[YOU ARE EVOLVING TO THE 'FIRST REALM']
The message burned into Jon's consciousness, a system notification pulsing with an ethereal weight that seemed to vibrate through his very core.
Before he could react, a blinding light consumed his vision, erasing the world around him. The sounds of his surroundings, the distant clatter of weapons, the murmurs of his comrades, and the rustle of wind through tattered tents faded into oblivion.
When his eyes adjusted, he stood in a realm of unyielding white. The ground, the sky, the horizon all merged into a seamless, sterile expanse, as if reality had been stripped to its bare essence. The air was neither warm nor cold, heavy with an oppressive stillness that pressed against his skin.
The sensation was hauntingly familiar, stirring a deep unease. Jon had glimpsed this whiteness before, in his Mind World, where his thoughts took form, and when his Moon skill bathed the battlefield in pale luminescence.
But this was different, more visceral, more consuming. His brow furrowed as he sifted through memories, searching for the source of this uncanny recognition. Then, like a cold blade to the chest, it struck him: 'My last dream.'
That dream, the one that had left him unconscious for two days, still lingered like a specter in his mind. Its surreal weight had instilled a fear of sleep, a dread of being ensnared in that otherworldly nightmare again.
Yet here he was, thrust back into a similar void, far sooner than he'd braced for. His heart pounded, his eyes scanning the endless expanse for any sign of danger. The silence stretched, oppressive and unbroken, for two agonizing minutes until the world quivered. The whiteness dissolved like mist, and Jon found himself back in the real world, standing on the same scarred earth, surrounded by the remnants of a recent battle.
"What…?" he whispered, his voice raw, his mind reeling from the abrupt transition. Before he could process the shift, a cascade of system messages flooded his consciousness, each one a jolt of power and possibility.
[YOU HAVE EVOLVED TO THE FIRST REALM. IT IS THE FOUNDATION REALM. BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION FROM HERE. A STURDY FOUNDATION LEADS TO A BETTER FUTURE.]
[YOU HAVE OBTAINED CLASS 'MOON DREAMER'.]
[FIRST REALM CLASS 'MOON DREAMER': A MOON DREAMER DEVELOPS INTUITION, KNOWLEDGE, AND A DEEPER CONNECTION TO THE MOON AND DREAMS]
[YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE SKILL 'DREAM SCROLL'.]
['DREAM SCROLL' (SECOND REALM) LEVEL 5: YOU CAN READ THE HISTORY OF OBJECTS...]
[YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE TRAIT 'MOON PATH'.]
['MOON PATH' (THIRD REALM): YOU HARNESS THE MOON'S ENERGY WITH GREATER EFFICIENCY...]
[DUE TO YOUR LARGE-SCALE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY FORCES, THE TITLE 'SCHOOL DESTROYER' HAS BEEN CREATED.]
['SCHOOL DESTROYER': DURING MASSACRES, ALL STATS INCREASE BY 10%.]
[YOUR LEVEL HAS INCREASED.]
[YOUR LEVEL HAS INCREASED.]
[YOUR LEVEL HAS INCREASED.]
[YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 32]
[YOU HAVE OBTAINED: STRENGTH +100, AGILITY +110, STAMINA +150, MANA +250, HEALTH +350.]
[YOUR SKILL SLOT HAS INCREASED.]
The messages slowed, leaving Jon to grapple with the transformation surging through him. He clenched his fists, feeling a raw, almost alien power coursing through his veins. His body felt reborn, capable of crushing foes like the monstrous grasshoppers with sheer physical might.
Evolving to the First Realm was like shedding a heavy chain that had bound him for years. The world seemed sharper, more vibrant, as if he'd awakened to a higher plane of existence.
"So, this is why they're called realms," Jon murmured, a revelation crystallizing. The First Realm was a foundation, a bedrock for his future growth. With a steadying breath, he called, "Status."
