[Mind of Tranquility] triggered. One credit given.

  [Mind of Tranquility] is in a constant state. No more credit will be given until you return to normal.

  It was a strange sensation, as if his body no longer belonged to him.

  Nathan felt trapped within a massive, alien framework. Yet somehow, he could move it according to his will. The sensation spread from his skin through his blood vessels, down to each cell like a storm whirling through his emotions, leaving his mind in an indescribable state of detachment.

  Mind, he thought fleetingly.

  The state of his consciousness now was unclear. The closest thing he could compare it to were tsunami waves that were suppressed by some force the moment they began to surge, prevented from rampaging and destroying. His skull had become an impregnable fortress, blocking any destabilizing signals from spreading. Anger, resentment, and madness were imprisoned. But their power transformed into strange tendrils that spread outward, enough to make blood boil, to cause the active substances in his body to multiply, leading to his transformation.

  Titan's Berserker State.

  "Magnificent!" the stranger exclaimed with excitement. "I never thought I'd witness such a marvel."

  Nathan tilted his head from his nearly three-meter height, the motion accompanied by crackling sounds from his stone-transformed skin courtesy of the Titan bloodline. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the one who had forced him to transform.

  The white-robed figure trembled before his gaze, not unlike someone meeting their idol.

  "Oh heavens," he moaned. "I understand why you have a contract with that tiger now. Even I'm drooling over you."

  Nathan raised his seemingly alien arm before his eyes. It was encased in pitch-black stone, solid and jagged in many places. He looked no different than someone wearing armor. Flexing his fingers, he still couldn't believe this was his body. His thoughts drifted to the questions he had posed about the [Titan's Descendant] skill. Why did it have a hidden effect compatible with Berserker? Had the system known his future path and granted him such an overwhelming physique? If not, did [Titan's Descendant] have other hidden effects he didn't know about, only manifesting when he chose his path?

  Not letting his mind wander too long in unknown territories, he refocused on his current state.

  One undeniable fact was that this state felt truly invigorating. Every movement carried a sense of force and power. Even breathing brought full, expansive breaths that stretched his lungs to capacity, his heart beating powerfully with each pulse. Blood circulated without any hindrance, delivering necessary nutrients to his muscles, making them swell. His bones simultaneously received a coating that he could only perceive when clear-headed, increasing both their density and durability.

  He thought he could take on both Argentiuses at once.

  "This seems to be your first time experiencing this state?" the white-robed man asked curiously, waving the fishing rod. He also felt surprised, and somewhat fearful, before a pressure that seemed to pierce through space and time. A warning not to act rashly.

  However, this only made him more interested in the young man before him, despite his form being as tall and broad as a mountain.

  Dismissing the ever-present pressure as if it were nothing, the white-robed man tapped the rod against his hand, analyzing.

  "You strongly resist this state, so you must know about this beautiful thing," he swept his eyes up and down Nathan's form. "Thus, you fear the consequences. But the consequences aren't the devastation to yourself. First, this must be a life-saving move. You don't use it because there exists an even greater threat. Second, it's intimately connected to spirit and mind. The Berserker school is known to use emotions as fuel for power. You were only defeated when I struck at your soul, causing mental chaos. But your current state suggests this is your first time experiencing a sense of, what, tranquility? Therefore, the high possibility is that previously you never maintained clarity once unleashing your greatest battle power, correct? Not devastation then it must be about something else, something that you cannot let anyone know."

  The only response was a steady stare. Though Nathan was encased in that strange armor, deep inside he was trembling, afraid of being exposed by the stranger.

  "No answer? Or perhaps you can't speak when transformed? That's fine. I'll grant you the right not to speak. Let me think a bit more. Hmm. I haven't researched much about you. Just have some impressions. You've only risen in the past few months. Completely submerged before that. Ah, you're also a traveler from another world. Let me guess."

  Then, he opened his eyes wide to look at Nathan, like a child who had just discovered something new.

  "System?"

  Nathan only hoped his hardened face wouldn't betray any emotion, as he truly wasn't confident he could control his facial muscles.

