Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

System, Jack thought curiously, what is a Planetary Frontrunner?

Planetary Frontrunner (10): A Title awarded to the first ten sapients to develop a Dao Root in an Integrated planet. A sign of great potential, marking the owner as a person worthy of the Immortal System’s assistance.

Efficacy of all stats +10%.

System, what’s a Title?

Titles: A complementary system meant to award those who achieve extraordinary deeds. Titles are rare and can offer various benefits.

The System had an integrated FAQ. How handy. If only he knew earlier.

Two monkeys were bickering in front of Jack’s flat stone, arguing about the ownership of a bananarm, but he didn’t pay attention. Harambe appeared, grabbed the bananarm in his large hands, and broke it into two. He then gave each gymonkey one half and a glare.

Okay. So, I am one of the first ten people on the entire planet to get a so-called Dao Root… That’s so special. One-in-a-billion special. Can it be real?

Thinking back, there were a ton of coincidences that helped Jack. He’d been trapped in a dungeon and forced to go above and beyond to survive. That dug out his potential. He also had the Ice Pond spawn right next to him. Without it, he would have never survived this ordeal.

The ice pond also had the waterfall that granted him epiphany, putting him in a frozen meditative state.

Moreover, everything he’d experienced up to now guided him towards the Dao of the Fist, where he was also personally inclined. This last reason wasn’t necessarily a coincidence—after all, everyone saw things through their own eyes. Still, Jack had to admit that his experience so far seemed almost entirely optimized for getting a Dao Root.

Of course, none of this would have happened without his sweat, tears, and blood. Many people had opportunities, but very few could utilize them. This achievement belonged entirely to Jack.

So, if I make it out, I’ll be super strong… Wow.

The vision blinded him for a moment. How would it feel? He’d be like a superman among mortals. People would form rows to watch his punches. He could guide them, lead them, protect them…and, most of all, he’d have freedom.

However, all of that would only happen if he defeated the black wolf. Jack snapped back to the present and focused on the more practical part of the Title.

+10% in the efficacy of all stats… God, that sounds huge.

Ten percent didn’t sound like a large increase, but and when it happened across the table, it compounded. Moreover, it scaled. If he previously had the stats of a normal Level 40 person, he now had the stats of a Level 44. This stat increase would stay with him forever, no matter how strong he got. He would always have a leg up over everyone else. And, if he could get more Titles like this…

He almost salivated.

In a few words, it was an incredible bonus. Jack was a man of science; he knew how important even the tiniest of percentages were.

The black wolf thought it was the boss, but Jack would show it.

Finally, he turned his attention to the most precious benefit: the Dao Root. He had no idea what that meant. Fortunately, he had someone willing to answer all his questions.

System, what’s a Dao Root?

Dao: The Dao represents the world. It is the natural laws that govern everything, from the tiniest atoms to the largest stars. A deep enough understanding of the Dao can translate into real-world applications. For example, people who pursue the Dao of Fire can often breathe fire.

The Immortal System has streamlined the Dao. It is recommended that cultivators progress simultaneously in Levels and the Dao for maximum benefits.

Right. So, magic. Got it.

He was aware of the word “dao.” It was used in eastern philosophy, but he always found it too abstract to take seriously—it literally meant path. The System description had given some interesting tidbits of information, but it wasn’t what he’d asked.

System. What’s a DAO ROOT? He thought the words slow and intensely, hoping it would help.

Dao: The Dao represents the world. It is the natural laws…

It was the same screen. Jack frowned. The System obviously knew what a Dao Root was, so why was it not telling him?

Maybe it will only reveal the most basic stuff, and I have to discover the rest…

It was common practice in videogames, if annoying. Thankfully, Jack was smart enough to have his own hypotheses. He remembered the infinite vastness of that gigantic fist; he’d only touched its tiniest corner.

The Dao Root should be the first step towards mastering a Dao. The starting point, so to say. There are probably other classifications as one goes deeper…but it’s suspicious. Everything else in the System is classified as numbers or letters. Even “Elite” is self-explanatory. So far, the Dao is the only thing with a more flowery hierarchy. Hmm…

It was an interesting mystery for later. Utilizing this Dao took priority.

He considered sparring with Harambe, who was also itching to test his power, but that wouldn’t work. This cave was too cramped, and if they fought outside, the black wolf could jump on them at anytime. They were the only creatures in the entire reserve, save for the natural animals and maybe a couple earth bears.

Thankfully, he didn’t need to spar with anyone. The Dao of the Fist—as the System liked to call it—was a part of him. It was instinctive. He clenched his fist, and all sorts of notions crossed his head.

He was much more in tune with it than ever before. He even felt certain that this connection would help him in combat. His fists were decisively more absolute now, be it in offense or defense, though it made no sense.

Had he finally attained magic?

Fist magic. He chuckled. Could be worse. I’m only an -ing away from getting censored.

He jabbed the air a few times. His fists shot true. He was aware of what they signified. Now, they weren’t just powered by his body, but by his heart as well. He even thought he saw the air shimmer around them.

