"System," Adrian called out, his voice steadierthan he felt. "I need more information about these Paths."

  As the foreign presence responded in his mind, Adrian rushedto the nearest window, pressing his palms against the cool gss. The sceneoutside had transformed in moments. Castelverde's citizens stood frozen inthe streets, faces upturned in confusion and terror. The sor-powered streetmps continued their soft glow, an eerie contrast to the unnatural storm thathad materialized above. The sky, which had been clear blue minutes ago, nowstretched with purple-tinged gray clouds extending in every direction to thehorizon—a canopy of cosmic malevolence that defied meteorological expnation.

  "Ki: The Path of Bodily Transcendence," thesystem's voice echoed through his consciousness, ancient and melodious. "Kidraws upon the physical-spiritual energy residing within all living matter. Itbegins with the creation of a Ki Core, refining and purifying the body'senergies to enhance strength, speed, durability, and sensory perception. Itconsumes minimal Essence and progresses primarily through physical training andcultivation techniques."

  Adrian turned from the window, moving swiftly to lock theheavy wooden door of the library. The bolt sliding into pce felt absurdlyinadequate against whatever was happening outside.

  "Dao: The Path of Conceptual Mastery. Dao harnessesthe power of pure ideas, allowing practitioners to embed concepts into theiractions and surroundings. A Lesser Dao might imbue a strike with the concept of'cutting' or 'weight,' while Greater Dao might manifest broader abstractionslike 'fear' or 'distance.' It requires moderate Essence expenditure anddevelops through philosophical introspection and conceptual insight."

  Behind him, he could hear Gherta attempting to expin toLuccio what was happening, her voice maintaining a calm that Adrian suspectedwas entirely for her son's benefit.

  "Is this like your game, sweetie? The one with themagic people?"

  "No, Mama. It's better! It's real! Can I be a dinosaurnow?"

  "Mana: The Path of Metaphysical Chaos," thesystem continued. "Mana maniputes the chaotic energy that fills thespaces between structured reality. It enables traditionalspellcasting—elemental manipution, shields, illusions—through Channeling,which imposes structure upon inherent chaos. It demands high Essenceconsumption and precise mental control, but offers versatile applicationslimited primarily by the practitioner's imagination and skill."

  Adrian's mind raced, processing this information through theanalytical framework that had served him through years of philosophical study.The concept of Ki resonated with numerous Eastern philosophical traditions he'dstudied—the vital energy that Hindu texts called prana, the Chinese qi,the Japanese ki. Was this the literal manifestation of those concepts,or merely a convenient metaphor? The Dao clearly referenced Taoist philosophy,while Mana seemed to draw from Western occult traditions.

  "Pneuma: The Path of Spiritual-Divine Energy. Pneumaaccesses the divine spark residing within mortal souls. Through Emanation,practitioners can produce effects simir to divine miracles—healing,purification, summoning, and spiritual manipution. It requires massiveEssence expenditure but grants power closest to the gods themselves. Progresscomes through spiritual focus and understanding of the divine."

  He needed to choose. Two Paths, Solomon had said. Theapocalypse was clearly beginning outside, and whatever advantages these Pathsoffered would be crucial for survival. Logic dictated a practical approach.

  Adrian assessed himself honestly. He was no warrior—theextent of his physical training had been mandatory physical education duringhis school years. Since then, his exercise had been limited to carrying booksin college and shelving volumes in the library, often carrying them virtuallyin the former. His body was not prepared for an apocalypse.

  Survival first, advancement ter.

  "I choose Ki," he announced to the empty air,hoping the system would register his choice. "If my body fails, nothingelse matters."

  The response was immediate and physical. Energy surgedthrough him, originating from a point near his navel—what Eastern philosophershad called the dantian or the hara, the center of vital energy.The warmth spread outward in waves, simultaneously energizing and calming him,as though he'd been existing in a half-awake state his entire life until thismoment.

  A notification appeared in his mind's eye, glowing with softblue light:

  [Path of Ki Awakened]

  Passive Skill Unlocked:

  Ki Core (Level 1)

  Yourbody now generates and refines Ki, enhancing physical capabilities and servingas foundation for further abilities.

  Please select an active skill from the avaible list, orprovide skill prerequisites for filtering options.

  Adrian gnced toward the window again. The storm hadintensified, purple lightning now arcing between clouds. Time was running out.

  What did he need most? Protection, certainly. Something tokeep him alive through whatever was coming. And if he was injured—which seemedincreasingly likely—the ability to recover quickly would be essential.

  "I need something that enhances regeneration," hethought, directing his request to the system. "Something that will help meheal faster if I'm injured." A secondary benefit would be ideal—perhaps away to channel this vitality into other abilities.

  The logic was sound: with a strong, regenerating body, thechance of dying from something trivial would be minimized. That would providethe foundation for whatever came next. The philosopher in him appreciated thepragmatism; the terrified human in him just wanted to survive.

  "I'm telling you, Luccio, yes, you can be avelociraptor if that's what you want," Gherta's voice cut through hisconcentration. "But we need to be careful about these choices."

  "But Mama, dinosaurs are the strongest! They ruled theEarth for millions of years!"

  "And then they all died, tesoro. Let's picksomething that won't go extinct, shall we?"

  Adrian smiled despite himself, then refocused on hisrequest. "I need an ability that significantly enhances my regenerationwhile consuming minimal Essence, and ideally provides some way to amplify otherabilities."

  The system responded with a single option:

  [Skill Avaible: Echoing Blood]

  Accelerateshealing by 85% by circuting Ki through the bloodstream. Allows blood to beused as a medium for amplifying other abilities. Costs Essence per minute ofactive use.

