Magnus woke up feeling the soreness settling deep into his muscles, a painful reminder of the relentless door raids he had participated in the day before. His hands still ached from gripping the sniper, and his legs burned from all the sneaking around in heavy terrain. Despite it all, his mind was focused on something else entirely—today's training session with Tri Tran.
This wasn't about weapons or raids anymore. Today, it was about his body. He needed to make real progress. Tri had promised something brutal, and Magnus didn't expect anything less.
As he made his way to the dojo, the usual silence greeted him. When he entered, Tri was already there, standing with arms crossed. His gaze was piercing, and Magnus could tell by the look on his face that today wasn't going to be easy.
"Today, we focus on your body," Tri began, his voice firm and direct. "You've gotten used to relying on your mana abilities and weapons. That's a crutch. We're going to break that habit. Your body is weak—below average, even—and we're going to change that."
Magnus nodded, though inside, his stomach churned. He already knew his physical strength wasn't where it needed to be, and hearing Tri say it so bluntly only made the truth sting more.
"Stand here," Tri said, motioning to a spot in the middle of the dojo where an iron pillar stood tall. At first glance, it looked harmless, but knowing Tri, there was more to it than met the eye.
Magnus hesitated before stepping toward the pillar, his nerves on edge.
Tri walked around the pillar, eyeing it carefully. "This is going to be simple. You'll be struck by this pillar repeatedly. Your task is to endure, to strengthen your body by absorbing the hits. This will condition your muscles and bones to harden, to withstand greater force."
Magnus blinked, taken aback. "Wait… I just stand here and get hit?"
Tri's eyes gleamed with challenge. "It's not about just getting hit. It's about learning how to take a hit. You'll brace yourself, absorb the impact, and focus on strengthening every part of your body. This is how you'll grow. If you can't handle it, you can't enhance your body."
Magnus clenched his fists. He had no choice—he needed an above-average body to meet the requirement for another evolve, and there was no better way than this to push himself further. He needed it badly.
"Alright, let's do this," Magnus muttered, stepping up to the pillar.
Tri nodded. "Ready yourself."
The iron pillar began to hum as it powered up. Before Magnus could even fully brace himself, the first strike came. A heavy, metallic arm extended from the pillar and slammed into his chest, sending him stumbling backward. The force was intense, knocking the air out of his lungs.
"Focus!" Tri shouted. "Don't just stand there and take it. Engage your core, tense your muscles—resist the impact."
Magnus gritted his teeth and adjusted his stance, bracing harder as the next strike came. This time, the blow hit his side, and while it still hurt like hell, he managed to keep his feet under him.
"Again!" Tri barked.
The pillar's arms slammed into him repeatedly—his chest, his back, his legs. Every strike felt like a hammer hitting stone. The pain was overwhelming, but Magnus refused to give up. He focused on what Tri had said—tensing his core, tightening his muscles, forcing his body to absorb the force.
Minutes passed, and the hits kept coming. Magnus's body screamed for relief, but he pushed through the pain. Sweat drenched his clothes, and bruises blossomed across his skin, but he didn't stop.
At one point, he felt something shift. A notification appeared in his vision—his status window flashing into view.
[Body Status: Below-Average Body → Average Body]
Magnus's heart skipped a beat. He'd done it. His body had officially improved to an average level. But he knew this wasn't enough. He needed to reach above average for the next evolve. He needed more.
"Tri," Magnus gasped, barely able to catch his breath. "I need to push harder. I need an above-average body for the next evolve."
Tri raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by Magnus's progress but not entirely convinced. "You think you can handle more?"
Magnus nodded, though every fiber of his body screamed at him to stop. "I can take it. I have to."
Tri stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "Fine. But this next challenge will push you beyond your limits. It's designed to break you—and if you can't handle it, you'll be spending the rest of the day in the infirmary."
Magnus winced but steeled himself. "I'll do it."
Tri walked over to the far side of the dojo, where a large metal cage stood. Inside were rotating iron orbs, each one covered in spikes and moving at alarming speeds. The entire structure radiated danger.
"This is the next step," Tri said, his voice low. "You'll be locked inside that cage, and the spiked orbs will hit you from every angle. The only way to avoid serious injury is by dodging or redirecting the force. If you fail, you'll be crushed. This is where your real training begins."
Magnus's stomach twisted with fear, but he nodded. "Let's do it."
Without another word, Tri opened the cage and motioned for Magnus to step inside. The moment he did, the door slammed shut behind him, and the iron orbs started to spin faster.
The first orb struck before Magnus even had time to react. It slammed into his side, knocking him into the bars of the cage. Pain exploded through his ribs, and for a moment, he thought he might pass out.
"Focus!" Tri's voice rang out. "Don't just stand there and take it. Move! Absorb the impact!"
Magnus forced himself to stand, his vision blurry from the pain. The next orb came, and this time, he braced for it. He tried to shift his body, redirecting the force as Tri had taught him, but the impact was still brutal.
Again and again, the spiked orbs struck, and every time, Magnus tried to dodge or brace himself. But his body was growing weaker, the pain becoming unbearable. Blood dripped from where the spikes had pierced his skin, and his entire body felt like it was on the verge of collapsing.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the cage door opened, and Magnus stumbled out. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.
Tri knelt beside him, checking his injuries. "You lasted longer than I expected."
Magnus tried to smile, but he was too tired. His body was broken, bruised, and bloodied, but he had pushed through. He had survived.
"Hospital," Tri muttered, picking Magnus up with ease. "You're going to need to recover after that."
Magnus woke up hours later in the dojo's medical ward, his body wrapped in bandages. His arms were covered in cuts, and his ribs ached with every breath. But as painful as it was, Magnus felt a sense of accomplishment. He had pushed himself to the limit—and it had paid off.
