Alfred stood and stretched slightly as the last fight concluded, his expression unreadable. Turning to Alex, he gestured toward the door. "That's enough for today. I'll take you back to the estate. Use the rest of the day to recover."
Alex nodded, still processing the intense battles he'd witnessed. As they walked to the car, he glanced at Alfred. "Thanks for taking me here. Watching those fights… I learned a lot."
Alfred gave a curt nod, his face softening briefly. "Good. Keep what you saw in mind—it'll serve you well when your time comes."
As the car sped back toward the estate, Alex's mind raced with plans. I need to get stronger, he thought, clenching his fists. But that takes time. I can't just sit around waiting to improve.
[You're in luck, Host,] Nova chimed in, her voice playful yet purposeful. [Time might be out of your control, but there's a way to speed things up. Potions and pills. They're right in the system store.]
Alex's eyes widened slightly. "Potions and pills? What kind?"
[Ones suited to your current level, of course,] she replied. [Let me show you.]
A shimmering interface appeared before Alex, displaying a list of items. Nova highlighted two specific options:
Muscle Restoration Potions: Restores muscles to peak condition after mana saturation tears them, allowing repeated cultivation cycles without extended recovery times.
Basic Body Cultivation Pills: Enhances mana absorption efficiency, drastically speeding up cultivation progress.
"Those are perfect," Alex murmured, reading the descriptions. "How much do they cost?"
[100 Desire Points each,] Nova said smoothly. [I'd recommend getting five of each. That should push you to the next stage.]
Alex hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Let's do it."
As he purchased the items, his points dwindled rapidly. Nova's voice broke through his thoughts. [While we're at it, there's something else you should consider: the Cultivation Masking skill.]
"What's that?" Alex asked.
Nova displayed the skill's description:
Cultivation Masking: Allows the user to conceal their true cultivation level, projecting a chosen rank or sealing their cultivation. The skill is imperceptible even to those ten realms higher.
[Your progress is unusually fast,] Nova explained. [If someone notices how quickly you're advancing and decides you're a threat, you'll be in serious danger. This skill ensures no one can tell.]
Alex's jaw tightened. "How much does it cost?"
[40,000 Desire Points,] Nova replied with a smirk. [But since it's your first time shopping, you have a 90% discount coupon. Use it wisely.]
"40,000?" Alex groaned. "That's ridiculous! But… I guess it's worth it." He sighed. "Fine. Use the coupon. I'll take it."
[Good choice, Host.] Nova's tone was almost smug. [Now you're down to 100 Desire Points. Broke already. Impressive.]
Alex rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Guess I need to finish those quests faster."
The car pulled into the estate's driveway, and Alfred turned to Alex as the vehicle came to a halt. "Take the rest of the day to rest. Training resumes tomorrow."
"Thanks, Alfred," Alex said, climbing out and heading inside.
His room felt like a sanctuary as he entered, and without hesitation, Alex slipped into his sub-dimension. The familiar vast plains greeted him, and he settled into a meditative position.
Pulling out one of the Muscle Restoration Potions and a Basic Body Cultivation Pill, he downed them both, feeling a surge of energy as the effects took hold. As he began cultivating, he noticed the difference immediately—mana flowed into his muscles at least five times faster than before, saturating them to their limit.
The process was grueling as usual. His muscles tore and rebuilt with each cycle, the potions restoring him to peak condition faster than he could have imagined. The pills enhanced his mana absorption, accelerating his progress as he repeated the process again and again.
Hours passed in a blur of pain and determination. On his final potion and pill, Alex felt the familiar tension of a breakthrough building. The mana in his body reached a critical point, and with a sudden, explosive release, he ascended to Stage 4: the Blood Refining Stage.
His entire body pulsed with power as his blood seemed to hum with energy. He flexed his hands, feeling the strength coursing through his veins. His senses were sharper, his body stronger, and his mana pool deeper than ever.
"Stage 4," he murmured, standing and testing his newfound strength. "Not bad."
As he adjusted to his new level, Alex decided to test the Cultivation Masking skill. With a mental command, the system activated, and he felt his aura shift. He set his cultivation to G rank, surprised by how natural it felt.
"I can still use my F-rank strength," Alex noted, throwing a few experimental punches. Each strike carried the same power as before, despite his aura being suppressed.
[True,] Nova said, her voice tinged with caution. [But experts like Alfred will notice if you're holding back. Seal your cultivation instead—it's safer.]
Alex nodded, activating the skill's sealing function. Instantly, he felt his strength drop to G rank, though his perception remained heightened. "Not bad. I can still sense danger, even if my strength is sealed."
[Perfect,] Nova said. [You're finally getting it.]
Satisfied, Alex retrieved the Origin Creation Manual and flipped to the section detailing Stage 4: the Blood Refining Stage. The instructions were as daunting as ever:
Stage 4: Blood Refining Stage: Absorb mana to boil the blood. Use your attribute to tame the boiling blood, transforming it into space-time blood. This blood will enhance the flow of mana throughout your body, increasing both speed and efficiency.
Alex groaned, rubbing his temples. "Is there ever a stage that doesn't involve me torturing myself?"
[Nope,] Nova quipped. [Cultivation isn't meant to be easy, Host. If it were, everyone would do it.]
"Fantastic," Alex muttered, rolling his eyes.
Despite his complaints, he began preparing for the process. Nova brought up his updated status screen as he meditated, giving him a clear view of his progress:
Status Screen
Overall Cultivation: F (Stage 4: Blood Refining Stage)
Name: Alexander Argoth
Race: Human/???
Title: - (To Be Discovered)
Class: - (Currently Locked)
Talent: Sub-Dimension (Rank: S, Growth-Type)
Affinity: Space-Time (Grade: Unknown)
Cultivation Manual: Origin Creation Manual
Stats:
Mana: F (G Sealed)
Strength: F (G Sealed)
Agility: F (G Sealed)
Intelligence: F (G Sealed)
Stamina: F (G Sealed)
Skills:
Cultivation Masking: Allows the user to conceal or seal their true cultivation level. Invulnerable to detection, even by those ten realms higher.
"Not bad," Alex said with a smirk. "Now, let's see what this Blood Refining Stage is all about."
Alex exhaled slowly, focusing on the next step in his cultivation. The Blood Refining Stage was far more grueling than he'd anticipated. As he absorbed mana, his blood began to heat, the energy coursing through his veins with a searing intensity. He could feel it boiling, threatening to overwhelm him.
"Here we go again," he muttered, gritting his teeth as the pain intensified.
[Don't complain, Host,] Nova said, her tone as teasing as ever. [This is just the beginning. Remember, cultivating space-time blood isn't something just anyone can do. You're basically setting yourself apart from the rest of humanity.]
"Yeah, by torturing myself," Alex shot back, though his focus didn't waver.
He pushed through the discomfort, guiding the mana to tame the boiling blood. Each pulse of energy felt like a battle, the space-time attribute resisting before finally bending to his will. Progress was slow, and despite his best efforts, the transformation wasn't complete.
After hours of cultivating, Alex's body trembled with exhaustion. His muscles ached, his blood still simmering with untamed energy. He paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
[Not bad for one session,] Nova remarked. [But don't expect miracles overnight. You've made progress, but there's still a long way to go.]
Alex leaned back, staring at the endless expanse of his sub-dimension. "Yeah," he said softly, his determination unwavering. "There's a long way to go."
As the faint hum of mana filled the air, Alex closed his eyes, readying himself for the challenges ahead.
And with that thought, he returned to his cultivation, fully aware that his journey was far from over.