Muscle Cultivation: I Will Become Reality Itself

In the distant reaches of the ninth ring of the universe, a solitary blue planet trembled beneath the looming shadow of a falling moon. Dislodged from its orbit, the colossal sphere plummeted, splitting the sky with fire, its descent promising total annihilation.

For most civilizations, such an event would signal the end of days. Yet for the inhabitants of Planet Blue Eagle, it was little more than a disruption to their daily routine. Some glanced skyward with weary indifference. Others scrambled for higher ground, their hardened gazes defying the celestial threat with an almost reckless curiosity.

Among the defiant stood Ged.

Perched atop the peak of a dumbbell-shaped mountain, Ged cast a heroic shadow against the rising sun.

He squinted at the incoming moon, its fiery surface fractured with glowing cracks. "Which Celestial is it this time?" he muttered, his focus lingering beyond the descending meteor.

Far above, a towering figure hovered alongside the moon, his frame sculpted with muscles that seemed forged from the stars themselves.

Like a master conductor leading a celestial symphony, he directed the moon's descent with precise, commanding bodybuilding poses, each movement radiating divine intensity.

As the moon dipped closer to the planet's atmosphere, the cosmic conductor grew serious, striking a powerful 'front double bicep.'

The moon shattered into countless fragments that rained toward the surface like a fiery storm.

Ged narrowed his eyes at the scene before him.

"Good muscle separation... well-defined bicep peaks... That must be Celestial Koh." He commented.

Koh was not finished. With a few more calculated poses, he controlled the descent of each fragment, guiding them to their destined impact zones across the planet.

A fragment spiraled toward Ged.

"Celestial iron again," he muttered, shaking his head.

Below him, the circular city of Elpida sprawled across the barren landscape. Indestructible stone spires dotted the area, connected by a web of cracked roadways.

At its center lay a vast, fog-shrouded pit known as the Abyssal Mouth.

The fragments Koh guided slammed into Abyssal Mouths across the planet. Their impacts sent violent tremors rippling across the surface, tearing the stone ground like paper. Magma bubbled to the surface, turning the atmosphere a hazy red.

Sweat dripped down his forehead, as Ged stared hatefully at the world around him.

Without warning, a deep, guttural sound rumbled through the air.

The sound of chewing from an unimaginable creature.

The planet itself was feasting, grinding Koh's offering with the monstrous tremors of its vast, unseen jaws.

"Can't this damn Planet chew quietly?" Ged muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

The bright blue eagle tattoo on his neck flared to life. The mark shimmered as if alive, mocking him with its relentless glow. Instinctively, Ged's hand shot to the tattoo, his nails digging into his flesh in a futile attempt to claw it away. Raw, bloody streaks marred his neck, but the mark remained untouched.

The chewing subsided, followed by a grotesque, resonant swallow that echoed through the air.

At last, the planet grew still, and colossal orbiting body sorcerers emerged in the sky. Through a string of bodybuilding poses, they absorbed the planet's heat.

Among them, Koh stepped forward and performed one final pose as the last wisps of excess heat left the planet's atmosphere.

From the depths of the Abyssal Mouth, a thunderous voice boomed, its tone cold. "Celestial Koh, your offering was adequate. Six quintillion kilograms of mass have been deducted from your debt. You now owe 5,872,564,347,431,234,128,123,000,888,167 kilograms."

Koh, unmoved by the staggering number, nodded and resumed his orbit with the rest of the cosmic body sorcerers, their figures slowly fading away from the planet.

Ged watched Koh's retreating figure.

"Such a large payment, yet still so far from freedom,"he sighed. "Is it even possible to break free from these chains?"

His fists tightened. "I must create the perfect physique for myself. Only then can I reclaim the freedom that was stolen from me."

With renewed determination, he turned away from the mountain's peak and activated Goat Walk. Blue lines glowed along his calves as he descended toward Elpida with enhanced speed and agility.

At the city's entrance, his pace slowed, and a deep frown settled on his face.

In front of him, two thugs were extorting people for their mass.

Stationed inside the mouth of a worm, they traveled through the ground, emerging suddenly in front of their victims.

Watching them from afar, his gaze narrowed.

A large-built man in a suit and tie was on his way to work at one of the spires when the ground before him ruptured, revealing the open maw of a worm with the two thugs inside.

"One kilogram, and you keep your legs." One of the thugs slurred through broken teeth, waving his gun menacingly.

The suited man sighed. He was used to this kind of thing. Reaching into his abs, he pulled out an unassuming stone and tossed it over.

He lowered his head and turned to leave when the second thug inside the worm piped up.

"Wait. Don't leave so soon." He grinned. "I need my payment as well." He outstretched his hand expectantly.

The suited man gritted his teeth. But faced with their threats, he had no choice but to pay up.

The two stored the stones into their abs and moved through the ground onto the next victim.

"This new city is amazing. I can't believe how many kilograms we made just from this one outing." One of them snickered, counting the stones inside his abs.

"Look at that guy," one of them muttered as the worm's eyes peered through the ground and locked onto Ged. "He's got to be loaded with a physique that massive."

