Limit Break
Before my regression, there were many abilities that elevated me to the absolute ruler of the Abian Continent. But if I had to pick just one, there was no way I could leave out this trait.
'It's no exaggeration to say it enabled me to reach from the Ultimate Body all the way to the pinnacle.'
Perhaps even my breakthrough past the system's constraints to ascend the path of transcendence at the very end was thanks to this Limit Break trait.
Its power was boundless, to that extent.
The stat Speed has completed preparation for Limit Break.
'Speed!' I lit up at the message.
Limit Break wasn't an omnipotent trait I could trigger at will whenever I needed its effect. Instead, it dramatically expanded the vessel for the next stage once a stat or skill reached its limit through training and growth.
The immediate boost from that—like when I shed my Growth Stage—was just a bonus.
'In other words, it means my limits can expand infinitely.'
As the saying went, "If you don't work, you don't eat." If talent was lacking, endless effort would suffice, and without pain, there were no gains.
This Limit Break trait helped expand the inherently small vessel unique to the lesser mantis clans without end. Ultimately, it allowed all my stats to grow to rival the strongest clans.
'Perfect timing for the trait to activate.'
My current Speed was D+ rank. Even without a rank change after this Limit Break, the limit would skyrocket, just like with Strength.
But I couldn't proceed right away. It had only completed "preparation" for Limit Break.
Consume 100,000 grams of Royal Jelly.
'Royal Jelly, huh...' I stroked my chin as I eyed the system message.
It wasn't all that high a difficulty, all things considered. Worst case, I could scrape together the gold and buy up 100,000 grams from the markets.
'But...'
Chungwangjeon was no longer just a game to me. The system had presented the exact nutrients and quantity my body needed most for this Limit Break.
Even if it was the same Royal Jelly, consuming it fresh straight from the hive would be far more efficient than anything hawked on the streets.
'So the target this time is a hive.'
I immediately began pondering nearby hives and preparations for raiding one.
'Once today's training ends, first thing is to scout locations of clustered hives.'
I'd just made the decision when an announcement came through to us.
"Today's training has been changed to joint group sessions."
...Suddenly?
"Joint training got scheduled out of the blue."
From Squad 1 to Squad 10. Binzar appeared before the gathered 101 trainees.
Even the chief instructor hadn't anticipated this schedule.
'Must be orders from above...' I narrowed my eyes, feeling a vague unease.
"Instructor! What kind of training is this?"
"I was just about to explain."
Binzar smiled at the question.
"You all know the importance of foraging and hunting."
Most nodded at his words.
The Abian Continent's society was fundamentally built on hunting and agriculture, with sorcery advancements leading to partial industrialization around consumer goods and light industry.
Thus, foraging and hunting still played a major role in food supply.
"So this joint training will cover foraging and hunting."
"Oh ho."
"Field practice?"
The other trainees couldn't hide their excitement at Binzar's words. Foraging and hunting lessons meant hands-on practice, which meant training outside Chung Hak Gwan.
A chance to get some fresh air had some beaming.
"Yes, exactly. We'll do fieldwork outside."
"Ooh!"
"Awesome!"
Binzar smiled again at the suddenly lively group and continued.
"Foraging and hunting will run simultaneously. You've all heard of Thief Ants, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Those flea-like pests!"
Thief Ants lived up to their name, specialized in theft. They dug small burrows next to other ant nests to steal food.
Sometimes they nested near hives, raiding honey pots for Royal Jelly or even larvae—utter scum.
'No way?' I watched Binzar with sparkling eyes, a strange anticipation building.
"This hunt and forage targets those Thief Ants. They've been spotted swarming massively around a nearby hive, stealing away."
"So we're hunting the Thief Ants?"
"Yes. And we'll collect Royal Jelly while we're at it. The top three in total foraging and hunting yields will each get 3 miles."
My eyes flashed.
What perfect luck. A chance for miles and for my Limit Break.
'The issue is wolfing down 100,000 grams of the collected Royal Jelly myself... but I'll make top three easy.'
I could just hunt and crush more Thief Ants to compensate.
Thief Ants were small even among ants, with negligible combat prowess. Strip away their speed, stealth, and infiltration, and they had nothing.
