CHAPTER 175: BORN AGAIN!

The moment the SS-Grade Radiant Luminark Core touched Daniel’s lips, it dissolved into a surge of cold, crystalline energy that rushed through his body.

For a brief, blissful moment, it was like stepping into a cool mountain spring on a hot day.

Then, the agony began.

It began in his fingers, a sharp crack that cut through the quiet, louder than the hum of the suite’s climate control.

It was followed by a spike of pain so intense, so absolute, that a choked scream ripped from Daniel’s throat.

It felt like his bones were being turned to shattered glass.

"BOOM!"

He fell to the floor, his body convulsing as the process began in earnest.

The crystalline energy, now coursing through his marrow, was a relentless, grinding force.

One by one, it targeted his bones. His phalanges, his carpals, his radius and ulna, they shattered, crumbling into dust within his own flesh.

The pain was a white-hot, all-consuming fire.

It was a thousand times worse than the Perfect Skin Refining.

His mind flashed back to the endless, mind-numbing labor of the radish field.

He remembered the burning in his muscles, the raw blisters on his hands, the utter, soul-crushing exhaustion.

He had learned to endure, to push through pain, to find a calm center in a storm of physical hardship.

He held onto that memory, his hard-won willpower the sole anchor in a vast sea of agony.

He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched so tight he could hear it creak, and focused on a single thought," I will not break."

His pets, who had been sleeping peacefully, were instantly roused by his cry of pain and the sudden, violent spike in his energy.

Nyx, in her smaller pup form, let out a terrified whine, her luminous blue eyes wide with worry.

Kendi, the Treasure Aardvark, scrambled to its feet, letting out a low, distressed rumble.

They saw their master convulsing on the floor, his face pale and slick with sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Instinct took over. They were guardians. Their master was vulnerable.

Nyx immediately grew to her full, massive two-headed draconic wolf form. Her soulfire and frostfire heads let out a low, menacing growl, her four eyes scanning the room, ready to eliminate anything that dared to approach.

She positioned her colossal body between Daniel and the suite’s main entrance, a living wall of elemental fury.

Kendi, while not a fighter, was just as resolute.

Its A-grade reinforced shell was its greatest strength.

It moved to the locked bedroom door and curled into a tight, armored ball, blocking the entrance with its dense, rock-like body.

Nothing was getting in or out. Together, the two familiars created a silent, unbreachable perimeter, their loyalty absolute, their vigil unwavering.

The agonizing process continued through the long, dark night.

The shattering moved up his arms, into his shoulders, his clavicle, his ribs.

Each crack was a fresh wave of torture. Daniel’s vision swam, black spots dancing at the edges.

He was only vaguely aware of the luxurious suite around him, his entire universe narrowed to the single, searing point of his own deconstruction.

Then came the rebirth!

As soon as a bone broke down, the Luminark Core’s radiant energy would gather and form a new one in its place.

He could feel it, see it in his mind’s eye, a beautiful, terrifying process.

Strands of silvery-white energy wove together, forming a flawless, translucent new bone that pulsed with quiet, immense power.

It was like watching a divine sculptor at work, replacing crude clay with living diamond.

The process moved to his legs, his hips, his spine. He bit his lip until it bled.

The hours blurred. The twin moons drifted across the sky, their pale light silently watching his pain and transformation.

Finally, as the first faint rays of dawn began to touch the artificial sky, the process reached its final stage, his skull.

The cracking, the shattering, the final wave of blinding agony, and then... a profound, all-encompassing silence.

It was over!

The final bone, the last piece of his old, mortal framework, had been replaced.

The radiant energy receded, settling deep within his new, perfect skeleton, becoming a part of him.

The pain vanished as suddenly as it had begun, leaving behind a feeling of deep, blissful emptiness.

Utterly, completely exhausted, his mind and body pushed far beyond their limits, Daniel’s consciousness finally gave way.

He collapsed into a deep, dreamless sleep, his new, reforged body already beginning the process of healing and integration.

He woke the next night. The suite was dark, the only light coming from the soft glow of the city outside the window.

He felt... incredible. Not just rested, but fundamentally new.

He pushed himself up from the floor with an effortless grace that felt utterly alien. He felt lighter, stronger, more balanced.

He walked to the large, decorative mirror in the suite’s changing room.

He stared. The man looking back was him, but... better.

The month of farm labor had already leaned him out, but the bone refinement had subtly, yet profoundly, altered his entire structure.

He was taller, a good two inches at least. His shoulders were broader, his frame more defined, carrying a quiet, powerful grace.

Even his facial features seemed sharper, more refined, his jawline more distinct, his eyes clearer.

The process had not just replaced his skeleton, it had perfected his physical form.

He clenched his fist, feeling the smooth, powerful movement of his new, flawless joints.

He checked his Nexus Interface. He hadn’t leveled up, but the numbers on his attribute panel had jumped again, each one increased by hundreds of points from the sheer quality of his new foundation.

He knew, however, that the true gain wasn’t in the numbers. It was in his future.

His potential, once vast, was now truly, undeniably limitless.

A happy yip and a low rumble came from the other room.

He walked out to find Nyx and Kendi looking up at him, their eyes filled with relief and pride.

They had stood guard for a full day and night, unwavering.

Daniel knelt, hugging them both, a genuine, heartfelt laugh escaping his lips for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

"You guys are the best," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

He then stood up, a wide, triumphant grin on his handsome new face.

"Alright, my loyal guardians," he declared. "I think this calls for a celebration.

Room service!

Bring me the biggest, most expensive steak on your menu!

And two more for my friends! We have a victory to celebrate!"

The second stage of his cultivation was complete.

He was stronger, he was faster, and he was ready for whatever the Verge, and the Principal, had to throw at him next.