The next day, Sai decided to leave. The promised items were delivered to him, but he planned to stay in the city for a while—only leaving after fully digesting what he had gained. Before that, he needed to check the new items he had received.

  Leaving the duke's mansion silently, he searched for a training room in the city and rented one for a week. Once inside, he opened the goods and examined them one by one—herbs and potions to enhance his body, a sword with magical effects (the Dragon Emperor Sword, which he couldn't use yet, so he set it aside), several martial arts manuals, some high-level beast cores, various artifacts, and the most important item of all—the blood of a subspecies of phoenix.

  The blood of the beast was required for a body-tempering ritual, an ancient art taught by Selena, the vampire maid. She believed that this technique would greatly benefit Sai, so he took the time to learn it.

  Selena explained that the ritual would strengthen Sai’s body and unlock innate abilities hidden within him. However, it came with serious drawbacks. At present, he was human—he had emotions, and even though he claimed he would prioritize himself, he couldn't truly do so. Now, he was facing two crises at once. If only he had enough power in this world, or at least some control over the strange force within him, he could stand against them. But right now, he was undertaking a ritual that would either make him powerful or turn him into a monster that killed indiscriminately.

  Despite the risks, Sai decided to go through with it. The room was just big enough to perform the ritual. He took out an artifact given to him by the duke and activated it. A concealing shield enveloped the room, ensuring that no one would notice the ritual’s energy fluctuations. The artifact helped isolate the released energies and conceal his gains—or so he hoped.

  Wasting no time, Sai gathered the beast cores and their blood, along with medicinal herbs, and began drawing the ritual circle. However, he was no expert in alchemy or formations. He only knew how to fight and had a scholarly air about him—nothing more. Because of his lack of knowledge, he made countless mistakes while drawing the circle. Fortunately, he had plenty of beast blood, so he cared little about the errors.

  After an entire day, he finally succeeded, though some minor adjustments were needed. For the next six hours, he meticulously corrected the mistakes, never once resting. Only after completing the circle did he allow himself to collapse into a corner, meditating to recover from exhaustion.

  Two hours later, in peak condition once more, Sai stood up. He carefully placed the beast cores in their designated positions using mana threads. Then, he retrieved a large number of medicinal fruits and a vial of blood before settling in the center of the circle. Taking a deep breath, he began chanting a mantra.

  The ritual circle glowed red.

  He didn’t stop. The light intensified, reaching its peak. The concealing artifact played a crucial role in suppressing the energy fluctuations.

  Then, Sai uncorked the vial and poured the blood into his mouth, gulping it down in one go. Instantly, his body turned crimson. A searing pain tore through him. He gritted his teeth and resumed chanting.

  The medicinal fruits disintegrated into dust, their pure medicinal power flooding into his body. But his transformation was anything but smooth—his already enhanced physique was breaking down. The blood he had consumed was annihilating him from within, tearing apart his flesh and bones. The medicinal energy, in turn, rebuilt him, reconstructing his body on a fundamental level.

  Sai was reduced to a bloodied mess. Every inch of him was drenched in crimson as his bones shattered and reformed over and over.

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  He was drowning in agony. His entire body felt like it was being torn apart, reshaped, and destroyed all at once. The pain was unbearable—far beyond anything a normal person could endure. His instincts screamed at him to collapse, to let the suffering end. But his will refused to break. It was the only thing keeping him alive.

  Through the torment, his mind drifted. He recalled the Blackthrone Abyss, the Dragon Emperor, and the grueling training he had endured. Memories of his encounter with an unknown god surfaced, along with the moment of his transmigration into this world. Fragments of his past life and the battles he had fought flickered in his mind like dying embers.

  Two hours passed.

  The violent twitching of his body ceased. The destruction halted, and his flesh began to regenerate at an unnatural speed. The blood coating him dried and flaked away as new, reinforced tissue took its place.

  Meanwhile, outside the training room, the duke had long since discovered Sai’s whereabouts. He had ordered his subordinates to monitor him, but three days had passed, and Sai had not stepped out even once. Suspicion began to creep in—had Sai escaped using some unknown method?

  Restlessness grew among the subordinates. They were losing patience and wanted to barge in, but the duke’s orders were absolute: Do not interfere with him.

  Elsewhere, in a dimly lit chamber, the vampire who had barely escaped after fighting Sai was now drenched in cold sweat, kneeling before an ancient figure. His entire body trembled as he awaited judgment. He had failed, and now he desperately sought any clue about Sai’s whereabouts.

  At the same time, the guild receptionist was facing her own troubles—though not as severe. After her conversation with Sai, he had vanished without a trace. Now, the organization backing her was pressing for answers. Where had he gone? Why had he disappeared so suddenly?

  Sai, in the training room, woke up and groaned, his head throbbing. His entire body felt sore, but it was different from before. As he slowly sat up, he realized something was off—his senses were sharper.

  The dimly lit training room appeared much clearer, as if his eyes had been enhanced beyond human limits. Every detail stood out—the faint cracks on the walls, the lingering traces of energy in the air, and even the smallest specks of dust floating around him. His hearing had improved as well. He could pick up distant footsteps outside the building, the soft rustling of wind against the walls, and even his own steady heartbeat—stronger, more controlled.

  Glancing down at his hands, he noticed his skin had changed. It was smoother, but unnaturally resilient, as if reinforced by something beyond mere flesh. His muscles, once lean but strong, were now denser, refined to perfection. He clenched his fist, and a surge of power coursed through his veins—more than he had ever felt before.

  More than that, something burned within him. His blood felt heavier, hotter, as if it carried an untamed force. He instinctively focused inward, sensing the changes inside. His mana flow was no longer the same; it was wilder, yet more refined. His body had fully integrated the phoenix blood, altering him on a fundamental level.

  Then, he noticed something else. As he exhaled, faint embers flickered from his breath—an unnatural phenomenon. His body temperature had risen, but he felt no discomfort. Instead, he felt...alive. As if something deep within had awakened, something primal and powerful.

  Standing up, Sai flexed his fingers. His joints moved with an unnatural smoothness, and his balance felt absolute—every part of his body working in perfect harmony. This wasn’t just an enhancement. He had evolved.

  A grin crept onto his lips. The ritual had worked.

  But how much had he truly changed?

  With a flicker of mana, Sai activated his Identify ability—on himself.

  Name: Sai

  Race: ???

  Physique: ??? (Incomplete)

  Abilities: ??? ,calm mind, Fury, Enhanced regeneration ,Advanced Martial arts

  Power Level: Awakened

  Level: 19

  Mana: 300 units

  Body Strength: 70 units

  Looking at the changes, Sai noticed that his level had increased by 4, his strength had risen by 50, and his mana by 100. His race was no longer displayed as human but instead showed question marks. Additionally, a new physique had been added and it is incomplete. An unknown ability had also appeared.

  As for the skills he got two Enhanced regeneratin, and advanced martial arts ( i didn't want to write description because almost every one know about these)

  Sai spread his senses inward, examining his inner self. His body felt lighter, and his mind was unusually calm. After confirming these changes, he decided to test his strength. He casually threw a punch, and to his surprise, it created ripples in the air before dissipating.

  Unsure of how much time had passed, he eventually took some magical fruits and began eating. He had exhausted almost all the resources given by the duke, except for some basic necessities and artifacts. Sai had no idea what awaited him next.