Reborn: Apocalypse

[Correction - Lana agreed to meet Micheal in 2 days, on his 3rd day here. Not in 3 days. Mixed up numbers. Edited past chapter.]

The burning energy gave off a feeling of might as it ravaged Micheal's body. It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing into his insides, piercing through every single cell in his body. The abrupt increase in pain as it spread was almost unbearable, shocking his mind for a split moment.

He merely grunted at the pain after that, his eyes focused as he ignored it.

Slowly, he managed to pick out a feeling of rhythm. A calm beating, like that of his heart.

This was the cycle of Ki in his body. The Ki Cultivator Ability modified one's veins and organs, allowing the energy that was Ki to flow through it. This energy, at the Mortal Tier, passively enhanced the Strength, Endurance, and Recovery of his body.

Micheal could sense that the Dragon Building Liquid was interacting with his Ki, melding with it. The burning sensation he could feel was the liquid slowly being absorbed by every part of his body.

"Careful…careful…" As his body began to absorb the Dragon Building Liquid, Micheal breathed in slowly and calmly. He focused on keeping his Ki evenly distributed and peaceful, making no errant movements.

The key to successfully absorbing the Dragon Burning Liquid was to maintain a state of absolute calmness.

The ingredients that melded with the Dragon Burning Liquid were volatile and usually quite poisonous when combined. If there was even the slightest hint of rejection or discomfort, the body of the user would register the liquid as a poison and try to attack and destroy it while it was in the bloodstream.

This would typically cause a user to suffer from toxic shock, one that would spread to every part of the body. Such a massive reaction could cause even the most sturdy warrior to die unless they had a very strong Recovery stat.

Seeing as this medicine was designed for low level Chosen, such an occurrence was unlikely.

While this was one of the simplest methods cooked up by the multitude of researchers working to save humanity, it wasn't Micheal's top method. The danger it presented as well as the pain and possibility of failure were all notable downsides.

Far better methods existed… but all those methods required many more Points and often chemical expertise that Micheal didn't have. He may have gone back in time, but that didn't make him a scientific genius.

'The simpler the method, the more risks there are… At least this is a method I can guide others through if need be.' The only reason he had bothered to learn this method was because it was possible for him to guide others through it, making it much less risky.

After all, the only reason he'd memorized any methods at all was on the off chance he ran into his little sisters and they needed his help.

Maybe it was a bit of a blessing in its own right, a type of cosmic karma. His care for his sisters was rewarding him, giving him the chance to get a head start in gaining power. He smiled at the somewhat silly thought.


He pushed the stray thoughts off his mind as he focused on remaining peaceful, not reacting to the pain. He sat there calmly, even smiling as his body felt like it was burning from the inside out.

A few seconds passed.

"Grrrr…" He growled out quietly as a feeling of nausea swept through him. The chemical process of making the Dragon Building Liquid was rather imprecise. Micheal wasn't an expert when it came to chemistry, after all, and certainly didn't have the knowledge on how to operate all the tools he would need to.

As a result, while he had indeed created the Dragon Building Liquid, it contained certain impurities.

These impurities were currently spreading throughout his body, like an actual poison. If he did nothing to stop them, the backlash he suffered would be far more severe.

This was one of the risks he knew he took when trying to use man-made drugs to speed up his progress.

'Focus.' Slowly, while keeping his calm, he began to focus on the fluctuating Ki in his body. His many years as an expert, with the practice and skill he had gained over time, had given him a very delicate sense of control when it came to his cultivation.

Even now, as a Mortal Tier Ki Cultivator, Micheal was able to finely sense and control the energy within his bloodstream.

As he seized control of that power, he began to direct it. Any spot he felt even a hint of nausea or sickness, he directly had his Ki annihilate and purify. Such a method was crude and destroyed blood cells that weren't corrupted, but it was the most efficient method Micheal was capable of.

Without being a genius surgeon experienced in bloodwork, he needed to depend on his own expertise to move forward.

Bit by bit, Micheal cleansed his entire body. From his toes to his head, his chest to his legs, he scanned every single part of the body for impurities from the Dragon Building Liquid. The process was painstaking and agonizingly boring, despite only taking around 30 seconds. It required his full mental focus, drawing upon his mind fully.

Eventually, he managed to clear everything out. The feeling of nausea faded away as if it had never been, the medicine now working as normal.

'I am at peace…I am calm…' The burning sensation was much easier to handle than the nausea.

Gradually, the burning pain began to subside as well. Soon, a much more relaxing feeling of warmth began to replace it.

This warmth, combined with the absence of the agonizing pain and nausea, filled Micheal with a sense of bliss. His entire body began to feel incredibly comfortable, as if he was about to melt into the floor he was sitting on.

"Ahhh…" He grunted quietly, his eyes opening as he exhaled, coughing up foul tasting air,

"Status."

— - Status — -

Name: Micheal Care

Points: 16

Race: Human

Age: 18

- Stats -

Strength - 23 -> 28

Endurance - 17 -> 22

Recovery - 13 -> 20

Soul - 10

- Abilities - (3/7) (Author's note - Condensed Ability tab to avoid clutter)

.

He smiled.

"Nailed it."

.