Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The whispers of the desolate zone grew louder as Alex reached closer to the jagged hill.

'So this is the infamous pressure of the desolate, huh?' Alex muttered to himself, clenching and loosening his fists as he adjusted to the pressure.

Desolate wasn't just known for the dangerous creatures it housed; many other things made it impossible for people to dare come in here. One of them was the atmospheric pressure.

The atmospheric pressure or gravity in this region was thrice the normal gravity, making it impossible for weak star formation experts to not even step into this area.

It was like an invisible weight pressing down on him, but Alex remained unaffected.

[Your gravity training has already reached 8X, right?] Sophie questioned as she looked at his eased stride. He wasn't in the least affected by the increase in gravity.

'Yeah. I would soon be increasing it to 9X,' replied Alex, recalling that it was about time he increased the training intensity. It was needed for him to advance to the star connection realm with his body.

Alex was a special case with his mana being infinite; he didn't need to follow the traditional way of moving to the star connection realm with his mana.

His mana would support him as long as his body was strong enough. But when it came to body cultivation or the knight's path, he needed to follow the rules.

Alex had to power up conventionally by pushing his body to the limit and absorbing mana as he trained. This did bring some problems, but the profits outshined them.

[Good. With a star connection body, you will face fewer backlashes.] Sophie sighed in relief as she knew that 9X gravity meant Alex's impending ascension to the star connection realm.

With a stronger body, he would be able to utilize his physique and destruction element better, lessening Sophie's worry about seeing him get hurt.

Not only that, when Alex reaches the star connection realm in the knight's path, it will be possible for him to use mana better. With a body as strong as a star connection realm expert, Alex was sure that his magic power would rival dragons, if not stronger than them.

Nodding his head, Alex continued on his path undeterred even with the air still feeling heavy and gloomy.

[Keep your senses sharp,] Sophie suddenly advised in his head. [The closer you get to the glow, the more I feel something watching us.]

Alex's lips curled into a slight smirk as he muttered, "Let them watch." His calm tone carried a certain sharpness, dripping with confidence.

Even in the most dangerous place in the demon realm, Alex wasn't scared to face anyone.

It was not because he was arrogant but because he had found something out—something that wasn't there in the novel's plot, at least not to the point Sophie had read.

"Anyone above the star connection realm cannot interfere in worldly affairs without a perfect justification."

Those were the words Vanessa had told him when he was still resting. She wanted him to be more careful since she wouldn't be able to save him every time he was in danger.

Vanessa did say that she wouldn't care if she were next to him and would kill whoever tried to harm him even if she had to go against the rules, but dealing with people in the star connection realm—ones who were still dangerous for Alex—she would have to risk angering some really strong people.

Alex had asked her who they were and who made the rules, but Vanessa had shaken her head, saying it was still too early for him to know them.

Alex was curious, but he let that topic go for now because he knew one thing now: he wouldn't have to fear getting killed in this world.

Alex was sure that even if he couldn't kill some of the star connection realm experts, running away from them wasn't a difficult task for him.

That was why, even though Sophie had warned him about some beings keeping an eye on him, he didn't seem concerned.

The ground beneath his feet cracked and crumbled as he moved, a reminder of the instability of the terrain, inching closer to the glowing hill. As he reached the base of the glowing hill, the air grew colder, and the whispers merged into faint, indistinct words.

"Help... me..."

Alex paused. The voice was faint, almost childlike, but it carried a sense of anguish that pierced through the oppressive atmosphere.

'Sophie, do you hear that?' He was sure he heard it, but he wanted to make sure of it, and Sophie's reply came without delay.

[Yeah, but… it's strange. The voice doesn't feel real, almost like—]

"A trap," Alex finished, his eyes narrowing. He drew his sword, the blade gleaming with a faint blue aura as he infused it with mana.

To use the real aura, Alex needed to be at least in the star connection realm, but a toned-down version was possible even in the star formation realm.

This toned-down version was called 'lesser aura'—something only those with a high talent with weapons can awaken. It was said that those who could awaken a lesser aura before reaching the star connection realm would always have a stronger aura once they reached the star connection realm.

It seemed like even the owner of the voice could feel how dangerous Alex was since the air had gone still.

The hill's peak was still a short climb away, but Alex, who could feel the presence of multiple life forms around him, didn't move.

His enemies weren't moving yet, seemingly gauging out Alex, but their aura betrayed their bloodlust.

"Show yourselves," Alex called out, his voice echoing through the barren expanse. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire

For a moment, silence returned. Then, the ground trembled as dark, hulking figures emerged from the shadows around the hill. These were not ordinary demons; their grotesque forms were a fusion of bone, flesh, and dark energy. Their glowing red eyes fixed on Alex with primal hunger.

They were probably the demons born in this area, as their bodies seemed stronger and unaffected by the elevated gravity.

[Seven of them,] Sophie counted quickly. [And their energy levels... they're strong, but not enough to trouble you.]

"Good," Alex said, his tone almost casual as he raised his sword. He didn't want the first creature he met in this endeavor to be strong enough to harm him. It would be a bad omen.

Woosh!

The first creature lunged, its clawed hand slicing through the air toward Alex's neck.

But he sidestepped with ease, his blade flashing in a clean arc that severed the creature's arm.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" It roared in pain, but Alex didn't let it recover. A quick thrust to its chest ended its life, the creature disintegrating into ash.

This was what happened to the creature of the desolate. Their bodies were strong, but the moment they were killed, they would turn into ash—it was something no one had ever been able to understand.

"Grrrr..."

The other demons hesitated, growling lowly as they circled him.

"They're testing me," Alex muttered. "That's fine. Let's see how much you can handle."

Alex was sure that the ancestors of these demons were intelligent species capable of communication like humans, but they were just beasts by now. But this was better for Alex because...

'Dealing with beasts is easy,' Alex grinned, dashing forward, his movements blurred.

"Grr—!"

The second creature didn't even have time to react before Alex's blade cut through its neck.

Swoosh!

The third tried retaliating with a sweeping strike, but Alex ducked under it. "Not so fast," he said, spinning to slash its legs out from under it before delivering the final blow.

One by one, the creatures fell, their ash scattering in the wind. The last one, a larger beast with jagged spikes protruding from its back, hesitated, its red eyes flickering as if contemplating retreat.

But unfortunately for the demon, Alex noticed that flicker, and before it could move, Alex moved.

"Too late," Alex said coldly. With a burst of mana, he closed the distance instantly, his blade piercing through the creature's chest.

The hill was silent once more, save for the faint hum of the glowing light above. Alex wiped the blood from his sword before sheathing it, his gaze fixed on the peak.

[That wasn't just a random group of monsters,] Sophie said, her tone serious. [They were guarding something.]

"Exactly," Alex replied, his pace quickening as he ascended the hill while recalling the events Keryu was supposed to encounter in this area.

It seemed like there were many things to discover here.