James stood in a white void. Nothing of the forest clearing he had been in remained; no hint of his friends or guardian was apparent to his senses. After completing a sweep of his surroundings, mostly out of habit, he returned to the floating blue windows calling for his attention.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have reached Level 100! You have reached a Major Threshold!

CONGRATULATIONS!

* You are eligible for a Rank Up! As Humanity's shield, you have proven worthy of the power the System bestowed upon you.

* You have defeated creatures far beyond your ken.

* You have stood strong before beings whose very presence could have crushed you.

* You have delved deeply into the workings of your Talent.

Reading the notifications, James couldn't contain a proud smile. It wasn't often that he allowed himself to stop and look back at how far he had come, not wanting to fall prey to his self-aggrandizing tendencies, but for once, he felt like he could.

The road here had been long and tortuous, but he had made it.

With a nod, he acknowledged the message, which disappeared. There were no more questions as to whether he truly wanted to go through with the rank-up, as the System wasn't one to repeat itself.

Dozens of new prompts popped open all around in a dizzying display. James found himself surrounded by a myriad of blue windows, each offering a different path for the evolution of his Thakinesis Talent. Even at first glance, the options were vast, each branching into new and unexplored territories of power.

He took a deep breath, focusing on studying the options before him. Without having to do anything more than will it, the first of many windows came closer.

Unwavering Empowerment

This evolution of Thakinesis allows to exponentially increase one's physical and mental abilities for short bursts. Unending Empowerment not only boosts strength and speed, but also sharpens your cognitive functions, giving one superhuman reflexes among the tier and excellent problem-solving skills.

This is a direct evolution of your current Talent, which focuses on explosively augmenting oneself.

This is the most basic option. I guess if nothing else seems to fit, I know I'll have something I can pick. It doesn't seem too tempting at the moment, but it's good to have a backup plan.

This option not referencing any of his accomplishments also made it even less appealing. James had not spent so many grueling hours grinding just to be satisfied with such a vanilla evolution.

The Arcanist

This evolution focuses on refining one's ability to manipulate mana. It grants the ability to shape mana into constructs, create shields, or even weave mana into traps. Control over mana would become so precise to allow extraction from the environment or subtly influencing the flow of mana in others.

This evolution comes from your constant efforts in studying and deepening your understanding of mana manipulation and your willpower projection.

This is more interesting. Still not what I want to become - a pure Mage Talent like this would mean giving up all my hard-earned close combat skills - but at least it references my efforts. I knew that spending so much time fiddling with my mana would have given me something in the end.

The prospect of increasing his mana manipulation mastery appealed to James's strategic side. It offered versatility and control, turning mana into both a weapon and a shield. The idea of controlling the battlefield with mana constructs and influencing his enemies' power sources was intriguing, but he wondered if it would offer the direct combat advantages he often found himself needing.

I could probably come up with something, given enough time. The same way as I did with my exploding punches. But is it worth it? I'll see what the others offer first.

Mentalist Journeyman

With this evolution, one's mind becomes a near-impenetrable fortress. It grants enhanced resistance to psychic and magical attacks, the ability to sense intentions and lies, and even project one's thoughts to communicate telepathically. Mentalist Journeyman makes one's mind a weapon and a shield, protecting from manipulations and allowing to peer into the minds of others.

This evolution stems from your efforts to study and affect other's minds.

Well, there had to be something like this, I suppose. I spent too much time trying to read intentions through Awareness for there not to be. It still sounds too passive for my tastes. I guess I could give monsters a good shock by attacking them psychically, but I don't know if it would be enough. It’s lacking some oomph.

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James didn't take long to dismiss the option. He would have liked to be able to experiment with psychic powers, to be sure, but not at the cost of losing most of his offensive skills. Again, he knew he might be able to redevelop them with time, but that sounded counterproductive and like too much of a waste.

Thakinetic Paladin

This evolution allows one to infuse objects or beings with willpower, temporarily enhancing their properties or abilities. Channeling will into a weapon can dramatically increase its sharpness or durability. Infusing a teammate could boost their skills or even heal them.

This evolution comes from a natural progression of your Talent and your efforts in supporting others.

Mmm… This is similar to what Leonid was talking about the other day. It would make my Talent into a more general support one. Still, the addition of being able to infuse my will into objects - something that so far has escaped me - would still give me an increase in offensive capabilities. Just not a massive one. It would be more of an expansion of my capabilities… Again, one to keep an eye on, but not too attractive for the moment.

