Max clenched his fists, his mind racing. He wasn't just anyone—he was an SSS-Rank class holder. The pinnacle of talent.
Sure, leveling up was expected to be harder for him. The higher the class tier, the more resources were required for even the smallest breakthroughs. That was normal.
But hitting a hard stop? That was unheard of.
His body shouldn't have reached a saturation state—'not yet.' It was like sothing was actively blocking his advancent, a hidden restriction he hadn't accounted for.
A saturation state—a dreaded bottleneck where an individual could no longer level up after reaching a certain threshold. It was a natural limitation, a hard cap imposed by their class restrictions.
But that wasn't Max's problem.
His class was SSS-Rank. The highest tier. A level of potential so vast it was considered limitless. Others might struggle with class-based restrictions, but for him? There shouldn't even be a saturation point.
And yet…
Here he was. Stuck.
Max had thought long and hard about why he couldn't level up. He had scoured every possibility, turning over every theory in his mind.
Then, it hit him.
The system notification. The one about his unique physique.
He recalled the ssage clearly—it had stated that he had t only one of the three conditions required to unlock the physique.
His eyes narrowed. 'So that's it…'
"If I haven't t all three conditions, then I won't be able to reach Adept Rank," Max muttered under his breath, piecing things together.
He already had a strong suspicion about the second condition—it had to be the Gate of Life.
Normally, cultivators only broke open the Gate of Life after reaching the peak of Adept Rank, using it to undergo a major transformation.
But if his system was actively preventing him from advancing, that could only an one thing—he had to open the Gate of Life early, while still in Apprentice Rank.
A ridiculous requirent.
Almost unheard of.
But it made sense.
His unique physique wasn't going to awaken through normal ans. If the system was forcing him down this path, then breaking the Gate of Life prematurely had to be mandatory.
As for the final condition…
Max's brows furrowed. 'No clue.'
Unlike the Gate of Life, which he could at least theorize, the last requirent was a complete mystery. There were no hints, no leads, no historical precedent he could look to.
And that was frustrating.
But if he wanted to break through to Adept Rank, he had no choice. He needed to figure it out—fast.
Max's mind worked quickly, piecing together the puzzle.
'The first condition was to open the Soul Palace before reaching the peak of Apprentice Rank.'
'The second condition was to open the Gate of Life which normally one during the peak of Adept Rank, since it was required to advance to Seeker Rank.'
That ant…
'The final condition must be tied to whatever is needed to reach Expert Rank.'
It was pure speculation, but the logic fit. If his system was forcing him to advance key milestones in just the Apprentice Rank, then the last requirent had to be whatever barrier separated Seeker Rank from Expert Rank.
The problem?
There was no record of what that requirent was.
Max had scoured the Extranet. But nothing. It was as if the knowledge was intentionally hidden or only known by a select few.
That only left one option.
'"I'll have to ask the Old Saintess… and Klaus."'
They were the only ones he could think of who might have actual answers. If anyone knew the truth about the Expert Rank breakthrough, it would be them.
For now, the final condition remained a mystery. But at least now, he had a direction.
Beep!
Max's holowatch lit up, vibrating lightly against his wrist. A ssage from Callie appeared on the screen.
[We will be leaving in a few hours. Be ready.]
Max read it once, then again. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 'Finally.' It was ti to head to the West Region.
Everything—the endless training, the brutal self-imposed drills—had been leading up to this mont. Four months of nonstop preparation.
He had pushed his body and mind to the edge, sharpening every skill, reinforcing every weakness.
Because the West Region wasn't just another mission.
It was a turning point.
Two major events lood ahead:
The birthday of the King of the West—a gathering that would attract the most powerful figures in the entire continent.
The exploration of the Mourning Depths—a dangerous, unpredictable expedition where life and death were separated by a thin thread.
And with the Ascendants and the Monarch moving in the shadows, Max knew one thing for sure—he couldn't trust anyone.
Aside from the Black Lotus Guild and the Thorne Family, he had no true allies.
That ant he had to rely on one thing only—his own strength.
Max exhaled, shaking his head. No point in overthinking it now. He needed to get ready.
Stepping into the bathroom, he let the hot water run over his body, washing away the stiffness from his muscles. His mind, however, remained sharp, already running through potential scenarios for what awaited him.
Once done, he changed into sothing different from his usual attire.
A black jacket with a hoodie, layered over a grey t-shirt, paired with black jeans.
The Black Lotus Guild's standard dress code—a hoodie with a mask on.
The only thing he was missing?
A mask.
Max stepped out of his house, his pace steady as he made his way toward the gathering point.
It didn't take long before the group ca into view.
And the first thing he noticed? The numbers were low.
Very low.
Aside from himself, only three other geniuses had assembled. At the forefront of the group stood Klaus, his usual easygoing smirk firmly in place.
Max's gaze swept over them before he spoke.
"Only this many?" His tone was calm, but his eyes held a hint of curiosity.
Klaus's grin widened. "We aren't exactly welcod anywhere in Valora Continent, so the fewer of us, the better."
Max raised a brow. "Aren't we invited?"
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