'Mowing them down in droves is child's play for me.'
Sweeping up the most would secure top three. Not quite on my level, but any Growth Stage worthy of Chung Hak Gwan could manage, so I needed to move fast.
Still, this exercise was like killing two primal birds with one stone for me.
"Their numbers have swelled, so stay vigilant for safety."
Binzar warned them to be careful. Even if these trainees could handle Thief Ants easily, their sheer numbers couldn't be ignored.
Like small species overwhelming larger ones with quantity, getting swarmed could be dangerous.
'Such practical training... classic Chung Hak Gwan.'
Grow fast in crises—that was their philosophy, followed to the letter.
'Hm?'
I felt eyes on me. Turning, I saw Drvito smirking sourly.
His intentions were obvious. He'd target me somehow during this exercise.
'Is that so?'
Perfect—I had business with him too.
I returned a smile to Drvito, who grinned at me.
Weeeeng, weeeeeeng—
The hum of wings reached us from afar.
"Whoa, that's intense."
"They said they lured honeybees here with semi-natural beekeeping... impressive."
A few trainees gawked at the distant swarming honeybees.
Innumerable bees buzzed in and out of hexagonal artificial structures carved into the cliff—a farmed breeding ground for common honeybees.
"And the Thief Ant bastards were stealing honey from there?"
"Flea scum, messing with the noble honeybees!"
Honeybees contributed immensely to the continent's ecosystem, aiding natural reproduction of countless flowers and fruits via their primal kin.
If they went extinct, Abian would face catastrophe, with cascading ecosystem collapses.
Hence, the widespread view that honeybees were a protected primal species.
'Even the story of why the hornet clans never joined the Four Great Clans ties into that.'
Honeybees' predator, hornets. Long ago, peak hornet clans nearly became the Fifth Great Clan but were blocked to curb primal hornet proliferation.
Rulers always worked to prosper their own primal roots.
That was why the centipede valley I'd passed pre-enrollment was left dangerous and untouched. Without it, no need for Jayang River fortifications or easier commutes to Chung Hak Gwan—but Amar King Centipede influence reached everywhere.
"Practice ends at sunset today."
With the sun midway up, we had half a day—roughly 8 to 10 hours.
We each received foraging tools and containers for Royal Jelly, plus hunting pouches for proof of kills.
No lugging full Thief Ant corpses, so they instructed cutting off the small horned protrusions on their foreheads.
"Review the earlier lessons, and good luck to all."
Trainees scattered at the instructor's words—some solo, some in groups of three or five.
"Aleck, you sure you're good solo?"
"Yeah, don't worry."
"Alright, you'll handle it alone fine... but watch out for those guys anyway."
Katt voiced his concern, suspecting Drvito's crew's schemes. I flashed a reassuring smile, brushing off worries.
He teamed up with a few from Squad 10 and left. I set off alone.
With 100,000 grams of Royal Jelly to devour first, teaming up wasn't an option.
'More people would just cramp my style.'
Teams meant splitting yields. Few could match my hunting speed, so solo was optimal.
'Hm.'
Before moving, I glanced where Drvito's group vanished. I'd figured they'd tail me... but surprisingly, they ignored me, charging ahead into the exercise.
Sensing outward detected nothing. They'd really left.
'I need to see Drvito separately anyway.'
To grasp the centipede clan's schemes and prepare for contingencies.
'If he doesn't come, I'll hunt him down.'
Plenty of time. Secure Royal Jelly for Limit Break first, then find him.
'Alright then...'
I launched forward like an arrow.
Most headed to the hives first to set collectors, but I beelined for the Thief Ants' lair.
Anyone watching might call me a fool. Installing collectors early made sense since Royal Jelly extraction took time.
Hunting ants afterward seemed logical.
'But that's because they don't know Thief Ant habits.'
Thief Ants didn't devour stolen goods on-site. Lacking self-sufficiency, they stole from others' nests.
Thus, they hoarded in their lairs, preserved with special mucus.
If they'd been raiding honeybees long-term...
'The stockpiled Royal Jelly has to be massive.'
At that thought, a smile crept across my face.