James made his choice, floating in the vast expanse of the white void. The System's windows winked out one after the other. His heart, if it existed in this place, pounded with anticipation and a trace of apprehension. The moment he confirmed his decision, the serene atmosphere of the void shattered, replaced by an intense, all-consuming force that gripped him in its maw.

  Where becoming a Psychic Juggernaut had been painful and profound, transforming into an Ethereal Champion was nothing short of cataclysmic. It began with a sensation of being torn from the inside out, as if his essence was being unraveled and examined by the System's unfathomable processes. Pain, raw and unyielding, coursed through what he perceived to be his body, though he had no physical form in this place. It was a pain of rebirth, breaking down the old to make way for the new.

  James wanted to scream, to release the agony that enveloped him, but the process was so swift, so overwhelming, that his scream was more a construct of his mind than a sound that could echo in the void. His consciousness, tethered to the core of his being, bore witness to the transformation with horrified fascination.

  His brain split open. His psionic abilities, once fledgling and confined to the realms of telekinesis and budding telepathy, were now being reforged into something far beyond his previous comprehension. In its inscrutable wisdom, the System dissected and enhanced every facet of his psychic prowess, expanding his brain capacity to several times its former size and infusing his very essence with a power that felt alien and intimately familiar.

  Ethereal power, the essence of his new Talent, flowed through him like a river breaking through a dam he hadn’t known existed. It was a force that transcended the physical, tapping into the very fabric of reality itself. James could feel the boundaries of his mind stretching, touching concepts that he could have never hoped to grasp before.

  Though it lasted only moments in the timeless expanse of the System's domain, the process felt like an eternity to James. Every second was a lifetime of pain and transformation, of being broken down to his most fundamental components and rebuilt into something greater, something purer.

  And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the ordeal was over. James found himself "standing" once more in the serene whiteness of the void, panting from exertion and the residual pain of his rebirth. The agony subsided quickly, leaving him invigorated and a profound, almost overwhelming sense of mightiness.

  He took a moment to acclimate to his new state of being, to understand the depth and breadth of the changes he had undergone. His telekinesis, once a mere extension of his will, now felt like an integral part of his soul, capable of feats far beyond his previous limits. His telepathy, too, had evolved. Despite there being no one to turn it loose on, he could tell that he'd be able to go much further into someone's mind, and comparably, the damage he could inflict was much more significant.

  The increase in his brain capacity was perhaps the most disorienting change. Thoughts, ideas, and memories flowed through his mind with startling clarity and speed, allowing him to process information at a rate he would have found unimaginable before. It was as if the fog that had once clouded his mental landscape had been lifted, revealing a horizon that stretched into infinity.

  Memories he had believed lost to the eddies of time were now open for his perusal. James knew he'd spend a long time reviewing them, especially concerning his parents. But now was not the time. He had something else to do first.

  Satisfied for the moment with the understanding of his transformation, James turned his attention to the next step in his evolution. The System, ready as always, floated a new prompt before him, inviting him to begin the Skill rank-up selection. With a calm resolve, he accepted, ready to explore the new horizons his rank as an Ethereal Champion had opened.

  This sounds good. It is a straight-up increase in power and would provide a new capability. It would allow me to keep an eye on grandma and grandpa or set traps in dungeons.

  Hmmm… This is good, too. It's all high-quality skills once you start getting into the upper ranks. Damn, this would be very useful to figure out stuff. I'd be able to know if a trap has been set, and I could probably replay secretive meetings, too.

  This is the first that I'm not interested in. It sounds like it does some of what Mental Assault does, but not as well. It would allow me to free up a slot, but it's not worth the loss of power there. As much as I would like Astral Beacon, Eidetic Echo is just too good. I could expand my range more and not need the first, while the second is irreplaceable.

  Mentally accepting the prompt, James breathed out. He could always spend his life regretting his choices with hindsight, but in the present, he'd be decisive. He'd face whatever came his way head-on.

  Now, this is a good one. If I could use it to boost specific skills temporarily… Damn, that'd be scary. Just thinking of a psychic attack enhanced this way makes me excited. It would probably be enough to render even the strongest minds brain-dead.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  My gut tells me this is good, too. I haven't had the opportunity to choose the signature skill yet, but it must be powerful. A longer duration sounds helpful, but I could probably achieve that with Mindforge. Not enough.

  Again, it is a skill to enhance another skill. I can see how one could build an entire battle style around it, so it's definitely useful, but it's not for me. I like having multiple options, and while telekinesis is good, it's not always enough. Mindforge Mastery it is. Next!

  Interesting. This wouldn't necessarily expand my repertoire, but it would allow me to leverage my resistance in specific situations. I like it.

  No. This one sounds good on paper, but it's too limited. I have found psychic abilities outside of my own only a handful of times, and dedicating an entire skill to defending against them when I can already do so on my own seems like a waste.

  Ding Ding Ding. This is the winner. Stockpile is good, but it doesn't hold a candle to this. I'll be unstoppable if I can begin stealing my opponents' mana.

  Uuuh. This is cool. Basically a better Projection, that also allows me to focalize my telekinesis. I might have to pick this one.

  Oh. Alright. This is basically what I tried to do when I first started experimenting with mana manipulation. I ended up with the corrosive mana, so it was a success. But who knew it would pop up once again? Also, being able to manipulate etheric energies is a must, considering my Talent. I'd need to experiment a lot since it would be a new addition, but I already made my choice during the Talent selection.

  Nah. It's not good enough compared to the others. I'm undecided because Void Grasp looked cool, but Etheric Manipulation is necessary for my Talent.

  That's what I'm talking about, baby.

  It's a cool name, but it's just a better Mental Assault. It's a no from me.

  Eeeh. The range would be good, but it depends on whether I can exclude people. Otherwise, I'd hurt my teammates, too. Anyway, no. Soul Rend it is. It's an excellent way to start working on Soul magic, and it sounds very nasty.

  Nope. Again, it would mean expanding too much, and it's well-known that having too many elements means they are all weaker than having one or two.

  Regeneration sounds good. I passed up on it the last time since I was becoming a more ranged fighter, but considering the damage I keep doing to myself, it would be helpful.

  So, it's a skill for my corrosive mana. I have no doubt that it would be good, but it's already so powerful I have trouble handling it. Any more, and it might start doing unacceptable collateral damage. No, let's go with Ethereal Leech.

  Having completed the skill evolution, James turned to the last window waiting for his input.

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