Chapter 19: Crossing the Pond

Chapter 19: Crossing the Pond

Congratulations! Level 20 reached. New Class Skill acquired.

Pugilist Body (I): Your body is a vessel of your fighting style. You gain extra flexibility, reflexes, and durability, as well as increased hardness on your knuckles.

Ohh! Jacks eyes flashed as he read through the skill. A harder bodyand finally, hard knuckles.

While hed gotten the skill right after defeating the rock bear, it seemed that reading about it acted as the activation trigger. As soon as Jack was finished reading, his body squirmed entirely.

It was a disturbing, unnatural feeling. His skin tightened, then somehow stayed there and felt normal. His insides were clenched, but it only felt as if hed been way too lax until now, and this was his normal state. Moreover, his knuckles burned for a moment, and when he tapped them, the skin felt hard like iron.

He grinned. Finally.

With all changes completed, Jack reviewed his status screen before falling asleep.

Name: Jack Rust

Species: Human, Earth-387

Faction: -

Grade: F

Class: Pugilist (Elite)

Level: 22

Strength: 54

Dexterity: 64

Constitution: 54

Mental: 9

Will: 7

Skills: Fist Fighting (II), Drill (I), Pugilist Body (I)

***

Come morning, Jack awoke to the glowing darkness he was used to. The sunlight didnt reach his cave, meaning it was always illuminated by the ice ponds white glow. Nothing changed here; it was an entirely isolated world.

Jack rubbed his eyes and stood, noting the ease with which he pulled up his body. He felt light as a feather and strong as an ox.

After taking a moment to go over yesterdays events, making sure he wasnt forgetting anything, he directed his gaze to he ice pond. He calculated.

With his five new Levelsseven, actually, because he hadnt attempted the pond in a whilehe could probably go fairly deeper than he used to. When he last entered, hed reached the ninth out of thirteen steps. If his predictions were correcthe could now touch the waterfall.

He looked over. A stream of ice-cold, glowing water fell from a crack in the cave wall, dropping three meters to the ponds surface. Despite the ponds small size, the waterfall was substantial. As it fell, it fanned out, and it came crashing down into the waters.

This ice pond had saved Jacks life many times, both with its healing and the extra stats it provided. It was his lucky star.

However, he feared it. Its freezing cold could reach the soul, and hed almost died inside it once. Moreover, it was full of mysteries. Where did the water come from? Where did it go? There had to be a tunnel feeding the waterfalls output into an underwater current, but how, exactly, did this work?

And, finally, what would happen when Jack reached the waterfall? His instinct told him it hid great rewards, along with great danger. The moment he touched it, the cold could skyrocket, and if he was already at his limit, hed be frozen solid.Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

Hed still go for it, of course; he didnt have the luxury of waiting. However, it needed him at his best, and that made Jack turn away from the pond for now.

In a few hours, he declared behind his back, Ill return to defeat you.

He then left his cave.

Jack quickly entered the waters, submerging his entire body. The pond was shaped like a shallow bowl with a diameter of twenty feet. At its center, the water was barely over Jacks head, and its shore was smooth and easy to rest on.

It was this shore that Jack leaned against, letting his head fall back and closing his eyes. A week of incessant fighting poured off his body like grime, dissolving in the waters. In just a moment, he felt free as a baby. The next moment, he relaxed further, slipping slightly deeper into the pond and feeling as if his body would dissipate entirely, or that his limbs might float away without him noticing.

The feeling was beyond euphoric. It was the single best thing Jack had felt in his life, and he unconsciously released a long, drawn-out, heartfelt groan of ultimate serenity.

Everything was worth it for this moment.

Despite its extraordinary effects, the pond had no addictive properties, not a hint of mind control. It was just damn good.

Jack couldnt help himself; he knew he deserved it. He stayed in the pond for an hour before finally pulling himself away, rising as a new man. His mind was calm, his spirit steady, and his body elastic without losing any of its hardness.

Clear Pond bonus acquired!

Strength: 54

Dexterity: 64

Constitution: 64

He smiled. His Constitution had increased by ten.

Going by this pattern, the monkeys should have a strength-boosting resource That would explain why theyre so buff.

Jacks path was clear. He would go to the monkeys, get a few Levels off them, defeat their boss, then use the strength-boosting resource. Thenhed find a way to deal with the wolf.

What could go wrong?

However, before that, there was one more thing to do. After serenity came endless torment. Hed enjoyed the clear pond; now, it was time to see the end of the ice pond.

***

Jack faced the ice pond, staring it down like a warrior. The pond ignored him, as ponds ought to do.

He took a deep breath, then stepped in. The first step seemed refreshing now. The next few were only somewhat chilling.

Jack remembered the times when just dipping his toes into this pond was harrowing. He shook his head and kept going. The fifth step, the sixth. The familiar cold bit into his body but found no purchase. The seventh, the eight. His legs were shivering now; it reminded him of swimming in March.

The ninth. This was his previous limit. The pond was deepening, too; by this point, it reached his waist, and the cold held his lower body like a vice. It was hard, yes; but he could go on. This was nowhere near his limit.

The tenth step. His legs went numb.

Ice Pond bonus: +1 Physical

The eleventh step. The temperature was dropping exponentially as he approached the waterfall. There was no way this was anywhere close to freezing pointfar below itbut the water here didnt seem to care.

Ice Pond bonus: +1 Physical

The twelfth step. The cold raced through his body and into his head, trying to freeze his thoughts. The waterfall was very close now, and drops of liquid ice splashed him occasionally, speaking of temperatures far below the current ones. Moving was difficult, but Jack could still go on.

Ice Pond bonus: +1 Physical

The thirteenth step was the hardest. Jack could sense himself turning into ice. His legs were cranky, his body hard to move. The waterfall splashed right before him, showering him in icy droplets. Even breathing was difficult, but Jack persisted.

Ice Pond bonus: +1 Physical

Finally! Jack had crossed the entire ice pond! Only the waterfall was left, but he was already very close to his limit. If he went any further and the difficulty spiked, as he imagined, he might be in danger

But hed already come this far. He couldnt retreat now. He put a hand through the waterfall and gasped. It was so terrifyingly coldbut he could stand it, for a bit. Probably.

Jack took a deep breath and plunged into the waterfall.