Chapter 5 – One Year
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...
Two months have passed since I came into this world—exactly sixty days.
In that time, I've managed to gather a total of 619 Energy.
Today's Energy increase was a mere 10,6 and though it feels pitiful, there's nothing I can do about it. Progress is progress.
Once I reach 1.000 Energy, I'll immediately upgrade this ability to the Rare Tier. Maybe I can even increase its efficiency by 1%. If not... I'll just have to find another way.
Lately, though, I think my parents have something else in mind.
They've been... let's say, trying for another child—throwing lentils into the oven like rabbits.
Anyway. I can finally understand everything they say now. I'd learned this world's language the first time I heard it, but as a baby, I couldn't process it. Now I can.
And I can crawl, too.
Thanks to Body Refinement, my body grows stronger much faster than a normal infant's. At this rate, I might be able to swing a sword by the time I'm one year old. I thought it'd take at least two or three years.
My progress has already surpassed 50%. I just have to keep going.
> "Assessment."
[-10 Mana Points]
[Core = Mortal 51.84%
(Your passive skill transfers 0.00001% Mana per second)]
[Body Purification = 51.84%
(Your passive skill transfers 0.00001% Mana per second)]
Apparently, both Cultivation and Body Purification improve my overall stats. Let's see...
> "Status."
[User: Kael
Age: 0 (+20)
Type: Human
Condition: Healthy
Cultivation: Mortal (51.84%)
Body Refinement: Mortal (51.84%)
System Level: Low
Physical(s): ??? (Insufficient Level)]
[Stats:
HP: 400/400 → 1.000/1.000
MP: 990/980 (99%)
Power: 2 → 5
Vitality: 4 → 10
Agility: 2 → 7
Intelligence: 99 [MAX]]
Even though I'm still a baby, my current strength rivals that of my past self.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that.
My parents' names are Maria Oksileon and Carlos Oksileon, so by extension... my name is Kael Oksileon.
Mother is twenty-six, Father twenty-eight.
She works from home, sewing and selling clothes or taking custom tailoring orders. My father, on the other hand, is a Guardian—one of the ten who protect our village from monsters. His salary is decent. I think he might actually be a knight.
In this world, 1 Gold can sustain a village family like ours for at least three months, and Father earns 50 Silver a month.
(100 Bronze = 1 Silver
100 Silver = 1 Gold
100 Gold = 1 Platinum
1,000 Platinum = 1 Royal Coin
10 Royal Coins = 1 Diamond Royal Coin)
The Diamond Royal Coin (EKP) isn't just money—it's a status symbol.
Legally earning one makes you equivalent to a count. There are only a thousand of them in existence.
Obtaining even a hundred grants access to teachings from those above the Mysterious Level.
The System told me that much—basic information, nothing more. Still, it's good to know.
---
A Month and Twenty-Four Days Later
Time: 23:59
Date: Year 19908, April 24
> "Status."
[User: Kael Oksileon
Age: 0 (+20)
Condition: Healthy
Cultivation: Mortal (99.9994%)
Body Purification: Mortal (99.9994%)
System Level: Low
Statistics:
HP: 1.000/1.00] → 1.500/1.500
MP: 990/990
Strength: 5 → 8
Vitality: 10 → 15
Agility: 7 → 10
Intelligence: 99 [MAX]]
My total Energy has reached 1,210.78.
With tonight's gain of 11.22, it'll rise to 1,222.
But more importantly... I'm only a minute away from breaking through to the Bronze Tier.
[Mana Collection: +0.00001%]
...
[Mana Collection: +0.00001%]
> [Ding... Cultivation and Body Refinement have reached 100%. Bronze Tier Awakening is beginning.
Be prepared, User.]
Pain exploded through me.
It felt as if my very Core was shattering apart.
My scream pierced the night.
Mother and Father burst into my room.
"Ahh! My baby!" Maria cried. "Carlos, what's happening to him!?"
Father's face was pale, but calm. "Maria, relax—"
"Relax!? How can I relax!?"
"Kael is... ascending to the Bronze Tier," he said, his voice trembling despite his composure.
"What are you talking about!? He's just a baby!"
Carlos took a deep breath. "I once visited a Cultivation Sect. I saw a mortal ascend to Bronze once. Steam poured from his body, and his skin glowed. A senior told me that the body expels impurities during the process, extending the cultivator's lifespan and the limits of his power. The glow is caused by Mana purification."
Even as he explained, blood began seeping from every pore of my skin.
Body Refinement was evolving, violently restructuring me for the Bronze Tier.
Maria screamed again, her voice breaking, "Carlos! Is this normal!?"
Carlos clenched his fists. "We can only wait."
---
An Hour Later
It was over.
The agony was... unforgettable.
Maria gave me a bath afterward, tears still in her eyes.
And there, they noticed it—
I'd grown twenty centimeters taller. From sixty to eighty in a single night.
Carlos turned to Maria. "Listen, Maria. You mustn't tell anyone. Kael is a miracle—but if the wrong person hears of this, he could be taken away. Some might even... experiment on him."
Maria's hands trembled. "I—I won't tell anyone. I promise."
While they worried for me, I was already talking to the System.
> "System, upgrade the 'Energy' skill."
[Ding...
