The energy surged through his body at lightning speed, and in a short time, his arm was fully regenerated—from the site of the cut to the tips of his fingers.
Dante began to move his hands; they still felt slightly strange, but overall, it was infinitely better than not having a hand at all.
But there was still one drop of Spiritual Milk left. Dante took it. This time, the essence was absorbed by his body, and a colossal torrent of mana poured into his Dantian, filling it completely.
Then, an explosion of mana erupted inside him. The energy expanded in all directions, racing through his meridians.
They began to open at an incredible speed. First, the muscular meridians: mana coursed through every fiber, violently tearing them open.
40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 120, 144… all opened within seconds, all through his muscles.
Next came the vein meridians. Mana mixed with his blood, sweeping away impurities as it advanced.
36, 49, 61, 75, 92, 116…
Then the bone meridians. Energy penetrated the bones, seeking the small hidden pathways.
18, 26, 36, 41, 52, 60…
Then the organ meridians, carefully traversing each tissue, liberating them from hidden blockages.
12, 19, 24, 29, 31, 36…
Finally, the meridians of the mind. As the mana reached his brain, the sharp, tearing pain of mental expansion struck Dante, as always—the only persistent pain.
4, 6, 8, 10, 12…
Forty percent of his meridians were now open. Mana flowed back into the Dantian, forming a small whirlwind above it.
Threads of mana gathered into the vortex, gaseifying and breaking through his level limits.
Clack, clack.
Dante's body resonated with the sound of cracking. His mana became gaseous, spreading throughout his body. He felt his level rise rapidly to the peak of four stars before the energy dissipated, releasing a deep, satisfied sigh.
Dante stood, brimming with vigor. The gaseous mana coalesced in his hand, and with a powerful punch, he struck the wall, causing it to fracture.
The armor, already partially broken, shattered under his force. Of lower level, it could not withstand Dante's strength.
— Now it's time to return — he thought, clenching his hand tightly.
— Let's go — he said to Slay and Ravi, beginning to cross the small lake, swimming.
Even with his lean body, Dante could feel his power pulsating. Excited to test it, he began exploring the cave's exit.
…
In another cave, a resource point for the village, several men were using pickaxes to collect spiritual ores.
About forty men were present; most were low-level, with a dozen intermediate cultivators.
The underground settlement was led by two seven-star leaders.
Boom.
A heavy thud shook the cave, drawing apprehensive glances.
Boom.
The sound repeated, now closer. Higher-level warriors drew their weapons, while the leaders advanced, ready.
The leader on the right wore the standard squad leader mask, black hair, 1.90 m tall, with a robust body impossible to hide under his robe.
The other was shorter, white-haired, about 1.60 m, possibly showing signs of age beneath the mask, but wielded a deadly axe.
Boom.
Another thud echoed, closer than ever.
— Must be a six-star beast… shouldn't be a problem — said the man with black shins.
— Should it? And what if it's the evil gods? I've heard at least five settlements were destroyed by them.
— Better keep our guard up. If it's just a beast, it's a gain. But if it's the evil gods, we need to prepare for a strategic retreat.
Boom.
Another sound, now a wall away. Everyone readied themselves to strike silently.
Boom.
The final blow shattered the thin wall separating them. But what emerged was unexpected.
It wasn't a beast, nor an evil god.
It was a human.
His appearance was truly strange: long white shins, a skinny frame, and lightning tattoos covering his arms.
He wore only tattered pants and a ragged shirt.
— Who… are you?
— Young Leader Dante?
A surprised voice echoed, sending confusion and tension rippling through everyone.