"No gang tattoos either. He's a total civilian. We really struck it big today!" the other commented. "Let's charge him five… no, ten kilograms," he said with a greedy grin.

The worm arose to the surface and opened its mouth. The two thugs grinning viciously. But they didn't even know what was in store for them.

But before either thug could utter a word, a large piece of rock shot into the worm's mouth and obliterated one of the gang members' heads, sending his body limp to the floor.

The remaining thug stood in a daze, barely registering what had just happened.

Ged had anticipated their arrival.

Lining up a kick to a protruding stone, he awaited the worm's appearance before sending the stone hurtling toward the thug's head.

The remaining thug's first instinct was to flee, but Ged cut off his escape. Placing his hand on the worm, he sent heat into its body, forcing it docile. The thug desperately tried to command it to descend underground, but the creature refused to move.

Without escape he brandished the gun in his hands and fired bullets at Ged. 

But Ged's physique was too refined. 

With a flex of his chest muscles, the bullets bounced off his body like pebbles against a mountain.

The thug stared in horror, utterly helpless before the monster standing before him.

"I-I didn't realize sir's physique was so magnificent. Had I seen you up close, I would have never tried to extort you for kilograms," the thug's voice shaking, tears in his eyes. "Please look the other way just this once and let me live. I was just trying to make a living. You know how tough life is out here."

Ged didn't speak. His eyes narrowed as he reached into his abs, pulled out a clay tablet, and handed it to the man.

The thug shakily took the tablet and peered at its contents. His pupils dilated as an image of a golden sun appeared, illuminating his face with a golden glow.

"An in name member of the top gang of Elpida, the Golden Suns," the man whispered. "You're a Drug Lord…" Realization set in. He had tried to extort the wrong man.

"Sir Drug Lord, you have to understand! We never wanted to come to your territory. We were forced to!" The man's words tumbled out as he tried to clear his name. "Our turf in Oyzys was compromised."

Oyzys. The name was familiar to Ged.

"What about the Cumulus Gang, I thought they were in charge there?" Ged asked, yanking his identification tablet back from the thug.

"Wiped out. Last I heard they were looking to relocate."

Ged frowned.

The thought of the Cumulus Gang relocating unsettled him. If they decided to come to Elpida and clash with his gang it would cause a lot of trouble for his business.

"I see…" Ged finally replied. "You're in luck. Killing you would be an inconvenience. Give me all the kilograms you and your friend extorted, and I will spare your life."

Fear overcame him, as he thanked Ged profusely. He hunched over, and retrieved the stones hidden in his partner's corpse. Then, emptying out the stones in his own abs, he offered everything to Ged without a second thought.

Ged accepted the payment but didn't lift his gaze from the thug.

"Is there something wrong?" the thug asked, his voice trembling.

Without a word, Ged moved forward and sliced open the thug's abs. Five more kilograms spilled out onto the floor.

The thug screamed in pain, stepping backwards holding his abs in pain.

Ged stepped in after him, extracting the stones that tumbled to the floor. For good measure he also checked his partner's corpse one final time. Only then did he leave feeling satisfied.

Releasing the worm from its docile state, he gave one final, curt warning.

"Don't set foot in my city again."

The thug nodded profusely, swearing his compliance.

Still clutching his bleeding abdomen, he commanded the worm to burrow underground, vanishing away from Ged's sight.

With the distraction dealt with, Ged didn't waste any more time. Quickening his pace, he aimed to reach the Abyssal Mouth as fast as possible before all the Celestial Iron was taken.

The streets were bustling with people as vendors hawked body sorcery-related goods from temporary stone-carved structures.

Ged paid little attention as he pressed forward, but as he neared the city center, the crowds grew denser.

Just as he was about to reach his destination, something caught his eye, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Near the Abyssal Mouth, a crowd of protesters had gathered. They waved picket signs and shouted venomous slogans, their judging stares and hateful jeers aimed at anyone with visible muscle.

"Crack down on underground body sorcery!" one group chanted. "Ban the dangerous drug Blue Water!" another added, their voices tinged with righteous fury.

A muscular man in a white tank top walked through the crowd, moving hesitantly under the barrage of insults.

"Scumbag!" a white-haired old man shouted, shaking his fist. "You better have a well-paying job with that kind of physique!"

"I do…" the man replied cautiously, trying to placate him, but before he could continue, another protester cut in.

"Yeah, right! You're just another selfish punk," a woman with frizzy hair yelled, pointing an accusing finger. "We don't need any more body sorcerers! You're all criminals, seeking power over peace!"

The man opened his mouth to protest. "uh..." Her accusations weighed on him, stealing his words.

A woman stepped forward, tears staining her face. In trembling hands, she clutched a faded photograph of a child. Her voice wavered with raw grief. "My son idolized you people. He wanted to be big and strong like you. But he got caught up in your underground gangs... and now he's dead!"

The man staggered back, numb, unable to speak.

The mob's anger swelled to a fever pitch, their voices rising like a swarm of wasps, each word a sting of judgment. He raised his hands, desperate to defend himself, but their fury drowned him out.

