Chapter 24: The Price to pay.
Kayode sat in the heart of the dense forest, surrounded by the treasures he had stolen from the Coiled Serpent Sect's pavilion. His hands trembled as he carefully examined each item. There were weapons of immense power, cultivation manuals containing secret techniques, and rare herbs with healing properties. The Funnybros Bag was stuffed to its limits, but Kayode's thoughts were not on the treasures themselves. His mind was consumed by one thing—the A.P. Erekere had stolen from him.
"I can't believe that thief took all of my A.P.," Kayode muttered, glaring at the bag. "I'm back to square one. How am I supposed to rebuild now?"
Oba stretched lazily, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. "You should be thanking Erekere, boy. He did you a favor. The chaos may be inconvenient, but look at all this wealth you've got now. Use it wisely."
Kayode gritted his teeth. "I don't need more treasures—I need A.P. to recover, to break through." He knew the way forward wasn't going to be easy. His Golden Core had been shattered, and his cultivation had barely been holding together since. Without A.P., it would be near impossible to advance further.
The system's voice suddenly filled his mind. "Kayode, I have an idea. If you exchange the treasures you've acquired for A.P., you might be able to rebuild what Erekere took. The treasures hold significant value in A.P. You could use this wealth to fuel your breakthrough."
Kayode hesitated but realized the truth in the system's suggestion. He had no choice. "Fine," he muttered, "let's see what these treasures are worth."
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Exchange of Treasures
With a snap of his fingers, Kayode began placing the treasures one by one in front of him, and the system quickly processed each item. The cultivation manuals, powerful weapons, and rare herbs were all appraised, the values rising higher than he had expected.
The system's voice chimed in with the exchange rate. "Total A.P. accumulated: 10,000 A.P."
Kayode's eyes widened. "Ten thousand? That's more than enough to recover!" His hands shook with excitement, but there was also a tinge of regret for the treasures lost. Still, the A.P. was what mattered now.
Without wasting any time, Kayode accessed the Palmwine of Chaos from his storage bag. The wine's chaotic energy surged through him once again, its intoxicating warmth spreading through his veins. Kayode felt his Qi flowing faster than ever before. His heart pounded, and the energy in his body began to swell, but this time, something felt different.
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The Breakthrough
As Kayode circulated his Qi, the energy within his body began to warp. Instead of the usual calming, focused energy that accompanied a breakthrough, chaotic waves of power surged around him, twisting his very essence. His Golden Core flickered violently, trying to stabilize itself, but the intense power of the wine seemed to push him beyond his limits.
His vision blurred, and a bright light erupted from within his chest, his core splitting open once more. But this time, it wasn't a Golden Core that formed.
The system's voice rang out in awe. "Kayode, your core is changing. It's… it's becoming something else. This is a Nascent Soul!"
Kayode gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain control as the energy flooded his body. But something was different. Unlike the Nascent Soul cultivators he had heard of, Kayode's soul didn't take the usual form of a glowing orb or spiritual body. Instead, he felt a strange presence stir within him, an energy far darker and more primal than the typical Nascent Soul.
His new soul took shape—a spectral figure of a Nigerian warrior, clad in armor and holding a spear. The warrior's eyes glowed with an ethereal light as it stood tall within the center of Kayode's core. It was powerful, fierce, and full of life, but there was something untamed about it, a wildness that hinted at the chaos the wine had injected into his cultivation.
The system's voice hesitated for a moment before continuing, "This Nascent Soul… it's not like any other. It's been altered, shaped by the chaos you've consumed. You now possess a Warrior Nascent Soul, one that will grow with you and empower your bloodline in ways previously thought impossible."
Kayode's eyes widened in shock. "A… Warrior Nascent Soul? What does that mean?"
Oba, sensing the change within Kayode, gave a low, approving purr. "It means you've become something new, something far more dangerous. The chaos has forged your Nascent Soul into a reflection of your inner strength. The warrior within you will fight, will conquer, and will never back down."
Kayode breathed heavily, feeling the new soul pulse with energy. As he tried to move, he could feel the warrior's presence shifting with him, almost like a second body. It was as if the warrior was now a part of him, lending its strength to his own.
The system spoke once more, its tone a mix of awe and caution. "Kayode, with this Nascent Soul, your cultivation will skyrocket. You will be able to reach heights previously unimaginable. But be warned, your journey ahead will be much more difficult. The chaos within you will make it harder to control your powers, and the path to mastery will be steep. But if you can tame it, the rewards will be monumental."
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A New Path
Kayode stood up shakily, the newly-formed Nascent Soul within him throbbing with power. He could feel its fierce energy intertwining with his own, and the warrior spirit seemed to call out to him, urging him forward.
The air around him crackled with newfound energy. "I'm not done yet," Kayode muttered under his breath, his fists clenched. The warrior Nascent Soul would be both his weapon and his burden. But one thing was certain—he would rise above every challenge, no matter how chaotic or impossible it seemed.
Oba jumped onto his shoulder, purring softly. "Not bad, boy. But remember, it's not just about power. It's about control. And chaos doesn't always play by the rules."
Kayode smirked, a fire igniting in his eyes. "I'll learn to control it. I'm not afraid of chaos anymore."
With his Nascent Soul ready and his cultivation advancing to new heights, Kayode stepped forward, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. His journey was only just beginning.
To Be Continued…