Chapter 95:
The office above the bar was quiet in the late afternoon light, with long shadows stretching across the floor as the sun descended toward the horizon.
Elijah sat behind the desk with his chair turned toward the window, his red eyes fixed on the street below, where the first of the evening crowd had begun gathering outside the gambling den.
Two days had passed since the race in the 6th District, and only two days remained before he would stand across from Daniel Blackwater in the ring, where the outcome would determine the fate of both their gangs.
His body had fully recovered from the exhaustion caused by pushing Zenith beyond its safe limits, and his Ki core was full and steady, pulsing behind his heart with a rhythm that had become as familiar as his own breathing.
The time had come to invest.
"System, upgrade Iron Mind. Use two thousand System Points to take it as far as it can go."
The pale blue interface appeared in the corner of his vision.
[Upgrading Iron Mind (Level 1) to maximum level. Cost: 2,000 System Points. Confirmed.]
[Iron Mind has evolved into a new skill: The Monarch.]
[The Monarch (Level Max)] – Suppresses all unnecessary emotions, allowing the user to act with unwavering focus in any situation. Fear, doubt, hesitation, and other forms of psychological interference cannot cloud the user's judgment or impair their decision-making abilities. The user retains full awareness of these emotions but is no longer affected by them, allowing for absolute resolve even in the face of overwhelming opposition or personal tragedy. This skill is permanently active and cannot be deactivated. It does not suppress positive emotions such as love, joy, or satisfaction, as these are not considered detrimental to the user's judgment.
[System Points: 6,700 → 4,700]
Elijah read the description twice before allowing the screen to disappear.
The Monarch was considerably more powerful than Iron Mind, but what interested him most was the distinction between suppressing emotions and eliminating them.
He would still feel fear, anger, doubt, and grief, but those emotions would no longer be capable of controlling his decisions.
That could prove invaluable against Daniel.
Elijah summoned his full status screen and carefully reviewed every change.
[Status]
Name: Elijah Ashford
Cultivation: Advanced Knight Stage (Initial Stage)
Level: 5 (74% EXP)
Ki: 100%
Base Stats:
Strength: 60
Agility: 60
Endurance: 60
Defense: 60
Intelligence: 37
Charm: 30
Willpower: 35
Free Stat Points: 0
System Points: 4,700
[Unique Skills]
[Eternal Grounded Tree Breathing Technique (Level 1: 45% progress)] – A unique breathing technique created by the system and bound to your soul. Cannot be taught to others. Focuses on patience and grounding, sinking roots like a tree, drawing stillness from the earth below, and letting strength grow from patience rather than force. Provides passive healing and adaptation functions that accelerate recovery and physical growth. At higher levels, the technique will unlock additional capabilities beyond basic Ki circulation and enhancement.
[Zenith (Level 1)] – A unique active skill that increases all physical stats by up to three hundred percent of their base value. Because you have created your Ki core and reached the Advanced Knight Stage, you can now access the full three hundred percent enhancement that this skill offers. However, your current Ki reserves and cultivation stage limit your practical safe usage to one hundred percent enhancement. Exceeding one hundred percent will consume massive amounts of Ki, draining your reserves at an accelerated rate that your passive regeneration cannot match. Going above one hundred fifty percent enhancement carries a significant risk of damaging or destroying your Ki core entirely, as the energy demands placed upon the core exceed its structural capacity. The system strongly advises against exceeding one hundred percent enhancement except in brief bursts, and warns that any use above one hundred fifty percent should be considered a last resort with potentially permanent consequences for your cultivation.
[The Monarch (Level Max)] – Suppresses all unnecessary emotions, allowing the user to act with unwavering focus in any situation. Fear, doubt, hesitation, and other forms of psychological interference cannot cloud the user's judgment or impair their decision-making abilities. The user retains full awareness of these emotions but is no longer affected by them, allowing for absolute resolve even in the face of overwhelming opposition or personal tragedy. This skill is permanently active and cannot be deactivated. It does not suppress positive emotions such as love, joy, or satisfaction, as these are not considered detrimental to the user's judgment.
[King's Aura (Level Max)] – A unique active skill that spreads fear and pressure to those weaker than the user. Opponents below or within one cultivation realm above the user experience intense suppression, with their movements hindered and their combat effectiveness reduced by the sheer presence of the user's aura. The stronger the opponent, the less effective the aura becomes. This skill cannot be leveled further and is considered complete in its current form.
[Normal Techniques (Can be taught to others)]
[Flash Step (Tier 2) - Passive] – A low-level movement technique that enhances leg strength and neural response time, increasing movement speed by twenty percent at all times without requiring conscious activation. Can be taught to others through instructional materials that the system can generate for one hundred System Points per copy. Higher tier versions of this technique exist and can be created or acquired as the user's cultivation advances.
[Iron Body (Tier 2) - Passive] – A low-level defensive technique that increases body durability by twenty percent at all times without requiring conscious activation. The user's skin becomes tougher, his bones become denser, and his organs become more resistant to damage from impacts and penetrations. Can be taught to others through instructional materials that the system can generate for one hundred System Points per copy. Higher tier versions of this technique exist and can be created or acquired as the user's cultivation advances.
Elijah closed the status screen and leaned back in his chair.
The Monarch was exactly what he needed, but he still had several improvements to make before facing Daniel. More importantly, those improvements could benefit the people who had chosen to follow him.
"For now, this is enough, but I still need more. Upgrade the Inner Breathing technique. Keep it at Level One, but increase the enhancement to seventy percent and improve the growth acceleration for everyone who uses it."
The system responded almost immediately.
[Upgrading Inner Breathing (Tier 5) to Inner Breathing (Tier 6). Cost: 2,000 System Points. Enhancement increases from 50% to 70%. Growth acceleration improved significantly. The upgraded technique will help your inner circle grow stronger faster and reach higher physical limits than would otherwise be possible.]
[System Points: 4,700 → 2,700]
[Inner Breathing (Tier 6)] – A high-level breathing technique designed for elite fighters within the user's inner circle. Increases Ki enhancement by seventy percent when activated. Provides significantly accelerated growth and substantially higher physical limits compared to standard techniques. Approaches the level of unique techniques in quality.
Elijah did not hesitate before continuing.
"Now upgrade the Dark Amber Breathing. Increase the enhancement to fifty percent and improve the growth acceleration for the gang members who use it."
[Upgrading Dark Amber Breathing (Tier 3) to Dark Amber Breathing (Tier 4). Cost: 500 System Points. Enhancement increases from 30% to 50%. Growth acceleration improved. The upgraded technique will help your gang members grow stronger faster and reach higher physical limits.]
[System Points: 2,700 → 2,200]
[Dark Amber Breathing (Tier 4)] – A foundational breathing technique designed for widespread use among gang members. Increases Ki enhancement by fifty percent when activated. Provides steady, reliable growth up to the Advanced Knight Stage. This technique now sits at the lower edge of high-class breathing techniques, comparable to techniques that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars on the open market.
Elijah considered his remaining points before making his final decision.
"Finally, upgrade my training equipment again. The vest, the weights, and the mask. Push them as far as the remaining points will allow."