His voice was swallowed by their rage; they were past listening. Despite his size, the crowd trampled him, leaving nothing but a broken shell.

Then Ged arrived.

He rolled his eyes as he swaggered into the chaos, his presence rippling through the crowd like a spark to dry kindling.

Unlike the man before him, Ged was one of the infamous "underground body sorcerers" the crowd despised. He felt no need to justify himself; their hate meant nothing to him. He welcomed it.

"Screw off. I need these muscles," he snapped at a thin man who questioned his massive frame.

Using his arms like a snowplow, Ged shoved people aside with little effort or regard, clearing his path. Stray comments reached his ears, but only a few earned a response.

"My daughter overdosed on the drugs you sold!" a man shouted, voice cracking. "Can't you have a shred of decency and think about the lives you're ruining?"

Ged didn't stop. "Her decisions were her own," he said flatly, narrowing his eyes. "Don't blame me because she was weak."

The man's face reddened with fury. "You monster! Can't you at least respect the grief of a parent?"

"Respect for what?" Ged sneered, finally pausing. "Was she even your real daughter? No one's had a natural child in over two centuries in Elpida. Don't waste my time with your delusions."

The man's hands shook. "Love isn't only about blood," he shouted, anger heating his voice. "We're all struggling."

"What's wrong with caring for someone beyond yourself?" the man demanded, his voice rising. "Just because you're another selfish, Plunk-worshipping coward doesn't give you the right to dismiss my hardships!"

"And what if I do want to be like Plunk?" Ged asked.

"Plunk rose to the stars when no one else dared to do it. Why shouldn't I follow?"

"He killed millions to do it!" the man snapped, voice trembling with rage. "You can't possibly think that's a path worth following."

"I do. So what?" Ged shrugged. "Tell me, what gives you the right to judge what he's done?"

The man faltered, his fury draining under Ged's unrelenting gaze. "You're not human," he murmured. "I hope you burn in hell."

Ged smirked and continued deeper into the protest, unfazed by their glares or curses.

Ahead of him, a human blockade formed at the edge of the pit. Their arms interlocked in defiance, guarding the entrance like brave tree huggers. Ged barely paused to snort.

Without hesitation, he began dismantling the blockade, flinging protesters aside as though they were debris. "Get out of my way," he growled.

"Stop it, you bastard!" a thin man shouted, barely dodging one of Ged's careless tosses. His voice trembled with a mix of rage and fear. "You think your strength gives you the right to treat us like pavement?"

Ged didn't turn, flinging more bodies behind him without a second thought. "Yes, I do."

The thin man's fists clenched as he glared. Around him, injured protesters nursed their wounds, their eyes burning with indignation. "What's the point of your muscles? Is it just a tool to bend others to your will? Why can't you just leave us alone and let us live our lives in peace?"

Ged glanced around at the seething mob, their anger swelling like a storm. He let out a cold laugh, slicing through their fury like a blade.

"I just want a better life for myself," Ged said. "What's wrong with that? If my ambition puts me at odds with your 'peace,' then I'll gladly bend you all to my will."

The mob erupted in rage. Rocks, sticks, and debris flew toward Ged, but they rebounded harmlessly against his frame, as though striking steel. Ged shook his head, amused by their futility.

Desperation set in. Some clung to his arms and legs in a last-ditch effort to stop him. Ged frowned. With a single motion, he shook them off, sending them tumbling to the ground.

"I warned you," Ged said icily, his glare cutting through the crowd. "I'm not kind to those who stand in my way."

He turned to the remaining protesters, his voice rising like a thunderclap. "Now get back! Give me room! If I see any of you step out of line, I'll toss you into the Abyssal Mouth myself."

The threat silenced them. The protesters exchanged nervous glances but dared not challenge him again.

Satisfied, Ged nodded and turned his focus to the Abyssal Mouth. He approached the edge, his thoughts already moving beyond the crowd behind him.

From within his abs, he retrieved a fishing device and spun a magnetic ball-bearing hook into the foggy depths below.

As the line unspooled, Ged scanned the pit's edge, eyeing the others who were fishing near the lip.

On the far side, a hairless body sorcerer stood, his forehead marked with puffy cloud tattoos in place of eyebrows.

"Cumulus Gang," Ged muttered. "So they did come..."

His eyes narrowed as he scanned more of the Abyssal Mouth's perimeter. Several more Cumulus Gang members emerged from the shadows, and as he pieced together the situation, realization struck.

This wasn't just a visit. This was war.

His lips curled into a smirk. "Resh will pay well for this kind of information. This conflict might benefit me if I play my cards right."

But then something else caught his eye, and he frowned.

Body sorcerers marked by golden sun tattoos carved into the sides of their faces were moving through the crowd at a steady pace. His expression darkened.

The Golden Suns were about to arrive at the pit.

"This protest is about to turn ugly," he muttered. "The Golden Suns would never let the Cumulus Gang get away with fishing in their pit. I need to get out before things get too ugly."

His grip tightened around the fishing rod, knuckles turning white.

His line continued to descend, the Celestial Iron still far out of reach.

Leaving empty handed was not an option.