[Talent Upgrade Window]
Traits:
Self-Sustenance
Partial Body Control
Unique Type Talent:
Evolution Talent Level 1
Common Type Talents:
Combat Talents:
Sword Talent Level 5
Martial Arts Talent Level 5
Fighting Talent Level 5
Close Combat Talent Level 5
Dual Wield Talent Level 5
Unarmed Combat Talent Level 5
Body Talents:
Body Talent Level 5
Movement Talent Level 5
Endurance Talent Level 5
Reflex Talent Level 5
Agility Talent Level 5
Balance Talent Level 5
Evasion Talent Level 5
Stealth Talent Level 5
Mental Talents:
Mind Talent Level 5
Soul Talent Level 5
Comprehension Talent Level 5
Tactics Talent Level 5
Battle Awareness Talent Level 5
Concentration Talent Level 5
Analytical Talent Level 5
Decision-Making Talent Level 5
Strategic Thinking Talent Level 5
Instinct Talent Level 5
Danger Sense Talent Level 5
Perception Talent Level 5
Energy Talents:
Energy Control Talent Level 5
Mana Manipulation Talent Level 5
Aura Manipulation Talent Level 5
Elemental Affinity Talent Level 5
Energy Efficiency Talent Level 5
Energy Recovery Talent Level 5
Spell Casting Talent Level 5
Crafting Talents:
Crafting Talent Level 5
Alchemy Talent Level 5
Array Talent Level 5
Formation Talent Level 5
Blacksmithing Talent Level 5
Talisman Talent Level 5
Energy Points: 12,850]
A wave of intense satisfaction surged through Mikael, so powerful that it momentarily drowned out the uncomfortable bloating he was enduring.
A small, satisfied smile tugging at his lips, he thought 'I knew that all the effort I put into maxing classes, upgrading, and acquiring new skills would be worth it, but seeing it like this…'
'Seeing with my own eyes a list of 'max-level' talents stretching across more than forty entries… It's nice. It reassures me that all my hard work wasn't for nothing.'
Following this brief joyful outburst, Mikael quickly composed himself and began to carefully study his current talents, meticulously planning which ones he would upgrade.
After some time spent reviewing and strategizing, he mentally asked the Records, "Is it possible to fuse some talents together? I noticed multiple talents related to my mind. Would it be possible to merge them into a single, stronger talent? Also, what is the cost to upgrade a talent?"
[Query 1: It is indeed possible to combine multiple talents together, but this option is only available for Common Type Talents. Furthermore, all the talents selected for fusion must possess a degree of compatibility. For example, two talents related to fighting can be merged, but a talent related to fighting cannot be fused with one related to crafting.]
[Additionally, please note that once multiple Common Type Talents are successfully fused, they will transform into a Rare Type Talent. A Rare Type Talent will be considerably stronger at the same level compared to its Common counterparts, it will also be greater than the sum of the Common Type Talent brought together, but it will also require more points to upgrade. Moreover, it would become more difficult to strengthen further through the Evolution Talent, as it would demand significantly more training and time.]
[Nonetheless, from a cost-efficiency perspective, upgrading a Rare Type Talent tends to be more effective than the cumulative effort and resources needed to individually upgrade several Common Type Talents. It would be cheaper overall to merge them into a single Rare Type Talent. However, in contrast, upgrading a single Common Type Talent is still less expensive than upgrading a Rare Type Talent. Therefore, careful consideration and planning are advised before proceeding.]
[Query 2: The cost of upgrading an existing talent will vary depending on both the talent's type and its level. For instance, upgrading a Sword Talent from Level 5 to the next 'tier', becoming a Prodigious Sword Talent Level 1, would cost 100 Energy Points. The price would then approximately double with each subsequent level.]
[The price of upgrading a Rare Type Talent would be 50% of the combined cost of all the Common Type Talents that were merged to form it. As an example, if a Rare Type Talent was formed from five Common Type Talents and had reached Level 5, it would cost 250 Energy Points to evolve it to the Prodigious Level 1.]
