Raven stood amidst the forest, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. The once dense and towering trees surrounding him had been reduced to nothing but stumps and scattered branches. Every tree in the area, spanning hundreds of meters, had been sliced cleanly, as if cut by an invisible blade. His clothes clung to his body, soaked with sweat, and his arms trembled from the exertion.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, looking around at the result of his intense training. His wind manipulation had grown stronger, more precise. For the past few hours, he had been pushing himself to the limit, combining his speed and control to create rapid, sharp gusts of wind capable of cutting through anything in their path. The progress was undeniable, but it had come at a cost. His muscles ached, and his mana reserves were nearing depletion.
As Raven caught his breath, a familiar chime echoed in his mind. A glowing system panel materialized in front of him, hovering in the air.
[System Notification: Wind Manipulation has evolved to A-rank.]
Raven's eyes widened as he read the message. He had been waiting for this moment, but to see it finally happen filled him with a rush of excitement and satisfaction. The sheer amount of time and effort he had put into mastering his wind abilities had paid off. His control over wind had now reached a new level.
"Finally," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists. He could feel the subtle difference in the air around him, the way the wind responded to his thoughts with greater precision and power. The sensation was exhilarating.
He raised his hand and focused. The wind stirred, swirling around him in a controlled vortex. With a simple flick of his wrist, the air split, creating a clean, razor-sharp gust that sliced through a nearby rock. The large rock crumbled to the ground, a perfect demonstration of the power he now wielded.
"This is only the beginning," Raven whispered to himself. His goal wasn't just to master a single ability—he needed to become stronger in every aspect. His physical strength, his endurance, his mana control—everything had to grow if he wanted to face the challenges ahead.
He gazed at the sky, the dark clouds slowly gathering overhead. There was an unshakable feeling in his chest, a sense that time was running out. Whatever was coming, he had to be prepared. This power, this evolution, was only one step toward that goal.
Raven straightened up, his fatigue fading as determination surged through him. He wasn't just training for the sake of getting stronger—he was preparing for something far bigger. And he had to be ready.
With his newly evolved wind manipulation, Raven knew the limits he'd been operating under had just expanded. But this was no time to rest. His training needed to intensify.
"I'll keep pushing," Raven decided, his eyes burning with resolve. He would grow stronger in every aspect, and no one would be able to stop him. Not Althea, not Arlen Drake, and certainly not the unknown threats lurking in the shadows.
With a final glance at the destruction around him, Raven focused inward. He was ready for the next phase of his growth.
"Exit Mind World," he commanded.
The forest around him flickered and vanished, replaced by the familiar surroundings of his room. Raven sat up from his bed, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. The transition was smooth, but the strain from hours of intense mental and physical training lingered in his muscles.
Taking a deep breath, Raven glanced at the system panel once more. His abilities were progressing rapidly, but there was still one skill that had been on the verge of evolution for some time—his Appraisal ability. The power to sense dark mana and perceive hidden details was useful, but he needed it to grow stronger if he was going to face the challenges ahead.
"Time to upgrade Appraisal," Raven muttered to himself, his resolve firm. This evolution could be the key to unlocking even more secrets, and he wasn't going to waste the opportunity.
With that decision, Raven settled back into his seat, ready to take his next step forward. The path to greater strength was just beginning.
....
Raven sat at his desk, eyes fixed on the glowing system panel floating before him. His mind was racing, filled with strategies and calculations for his next steps. Wind Manipulation had just evolved to A-rank, and Stealth had already jumped to SS-rank, thanks to the system's recent random evolution. But Raven wasn't satisfied with just those improvements. He had a much larger plan in mind—one that could elevate him to the highest levels of power.
His strategy was simple but bold: push all of his abilities to A-rank. The reason was clear—each year, the system would randomly evolve one of his abilities by one to three ranks. If all of his skills were at A-rank, that meant every ability had the potential to evolve to SSS-rank. It was a risky plan, but the rewards were too great to ignore.
He reviewed his abilities once more:
Stealth: SS-rank
Wind Manipulation: A-rank
Regeneration: S-rank
Appraisal: C-rank
Pain Endurance: D-rank
Mind Realm: D-rank
Raven's eyes narrowed as he considered his options. Regeneration was already at S-rank, providing him with immense healing abilities. His Wind Manipulation had just reached A-rank, allowing him to push his control over the element to new heights. But his other skills—Appraisal, Pain Endurance, and Mind Realm—were still lagging behind.
"I need to get everything to A-rank," Raven muttered, leaning back in his chair. "That way, when the system chooses an ability to evolve next year, any one of them could jump straight to SSS."
He knew this approach would take discipline and time. With Regeneration already at S-rank, that was one less ability to worry about for now, but Appraisal was still only at C-rank. He would need to focus on raising that next if he wanted to increase his chances of hitting his goal. After that, Pain Endurance and Mind Realm would need serious work.
Raven stood up, stretching his arms. The exhaustion from his training session in the Mind World was starting to catch up to him, but his mind remained sharp. He couldn't afford to waste time. Every moment counted if he was to grow as strong as possible before entering the academy or facing the real threats that awaited him.
"First, I'll focus on Appraisal," he decided. "Once I get it to A-rank, I can focus on the others."
As Raven paced around the room, he reflected on how far he had come. His body was now stronger, his mana pool deeper, and his abilities more refined than ever before. But this was only the beginning. The thought of evolving all of his abilities to SSS-rank filled him with excitement.