Upon waking from his twelve-year slumber, Rose felt an intense surge of energy coursing through his body—a level of power he had never experienced before. His senses felt sharper, his mind more alert, and he could feel every fiber of his being thrumming with strength. After a few moments of assessing his newfound abilities, Rose discovered that he now held the strength of 99 X-particles within him. However, as he examined his memories and added up the X-particles of all the fallen tribe members, he realized the sum was supposed to be over 100 X-particles.
A frown crossed his face as he tried to understand the discrepancy. "I should have surpassed this level," Rose murmured to himself. "It seems… there's a limit to what the human body can endure." As he delved deeper into the sensation, he noticed a growing resistance within his own flesh and blood, as if his human form was straining to contain the massive power within him. The conclusion became clear: there was a bottleneck, a limit imposed by his human form. The strength that giants naturally held was simply beyond human capacity.
"If I don't find a way to transcend this, humans will be stuck at this level, limited by our own bodies," he realized. "To truly survive in this world, we need a path beyond our current form." With a sigh, he set his resolve and prepared to return to the tribe to discuss this critical discovery.
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Returning to the Tribe
Using his powers of stealth and teleportation, along with a newly acquired ability to fly, Rose quickly made his way back to the tribe. It had grown significantly during his absence, and Rose marveled at the changes as he approached. The village was now bustling with activity, the population thriving, and the structures more organized, sturdy, and even fortified.
Rose was greeted warmly by Ice Lord, who was now middle-aged yet exuded an aura of authority. Ice Lord led Rose to a meeting hall, where they were joined by the Helper, who looked even more scholarly and wise than before. The three of them sat down, and after a lengthy discussion about the advancements the tribe had achieved, Rose shared his own discovery—the human body's limitations with X-particles.
At first, both Ice Lord and the Helper were astonished, their admiration for Rose's power now mixed with an understanding of the danger it posed. Rose explained, "With 99 X-particles, I've hit a bottleneck. The human body can only handle so much before it becomes strained beyond its capacity. If we don't find a way to surpass this limit, we'll always be at risk, especially against titans and other creatures who possess far greater levels of power."
"But Rose," Ice Lord replied, "99 X-particles is something only in our wildest dreams. You're already so powerful—how much more would we need to survive?"
Rose looked at him gravely. "It's not just about strength, Ice Lord. It's about survival. The giants, some of whom hold hundreds of X-particles, can crush us easily if we don't find a way to rise above our limitations. We need to experiment and discover a method to transcend this barrier."
The Helper nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "If there's anyone who can figure it out, it's you, Rose. And I'll help in any way I can."
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Experimenting to Break the Bottleneck
In the weeks that followed, Rose and the Helper dove into experiments on X-particles, attempting to understand the constraints of the human body and how they might be surpassed. They set up a secluded workshop within the village, gathering materials and isolating themselves from the daily happenings. The Helper assisted Rose with everything, from documenting results to brainstorming hypotheses and testing various theories.
They first began with detailed observations of Rose's physical state, examining the changes within his body caused by the accumulation of 99 X-particles. The Helper recorded every fluctuation in Rose's energy levels, noting any signs of physical strain or instability. They quickly confirmed that the human body did, indeed, have a natural threshold. Beyond a certain point, the X-particles became a burden, not a benefit, weighing heavily on Rose's flesh and bones.
Their initial tests involved attempts to isolate and remove X-particles temporarily, only to reintroduce them in controlled increments to see if they could somehow trick the body into adapting. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing. No matter what they tried, the body resisted this influx of energy, unable to "train" itself beyond its natural capacity.
The next phase of their experimentation involved trying to reinforce the physical structure of the body itself. Drawing inspiration from Rose's recollection of modern medicine on Earth, they considered concepts like cellular fortification and regenerative healing. The Helper devised herbal concoctions and elixirs to strengthen the body's resilience, while Rose tried channeling his powers in such a way that his physical form might be gradually enhanced. They even attempted to harness various abilities like earth and fire manipulation in tandem, hoping the energy flow might catalyze some form of bodily evolution.
Days turned into months, and Rose and the Helper found themselves engaged in increasingly complex and risky experiments. The strain on Rose's body grew, yet no solution was in sight. Some experiments had promising results but ultimately led to setbacks. One attempt, which involved a fusion of stealth and earth manipulation, resulted in painful injuries that left Rose incapacitated for days. Another effort to use his teleportation to displace particles within his own body almost cost him his sense of balance permanently.
Despite the hardships, Rose remained undeterred. "We're making progress, even if it doesn't look like it," he reassured the Helper, who was beginning to show signs of worry. "Sometimes failure is the step before success."
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A Year of Frustration and Reflection
After a full year of ceaseless experiments, however, Rose found himself grappling with the reality of their limitations. The human form, as it stood, simply wasn't equipped to house the vast energy needed to face the titans on equal footing. Frustrated but undaunted, Rose realized that the answer might lie beyond mere physical enhancement. The human body itself might need to undergo a deeper, perhaps even spiritual, transformation.
"We can't push this alone," he admitted one evening, sitting alongside the Helper in their secluded study. "As much as we've tried, two people simply don't have the resources or knowledge needed to transcend the limits of human flesh."
Helper, nodding thoughtfully, replied, "Then perhaps we need to think of this as a long-term journey, one that may take generations. You're immortal, Rose. You could guide us through the centuries if needed. We just have to grow, develop, and build on each generation's knowledge."
Rose nodded, feeling the weight of their work but also a glimmer of hope. "You're right. I'll wait, as long as it takes. For now, the tribe is strong. But I'll need to wait for them to become a civilization that can unlock these secrets. Only then might we find the answer."
With that, Rose set a new course for the tribe's future, one that would require patience, resilience, and a commitment to long-term advancement. And so, as he prepared to once again enter his slumber, he held onto the hope that, one day, humanity would rise above its limits and reach a power worthy of facing the titans on their own terms.