Boundless Cultivation-Chapter 95 - Can I Claim Victory?

Cycling the energy of his solar plexus chakra, he commanded the mana inside his core to merge with every cell of his body. A surge of heat expanded through his body, settling in sections that hadn’t been reforged yet.

At first, the mana resisted, but quickly obeyed his command when he envisioned his body as a singular whole, instead of multiple different parts connected together.

It was like a dam had burst inside him, and a river of power flooded the sections with poor mana infusion potency.

He was surprised at how readily the un-reforged organs - liver, pancreas, stomach, intestines, eyes, mouth, ear, nose, and more - had accepted the invasion of such highly potent mana, greedily absorbing the power and transforming. Even the hairs all over his body thirstily drank in mana.

But then realized it was possible due to the complete purification of his root chakra that governed every cell of the body. Bursts of euphoria popped inside his body, but he tempered his emotions to avoid losing himself in the process.

Alaric could only thank the heavens that the un-reforged organs didn’t rupture from the intense pressure. In theory, it was possible to infuse every section of one's body with mana. However, the limitations of time, talent, mana infusion potency, and the risk of mana imbalance prevented cultivators from pursuing that path.

When it was possible to ascend to Tier 2 by reforging only one organ, many cultivators settled for the barest minimum. Besides, reforging the main organs provided the most benefits while minimizing every other resource requirement and risk.

Only extremely talented cultivators with cultivation treasures could even hope to reforge multiple main organs to peak level. Alaric had already accomplished the impossible by reforging all the main organs and blood to peak level, but he intended to go one step further.

When the concentration of mana inside his body increased further, the euphoria morphed into searing pain and started ravaging his body. The agony was almost too much to handle, but he gritted his teeth and tightened his grasp over his consciousness.

I must…hold on. A flood of soothing relief washed over him as he triggered the healing process, but it didn’t last long. As the mana potency continued to increase, multiple sections of his body bulged, as if large grenades were buried under his flesh, ready to burst at any moment.

The power surging through his body was akin to an active volcano - suppressed by his sheer willpower, but still untamed. Any moment now, it would erupt and obliterate him.

Forcing it to obey wouldn’t work. The root of the problem lay elsewhere. Every cell of his body was now infused with potent mana, and yet, they still felt disjointed.

At that moment, a yellow-green mass of energy tendrils manifested throughout his body - linked to his mana core and heart. These were the same energy tendrils that first materialized when he awakened his [Superior Mana Manipulation] ability.

The pressure surging through his being vanished as the living energy tendrils buried themselves into every section of his body - mimicking a network of blood vessels - finally creating an equilibrium.

In an instant, he found the power to leap over the unclimbable wall that had stopped every other cultivator for ages.

There was never a need to forcefully break through the wall, only to detect the invisible door in it with the lens of insight and unlock it with the key of hard work. But he didn’t have the time to celebrate, nor review the notifications that chimed inside his mind.

Opening his eyes, he saw the ground zooming towards him at a terrifying pace. Alaric flooded his body with mana and root chakra energy, fortifying it with conviction.

The difference was instantly noticeable by the sheer amount of mana he could channel into it every moment. Every cell of his body felt much more receptive to mana. It was now so easier and faster to blend mana and chakra energy together, he almost chuckled.

Suddenly, he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his body. By the time he was done, his body had turned into steel.

For the first time, he was able to unleash the full potential of his [Superior Mana Manipulation] ability. And he realized just how limited he had been all this while, even though he had a peak grade reforged body.

Still, Alaric didn’t want to take any chances. He instantly encased his form with a dense layer of solidified mana that darkened to purple. Finally, he unleashed a mana barrier just before his body hit the ground with a devastating boom.

The force of the explosion vibrated through his entire being, nearly knocking him unconscious. The mana barrier shattered first, followed by the dense layer of mana enveloping his form - almost immediately.

However, the agony he expected never assaulted his senses. As the whirlwind of dust and debris settled with the shaking of the ground, he found himself at the center of a massive crater - still in one piece.

A spiderweb of cracks had expanded from the crater, reaching towards nearby buildings and shaking their foundation. Not a single visible wound marred his body. Only a dull ache throbbed through his bones every second.

But it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle. Exhilaration surged inside his chest as he survived the nightmare encounter. At that moment, he realized that the reforging process had also healed his previous wounds.

For a brief second, he inspected the status of his body reforging.

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Body Reforging Status: Complete (Supreme Grade)

Reforging Progress - 100%Mana Infusion Potency - 100%Congratulations! You have fulfilled all the requirements for ascending to Tier 2. Would you like to initiate the ascension process?

Alaric dismissed the prompt. Alpha Prime had arrived with a look of astonishment etched onto its face.

“Oh, you survived the fall….quite unexpected,” it said doubtfully, as if the android still couldn’t believe that he was in one piece. “You look different.”

“You are damn right,” said Alaric excitedly. “And, I have you to thank for it.” He leaped at the boss, burning a hefty dose of willpower as he whispered - Disruptive pulse.

The unrestrained power of nuclear fission surged through Alpha Prime’s body as a magnetic barrier - far stronger than before - instantly shrouded the android, just as his fist connected. The next instant, the power of his attack clashed with the barrier, sending a series of shockwaves rippling through the air.

Nearby structures cracked and collapsed under the assault of the shockwaves. Both of them were entangled in a whirlwind of invisible energy, neither of them ready to surrender. The boss’s body lit up like a Christmas tree as it drew more power from its core, turning the invisible barrier bright orange.

