Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 131 131: Consolidating SkillsTimeless AssassinC131 131: Consolidating Skills
(Rodova Military Academy – Two Months Later)
After the challenging first mid-semester exam in Basics of Magic Theory, the rest of the exams proved significantly easier for Leo to handle.
In Physical Training, he was already miles ahead of his peers, and when evaluated under the same grading lens, he naturally secured a perfect score.
In Practical Combat, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Su Yang as one of the strongest fighters in the first-year class, once again earning the highest possible grade without much difficulty.
In Basics of Perception, his perfect mastery of [Absolute Vision] made the entire course feel like cake-walk, as he breezed through assessments that left others fumbling.
Stealth and Planning posed no threat either, as his instincts, discipline, and natural talent allowed him to pass with flying colors.
And in Basics of Assassination, a subject where many struggled to find footing, Leo thrived—his precision, fondness of learning about poisons, and natural killer instinct shining through, as he secured yet another excellent mark.
Hence, with all his subjects handled and his academic footing solidified, Leo was finally free to focus entirely on what truly mattered to him—his training.
And for the next sixty days, that was all he did.
Leo trained like a man possessed—reshaping his body, refining his instincts and sharpening his mind, as he transformed himself into something far more dangerous than what he had been before.
Because it wasn't just the skills he was mastering, or the countless hours poured into the combat grounds.
It was the atmosphere itself—the pressure, the rivalry, the pace of Rodova—that pushed him to evolve beyond his limits.
And evolve, he did.
—--------
[Absolute Vision] had long since become a part of his subconscious.
A permanent layer in his awareness—always active, always running.
As one part of his mind remained solely dedicated to maintaining the skill, filtering through the sensory information of his surroundings in a never-ending loop, that allowed him to monitor every blind spot without thinking.
But what surprised him most—was what he began doing with his actual eyes.
As what happened next wasn't something that Leo had consciously planned or trained for.
But after weeks of fighting against Grandmaster-tier opponents and getting repeatedly pummeled, knocked flat, and outpaced, his instincts began to adapt in subtle ways that his conscious mind only later caught onto.
As he started to subconsciously watch for patterns.
Patterns like the way an opponent's shoulder tensed before a punch.
The twist of their ankle before a kick.
The smallest twitch in their fingers before they cast a spell.
It was never a full motion—just a contraction of muscle, a shift in stance, a whisper of movement that gave away what was coming next.
And although it all happened in the span of just a few microseconds—that was all Leo needed to predict what was coming next.
His brain, now trained to split its focus, allowed [Absolute Vision] to monitor his surroundings for attacks and any big movements.
While his real real eyes focused purely on reading his opponent's body, giving him a reaction window that, while tiny, was often the difference between taking a hit and slipping past it, as his real eyes only focused on the muscle contractions on his opponents body.
Telltale signs such as the direction their pupils were gazing in.
The extent their biceps were contracted at.
And the tension in their ankles.
This was all that Leo monitored constantly using his actual eyes, as he tried to stay one step ahead of his opponent, whenever he could.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a perfect system yet.
As he often made mistakes in his reading of what that muscle movement meant.
However, they were mistakes he undoubtedly learned from—each one sharpening him further, as every subsequent fight brought him closer to becoming untouchable against opponents within the same tier.
With his superior speed and reflexes already giving him an edge, the added ability to predict his enemy's movements made him borderline impossible to hit.
And this phenomenon was evident in his recent spars with Su Yang—who, despite advancing rapidly in his own craft, now struggled to land even a single clean blow on him.
—--------
At the same time over the last sixty days, Leo's training with [Celestial Veil] had become the most grueling—and expensive—part of his daily schedule, as every afternoon after class, he would beg Professor Hen, Muiyan Faye, or even Mu Shen to attack him with live spells or high-speed projectiles, forcing him to activate the shield at the exact right moment to block the incoming hit.
It was frustrating. Painful. And completely draining.
As with every failed attempt, not only was he left brutally bruised and injured.
But it also left him costing 25% of his mana pool, as Leo burned through four dozen mana potion bottles a day, drawing more than a few concerned glances from the academy supply staff who were worried about the expense his training cost the academy.
But the pain and the expense were worth it.
Because after two months of this brutal regimen—
He broke through.
[Celestial Veil] finally reached (Advanced) mastery, as his understanding of the technique sharpened through repeated use.
And it was at this stage that everything changed.
The activation time dropped to just 0.3 seconds—quick enough to deploy mid-fight, quick enough to save his life even in close quarters, as he finally began weaving the skill seamlessly into real combat and not just drills.
The mana cost, too, dropped from a crippling 25% to a far more manageable 10%, making it viable to use not once, but multiple times across a drawn-out fight without completely draining his reserves.
Where once the skill felt like a gamble—an expensive shield he prayed would trigger in time—it had now become a reliable, instinctual part of his arsenal.
As he no longer hoped it would activate, but rather confidently knew that it would.
And that certainty transformed everything.
He could now afford to take risks. To charge in. To press harder. To walk into danger without flinching.
