Chapter 59: Upgraded System Panel

Chapter 59: Upgraded System PanelAdrian slowly opened his eyes, and what net his gaze was unexpected.

The Dojo’s wooden walls stood sharp and defined, every grain visible, the bright morning light poured through the windows. The world was simply beautiful!

"Wow," he muttered in awe as the brightness almost overwhelmed him.

He wasn’t even wearing his glasses, and yet his vision was perfect than it had ever been, as it he had been seeing the wrong world all along.

’I’m different,’ he thought, a thrill running through him. He clenched his fist, feeling a surge of strength through his arm. Before he could process more, Tech Core flooded his vision with notifications.

[Congratulations on Ascending!]

[Soul Compatibility Achieved: 100%]

[Tech Core has achieved Perfect Union with Host. Ambient Mana no longer required to function]

[System Interface Adjusted to Suit Ascended Needs.]

The words scrolled fast, each line a shock. Adrian’s mind spun as he quickly processed all their meanings, but then Master Von’s voice cut through.

Von opened his eyes, his gray gaze sweeping the room.



"Congratulations to all of you," he said, his tone firm but warm. Adrian glanced around, realizing every Knight was awake, seated on their mats, their faces a mix of exhaustion and wonder.

He’d been the last to wake and the others were formerly watching Von in silence.

Master Von continued, "For the third straight year, all the Knights have successfully Ascended. Am I not the best?"

A chorus of gratitude rose from the group, voices overlapping in relief and excitement. Some flexed their arms, others stared at their hands in awe.

Von raised a hand, quieting them. "Your journey begins now. New timetables will be posted tomorrow, being a free day for you to collect them."

He paused. "Until then, return to your dorms and rest. I don’t want you anywhere else until lunch."

"Now that you’re Ascended, your human needs such as eating and relieving yourselves will lessen over time."

The Knights grinned, some exchanging triumphant looks. A few still tested their newfound strength, throwing experimental punches into the air.

Von’s tone sharpened. "Don’t get ahead of yourselves. You’re not invincible yet. But you have improved, and that progress will continue. Before you go, I’ll teach you the basics of cultivation."

The Knights paid close attention and Von continued.

"To do this, focus on your Dantian. It’s easier now you’re awakened. Isolate mana... It’s everywhere, and you have an affinity for it. Draw it in; it’ll course through your body once it enters."

The group closed their eyes in concentration and soon, voices broke the silence.

"I see it! I’ve done it!"

"It’s working!"


"I feel it flowing!"

"Amazing!"

Adrian followed suit, his focus steady. The mana came easily, a warm current sliding into his Dantian, spreading through his body with a pleasant tingle and then the Tech Core announced:

[Mana Absorbed Successfully]

Von clapped.

"Enough. Continue in your dorms."

No one felt tired, but they bowed and filed out without complaint.

As they stood, Karl darted back, picking up Adrian’s glasses from the floor.

"Can’t believe you forgot these," he said, holding them out. Adrian smirked, took them, and crushed them in his hand, the glass crunching.



"Thanks, but my eyesight’s perfect now." Karl’s eyes widened.

"Wowww!" he said, and they walked back continuing with many more discussions.

***

Inside their room, the mana fans Adrian had installed kept the air cool. Karl was still talking, his voice a nonstop stream from the walk, bouncing around like a kid who was fed excessive sweets.

He punched the air, jumped, and spun all in excitement. "I still can’t believe it!" he said as they entered.

Adrian sighed. "Yeah, you can. You’ve said it a hundred times already." Karl ignored him, tossing his spear onto his bed carelessly.

"Sorry, Adrian, I won’t talk to you again. I’ll be cultivating."

Adrian sat on his bed with his attention elsewhere. He had checked it before and still couldn’t believe what he was seeing, so once again he decided to have another look:

"Status."

[TECHCORE SYSTEM – STATUS PANEL]

Knight: ★

Mana: 0%

Name: Adrian | Age: 10

System Level: 10 | EXP: 3300 / 35120 | TP: 6600

[Stats: Speed - 11 (6) | Strength - 12 (7) | Constitution - 5 (5)]

[Inventions Created: 31]

[Knowledge Acquired: Fundamentals of Ballistics, Magic Theory (2)]

[Skills: Analyze (9), Intermediate Forging Technique (4), Inventory, Intermediate Shooting Technique (1), Basic Fist Fighting Technique (1), Superpublish, Lore Grasp, Mapping, Blueprint Ascension]

[System Store]

[Note: Stats quantify physical attributes and determine the impact of equipped items. Values in parentheses reflect pre-Ascension baselines.]

Adrian’s jaw dropped. The Tech Core’s explanation clarified that these stats weren’t just abstract; they measured his raw physical potential and even how gear would amplify it.

His mind raced with possibilities. ’What if I wore the Power Suit now?’ he wondered. ’Would it boost these stats even further? I could finally quantify how much it improves me.’

The thought escaped his mind after he glanced at Karl though, who sat cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed, cultivating with serene focus.



Testing the suit in the dorm room was still too risky for him as too many questions would arise if Karl noticed.

’I guess that’ll wait until tomorrow when I leave the Academy,’ Adrian decided.

For now, since he was confined to the dorm, he resolved to cultivate.

’If I can get my mana to 100%, maybe I’ll hit 2-Star Knight status.’

He settled onto the floor, mimicking Karl’s posture, and focused on his Dantian. He easily made the mana to flow in, warm and tingling, the gentle current began to course through his entire body.

He visualized it pooling, growing, each breath drawing in more. Time blurred as he sank deeper and the room faded away.

***

After cultivating for many minutes, a sharp bell soon jolted Adrian upright. Karl stood up too from the sound, stretching his limbs to dispel the soreness.

Adrian quickly checked his progress.

[Mana: 0.05%]

"Nah," he muttered in disappointment. "What a waste of time."

He stood, brushing off his frustration before following Karl out for lunch.