Later the same day. While Tom cultivated looking at his goal so close yet so far. He watched as the gecko returned from its hunt and walked right into the center of the area the plant encompassed and layid down. Periodically the electricity jumping from branch to branch would touch the gecko, but it just kept laying still, not minding it at all.

Tom could only watch as the gecko easily did what he was struggling to achieve, making his struggle seem like a joke. However, he didn't let it discourage him, and he kept at it.

Another three days passed in a blink of an eye, and he had only managed to move another five meters forwards, but his speed was decreasing at a worrying speed.

However, Tom chose to look at this in a positive light, as it meant that he could use this place for cultivation that much longer. But then again, positive thinking could do only so much to his impatience. He was advancing at a snail's pace, his goal just in sight but still unreachable, each meter taking longer and longer. It was starting to feel like he wasn't actually advancing at all, every part of the tunnel looking the same everywhere he looked. The only thing that allowed him to continue this slow march was the fact that he could feel how he was improving.

Whenever the gecko passed him as it went to come from hunting, it would look at him curiously and easily walk to rest of the way into the center of the plant. To Tom's eyes, this was pure mockery, but he didn't do anything about it, deciding to wait for the perfect opportunity to get his revenge.

Another three days passed, and his advancement was finally starting to slow down, but this time he was extremely happy about it, even if he still had over three meters to the plant. His core and mind had reached some kind of a limit, as their advancement speed had slowed down to a crawl.

He could no longer grow his core anymore no matter what he did, and the ball of willpower inside of his mind seemed to run into a similar problem.

As if their size had reached their maximum limit, one that he couldn't push beyond.

And in his mind, this could mean only one thing, he had reached the top of the awakened realm!

The only thing he could think of that could further his cultivation without achieving a breakthrough was his body. However, during the last few days, he had already used the electricity mana to advance everything in his body other than his ears and eyes. As it just seemed like a reckless thing to do, as he wasn't in dire need, and looking for a core that was wholly focused on sensory abilities was extremely tempting. For the other of his internal organs, it seemed like a reasonable idea, as now he could heal them with his own mana, and what would be a better thing to keep his heart beating than electricity?

And for that matter, he could feel how his hearth had become much sturdier, allowing it to speed up to 250 bpm if he fed it a bit of mana. It was an amazing feeling. He felt the rush inside of him, as his blood rushed around at a record-breaking speed, feeding every part of his body with oxygen that his improved lungs claimed for him.

The cave had served him well. He had reached some kind of a wall that he clearly needed to overcome to be able to advance another meter in this cave. The price he had been trying to reach all this time just a couple of meters away from him, tempted him to force his way forwards.

However, it was something he couldn't do, and it wasn't for the lack of trying.

When he tried to forcefully push forwards, just one meter from his original position, the mana passed straight through his meridian like they were made out of paper, entering his body uncontrollably, and started wreaking havoc. The pain hit him immediately as his insides were burned indiscriminately, as the mana shot through his body, aiming for his core.

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He immediately turned around and started backing away, cold sweat dripping down his face.

And just as he had backed to his original position, he felt it as if someone had taken a sledgehammer and hit his core.

It would be reasonable to assume that crystal cracking inside of someone wouldn't be painful, and that would be the wrong assumption. The core had connected with Tom's body on a deeper level than he could even comprehend, truly integrating into his body and becoming a new organ, nor could he, as the pain hit him.

He could feel each and every time as a new crack formed on the core as the mana bombarded it.

And the worst part was that he couldn't lessen it by messing with his nerves. No, the pain was coming from some completely different place, as if his mana that was somehow connected to him was the one suffering.

The electricity mana continued on wreaking havoc for a while longer, like he had no resistance at all, as if the electricity mana he had faced so far was nothing but a joke. Before it finally somewhat relented, allowing Tom to quickly back much further away from the plant.

"How could just one meter have this strong effect? Is this the difference between tiers?" Tom wondered as he sat against the cave's wall, thanking all known deities that the pain he felt from his core had lessened.

As he sat there he said, "Status," to once again confirm that he had truly reached the limit of the awakened realm with his mind and core.

___________________

Name: Tom Palmer

Awakened mind 9

Awakened body 8

Awakened core 9

__________________

And sure enough, he had done it. However, it also meant that he needed to somehow figure out some way to actually advance further. He tried many different methods to push himself beyond the wall, but he soon accepted the fact that maybe it was time to step out of this cave. He had gotten what he could for now, and maybe he could finally survive in the no man's land between both races.

Maybe he could finally earn some credits and experience just how strong he had gotten during his time inside the cave.

But there was still one thing he should do before he went out and made himself a rich man.

If the gecko could use its claws like he had used the nails with the mana, then what was stopping him from doing the same?

The next day he spent healing his core, and he got the technique into working order, channeling a bit of electricity mana into his swords, making them much more deadly as he did his best not to destroy them by overcharging them.

At the same time, he got used to the feeling of empowering his body and for how long he could do it for before he ran out of mana or his body fell apart, making sure that he was truly prepared to exit this peaceful cave he had called home for around a half a month.

The morning after that, as he was making the final checks that his backpack had everything he needed and they were in the right places, the gecko approached him. It could clearly see that he was going to leave the cave, and Tom could see the excitement in its eyes?

The moment he threw the backpack onto his back, the gecko shot forwards, and a while later, it looked backward, making sure that Tom was following it.

This continued all the way to the entrance of the tunnel, where the gecko's behavior changed completely.

Its playful nature melted away completely, replaced by a cold killing machine. And then he could barely track it with his eyes, as it disappeared into the underbrush right outside the cave.

Tom followed its example by walking out of the cave and praised the sun for the first time in a long time. However, before he could enjoy the warm feeling on his face, something tackled him down to the ground.

He franticly reached for his swords only to see that the gecko was standing on his chest, looking at him angrily.

Tom immediately understood that he was no longer in the safety of the tunnel, and he had stepped into the real world, where it was hunt or be hunted.

The gecko tore his backpack's straps out of his back, and the message was clear, so he obediently left it into the cave and came back out, only to see the gecko still glaring at him.

He only had his swords, some wire, rope, the last of his healing potions with him, and his camouflage shield with him. He quickly modified it to a much smaller profile and tied it to his back, finally ready.

Then he started to crawl toward the gecko. It looked at him for a moment before he could have sworn he saw it nod its head before it started going toward the forest, stopping some meters away and looking at him, its gaze saying are you coming or not?

Tom didn't dare to dally. He would gladly team up with this gecko-shaped killing machine. So he hurriedly crawled after it.

It was time to go hunting!