The further Ronan read into the warning from his heritage, the more his face twisted in confusion. At least, it would've done, if he had a face and wasn't just a consciousness floating in a dark abyss. The analysis had said he could do up to fifteen iterations before the cost became unpayable.

Then he cursed in realisation. This is what it meant by high chrono cost. I have to lose some of the 'kept' progress that my heritage gives me in order to keep up this branch path.

He considered the pros and cons of doing so. Every single trait he'd received so far had been beneficial, and more than that, had synergised really well with his existing skills and his general combat style. Earning more in exchange for some lost skills or multipliers wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

However, it was an unknown cost. He might only lose a few percent of his multipliers, or he might lose the entire lot. As much as Ronan wanted to acquire a few more traits, he wasn't willing to risk the progress he'd sacrificed many of his valuable lives to earn.

Not that he was losing out, per se. He'd already acquired five rare traits, each of them uniquely powerful. It had been a worthwhile experiment, with great rewards.

Ronan decided he would end the branch here, while he was still ahead. He didn't want to get a gambling addiction. Also, he still needed to find out what would happen with his skillbound conduit ring and the bound skill, learn through suffering, when he returned to the beginning of the tutorial. It would be another compounding advantage to take with him.

He had noticed that he didn't gain anything from the skill upon his death in this branch, and nor had he received an analysis from his heritage. Ronan was curious to know how it would be handled.

All this deliberation took place in the mind of a dead man, floating in the empty dark void that was… Huh, I don't actually know where this is. The afterlife? Outside the universe? It's sort of peaceful, he thought to himself. Anyway, thinking time is over.

Ronan was ready to end the branch. His next goal, regardless of what happened with the skillbound conduit ring, was to attempt the next step up in difficulty of the tutorial. No, I don't wish to begin a new branch iteration. Break it, he commanded.

Decoding universal-parallel probability matrix…

Estimating chrono cost of anchor point…

Branch path has been terminated!

Restarting local spacetime…

The power of the Chronos Clan shocked Ronan once again, but he was growing more numb to it with every new discovery. He wondered what cost he would have to pay for the five iterations he'd been through in the branch path. It had been described as 'medium,' but he had no comparison for the scale it was using.

Branch path analysis [Branch 1, Ronan Steele]

Iterations completed: 5

Estimated chrono cost: Medium

Actual chrono cost: Medium

All cultivation realms earned on branch path have been purged!

All mastery points gained on branch path have been purged!

All multipliers increased on branch path have been reset!

Please select one of the five traits gained on this branch path to sacrifice to the Temporal Obelisk…

[Mineral Skeleton]

[Berserk Cultivation Body]

[Animal Prescience]

[Perfect Proprioception]

[Manasynthetic]

Motherfu— Ronan began to curse in his mind, before calming himself. It's not actually that hefty a price if I think about it… Even the fact I can use the same item more than once is overpowered as hell.

That didn't mean he was happy about being forced to sacrifice one of his newly acquired traits, but he could accept it as the cost of having a ridiculous advantage over… Well, everyone else in the multiverse, apparently.

When I put it like that, maybe complaining about this makes me a spoiled brat, he joked inwardly. Now then, which of these five incredible traits do I give up…

It was a really difficult decision. All of them would either directly enhance his combat strength, or his overall capabilities to survive in this new world.

He immediately knew he wouldn't sacrifice Mineral Skeleton. It seemed to be a trait that could grow with him, giving it a higher power ceiling than the others.

The same went for Berserk Cultivation Body. It was a flat cultivation speed buff no matter what realm he reached, with the only downside being self-harm. Which to Ronan, was no downside at all.

Looking at the last three, they were all beneficial in some way, but the choice was obvious. Animal Prescience was an unmatched ability to have in combat. Predicting what one's opponent was going to do gave one an absurd advantage.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Manasynthetic not only seemed to be an ability he could improve through training, but one that was flat-out strong as hell. Absorbing enemy magic was the kind of ability any close-quarters fighter would kill for.

Perfect Proprioception was also a wonderful talent for any living creature. In a perfect world, Ronan would have kept all the five traits. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite stack up to the others. So, it was going to be the trait he sacrificed to the Temporal Obelisk.

The Temporal Obelisk accepts your sacrifice. [Perfect Proprioception] has been purged from your soul, mind, and body.

