NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: A New Day
Chapter 3: A New Day
Aryan sat cross-legged on his bed, the dim light of dawn filtering into the room. The translucent system interface glowed before him, showing his progress.
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[Name]: Aryan Osmont
[Cultivation]: Ordinary Human (Foundation)
[Cultivation Technique]: Vital Wave Breathing (Diamond) | Proficiency: 10%
[Strength]: 150.4 kg
[Evolution Points]: 14,600
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The upgrade to 10% proficiency had cost him 800 points, leaving him with 14,600 Evolution Points. But the results were worth it. He could now perform 4 energy cycles per minute, a noticeable improvement from the initial 3 cycles.
"The technique feels so much smoother now," Aryan muttered, flexing his fingers. The synchronization between his breathing and the flow of energy in his body had improved significantly.
He stood up, stretched, and prepared for another session of cultivation.
For two hours, Aryan immersed himself in the rhythm of the Vital Wave Breathing Technique. Each inhale and exhale seemed to refine his body further, the energy coursing through him like a warm current.
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[Energy Cycles Completed: 480 | Energy Points Gained: +4,800.]
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After completing his session, Aryan quickly got dressed and joined his parents for breakfast.
"Good morning, Aryan," his mother, Mira, greeted with a smile as she set a plate of steaming bread and vegetables on the table. His father, Kael, was already eating, reading something on his holographic wristband.
"Morning, Mom. Morning, Dad," Aryan replied, taking his seat.
Kael looked up and gave Aryan a nod. "You've been working hard lately. That's good. A strong foundation is key to integrating a good gene in the future."
Aryan nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself. His parents' words were true, but he knew his golden finger—the Evolution System—gave him an unparalleled advantage.
After breakfast, Aryan grabbed his school bag and left for the city's primary martial arts academy. The streets were busy as usual, filled with people going about their day. The towering metallic buildings gleamed under the sunlight, and distant energy barriers shimmered around the city, protecting it from the wilderness beyond.
At school, Aryan was greeted by his group of friends. His best friend, Zayn, a stocky boy with short black hair, immediately grabbed his attention.
"Aryan! You're finally here!" Zayn exclaimed, his face beaming with excitement.
"Hey, Zayn," Aryan replied with a small smile. The rest of their group quickly gathered around—Liam, a lanky boy with glasses; Nina, a shy but cheerful girl; Farhan, a talkative chatterbox; and Mei, a quiet observer with sharp eyes.
The conversation quickly turned to their progress with the Vital Wave Breathing Technique.
"I've almost learned the technique!" Zayn boasted, puffing out his chest. "Just give me five more days, and I'll master it completely."
"Really?" Aryan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course!" Zayn grinned. "My strength is already at 90 kg. I bet I'm the strongest in our group."
Farhan chuckled. "Not the strongest. Don't forget about Zara, the class genius. She's already at 100 kg and fully learned the technique."
Zayn's grin faltered, and he waved dismissively. "She's different. Her parents are elite martial artists, and she probably has all the resources in the world. I'm talking about us regular folks."
Aryan listened quietly, noting the mention of Zara, the class genius. From his predecessor's memories, Aryan recalled that Zara was not only talented but also diligent.
"Did you know she doesn't even practice the same technique as us?" Liam chimed in. "She's using some legacy technique from her family. It's called the Ice Breathing Technique, and it's also diamond grade."
"That explains why she's so far ahead," Nina said softly.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class. The group dispersed, heading to their seats. Aryan couldn't help but glance at Zara, who sat at the front of the class. Her long silver hair and sharp blue eyes gave her an ethereal aura, and she carried herself with the grace of someone destined for greatness.
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After class, Aryan made his way to the school library. It was a vast room filled with holographic books and digital screens, offering knowledge on everything from basic martial arts techniques to the history of the post-apocalyptic world.
Aryan sat at a terminal and began searching for information about the beasts, martial artists, and the genes that defined this world.