  This was exactly what he needed. A strong foundationalability that would give him time to learn and adapt. With near-doubledregeneration and the potential to use blood as a power source, he'd haveflexibility for whatever came next.

  "I select Echoing Blood," Adrian decred.

  The moment the words left his mouth, a new notificationappeared:

  [Synergy Detected]

  Ki Core and Echoing Blood havehigh compatibility.

  Evolution avaible: Combine to create HeartForge?

  [Yes/No]

  Without hesitation, Adrian mentally selected Yes.

  A surge of power, more intense than before, radiated fromhis chest rather than his abdomen. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, thensteadied into a stronger, more deliberate rhythm.

  [Synergy Complete]

  [Skill Evolved: HeartForge(Level 1)]

  Your heart and blood have been fundamentally transformed.Passive regeneration increased by 110%. Blood now serves as a potent catalystfor abilities, requiring 40% less Essence when used as a medium.

  Adrian couldn't suppress a grin. He'd barely begun, andalready his choices were yielding unexpected benefits. He quickly reyed thisinformation to Gherta and Luccio, whose conversation had continued unabated.

  "It worked! Gherta, the Paths—they're synergizingtogether! My regeneration ability just evolved into something calledHeartForge!"

  Luccio's eyes widened with wonder. "See, Mama? I toldyou it would work!"

  Gherta gave Adrian a measured look. He simply shrugged andsaid, "He's just like you."

  She sighed deeply. "Luccio, wait until the adults havechosen and expin what you want. Then we'll see." Under her breath, sheadded several colorful Vesperian curses before returning her focus to her ownselection.

  One Path chosen, one to go. For his second choice, Adrianconsidered the options carefully. Given his academic background, Pneuma heldparticur interest. The concept wasn't foreign to him—pneuma appeared in Stoicphilosophy as the vital breath, the creative force within the universe. Theidea that this metaphysical concept could be harnessed directly intrigued him.

  "I choose Pneuma for my second Path," he stated.

  The sensation was entirely different from Ki's awakening.Rather than warmth spreading outward, Adrian felt as though his lungs hadsuddenly expanded, taking their first true breath after a lifetime of shallowrespiration. It was like breaking the surface after being submerged in icywater, only to find himself wrapped in a warm bnket.

  [Path of Pneuma Awakened]

  Passive Skill Unlocked:

  Emanation (Level 1)

  Your body nowgenerates and refines Pneuma, Through Emanation, practitioners can produceeffects simir to divine miracles.

  Please select an active skill from the avaible list, orprovide skill prerequisites for filtering options.

  Drawing on his knowledge of esoteric concepts, Adriansearched for something that would serve as a foundation for this new power."I need something that will help me manage Pneuma efficiently, given itshigh Essence cost. Perhaps a skill reted to visualization ormanifestation."

  The system offered:

  [Skill Avaible: Visualization]

  Reduces Pneumatechnique costs by 25% through improved mental focus and spiritual connection.Enables clearer manifestation of spiritual constructs.

  "Perfect," Adrian thought. His goal was to createsome form of summoner, capable of conjuring weapons or creatures to aid allies.With Visualization to reduce costs, he could potentially manage the highEssence demands of Pneuma.

  "I select Visualization," he announced, expectinganother synergy like before.

  Instead, a different type of notification appeared:

  [Lateral Synergy Detected]

  Combine with Emanationto create:

  ? Armament?

  ? Conjured Soul?

  ? Structure andFill?

  ? Living Matter?

  ? Elemental Incarnation?

  ? EtherealManifest?

  ? Anima Conjuration?

  Anima Conjuration caught his attention immediately. Thedescription revealed exactly what he'd been hoping for—a method to summoncreatures for support and protection.

  [Anima Conjuration]

  Creates semi-living entitiesfrom spiritual energy that can act independently or under direct control.Constructs maintain form until destroyed or dismissed.

  "I select Anima Conjuration," Adrian saiddecisively.

  Just as the words left his mouth, he heard Gherta muttering,"What the hell is the system calling me?" Her face was scrunched inconcentration, clearly dealing with her own selection process.

  Before Adrian could comment, another notification appeared:

  [Evolutionary Synergy Detected]

  HeartForge andAnima Conjuration have discovered an unexpected compatibility.

  Evolvingto: Anima Ferrea

  [Evolution cannot be declined due to metaphysicalresonance]

  A profound sense of unease washed over Adrian. "Oh,shit," he muttered, then quickly added, "Sorry, Luccio." He readthe description with growing arm:

  [Synergy Complete]

  [Skill Evolved: Anima Ferrea(Level 1)]

  Dramatically enhances regeneration and defense. Your Ki andPneuma have fused with your blood and flesh, allowing your body greatermalleability and the ability to consume Essence for additional capabilities.Your body can now absorb Anima to create permanent physical enhancements.

  Adrian stared incredulously at the text floating in hismind's vision. This was not what he had intended. Rather than creating asummoner who could remain safely at a distance, it seemed he'd inadvertentlytransformed himself into some kind of living weapon—a frontline fighter.

  While still processing this unexpected development, Adrianfelt Luccio tugging insistently at his sleeve. The boy's eyes were wide withfear, fixed on something behind them.

  "Prof. Adrian," Luccio whispered, his voicetrembling.

  Adrian turned to follow the boy's gaze. In the center of thelibrary floor, a purple-hued rift had opened—a wound in reality from whichsomething was emerging. A furry head pushed through the opening, followed byelongated limbs ending in curved cws.

  Outside, the purple lightning fshed with increasingfrequency, casting the library in alternating shadows and harsh illumination.The storm had arrived, both figuratively and literally.

  The time for choices was over.