While Rocky contemplated his choices for the sword path he was going to choose as his reward, two other massive upgrades were silently bestowed upon him, unbeknownst to him at the time.
Firstly, his non-physical attributes were being enhanced in real time as his body's nervous system, including all the nerves and the synaptic connections in his brain, received a significant upgrade.
While the first tier promotion test had improved his physique, muscle, and bone quality, the second tier promotion test focused on enhancing attributes such as Dexterity, Intelligence, and Stamina.
Rocky could now perform precise movements with remarkable accuracy due to his enhanced nervous system.
The improvement allowed his brain to send signals to his muscles more efficiently, enabling him to execute complex and delicate maneuvers with ease.
Every motion, from the flick of his wrist to a full-body pivot, became more controlled and exact, giving him a crucial edge in battles where precision was paramount.
Additionally, Rocky's reflexes had significantly improved. The enhanced nervous system reduced the time it took for his body to react to external stimuli.
This meant that in the heat of combat, he could respond to attacks almost instantaneously, with dodging or countering becoming incredibly fast and easy for him at speeds that would previously not have been possible.
This newfound quickness immediately had the potential to immediately turn him into a more formidable warrior should he learn to get used to it.
Though Rocky did not fully realize it yet, his critical thinking speed and the time taken to process information for him had also improved dramatically once he completed his second tier promotion.
With new synaptic connections forming in his brain, the processing time for tasks such as calculating the trajectory of objects or devising complex strategies greatly reduced for him.
This enhancement in his brain's efficiency meant that Rocky could analyze situations faster and more accurately, giving him a strategic advantage in combat and other high-stress scenarios.
However, reflexes weren't the only thing that improved with a better nervous system for Rocky, as he also experienced more nuanced secondary benefits as well.
With improved brain processing speed, He could now observe high-speed battles between high-level fighters with greater clarity.
The choice he would make now would shape his path forward, but the silent gifts he had received were already a big cheat to set him on the path of greatness.
**********
( Meanwhile The Gemini Gods )
"He did it? He actually made it out of the hardest trail alive? But how?" Shakuni said, clutching his head in disbelief as the probability of Rocky surviving the hardest trail and then beating Blackbeard was under 2%.
"Hey, perfect evaluation too.... You got to give that kid some credit, that last move he pulled off, it's something I'd only expect from you brother" Ravan said, as he found Rocky's critical thinking impressive under duress.
"Well, his future has changed significantly because he managed to get a perfect evaluation in the tier two promotion test .... His fate is changing in real time before my eyes" Shakuni said, sounding excited as Ravan chuckled.
"Well, you did help him through it brother. Him meeting that little rabbit while the mother was away was no coincidence.
You knew what his limits were and gave him the best chance of survival" Ravan said, as he knew exactly what tricks Shakuni played to keep Rocky alive, although he was pretending to be surprised now.
"Kekeke, of course, I can't let a precious Champion die just like that can I?" Shakuni admitted, as Ravan shook his head.
"Don't over-exerted yourself brother, I know how much altering fate takes out of you...." Ravan reminded, as Shakuni only smiled softly listening to his brother's concern.
"So, how is his fate changing... good or bad?" Ravan asked, as Shakuni peered deep into the fog of fate and then at the myriad possible outcomes that Rocky's life could take from here on out.
"Oh it's ugly.... Every last one of them is more despicable than the other. This boys going to become a thoroughly hated villain" Shakuni said, as Max laughed heartily listening to that response.
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/// A/N - Bonus chapter for hitting the PS target good job everyone! ///