He summoned his status window, his vision still hazy from exhaustion. A small smile crept onto his face as he read the update.
[Body Status: Average Body → Above-Average Body]
[Skill Unlocked: Body Enhancement]
His grin widened, despite the pain. He'd crossed one more threshold toward his next evolution. Now, there was only one requirement left—Stage 3 of Mana Eyes.
"One step closer," Magnus muttered to himself. "Now I just need to reach Stage 3 of Mana Eyes."
The day had been harder than anything he had imagined. From the relentless iron pillar that slammed into him repeatedly, forcing him to brace, absorb, and strengthen his body, to the terrifying cage filled with rotating spiked orbs that punished his every misstep. Tri Tran wasn't playing around; this training was designed to break him. But Magnus had survived. He had endured. He had grown.
As he lay there, the familiar ache of exhaustion settled over him, but his mind raced. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. He had his weapon—crafted by the Sovereign of Armory—and now, his body was strong enough to handle greater physical challenges. The Body Enhancement skill, unlocked through sheer willpower, would give him the extra edge in combat, but it wasn't enough. He needed his Mana Eyes to evolve.
With a sigh, Magnus closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift into the Lone Dream. The only place where he could accelerate his healing—and consult with Xavier.
When Magnus opened his eyes again, he found himself surrounded by the familiar cosmic expanse of the Lone Dream. Stars twinkled in the distance, and waves of shimmering energy pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. The soft glow of the mind-realm was comforting, a stark contrast to the brutal realities of the dojo.
Before long, Xavier appeared, his golden text form flickering softly, radiating a calm yet knowing presence.
"Magnus," Xavier greeted, his voice calm but with an underlying hint of curiosity. "You seem more battered than usual. Tri is pushing you hard, isn't he?"
Magnus chuckled, wincing slightly as his ribs protested the motion. "Yeah... more than I expected. But it's working. I've finally managed to get my body to an above-average level. And, well..." He opened his status window with a flick of his hand, showing Xavier the new skill he'd unlocked.
Xavier observed the update with a flicker of approval. "Body Enhancement. That's a significant achievement. It's one of the core skills that'll allow you to push past your natural limits. You've come a long way."
Magnus nodded. "I had to. Tri wasn't kidding when he said I needed to stop relying on my powers. And now with the sniper that the Sovereign of Armory is about to craft for me... I'm feeling ready."
Xavier tilted his head, intrigued. "The Sovereign of Armory? You met Gunther?"
Magnus grinned. "Yeah, and he wasn't what I expected. He's this down-to-earth guy who used to be Tri's disciple. When he started making my weapon, I could see why they called him a sovereign. The dedication, the precision... it was something else. He even told me I needed a white mana crystal for a more powerful version of the weapon, so I spent the past week raiding doors as a porter, sneaking shots from my sniper while the other Ascenders did most of the work."
Xavier chuckled softly, the golden glow of his form shimmering. "It seems you've been busy. But those efforts have clearly paid off."
Magnus nodded. "I even managed to get my hands on that white mana crystal. The Sovereign of Armory is working on something bigger for me now, but it'll take a few days. So... that leaves me with one last obstacle: Stage 3 of Mana Eyes."
Xavier's form stilled for a moment, his glowing text shifting subtly. "Ah. Mana Eyes. You've progressed well so far, but reaching Stage 3 isn't just about practice. It requires a deeper understanding and clarity of vision."
Magnus furrowed his brow. "How do I know how far I've progressed? I can use Mana Eyes during fights, sure, but I have no idea how close I am to Stage 3."
Xavier's glow intensified slightly as he considered Magnus's question. "Your current level of Mana Eyes allows you to perceive mana in its basic forms—to see the flow of energy in your surroundings. But Stage 3 is different. It's not just about seeing mana; it's about discerning the truth behind it, understanding its intricacies, its nature."
Magnus frowned, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
Xavier raised his hand, and in an instant, the serene expanse of the Lone Dream shifted. Around them, the stars disappeared, replaced by swirling illusions. Colors and shapes twisted and morphed, turning the space into a chaotic dance of light and shadow.
"Look around you," Xavier instructed, his voice steady. "Tell me what you see."
Magnus blinked, activating his Mana Eyes. At first, he saw the usual flow of mana in the air—pulsing streams of energy weaving through the fabric of the mind-realm. But as he focused more intently, he began to notice something off. The shapes around him weren't what they appeared to be.
"These... these are illusions," Magnus muttered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to focus. The colors and lights twisted again, and suddenly, Magnus saw through the façade—shapes of creatures, monsters, and figures hidden beneath the illusions.
Xavier nodded slowly, his golden form glowing brighter. "Good. You're beginning to see beyond the surface. That's the first step toward Stage 3. Now, see if you can discern the source of the illusion."
Magnus squinted, pushing his Mana Eyes harder, forcing himself to focus on the finer details. The mana streams became clearer, and as he followed them, he noticed something—an unusual concentration of energy at the center of the chaotic illusions. It was faint, but there.
"There," Magnus said, pointing toward the source. "That's where it's coming from."
Xavier's smile widened, the glow of his form intensifying as if in approval. "You've done it, Magnus. You've achieved Stage 3 of Mana Eyes."
Magnus blinked, disbelief flooding him for a moment. "Wait, what?"
Xavier's golden form flickered in amusement. "You've pierced through the illusions. You saw the truth behind the mana. That clarity, that understanding—that's what separates Stage 3 from the earlier stages."
A familiar golden window appeared before Magnus, confirming Xavier's words.
[Mana Eyes Stage 2 → Stage 3 Achieved]
Magnus exhaled, relief and excitement washing over him. He had finally done it. He had reached the final requirement for his next evolution.