During the phase of muscular awakening, Kaidrix needed to focus intensely on speed. His diet returned to normal, but his uncle would still occasionally force him to endure weeks without food, pushing him to survive through sheer willpower despite the constant fatigue and exhaustion. This time, their training escalated into fierce combat sessions where Kaidrix faced off against his uncle directly.
Kaidrix's movements were sluggish, and with each exertion, his body emitted unsettling snapping and cracking sounds as it strained under pressure. His uncle's brutal punches and kicks sent him crashing across the cave, yet Kaidrix persisted, his resilience growing stronger each day. Despite battling in the frigid depths of the cave with nothing but his bare skin exposed to the cold, he managed to withstand the harsh conditions. His once pale skin was now mottled with bruises of blue and black, giving the appearance that his body had formed a protective shell of hardened flesh around him.
Two more months passed, and Kaidrix finally broke through the boundaries of muscular awakening. Now, he could move freely and easily even under the burden of 1,000 kilograms of weight. His body was slim yet muscular, marred by bruises and patches of blue-black skin, with only a few areas still retaining their original pale color. Despite his battered appearance, neither his uncle nor Lumina seemed concerned. Lumina, in particular, remained unfailingly kind and gentle toward him. Her deep, unwavering love for Kaidrix never wavered, regardless of how he looked. This constant affection warmed Kaidrix's heart, making him feel at home. In return, he was always gentle and caring toward Lumina.
As time passed, Kaidrix grew increasingly worried. He asked his uncle several times what was happening to him, wondering if he would ever return to his normal appearance or if he would remain blue and black forever. His uncle always reassured him not to worry. Eventually, Kaidrix stepped into the third level—Tendinitis Reinforcement. This stage involved holding strange and difficult poses for hours, often until he collapsed from exhaustion. His uncle continuously increased the weight on him, now reaching nearly 1,500 kilograms. Kaidrix's skin became even more black and blue, with visible cracks appearing. He realized that his body had formed a layer of dead skin to keep him warm in the extreme cold, a natural reaction to the harsh training conditions. Yet, despite the grueling challenges, it wasn't enough. What puzzled Kaidrix even more was that neither his uncle nor Lumina ever used an energy barrier to protect themselves. It was clear to him that Lumina, too, had undergone this brutal body-refining training.
After one year and three months, Kaidrix finally stepped into the Bone Forging level. This was a significant milestone, as it marked the first time his uncle introduced him to sensing energy. It was a challenging process for Kaidrix, taking him an entire month of constant effort, day and night, to sense even the faintest trace of energy. The energy levels on Earth were almost nonexistent, but the planet still retained a faint life force. In his strange, difficult poses, Kaidrix had to bear the immense weight while focusing his mind on detecting the elusive energy in the air. Once he finally managed to sense it, his uncle instructed him to gather and channel this energy to strengthen his bones. Imagining how to control it was difficult and required another month of grueling work before Kaidrix could barely manipulate the energy.
The hardest part, however, was the bone forging itself. Despite the name, Bone Forging didn't involve breaking and reforging bones. Instead, it was a process of purifying and nourishing the bones with energy to make them more solid and durable. Eventually, every cultivator, or body cultivator, reaches a point where they must physically break and reforge their body to advance, but that level of cultivation requires reaching the Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation stages first.
It took Kaidrix a full five months to complete the Bone Forging process. It was an excruciating ordeal, as he had to endure the pain of purifying his bones and expelling the waste material from his body and tissues. As a result of this intense process, he also managed to shed some of the black and blue discoloration of his skin. After the Bone Forging was finished, his uncle taught him about the meridians in the human body. There are one hundred and twenty main meridians, with countless smaller ones that open naturally as each main meridian is unlocked. Opening these meridians was another long and painful task, but Monarik helped Kaidrix by using his spiritual energy to expedite the process. With his meridians now open, Kaidrix could store energy in both his meridians and muscles, allowing him to bear a weight of about three thousand kilograms.
The Somakai family didn't possess any profound or advanced cultivation methods, so Kaidrix's uncle provided him with a basic breathing technique to circulate energy throughout his body. Despite the simplicity of the method, Kaidrix's talent shone through after opening all his meridians. It was now time for him to break through to the Qi Nourishment stage. Within just two days, Kaidrix successfully advanced, entering the Facial Transformation stage.
This stage, which also involved Cellular Regeneration, was deeply connected to the process of healing and strengthening the body at the cellular level. It was an intense and thorough learning experience for Kaidrix, almost like studying biology under his uncle's guidance. Understanding the tissues and cells of the human body, and recognizing that almost every creature with flesh and blood is made of these components, was essential for his progress. After absorbing all this knowledge, Kaidrix began enhancing and cleansing his tissues and cells, removing all the dead skin marked by black and blue spots caused by blood freezing in the smallest veins on the skin.
After cleansing, enhancing, and repairing his body, Kaidrix mastered the skill of healing wounds and learned the art of regeneration. This newfound ability proved to be an incredibly valuable asset, equipping him with the power to recover from injuries and further strengthen his resilience.
Now at the stage of Corporeal Harmony, Kaidrix needed to synchronize his energy and mind to bring balance to his body, bones, meridians, and flesh. Achieving this harmony was essential for nourishing all parts of his being together and laying a solid foundation. With focused effort, he worked tirelessly to harmonize his body and energy, gradually gaining greater control over both.
In the body refining process of the Somakai family, the first three stages of basic cultivation are covered: 1. Body Refining, 2. Qi Gathering, and 3. Qi Condensation. This was a long and grueling process, but Kaidrix, possessing a Kratos body, naturally had a talent that far surpassed his peers.
