If one followed Caine's actions, his next steps would seem obvious.
If his bones were to act as absolute and undeniable pillars that controlled all things, then his flesh would be forged of all things—leashed by the tyranny of his bones.
What Caine was attempting wasn't simple. He sought to form 3,800 Blood Qi Flesh Structures, simultaneously, on a single body, in a single attempt.
Of course, forging an infinite number of Blood Qi Flesh Structures was impossible. Instead, Caine settled on 3,800, aligning with the 3,800 avenues of origin—the first and most primordial paths and elements.
He would call this creation the Chaos Wu Ji Blood Qi Flesh Structure.
But like his bones, for each structure, he planned to steal a fragment of universal force and fuse it into his flesh, making his body truly and fully independent.
SKREECH!
A grating sound echoed as Caine's bony jaw shifted, forming a grotesque grin. Flames of pure, unbridled madness ignited within his empty eye sockets, blazing with intensity.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Countless portals erupted around his cube, swirling with various colors and elements. Yet, Caine paid them no mind. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.
Blood Qi flowed from his bones in relentless waves, pulling at the portals and forming thin qi filaments that began to gather around him.
Runes of every imaginable type flashed in the air as Caine clenched his jaw and summoned his rings, stabilizing his spiraling thoughts. He couldn't afford failure—not now.
A brilliant flash lit the space as his crown manifested atop his head, radiating power. With untamed conviction, he roared:
"COME TO ME!"
The portals fused with the blood qi filaments, their edges expanding outward, glowing like molten metal.
RUMBLE!
Countless filaments of qi surrounded Caine's glowing bones, overlapping and intertwining in chaotic precision. They formed thick layers of flesh around his skeletal frame, growing and expanding until his body surpassed the size of a giant, nearing the grotesque stature of a flesh abomination.
The filaments continued flooding him, cascading in endless waves until the portals blinked out of existence. Through the towering layers of flesh, a pair of burning silver pupils pierced through, glowing with terrifying brilliance.
"CONDENSE!"
SNAP!
A deafening crack echoed as the countless layers of flesh compressed inward, clinging tightly to his bones. Runes blazed to life, searing themselves onto his new flesh, interlinked by swirling silver marks that completed Caine's audacious design.
DONG!
A resonant chime reverberated through the void.
"Celestial Taiyi."
Incredibly pure neutral qi surged around him, wrapping his naked flesh and reforming it into flawless, jade-white skin. From his skull, a river of darkness spilled, draping over his shoulders as his hair reformed. It swayed gently, imbued with the intangibility of the void yet as durable as steel.
His muscles rippled beneath his new flesh, striated like cords of tempered metal. Slowly, Caine's heart began to beat once more, sending a renewed flow of blood through his veins.
DONG!
A second chime rang out.
"Chaos Wu Ji."
At that moment, his cells seemed to awaken, releasing an endless wave of tyrannical Blood Qi. His bones and flesh bridged, forming an unbreakable link.
It all happened in an instant.
DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!
"[SOLIDIFY]!"
The chimes echoed endlessly as chaotic waves of power radiated outward, shaking the cube's energy barriers.
Meanwhile, Caine writhed in agony, clutching his head as the backlash assaulted his mind like a relentless storm.
'Success…'
The thought barely formed in his mind, fragmented and weak. The mental toll was beyond fierce, but at least he had succeeded. Somehow, there had been no tribulation for his actions—yet.
'I've done it… though I'm sure it'll catch up to me soon…'
His vision blurred, the world spinning out of focus. Darkness consumed him as he fell unconscious.
[Congratulations, you have completed your awakening.]
**
What woke Caine was the same excruciating headache that had sent him to sleep.
"Fuck!" he muttered, rolling onto his side as pain wracked his skull. He cursed under his breath, gripping his temples as the pounding intensified.
Suddenly, his rings flickered to life, their light shining faintly in the depths of his closed eyes. In a strained whisper, he chanted:
"[Heal]… [Calm]… [Mend]…"
Dozens of healing spells activated at once, gradually dulling the pain until it finally ebbed away.
With a relieved sigh, he let himself fall flat against the bed, his body drenched in sweat and his breathing labored.
'The last time I overworked my mind like this was when I first forged my rings… That was something else entirely.'
After a deep inhale and a steadying exhale, Caine opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings.
'As expected.'
He was back in his room—naked, for some reason—and night had fallen. By his bedside, a few handwritten notes lay neatly arranged.
His fellow soldiers had left them, congratulating him on his awakening and reminding him of their next mission's departure time.
'Another mission? So soon?' His gaze narrowed. 'I suppose it doesn't matter. With my current power, I should be able to defend myself.'
He clenched his fist experimentally. Immediately, arcs of blood qi crackled around it, vibrant and powerful.
'Even if I wanted to break past the peak of Flesh Destruction, it wouldn't be possible here. I'll have to wait until I return home.'
Though he sighed at the thought, he didn't truly mind. There was already much on his plate.
Beyond fully mastering his new bones, flesh, and affinity, he still had to delve deeper into his Gifts. Breaking through without fully understanding these aspects of his power would be foolish.
And even then, there was another pressing matter—the mysterious other half he had to find. Unlocking its secrets remained one of his greatest priorities.
But amidst all these challenges, Caine had made a startling discovery during his breakthrough process:
'I finally know where I am… I'm in a fractured reality.'
The thought weighed heavily on him. His gaze darkened, reflecting a swirl of worry and seriousness.
To say this complicated matters would be a vast understatement.