Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 490: Challenge

Jack opened his status screen. The space monster cores he’d absorbed so far had given him a bunch of levels.

Name: Jack Rust

Species: Human, Earth-387

Faction: Bare Fist Brotherhood (B)

Grade: B

Class: Paragon of Cultivation (Legendary)

Level: 432

Strength: 8680 (+)

Dexterity: 8680 (+)

Mental: 1200

Will: 1200

Free points: 1400

Free sub-points: 1

Dao Skills: Meteor Punch IV, Iron Fist Style III, Brutalizing Aura III, Neutron Star Body III, Supernova III, Space Mastery III, Fist of Mortality III, Death Mastery III, Titan Taunt III, Immortal Commune I

Inner World size: 10,000 miles

Matter Condensation: 64%

Titles: Planetary Frontrunner (10), Planetary Torchbearer (1), Ninth Ring Conqueror, Planetary Leader (1), Grade Defier, Planet Destroyer, Challenger

From Level 404, he’d risen all the way to 432. The energy density of his inner world had increased significantly, crossing the halfway mark to the middle B-Grade. Most importantly, leveling up gave him a crazy amount of stats thanks to his Legendary Class. Every level gave fifty. After twenty-eight levels, he now had one thousand four hundred points to distribute. That was massive.

Of course, rising through the levels wasn’t always such an easy process. The only reason he’d advanced this fast was because he was eating high-level space monster cores like candy. The Church had invested greatly in him, but they’d made it clear this was all they could provide. After this sack was empty, their assistance would be limited.

He hoped these cores would be enough to push him to the middle B-Grade. After that, maybe he’d go hunting for space monster cores himself. He’d heard many times that this galaxy was unnaturally choke-full of space monsters.

For now, however, he had a ton of stat points to distribute.

1400… he thought with disbelief. That’s so much…

Once upon a time, every level gave him two points, and those two had been enough to seriously push his strength forward. Now, he needed over a thousand to achieve the same effect.

His Physical substats were balanced, all at 8680. He could invest everything into them to push them over ten thousand. However, that would leave his Mental and Will too far behind. All the strength in the world would matter little if he was trapped in an illusion.

Back when he was an F-Grade cultivator, Shol had told him to adopt an 8-1-1 distribution between his stats. As he climbed, nobody had anything to say against that strategy, so it remained the one he followed—with the sole exception that, when possible, he enjoyed round numbers.

Jack hardened his heart, investing almost half of his stat points into Mental and Will. Three hundred went into each, raising them both to a round 1500. That was a twenty percent increase. Instantly, he felt his mind sharpen, his understanding deepen, his purpose be filled with utter clarity. He could watch the rain and calculate the path of every individual droplet. He grinned.

But this wasn’t what he liked most.

Eight hundred points remained, and he gleefully poured them all into Physical. His body seized. Tremors and cramps spread through him as the System struggled to enhance him further. After all, it wasn’t omnipotent, and his body was already extremely powerful. Every step forward was a hurdle. The once enjoyable sensation of increasing stat points had turned highly unpleasant.

Jack convulsed on the floor, gritting his teeth through the burning pain. His entire body was on fire. The life particles making it up, which were already densely clustered, were forced to make room for more. It was a slow and difficult process.

When the initial shock passed, Jack struggled to his feet. He could sense that the enhancement wasn’t over; it had become a constant stream of Life Dao particles into his body, lowering the pain to a threshold he could barely ignore. Jack clenched his fist, easily telling he’d grown a bit stronger, but not too much. From what he estimated, this process would take several weeks to complete. He could sense himself approaching the limits of body tempering.

In fact, he had the sneaking suspicion that the System points he inserted into his Physical were beginning to lose their efficiency. It wasn’t indicated anywhere on his status screen, but he couldn’t shake off the thought.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Regardless, every increase was a good one. The tempering process would continue for weeks, but the System already indicated all his points as invested.

Strength: 9480 (+)

Dexterity: 9480 (+)

Constitution: 9480 (+)

Mental: 1500

Will: 1500

Free sub-points: 1

It was decent. Pretty good, actually. Jack was flying!

He couldn’t help thinking about Brock. His brorilla brother didn’t have the benefit of the System, so his own stats were rising at a slower pace. Compared to Jack, however, he did have another advantage: a smaller inner world, which could fill up with energy much faster.

Brock had also been given a sack of space monster cores compatible to his Dao. And, just yesterday, he’d broken into the middle B-Grade.

Jack decided to take a break, pacing out of his room to find Brock sprawled on an inflatable couch, reading the Bro Code. There were many couches in their mansion. There were many of everything, actually. The Church had given them real luxury.

Of course, the entire mansion was worth nothing compared to a single space monster core.

“Sup, bro,” Jack said, walking into the sunlit garden. A long wall surrounded the entire place. There was a bar, multiple lounges, and a large pool. The couch Brock was currently lounging on was in the middle of the pool, a bright yellow floatie. The brorilla himself wore a pair of pink swim shorts, chilling with one foot in the water. He raised his gaze as Jack walked close.

