Breakthrough and New Challenges

One week had passed since Kai's last training session, during which he dedicated himself to strict practice and refining his bone forging.

Each day brought new progress as he dedicated himself to improving his skills, pushing his limits, and raising his stats.

Now, during his night training, Kai took a moment to reflect on his growth.

As he paused to catch his breath, Kai's eyes flickered toward his status window. It displayed his improved attributes, showcasing the results of his hard work:

[Attribute Window]

Name: Kai

Age: 17

Rank: None

Level: 0

Experience: 99/100

Strength: 24 → 44

Defense: 21 → 48

Agility: 20 → 39

Intelligence: 11

Endurance: 25 → 49

Spirit: 10 → 22

Luck: 13

Charm: 14

Vitality: 20 → 78

Spiritual Energy: 118 → 150

Unused Stat Points: 15

Skills:

1. Ability Acquisition

2. Spiritual Absorption

3. Spirit Manipulation (Lv3)

4. Pain Tolerance (Lv4)

As Kai studied his progress, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—the system's voice.

"[Hello, Kai]," the system greeted him.

"[You have reached a maximum threshold in spiritual energy for now. To further increase it, it's recommended to breakthrough.]"

Kai's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? Can I break through now?" he asked, a mix of anticipation and curiosity in his voice.

The system confirmed, "[Yeah, you have completed all the conditions to breakthrough. You can now breakthrough to Novice Rank]."

Curious about the process, Kai inquired, "How can I break through then?"

The system explained, "[First, enter a meditative state and focus on your spiritual energy. I will guide you through the process.]"

Kai chuckled, surprised at how straightforward it sounded. "I thought it would be more challenging," he remarked.

The system replied, "[It may be for others, but with me by your side, it will be a piece of cake for you.]"

Laughing in agreement, Kai began his meditative state, allowing time to flow as he focused on his spiritual energy.

In the depths of his concentration, the system interjected, revealing the effects of his increased spiritual energy:

[Due to having Spiritual Energy beyond 100 units, some effects will appear.]

[Host's Spiritual Veins have been strengthened.]

[Your Foundation has been strengthened.]

[As a result, your skill Spirit Manipulation has leveled up.]

Time slipped away unnoticed as Kai delved deeper into his breakthrough.

As the morning approached, the system sent notifications of his successful breakthrough:

[Congratulations, Kai! You have successfully broken through to Novice Rank]

[You have Leveled Up]

[You have gained unused 10 stat points]

[Quest window has opened. You can open it with the command 'Quests']

[Inventory has opened. You can open it with the command 'Inventory']

Eager to see his updated attributes, Kai opened his attribute window once again:

[Attribute Window]

Name: Kai

Age: 17

Rank: Novice (Lower)

Level: 1

Experience: 0/150

Strength: 44 → 54

Defense: 48 → 51

Agility: 39 → 42

Intelligence: 11

Endurance: 49 → 53

Spirit: 22

Luck: 13

Charm: 14

Vitality: 78 → 82

Spiritual Energy: 150 → 156

Unused Stat Points: 25

Skills:

1. Ability Acquisition

2. Spiritual Absorption

3. Spirit Manipulation (Lv4)

4. Pain Tolerance (Lv4)

Surprised by the significant increase in his stats, and the improvement in his skill, and curious about his newfound options, Kai decided to check his inventory next.

However, to his disappointment, the inventory was still empty.

But there was no time to dwell on it as he used the command 'Quest' to discover a new quest awaiting him:

[Quest]

[Win Inter-School Competition]

[Rewards: System Level-Up, A random skill, and 200 experience points]

Excited by the prospect of leveling up the system by winning the tournament, Kai realized he now had another reason to strive for victory.

In a rush to get to school, Kai hurriedly made his way to the combat department to report his breakthrough to Master Liang.

Arriving at the combat department, Kai sought out Master Liang, ready to report his achievement. Master Liang's knowing gaze met his, and he nodded approvingly.

"I expected you to break through around this time," Master Liang remarked.

Kai's curiosity was piqued. "You knew?"

Master Liang smiled. "As your master, I have been observing your progress closely.

"Now, let me teach you a new technique I have created called 'Dragon's Breath.' It is a rapid and fiery sword technique that emulates the scorching flames of a dragon's breath. It will suit you well."

Excitement surged through Kai as he listened to Master Liang's explanation.

He emphasized that to master it, Kai would need to increase his physical training.

Curious, Master Liang asked Kai about his current training routine.

"How much weight are you currently lifting and what is your routine?" Master Liang asked.

Kai replied that he was lifting a total of 200 weights, 40 on his chest, both hands, and legs, and performing 1500 vertical strikes along with 30 minutes of stance holds.

Master Liang nodded in approval.

"For now, continue with this routine. Pushing beyond your current limits would be counterproductive. You have only six days left until the competition, so be prepared. Tomorrow, however, you and your companions will have a rest day. No training, but I expect you to come to school to study."

Grateful for the break, Kai thanked Master Liang.

The excitement of his breakthrough and the anticipation of learning the new technique fueled his determination.