"Time to figure out how this ability really works," Adam muttered, lying on his bed, staring at the glowing system panel hovering in front of him.
"My stats are way too low. I need to figure out a way to boost them. Maybe I could start exercising... or better yet," he said with a growing grin, "why not create something? Like those pills or magical fruits you see in fantasy and cultivation novels."
Excited by the idea, Adam grabbed his phone and opened his favorite webnovel app. He scrolled through one of his favorite cultivation novels, scanning the pages for inspiration—special pills, spirit fruits, elixirs, anything that could give him ideas.
"Got it," Adam said after a few minutes of scrolling. "I'll make a fruit that boosts my stats—Physique, Soul, and Mental—to the peak of human potential."
He closed his eyes and focused, imagining the fruit in vivid detail. He pictured an apple-shaped fruit, shimmering with swirling colors like a rainbow, pulsating with a faint aura of power. Slowly, in the palm of his hand, the fruit began to take form.
After a few minutes, the fruit was fully materialized—a multicolored, glowing apple that radiated a strange, otherworldly energy. Adam sat up, marveling at its beauty.
"Not bad," he muttered, admiring his creation. Curious, he opened his system to check the fruit's details.
[Radiant Apex Fruit]
Type: Special Creation
Effects:
Increases Physique stat to the limit of humanity.
Increases Mental stat to the limit of humanity.
Increases Soul stat to the limit of humanity.
Grants temporary immunity to fatigue for 12 hours.
Boosts healing speed by 300% for 24 hours.
"Whoa," Adam said, his eyes widening. "This thing is insane. I've basically created a cheat code!"
He held the fruit up, inspecting it from every angle, before grinning to himself. "This is going to be fun."
Adam smirked, rolling the Radiant Apex Fruit in his hand one last time before standing up. He walked to his door, locked it, and leaned back against it. "No interruptions," he muttered to himself.
With a deep breath, he sat back on his bed, staring at the glowing fruit. "Alright, let's see if this thing works." Without hesitation, he bit into the fruit.
The moment he swallowed, a searing pain shot through his body. His eyes widened in shock as his entire frame tensed. It felt like his veins were on fire, and every nerve in his body was screaming.
"Aaaaargh!" Adam let out a gut-wrenching scream, clutching his chest as waves of energy surged through him. The air around him began to shift, and a faint, radiant aura started to seep out of his body, spreading into the room like mist.
Outside, the world wasn't left untouched. Trees swayed as if caught in a sudden gust of wind. Birds scattered from the rooftops, and the night sky seemed to shimmer unnaturally, stars flickering brighter as if reacting to the disturbance.
Inside, Adam was writhing in pain. The aura around him intensified, glowing brighter and brighter. His body felt like it was breaking apart and rebuilding itself at the same time.
"Adam?!" Alfred's voice called out from the other side of the door, followed by rapid knocks.
"Adam! Are you okay?!" Aria's panicked voice joined her brother's as both siblings pounded on the door.
Adam clenched his fists, his body shaking as he fought to stay conscious. "Stay... back," he managed to choke out through gritted teeth.
"Adam! Open the door!" Alfred shouted, rattling the locked handle.
"Please! What's happening?!" Aria's voice cracked with fear.
But Adam didn't respond. He couldn't. His body was locked in place as the energy tore through him. His aura spilled out even more, causing the lights in the house to flicker.
Outside, the wind picked up, and a faint, multicolored glow could be seen radiating from the cracks of Adam's bedroom window.
The pain reached its peak, and Adam threw his head back, letting out another scream as the energy surged to its climax. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Adam fell back onto his bed, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily as the aura around him slowly faded. His body felt... different. Stronger. Powerful.
"Adam?!" Alfred called again, his voice desperate.
"I'm fine," Adam finally said, his voice hoarse but firm. "Just... give me a minute."
His siblings hesitated but eventually backed away, still worried but giving him the space he needed.
Lying there, Adam stared at the ceiling, feeling the newfound strength coursing through him. "What... the hell did I just unlock?" he muttered to himself.
Adam got up, his body still feeling strange but somehow... stronger. He unlocked the door, letting his siblings in to show them he was fine.
As soon as the door opened, both Alfred and Aria's faces twisted in disgust.
"What is that smell?" Alfred gagged, covering his nose.
"Seriously, Adam, did you roll in a dumpster?!" Aria added, backing away. "And... what's that black stuff all over you?"
Adam frowned and looked down at himself. His clothes and skin were covered in a slimy, black residue, and the stench was unbearable. "Ugh..." he groaned, scratching the back of his head. "I was... working on something."
"Working on what, bathing in a sewer?" Alfred shot back, his voice muffled through his hand.
"Alright, alright," Adam sighed, waving them off. "You've seen that I'm fine. Now why don't you two 8-year-olds head back to your rooms?" He smirked.
Both siblings pouted at his jab but couldn't argue—the smell was too much. They turned and walked off, grumbling to themselves.
"Don't stink up the house, Adam!" Aria called as she slammed her door shut.
Once alone again, Adam shut his door and sighed. "Guess this is what those novels call 'impurities' being expelled... Great." He shook his head, grabbed a towel, and wiped off the worst of the grime before opening his system.
---
[Stats Updated]
Name: Adam Dhark
Bloodline: Unknown
Race: Human (?)
Existence Tier: unawakened
Physique: 20
Mental: 20
Soul: 20
Abilities:
Creation of All Things [Lvl 1]
Regeneration [Lvl 2]
---
Adam's eyes widened as he read the changes.
Physique (20): Superhuman strength, speed, and durability. He could now lift several tons effortlessly, run faster than a car, and withstand impacts that would've broken his bones before.
Mental (20): Sharpened reflexes and enhanced cognitive abilities. His mind felt clearer, quicker—he could process things in seconds that would've taken minutes.
Soul (20): Strengthened spiritual presence and resistance to supernatural forces. It felt like a protective barrier surrounded his very being.
"Whoa..." Adam whispered, flexing his hands. His body felt light, powerful, and alive in ways he couldn't describe.
"This is insane," he muttered, a grin forming on his face. "And this is just the start..."
He stood there for a moment, basking in the newfound strength surging through his body. Then he glanced at the black grime still clinging to him.
"Right. First things first... a shower," Adam said, already heading for the bathroom. He didn't want to explain why the house suddenly smelled like death.