The stale air within the tunnel scratched at his lungs with each labored breath. Mark pressed himself against the cool, damp wall, trying to calm his pounding heart and focus on the rhythmic heaving of his chest. His muscles throbbed in protest, begging for respite, but he couldn't afford to stop. Not yet.

He glanced over his shoulder, straining his eyes to pierce the oppressive darkness of the tunnel stretching behind him. No sign of pursuit yet, but he knew they wouldn't give up easily. With their leader's bloodlust driving them, they'd scour every dark crevice of this underground labyrinth to find him. Mark needed to put as much distance between himself and them as possible.

His thoughts raced as he moved deeper into the tunnel. The goblin chieftain had fallen prey to his ruse. The sight of the glowing card had stoked its greed and blinded it to the imminent danger. Its obsession had cost it and a significant portion of its forces dearly. Yet, even with his successful ploy, the sheer number of goblins remaining was staggering.

Mark closed his eyes, pushing away the lingering adrenaline and focusing on the task at hand. In the depths of his mind, the evolution selection awaited. He concentrated, willing the status to appear.

The familiar blue screen materialized before his inner eye. He quickly scrolled to the evolution option and tapped it. He had decided to choose Zen Mastery.

The choice was clear. Survival in this world hinged on his ability to leverage his mana repeatedly in high-pressure situations. Zen Mastery was essential.

A strange warmth spread through Mark's body as he confirmed the choice. The skill evolution process felt eerily familiar, bringing back vivid memories of his initial skill and stat awakenings. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, but beneath it, he detected a new vitality.

With a surge of will, he activated his "Zen Mastery" skill, the newly evolved skill soothing his frayed nerves. His breathing slowed, muscles unclenching as tranquility washed over him.

A strange warmth spread through Mark's body as he confirmed the choice. The skill evolution process felt eerily familiar, bringing back vivid memories of his initial skill and stat awakenings. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, but beneath it, he detected a new vitality.

It was subtle, yet undeniable – a faint, steady flow of mana replenishing his depleted mana reserves. He focused on this sensation, marveling at the change. The effect of his new skill was astounding. Within minutes, he felt a surge of mana flow through his body, he was absorbing mana from around him faster, his mana was rapidly regenerating, and his fatigue replaced by a sense of renewed vitality.

Compared to his previous regeneration rate, this felt like a rushing river.

With his mana on the mend, he willed to check his EXP gain, and he also needed to see how much time he had left. He was hit with notifications.

Congratulations you have slain Goblin Lvl 1(x30).

Congratulations you have slain Goblin Lvl 2(x10).

Through your use of skill and you have facilitated the death of 80 Goblins, you gain less experience for not personally slaying them.

Congratulations you have gained 26,000 EXP!

Congratulations you are now level 3!

Congratulations you are now level 4!

------

Congratulations you are now level 8!

You gain 5 Stat points per level. You have 35 stat points.

He blinked, trying to process the numbers. That was... significantly more than he'd intended. The figures were staggering.

His eyebrows shot up – the majority of the kills had to be from the bridge collapse and as he checked the notifications, he confirmed that. He also saw that some of the Exp had come from level 5 Goblin (Warrior) and he wondered what the warrior signified, an evolved Goblin? Would it be stronger?

His heart pounded as he realized the implications. Regardless, somehow, he had soared to level 8. It was an unbelievable leap, a testament to the carnage he had unleashed.

Another detail caught his attention. He recalled the level 2 goblins initially giving 300 XP during his earlier encounters. As his own level increased, the amount of experience gained from lower-leveled opponents steadily decreased. Mark filed away this information; it was a crucial piece in the puzzle of this world's mechanics.

A chill settled over him as his gaze landed on the quest log – 14 hours remained. His heart sank. His brief meditative session must have taken far longer than he'd anticipated. Had the goblin battle taken longer than he thought?

He had to allocate to allocate his stat points if what he guessed about the Goblin’s were true, surely the warrior beside the Goblin had to mean they would be stronger.

He decided to increase all his physical stats to the threshold, then his willpower, that meant 6 to strength,5 to Agility,6 to constitution,9 to endurance and 6 to willpower, as he confirmed the stats allocation.

A wave of excruciating pain washed him. It began as a dull ache that throbbed around his temples, but quickly escalated into a searing agony that pierced through his skull like a white-hot spike. His willpower, the very essence of his determination, was being stretched to its breaking point. He gritted his teeth, a desperate scream trapped in his throat.

Simultaneously, his muscles spasmed involuntarily, as if they were on fire. Every fiber of his being felt like it was simultaneously twisting and tearing, his bones grinding and reshaping against his will. There was a grotesque beauty to the agony. Yet, the pain... it was overwhelming, unbearable.

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What seemed like Aether flooded his body like a raging torrent fueling the growth. It felt like liquid fire coursing through his veins, igniting every cell. His vision blurred; his thoughts scattered into a chaotic storm. Yet, through the blinding pain, he sensed a profound change occurring. It was as if his very essence was being reforged.

His body was becoming more – denser, more potent, more alive. His mind felt stretched thin, his consciousness pulled taut against the edges of reality.

And then, it happened the surge of sensation was too much to bear. His mind, strained to its breaking point, sought oblivion... It was as if his whole body, his soul, was being shredded and reformed simultaneously. It was too much.

As consciousness faded, a single fleeting thought pierced through the haze. Was he too ambitious leaving the safe zone on his own? Had he made a mistake? Would the Goblins find him? Would he have a gruesome end in this desolate cavern? And would the agonizing transformation have be enough?