“Hey bro,” he said. “All good. Meditating. You?”

Jack laughed. Brock wasn’t kidding. He had his Bro Code out—he really was meditating on his Dao, except he was doing it on a floatie in a pool in the sun. That was the life. Jack himself needed more peace and quiet, so he had to retreat into his dark office to cultivate. He was a little bit jealous, but more so, he was happy for his little brother.

“Enjoy the good life, bro,” he said. “You deserve it.”

Right as Jack was about to jump into the pool, however, a new voice called out. “Hold it,” it said. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Jack paused, annoyed. “What do you think you’re doing, Starhair?”

The man walked in from the garden entrance, taking in both Jack and Brock with distaste. “I am charged with assisting you,” he said. “What you’re doing now is a waste of time. We’re at war. Our army is dying, and you think you’re on vacations?”

Jack reined in his anger. “Relaxing is an important part of cultivation,” he explained patiently. “I’ve cultivated non-stop for two weeks. I just achieved a major power-up. If I don’t celebrate a little, I’ll be tense, and my efficiency will drop.”

“Bullshit. You’re just spoiled by all the praise you’re receiving.”

“You’re out of line, Ass-Kisser Bro,” Brock warned him from the pool. Starhair ignored him.

“I don’t care how powerful you are or what you’ve been through, Jack. I don’t care about your potential. You’re just a weakling right now, so act with respect.”

Jack smirked. “Respect to whom? You don’t deserve it. Not only is your mind severely untempered, but even on the topic of power, you are weaker than us while at a higher cultivation level. The only thing you have going for you is your age, and that’s only if we count it in years instead of wisdom. If anybody should be showing respect here, it’s you.”

Starhair’s eyes flashed, like he’d heard exactly what he wanted. “Do you seriously think you’re stronger than me?” he asked, laughing. “I acknowledge your future potential, but right now, you’re just an early B-Grade. You, defeating me? That’s such a load of crap!”

“Really?” Jack asked back. “Then how about we find out?”

Starhair’s laughter died down. Suspicion entered his eyes, like this was too easy. “Are you challenging me?” he said.

“You are the challenger, but yes. I don’t mind. Then perhaps you’ll stop your silly little games, like coming here to taunt me and try to steal some of my spotlight by beating me in a public duel. Which is not a bad idea, mind you, just a little simple for your level. Also, highly miscalculated, because you can’t beat me.”

Starhair narrowed his eyes. Jack could see the cogs turning in his head. As for Jack himself, his initial anger was long gone, and he was now calm. This was a simple situation to him. After everything he’d been through, Starhair’s elementary machinations were almost cute.

“One moment, Ass-Kisser Bro,” a voice called out. Brock. He still lay on the floatie couch, reclining casually, but his eyes held a hint of hard amusement. “You don’t deserve to challenge Big Bro,” he continued. “You fight me instead. I will teach you your place.”

Starhair looked between Jack and Brock. “You want me to fight the sidekick?” he asked.

“There is no sidekick here,” Jack said. “Brock is my brother on equal footing. If he says you fight him, then you fight him.” Starhair was getting riled up, but Jack held up a hand to stop whatever lame words were coming next. “If you can defeat Brock, then I’ll fight you next,” he said. “Wouldn’t that work better for you? You get to steal not one spotlight, but two.”

Starhair considered it for a second. Finally, he grinned. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but fine. I’ll defeat you both.”

“Hmm,” Brock said. “Weird. The Bro Code disagrees.” He flipped his Bro Code to a certain page and turned it outward. It showed a brorilla spanking a blushing man with long hair. Jack laughed. Starhair frowned in anger.

“State your terms,” he said.

“Terms?” Jack asked.

“Time, place, and stakes.” He raised his head. “Let nobody say that I, Starhair, bullied you.”

Jack and Brock looked at him as if he was a joke. “The location can be anywhere safe nearby,” Brock said. “Time is now. Oh, in a few hours, actually. TV Bro will want to record this. Stakes… If you win, I become your little bro. If I win, you shut up and accept your place.”

“Do you agree with that?” Starhair asked Jack. It was obvious he’d expected them to set a date a few months into the future, so Jack and Brock could try to make more breakthroughs. He hadn’t thought Brock would dare fight him right now.

“Sure,” Jack replied. “The sooner we’re done with this, the better.”

“Deal!” Starhair laughed. “You’ll pay dearly for underestimating me. Summon your manager and let’s go.”

“How about you go on ahead and find a suitable place?” Jack asked. Starhair snorted, still smirking, and took off like a starry rocket.

Only Jack and Brock remained, and they sighed.

“He’s lucky he’s so harmless,” said Jack. “Otherwise, we might have had to kill him.”

“Mm.” Brock agreed. “He’s not bad, just arrogant. As I said; Ass-Kisser Bro needs a good ass-kicking to become a proper person.”

“That falls to you, bro. Show him what you got.”

Brock grinned. “Okay.”