Chapter 11: Transformation
I feel the pain from the fire gradually disappear, a sensation of relief spreading throughout my entire being. However, my vision begins to blur, a dark mist obscuring the world around me. Even in the world of dreams, it seems I have lost a significant amount of blood.
I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the dizziness that threatens to topple me. I focus, channeling all my energy into visualizing my body being completely restored. My imagination springs to life once again, and a tingling sensation courses through my mutilated body, as if thousands of tiny needles were piercing my skin.
"AAArrr~~," I let out a groan of pain as I feel my bones realigning with audible cracks, my torn skin knitting together and my wounds disappearing before my astonished eyes.
The pain is excruciating, but I endure, focusing only on the end goal.
Without hesitation, I rise from the ground, a fierce determination burning in my chest. I extend my hand forward, imagining Charles's head exploding like a blood-filled balloon, and then it happens.
A deafening explosion echoes through the space, a sound resonating in my ears as I watch Charles's head disintegrate before my eyes. "Boom~~," is the only sound I hear as blood, hair, and pieces of brain are flung in all directions, painting the environment with a macabre red tapestry.
A victorious smile spreads across my lips as I watch Charles's headless body collapse to the side, lifeless and defeated. "Charles... I won, but don't worry, I will use your body in a more efficient way and achieve feats you could never imagine!" I declare with a mix of triumph.
The world around me begins to fragment, the ground trembling beneath my feet as everything starts to crumble around me. My body begins to float above the ground, I try to control it but it's useless, I can't move...
The world continues to disintegrate around me, every piece of the environment slowly vanishing into the black abyss that opens before me. Everything goes dark, a deep darkness enveloping my being like a somber cloak.
Before everything disappears completely, my eyes catch one last glimpse of Charles's mutilated head. And then, in a fleeting moment, his brain regenerates, along with the skin and hair, but before I can see his face, I feel a strange vibration in the air, and magically a wound in the air opens and sucks Charles in, hurling him into a whirlwind of colorful lights.
It's a chilling glimpse of what may be the fate of the defeated in this distorted world.
And then, everything vanishes. The world, the sounds, the sensations along with my consciousness.
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Real World..
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Upon waking the next day, I was greeted by the soft light of the sun filtering through the bedroom window, painting the room with golden hues. The distant sound of footsteps outside the door brought me back to reality, still feeling drowsy. I slowly opened my eyes and sighed, taking in the room around me.
Without wasting time, I turned to my faithful companion, the chip, with a question that intrigued me. "Chip, when I sleep, could you send me back to that dream world? Where I was before? Also, how did the former Charles manage to regenerate his own head, considering it's necessary to be conscious to imagine one's body being regenerated?"
The chip's response was somewhat frustrating. "Insufficient information to form a satisfactory answer. Please replenish my database."
I took a deep breath, feeling a pang of frustration forming in my temple as I massaged the area with my right-hand fingers. "Okay, but I have to admit that was a really crazy dream..." I murmured, resigned.
I then decided to start the day with a routine that began yesterday, getting out of bed and stretching my muscles, feeling the relief of the joints in motion. Without much thought, I settled on the floor, legs crossed, and dove into the warrior breathing technique.
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Five Days Later..
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Looking at myself in the mirror of my room, I was stunned to see the frightening transformation my body had undergone in just five days. Shirtless, I looked like a completely different person from before.
My arms, now thick and muscular, displayed impressive definition. My once ordinary abdomen was now sculpted and hard, showcasing the efficacy behind each breath of my enhanced technique. I saw myself reflected, resembling a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, so large that even I found myself a bit strange.
I clenched my hand into a fist, feeling the strength of my monstrous grip, far beyond what I could have previously imagined. A smile of satisfaction formed on my lips as I observed my near-divine progress. Gaining a status point in just five days was something even the most powerful mages would have a hard time believing, especially for someone like me who is not yet a mage.
Now that I felt stronger and capable of defending myself against the other youths, a sense of tranquility settled within me. I would no longer need to hide like a scared little mouse in my room. I looked at the mirror again and, with determination, whispered, "Chip, project a hologram for me and show me how big my body will be when I reach the state of a perfect warrior!"