[A Unique Type Talent, on the other hand, would require ten times the cost of a Common Type Talent of the same level. In the same scenario, upgrading a Unique Talent from Level 5 to Prodigious Level 1 would demand 1,000 Energy Points.]
"I see," he murmured, a thoughtful glint flickering in his eyes as multiple scenarios flashed through his mind. He tested several possible paths, carefully factoring in the new information he had just acquired.
He ultimately decided it would be best to focus on maximizing the Evolution Talent first, as doing so would accelerate the progression of his other talents significantly.
At the same time, he began fusing the Common Type Talents that were compatible into Rare Type Talents. This step was crucial, as he could not be certain whether it would still be possible to perform these fusions later on. Missing such an opportunity would be a significant loss, and he intended to avoid it.
As for leveling up the Rare Type Talents, it was not an immediate priority. He could always rely on his Evolution Talent, once properly upgraded, to expedite the advancement of these talents later.
At least, that was the plan taking clear shape in his mind as he began fusing together the compatible Common Type Talents.
[Talent Upgrades
Combat Talents:
[Martial Arts Talent + Fighting Talent + Close Combat Talent = Close Quarters Combat Talent Level 5]
[Dual Wield Talent + Unarmed Combat Talent = Adaptive Combat Talent Level 5]
Body Talents:
[Body Talent + Endurance Talent + Energy Recovery Talent = Vital Vessel Talent Level 5]
[Movement Talent + Agility Talent + Balance Talent + Reflex Talent = Fluid Motion Talent Level 5]
[Evasion Talent + Stealth Talent + Danger Sense Talent = Silent Predator Talent Level 5]
Mental Talents:
[Mind Talent + Soul Talent + Comprehension Talent = Spiritual Wisdom Talent Level 5]
[Tactics Talent + Battle Awareness Talent + Decision-Making Talent + Strategic Thinking Talent = Tactical Genius Talent Level 5]
[Analytical Talent + Concentration Talent + Perception Talent + Instinct Talent = Cognitive Prowess Talent Level 5]
Energy Talents:
[Energy Control Talent + Mana Manipulation Talent + Aura Manipulation Talent = Energy Mastery Talent Level 5]
[Elemental Affinity Talent + Spell Casting Talent = Arcane Elementalism Talent Level 5]
Crafting Talents:
[Blacksmithing Talent + Crafting Talent = Forging Talent Level 5]
[Formation Talent + Array Talent + Talisman Talent = Runic Arts Talent Level 5]
Mikael nodded, satisfied. 'Much better like this. It's more compact, more streamlined, and definitely stronger. Let's take a look at my "status window" for talents.'
[Talent Upgrade Window
Traits:
Self-Sustenance
Partial Body Control
Unique Type Talent:
Evolution Talent Level 1
Rare Type Talents:
Combat Talents:
Close Quarters Combat Talent Level 5
Adaptive Combat Talent Level 5
Body Talents:
Vital Vessel Talent Level 5
Fluid Motion Talent Level 5
Silent Predator Talent Level 5
Mental Talents:
Spiritual Wisdom Talent Level 5
Tactical Genius Talent Level 5
Cognitive Prowess Talent Level 5
Energy Talents:
Energy Mastery Talent Level 5
Arcane Elementalism Talent Level 5
Crafting Talents:
Forging Talent Level 5
Runic Arts Talent Level 5
Common Type Talents:
Combat Talents:
Sword Talent Level 5
Body Talents:
Mental Talents:
Energy Talents:
Energy Efficiency Talent Level 5
Crafting Talents:
Alchemy Talent Level 5
Energy Points: 12,850]
'Much better like this. The 39 Common Type Talents have now been condensed into 3 Common Type Talents and 12 Rare Type Talents, making a total of 16 talents when including the Unique Type Talent that I possess!'