  "Unique System even?" the white-robed man dug deeper. "Must be, right? Certainly is. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to explain your development."

  Even Darkan still maintained some doubts about Nathan. And he had glossed over it. In essence, he told Darkan he obtained his bloodline when transferring from Earth to this world. This bloodline lay dormant for two years before suddenly awakening. His master accepted this explanation, as it wasn't uncommon. He also attributed the outer sect tournament performance to bloodline effects.

  He believed Darkan had suspicions like the stranger, but the former was someone who had observed him for a long time and seemed protective of him, while the latter only brought unprecedented threat.

  He never expected his secret to be exposed so early. He decided to pretend to be mute from now until this ended. Or death. Only then would he avoid providing unnecessary information to his opponent.

  "I've been rambling too much and forgot the main point," the white-robed man laughed.

  Nathan tensed his entire body, clenching his fists. Even such a small motion produced small explosive sounds.

  "Don't frighten me," the stranger chuckled. "Your combat power now might compare to some of the geniuses present in this pocket dimension. For me though, just a wave of the hand would suffice."

  Hearing this, Nathan didn't argue, either verbally or internally. He truly saw no possibility of defeating this opponent. He was partly terrified thinking about charging forward mindlessly like when fighting Argentius. His end surely wouldn't be pretty.

  Sensing the opponent had spoken so much with him and likely didn't want to kill him, he listened patiently.

  "See I'm right?" the stranger sat back down. "No one can know their own limits, they need help. You lied to me, kid! You haven't reached your limit yet."

  With a snap, the stranger released the waterfall's frozen state.

  The water crashed down with thunderous force, spray flying everywhere.

  "Keep climbing, young man," the white-robed man propped his foot on a rock, saying casually. "If you make it through, I'll reward you. Though not with points, I won't treat you poorly."

  Nathan turned to look at the flowing waterfall. He truly had no choice in the current situation. Since he couldn't escape, he could only accept it. He also didn't think the stranger was idle enough to help him cultivate only to kill him afterward.

  Looking at Evelyn still frozen like a statue, Nathan took a determined breath.

  He bent his knees, the force of exploding bombs gathering in his calves. Yet he felt no pain or strain. With a clear mind, he didn't need to attack randomly like his previous transformation, but could combine [Martial Art Mastery] with his passive skill.

  [Amplifying Strike] triggered. One credit given.

  [Flowing Strikes] triggered. One credit given.

  With a thunderous boom, he launched himself up against the rushing waterfall. The ground beneath his feet couldn't withstand the force, revealing cracks.

  The resistance met him like mountains. Combined with his own opposing force, the reaction was immediate. His stone armor was shattered to pieces. They fell as fragments. Immediately regenerated, taking turns withstanding the devastation of the heavy flow.

  Observing the Titan's Berserker State for the first time, Nathan couldn't contain his amazement at himself. He always knew the transformation brought immense power, but had never truly understood how it worked.

  More notable than the recovery ability was how pain was reduced to its minimum. He still felt pressure like merciless hammers striking his shoulders and back. However, it didn't violently attack his spirit like before.

  With just one jump, he had reached level seven of the waterfall. With just one swing of his arm, he returned to level eight.

  His astonishment rose once again. The challenge was no longer as difficult as before. He felt like he had returned to level two of the waterfall. The weight was noticeable, but not enough to require his body's full power.

  In that joy, he persevered past the five-minute limit, or spiritually speaking, half an hour. [Mind of Tranquility] seemed to help him forget how his spirit was stretched to make time feel different according to the stranger's words.

  Then, essence once again flooded his body as water droplets condensed.

  The difference this time was that he didn't need to descend to cultivate. Because his body was doing it automatically. With just a thought, he could absorb essence rapidly. The absorption rate wasn't even enough for his needs.

  He could feel himself approaching breakthrough.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  After more than half the remaining time passed, he broke through to Tier 2 Phase 6.0 of Physical Cultivation.

  He roared in satisfaction as his body tensed. His stone armor expanded one layer, then automatically separated and fell from his skin, as if shedding. The surface of the new stone layers became shinier, harder, though the change wasn't significant, it was noticeable.

