Chương 66: No Pain, No Gain

Quest Completed: You have defeated the Silent Queen and stopped the Bronze Scourge from fully devouring the First Plane. Rewards: 20 Talent Points, Dryad's Blessing, Temporary Return Ticket, Heavenly Body Method Battle Tokens earned: 5000 [Dryad's Blessing] – You have saved the Wildlands of the First Plane, and the Dryads have deemed you worthy of being granted a blessing suited for the guardian of nature.

All your plant-based skills and skills that control the pure healing energy of nature itself will now cost 30% less and deal 25% more damage, while also healing 17% more. Additionally, a Class Trait, Grove's Embrace, has been unlocked. Class Trait Unlocked: [Grove's Embrace (B)] Grove's Embrace (B) Level 1 – Allows you to claim a piece of land as your own and let your beasts, spirits, and companions come and go as they please, bound to it by your will.

The size of the claimable area will depend on the level of the trait and the strength of your spirit. Current maximum size: up to 1000 square meters. When within your territory, your spirit regenerates at double the rate, and your and your beasts' overall power is increased by 30%. You may maintain one active Grove per Realm.

The anchor may be relocated to a new territory once every 30 days, causing the previous Grove to dissipate and reform at the new site. Going forward, due to the user's immense knowledge of the laws of space, all beasts tamed by the user can be sent to the Grove to rest if needed, but not without their agreement. They can be summoned at any time to assist on your journey, answering your call across distances and planes alike.

It would seem that the divine beings of the forests have accepted me. A smile slowly crept over his face. I gained something as a human that I couldn't have as a child of the World Tree. Fate sure does have a twisted sense of humor. The smile faded just as quickly. Well, it's still me, and this will be a great boon to assist me on my path. He nodded as a small fern-like plant enveloped his wrist, covering his scars as it merged into the flesh, leaving a verdant tattoo shaped like a living wreath.

He nodded, satisfied, and continued, though he ground his teeth as the pain shot through him again. [Temporary Return Ticket] – An item rewarded only to the most promising of participants, allowing them to return to their realm and rest between stages. Can be used once any of the trials have been completed and during the stages of waiting for the next trials to begin. The user will be pulled back into the Planes once the next trial begins, regardless of where they are in the world.

Number of uses: 1 Hmmm, I could actually use this once I finish the first trial and go investigate this Earth everyone has been speaking of and maybe find some clues about this body's old life, find out if Maximus was one of the villains of this world, or something else entirely. He thought it through and decided to do so as soon as he could. [Heavenly Body Method] – A secret method passed down between the Sect leaders of the Heavenly Desolate Titan Hall of the Hallowed Asura Realm.

It is believed that this method was transferred from the Great Asura himself to the sworn protectors of the realm. Using ingredients that possess properties of the realm itself, one would reforge their body in the hope of creating a vessel that can grow alongside the user, never to be tainted and never to be discarded. From the mortal plane to the heavenly realm, the body would continue to ascend and be purified by the essence of the realm itself.

The final goal of this method is to unify the natural energies within the body, creating one singular force, the so-called Heavenly Qi, the very essence wielded by the gods, and the true path toward the Heavens. This method is not fully compatible with the current user's physiology, but the principles can be applied just the same, albeit imperfectly. Gather the ingredients that contain pure mana, spirit, and numina, and create two elixirs.

One is to be ingested, preferably containing ingredients rich in vitality, while the other is to be bathed in, preferably containing high amounts of mana, the very energy of creation, through which you will remake your crumbling human vessel. When reforging the body, circulate the energies according to the diagram attached to the scroll. This knowledge is not to be shared with anyone but the user.

Warning: Depending on the ingredients used, there is a possibility of a race change, which could influence your future path and rewards. There is also a possibility of death that even death-prevention traits and abilities will not be able to prevent. This is exactly what I had in mind, but now I have a proper path to follow. Though some of these terms make no sense to me. This Qi energy is probably a different term for mana. He nodded. I can still use parts of the recipes I was planning to use alongside this.

Who says that I have to follow this method fully? I'll build upon it. He smiled faintly; a new piece of research material had just fallen into his grasp. Though his joy did not last for long, another wave of pain tore through him. Alright, let's check on Sprout and the rest of what I've gained. He rushed, sensing that those three days the system had given him might not be as accurate as they seemed. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Skill Leveled Up: [Greater Plant Spirit (D) Level 17] Spirit Skills Unlocked: Root Wall (E) – Sprout merges with the ground, summoning a three-meter-tall and wide wall of thick, interwoven roots. Devour (A) – The ability to absorb any plant-like being and add its abilities and form to its own.

Skills Updated: Metamorphosis (B) – The spirit has evolved in a way that allows it to adapt to different environments more easily. Because of its strong connection with the contractor, the spirit can switch between two forms seamlessly. A Devourer plant form has been unlocked by fully absorbing the plant's structure.

Sprout is truly walking on an unpredictable path. This feels less like representing nature and more like conquering it. Could I really be influencing him this deeply? Maximus thought as Sprout gently patted his head with a vine, as if trying to reassure him. I forgot that you could read my mind, buddy. Please don't feel the need to grow into something you'll hate in the end. Be yourself, my friend; you don't need to carry me and my burdens.

Sprout frowned and lightly whipped the top of Maximus's head while letting out a low, annoyed squeal. Alright, my apologies; you are not doing anything you don't want to. I admit that. Just take care of yourself, alright? Maximus said with a sigh before continuing his inspection. Skill Leveled Up: [Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) Level 20] Skill Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) is ready to evolve.