In short, Kaidrix had reached the stage of Foundation Establishment, carrying the weight of his body cultivation with him. His body now shimmered with a black-golden energy glow, and his facial features had become more defined, giving him a formidable presence. The bonds on his flesh had become nearly invincible when in contact with his energy. The Foundation Establishment stage consists of three levels: Initial, Mid, and Peak. Days turned into years as Kaidrix diligently cultivated, and after one year on Earth, he achieved the Peak of Foundation Establishment. This was a remarkable achievement, considering he had reached this stage and cultivated his body in just three years.
As days passed, Monarik decided it was time to help Kaidrix form his Core. No one knew that Kaidrix possessed a monstrous appetite for gathering energy, especially on a planet so devoid of it. The scene was extraordinary, drawing widespread attention and causing chaos across the continent of Antarctica. Tornadoes and heavy snowfall ensued, leading people to seek refuge in their hideouts. Satellites captured the phenomenon, and the footage was sent to authorities.
The unusual and severe weather piqued the curiosity of many, creating a stir. Although the excitement eventually died down, the commotion attracted unwanted attention. Dormant enemies discovered their whereabouts and began searching for them. By the time of the event, which had occurred three days prior, Kaidrix had successfully formed his Core and reached the Core Formation stage. This stage also comprises three main levels: Initial, Mid, and Peak, which are further divided into gas, liquid, and solid states. Kaidrix was currently in the Initial Gas stage.
It was a typically cloudy day when Monarik detected a foreign presence in their vicinity. Acting swiftly, he alerted Kaidrix and Lumina to the imminent danger. He emphasized that they should stay close together, regardless of the circumstances. The threat was real, and their safety depended on their unity and vigilance.
In an instant, a tall, muscular figure appeared in the air near the cave where Monarik and his family had lived for the past three years. The figure announced, "Come out and surrender. There's no escape for you." Almost immediately, another figure materialized beside him. Monarik's face tightened with grim determination. The first figure, who introduced himself as Vorgath of the Demon Clan, continued, "Surrender, or I'll obliterate this cave. I have no intention of killing you, but I can certainly turn you into a meat paste."
Monarik retorted, "It's a foolish fantasy to think you could make a meat paste out of the descendants of the Somakai family."
Vorgath responded coldly, "True, but your fate won't be far from that in my eyes."
Turning to Lumina and Kaidrix, Monarik instructed, "No matter what happens, stay inside the cave."
Kaidrix, alarmed, protested, "Uncle, I want to help. Don't go alone."
Lumina echoed his concern, but Monarik reassured them, "Don't worry, I can handle them. But I need you both to stay here. I must find out more about your father and how many of them are on this planet."
After Monarik's departure, the cave was filled with the sounds of war cries as shockwaves radiated across the continent. The clash of their powerful punches cleared the weather over Antarctica, sending shockwaves that spread across the oceans, causing tidal waves and rising sea levels that led to floods on other continents. Earthquakes and floods ravaged the land, shaking the continent to its core. The energy from the collision of their punches caused intense disruptions, with Vorgath's energy being suppressed. His followers joined in, and the chaos only intensified. The shockwaves reached space, causing further turmoil—satellites lost contact, and the moon developed visible impacts. The authorities were once again in disarray, as communication systems failed much like they did three years ago. This time, however, the interference was even more severe, leaving many people in agony as if their heads would split from the shockwaves. Fear spread rapidly, with many believing it might be the end of days.
Some people speculated that the shockwaves were the result of a nearby star exploding, sending its energy toward Earth. Others guessed it might be a massive solar flare passing close to the planet, wreaking havoc and causing destructive shockwaves. In short, everyone had their own theories, but no one knew the true cause of the disturbance. The uncertainty and fear only deepened as the world struggled to make sense of the chaos unfolding around them.
After the intense battle, Monarik emerged victorious. Although some of his enemies managed to escape, he succeeded in capturing one of them. Monarik tortured the captive to extract information, discovering that the attackers were aware of their location on Earth and had sent a message to their masters, who would arrive in one year. However, Monarik suspected that much of what the captive revealed was a mix of lies and half-truths. After confirming that no other forces were present on Earth, Monarik executed the captive and returned to the cave. He informed Kaidrix and Lumina that they had only one month to leave the planet. If Kaidrix wished to say goodbye to anyone or settle any unfinished business, he needed to do so quickly.
Kaidrix went to his workplace, where he found his boss in her office. There were some new faces and a few familiar ones among the staff. The people who recognized him came forward, curious about where he had been all these years. As the boss lady emerged from her office and saw Kaidrix, she rushed into his arms, tears streaming down her face. Kaidrix excused himself from the others and led his boss into his office. Overwhelmed with emotion, she struggled to control her tears. After she had calmed down somewhat, Kaidrix revealed the bombshell: his father was missing, and he was in danger as well. He explained that he would be leaving the country. The boss, heartbroken at the thought of parting ways, cried uncontrollably in his arms. Eventually, she managed to pull away, knowing this might be their last meeting. With a trembling voice, she asked if they would ever meet again. Kaidrix, unable to offer any certainty, told her he didn't know and advised her not to wait for him.
Afterward, Kaidrix entrusted his house to his friend from university, the only friend he had. The friend, who was very good-looking and had a fair complexion, was shocked to see Kaidrix's refined appearance. Despite his surprise, he agreed to take care of Kaidrix's house after learning about the situation.