**Chapter Three: The Gates of Blackrock City**
In the darkness of the cave, the silver-leafed plant was the only source of light, casting a pure glow on Rhein's cold face. He didn't rush to consume it—instead, he took his time studying it. His mind, honed in a past life of deception and schemes, analyzed every possibility. *"This energy is too pure,"* he thought. *"If an ordinary body absorbed it, it would explode. But my body, still in the Bone Refinement stage, is in desperate need of it."*
He had no guide, no mentor—only his logic and terrifying intellect. He deduced that he needed to draw the energy slowly and channel it directly into his skeletal structure. It was like trying to tame a raging river and redirect it to irrigate a tiny field. A single mistake would mean rupturing his meridians or, at best, wasting this precious opportunity.
He sat in a meditative posture and placed the herb in his mouth. The moment his teeth crushed it, an immense, icy surge of Qi exploded inside his body, as if a glacier had collapsed in his veins.
*"Damn… stronger than I expected!"* he screamed in his mind as sharp pain threatened to tear his consciousness apart.
Instead of panicking, he forced himself to focus. He ignored the pain, treating it as just another variable in the equation. He directed the raging torrent of energy toward his bones. He felt them crack and rebuild simultaneously, producing a high-pitched hum that echoed inside his skull. Every part of his skeletal structure—from the smallest bone in his ear to the longest in his thigh—was undergoing a violent, agonizing refinement.
Time lost meaning. Outside, day and night cycled, but inside the cave, there was only Rhein and his internal battle. His struggle to control the power, to bend it to his will.
Then, suddenly, everything stopped. The pain subsided, the hum faded, and the flow of Qi settled. Rhein felt an unparalleled solidity in his body. It wasn't just strength—it was a sense of perfection. His bones had reached the highest possible refinement before advancing to the next stage. He had reached the **peak of Bone Refinement**.
He stood, feeling a lightness he had never known before. He punched the air in front of him, creating a faint sonic boom. A faint smile touched his lips. *"Good. The body is a more efficient tool now,"* he thought. *"But staying in this forest is no longer logical. Resources are scarce, and information is nonexistent. I'm moving blind."*
His goal wasn't mere survival—it was reshaping existence itself. And to do that, he needed to understand the rules of the game first. *"The world is a game, and I must win—or be devoured."* Winning required **information, resources, and temporary allies** to exploit. None of that existed in an isolated forest.
He left the cave and decided to head east, where the sun rose. By his reasoning, civilizations tended to follow the sun's path. It was a simple decision, but one based on sound logic.
After two days of cautious travel, the forest's landscape began to change. The trees thinned, and a barely formed dirt road appeared, marked by wagon tracks. He followed it, and on the horizon, he saw what he had been searching for.
A massive city loomed ahead, surrounded by towering black stone walls that rose toward the sky like the fingers of a giant. This was **Blackrock City**, as he would later learn.
He didn't rush toward it. Instead, he hid on a nearby hill and observed. This was his way—the way of a predator studying its prey before striking. He watched the merchant caravans entering and leaving. He studied the guards stationed at the gates. They wore leather armor, and their Qi was evident. *"Most are in the Muscle Refinement stage, and the captain at the gate is likely at its peak."* He analyzed the situation coldly. *"Strong compared to me now, but not invincible."*
He noticed that everyone paid a fee to enter—copper or silver coins. He remembered the pouch he had taken from the bandits. *"Even entering the city has a price. Everything in this world obeys the law of self-interest."*
He descended the hill, brushed the dust off his tattered clothes, and calmly joined the line of travelers heading toward the gate. He didn't look like a threat—just another country boy seeking opportunity in the big city. But inside, the mastermind had already begun formulating his plans.
*"Step one: Enter and gather information. Step two: Find a way to earn money. Step three: Obtain a technique to reach the Muscle Refinement stage."* His path was clear and logical. *"The city isn't a safe haven—it's another jungle, with more complex rules and beasts wearing human faces. And I like that."*
He stood before the burly guard, who looked down at him with disdain.
**"Reason for visiting?"** the guard asked in a gruff voice.
Rhein met his gaze directly and replied in a calm, steady voice—one that didn't suit a boy his age:
**"To live."**