Because for 1.2 full seconds—Leo wasn't just defending.
He was simply invincible.
—--------
Finally—and perhaps inevitably—the most noticeable leap came in his offense.
[Thousand Phantom Strikes], once a flashy but slightly clumsy skill, had evolved into a legitimate nightmare to defend against.
As after two months of relentless use and refinement, Leo had finally pushed the technique to (Advanced) mastery.
Gone were the flickering, transparent illusions that once betrayed the move's mechanics.
Now?
They looked real.
With every step, ghostly afterimages peeled off from his body, scattering in every direction like echoes in motion.
With every swing, a dozen phantom blades mirrored the real one—each strike timed with surgical precision to overload his opponent's perception.
As the skill no longer looked just fast.
It was elegant.
Fluid.
Deadly.
Even Major Hen began misreading the attacks during their spars, slipping up in ways he never had before, creating rare openings that Leo could now regularly exploit—landing clean, undeniable blows against someone who once toyed with him.
Because once the afterimages took hold, it became nearly impossible to tell where the real Leo was—or which blade was going to land.
And when paired with [Blade Switch], which allowed him to reposition through spatial gaps at will—
Leo became a blur of motion and illusion.
An unpredictable force of chaos that no opponent could easily anticipate, let alone pin down.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 132 132: Leo Versus HenTimeless AssassinC132 132: Leo Versus Hen
(Rodova Military Academy – Practical Combat Arena)
"50 days! There's only 50 days left until the final Circuits selection begins!"
Major Hen's voice echoed across the arena, sharp and charged with urgency, as he blocked a lightning-fast strike aimed at his left knee.
"Minerva has already reached the Grandmaster realm! That's two of the five main Circuit team spots already locked down! So unless you want to be one of the rotation members—step up your game, Skyshard!"
Leo didn't respond. He couldn't. His body was in constant motion—ducking, weaving, striking—with a level of precision that demanded every ounce of focus.
Hen grunted as he parried another slash, sidestepping a follow-up feint, as his brows furrowed slightly in surprise when he noticed Leo's improved speed and strength.
This wasn't the same kid he sparred three and a half months ago. No… this was someone entirely different.
'His growth speed is monstrous,' Hen thought, narrowing his eyes as Leo adjusted mid-combo, slipping past his reach with fluid footwork and economy of movement.
'What takes most talented students at least three months to learn, he picks up in under a week—and the bastard never even repeats the same mistake twice,' Hen added, jabbing forward as—
*Flash—*
Leo's body shifted—not in the panicked, awkward recoil he used to rely on, where he'd bend backward and lose his balance—but with a clean hip rotation and a precise step into Hen's blind spot, which minimized motion while maximizing positioning.
'Tch… clean transition.' Hen thought, as he appreciated Leo's growth, as the old Leo would've instinctively tucked in his stomach and retreated with a clumsy hop backward—effective at avoiding damage, but disastrous when it came to follow-ups.
But this Leo? He dodged with control, as he had clearly learned the importance of never falling into defensive postures that left him vulnerable to the next move.
'This kid is going to dominate the Circuits—his fundamentals are just too strong,' Hen thought, as even in the middle of battle, he couldn't help but appreciate the precision of Leo's style.
Out of the countless students Hen had trained, very few showed this kind of progress—none, perhaps, as complete and refined as Leo.
Because Leo didn't waste movement.
He fought with purpose. Every step, every strike, every breath—connected seamlessly to the next, as if part of a grand design.
"TAKE THIS—!" Hen barked, shifting momentum with a low kick aimed at Leo's shin.
But instead of jumping back or blocking, Leo activated [Blade Switch], flickering several meters to the side, leaving a ghosted afterimage still mid-motion in his place.
'There it is again—that damn combo.'
The illusions from [Thousand Phantom Strikes] were already difficult to track on their own, but when layered with [Blade Switch] and [Parallel Processing], it was like fighting a phantom made of static and shadow.
Hen could feel the dissonance hit his senses—he was reading five different Leos at once, as even his Grandmaster-tier perception scrambled for clarity.
*Swoosh—*
A blade suddenly came from the right, and Hen spun with speed to parry—
Only to realize it wasn't real.
It was a fake dagger thrown by a clone. A distraction from using [Mirror World].
Because the real strike came from the left.
*Clang!*
Hen's blade deflected the true attack just in time, his heart skipping a beat from the close call—only for Leo to surge in again, his strikes crashing like waves, relentless and overlapping in rhythm.
But Hen wasn't a rookie. He pivoted and countered with a heavy elbow aimed straight for Leo's ribs—
*THUD—*
His strike met resistance.
An invisible wall of force—[Celestial Veil].
*THUNK.*
Hen's elbow bounced harmlessly off, as pain shot up his arm from the impact.
He grimaced.
'[Celestial Veil], huh? The kid baited me into that.'
Only now did Hen realize that Leo had deliberately left his abdomen exposed—not because he forgot to guard, but to invite a counter.
And it worked.
'Cheeky…'
Hen couldn't help but smirk as he skidded back to create distance.
