In the days that followed the warriors' arrival, Max began to settle into the strange rhythm of this unfamiliar world.
What had started as a mission of survival slowly turned into something more curiosity, purpose, maybe even belonging.
The initial distance between him and the warriors had faded.
Now, there was trust.
Conversations flowed more easily, laughter slipped into mealtimes, and moments of silence no longer felt heavy with suspicion.
Among them, Mia stood out.
She had become his closest connection not just a guide to the world, but a source of strength.
Where others were cautious or formal, Mia was honest. She shared stories of her life as a warrior, of the trials she'd faced, of the Warrior Test that happened every three moons. Max listened with the curiosity of a child and the intensity of a student hungry for understanding. She even took time to teach him a few beginner exercises, explaining basic combat postures and discipline routines.
> "You don't have to become a warrior," she once said, sitting beside him under the stars. "This world has many paths scholars, strategists, medics, even military scouts. Each role has its honor."
Over the next nineteen days, Max trained not just his body, but his mind.
The warriors took turns helping him adjust. Diya, the sharp and reserved second female warrior, taught him about herbs, poisons, and mountain survival. Joy, the loud mouthed comic relief, often made everyone laugh but was surprisingly smart when it came to beast classifications and terrain knowledge. Roy, quiet and disciplined, showed Max how to use a basic wooden practice sword and corrected his form without a word more than needed.
They told him stories about this land Velaria, a powerful and diverse country that stretched from snow-capped peaks in the north to lush forests in the east.
They were currently in the Elden Province, a quiet mountainous border region. Beyond Velaria lay nations like Qaslen, known for its scholars and warrior , famous for its elite assassins and shadow warriors.
Each night, Max would lie in his simple grass-lined room and reflect on all he had learned.
He still couldn't believe how much had changed. The Max who once dreamed in bed about power and purpose now lived it, step by step, breath by breath.
Despite all of this, a part of Max knew he wasn't ready yet.
He had copied a body, but his mind and soul still clung to the values of Earth. He wasn't here to conquer at least not yet.
He was here to learn, to prepare. What the future held, he didn't know. But one thing was clear:
He wasn't alone anymore.
And maybe, just maybe, in a world where power defined everything, Max was beginning to matter.
One evening, as the orange sun dipped behind the jagged cliffs, Max and Mia sat on a wide flat rock overlooking the village. The sky was painted in soft hues of gold and violet. Mia sipped from a wooden cup and said quietly, "You're serious about this world, aren't you?"
Max nodded. "I want to understand it. Truly. Not just survive in it."
Mia smiled faintly and leaned back. "Then let me tell you about The Ten Levels of Power—the foundation of strength in our world."
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🌑 Level 1: Student
"The first step. Beginners, often children, who learn discipline, body awareness, and foundational strength techniques. No real strength yet just potential."
🥋 Level 2: Martial Artist
"Here, they learn basic combat. Movements become sharp, and their bodies start to show power. Most soldiers and village guards are at this level."
🥊 Level 3: Fighter
"Fighters can break bones with bare fists. They've unlocked internal strength—what we call ki Initiation. This is where battles truly begin."
⚔️ Level 4: Warrior (Mia's level)
"We, the warriors, are often elite defenders or scouts. Our bodies are trained to survive fatal wounds, and our minds are taught strategy. Reflexes are supernatural. It took me years to reach here."
🧭 Level 5: High Level (Captain's level)
"This is where things get scary. The body and ki work together as one. They can take on ten warriors alone. The Captain? He's at this level."
---
Mia's eyes grew darker as she continued. "Beyond this, things get... rare."
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🧙♂️ Level 6: Master
"Masters have a deep control over their body and internal force. Their strikes can bend steel, and their perception is nearly supernatural. There may be a few hundred in the whole continent."
🐉 Level 7: Grand Master
"Only the legends stand here. Maybe 20... 30 people in the entire Martial World. They can stop an army alone, summon Ki force through pure intent. I've never seen one with my own eyes."
⚪⚫ Level 8: White & Black
"Three people. Only three. They're forces of nature able to twist someone's body with one attack slightly. Some say they can speak to the dead, They don't belong to any one kingdom."
🏆 Level 9: Legendary
"These are the gods of our history—heroes and villains who once shook the world. No one alive has reached this level, but their descendants still exist. Their weapons... their legacies... remain."
🚫 Level 10: Limit Breaker (Untouchable)
Mia's voice dropped to a whisper.
"No one speaks their names. Only two have ever touched this level in the history of our world. No books, no graves, no proof... only stories."
She looked at Max and added, "Some believe even time bent around them."
---
Max was silent, absorbing every word.
"You really believe it's possible to reach the top?" he asked.
Mia smiled. "I do. But the question isn't whether it's possible. The real question is... what are you willing to become to get there?"