Nah. Must have been my imagination.

Lost in his musings, he didn’t realize that the monkeys had quieted down. When he finally noticed, they were gathered around him, watching his practice intently like he was a piece of art. Even Harambe stared, and his eyes narrowed as if trying to comprehend something. There was reverence in those eyes.

Jack understood why. His Dao Root wasn’t limited to his punches. It was a superior existence inside him, and it leaked into his every motion. When he walked, talked, or even turned to look at someone, he was very faintly exuding the aura of a clenched fist.

It wasn’t noticeable unless someone paid close attention, or unless he was consciously channeling it into his fists. But it was there.

Facing the gazes of the monkeys, Jack raised his head higher. He could sense their desire for the power he bore. They were primal creatures of strength; of course, they yearned for the power of the fist.

“The power I have,” he said slowly, yet the monkeys maintained absolute silence, “is called the Dao, and it is something you can all obtain. Work hard. Be true to your heart. And it will come.”

They looked at him as if he’d given the greatest of sermons—which, in a way, he had. Harambe was the most touched of all. His eyes carried great admiration as he looked at Jack. He clenched his big fists and looked at them, still frowning.

“Don’t stress, Harambe,” Jack’s voice floated over. The gorilla looked up. “There are many Daos. Maybe yours will be the fist, like mine, or maybe it will be something else. Don’t try to copy me. Work hard, be true to your heart, and it will come.”

Harambe looked deeply at Jack. Then, his eyes widened, and he nodded. He’d understood.

“Good.” Jack clapped, snapping the monkeys out of his stupor. “We are going to hunt a wolf. It should be doable with our new powers, but many of us might die. However, for those who make it, danger hides opportunities. Be brave. Are you ready?”

It was a simple speech, but the monkeys erupted in cheers and cries to the point where Jack suspected they’d gone to fetch some High Speed Bush leaves while he was asleep.

It wasn’t that, though. They’d just gotten fired up by his demonstration of a Dao Root. It was a power that spoke to the hearts of all living beings, including Jack, which was why he had been so obsessed with the bald man’s vision.

Having given his rousing speech, Jack nodded with pride. These were brave monkeys.

There were thirty gymonkeys ranging between Levels 9 and 19; seven brorillas, from Level 20 to 25; and Harambe, who was at a whooping Level 37.

The entire monkey army was vastly stronger than before, as was Jack, whose current battle prowess reached into the early forties—not including the Dao Root, whose precise strength was still unclear.

All in all, they were a brave group, and Jack felt proud of them. In fact, he realized he’d neglected some things; he’d only treated them as allies so far, but not as people, not as friends. Maybe he’d paid some extra attention to Harambe, but it wasn’t enough.

Jack felt guilty, and he instantly rushed to fix his wrongs.

“Brorillas,” he said, stepping forth, and the seven of them hurried to do the same, “do you have names?”

The brorillas looked at each other and shook their heads. “Very well. From now on, you will be Oz, Herom, Amoh, Loha, Raza, Brodul, and Ehamba.”

They were random names, but he felt they matched the brorillas’ nature. He also named them in order of highest to lowest level.

“I am Jack. It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

He shook hands with the seven brorillas, then joined them in flexing their muscles. Though his were admittedly smaller than theirs, nobody made fun of him or looked weird. His strength was all the proof they needed.

The monkeys cheered at this impromptu bodybuilding demonstration, and the brorillas nodded at each other with pride. They nodded deeply at Jack, then at Harambe, who had also joined the flexing.

Jack then turned to the big brorilla. “Harambe,” he said, “you will name the gymonkeys. Remember; as you are now people, you all need names!”

Harambe nodded. He then turned to the monkeys, pointed at them one-by-one, and uttered names that Jack’s ears couldn’t quite catch. Regardless, the gymonkeys seemed satisfied. They looked at each other with tears in their eyes, proud to finally have proper names. Then, in an unspoken accord, they rushed towards Jack.

“Hey—”

They buried him in a big group hug that nailed him to the wall. Thankfully, he had high stats, or he might have been squashed.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” He laughed as he pushed them off. “We are friends now. We should help each other. Just a few names are nothing.”

It was a touching moment. So touching, in fact, that Jack realized he’d made a mistake. Many of them might die against the wolf. Maybe he should have held back on the whole bonding thing for now…

But what’s done is done. Jack followed the Dao of the Fist. He was all or nothing; no half-measures.

“We’ve delayed enough,” he spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention. “Let’s go. We have a wolf to kill.”

They cheered again. Then, they streamed out of Jack’s hidden cave like an army of ants, crossing the reserve and heading for its center, where Harambe knew the wolf had its den.

Jack was touched. He’d only been in the Forest of the Strong for a few days, but it felt like an entire lifetime. His time here was so full of tension, action, danger…and he’d grown so massively, too.

Now, things were coming to an end. He would escape and return to civilization. He would finally see what the world looked like, and he could live without fear for his life—hopefully.

Everything had converged to its final point: the black wolf. The dungeon boss.