Chapter 120: Promotion to Armored Warrior

At night, after finishing his flexible body conditioning, David consumed his final portion of Grade 2 fortified meat and began his practice of the Eighteen Postures of Body Arts.

For some reason, he had recently gained many insights into the Eighteen Postures, yet these realizations remained trapped in his mind, unable to be truly integrated into his movements. He surmised that this was because his strength had not yet reached the one-thousand-kilogram threshold, and until his body shattered those shackles, no amount of mental understanding could be manifested physically.

Garen had once said that anyone who mastered the Body Arts to a proficient level before becoming an official armored knight would gain greater benefits and possess higher potential once they achieved that rank. Considering that even with the fusion of Body Art knowledge orbs, it had taken Garen’s assistance for him to break through from the introductory to the proficient level, it was clear how arduous the path of improvement truly was.

Although the Shadow Servant could absorb abilities from the souls of the deceased, those were always the strongest skills the deceased had possessed in life. Outside of students, almost no one practiced the Body Arts to the absolute limit of their capabilities; the fact that the Shadow Servant had absorbed dozens of armored knights without yielding a single Body Art knowledge orb was proof of this.

Starting from the first posture, David sensed a difference in his practice today. With every movement, he felt power vibrating throughout his entire body, the tremors pulsing back and forth within him. As his body was rocked repeatedly by these vibrations, it began to absorb the special energy from the Grade 2 fortified meat even more rapidly.

By the second and third postures, the force of these vibrations grew increasingly intense. By the seventeenth posture, the tremors had broken through the confines of his body, beginning to ripple through the surrounding air. By the eighteenth, the air inside the entire underground gym was affected by his strength.

David stood in the center of the gym. Although he had finished the set, he did not move; he stood quietly, savoring the difference in this performance. Previously, whenever he finished the Eighteen Postures, he felt only a shift in his strength, with no drastic changes to his body. This time, however, it was entirely different. He felt as if his body were undergoing a metamorphosis; every fiber of his being craved energy. Simultaneously, the insights he had gained over this period were slowly weaving into his technique, and his body felt lighter and more agile than ever.

The overwhelming sensation compelled David to repeat the Eighteen Postures. This time, he did not lose himself entirely, keeping a fraction of his awareness on the Shadow Servant beside him. As he initiated the first posture, the air in the room began to vibrate rhythmically with his movements. A tingling sensation suffused his muscles and bones; his strength seemed to have undergone a massive transformation.

As soon as the Eighteen Postures concluded, a ravenous hunger swept over him, as if he had not eaten for days. His body was sending out urgent, desperate signals.

"Emma, prepare ten portions of fortified meat for me!" David pressed a hand to his stomach and ordered the smart butler as he headed toward the dining area.

By the time David sat at the table, the smart butler, Emma, had already laid out the first portion. Since the house only contained larval fortified meat, David had requested ten portions at once. However, he had clearly underestimated his body’s demands. After consuming ten portions, he remained unsatisfied; it was only after twenty portions that his body finally ceased its clamoring. It was not that the house had run out of meat, but that he simply could not eat another bite; the twenty portions had caused his stomach to distend visibly. Fortunately, his digestive system was exceptionally robust, and within ten minutes of finishing his meal, his stomach returned to its normal state.

He lay on the living room sofa and summoned the Shadow Servant.

"Display my attribute panel," David commanded mentally while placing his hand on the servant’s shoulder. The familiar panel flickered into view before his eyes.

Name: David Kael
Strength: 3.5 (1)
Agility: 2.41 (1)
Physique: 3.5 (1)
Spirit: 5.01 (1)
Literature (3% Proficient), Mathematics (5% Proficient), Synthesis (51% Introductory), Body Arts (99% Proficient), Electronic Warfare (98% Mastered), Warhammer Mastery (84% Proficient), Sniping (20% Proficient), Shield Mastery (99% Proficient), Heavy Axe Mastery (70% Proficient), Longsword Mastery (80% Mastered), Spear Mastery (99% Mastered), Mental Pierce (10% Proficient), Mental Slumber (99% Mastered), Flexible Body Arts (65% Mastered), Power Vibration (Talent)

Though he had already suspected it, seeing the attribute panel confirm that his strength had surpassed one thousand kilograms—and by a significant margin, with a rating of 3.5 equating to twelve hundred kilograms—was staggering.

"Could this be the benefit Uncle Garen mentioned—the result of relying on self-improvement rather than fortified agents?" David mused, feeling incredibly exhilarated by the surge in his power. Breaking through the shackles of strength had not only increased his raw power but had also boosted his physique and agility. He felt as if every muscle and tissue in his body was brimming with explosive energy—a sensation he had never experienced before.

David also noted that his Body Arts had reached 99% proficiency, a milestone he had achieved purely through his own practice and understanding. As for his Shield Mastery, which had also reached 99% proficiency, that had been the result of fusing multiple knowledge orbs; unfortunately, it had stagnated at that level, refusing to budge further.

A new ability had appeared on his panel: Power Vibration, listed as a "Talent" with no proficiency rating.

"I’ve reached the standard of an armored knight; I am officially an armored knight now!" David whispered to himself, only realizing the significance of his status after studying the changes on the panel.

He immediately used his identity bracelet to contact Garen, forgetting entirely that it was already the middle of the night.

"David, what’s wrong?" Garen’s image appeared on the screen, wearing pajamas and looking at him with concern. David then realized the hour; not everyone remained awake as late as he did.

"Uncle Garen, I feel like I’ve broken through the one-thousand-kilogram limit!" He didn't want to explain his attribute panel, as not everyone possessed such a tool to monitor themselves so clearly.

"What? You’ve broken the one-thousand-kilogram limit?" Garen’s voice rose sharply. He then asked urgently, "Did you take a fortified agent?" Garen knew David had a bottle of Grade 2 agent and had advised him to save it for a breakthrough.

"I didn't take any fortified agent," David shook his head.

"Then has your body undergone any changes?" Garen asked, a clear smile appearing on his face.

"I feel like every part of my body is filled with power, flowing through me like a river!" David described his current state after a moment of thought.

"That is the sensation every knight feels after breaking the one-thousand-kilogram mark. Only when the body reaches this state can you use exoskeleton armor without suffering backlash damage!" Garen explained, then continued, "Anything else?"

"My power has changed; every time I exert force, it creates a vibration effect," David said, describing the trait.

"Haha, David! You’ve become a 'Talented Knight'! Among armored knights, you naturally possess greater offensive power!" Garen laughed heartily, having heard exactly what he hoped for.

"Uncle Garen, my talent is Power Vibration. Are there others?" David asked, curious about the term "Talented Knight."

"Of course. Being a Talented Knight is the exclusive domain of geniuses. Only elites from prestigious academies or those carefully cultivated by major factions achieve this. Talents are diverse, generally categorized into Strength-type, Speed-type, and Special-type. Strength-types are like your Power Vibration; if you were to fight a knight with equal or slightly greater strength, they would not only sustain the impact of your strike but also suffer additional vibration damage. You will learn more about this once you enter university," Garen replied patiently.