitation."
Lian stepped onto the platform first.
Calm.
Confident.
Aura steady.
Kael followed.
He looked the same as always—
quiet.
Unassuming.
But the moment he stepped onto the stone—
the ground let out a low crack.
Lian's eyes narrowed.
"Interesting," he said. "You didn't collapse."
Kael met his gaze. "You'll be disappointed."
The elder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Lian moved instantly.
Fast.
Too fast for an outer disciple.
His fist cut through the air, aimed at Kael's chest.
Kael did not dodge.
He raised his arm.
Impact.
A deep boom echoed across the arena.
The stone beneath them shattered.
Gasps erupted.
Lian's smile vanished.
His arm went numb.
Kael stepped forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
Every step felt like a mountain pressing down.
Lian retreated instinctively.
"…What are you?" he whispered.
Kael's eyes were calm.
"Still standing," he replied.
And then—
he attacked.
Kael's first step landed like a hammer.
The stone platform cracked outward in a spiderweb pattern, fragments jumping into the air. Lian barely managed to retreat, his boots skidding as he forced distance between them.
"This isn't possible," Lian muttered. "Your aura—there's almost nothing!"
Kael didn't answer.
He moved again.
Not fast.
But inevitable.
Lian clenched his teeth and circulated his Qi fully. His muscles tightened, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin as he launched forward with a sharp shout.
A straight punch.
Clean.
Precise.
Inner disciple level.
Kael shifted his stance and met it head-on.
Their fists collided.
BOOM.
A shockwave exploded outward, forcing nearby disciples to stagger back. Dust filled the air. The elder overseeing the duel narrowed his eyes, reinforcing the formation silently.
Lian's arm trembled.
Pain surged from his knuckles all the way to his shoulder.
Kael, however, didn't move an inch.
"How—" Lian gasped.
Kael stepped in close.
Too close.
Lian reacted on instinct, throwing a knee toward Kael's ribs.
Kael caught it.
One hand.
The crowd froze.
Kael twisted his waist slightly and slammed his shoulder forward.
Lian was sent flying.
He crashed into the edge of the platform, rolling several times before barely stopping himself. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Silence fell.
"Get up," Kael said calmly.
Lian's eyes burned with humiliation.
"You think you've won?" he snarled.
He stood and roared, forcing his Qi to surge violently. His aura flared brighter than before, unstable but powerful.
Kael felt it immediately.
"He's burning his foundation," Kael thought. "Desperate."
Lian charged again, faster than before, unleashing a flurry of blows. Fists, elbows, kicks—each strike carried reckless force.
Kael retreated one step.
Then stopped.
He planted his feet.
Every strike landed.
Thud.
Thud.
Crack.
His clothes tore. His skin bruised.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"Is he tanking it?"
"He's not dodging!"
Kael endured.
Each hit sank into his dense body, spreading out, losing its bite. Pain existed—but it was distant, muted.
When Lian's breathing finally faltered—
Kael moved.
He grabbed Lian's wrist mid-strike and pulled.
Hard.
Lian stumbled forward.
Kael's palm struck his chest.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
Just heavy.
The sound was dull.
Like a drum wrapped in cloth.
Lian's eyes widened.
His body lifted off the ground.
He flew backward and slammed into the arena wall, collapsing in a heap.
The formation flickered.
Lian tried to stand.
His legs gave out.
He coughed violently, blood splattering the stone.
Kael walked toward him.
Step by step.
Each footfall echoed.
Lian looked up, fear finally breaking through his pride.
"Stop…" he whispered. "I yield—"
Kael stopped.
He looked down at Lian, expression calm.
"Good," he said. "Then remember this feeling."
He turned away.
The elder raised his hand sharply.
"The duel is over!" he announced. "Winner—Kael!"
The arena exploded.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Silence turning into noise.
An outer disciple had crushed an inner disciple—without weapons.
Kael stepped off the platform.
As he did, the system's voice echoed quietly in his mind.
[Duel Completed.]
[Result: Overwhelming Victory]
[Rewards:]
— Body Tempering: +8%
— Combat Experience: High
— Mental Suppression Resistance Increased
[Title Unlocked:]
— Unmovable Body (Passive: Damage dispersion)
Kael exhaled slowly.
He felt it.
His body was no longer just strong.
It was stable.
Unyielding.
From the stands, Elder Mo watched him intently.
"So this is your path," she murmured. "Density over brilliance…"
Elsewhere, in the shadows, eyes narrowed.
"This changes things," someone whispered. "We can't ignore him anymore."
Kael walked back toward his quarters.
The crowd parted instinctively.
No cheers.
No insults.
Only silence.
And respect.