By the time I got back to my busted-ass apartment, the adrenaline from the past two days finally caught up with me. The door creaked like it wanted to fall off, the air smelled like old carpet, and the walls were thin enough to hear the neighbor snoring two units over.
Home sweet fucking home.
I locked the door, tossed my bag onto the couch, and dropped onto my mattress.
First order of business?
Roll a blunt. Then another.
I sparked the first one, inhaled slow, and let the smoke settle my nerves.
And that's when everything from yesterday hit me again in waves:
The close calls.
The split-second dodges.
The Floor 40 B-rank monster roaring in my face.
Me almost dying.
Me pushing back.
Me winning.
A rush of fear, thrill, anger, and victory burned through my chest.
I actually did it.
Twice.
In one day.
Solo.
That realization alone almost made me laugh out loud.
I took another hit and lay back, staring up at the ceiling.
Time for the next step.
I pulled out the two skill seeds I bought earlier. They hummed faintly, reacting to my Boundless aura.
I held the first one.
It pulsed.
I crushed it in my palm.
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[Skill Acquired: Slipstream Sense]
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Slipstream Sense — Rank: Rare (Upgradeable)
A perception-based technique that converts environmental motion, air resistance, and mana currents into "streams" your mind can read.
Effects:
• Allows you to sense movement within a 30-meter radius.
• Predicts enemy trajectories by reading "turbulence signatures."
• Slightly enhances reflexes.
• Can detect invisible/fast-moving targets if their motion disturbs the surrounding air or mana.
Skill Point Cost Per Level:
• Rare → Epic: 25,000 SP
• Epic → Unique: 70,000 SP
• Unique → Legendary: 190,000 SP
• Legendary → Ultimate: 350,000 SP
Level-Up Evolution Path:
Epic: Range expands, motion-reading becomes instinctive.
• Unique: Converts environmental motion into pseudo-precognition.
• Legendary: Full spatial awareness; predicts events several seconds ahead.
• Ultimate: Past, present, and near-future movement streams merge; you can "phase" between trajectories for perfect dodges.
A ripple of awareness spread through my skull.
The world felt sharper — like motion itself became information.
I grabbed the second seed.
Crushed it.
And my vision warped instantly.
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[Skill Acquired: Surface A.I.T]
(Appraisal • Insight • Truth)
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Surface A.I.T — Rank: Rare (Upgradeable)
A hybrid cognitive skill that analyzes surface-level truths by reading micro-signals, mana tension, and emotional resonance.
Effects:
• Appraises stats, skills, ranks, conditions, and lies (surface-level only)
• Reveals weak points on enemies
• Unlocks "Intent Sight"—read the emotional pressure someone projects
• Displays "danger level" relative to your own rank
Skill Point Cost Per Level:
• Rare → Epic: 22,000 SP
• Epic → Unique: 65,000 SP
• Unique → Legendary: 170,000 SP
• Legendary → Ultimate: 310,000 SP
Level-Up Evolution Path:
Epic: Can read deeper truths + analyze skills for structure.
• Unique: Gains "Persona Split View"—shows a target's public vs private intent.
• Legendary: Reads past battle patterns + predicts skill sequences.
• Ultimate: Full "Truth Layer Perception" — sees everything except locked Sovereign lines (like your own).
The skill settled like a cold flame behind my eyes.
The world didn't just look different — it felt different.
Like I started seeing reality's subtitles.
Now it was time to upgrade.
I opened my status window:
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SP: 967,165
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"God damn," I whispered.
Boundless skills were cracked.
Time to evolve.
Upgrading Surface A.I.T
I selected the skill.
A prompt appeared:
[Upgrade skill to Epic? – 22,000 SP]
I accepted.
A flash of blue light burst behind my eyes, like my brain was rewriting itself. My perception widened. Details sharpened.
Another prompt:
[Upgrade to Unique? – 65,000 SP]
I accepted again.
A second surge hit me — heavier, deeper.
The room vibrated.
My senses expanded outward in all directions.
Another prompt appeared:
[Upgrade to Legendary? – 170,000 SP]
"Yes."
The world folded inward, then snapped outward.
I felt people in the apartments around me.
Their emotions.
Their fear.
Their boredom.
Their lies they told themselves.
One more prompt:
[Upgrade to Ultimate? – 310,000 SP]
A smirk stretched across my lips.
"Do it."
Reality shattered and reassembled.
My eyes burned platinum for a moment.
Surface A.I.T changed.
The system chimed:
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[Surface A.I.T has evolved → Omniscient Veil Perception]
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Omniscient Veil Perception — Ultimate Rank
A sovereign-grade cognitive art that peers into truths normally hidden behind fate, rank, and soul layers.
Effects:
• Perfect appraisal (unless facing an S-rank Sovereign)
• Reads emotional, mental, and mana states instantly
• Predicts movement + thoughts + skill chains
• Reveals hidden spells, illusions, curses, seals
• "Veil Skip": allows glimpses behind fate-obscured information
• Sees through lies even gods would try to tell
A cold shiver crawled up my spine.
I felt everything.
Every vibration.
Every heartbeat in the building.
Every fragment of mana in the air.
"Holy shit…"
I had become a walking lie detector with combat precognition.
And I still wasn't done.
Upgrading Slipstream Sense
I selected it and poured SP into it.
Epic
• Unique
• Legendary
• Ultimate
Each evolution hit me like a new dimension unfolding.
Wind.
Motion.
Vibration.
Environmental pressure.
Micro-trajectories.
Fate streams.
Quantum noise.
All of it became readable.
Finally:
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[Slipstream Sense has evolved → Aetherstream Sovereign Sight]
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Aetherstream Sovereign Sight — Ultimate Rank
Movement, fate, mana, and physical flow merge into a single perceivable tapestry.
Effects:
• 360° omnidirectional motion sense
• Spatial precognition (2–5 seconds depending on threat)
• Ability to "slip" into optimal trajectories
• Negates sneak attacks
• Counter-attacks become instinctual
• Grants micro-teleportation through air currents (short-range, instantaneous)
I sucked in a breath as the power settled.
The world wasn't just sharp — it was alive.
I could feel motion before motion even happened.
I opened my updated SKILL LIST window:
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— UPDATED SKILL EVOLUTIONS —
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Omniscient Veil Perception (Ultimate)
Full truth + intent + future-reading + skill prediction + veil-slip
Aetherstream Sovereign Sight (Ultimate)
Perfect movement sense + micro-teleports + spatial precognition
Two of the most broken perception skills imaginable…
…and I had both at max rank.
I leaned back on my bed, exhaling slow.
"Yeah…
This is gonna change everything."