The first thing he learned was about the Evolved Beasts. These creatures were categorized into nine grades, just like the martial artists. Grade-1 beasts were manageable by low-level martial artists, but grade-9 beasts were akin to natural disasters.
"Humans are limited by the genes they integrate," Aryan muttered, reading further. "The stronger the gene, the higher the potential. But integrating a high-grade gene requires a robust foundation. Otherwise, the body collapses under the strain."
He also discovered that Earth had expanded nearly a hundred times its original size after the apocalypse. The continents were now vast and interconnected by mysterious ruins and energy pathways. Most of the planet was dominated by the wilderness, leaving only a fraction of it habitable for humans.
"This explains the scarcity of resources," Aryan thought. "The Federation controls everything, from the cities to the distribution of high-grade genes. No wonder people struggle to climb the hierarchy."
The more Aryan read, the more he realized the challenges ahead. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, he felt exhilarated. The vastness of this new world meant endless opportunities for growth.
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Returning home, Aryan freshened up and immediately started cultivating. For three hours, he immersed himself in the Vital Wave Breathing Technique, pushing his body to its limits.
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[Energy Cycles Completed: 720 | Energy Points Gained: +7,200.]
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At dinner, Aryan joined his parents, who were discussing their day. Mira looked at him fondly. "You've been spending a lot of time practicing. I'm proud of you, Aryan."
"Thanks, Mom," Aryan replied, smiling. "I want to be strong enough to protect myself and our family."
Kael nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit. Just remember, strength comes with responsibility. Always use it wisely."
After dinner, Aryan returned to his room for another session of cultivation. The rhythm of the Vital Wave Breathing Technique had become second nature to him, and each cycle felt more efficient than the last.
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[Energy Cycles Completed: 720 | Energy Points Gained: +7,200.]
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As the clock struck midnight, Aryan finally opened his system interface.
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[Name]: Aryan Osmont
[Cultivation]: Ordinary Human (Foundation)
[Cultivation Technique]: Vital Wave Breathing (Diamond) | Proficiency: 10%
[Strength]: 150.88 kg
[Evolution Points]: 29,800
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Aryan stared at the interface, a grin spreading across his face.
He noticed that he had accumulated a lot of points and his strength increased 480 grams. Which means he could now gain 60 grams of strength per hour with a 10% proficiency.So he wanted to upgrade his profiency again.
But when he wanted to upgrade,he noticed that the amount of points needed for per 1% had increased from 100 to 200 points.
He thought it was ought to be. Because per 10% brought a considerable amount of changes.So he guessed he would probably need 300 points from 21%. He decided to use all his points here
[You have used 200 points to raise your proficiency to 11%....]
[You have used 200 points to raise your proficiency to 12%....]
....
[You have used 200 points to raise your proficiency to 20%....]
When it reached 20% he noticed that the needed points increased from 200 to 300,as accpected.He didn't think anymore and used all his points, he had 27800 points left.
[You have used 27400 points to raise your proficiency to 73%.....]
Aryan felt a huge amount of knowledge rushed in his memory as if he had been practicing for years.He didn't felt this intensely before as he only upgraded a little before.Now with his 73% proficiency,he tried to cultvate again.After a minute
[You have completed 10 cycles. Gained points-100]
It was so refreshing. He felt the breathing technique was almost like his normal breathing.
Then he cultivated for an hour
[You have completed 600 cycles. Gained points-6000]
Then Aryan noticed his strength section
[Strength - 151.08 kg]
It increased 120 gram per hour.. It was so cool.He didn't know what would be his strength after 2 years.
Then added the 5600 points he gained just now to his proficiency
[You have used 5600 points to raise your proficiency to 79%....]
Ah!Some more and it will be 80%. So he started cultivating again,after 5 minutes he gained 500 points.Then he added 800 points again.
[You have used 800 points to raise your proficiency to 80%....]
It was so addictive to gain strength almost every minute. But then reminded himself that rest was also necessary otherwise his body would collapse sooner or later. So he went to bed and fell asleep almost instantly.