THE BLACK CULTIVATOR

BREAKTHROUGH

The Naija youth sat cross-legged on the thick branch, the cold morning breeze rustling the dark leaves around him.

The two suns were just starting to climb, painting the sky in fiery orange and gold. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the new strength humming in his muscles from yesterday’s gains.

[Morning, Host]

[Daily Quest Activated]

[Daily Quest 1: Five Hundred Push Ups]

[Reward: +50 Points Added To Endurance Stat]

[Daily Quest 2: Break Into The Foundation Building Realm]

[Reward: +4 Advanced Qi Pills, +1 Heavenly Protective Talisman, +1000 System Points]

"Person no fit breathe? System, you don come again with your slave rider mode, ehen," Chris muttered. He dropped from the branch like a ninja and landed softly, immediately dropping into position.

"Naija boy no dey carry last. Oya, make I scatter am," Chris said, his face focused.

He tore through the push-ups with gritted teeth. By the two-hundred mark, his arms burned bright red. Veins bulged like ropes on his reddened skin while sweat stung his eyes. Still, Chris kept counting in his head.

"Two hundred... fifty... Ah! I wan die, God! Three hundred... eighty... My chest go soon explode, Jesus! Fuck!"

By five hundred, his whole body was shaking uncontrollably. He collapsed onto his back, chest heaving. The sharp smell of his sweat mixed with the cool morning breeze.

[Daily Quest 1: Completed]

[Daily Quest Completion Rate: 50%]

[+50 Points Added To Endurance]

[No Pain-No Gain Upgraded (Lv2—Lv3)]

"My body no worry, you go thank me later," Chris laughed, staring at the sky.

He dragged himself back to the cave, ate some dried fruits he had stored, and sat on the stone slab. He consumed over twenty fruits in five minutes, then took a quick rest that lasted almost an hour.

"Alright, system. How I go take break into Foundation Building?" Chris asked, legs crossed.

[Host Can Attempt Breakthrough By Circulating Qi Through All Meridians And Forming The Foundation Core]

[Warning: Expect Extreme Pain, Success Rate Currently: 70% Due To Recent Stat Gains]

"Seventy percent! Omo, no be lie. Anyhow, man must push forward. No time to dull," Chris whispered.

He closed his eyes, exhaled, and took deep breaths. He began circulating his Qi. The energy inside him roared like a storm during rainy season. It flowed through his channels, faster and hotter with every cycle.

His bones hummed from the Basic Bone Refinement Scroll, making the process slightly smoother.

Morning turned to noon. Sweat evaporated from his skin. At some point, blood leaked from his nostrils.

"Argh. This pain dey sweet and bitter like bitter leaf soup!" he growled through clenched teeth.

An hour before evening, his Qi started condensing at his dantian, forming a small swirling core. The pressure in his lower dantian felt like a boot straight to the balls—sharp, hot, and heavy.

Outside the cave, the wind picked up. Dark clouds gathered unnaturally above the mountain, a sign that someone was attempting a realm breakthrough.

A low growl echoed from the forest.

[Warning: Three beasts at the Perfect Stage of Qi Condensation detected approaching. Drawn by breakthrough aura]

Chris’s eyes snapped open, still glowing with inner Qi.

"I go settle their matter immediately!" he murmured.

The Naija youth burst out of the cave like a cannonball, his robe flapping in the air. Three massive beasts waited for him: a Flame-Tailed Panther, a Rock Skin Ape, and a Grey Wolf.

"Person wan level up, una come carry una stupid selves come spoil my groove," Chris cracked his fingers. "Oya, make we hurry up. I get foundation to build."

[Undying Courage Activated]

The panther pounced first, flames licking its tail. Chris met it head-on.

[Rhythmic Combat Intuition Engaged]

He dodged the claws and landed a palm strike infused with Naija heritage energy.

"Pressure Of Tinubu — Light Version!"

A condensed brown Qi palm slammed into the panther’s side, sending it crashing into trees.

"Your body go tell you, no worry," Chris said.

The ape roared and swung a boulder-sized fist. Chris ducked, shifted, and came up with an uppercut that cracked the beast’s rocky jaw.

[Naija Heritage: Shield Of Shege Activated]

A translucent giant hand blocked the ape’s follow-up slam. Chris used the opening to drive a Qi-infused kick into the ape’s chest. Bones shattered and blood sprayed into the air.

The wolf came from below, its mouth wide open, and swallowed the Naija youth.

A few seconds of silence followed. Then the wolf’s eyes widened. Its body suddenly splattered. Chris had compressed his Qi inside like Coke and Mentos. The result was a destructive outburst of Qi from within.

"You no dey fear? You dey swallow Naija boy!" Chris yelled.

Blood leaked from his mouth as his body became covered in the wolf’s flesh and blood.

The other two beasts fought desperately, but Chris was moving differently now—faster, sharper, and more precise, like something inside him had awakened.

After a brutal exchange that left the ground scarred, all three beasts lay dead.

[Host Defeated Three Beasts At The Perfect Qi Condensation Realm]

[+300 Points]

[Beast Cores Absorbed Automatically]

[+30 Points Added To All Stats]

[Rhythmic Combat Intuition Upgraded (Lv2—Lv3)]

[No Pain-No Gain Upgraded (Lv2—Lv4)]

"Omo, no time to waste oh!" Chris whispered.

He rushed back inside the cave, sealed the entrance, and dropped into meditation again. The fresh beast cores fueled his Qi like premium petrol.

The pain intensified ten times worse. His meridians felt like they were on fire. The small core in his dantian suddenly expanded, spinning violently and sucking in spiritual energy from the surroundings like a black hole.

"DO AM!!!" Chris roared, veins bulging across his forehead. "I no fit fail for here!"

CRACK!

Something inside him shattered and reformed. Pure, dense Foundation Building Qi exploded outward, cracking the walls of the cave slightly.

His aura surged, pressing down on everything around him.

Outside the cave, thunder blasted through the clouds. Lightning flashed, temporarily turning night into day as heavy, refreshing rain poured down.