[STATUS]
[NAME: JON WHYTE
AGE: 19
LEVEL: 32
CLASS: MOON DREAMER
TITLE: SCHOOL DESTROYER
STRENGTH: 233 AGILITY: 260 STAMINA: 290 (+28) MANA: 900 HEALTH: 660
SKILLS: INSTANT CALCULATION (FIRST REALM) LEVEL 5, MOON (SECOND REALM) LEVEL 1, MOON GAZING (SECOND REALM), REGENERATION (SECOND REALM), MIND WORLD, SHADOW STEPS, DREAM SCROLL (SECOND REALM)
PASSIVE SKILLS: COMPOSURE (THIRD REALM) LEVEL 5, MARTIAL EXPERT (FIRST REALM) (EVOLVABLE), MOON PATH (THIRD REALM), UNKNOWN TRAIT]
STATUS POINTS: 40]
Jon's gaze lingered on his mana: 900, a vast leap from the near-depleted reserves he'd struggled with before. Yet, the surge brought no joy.
The weight of recent losses dampened any sense of triumph. He skimmed the skill descriptions, now fully legible, unlike their previously obscured forms:
[MOON (SECOND REALM) LEVEL 1: CHANNELS LUNAR ENERGY TO ENHANCE ATTACKS AND DEFENSES, AMPLIFYING POWER UNDER MOONLIGHT.]
[MOON GAZING (SECOND REALM): GRANTS HEIGHTENED INTUITION AND FORESIGHT, ALLOWING PREDICTION OF ENEMY MOVES.]
[REGENERATION (SECOND REALM): ACCELERATES HEALING OF WOUNDS, LIMITED BY MANA AND SEVERITY.]
The clarity of his passive skills intrigued him. Composure and Moon Path, both Third Realm, were visible despite his First Realm status, though he didn't know why. The unknown trait, still veiled, hinted at powers yet to awaken. For now, the system's revelations were complete; the rest would unfold through experience.
The evolution was exhilarating, yet Jon's circumstances cast a heavy shadow.
He sighed, a weary exhale that carried the burden of his grief. His eyes drifted, catching a group watching from a distance, their silhouettes stark against the debris-strewn battlefield. Their faces were a mix of awe, fear, and disbelief.
"First Realm…" Cynthia whispered, her voice trembling with shock. "Jon's reached the First Realm."
Jenny stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat. She'd assumed Jon was merely refining his skills, not ascending to a new realm.
When had he met the requirements?
How had he surged so far ahead?
They'd used his two-day slumber to advance their own progress, yet he'd eclipsed them in an instant.
The group stirred, some following Cynthia and Jenny as they approached, while others remained rooted, some unconscious from the battle's toll, others too intimidated by Jon's aura to draw near.
Jon, meanwhile, cataloged his newfound abilities. His mana spread now stretched 1,500 meters, nearly double its previous 800-meter range. When focused, it could pinpoint a distant structure, like the ruins of a once-familiar building.
His Moon energy had deepened, its hue darker, and its potency intensified, as if he stood perpetually beneath a full moon's glow.
What power would nightfall unleash?
His physical form had transformed, too. Though he lacked a mirror, he sensed the changes: his bloodshot eyes restored to a warm brown, his hair darkened to a near-black sheen, his frame more muscular, exuding a quiet strength.
Lastly, his watch revealed a new ability:
[??? ??? WATCH (???? REALM):
PASSIVE: POCKET STORAGE
LOCATE TREASURE]
The skill was straightforward yet potent, enabling him to detect treasures across a vast radius, surpassing Cynthia's similar ability in scope.
A spark of curiosity flared, but darker thoughts anchored him. The pain of loss. Evolving had fortified his body, mind, and resolve. He vowed silently, 'I'll carry this pain alone. I won't let it burden others.'
As the group reached him, their eyes filled with concern and awe, Jon turned, his expression unyielding. Without waiting for questions or comfort, he spoke, his voice firm,
"Let's continue."