Skill to be upgraded: Energy
Tier: Uncommon → Rare
Type: Passive
Upgrade Cost: 1,000 Energy
Current Energy: 1,222 → 222 Remaining]
> [Enter new description.]
> "Daily Energy gain linked to the 'Art of Infinite Creation' permanently increases by 1% per upgrade."
[Ding... Unacceptable. Maximum limit: 0.5%.]
> "Fine. 0.5% per upgrade."
[Upgrade initiated.]
1%... 20%... 50%... 99%...
100%!
> [Upgrade Complete. Skill: Energy (Rare)]
Skill: Energy (Rare)
Type: Passive
Description: Daily Energy gain linked to the "Art of Infinite Creation" permanently increases by 0.5% per upgrade.
Perfect. Now it's five times stronger than before.
> "System, show my Status."
[Ding...]
[User: Kael Oksileon
Age: 0 (+20)
Cultivation: Bronze (Beginner) 0%
Body Purification: Bronze (Beginner) 0%
HP: 1.500/1.500 → 4.000/4.000
MP: 990/990 → 2.990/2.990
Strength: 8 → 20
Vitality: 15 → 40
Agility: 10 → 25
Intelligence: 99 → 299 [MAX]]
My Intelligence still capped out... but that gave me an idea.
> "System, create a new Skill."
[Ding... Tier: Uncommon. Cost: 100 Energy. Remaining: 112.]
Skill Created: Order (Uncommon)
Type: Passive
Description: Increases chosen stats over time based on your highest stat.
> Example:
Highest Stat – Intelligence: 299 [MAX]
Selected Stats: Strength, Vitality, Agility
Growth: Equalized to 80 within 2 months.
Highest Stat – Intelligence: 299 [MAX]
Selected Stats: Strength,
Growth: Equalized to 220 within 2 months.
Beautiful. With this, my physical stats will eventually catch up.
---
Two Months and Seven Days Later
[Ding... Today's Energy Gain: +15.6
Current Energy: 1,005]
Finally, enough to upgrade Dual Mana Gathering.
> "System, upgrade Dual Mana Gathering to Rare Tier."
[Ding... Upgrade cost: 1,000 Energy. Remaining: 5.]
New Description:
> "Passively gathers ambient Mana into the Core and Body at 3× the speed of a normal cultivation technique."
Upgrade complete.
Skill: Dual Mana Collection (Rare)
Passive | 3× Mana Gathering Speed
> "System, Assessment."
[-10 Mana Points]
[User: Kael
Age: 0 (+20)
Cultivation: Bronze (5.78%)
Body Refinement: Bronze (5.78%)
HP: 4.000/4.00] → 8,700/8.700
Strength: 20 → 87
Vitality: 40 → 87
Agility: 25 → 87
Intelligence: 299 [MAX]]
> [Core = Bronze 5.78%
Body Purification = 5.78%
Mana Transfer Rate: 0.000003% per second]
That's about 0.259% per day.
To reach Silver Tier, I'll need 94.22%.
At this rate, it'll take exactly 364 days—a year.
So be it. I can wait.
---
Six Months Later
Year 19909 – January 1
Today marks my first birthday.
My parents already know how smart I am, so they gifted me books.
Children's books, sure—but still books.
And Father... he got me something else.
A sword.
A real sword, made just for me.
After my birthday, I sat them down.
"Mom, Dad... thank you for bringing me into this world. No matter what happens, I'll make sure you live comfortably."
Maria chuckled, "You're such a sweet boy, dear—but you're only one year old. Don't worry about such things~"
Father, however, didn't smile. His eyes lingered on mine, heavy.
"Then I'll look forward to those days, Kael," he said quietly.
I met his gaze. "Just wait, Dad. The world will soon learn who I am."
He said nothing more, but the sadness in his eyes... I didn't understand it. Not yet.
---
I've grown a lot.
Most one-year-olds stand around 80 centimeters.
I'm 120.
I look more like a child than a baby now.
I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse.
> "System, show my Status."
[Ding...]
[User: Kael Oksileon
Age: 0 (+20)
Cultivation: Bronze (Intermediate) 52.43%
Body Refinement: Bronze (Intermediate) 52.43%
HP: 8.700/8.700 → 26.700/26.700
MP: 2.990/2.990
Strength: 87 → 267
Vitality: 87 → 267
Agility: 87 → 267
Intelligence: 299 [MAX]]
Skills:
Art of Infinite Creation (Rare)
Daily Energy Gain: 38.1 (+10%)
Energy Capacity: 10,000 / 4,538
Master of All Languages (Super Epic)
Understands and speaks all languages within "Reality."
Fist Novice (Rare)
+100% Fist Damage | Slight Fist Intent Comprehension
Energy (Rare)
Daily Energy gain from "Art of Infinite Creation" permanently +0.5% per very time energy increases.
Dual Mana Collection (Rare)
Passively gathers Mana at 3× normal cultivation speed.
Core & Body Refinement Evaluation (Uncommon)
Uses 10 Mana Points to display Refinement Progress (%).
Effective up to Silver Tier.
Order (Uncommon)
Gradually increases selected stats to match your highest stat over time.
Max of three stats per day.
---
And so ends my first year in this world.
I've grown in strength, knowledge, and purpose.
But this is only the beginning.
The System hums quietly within me, its voice ever patient.
Somewhere deep inside, I can feel it—
the world is watching me.
End of Chapter 5 – One Year