'Now it's time to upgrade my talents. I'll first place a primary emphasis on raising my Evolution Talent. Afterward, I'll focus on talents that influence my mind, which will in turn enhance my learning speed and comprehension. Once those are sufficiently strengthened, I'll use the remaining Energy Points to upgrade my Sword Talent, since my main fighting style revolves around swordsmanship. Finally, if I still have points left after that, I'll allocate them toward improving other talents where possible.'
With his plan now firmly set in his mind, Mikael began channeling his points toward upgrading his talents. After a few minutes and thousands of internal calculations, the process was complete, and his talents had undergone a significant transformation compared to before.
[Talent Upgrade Window
Traits:
Self-Sustenance
Partial Body Control
Unique Type Talent:
Evolution Talent Level 1 → Prodigious Evolution Talent Level 3
Rare Type Talents:
Combat Talents:
Close Quarters Combat Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Close Quarters Combat Talent Level 1
Adaptive Combat Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Adaptive Combat Talent Level 1
Body Talents:
Vital Vessel Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Vital Vessel Talent Level 1
Fluid Motion Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Fluid Motion Talent Level 1
Silent Predator Talent Level 5
Mental Talents:
Spiritual Wisdom Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Spiritual Wisdom Talent Level 3
Tactical Genius Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Tactical Genius Talent Level 1
Cognitive Prowess Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Cognitive Prowess Talent Level 3
Energy Talents:
Energy Mastery Talent Level 5
Arcane Elementalism Talent Level 5
Crafting Talents:
Forging Talent Level 5
Runic Arts Talent Level 5
Common Type Talents:
Combat Talents:
Sword Talent Level 5 → Prodigious Sword Talent Level 3
Body Talents:
Mental Talents:
Energy Talents:
Energy Efficiency Talent Level 5
Crafting Talents:
Alchemy Talent Level 5
Energy Points: 12,850 → 0]
Seeing that everything was now ready, Mikael ceased holding back the impending breakthrough and allowed it to surge forth without restraint.
Instantly, the overwhelming bloating sensation that had been pressing against every fiber of his body, mind, energy, and what he presumed to be his soul, particularly concentrated around his dantian, underwent a dramatic shift as the sensation diminished.
No—diminished wasn't exactly the right word. Rather, it felt as though the barriers that had been restraining the bloated sensation had crumbled, allowing all the gathered Qi to be unleashed at once, flooding through his body, mind, energy, and soul, beginning a profound process of transformation.
The Qi, along with the other intangible elements gathered within his dantian—what he assumed to be his Cultivation Aptitude and various talents—began spreading outwards, permeating and altering every part of his being at a fundamental level.
Feeling the warm current of energy expanding through him, Mikael was genuinely surprised. He had fully expected the transformation to be excruciatingly painful, especially considering it had been said that the talents would fuse with him down to the most fundamental layers of his existence—a process that, in his experience, typically involved significant agony.
Yet, to his astonishment, he felt no pain whatsoever. Instead, a comforting and pervasive warmth enveloped him, spreading through his body and soul like a gentle tide.
Time lost all meaning as Mikael remained immersed in the process, the pleasant warmth flowing endlessly through him. An unknown span passed before the sensation gradually began to wane, the warmth slowly fading until it finally disappeared altogether.
Before Mikael could even begin to assess the immense changes he was already faintly sensing within himself, he was bombarded by a series of notifications.
[Attunement to the Akashic Records completed]
[Breakthrough to the Spiritual Foundation Realm achieved]
[System transformation entering final stage…]
[System transformation successful]
[Say "Status Window" to view the changed system]
The sudden wave of prompts sparked Mikael's curiosity, tempting him to immediately open his Status Window. Yet, resisting the urge, he decided it was wiser to first perform a self-inspection — relying on his own senses before trusting system information.
Settling into a lotus position, Mikael closed his eyes and began to meditate, focusing entirely on the subtle and not-so-subtle shifts within him. He let his awareness sink deeper, carefully tracing every thread of transformation that had taken place.
Author Note:
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