The Walking Nightmare

This evolution would expand the existing corrosive mana and burgeoning psychic abilities into an aura. It would allow the emittance of a field of corrosive energy, disintegrating attacks before they reach you and weakening foes in your vicinity, and constant suppression of any nearby foe's mental faculties. The aura could be fine-tuned for intensity and range, making it a tool for offense and defense.

This evolution comes from your achievements in killing monsters far beyond you through mana corruption and mental attacks.

Isn't that dramatic? Fuck if I met someone whose talent was Walking Nightmare, I would stay as far away as possible. The skills sound cool, but it would need a lot of PR work to be seen as even remotely friendly. Well, I don't really care about that. It just seems to take my most damaging skills and package them into one ugly bundle. Effective, but not that versatile.

James hesitated over this last option. The idea of being a living embodiment of fear on the battlefield was both somewhat intriguing, but also daunting. He imagined the awe and terror it would instill in his enemies, a weapon in its own right. Still, the social implications and the fear it might inspire even in those he wished to protect, gave him pause. The power was tempting, yet he wondered if it aligned with the kind of Awakener he wanted to be.

With a sigh, he dismissed it for the moment, turning his attention to the next one.

Aegis of Will This evolution transforms Thakinesis into a protective force. It allows one to create barriers of willpower, not only around the caster but around others. These barriers can absorb a significant amount of damage and can be projected at a distance. Additionally, safety zones can be created where allies' abilities are enhanced and their fatigue reduced. This evolution comes from your constant efforts to protect and support your team in the face of overwhelming odds.

This is alright. Still too passive for my tastes. I have been doing my best to protect the others, so an option like this should be expected. Really, how hard is it to give me something good for both offense and defense?

James felt some limited resonance with "Aegis of Will”. It aligned with his role as his team's protector, offering defense and support. He imagined being able to shield his friends from harm, defending them against monsters and turning the tide of battle in their favor. However, he wondered if this focus on defense might leave him lacking in offensive capabilities, especially when facing foes that required more than just protection to defeat.

In his experience, little couldn't be solved by a strong enough punch, while most defenses would only last so long.

Also, I don't want to steal Daniel's role. That would be a shitty thing to do.

A new choice appeared as he weighed his options, which seemed to draw together strands of his journey, encounters, and his evolving understanding of his power.

Psychic Juggernaut This evolution is a culmination of your growth in Thakinesis, influenced by your encounter with The Sin of Pride. It dramatically enhances your willpower projection, allowing you to impose your will on the world around you more forcefully. Objects, elements, and even enemies can be manipulated by sheer force of will. It also significantly boosts your physical attributes, making you a formidable force in mental and melee combat. This evolution is a testament to your resilience and ability to stand firm against overwhelming odds.

Psychic Juggernaut seemed to encapsulate everything James aspired to be. It spoke to his stubbornness and the unwavering determination he had shown in the face of extremely powerful adversaries.

The way it specifically named his encounter with the Sin of Pride at the beginning of its description made it feel like there was something different about this one.

The System is not pushing me to accept this, but it's pretty apparent it considers this one to be better. The description seems to hint that I can retain most of my current abilities, gain new ones, and enhance everything at the same time. That, and the way it’s talking to me directly rather than with a general description makes me think not many other people got offered this Talent.

James lingered on this choice, feeling a deep connection to the power it offered. With Psychic Juggernaut he could be the shield and the sword for his team, a beacon of strength and a bulwark against any foe. It would change how he needed to operate on the field, to be sure, but that had always been inevitable.

There was no world where James Summers simply contented himself with a linear, slow progression. He knew his teammates would aim high, and he wanted to stand with them, proudly contributing to the safety of his community and country.

One day, I want to be able to help the whole world. But to do that, I need to make a good choice now and lay a strong foundation.

Out of a sense of curiosity, James still made sure to read the remaining five options. However, none stood out to him as much as Psychic Juggernaut did. Some referenced specific monsters he had killed, like the Elemental Lord, promising enhanced abilities against all ethereal beings, while others would expand his repertoire towards more classical paths.

But James wanted something different. His Talent had always been weird enough to grant him an edge while still allowing for maneuverability and offensive power. Psychic Juggernaut would take those advantages and multiply them.

With a sense of clarity and purpose, James reached out and selected it.

Though the white surroundings didn't help his sense of equilibrium, a powerful vertigo overtook him the moment he confirmed his choice.

The world went black, then purple and then spicy.

James felt his brain fold upon itself several times, condensing into a singular point in space under immense pressure. As if a sword being forged by a master blacksmith, his mind was shaped by the System into a refined weapon. The path the electricity flowing between his neurons took was made unnaturally efficient, the connection between his brain and his nervous system absurdly quick.

When it was over, James opened his eyes to the same white expanse. He, however, was a different man.