[Class: Divine ???????Archite???????ct Selected!]

  [Class: Divine Architect:

  A class focused on energy designation ‘Qi’. The Divine Architect is capable of deconstructing learned Qi techniques, as well as deconstructing and restructuring the internal mechanics of Qi flow within the body. This process alters the fundamental pathways through which Qi moves, refining their structure to enable new methods of energy manipulation and adaptability. At higher levels, the Divine Architect gains the ability to refine these pathways further, achieving feats previously thought impossible, eliminating the risk of Qi deviation. Warning: Due to Energy conflicts, user caution is advised.]

  Pain assailed him, but Alex stood still, even as the world swayed across his vision, though he stabbed his sword into the ground to remain steady. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt something sear into his soul, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. His breaths came with the faintest ache, the sensation fading as the new class etched itself into the core of his very being. He let it pass, his focus shifting to the next golden panel that appeared.

  [Class Skill: Qi Reshaping (Active) gained!]

  [Qi Reshaping: The Divine Architect wields rivers of Qi and threads of creation, threading pathways unseen— Allows the user to reshape and manipulate their Qi pathways and internal Qi, altering the natural flow of energy to unlock new configurations and enhance energy dynamics. This skill also allows for the deconstruction and reconstruction of Qi based techniques. Higher levels of mastery allow for the creation of entirely new energy pathways, bypassing of damaged circuits, and amplification of the flow of Qi beyond natural limits, granting unparalleled control over internal energy systems. System warning: This skill requires energy type designation ‘Qi’ to activate. Due to energy conflicts, user caution is advised.]

  [Class Skill: Internal Energy Refinement (Active) gained!]

  [Internal Energy Refinement: The Architect burns away imperfection, leaving only excellence and gold forged from within— Allows the user to enter a meditative state which permanently refines the user’s internal energy for a cost, regardless of the energy in question, by purifying and enhancing its intensity, quantity, and potency. The cost is derived from alternate energies the user possesses. If no alternatives energies are present, a minuscule decrease in life force serves as a supplement. Mana potency will be supplemented by consumed Qi/Lifeforce and vice versa, boosting the user’s ‘wisdom’ or ‘Qi’ stats. This skill amplifies the effectiveness of abilities, resulting in stronger, faster, and more powerfully explosive techniques and skills. Lingering effects persist even after the skill is deactivated at a rate of 10%, permanently increasing the impact of successive abilities over time. Excessive use without alternative energy types may result in the users death.]

  [Class Skill: Pathway Reconstruction (Active) gained!]

  [Pathway Reconstruction: The Divine Architect shapes what was never meant to change—Allows the user to actively modify their internal energy circuits, restructuring them as the user desires. Higher levels of mastery allows for the construction of entirely new pathways, or otherwise impossible configurations. Frequent use requires heightened awareness of structural integrity. User caution is advised as flawed pathway reconstruction may result in the permanent inability to wield the altered energy, or death.]

  [Class Skill: Adaptive Flow Engineering (Active) gained!]

  [Adaptive Flow Engineering: —This skill identifies and analyzes inefficiencies in internal and external energy flow, providing real-time insights into bottlenecks and more optimal structures and circulation. This skill enables the user to view more optimal routes for energy structures. Extensive use allows the user to drastically improve and optimise energy structures like skills, techniques, internal pathways or external enchantments. At higher levels of mastery, the user may gain instantaneous awareness of energy flow changes, enabling reflexive optimisation mid-battle.]

  Wow, that’s a lot of skills… and a lot of information… but these skills… they seem different… He presumed it was due to both the nature of his updated system, and the fact that anyone without his unique physiology and class would find themselves dead the moment they activated half of the classes skills. Alex swiped the notification away with a sharp gesture, the golden glow fading from his vision as the pain within his soul settled.

  And it looks like I need mana to activate each of these skills… except for Qi reshaping.

  He refrained from activating the Qi-based skill, sensing the immense danger it posed. He understood its purpose clearly: the skill allowed him to manipulate the flow of Qi within his pathways, redirecting it to create new energy flows. It paired well with adaptive flow engineering, which would reveal more optimal structures for his internal energy. Without both skills working together, Qi reshaping would likely end in catastrophe.

