3 Bandit camp

"The bandit groups should be my first target. They are perfect candidates for the ritual," Zatiel murmured, his eyes gleaming with a cold determination as he envisioned the fate that awaited his enemies.

"My current body is too weak. If I want to complete my goal safely and swiftly, I need to improve it."

The normal value of a grown man's physical attributes was 1, and Zatiel's body was barely stronger than that. Although he was only sixteen and not particularly athletic, his improvement in Spirit Force had brought about a small but useful overall enhancement to his physique.

"A.I. Chip, show me the best ways I can rapidly enhance my body."

Several options appeared before Zatiel, and he carefully reviewed each one before finally deciding to utilize a Breathing Technique.

Breathing techniques were methods used by mortal kingdom soldiers to enhance their physical abilities. Those who excelled in these techniques were bestowed with the title of Warriors. While such techniques would never grant the ability to defeat a true Magus, a Warrior catching an apprentice off guard could strike a fatal blow before the apprentice had a chance to react.

Upon entering the tower, Zatiel had been given a meditation technique and a breathing technique. Although Spirit Force held greater importance for most apprentices than physical attributes, having a strong body reduced fatigue and the need for sleep, allowing for more time to be allocated to other tasks.

Initially, Zatiel was tempted to focus on the breathing technique, but given his slow progress in Spirit Force, he had dedicated all his time to mastering the meditation technique instead.

Breathing techniques typically employed specific movements and methods of breath control to enhance the vital energy within the body. While some techniques granted the user the ability to manifest elemental spells like fire and lightning, such abilities were mere parlor tricks compared to the spells used by apprentices. Therefore, the breathing technique taught within the tower solely aimed to improve physical abilities and offered a set of combat-oriented movements.

As Zatiel delved into the information, a thought struck him: "If the purpose of the technique is to enhance the vital energy within the body, why not combine it with Death Touch?"

"A.I. Chip, is there a way to combine Death Touch and the breathing technique?"

[Bip... Calculating data, using a virtual module to experiment. Estimated time to result: 2 hours.]

"That's slow! The computational capabilities of the A.I. Chip, connected to my soul, will never match the speed of my previous life. But there's no other choice. I must wait. It's not like I can move in my current condition."

Although Zatiel's injuries had vastly improved thanks to Death Touch, full recovery would still take time.

Two hours later, the A.I. Chip finally provided the result.

[Improved Breathing Technique: Harness the life force of others to enhance the user's own. Particularly useful during the initial stages of body strengthening.]

"Excellent. Transfer the technique directly to my brain and begin immediately."

Without wasting a moment, Zatiel initiated the transfer of the information into his consciousness. Once complete, he began employing the technique, utilizing a portion of the tree's life force to heal his injuries and another portion to bolster his physical attributes.

...

Two days later, a thunderous crash reverberated through the forest as a massive tree toppled to the ground. What was once a vibrant and lively tree now appeared rotten and withered, crumbling at the slightest touch.

Beside the fallen tree stood Zatiel, a stark contrast to the bloody and wounded figure of days past. His injuries had completely healed, and his body had grown taller, now standing at 1.8 meters in height. Underneath his robe, a well-toned physique was evident.

"A.I. Chip, display my statistics."

[Bip...

Strength: 2.1 Physique: 2.7 Speed: 1.9 Spirit Force: 4]

"Excellent. Although the growth was significant, it will decrease considerably as my body becomes stronger. Nonetheless, after completing the ritual, I will have a more efficient means of further improvement."

While the numbers may not appear extraordinary, a physique of 2.7 was far from ordinary. The improvement was exponential, meaning Zatiel's newfound physique was much more formidable than it seemed. For instance, should he sustain a wound similar to the life-threatening one he had faced merely two days prior, he would only need half a day of rest to make a full recovery.

"I currently find myself on the outskirts of the Grey Swamp. Most bandit groups take refuge in this area and dare not venture deeper due to the presence of stronger magical creatures."

"A.I. Chip, scan my surroundings and alert me as soon as you detect any human presence."

With his command given, Zatiel set off on a tour of the swamp. With a speed of 1.9, he ran almost three times faster than an Olympic medalist, enabling him to swiftly locate his first clue — a set of footprints. Though the tracks had been intentionally obscured, with the A.I. Chip's assistance, tracing the individual's intended destination was a trivial task.

After running for approximately five kilometers, Zatiel discovered what appeared to be a large encampment, housing around a hundred tents. Lookouts occupied the surrounding trees, while traps encircled the entire area.

To Zatiel, however, this was nothing more than child's play.

"This is likely a sizable bandit camp. I cannot enter directly, as they may surround me. Moreover, there seems to be someone strong among them."

Zatiel's gaze focused on the central tent within the camp, where a significant concentration of energy emanated. Whether it was vital or natural energy, he couldn't determine at the moment.

"Before I proceed, I need to make necessary preparations," Zatiel thought as he quietly departed from the vicinity of the bandit camp.