The hologram projected by the chip was impressive, showing an extremely robust and tall figure, about 2.5 meters in height. (That's about 8.2 feet tall.) His muscular arms were so imposing that they would intimidate even the bravest.
Observing the projection, I frowned with an expression of disbelief. "Chip, are you sure this projection is correct? It seems a bit too exaggerated. This looks like a fictional character from my past world, known as the Hulk, but unlike him, my skin isn't green."
The chip responded promptly, explaining: "Correct. After you start stimulating your internal body strength, it is only a matter of time until you reach this intimidating size compared to an ordinary human."
This explanation brought relief to my concerns. Internally, I felt a sense of joy realizing that I was now as strong as William and Nicolas, who had trained almost their entire lives. Thanks to my chip, I had risen from the depths and become a better version of myself.
After thinking about it, I issued another command to my chip: "Show me my status!"
"Body Information"
Name: Charles Vol
Age: 17 years
Race: Human
Sex: Male
"Body Attributes"
Strength: 1.9
Agility: 2.1
Stamina: 2.0
With a firm and determined gaze, I observe the body information displayed by my chip. At 17 years old, as a male human, my physical attributes already show considerable progress. My strength, agility, and stamina are at levels that make me feel confident for the challenges ahead.
In the coming days, I aim to reach the realm of experienced warriors, which requires having about 2.5 in all attributes, but that is for the future. Now is the time to explore the airship and visit places that were previously considered "forbidden" by some students who think they run things here.
I put on my regular clothes, pants, and boots, but without the usual vest. There is no longer a need to hide the ring that is my inheritance, now that I am strong enough to ensure my own safety.
I slide the ring onto the ring finger of my right hand, feeling its familiar weight and the power it represents. I opt for a light shirt that merely outlines the muscles of my chest, showcasing the progress of my hard training.
I head to my bedroom door and, with a determined turn of the handle clockwise, I push it open. It is time to explore the airship and show everyone that Charles Vol is not someone to be underestimated.
I step out of my room when I am abruptly interrupted by an urgent and nervous voice echoing down the corridor. "Please, I swear I will pay when we get to the great magic schools conference, only there will I be able to pay!"
The voice echoes in my ears, making me raise my eyebrows in surprise. I turn towards the sound and find my neighbor standing there, with a look of pure terror on his face. Beside him, a rather chubby boy, dressed a bit more elegantly, but both clearly trembling with fear.
I frown at the scene, as a sense of discomfort settles in me. "What? What do you mean?" My voice sounds deeper than usual, a natural consequence of having a larger and more robust body.
The same boy who fainted in the presence of the monster earlier, when he came to warn me about meal times, starts stammering in response. "I am Linuart. William said I must pay for my safety, otherwise..." He swallows hard, interrupting himself before finishing the sentence. "I will meet the same fate as Pimpou Wirk."
With a reassuring smile on my lips, I interrupt the tension in the air. "Linuart, it's me, your neighbor! Don't you remember me? I'm not one of William's thugs."
Linuart's eyes widen in surprise, almost popping out of their sockets, as he mutters my name. "Charles?"
Nodding firmly, I keep my gaze fixed on them. "Yes, it's me."
The expression of surprise lingers on Linuart's and his friend's faces, as if they are processing the idea that I could be the same Charles they knew. I clench my fists slightly as I realize the impact of my transformation on them.
Linuart breaks the silence first, looking alternately between his friend and me. "Man, what happened to you? You are unrecognizable, almost like an experienced warrior from the realm."
I let out a light sigh, knowing that explaining my physical change would be a long and complicated story. "That's a long story. But why did you think I was a member of William's gang?"
Linuart averts his gaze to the floor, visibly uncomfortable. "William is acting like a bully, not caring about the weaker ones. Nicolas tries to ease the situation, but he can't be around all the time. Besides, this morning..."
I raise an eyebrow in curiosity as I notice the hesitation in the boy's voice. "This morning?"
Before Linuart can respond, the other boy, who had remained silent until then, intervenes somberly. "Pimpou Wirk has been missing since yesterday."
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1733 Words
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