The skill's path is being influenced by the trait Spiritborn Skill Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) has evolved into the skill Blessed Spirit Anchor (D) Blessed Spirit Anchor (D) Level 1 – Using your being as an anchor, summon elemental spirits to aid you in battle and join you on your journey. The spirits will bless you with boons related to their attunement while they are summoned and attack with elemental spells. Spirits summoned: 1/2.

Then he sensed a wave of heat burst from his gut, and from his crimson leaf, Embi burst out, shining brilliantly and whirring loudly. The fire spirit had absorbed the heat of the stars themselves, along with the purest of spirit energies, and had evolved into a true Fire Spirit, unlocking the Greater Fireball and Starlight Bullet skills, alongside Fire Manipulation. The current boosts given have also grown by an additional 10% overall. [Fire Spirit] A true fire spirit summoned to fight alongside you.

While active, the spirit will grant you a fire spirit's blessing, increasing fire damage and resistance by 25% and overall damage by 20%. This boon can be shared with people you deem worthy. In battle, the Fire Spirit will use the skills Greater Fireball and Starlight Bullet and will also be able to use Fire Manipulation to control weaker flames and grant Fire Enchantment to weapons and limbs. Growth Potential: B? Maximus read through everything and smiled as Embi landed on his palm.

He was no longer in the shape of a simple ball of flames; instead, he had become a small crimson serpent made of pure fire, with two sharp, slitted crimson eyes burning brightly.

"You've done well, my friend, but why a snake? Is that something you were destined to become, or something you chose? Truly interesting." Maximus gently petted his small, flaming head. Embi spun a few times above his palm before drifting over to Sprout and coiling neatly around his other shoulder.

"Hah! The ball did as I told it. Reptiles are the best forms one could take!" Silex laughed proudly.

"Wait, what?! You told him to become a snake?" Maximus gasped, drawing the attention of the others, who turned slightly toward them and chuckled. They had begun to understand the group's dynamic, and Silex was clearly the most problematic among them.

"Not snake, I said something like me, but there is time. Next time!" Silex nodded with complete confidence. Maximus massaged his temples and let it go.

"What about you two? Gained anything?" he asked Vesper and Silex.

"My internal energy grew, almost doubling," Vesper admitted.

"Aye, same thing here." Silex nodded.

"Alright, that is good too!" Maximus said, nodding, as he checked their status and saw a new trait appearing for both. [Mana Battery – Increases mana storage by double and regeneration by 20%.]"Are you satisfied with your rewards?" Lennox asked.

"Indeed, it will come in handy… If I don't die," Maximus said plainly.

"Don't joke about such things!" Jane barked.

"If I may ask, did you gain any blessings as rewards?" Maximus pried.

"Everyone should get one; it is tied to the most difficult quest within the First Plane, though the usefulness of a blessing will vary," Lennox explained.

"Mister knows it all!" Jane teased.

"I gained Blessing of the Ward, which strengthens my healing and barrier skills and gives me access to Ward-type abilities. It looks really good!" she said with a bright smile.

"I gained the Blessing of the Roaring Beastmaster, letting me tame beasts as well!" Tereza wrote on her board, practically glowing with excitement.

"I'm not allowed to say what mine is, but it will be useful," Lennox said honestly.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Jane scoffed.

"Mine is related to nature. I can claim an area as mine, restrict entry and exit within it, and my beasts can stay there and be summoned to help me," Maximus explained.

"That is actually insane," Lennox gasped.

"Boss, I'd rather stay with you," Vesper complained.

"You ain't leaving me aside, smelly Max!" Silex chimed in.

"I won't; it's just an option we now have. Maybe you'll need to rest at some point, or you won't be able to follow me somewhere, so it's good to have a safe space," Maximus reassured them.

"I have one more thing to check, and then we can start with my preparations," Maximus said as he took out a skill stone. [Skill Stone: Shapeshift Warrior Ant] Contains the skill: Shapeshift Warrior Ant – Allows one to take the form of a humanoid warrior ant, increasing physical power by 50%, while also granting use of the partial transformation skill Exoskeleton, shifting one's back into that of an ant, increasing lifting power by 25% and defenses by 15%.

Can be learned by classes with the Shapeshifter Path unlocked. Maximus explained the skill contained within the stone, wanting to keep everything fair.

"So, I will be learning the skill if nobody has anything against it," he added.

"Sounds fair enough; it is a skill made for a beast-related class… Unless Tereza wants it?" Lennox offered. Tereza looked slightly nauseated as she quickly shook her head.

"No, thank you, I'd rather have a nice fluffy form like your werewolf," she wrote. Maximus chuckled and absorbed the skill, feeling his Shapeshifter ability grow once more.

Shapeshift (D) Level 11 – Shapeshift fully into a werebeast or transform any part of your body. Possible full transformations: Werewolf, Werebear, Werecroc, Warrior Ant. Partial transformations available: Eagle Eyes, Centipede Shell, Weaver Monkey's Head, Ant's Exoskeleton, and any body part of the Were family. While in a full transformation, partial transformations cannot be used. You may cast skills while fully transformed, but your energy regeneration is reduced by half.

Full transformations last for 25 minutes; partial transformations last for 35 minutes. No spirit cost, but there is a high chance of a temporary behavior change. After each full transformation, the skill enters a 1-Hour cooldown.

"Alright, that is that then. Let us rest and eat before I set up my workstation and start working on a way to prevent my death," he said as pain shot through his body once more, the vine-like veins flaring up again beneath his skin.