Chapter 54: The Return and the Threshold

  The journey back to the orc stronghold was eerily uneventful. No bandits lurking along the rocky trails. No assassins hiding in the trees. Not even a starving beast desperate enough to challenge them.

  For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Marcus and his party traveled without violence shadowing their every step.

  Even the tension of the past few days—the questioning by the Guild, the conflict with the Thane, and the looming threats of the Followers of the Black—seemed to melt away under the quiet serenity of the road.

  By the time they set up camp under the star-dotted sky, Marcus could finally breathe.

  His companions were fast asleep—Ragn snored loudly near the fire, his heavy axe resting beside him. Boruk slept with his arms crossed, as if even in rest, he refused to let his guard down. Vira, ever the light sleeper, had nestled into her cloak, her breathing steady.

  Marcus, however, remained awake.

  Lying on his back, arms behind his head, he stared upward—not at the stars, but at something beyond them.

  He wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking inward.

  "Stem," Marcus murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "I think it's time."

  The AI's voice chimed in his mind, steady as ever.

  "Are you certain? Once you break the threshold, there is no reversing your choice."

  Marcus exhaled. He had spent far too long standing at this precipice, refusing to step forward. He had resisted the urge to immediately distribute his stat points like most adventurers, knowing that power gained too quickly led to power misunderstood.

  But now?

  He understood.

  He understood his Ki, his Mana, his Psycha—the three foundations of his power. He had tested their limits in real battle, had pushed himself without crutches, without artificial strength granted by reckless stat allocation.

  Now, it was time to use what he had earned.

  "Are you ready, Marcus?"

  Marcus closed his eyes.

  "I'm ready."

  System Notification: You are about to break your first threshold…

  At first, there was nothing.

  Then—everything.

  A violent, raw surge of energy exploded inside him.

  His Mana pathways blew open as elemental forces rushed in, flooding through his veins like rivers of pure, untamed energy. His body convulsed, his muscles locking up, struggling to contain the sudden influx of power.

  Then came Psycha—flowing through his nervous system, unraveling and reconfiguring every fiber of his being. His mind sharpened, clarity unlike anything he had ever known settling into his thoughts. His perception of the world around him expanded—he could feel the faint heartbeats of his sleeping companions, the distant vibrations of insects moving beneath the ground, the subtle shifts in the air that he had never noticed before.

  And then—Ki.

  It detonated inside him like an inferno.

  His muscles stretched, tore, healed, then tore again, undergoing rapid cycles of destruction and rebirth, sculpting his body into something stronger, something more efficient.

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  The pain was immense.

  Marcus gasped, his vision blurring, the world tilting—

  Then, darkness.

  The Aftermath

  When Marcus opened his eyes, morning light had begun creeping over the horizon. His entire body ached, but it was a good ache—a reminder that something inside him had changed.

  "You're finally awake," Vira’s voice came from above him.

  Marcus turned his head. She was crouched beside him, arms crossed, expression equal parts relief and frustration.

  Ragn was off to the side, shaking his head. "You finally did it, huh?"

  Boruk grinned. "I told you, lad, no one does their first breakthrough alone. You’re crazy."

  Marcus exhaled slowly, sitting up. He felt the difference immediately—his body was lighter, his movements smoother. Every muscle, every tendon, responded faster than before.

  Vira studied him. "How do you feel?"

  Marcus clenched and unclenched his fists, testing the sensation. A slow grin spread across his face.

  "I feel good."

  But it wasn’t over yet.

  System Notification: Two New Path Classes Available for Selection

  Marcus blinked.

  Stem’s voice hummed in his mind.

  "Two choices, Marcus. One continues your current path. The other branches into something new."

  "Monk, Legendary"

  The Path of Pure Self-Mastery

  Monks are warriors who forgo weapons, focusing entirely on body, mind, and spirit as their instruments of battle. Those who walk this path refine their Ki, Psycha, and physical capabilities to near perfection, achieving supernatural reflexes, heightened perception, and devastating strikes that rival the greatest warriors of any era.

  Ki Control Mastery - Grants enhanced Ki manipulation, allowing for energy reinforcement, explosive strikes, and self-healing at an advanced level.

  Ascetic Resilience - Reduces stamina consumption significantly and grants resistance to mental and spiritual interference.

  Flow State Activation - Allows the user to enter a state of perfect combat clarity, where perception and reaction times increase exponentially for a limited duration.

  However, the Monk path requires absolute discipline, meaning it rejects external augmentation from magic items, weapon enchantments, and even certain system assists in exchange for complete mastery of the self.

  "Spell Fist (Unique) - Level 2"

  Marcus smirked.

  "Spell Fist, Level 2."

  The Path of Adaptability and Hybrid Combat

  Your Spell Fist’s second evolution allows you to continue your unique hybrid progression, allowing you to develop both Ki, Mana, and Psycha-based combat techniques without sacrificing your ability to use external weapons, magic items, or enchanted gear.

  Multi-Energy Synergy - your body has adapted to using Ki, Mana, and Psycha simultaneously without suffering instability or backlash. Your strikes and techniques can seamlessly blend all three forces, making them unpredictable and devastating.

  Elemental Amplification - your ability to manipulate elemental forces has become more refined, allowing your Ki-based attacks to be infused with elements for additional damage effects.

  Physical Boosts - Overall Strength and Agility increased by 5%, improving his reaction speed, mobility, and striking power.

  Marcus barely hesitated before selecting his one true path. He wasn't looking for purity. He was looking for power on his own terms.

  The moment he made his selection, power surged through him again.

  System Notification: Class Evolution Confirmed

  Spell Fist, Level 2 Unlocked

  Strength & Agility Increased by 5%

  New Ability: "Spacial Footwork" , Unique

  Mastery Over Battlefield Positioning and Momentum

  Your refined control over Psycha and Ki-enhanced movement has granted you supernatural mobility, making you nearly impossible to pin down in a fight.

  Instantaneous Micro-Movements - By manipulating the spatial perception of your body and utilizing bursts of Psycha energy, you can subtly shift your position mid-movement, making you appear slightly "out of sync" with reality.

  Dash Nullification - Negates the typical acceleration/deceleration time when moving, allowing you to shift from a dead stop to full sprint instantly, making you movements unpredictable.

  Aerial Manipulation - By using controlled bursts of Ki mid-air, you can perform precise movements even while airborne, allowing you to shift direction mid-jump or stay suspended for brief moments to avoid incoming attacks.

  This ability wasn't teleportation, but it was the next best thing. It allowed Marcus to be exactly where he needed to be at all times—whether that was avoiding a lethal strike, closing in for a devastating counterattack, or weaving through an entire battlefield without ever being touched.

  The new Marcus was faster, stronger, and more dangerous than ever before.

  And he was just getting started.

  New Achievement Unlocked!

  "Hoarder - Level 2", Epic

  Due to not spending a single stat point before breaking your first threshold, your patience and strategic approach have been rewarded.

  All stats increased by 15%, applied after all boons have been accounted for.

  Marcus exhaled sharply as the last of the changes settled into his body.

  He clenched his fists—not just in excitement, but in preparation.

  He had taken the leap.

  And now?

  Now, he was ready for what came next.

  As his party gathered around him, Ragn pa

  tted his shoulder. "You finally stopped holding back."

  Marcus smirked, stretching. "Yeah." He glanced toward the horizon.