  This one’s not for casual use. It’s a scalpel, not a sword. Manipulating my Qi pathways could let me reroute energy with in any way I need, but one slip... and I’d carve myself out of existence… He let the thought linger, sharp and unspoken. If I master this, though, I could reshape my entire system to work however I want it to, tailoring it for speed, power, endurance, or versatility. It’s surgical, dangerous, but the potential… What he needed was time; time would allow him to fully utilise the skill to craft his body and power into something unthinkable.

  Instead, Alex moved on to the next new skill, activating Internal Energy Refinement with a single thought and feeling the immediate shift within his body. His internal energy began to condense and purify, his mana growing denser as his dantian shrank almost imperceptibly. The sensation was intense. The energy within him burned brighter, like molten gold coursing through his pathways. The heat spread through his limbs, steady and controlled, infusing his body with a weighty, radiant power. The skill was purifying his mana, increasing its intensity and quantity. It burned away inefficiencies, leaving only potent, refined energy behind.

  [SYSTEM ALERT – OVERDRIVE DETECTED: Mana Efficiency ↑ 200%, Qi Capacity ↓ 46%]

  [Buff ‘Refined Energy’ has temporary altered the users stats—Wisdom stat +1000 for 5 minutes. Warning: permanent after effects may be present due to override.]

  [Debuff ‘Refined Energy’ has temporary altered the users stats—Qi stat -500 for 5 minutes. Warning: permanent after effects may be present due to override.]

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  500 Qi for 1000 wisdom, and after deactivation there’s 10% permanently altered. So that means I permanently traded 50 Qi for 100 wisdom… that’s something to consider— I’ll need to test the how much mana is needed to permanently boost my Qi, too. Feeling empowers, Alex tested the refined energy, channeling it into a single strike. The blade of his sword flared with explosive power, carving a deep, glowing scar into the stone below. Even after the strike, faint wisps of energy lingered in the air, evidence of the skill’s amplified effect.

  My mana feels cleaner, sharper, and stronger, like smelting ore into pure steel. Every ounce of energy burns brighter, hits harder, and even leaves behind a residual effect— he could feel his mana subconsciously surge into each movement without thought or activation, like a fire that kept spreading even after the initial strike.

  “Not bad at all,” he murmured.

  Bending his knees, Alex shot into the air. A translucent mana platform formed beneath his foot just as he left the ground. Phoenix Cascade. He moved between the platforms like a predator among prey, his path erratic, influenced by his mad sword dance. A whirlwind of strikes shattered the harpy’s trajectories. There was no rhythm, no pattern—each motion seemed to come from nowhere, unpredictable and chaotic, as though madness had taken the form of a human in flight. Hunters paused below to stare upwards, trying to make sense of what they were seeing.

  Avian bodies fell in bloodied fragments. Below, Osric’s bow loosed more arrows, streaks of red that tote through distracted and vulnerable targets, obliterating them in single shots.

  As a test, Alex condensed his domain to slow time to a crawl, then activated Adaptive Flow Engineering, his awareness sharpening as the skill mapped his internal energy circulation in real-time. Alex experienced the sensation of a map unfolding in his mind. His energy flows appeared like glowing rivers and circuits, some dim where energy was wasted, others bright with efficiency.

  Through the skill, he perceived two pathways threading through his form, chaotically intersecting like two mismatched highways forced together. He had felt them before, just faintly, through his domain. But his new class brought their details into startling clarity, to the point that all other things in the world seemed to fade out of focus.

  Alex's body consisted of two distinct systems for channeling energy: Qi pathways and mana circuitry. The Qi pathways, called meridians, were rigid and strictly organized, designed for efficient and harmonious flow. They carried Qi in a natural, rhythmic movement optimized for speed and balance. However, these pathways were currently empty, with all his Qi securely stored within his dantian—a central reservoir at his core. All because Qi and mana were highly incompatible. At the overlaps between the two systems, tension was always present. These were points where the natural, adaptive structure of the mana circuitry intersected with the sharp, rigid structure of his Qi pathways. The energies couldn’t mix, and the balance was maintained by keeping the Qi pathways entirely empty while mana flowed uninterrupted. If Qi were to flow into regions where the two networks overlapped, the resulting clash of energies could trigger a catastrophic reaction, erasing him entirely.

  In contrast, his mana circuitry resembled an intricate network of adaptive conduits. Unlike the rigid structure of the meridians, these circuits were dynamic and fluid, akin to rivers winding through his body. Mana surged through these pathways with deliberate intensity, behaving like controlled electricity powering a machine, precise and unyielding in its flow.

