The spirit that Xavier had summoned through Otherworldly Communion to see what new spell he needed to gain—what new path of power he needed to walk—had just disappeared.

  Xavier hovered inside of his time bubble above the battlefield on the side of the Dark Mountains, four C Grade Infected Rock Worms were below him, as well as hundreds—perhaps thousands—of infected D Grade beasts. Volkarin, summoned as the Spirit of Vengeance, hovered nearby, also frozen in time.

  Body Cultivation.

  A path of melee fighting. Something the spirit had said was of the Old Ways—from a time before the System.

  If this was the path he needed to take, then he would have to get up close and personal with these foes—that meant there would be more of a chance of The Nightmare substance getting onto his skin.

  But this Body Cultivation the spirit had spoken of… even though the spirit hadn’t said a great deal about it, something about it simply felt right.

  Being able to cultivate energy directly into his body, instead of just into his cores… it sounded like it had a great amount of potential.

  And there was only a single spell on the path.

  Xavier focused on the one remaining Spell Credit he still possessed.

  You have one Spell Credit to spend.

  Spell Credits are unique to only a few different classes in the Greater Universe. They allow a Denizen to choose from any approved spells available to them.

  There are limits as to how a spell can be chosen.

  You may choose from the following categories…

  Once again, thousands of different categories were displayed before him, for as a someone who walked the Infinite Path, he could choose from every single one possible, Xavier ignored them all and willed a search for what he wished for.

  The other categories all disappeared, and only a single one remained before his eyes.

  Body Cultivation.

  Xavier selected it.

  Another notification appeared.

  If you choose to look at the Body Cultivation category, then you must choose the spell you wish to learn with one of your Spell Credits from this category.

  Do you wish to continue?

  Xavier only hesitated for a moment. It might have been wise, he knew, to try and do a little more research on this. Since choosing his last spell, in the months that he’d been training on the hundredth floor as a D Grade, he’d returned back to the Staging Room in the Tower of Champions—using his Time Alteration spell to freeze time while he was there, so he only spent a moment away from the floor.

  There, he had purchased several different informational books on spells from the System Shop, which he’d torn through reading. He’d discovered so many different potential paths for him to take. Gravity magic was something he was most intrigued about, simply because of how awesome it sounded, and the potential it had.

  But in all of his research, he’d never once come across Body Cultivation.

  This was an unknown, and somehow, that made it even more exciting to him.

  Xavier willed his selection, choosing the category, knowing there was no turning back now. Once he opened up the category of spells he found what the spirit had said was correct—there was only a single spell that he could choose from.

  Xavier chose the spell.

  You have gained the spell: Body Cultivation

  Xavier grinned as he received the spell. God, it always felt good to gain more magic. He couldn’t help but take some time to bask in the moment. There was something amazing about the sheer potential of a new spell, especially when he didn’t know much about that spell. Right now he could dream up a thousand possibilities for how it might function and how he might use it. The second he opened it up, those possibilities would narrow to a point, but the reality of having another spell to play with was equally thrilling.

  He wondered what the past version of himself would think if he could see where he was right now—if he could see all that he’d done.

  It would definitely blow his mind.

  Xavier pulled himself out of his reverie. Sometimes, when you were in a time dilation field, it was easy to get distracted from everything that was happening outside of the bubble. But now more than ever, he needed to focus.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He ordered his mind and opened up the description for his newly gained spell.

  Body Cultivation – Rank 1

  Body Cultivation is the process of enhancing the body through the use of internal energy cultivated from outside of oneself. When mastered, this energy can be used to strengthen and empower every inch of a cultivator’s body.

  Xavier’s eyes narrowed. He reread the description a second time and found it to be…

  Very thin.

  It didn’t tell him much. When he’d heard the spirit say the term Body Cultivation, he’d figured this information out on his own. Wasn’t there more to this that the System could tell him?

  Body Cultivation comes from before the System…

  But the System must have been aware of it. He’d used a Spell Credit, through the System, to gain the spell.

  Xavier sighed. There was one other person—other than himself or the spirit he’d just summoned—who he’d spoken to that seemed to have some knowledge of things from before the System.

  Rhaalir? he called out with his mind. Rhaalir, are you near?

  He hadn’t seen the spirit for weeks. He hadn’t needed any further tutelage on his Otherworldly spells, and that seemed to have disrupted the connection. But the contract still held—he would have felt if it broke.

  Xavier hadn’t intended to address that problem today, but now it seemed as though he didn’t have a better option.

  He called out with his mind five more times before the spirit finally turned up.

  But there was something wrong. The elf spirit looked far more transparent than he usually did, and the image of him flickered, disappearing completely twice before asserting itself.

  The spirit hovered in the air in front of him. The elf had a look of confusion in his eyes. He stared at Xavier and blinked. Xavier? He looked around. Where are we?