The Temporal Obelisk senses the dawn of a new era…

The Temporal Obelisk is awakening…

Ronan felt a gentle buzz in his… soul? as the trait was purged. The messages about the obelisk were a little ominous, but if it was something created by his clan, it had to be beneficial to him that it was waking up.

He still had one chronos merit saved up, but there was nothing he could spend it on. Unless the awakening has unlocked more enhancements for me to purchase? At that thought, he walked up to the obelisk and opened the menu, but found the same three enhancements that had been on offer since he first visited this place.

With nothing left to do in his clan's ancestral grounds, Ronan prepared himself to return to the start of the tutorial, discover if his gambit with the skillbound conduit ring had paid off, and take on a higher difficulty.

I just hope it isn't more bloody goblins, he thought, mentally crossing his fingers.

Beginning a new iteration, please stand by…

In a flash, the world around him twisted and then reformed. He found himself at the beginning of the tutorial, the system's drone in his ears. Ronan had heard it dozens of times before, but this time, he was watching with an eagle eye for the moment his status was displayed.

Initiating user assessment…

Here we go! Come on, skillbound conduit ring, I believe in you, Ronan inwardly cheered.

Assessment complete!

Name: Ronan Steele

Race: Human (G)

Heritage: Reverberating Chronosphere (Current Iteration: 18) +

Level: 0

Class: None

Fortune: 0

[Stats]

Health: 68/68

Stamina: 102/102

Mana: 60/60

Vitality: 6

Endurance: 9

Wisdom: 5

Regeneration: 3

Resistance: 6

Strength: 6

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 8

Dexterity: 5

Acuity: 7

Tenacity: 12

Luck: 2

Charisma: 4

Available Points: 0

[Traits]

Inevitable (Epic) (Personal)

Mineral Skeleton (Rare) (Mutative)

Berserk Cultivation Body (Rare) (Mutative)

Animal Prescience (Rare) (Evolutionary)

Manasynthetic (Rare) (Evolutionary)

[Skills]

Unified Language Adaptation (Universal)

Relentless Training (Common)

Magic Strike (Common)

Vital Surge (Common)

Mighty Strength (Common)

Critical Experience (Common)

Double Strike (Common)

Magic Money (Common)

Excessive Endurance (Common)

Reverberating Path (Epic) (Blessing)

Impact Leech (Common)

Weapons Expert - Melee (Common)

Stone Grip (Common

Eagle Eye (Common)

Quick Forage (Common)

Overcharge (Common)

Negotiation (Common)

Calculation (Common)

Enhanced Acuity (Common)

Learn Through Suffering (Rare) (Cla5?)

Freeloader (Common)

Limitless Luck (Common)

[Mastery]

Pugilist II 36/100

Mana I 31/100

Sword I 1/100

Shield I 1/100

Staff I 1/100

Spear I 6/100

Stamina II 16/100

Pain I 7/100

Anti-Magic 24/100

Perception 19/100

Leadership 4/100

Stealth 1/100

Grappling 21/100

[Cultivation]

Mind: Quartz ★★★ (0.6%)

Body: Stone ★★ (3.9%)

Energy: Sparkling ★★ (1.2%)

Soul: None (0.2%)

[Blessings]

Blessing of Chronos (Boundless)

Minor Blessing of the Temporal Obelisk (Unique)

Tellen Mark of the Guardian Initiate (Epic)

[Mutations]

+129% Mental resistance

+43% Magical damage resistance

Ronan let out a whoop of joy as he read through the skills section of his status. It looked a little odd, but Learn Through Suffering was still right there. His gambit had paid off.

He lifted up his fist, and gave the silver ring on his right pointer finger a kiss. You damned beauty.

Your difficulty has been set to [Normal]! If you believe this is an unsuitable assessment, you are free to voice your complaints. Stage 1 will begin in 5…

I have a complaint. Put me in the difficulty one above normal, please, system! Ronan inwardly yelled the moment the message appeared. He'd been so focused on the ring that he almost missed it.

Your complaint has been received!

Please hold while it is being reviewed…

Whether he would be able to take on a higher difficulty tutorial hinged on the outcome of his complaint, which truthfully, he hadn't expected to require review. Ronan thought it might have just placed him in a higher difficulty the moment he asked.

However, he only had to wait a few seconds before another chime rang in his ears, and the message he'd been waiting for popped up in his vision.

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