  So… This opens my eyes to how my energy moves. I can see the exact points where it slows, where it doesn’t move efficiently, and it shows me how to fix it. It’s like seeing the inside of a machine and instantly knowing where to improve it. The faster flow means my mana reaches its target quicker and hits harder without wasting a single drop. Adjusting these flows felt like clearing debris from a river, the energy rushing smoother and faster with every correction. Alex directed the optimized energy into his sword skills. His blade moved faster and hit harder, the refined flow eliminating unnecessary strain. A single slash severed several creatures cleanly in half, the cut precise and effortless.

  With Adaptive Flow revealing improvements and Pathway Reconstruction granting him the power to make them, Alex focused a single moment of time on a single segment of his mana circuit by triggering both skills. The sensation was distinct and physical. When Alex focused on his mana circuit, it felt like warm streams coursing under his skin, surging with a the natural cadence of a raging river. The flow was smooth yet chaotic, balanced but building in pressure like swelling water against a dam if disrupted. Adjusting them felt like guiding water with his hands, each movement requiring gentle care to avoid breaking the flow. He could sense when the mana flowed too fast or in a disastrous and unrestrained direction, like rapids rushing downhill, or when it slowed, like stagnant pools gathering tension. As Alex altered the circuit near his mana heart, he felt a shifting pressure, like realigning tense muscles. The adjustment created a momentary discomfort, followed by an overwhelming surge of energy that flowed faster and with greater force. With the thought and a single reconstructed circuit, Alex channeled his mana into a leap. The energy propelled him upward with explosive and almost visible force, his body cutting through the air as if weightless, blasting away nearby harpies, his refined pathways maximizing the power of the skill.

  Harpies swooped in by the dozen, but Alex’s blade was unstoppable. Unpredictable. They barely had time to screech before he blitzed through them in a whirlwind of metal. Another notification popped up—he leveled up again—and though none could see it, a small grin spread beneath his helmet.

  Alex landed on another platform, pivoting as SwordSaint’s Domain expanded outward. The battlefield sharpened in his mind. Vibrations, energy flows, and the faintest movements painted a three-dimensional map within the range of his senses. He could feel the harpies shifting in the air, each flap of their wings a subtle ripple against his awareness. He swung his blade, almost absentmindedly. My attacks carry twice the power because the system supporting them is twice as efficient, he realised, eyes widening as dead harpies fell from the air.

  A shrill cry tore through the battlefield. Alex turned and saw a harpy descending through the air— much larger than the others. Its wings stretching wide, each spanning fifteen feet and lined with crimson feathers. The edges of the feathers were blackened, as though burned. Its face, unnervingly human, was framed by unkempt black hair whipping in the wind. Its lips curled into a sneer, revealing jagged, sharp teeth that looked built for tearing. One golden eye narrowed as it fixed on Alex, the gaze calculating and cold, its intelligence unmistakable. A faint glow radiated from its body, its mana pressing outward like a heavy, invisible force. Behind it, a single harpy veered from its path, following at a distance. Another stayed back, wings beating slowly. The flock trailed far behind, avoiding the leader's flight path entirely.

  The harpy dove, much faster than the others, but Alex was faster still. Wind rushed against his armored form and he raised his sword, a movement that had served him across more worlds than most people visited in their entire lives. His armoured figured blurred in a streak as he closed the distance, his sword carving upwards and into the creature’s descent.

  Impact.

  A headless form plummeted past him, half human, half avian, spraying blood across his armor.

  More blood erupted as the decapitated creature convulsed, its massive form crashing toward the ground. Alex’s swing didn’t stop, he shot into the flock in blur of metal and mana, his single strike appearing as a streaking comet. More harpy corpses followed, their perfectly cut bodies falling to the ground like feathered hailstones.

  [You have defeated…]

  [You have defeated…]

  [You have defeated…]

  [You have defeated…]

  Notifications flew past Alex’s vision as he fell from the sky, he still needed to choose his next milestone skill, but it would have to wait until the final creature was dead.

  Alex landed beside Liora in a plume of earth, dust, and clanging armour.

  “Miss me?” He said, tilting his head beneath the armour.

  Liora scoffed, and raced towards the bloodslime.

  The is up and running. So if you like, you can read ahead there!