“The first spears were nothing more than sharpened stones tied to the ends of long sticks,” the creature began. “People used them to hunt animals and survive.”“It may be difficult to imagine now, but there was a time when humanity’s greatest strength lay in the spear.”“It was the first true weapon your ancestors mastered.”“The spear techniques they once possessed have long been forgotten, but in those ancient days, your people were among the finest spear wielders in existence.”The creature continued walking through the sea of white feathers as Rhys listened quietly.“For countless generations, the spear was all humanity needed.”“Then everything changed.”“They discovered the bow.”“The bow became the second weapon your kind created.”“It solved the greatest weakness of the spear.”“Distance.”“Instead of risking their lives getting close to dangerous prey, hunters could now strike from afar.”“They could hunt more safely.”“They could hunt more efficiently.”“And they could feed m

The helm of the merchant ship was a scene of chaos. The sturdy wooden deck shook with each impact of colliding cannonballs, splinters flying throughout as cannonballs tore through the ship's sides. The polished brass fittings that once gleamed in the sunlight were now covered in soot and debris as the beauty of the vessel was all but destroyed within seconds. Sailors shouted orders and curses, struggling to keep their balance as they loaded and fired the cannons. The smell of gunpowder mingled with the salty sea air, creating an acrid haze that stung the eyes and throat. Amidst the cannon fire, the pirates threw crossing lines, their grappling hooks latching onto the merchant ship with deadly precision. As the lines tightened, the pirates began to heave and pull the two ships closer together, until they managed to lessen the gap to under three meters— Once the gap between the two ships was significantly lessened, pirates began to swing across, their sharp swords gleaming in the h

Rhys stumbled backwards, his heart pounding.For the first time since the fight began, genuine fear crept into his mind.How…?How can he read every move before I make it?Without his swords, he suddenly felt exposed.It was like standing before a predator with nothing but his bare hands.Durban noticed it immediately.A faint smile spread across the pirate captain’s face as he slowly walked forward.His sword remained pointed directly at Rhys’s chest.“You’re completely out of your depth, Ascender.”There was no mockery in his voice.Only quiet confidence.He was enjoying the disbelief written across Rhys’s face.I can’t keep fighting like this…Rhys forced himself to stay calm.If I don’t change something right now, I’m going to die.With no weapon left to rely on, he made a desperate decision.He lunged forward, trying to tackle Durban.If swordsmanship wasn’t working, then perhaps raw strength would.Durban barely reacted.He took a small step to the side.At the same time, his kne

At last, Rhys reached the exact spot he had been aiming for.Without hesitating, he raised his hand.[Fire Wall]A towering wall of flames erupted between him and Durban, forcing the pirate captain to slow down for the first time since the battle had begun.Rhys took advantage of those precious seconds.His eyes flicked towards the towering mast overhead.Three support cables were already gone.Only the final point keeping the massive structure balanced remained.He quickly judged the angle.The direction.The distance.Everything was exactly as he had hoped.The trap was finally ready.“You think a little fire is enough to stop me?”Durban laughed.Without the slightest hesitation, he charged straight through the flames.Fire licked across his clothes, but he ignored it completely.His grin never faded.Rhys immediately backed away.Every step he took drew Durban exactly where he wanted him.Just a little farther…A little more…Now.Rhys swung both swords with everything he had.The

As Rhys stood quietly, weighing the five Sword Paths before him, two enormous changes were taking place inside his body.He didn’t notice either of them.The first change happened within his own body.Unlike his First Tier Promotion, which had strengthened his muscles, bones and overall physique, the Second Tier Promotion focused on improving the parts of him that couldn’t be seen.His nervous system.Every nerve throughout his body became stronger.New synaptic connections rapidly formed inside his brain, allowing information to travel faster than ever before.The transformation was silent, but the effects were extraordinary.From this point onward, Rhys would be able to move with far greater precision.Every swing of a sword, every step, every shift in balance and every flick of his wrist would become smoother and more accurate because the signals travelling from his brain to his muscles were now significantly faster and cleaner.The improvement wasn’t limited to precision.His refle