  With his breakthrough, the level eight challenge was nothing more than a stroll for Nathan. Soon he had completed it.

  Continuing to level nine.

  Below, the stranger watched everything with an expression of fascination and appreciation. He looked at the rod in his hand, still feeling the unnamed force that had broken the fishing line. His eyes revealed contemplation, but he still couldn't figure it out.

  Level nine ended. Nathan broke through to Phase 6.3.

  He felt his need for essence growing increasingly larger. The pain when it crashed into his blood vessels and body parts was enough to make him grimace. They even surpassed the weight the waterfall brought, making it unbelievable. This meant the essence wasn't being regulated at all but storming inside him like a flood. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't regulate it.

  His mind was maintained clear by [Mind of Tranquility] but only enough to prevent him from doing anything rash. Trying to calm down would conflict with expanding emotions, completely useless and even hindering greater absorption.

  More accurately, the essence amount still hadn't reached his endurance limit despite causing pain. The essence absorption rate in autopilot state still only fell around one-third thanks to his superior physique. He was like a hungry tiger, not letting any nutrients go to waste. Once the essence exceeded this threshold, it would be wasted as consumption speed decreased sharply.

  He truly couldn't imagine what would happen once he was fully satiated. Whether he would explode and die.

  He passed level ten. Completing advancement to Phase 6.7.

  Just when he thought everything was finished, he saw the mist that always dominated above open up. A new challenge continued to beckon him.

  Looking down, the white-robed man smiled at him, gesturing for him to continue.

  And then, what greeted him was the same misery that damned fishing rod had brought.

  Level eleven was continuous shockwaves both inside and outside his body.

  The stone skin had no moment of integrity. It shattered then continued to separate. His body gradually heated up, the consequence of activated defense mechanisms. Recovery ability was enhanced to respond to the unceasing destruction. The stone protrusion at his chest, the center of power flashed red, dispersing force around so he wouldn't fall.

  According to Argentius's account, this had protected his life from its sharp claws. Currently, it was doing something similar. This protrusion was like his second heart, both synchronized yet independent. The armor surrounding his upper body was the only place not destroyed by the waterfall's savage downpour.

  Inside him, his soul fell into violent vibration. It was like wanting to escape from his body. Crashing here, crashing there. Only contained by the barrier called body.

  [Mind of Tranquility] didn't help as he always thought. Just involving the soul, it would abandon him. This skill only worked when the mind was attacked. It could be a barrier to prevent the mind from affecting the soul, but not vice versa.

  As a result, he had to endure. Everything was like when he received the Skill Orb from Darkan. Then multiplied tenfold.

  If the soul had skin it would have been peeled countless times. If it had flesh it would have been decomposed piece by piece then recovered. If it had bones they would have broken then been forced back to their original position time after time. If it had lungs they would have been squeezed breathless. If it had a heart it would have stopped beating.

  All panic, suffering that seemed nonexistent became existent surrounding him.

  The soul's punishment made his body operate instinctively. When everything approached shattering, his second heart changed color, from bright red to white.

  His shapeless soul was covered in a white membrane looking like a cocoon. The waves of attacks gradually subsided, no longer tearing at him. He regained clarity. The stone heart turned red again, to increase recovery speed for his physique. Because just missing a few seconds, the waterfall's devastation had overcome all barriers, tearing his massive shoulders and arms, blood flowing freely.

  The stranger below lurched forward, mouth forming an O of amazement. In his eyes reflecting the image of water droplets mixed with the young man's blood, there was something indescribable. Not excitement, not appreciation of talent. But hope. His hand gripped the rod tightly, trembling uncontrollably.

  Level eleven was designed to deceive anyone wanting to test themselves at the waterfall. Because normal people would think level ten was maximum, was the destination. Once something higher appeared above, most would give up feeling deceived. Level ten was already unbearable torture.

  Nathan wasn't the first to reach level eleven. After all, the waterfall was created for young people, not to reward a bunch of Tier 3 or Tier 4. It still had its limits.

