The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 143: Increase in strength

Chapter 143: Increase in strength

It was late at night when Hex returned to the barracks. He took a roundabout route while keeping his senses active to avoid being tracked. But he didn’t notice anyone following him back.

’Even though I have learned that there are people my senses can’t detect, they are likely to be so much stronger than me that they don’t need to hide from me,’ Hex lampooned as he entered his room.

His room was small, only equipped with a bed and a table with a wash bowl. Hex didn’t mind it though. His room in the slums was far worse and he survived it six years. This one was just for a couple of days.

Hex freshened up using a cloth and the wash bowl. After that, he sat on his bed, pouring the pills from the pouch.

The pills were muddy colored and reeked a little bit. According to Bella the mixture of elements and energies caused the turbid smell. The purer the pills, the better their fragrance.

"I guess I am destined to suffer during my training," Hex muttered self-depreciatingly. Others used refined energy that had a gentle flow and consumed tasty and fragrant pills. He, the one with the greatest treasure under Heavens, used chaotic energy that always put him on the brink of pain and heart failure. And the pills best suited for him smelled and probably tasted even worse.

He picked one of the pills up and brought it to his mouth. The nauseating smell assaulted his nose. With a grimace, Hex threw the pill in his mouth and swallowed it without chewing it. The taste was worse than he had anticipated. Hex once ate a rat, almost raw. But if he had to choose, he would rather eat the rat again.

’Luckily, it doesn’t leave any aftertaste,’ Hex focussed on the positive. At first, Hex didn’t feel anything. But after a few seconds, he felt the pill dissolve inside his stomach, releasing chaotic energy and various elements.

Hex immediately threw everything to the back of his mind and focused on absorbing everything in his body. The energy and elements first went into his blood which acted as a carrier, bringing everything to his heart.

The moment the chaotic energy and various elements reached his heart, the abilities of his heart activated. It refined the turbulent energy streams and broke down the elements. After that, the refined energy entered his bloodstream and flowed to his organs and cells.

His cells greedily absorbed the energy in excess to the point they burst open. The rapid destruction of numerous cells would harm him if he didn’t have the nature-type element.

A green light broke out from his inner space, activating his regenerative abilities and creating newer and stronger cells. These cells could also store more energy.

The process was painful but it remained tolerable. As soon as the new cells appeared, Hex felt his body become slightly stronger. The increase in strength was not even a fraction of a percent, but it was still noticeable.

’This is the effect of only one pill. I have nine hundred ninety-nine more. When I am done with these, the change will be significant.’

Hex grabbed another pill. The smell and the taste didn’t bother him anymore. Sometimes even the smallest improvement could fill someone with motivation.

Hex started munching on the pills as if they were his favorite snack. The periods of pain followed by slow recovery, gradually stopped bothering him. He sweated profusely but continued with the monotonous task of swallowing pill after pill.

Hex was panting heavily as he looked at the last remaining pill in his hand. It was almost dawn. He had spent the night without any sleep but he preferred finishing cultivating his body.

’My throat hurts and my stomach is rumbling. But it has been worth it,’ Hex mused as he clenched his left hand into a fist. The sudden movement released a faint muffled vibration of the air, pushing it off like a shockwave.

Elated by the progress, Hex popped the last pill in his mouth. It was the thousandth pill. At first, it seemed like all the pills before it but suddenly Hex felt the pill explode inside him. His body heated up and his blood flow became turbulent, tearing his veins up.

Hex gritted his teeth, withstanding the body-wrecking pain. His heart sensed the danger and started to beat wildly. It suctioned the turbulent blood and forced it to calm. At the same time, Hex sensed all elements in his inner space being blocked. His heart regulated the release of nature-type elements, increasing the amount in his body.

The veins were being destroyed and repaired in rapid cycles. It was many times more painful than the process before but Hex fought against the pain, using tremendous willpower to retain his consciousness.

He heard the sound of a bugle faintly, summoning the soldiers to the training ground. He couldn’t move, however. Only after, what felt like an eternity, did the pain subside and a cooling sensation spread over his body.

Exhausted, he slumped on the bed. Taking a short rest, he stood up and looked down. His body was covered in a mucus-like substance, reeking more than all the pills together. Hex let his senses merge with his body, feeling the changes the night-long pill swallowing had brought.

"Incredible," he muttered in shock. "My body’s durability has doubled and strength increased by at least fifty percent. I should be able to fight against Fiends and Knights even without Blessed energy and elements. At least for a while."

Knight battles were decided by elements and techniques based on the elements. Physical powers were important but seldom decided the outcome of a fight. Even then, Hex wished to increase all his attributes as much as possible. He reasoned that even the slightest advantage in a fight could tilt the outcome in his favor.

Knock. Knock.

"Hex, are you in?"

Suddenly, there was a knock and Althea’s voice could be heard outside. Without thinking, Hex opened the door.

"For Heaven’s sake. What did you do in the night?" She asked, reeling back in disgust. But she quickly put her hand up, stopping him from explaining. "I rather don’t know what you did last night. My friends wondered if you wished to join the officers in their training."

Hex nodded. He just had an increase in strength and sparring with other Knights would help him consolidate his powers faster.

"Okay. Join us in a half hour. And Hex? Please, take a bath!"

Hex watched her leave. ’Of course, I will take a bath,’ he grumbled but suddenly held his stomach. He rushed to the washroom. Swallowing a thousand pills gave Hex a large, bowl-size after-affect.

It took him longer than a half hour to finish and reach the training ground. As soon as he stepped onto the ground, he sensed all the gazes around him land on him. He sensed the powerful fluctuation some of them gave. Sensing the impending danger, Hex grinned.

’This is going to be interesting.’

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