"...97… 98… 99… 100!."
I dropped flat on the ground, staring at the ceiling as I exhaled slowly.
"Fu~"
My arms felt heavy, but not to the point of trembling. My breathing was steady, controlled.
Good.
I rolled over and sat up, stretching my shoulders a little.
Two years.
Two full years of doing this every single day.
100 push ups,
100 sit ups,
100 pull ups
and a 10km run
No system quest. No reward.
It was all me, me, 'If you want to become strong, you need to put in the Work like those who are'
"Heh…Saitama would be proud."
Of course, my body still looked like that of a normal 3yrs old.
No muscles, no weird proportions.
But inside?
A Completely different story.
My bones were tougher, my organs more stable, and my meridians…far more open than they should be at this age.
[CULTIVATION: HALFSTEP DOU GRANDMASTER]
With this level, I have successfully become a notable fighter in this world....
[STONE-FLESH FOUNDATION (UNLOCKED)]
"Finally, time to work on this body"
I opened my eyes and stood up.
Training alone had gotten me this far.
But there was a limit to what I could do in isolation.
No matter how much I cultivated, without comparison…
Without seeing others…I wouldn't know where I truly stood.
"But before all this, we feast."
----
The dining hall was as excessive as ever.
Gold, marble, velvet… everything screaming wealth.
My parents were already seated.
Rare sight.
Apparently, they came back for my birthday.
Busy people, huh.
Running a "small business" while being Celestial Dragons...
Yeah…Sure...
Servants moved around silently, placing dishes one after another.
No one spoke.
When my father finally glanced at me,
"I heard you were training in martial arts. Is that true?"
He asked, keeping his fork down and pouring himself some wine,
"I...Yes, Father, that is indeed the truth," I admitted, as hiding this from him will not work.
My mother looked up slightly,
with a smirk?
"sigh....It seems I lost the bet..." He muttered under his breath,
which can escape the ears of a normal person but not me...
A cultivator.
"Everybody has hobbies, I'll take it that this is yours?"
"Yes, Father, that is so", I nodded.
"Good, I hope you are not neglecting your studies", he said calmly.
What's this Studies you ask? Well last year, he called in a Teacher to help me learn business.
Apparently, he is paranoid that someone is after his head and wants me to inherit his wealth as fast as possible.
He went as far as to write his complete Will in my name,
What kind of Fear can make a man this crazy.....
Just as he was about to sip his drink, I spoke again,
"Father, I want to visit the CP training grounds."
*....*
The table went quiet.
A few servants froze for a split second before continuing.
My father raised a brow.
"Why, son?"
"I'm curious about their methods," I replied calmly.
"I want to see how the government trains its weapons."
a brief pause then,
A faint chuckle.
"Very well," he said, "I can arrange that...."
"A god should know how dogs are raised."
I nodded slightly.
"Thank you, father."
This world didn't care about what was right or wrong.
Only about who stood above whom.
And if that was the case,
Then I would stand at the very top.
---Few Days Later---
Cipher Pol Training Grounds, Guanhao.
The moment I stepped inside the tower, the atmosphere changed almost instantly.
"Instructor! Saint George has arrived!"
Voices rang out, and within seconds, the instructors dropped to their knees. The cadets followed shortly after, some a little slower, clearly not as used to this kind of situation.
Even so, none of them dared to remain standing.
Being a Celestial Dragon really is convenient.
"You may stand," I said casually.
They obeyed immediately, but the tension in the air didn't disappear.
If anything, it only settled into something quieter, more restrained.
No one relaxed....
I walked forward slowly, my hands resting behind my back as I observed the training grounds.
Children sparred in pairs, some practising forms, others being corrected harshly by instructors.
The discipline was there, but nothing stood out immediately.
Then my gaze landed on one figure.
Rob Lucci
This is before he became infamous.
Even among the others, he was easy to pick out.
Every action was precise.
No wasted effort, no unnecessary motion.
Just clean, efficient strikes.
When he attacked, his opponent dropped almost immediately, unable to keep up.
"…So that's him."
I watched for a few more seconds before walking toward him.
He noticed me before I even stopped in front of him.
His eyes shifted, locking onto me calmly.
There was no fear in them, but there was no disrespect either.
He understood the difference in position between us.
That alone already set him apart from most.
"You train well," I said.
He straightened slightly, his posture adjusting just enough to show proper acknowledgement without overdoing it.
"Thank you, I am merely fulfilling my training, Saint."
Short and direct. No extra words.
"…I see."
I studied him for a brief moment longer. There was something there.
Not just raw strength, not yet, at least, but a kind of structure.
The kind that, if pushed far enough, could turn into something dangerous.....something more than a simple pawn,
I feel the Elders wasted his talent.
"I will be visiting from time to time," I continued. "I don't like boring things."
I smiled before I added, "You may continue."
"Understood."
He didn't hesitate. No questions, no unnecessary reaction.
He simply returned to his training as if nothing had happened.
I turned and began to walk away, having already seen what I came here for.
There was no need to linger or force anything further.
It will take time to get close to a guy with emotions of a ice cold rock.
As I left, I could feel it.
A gaze.
Steady and following me.
A faint smile formed on my lips.