  Over the Dark Mountains. I am battling The Nightmare, a C Grade demon. Xavier flew a little closer to the elf spirit. What’s happening to you, Rhaalir?

  The elf spirit shook his head, still looking dazed. Finally, his image seemed to solidify. It was still transparent, but no more transparent than it usually was. I apologise, the elf spirit said in Xavier’s mind. His voice sounded stronger and more clear than a moment ago. I have been struggling to keep the connection between myself and you active.

  Xavier frowned. You have? Why is that?

  The elf shook his head. Truthfully, I am not sure. I have never remained under a contract for as long as this in the past. I have heard that the longer a spirit is contracted to stay in the Mortal Realm, the more difficult the connection becomes, but… I don’t know why that is. I should be becoming stronger.

  Part of the contract was that Xavier would give a portion of his Soul Energy to the spirit for the duration of the contract. This was, supposedly, something that should have strengthened him, though Xavier didn’t really know how that worked—he still didn’t have a proper working understanding of Soul Energy, either.

  What is it you called me here for, Xavier? Do you wish to know something more about your Otherworld spells?

  Can you remain here long?

  The elf spirit looked unsure. I do not know.

  Xavier carried on with his question. It seemed as though there was no time to delay. Perhaps he could ask the Spirit of Vengeance why this was happening—it could be a while until he used Otherworldly Communion to gain insight again. He explained to the spirit what he’d done, the spell he’d gained, and that it had origins from before the time of the System.

  The elf spirit nodded as Xavier talked. Xavier took this as a good thing. Until Rhaalir replied. I know very little of this, Xavier. I know of Otherworldly spells. That is why you made a connection with me and not some other spirit.

  If you know of Otherworldly spells, why do you not know about what is happening to yourself?

  Because I never held a contract with a spirit this long. It is… The elf’s gaze shifted away from Xavier. Not considered safe. Spirits from the Otherworld cannot always be trusted.

  That was certainly not something the man had ever said before.

  I can feel myself changing, in ways I do not yet understand. Perhaps it would be wise for you to break the contract with me, for your own safety.

  Xavier blinked. He hadn’t expected Rhaalir to be as noble as that, though he supposed he had no reason to think otherwise about the elf.

  Would that help you? he asked.

  I do not think I am in danger.

  Then I will discover more of what is happening before I make that decision. Now, we may not have much time. You said you knew little—what is it you do know?

  Body Cultivation is a lost art. I’m not sure if anyone anywhere in your universe even knows what it is. I have only heard whispers of it, like many things that came from the time Before. The spirit that told you to choose this… they will know more. They must.

  Xavier inclined his head. He suppressed a sigh and kept his frustration inside. Now was not the time to vent to Rhaalir, not considering what the spirit was clearly going through. That time would come in the future, however.

  We will speak again soon, Rhaalir.

  I hope s—

  Rhaalir disappeared before he’d even finished the sentence. He flickered out into nothing, and Xavier got the impression that the elf had been forcing himself to appear, and that it had required a great amount of effort for him to remain here.

  Xavier hovered there alone in the middle of his time dilation field, his head bent deeply in contemplation. He looked down below him and found a clear area, and slowly carved the time dilation field through the air until he was back on solid ground. He retracted his wings, though not all the way, and sat cross-legged on grass unsullied by the oozing, black substance.

  He released a sigh.

  The Body Cultivation spell did not at all describe its use, and Rhaalir knew nothing about it. The monk-like spirit Xavier had spoken to about the spell had told him it would help him in his current situation, and he was aware that spirits weren’t allowed to lie to him while he used Otherworldly Communion.

  So the monk-like spirit had been telling him the truth.

  It was simply up to Xavier to figure out what he needed to do.

  Good thing I’m inside a time dilation field. That will give me plenty of time to figure this out…

  And if it didn’t work, well, he was sure that he could come up with a third plan. Even if that plan meant retreating, and fighting this fight another day… that was still an option, after all, even if it wasn’t one he wished to take.

  Xavier was about to cast Body Cultivation when he stopped himself—he was inside a time dilation field. He had no idea what this spell did, and he also had no idea how long the cooldown was. If he needed to experiment with the spell, he’d have to bring the field down to do it…

  That doesn’t matter. I’ll just have to figure this out.

  He shifted where he sat. Currently, Xavier was in a state of meditation. He was observing every inch of not only his body, but the cores within. He had become a diligent cultivator in his time since being integrated. The moment he’d uncovered his Spirit Core, he’d cultivated energy into it every single day.

  How hard could this lost art that no one in his entire universe likely knew anything about be?

  He chuckled to himself.

  Then he cast Body Cultivation for the first time.

  Accidental Champion!

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