---------------------------------------------

Consciousness flickered back into existence, the lingering remnants of the agonizing transformation a dull throb in Mark's skull. He blinked, the surrounding cavern walls coming into focus. A wave of relief washed over him as he realized he was still alive.

He felt...different.

Without a conscious thought, he activated "Hunter's Instinct.".

The world sharpened around him, details he hadn't noticed before - the precise number of pebbles at his feet, the faint tremor of the earth from a distant creature's movement, the subtle shift in air pressure caused by a hidden breeze - all flooded his senses with an overwhelming clarity.

However, unlike the first time he activated the skill, this time, it didn't feel like a strain. It felt natural, like an extension of his own being.

He strained his ears, picking up the faint trickle of water somewhere deeper in the cave, and the distant chirping of unseen creatures. Relief washed over him – no immediate threats.

He deactivated Hunter's Instinct, the tingling sensation receding. Now, it was time to assess the aftermath of the brutal upgrade. He closed his eyes, focusing on his body. The first thing he noticed was a sense of increased density. His muscles felt subtly tighter, like coiled springs, brimming with potential power. His movements felt lighter, almost weightless, hinting at improved Agility.

He clenched his fists, feeling the increased power coursing through his arms. A single blow now felt like it could shatter stone. His Strength had undoubtedly taken a significant leap. He breathed deeply, his lungs expanding with ease against his ribs. His Endurance had undeniably improved, granting him greater stamina.

He opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. He had paid a terrible price, but the rewards were undeniable. A surge of curiosity prompted him to open his status screen. His eyes widened as he looked at the updated information.

Consciousness flickered back, the sterile white of the cave wall blurring into focus as Mark's eyes cracked open. Instinctively, his hand reached for the familiar weight of his training sword, only to find emptiness. Disappointment flickered, then died down as a new awareness bloomed within him. He felt...different.

Without a conscious thought, he activated "Hunter's Instinct." The world sharpened around him, details he hadn't noticed before - the precise number of pebbles at his feet, the faint tremor of the earth from a distant creature's movement, the subtle shift in air pressure caused by a hidden breeze - all flooded his senses with an overwhelming clarity. However, unlike the first time he activated the skill, this time, it didn't feel like a strain. It felt natural, like an extension of his own being.

He deactivated the skill, taking a deep breath. He was alone. Satisfied, he closed his eyes and focused inward. He probed his body, searching for the changes wrought by the transformation. His muscles, once taut and well-defined, now felt denser, packed with a latent power that thrummed beneath his skin. His bones, he could feel, had grown subtly thicker, denser, imbued with a reassuring solidity. Even his breathing felt deeper, more efficient.

A surge of curiosity prompted him to open his status screen. His eyes widened as he scrolled through the updated information. Each of his physical stats, Strength, Agility, Constitution, Endurance, and even Willpower, now had a new passive ability listed beside them:

Congratulations you have reached the first threshold for the stats Strength, Agility, Constitution, Endurance, Willpower. You are awarded passive abilities for each of these stats on your effort and for reaching the first threshold

Strength: Crushing Strike (Passive): Increases the damage dealt with melee attacks based on Strength.

Agility: Evasion (Passive): Increases the chance of dodging incoming attacks based on Agility.

Constitution: Iron Skin (Passive): Provides additional damage resistance based on Constitution.

Endurance: Regeneration (Passive): Slowly regenerates health over time based on Endurance.

Willpower: Unbreakable Will (Passive): Grants increased resistance to mental manipulation and status effects based on Willpower.

He received one ability for each of his physical stats, which made sense. But why three for Perception? Was it because he had been using his perception a lot since he started the cosmic trial… or perhaps it was related to the mysterious “sense” he had felt. He pondered for a moment but couldn't figure it out. He decided to address that later.

He checked his quest log and saw that he had 10 hours left before the 24 hours elapsed. It was time to continue perhaps he would be able to reach Level 10,the exp to get there is going to take a lot

Mark Reynolds (Human - Tier 1)

Figure: Average Human (Base: 5) Health:4020/2HPS

Level 8(10/6500) Mana:1800/3MPS

Stamina:5040/4SPS

Titles:

- Pioneer (Grants +20% stat boost)

-Progenitor (Grants the perception of opportunities for bloodline advancement)

-Survivor (Grants increase in physical damage based when in combat with creature significantly higher level than you)

-Mana Savant(you gain enhanced control over mana, accelerated mana recovery, deeper arcane insight, and a natural affinity for mana-based skills and abilities)

Statistics:

Strength: 16.8(14) Constitution:16.8(8)

Agility: 16.8(14)

Endurance: 16.8(14)

Willpower: 16.8 (14)

Perception: 16.8 (14) (T1)

Intelligence: 8.4 (7)

Wisdom:9.6(8)

Vitality: 10.8(9)

Skills: Abilities:

Identify (Lvl 4) Hunter’s Instinct (Lvl 8)

Zen Mastery (Lvl 1) Mana Augmentation (Lvl 2)

Sword fighting (Lvl 9) Mental perception (Lvl 7)

Crushing Strike (Lvl 1)

Evasion (Lvl 1)

Regeneration (Lvl 1)

Unbreakable Will (Lvl 1)

Bloodline:

- Hidden (1%)

Inventory:

- Divine Meridians Card, dry rations, water bottle

Quest:

Gain as much experience and level up before 24 hours elapses (10 hours left)