Chương 8: GROWTH

Jimin decided to test his newly upgraded Telekinesis. He picked up a metal pipe from the floor and extended his hand slightly; not because he needed to, but because the gesture helped him focus.

"Telekinesis." The pipe lifted immediately, smoother and steadier than before.

"Huh… it feels easier," he murmured.

"Level 2 actually feels different." He rotated his wrist, urging the pipe to spin sideways like a drill. At first, it wobbled clumsily, the rotation uneven and slow. The pipe jittered in the air, making tiny metallic clicks as it stabilized.

"Come on… faster." It resisted. Then, gradually, the spin tightened. The wobble faded bit by bit, until the rotation smoothed into a decent speed. Not incredible; but better. After a few minutes of steady practice, sweat gathered on his forehead.

"Good enough. Let's try something crazy." He thrust the spinning pipe toward a thick beam. CLANK! Metal screeched against metal in a harsh, dragging grind. The pipe shook violently, its rotation collapsing under the impact. Jimin stopped the skill. He leaned toward the beam. There was a faint circular scratch, about the size of a coin, scarred its surface.

"So," he breathed, "It really had some effect. Small, sure. But real damage means it's useful." He looked around, eyes landing on a rusted chain curled like a dead snake on the ground.

"Time for something heavier." He lifted it with Telekinesis; the chain groaned as links scraped the floor; and guided it toward a vertical support beam. Slowly, he coiled it around the beam like a rope.

"Alright… pull." He drew both ends apart with Telekinesis. The chain tightened, metal links straining and rattling as the tension increased. Jimin clenched his jaw; the effort wasn't physical, but the mental strain felt like pushing through thick mud.

"If I can control chains… this could restrain monsters. Bind limbs. Trip opponents…" His eyes narrowed.

"Or set up traps." The possibilities multiplied in his mind. He released the pull and unraveled the chain.

"Let's try something more complex." He attempted to move the chain like a floating serpent. It twitched awkwardly at first, too stiff, too jerky, but he tried again. And again. On the fourth try, the chain slithered in the air, curves smooth, motion natural. Jimin blinked in surprise.

"... Looks almost alive." A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. His knees softened.

"Damn… limit again?" A notification blinked: [Training to the Limit!] Reward: +20 LP Total LP: 1093 He sat immediately and activated Meditation. Warmth spread through his mind, the dizziness fading as his MP and PE refilled. He exhaled in relief.

"That's the third time today… I'm getting better, but hitting my limit still feels terrible." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He stood, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders.

"Telekinesis training: done." He mentally listed everything he'd learned; greater stability, slightly better control, better multi-object handling and improved rotational force.

"Not bad for a single training session." He clapped his hands.

"Alright… time for physical training." He dropped to the ground.

"Pushups first." The first twenty were fine. The next five hurt. The final five felt like his chest was gonna rip apart. He collapsed on the last rep, face nearly hitting the floor.

"Thirty is my limit? Really?" He frowned but didn't force himself.

"Fine. Onto the next one." After a minute of slow breathing, he stood and approached a broken support beam with a dangling metal bar.

"Pull-ups." He gripped the bar and pulled. One, two, three,.... By the tenth, he could barely lift himself an inch. He dropped down with a grunt.

"Damn… I'm so weak physically." He moved on, lifting scrap parts, broken machine pieces, heavy gears, old metal panels and walked laps while carrying them. His legs burned, chest heaving. After a short break, he started running. The factory interior wasn't huge, but looping around the pillars and broken equipment created a crude makeshift track. He ran; feet pounding against concrete, breath ragged, sweat dripping down his chin. After several laps, his vision dimmed. He slowed… stumbled… then dropped to one knee.

He opened his status immediately. His stamina hit single digits. A notification appeared: [Training to the Limit!] Reward: +20 LP Total LP: 1113

"Hah… again…" He laid on his back, breathing hard.

"My body's trash." He began meditating. Slowly, the trembling eased. His stamina ticked upward slowly. But even as his strength returned, his mind churned.

"I need a real training plan. Something efficient. Something that speeds up growth." He frowned deeper.

"But how? Just pushing myself to the limit works… but it's slow. Too slow." His eyes opened with a spark.

"Unless…" He opened his Skill Creation window. The familiar transparent interface expanded before him: —--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Create Skill] Name: Description: —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He hesitated for a moment. Then typed: —--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Growth Description: The body adapts faster to physical training.

Physical recovery accelerates. Consistent training can directly result in stat increases related to the activity performed. —--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He reviewed it, heart beating faster. A passive skill. A cheat for long-term progression. Exactly what he needed. He clicked confirm.

A detailed preview window appeared: —-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 【Skill: Growth】 Category: Passive Type: Utility Rank: Rare Level: 1/50 Description: The body adapts faster to physical training. Physical recovery accelerates. Consistent training can directly result in stat increases related to the activity performed.

Scaling: VIT→ Increases physical recovery speed Cost: None Cooldown: None LP Requirement: 450 【Create】 【Edit】 【Delete】 Jimin's jaw dropped.

"Four hundred fifty…!" He wasn't angry; just shocked. But it made sense. A passive skill that increases stats permanently? Of course it was expensive.

"…It's rare. And utility type." He crossed his arms.

"Honestly? I'm surprised it's only 450." Without hesitation, he pressed Create. A system notification chimed: —--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Skill Successfully Created]'Growth' – Acquired. Total LP: 663 —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jimin stared at the notification, chest rising and falling as realization settled in.

A passive skill that made him stronger every time he trained. He clenched his fists, excitement trembling through him.

"This… this is exactly what I needed." And with that, a new chapter of his growth began.