  And the problem arose from this very foundation. Nathan's power in Titan's Berserker State had surpassed Tier 3. This still wasn't grounds to destroy the waterfall challenge. The core lay in the Titan bloodline. Evidence had come before the fishing line broke, before Nathan even entered the waterfall. The stranger deduced the young man had something else assisting. A type of skill the system rewarded travelers.

  ROAR!

  Nathan's roar snapped the white-robed man from his wandering thoughts. He smiled, delighted with the unexpected discovery. He raised his hand, pointing straight at the waterfall's source.

  Because Nathan could never raise his head, he didn't know another challenge level had formed above him. He also couldn't see the surrounding space becoming unstable, various rocks floating up, dissolving. The lake below gradually drained.

  The level twelve challenge designed specifically for him was established.

  His cultivation had increased to Tier 2, Phase 7.1.

  With new power from his level, he didn't falter, raising his hand to feel if he had reached the endpoint. When finding more rock protrusions, he tried pulling himself up. His fingers were in a state of destruction, recovery ability no longer meeting demands. What remained in water and mushy flesh, completely crushed, only the bones inside could keep him from falling.

  He wanted to give up, that was a request from deep in his soul. But it was blocked, not by [Mind of Tranquility] but thanks to [Self-emotional Support]. Whispered words of encouragement rose beside his ear, providing fuel for motivation. The strange thing was he could hear the smoldering words of others. Not from people he knew, not Zeryn's voice, Jessica's, Evelyn's, Zahra's, Xander's, or his beloved mother's. A strange voice, yet intimately painful, tens of thousands of miles away yet right before his eyes. He didn't understand the voice's words, as if they came from an ancient language.

  He only knew the emotions it carried, and how they resonated with him.

  "Keep going."

  Like that, he successfully pulled his body up, completely enduring level twelve's attacks.

  What happened to his hands spread to his neck skin, shoulders, and back. The thing standing in the waterfall looked horrifying. A human form with skin peeling off, revealing red flesh and muscle beneath. Blood was somewhat staunched, yet still spurted out mixing into the rushing water flow. Sometimes, one could see bones protruding, notably they weren't white, but carried a metallic silver sheen.

  External pain drove away the soul's torment. The soul's agony drove away physical numbness.

  Inside and outside reached equilibrium.

  Nathan became almost supernatural, ego-less. He stood outside observing everything. A state of ultimate mystery.

  The stranger leaped to his feet, unable to contain his emotions. He dropped the rod in his hand, hurrying forward to witness the radiant scene before him. His whole body itched with anticipation, wishing time would flow faster, to take this young man with him.

  "Not yet," he muttered. "The time isn't ripe. The youngster needs to experience more difficulties."

  Taking a deep breath, his eyes became calm again. Future plans could wait. Now was the time to enjoy the process.

  Nathan wasn't sure how he had reached this state. Just as hours before he had embraced negative emotions, now he did similarly. He used his mental strength and effort to pull his soul back, to ground it in a new cage outside his body, to become more complete. Like he was steel being hammered simultaneously from both sides, forcing himself into a mold. Fragile yet not easily broken.

  He instinctively felt he had opened a new door, though he still didn't know what it was.

  Fifteen minutes in the outside world, or over an hour and a half under the waterfall, passed like eternity.

  Essence poured into his body helping him advance to Phase 7.7, which was also when the rewards ceased.

  He had become a machine that knew only one task. When realizing he was no longer receiving anything, he again reached up, groping for new anchors. But there was nothing left.

  He was suddenly pulled upward, his body becoming weightless, no longer bearing mountains on his shoulders. Before him was a drifting cloud, spreading around was the whole world, the horizon stretching endlessly amazed him with its beauty. Forests, deserts, rivers, seas, passed before his eyes in succession. Everything looked like he was on a high-speed spacecraft rushing forward. His eyes sparkled at the world's grandeur.

  "Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice spoke beside him.

  The white-robed man also gazed at everything like Nathan, continuing.

  "This obviously isn't the pocket dimension's world, but the vast world out there. One day, this will be your playground. That said, provided you live until that glorious time."

