Sora made his way to the bank, his mind already focused on the next steps. There was one thing he had put off for far too long—retrieving the items he had stored from his previous cycle before his last reset. He had accumulated a massive number of items, from materials to weapons, but he had never taken the time to sort or sell them.

As he entered the bank, he approached the clerk. "Hello, sir. How can I help you?" the clerk asked politely.

"I'd like to retrieve the items from my storage vault," Sora replied with a nod.

After a few quick motions and verifying his identity, the clerk granted him access to his private vault. Sora stood before the pile of loot and gear he had amassed before his last Prestige reset. As expected, it was a mix of trash, common items, and a few expensive pieces he had forgotten about. There were potions, materials, equipment, and more.

"Quite the collection," Sora muttered to himself as he began sorting through it all. Much of it was outdated, especially now that he had leveled up and acquired better gear. Still, there were hidden gems among the trash.

He pulled out a high-grade space bag he had just purchased from the bank. The bag was a marvel—able to hold vast amounts of items while keeping them neatly organized. Perfect for someone like him who tended to hoard things. Sora began transferring the items he didn't want to keep into the bag, separating those that would go to the auction house and those he would save for future use.

Some items, particularly a few unique pieces of equipment, caught his eye. He decided to hold on to them—gear that might prove useful in certain situations or with future classes. After making his selections, he tossed the rest of the items into the space bag, ready for sale.

Satisfied with his organization, Sora left the bank and headed straight for the auction house. He had far more to sell than he initially anticipated, and it was time to cash in.

When he arrived, the merchant who had sold him the Mana Phones gave him a surprised look as Sora unloaded the vast collection of gear and items onto the counter.

"You've been busy," the merchant remarked.

"You have no idea," Sora said with a smirk.

He started with the lower-level items, selling off everything below level 35. It was mostly junk by his current standards, but valuable to newer players or those training lower-level characters. The merchant assessed the pile, and after a few calculations, handed Sora a bag of gold that represented around 80% of the value of the lower-tier items.

[You have received 200,000 gold.]

Sora pocketed the gold without a second thought. It was nice to add to his growing reserves, but it wasn't the real prize.

Next came the more valuable pieces—everything from level 35 to 59. The merchant's eyes widened as he assessed their worth. There were rare materials, epic-level gear, and even some unique items that made the merchant nod approvingly.

"These will fetch quite the price," the merchant said, rubbing his hands together. "As usual, we can offer you a down payment of 50% upfront, with the remainder once the items are sold."

Sora agreed, not too concerned with the final sum. Gold wasn't a priority for him at the moment, but it didn't hurt to have it piling up for when he needed it. After a few moments, the merchant tallied the items and handed over his share.

[You have received 2,000,000 gold as a down payment.]

Sora raised an eyebrow at the sum but didn't dwell on it. It was a hefty amount, but his focus was on improving his strength, not amassing wealth.

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Noticing Sora's nonchalance, the merchant remarked, "You're not excited about the gold?"

Sora shrugged. "Not really. Gold's nice, but right now, I don't have much use for it."

The merchant laughed. "Well, you're one of the few who can say that! Most people would kill for what you just earned."

"Maybe," Sora said with a smile, "then don't tell them I'm getting rich!"

With the transaction complete, Sora left the auction house feeling lighter—not just because he had offloaded so many items, but because he could now fully focus on what lay ahead.

Sora stood outside his home, feeling the weight of the decision ahead. He knew he had the strength to reset if he wanted—hitting level 50 in a day had been simple enough. But resetting now would feel like a missed opportunity for growth.

Even at his current level, Sora could feel how much his affinity with mana had evolved. His control over mana and comprehension had grown so much that, even without focusing on it, he was leaps ahead of where he had been just a few days ago at level 1.

His [Mana Evolution] Supreme skill could now improve faster as his level increased. He wanted to understand mana on a deeper level, to wield it with the finesse and mastery that only true experience could grant. Resetting now would rob him of that chance.

He had also noticed something new, something subtle yet thrilling. With each battle and every bit of training, he began to sense how others manipulated their mana. Thanks to the heightened power of his Mana Eyes from the [Mana Evolution] skill, he felt as though he could see the pathways and techniques behind their abilities. It wasn't just instinct; it was as though he could study and imitate their use of mana, grasping the intricacies of their classes and skills simply by observing.

"Maybe it's time to start interacting with others," Sora mused. He had spent the last week mostly in solitude—training, battling monsters, and pushing his body and mana to their limits.

If he wanted to keep growing, he needed new experiences—new dungeons, raids, people, and techniques from all over the world.

For that, he needed to move to a bigger city. Montpellier was nearby and larger than Ales, but it lacked the opportunities he sought. Lyon or Paris seemed like better choices.

Paris had become the second-largest city in Europe since the world upgrade, behind Moscow. It was a hub for geniuses, where players from across Europe came to grow, join top-tier guilds, and compete for power and prestige.

Briefly, his thoughts drifted to New York and São Paulo—two of the most powerful cities in the world, known for their advanced classes and unparalleled growth opportunities. But he quickly shook his head. Going too far from home wasn't an option right now.

He still wasn't strong enough to travel back and forth quickly, and it wasn't wise to attract the attention of the world's most powerful figures just yet.

Paris was the best choice.

"It's decided," Sora said aloud. "Paris it is."

After calling his parents, he set off, heading north toward the capital. The journey would be long, but with his speed and strength, he could reach the city by nightfall.

By the time Sora approached the outskirts of Paris, the sun had set, and the city lights glowed brightly in the distance. The journey had been smooth—too smooth, in fact.

[Level up! You are now level 50.]

The notification appeared as he struck down a particularly aggressive monster, his final battle before entering the city. Sora glanced at the message and felt a surge of power wash over him. He had done it—reached level 50.

His new class, [Martial Titan], had unlocked a new skill—one that allowed him to summon a clone of himself. He had no idea how good the skill was, and would train it later.

The option to reset was now available. He could press the button at any moment, return to level 1, and grow even faster. But this time, Sora felt no rush to reset.

Besides, resetting too soon meant giving up the advantage he had worked so hard to build. He would save Prestige as a trump card, a secret weapon to use in a truly dangerous situation, or when his gains were enough to boost his next cycle to make it worthwhile.

Paris would be full of new challenges—guilds, rival players, and more dangerous monsters. But for the first time in a while, Sora wasn't afraid. He had confidence in his abilities and his power to survive whatever came next.

The city's silhouette loomed ahead as he made his way through the outskirts. The streets were quieter than expected, but Sora knew that Paris never truly slept. It was a place where the strong came to grow stronger, and the ambitious fought for a place at the top.

This was where his next step began. His goals were clear: grow stronger, understand mana at a deeper level, and keep pushing forward. And, as always, he kept one eye open for Rachel. Their paths would cross again, and when they did, he would be ready.

For now, though, he had time. Time to explore the wonders of Paris and test himself against the best the city had to offer. As he entered the city, his heart raced with anticipation, the flickering lights of the metropolis welcoming him to the next stage of his journey.