He scrolled quickly through the skill descriptions. While some were clearly built for combat, what truly intrigued him were the first four. These weren’t ordinary skills—they were about reshaping his body, about forging his bones, muscles, and cells into something beyond human.
He reopened the skill panel and carefully read through the first three skills again:
[Skill: Titan Regeneration (Passive)]
Type: Passive
Description: Titan Regeneration allows the user’s cells to continuously regenerate by absorbing ambient mana, even in the heat of battle. This ability keeps the user in prime condition, healing wounds without disrupting focus.
Effect:
Constant health regeneration at 2% per second in combat.
Enhanced out-of-combat regeneration at 5% per second.
Recovery from severe injuries, such as lost limbs, over time.
[Skill: Bone Forging (Active)]
Type: Active
Description: Channels mana into the user’s bones, tempering and permanently reinforcing them up to the body’s natural limits.
[Skill: Muscle Forging (Active)]
Type: Active
Description: Infuses mana into the user’s muscles, strengthening and refining them. Each use enhances muscle fibers for either strength or endurance, depending on the user’s focus. This enhancement continues until the body’s natural limiters are reached.
[Skill: Limit Breaker (Active)]
Type: Active
Description: Refines and stores Titan Energy within the dantian. Once sufficiently dense, this energy can be directed to challenge and surpass the body’s natural limiters. If the energy is inadequate, the user risks losing it. Attempting a breakthrough without preparation can result in severe injury or death.
Sora leaned back, feeling a surge of excitement. These skills weren’t about flashy moves—they were about transformation, about breaking through human limitations and reshaping himself. He was forging his own body, turning it into a weapon.
But this was different. This was accelerated, refined by mana.
As he continued, Sora noticed something fascinating. There was a split in the way the mana operated on his muscles, almost like a choice being offered to him. He could direct the energy in two distinct ways: toward Strength or Endurance.
He paused, surprised by this discovery. "Strength or endurance, huh?" he muttered, reflecting on the choice. "That’s like basic bodybuilding principles."
In his previous life, Sora had seen how people tailored their training to suit specific goals. Some individuals aimed to maximize their raw power, training to lift enormous weights, developing sheer muscle mass. They prioritized strength. On the other hand, there were those who dedicated themselves to long-distance running or endurance sports, aiming to develop muscles that could withstand fatigue for extended periods. These individuals focused on endurance.
The same concept seemed to apply to [Muscle Forging]. By choosing to guide the mana toward one path, he could drastically alter the type of enhancement his muscles would undergo.
He tested the first option, focusing his mana entirely on strength. Immediately, he felt his muscles tense and bulk up slightly. The fibers became denser, and the power within each movement intensified. He clenched his fist, feeling the explosive strength in his grip.
"So this is the strength path..." he murmured, feeling the raw, heavy power coursing through him. It was tempting to keep pushing in this direction, but something nagged at him. Strength alone wasn’t always the answer.
Switching to endurance, he let mana flow into his muscles in a different way. This time, instead of thickening and hardening, his muscles became more elastic, more efficient. The tension in his body lightened, and though he didn’t feel as strong, he could tell that his muscles were now primed for sustained exertion. He imagined running for miles or fighting in a prolonged battle without getting tired.
"Endurance... I can feel it. Lighter, smoother... perfect for long battles or running without stopping."
But as he worked through the process, Sora realized there was a third option, one that hadn’t been immediately apparent: balance.
Instead of committing fully to one path or the other, he guided the mana evenly, distributing the benefits of both strength and endurance. As the mana seeped into his muscles, he felt a more moderate increase in power. The strength was there, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as when he focused solely on it. Similarly, his muscles were more resistant to fatigue, though not to the same extent as when he focused purely on endurance.
"Balanced growth..." Sora thought, his mind racing. "It’s like training for overall fitness instead of specializing. I won’t be the strongest or the most enduring, but I’ll be versatile."
He considered this option carefully. Pure strength would make him formidable in close-range combat, perfect for overwhelming opponents with raw power. Endurance, on the other hand, would allow him to outlast enemies, especially in long fights or during intense training sessions. But balanced growth... that offered versatility. In the real world, versatility often meant survival.
As his mana finished circulating through his muscles, he felt a sense of completion. The choice was made—he had chosen a balanced path for now, giving him enough power to fight with brute strength when needed, but also the stamina to keep going when the battle dragged on.
His muscles were now tempered, more responsive and durable, thanks to the forging process. But Sora couldn’t help but wonder if he could switch between these paths in the future, perhaps by specializing in one during a specific training session or fight.
"There’s so much potential in this class," he muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead.
The process of [Muscle Forging] was fast for him, thanks to his high mana quality and the advantage of his Prestige skill, which quadrupled his learning speed. He could feel the mana reshaping his muscles more efficiently than a normal player could ever hope to achieve.
Yet, despite the speed of progress, he knew there was more to discover. He’d just barely scratched the surface of what [Muscle and Bone Forging] could do. The next challenge would be to see how these skills synergized with the rest of his abilities, including the new ones he had yet to fully explore.
Satisfied with the initial results, Sora flexed his arms, feeling the power and flexibility coursing through him.