  Somehow, Nathan felt a surge of heroic emotion in his heart. He didn't know if it was the white-robed man manipulating him, or if he truly felt such emotions. Once he had just been a small student, an intern at a business company climbing the career ladder. Once he had been the sect's lowest disciple, desperate not knowing how to return to his Alzheimer's-afflicted mother. Yet now someone was saying he had the chance to reach further. To do not what he could, but what he wanted.

  The stranger smirked, snapping his fingers. Both returned to the ground.

  The scene that appeared startled Nathan. The waterfall now looked like a painting dissolving with time. Particle by particle floated up, rocks gradually breaking apart, water endlessly separating.

  "I pushed this waterfall too far for you," the white-robed man shook his head. "But still worth it. You don't realize the foundation you've achieved today."

  Seeing the curious look in Nathan's still-red eyes, the stranger laughed loudly.

  "If you can survive through this small event, I'll come find you. But now I must repair this waterfall and test other promising young people. Goodbye!"

  Survive? Nathan frowned, feeling this warning wasn't simply about struggles between young people.

  The stranger turned his back, his figure gradually fading, white robes blending into the surrounding space. The dissolving waterfall also disappeared with it, returning the real scene to an empty patch of land. The area looked like it had once belonged to some other trial and had been neatly excavated to make room for the waterfall.

  Nathan instinctively raised his hand in reflex, catching an object thrown at him.

  "I dug this out from the previous trial," the stranger's voice lingered. "Should be beneficial for you. After all, you're the first to pass my trial, so take this reward. Have fun, kid!"

  Nathan stood still there, looking at where the stranger had vanished without a trace for a while, replaying their encounter in his mind. Only when he felt the freezing numbness did he startle and turn around.

  Evelyn had already prepared everything for battle. Various ice bolts and sharp ice discs swirled around her. The cold aura penetrated even the stone protective layer surrounding Nathan.

  He raised his hand intending to speak but just managed to block several shots fired at him.

  Argentius, sensing the commotion through its spirit, rushed over at extreme speed, baring its teeth in warning at the blue-haired girl.

  A bolt of electricity flashed past Evelyn's head, and she stopped her attacks. Her eyes swept over the three-meter tall figure, encased in jagged stone, with the chest area covered in seemingly superior material. The red eyes of this giant showed no hostility.

  "Nathan?" she asked incredulously, hopefully.

  "It's me," Nathan said, hearing his own voice in Titan's Berserker State for the first time. It was a deep sound, carrying a gravelly quality like stones grinding together, while also resonating powerfully.

  "You...you...," Evelyn stammered. "What happened here?"

  "Long story," Nathan said. "I'll tell you later. Right now we have something to do first."

  Evelyn suppressed her curiosity, staying silent to listen to the giant before her. She was somewhat uncomfortable with this appearance, her mind wandering.

  "We can try fighting the Lava Drake," Nathan said.

  The girl froze in shock, exclaiming.

  "We've both tasted its power. Are you sure?"

  "With my current body, we have a chance to defeat it. Do you want to try?"

  Evelyn nodded.

  "Then we must go all out. Can't hold anything back to defeat it."

  "I'm gonna follow you."

  Nathan smiled. His rigid mouth still wasn't used to such small and subtle movements so it looked somewhat funny. This body was more accustomed to roaring, gritting teeth, and perhaps biting.

  He bent down, storing away the item given by the stranger, then extended his elongated arm.

  "Get on," he said.

  Evelyn showed resistance. Even if the surface looked like stone, this was still a boy's arm.

  "I don't know how long I can maintain this state," Nathan said. "If you want to get there quickly, you'll have to rely on me."

  Though saying that, Nathan still materialized a cloth, tying it around his shoulder. He truly wouldn't feel anything with this dry skin. But reassuring the girl was still worth doing.

  Not thinking further, Evelyn jumped up, sitting on the young man's shoulder, grabbing a lock of his hair for balance. On his other shoulder, Argentius latched on with its four chubby paws.

  "Here we go," Nathan roared excitedly.

  His legs coiled, power exploded, launching into the falling night.