Chapter 17
He inspected his body with overwhelming excitement.
Suddenly, the edges of his jet-black aura deepened further in color and surged toward him. A rush of joy filled him as he watched the transformed aura get absorbed into his abdomen. There was no noticeable boost, but he could sense immense power radiating from that core region.
"I'm a magic knight," he whispered, his expression flushed with heat. "I should be able to dig through this quicker than I thought. Plus, I'll get to try out the power of this rank." Even with the excitement of his breakthrough, his mind was still calculating the advantages of his new status.
Without hesitation, he began to cultivate. "Hmm, what's this?" he murmured. Through his consciousness, he saw a vast black space speckled with particles of various colors. He was immediately drawn to the black particles, but as he approached them, something felt off. He instinctively knew they weren't a proper match for him.
So he redirected his consciousness, continuing the search for particles that resonated with him. Then—suddenly—he felt it. A subtle pull. His awareness shifted toward a small, distinct cluster of black, odorless fragrance particles.
"They match me!" Enopy exclaimed, joy radiating from his voice. He absorbed the particles through his consciousness and directed them to his physical core. Afterward, he retracted his consciousness to assess the energy's impact on his body.
He felt much stronger than before—and more importantly, the power didn't fade.
"System," he thought, seeking answers. "What's happening to my body?"
"It appears you've successfully broken into the magic knight rank, unlocking a mental energy limit that your body had subconsciously placed on you," the system responded. "Upon your breakthrough, your core utilized your mental energy to push you to the bottleneck of Middle-Stage Rank One. The energy you just absorbed pushed you further—to Peak-Stage Rank One."
"What the fuck! Isn't this too much MC plot armor? I mean, I wanted to get stronger fast, but this seems excessive," he said aloud, his expression frantic and full of disbelief.
"Huu," he sighed deeply, signaling his reluctant acceptance of this reality.
"Even if it's unbelievable," he thought, "it doesn't hurt me. In fact, this benefits me immensely."
After calming himself, he sat down and focused on filling his body with energy. He wanted to allow his core to gather energy on its own. He had learned that physical cores used the shell as a filter, only allowing in energy that matched or closely resembled his own. He also realized that his core was always partially present in the fragrance world.
He attempted to use his previous method of cultivation but quickly discovered it was insufficient. That method would never fill his body now. So he returned his consciousness to the fragrance world in search of those same compatible particles.
"So much for plot armor," Enopy muttered in disappointment. He'd been searching for over two hours with no success.
Frustrated, he decided to use the other black particles—ones he was somewhat compatible with. He approached a large cluster of black, coconut-scented fragrance particles.
He instantly became like a black hole, rapidly absorbing the particles. Retracting his consciousness, he checked his body. Though stronger, he still wasn't filled with power. So he returned once again to the dark realm.
This time, he found another group—these reeked like dirty socks. Even though they were far more numerous than the coconut-scented ones, he immediately knew they'd have little to no effect on him. The overpowering scent of feet confirmed their uselessness.
He moved on until he stumbled upon another group—black particles with a new car scent. The moment he sensed them, he knew these were compatible.
He absorbed them quickly and returned to himself. This time, he wasn't surprised—his body overflowed with energy. He stood and asked aloud:
"System, how long have I been training?"
"One day and a half," the system responded.
"What!? How is that possible? It only felt like a few hours!" Enopy said in disbelief.
He quickly calmed himself and thought, "So, a few hours in the fragrance world equals days in the real world. That means to reach Rank Three, I might need to spend years in seclusion… That sucks. I want to move, do things. I spent a million years in darkness, only to be reborn into a world where I must isolate myself to grow stronger."
"Huuu…" He sighed again. Then his eyes sharpened. "Still, once I become strong enough, I'll be free to go wherever I want and do whatever I want. A million years in seclusion for an eternity of bliss? That's a price I'm willing to pay."
He turned and threw a punch at the cave wall. The strike tore through ten feet of solid rock—but he knew it was only the beginning. He still had miles to go.
Wasting no more time, he continued smashing his way forward through the hardened stone.
Eventually, he took a break and asked:
"System, show me the Inner Strength Fragrance Technique."
The system displayed a list of martial arts techniques, each designed to assist in cultivation. They utilized a mix of fragrance, aura, and "meaning"—a unique type of spiritual intent. To master them, Enopy would have to integrate them into his currently non-existent fighting style.
"Oh?" he said, spotting a technique perfectly suited to his needs. He decided to refill his body quickly. His strategy was to keep the energy in his core as reserves, so he'd never be left helpless if caught off guard.
After several hours in the fragrance world and nearly a full day in the real world, he had fully refilled his body. Then, he created an underground training area—24 by 24 feet—to practice one of the new techniques.
Wasting no time, Enopy started immediately. He grabbed two massive boulders and infused his hands with 40% aura, 10% fragrance, and 30% meaning.
He stiffened his hands, making them straight like blades, then placed them on the boulders. With eyes closed, he visualized his intention clearly.
When he opened them, a determined glare flashed. His hands moved at lightning speed—striking the stone continuously for three minutes straight. He only stopped when he noticed his sculptures were asymmetrical.
Yes—he was sculpting. But this wasn't just for art. He needed to pass through the stone faster, and being able to spot structural weaknesses in the rock would drastically shorten his journey. At the same time, the training would enhance his ability to move with perfect coordination—vital for mastering dual-wielded swordplay.
"Haha, maybe I am the MC," Enopy laughed. "But who cares? If this plot armor gives me an edge, I'll use it—again and again—to my advantage."