Shortly after, the barrier managed to absorb the destructive energy of his oath skill, almost completely nullifying it.

In a mutual agreement, both of them staggered backwards, catching their breath. It seemed the previous clash had exhausted both of them quite a bit.

The black adaptive armor of the android had started glowing red, slowly emitting smoke due to the heat. Surprisingly, Alaric’s forearm hadn’t turned numb or sore as he had expected. It only tingled slightly.

However, the consequences of depleting the reserve of his willpower were slowly catching up to him. Utilizing his oath skill so many times in a row sapped his mental energy. He couldn’t sustain it for much longer.

Rotating his shoulder joints and flexing his arms, he realized that he hadn’t attained proper control of his body yet. Even the slightest motions he attempted felt too quick to control, too powerful to restrain.

He would have to train with his new body for a while to fix the disconnect between his mind and body. For now, he would have to rely on his instincts and improvise.

“Truly, humans are marvelous creatures. You’ve exceeded my expectations, Alaric,” the android said with mirth. “If you had more time, I suppose you could’ve defeated me.” The android unfurled its wings as they started glowing red hot, before melting and being absorbed into its body.

In his true vision, Alaric observed the molten metal alloy being assimilated inside the android’s body, making it denser and fortifying it at a fundamental level.

Mirroring the changes occurring inside its body, the adaptive armor adorning its exterior wriggled, before molding into a new form - slightly sleeker yet tougher with improved density. A concentrated flux of electromagnetic waves rippled across its entire form - no doubt, specifically designed to nullify his disruptive pulses.

Just how many times can it adapt and evolve? Alaric grinned as he resolved to execute his final move - an untested double-edged sword.

“No need to feel disappointed for me, Android. I’m just as amazed as you are,” he said with a smile, channeling mana into his arms. “You have yet to witness my true power.”

Alpha Prime’s arm radiated with barely restrained power - mirroring Alaric’s own - fueled by the power of nuclear fission and strong electromagnetic flux. It looked like the android had decided to checkmate Alaric with his own move.

It was arrogant and foolish, but it made him happy. In a sense, humanity had already claimed victory - after all, the pinnacle of machine-kind had designated a human’s offensive technique as the most powerful. Now, all he needed to do was show the android its follow.

Alaric activated [Zen Flow], heightening his concentration to the limits. Moments later, the boss lunged at him, its fist pulled back and surrounded by thick tendrils of electricity. A translucent shimmer that warped the light around it indicated the strong electromagnetic flux. Alpha Prime was ready to unleash a calamity upon him.

Squeezing the last drops of mana he could channel into his arms, Alaric unleashed his final attack as he activated his throat-chakra and uttered - “Disruptive pulse.”

Almost a quarter of his reserved willpower - accumulated through months of effort - drained in a split second. A massive surge of power ballooned into his fist, threatening to explode from within. Fortunately, there was no need to tame the energy that thirsted to cause devastation.

Alaric’s fist collided with Alpha Prime like the impact of two asteroids colliding in deep space. A blinding light exploded in his vision, accompanied by the deafening roar of a volcano erupting.

The force of the attack shattered his bones, seared his flesh, and rattled his mind. He clenched his teeth, pushing through the rattle of shockwaves coursing through his body, delivering fresh new agony with every pulse.

He teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, but refused to surrender. The suffocating darkness and a high-pitched whine confirmed that he had lost his vision and hearing.

He endured through it all, directing every ounce of his power into the strike. Only one of them would survive today, and he wanted to ensure it was him.

The impact lasted for only a second, but it felt like ages to him. When the calamity settled, he found himself buried under a heap of rubble. In his true vision, he witnessed his body gouged with deep wounds and slicked with blood. It was painful to even twitch a finger.

His right arm - which had borne the brunt of the clash - appeared charred and emaciated. A wave of weariness swept over his mind, flooding it with disorientation and pain.

And yet he was exhilarated due to surviving the clash. Alaric infused his body with healing energy and cycled a drop of sacral chakra to start healing his mind and emotions. It was time to exit the rift - or so he thought at first.

As the haze in his mind cleared, he realized not a single notification echoed in his mind - The boss wasn’t dead yet.

As he struggled to rise up, his premonition turned true. Nearby, a mountain of collapsed structure toppled over to reveal the android slowly emerging from within.

How is that possible? It seemed he had underestimated the android as well. Alaric had given it his all in the final attack. His willpower wasn’t honed enough to unleash a chant of battle cry yet.

But more importantly, he was nearly drained of mana and lacked the strength to unleash even a single attack.

Alpha Prime - once an example of perfection - appeared damaged beyond repair. Its right arm was missing at the shoulder, and its neck twisted sideways with its lower jaw ripped apart. freeweɓnovel.cøm

An entire half of its body was mangled like a twisted tin can, adorned with sparks of electricity and trails of smoke. Numerous sections of its frame had been shredded, exposing the complex arrangement of damaged electronics within.

It seemed the android was incapable of regenerating its wound, and yet the fact remained: it had managed to survive.

Alaric narrowed his eyes - witnessing the sudden convulsions in its remaining limbs - and inspected the boss with his true vision more thoroughly. On second thought, he determined the android was in its death throes.

However, he still couldn’t conclude whether he had attained victory. The intricate enclosure of mechanical components designed to contain the power of nuclear fission had been damaged.

It blazed bright yellow, radiating an intense heat that kept building by the second. Any moment, it could detonate, swallowing up the whole city - including him.

In that sense, could he truly claim victory in this battle? At best, it would be considered a draw.