That invisible barrier… he'd clashed with it dozens of times before. But now—it triggered faster. Smoother and just a breath before impact.
'0.3 seconds to activate the move… that's not novice timing anymore—that's battlefield timing,' Hen thought, as he realigned into another defensive stance while Leo lunged forward again.
And while Hen did not exactly feel under threat—he couldn't dismiss this fight either.
Leo still lacked the raw strength to pressure a Grandmaster to fear for their life in a direct clash, but he had reached a point where any lapse in focus could earn Hen a cut, a bruise, or a genuine injury.
And for Hen, that alone was reason enough to stay fully locked in.
'This kid's a damn monster in the making,' he concluded, before finally deciding to end the spar with a precise combo—a sharp elbow to Leo's jaw, followed by a heavy kick to the chest.
As Leo was sent flying across the practice arena.
*SKID*
*THUD–*
Leo skidded to a halt, breathing heavily on the floor, as Hen secretly wiped a couple drops of sweat that had appeared on his forehead.
17 minutes and 55 seconds.
That's how long Leo had lasted today against Hen, and considering there was still a tier difference between them—
That number alone spoke volumes.
'Marvin you bastard? Just how hard have you been training these boys to have developed such monstrous stamina within them?
To be able to go toe to toe against me at full blast for 17 minutes and 55 seconds!
The endurance on this kid is beyond normal—' Hen thought, as he dropped his weapon and ran his hands through his hair, to make sure he still looked good.
"Alright, that's enough for the day, Skyshard, you and Yang have to take your fourth genetic awakening shot today.
Rest and clean up a bit.
YANG! YOU STUPID IDIOT, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NOT SPAR WHILE WEARING THAT RIDICULOUS 150KG VEST.
You're not Goku…. Stop that nonsense now!" Hen screamed, as after instructing Leo to take it slow, he admonished Su Yang to be sparring while wearing that vest, as it could easily lead to slipped disks or other muscular injuries.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 133: The Fourth ShotTimeless AssassinC133: The Fourth Shot
(Rodova Military Academy – Genetic Awakening Chamber)
Major Hen led Leo and Su Yang down the sterile, highly secure corridor with his usual casual swagger, as the hall full of guards let the pass with silent nods.
*HISSS—*
The chamber door opened after accepting Hen's biometrics, as the trio stepped into the awakening chamber that was eerily silent except for the soft humming noise of the neural-pods running in the corner.
By now, this routine had become familiar to them, and hence neither Leo nor Su Yang asked any questions as they arrived, their expressions calm and unreadable, as they each moved toward their designated pods without needing any instruction, while Hen remained just outside, arms folded and gaze sharp, watching over them like a hawk.
The neural ports embedded in the sleek interior of the injection pods responded automatically to their presence, as delicate metallic tendrils extended from the inner walls and attached themselves to the back of their necks with practiced precision, syncing with their nervous systems in preparation for the shot.
Within moments, the chamber doors slid open, as with a hiss, as two military-grade medics stepped in—stoic and efficient—each carrying a gleaming black case that housed the fourth Genetic Awakening Shot.
Hen offered them both a nod, his tone clipped but firm.
"Make sure the dosage is exact. If you mess this one up, even your great-great ancestors won't be able to save your licenses."
Hen warned, however, the doctors did not flinch.
This was not their first rodeo, and they were very experienced in their fields, which made tasks like administering a simple shot not even a slight challenge.
*SIGH–*
Leo let out a long, steady breath as the injector arm locked into place, and the pod interior flooded with the familiar pale-blue stasis gas that would protect his body during the adaptation process.
He had gone through this three times already, and while the burning sensation that followed the shot was never pleasant—it was something he had come to accept.
*SHOT—*
As the serum plunged into his system, he closed his eyes.
And waited.
And as always, the pain came first—crawling across his chest and burrowing into his limbs like fire eating away at flesh, as his blood boiled and his muscles twitched. But he didn't move. He couldn't. The pod held him in place, as nutrient injections and internal oxygen flow maintained his vitals at peak condition, while the neural interface ensured that his body entered an optimal metabolic state for the serum to take effect.
At this moment, Leo thought about how the third awakening yielded almost nothing of note—just a minor enhancement to his muscular responsiveness, which made him slightly more agile in close-range fights.
Meanwhile, Su Yang had unlocked a powerful new technique that he hadn't stopped bragging about for weeks.
So naturally, this time, Leo's expectations were high.
And this time, it came.
A surge—violent and absolute—as his head jerked slightly back and his breath got caught in his throat, as his mind was suddenly flooded by a tsunami of information.
He didn't understand it at first. Not all of it.
But the name of the technique floated up almost immediately, and that alone made him feel slightly confused?
[Ball Buster]
For a split second, he thought it was a joke. A glitch in the bloodline. Some kind of absurd prank left by one of his ancestors who renamed a terrifying dagger skill as [Ball Buster].
But no.
As the data poured in—more vivid and horrifying by the second—Leo realized this was no joke.
This was real.
It was an actual ball-bursting technique crafted by one of his ancestors, sealed within his bloodline and now forced into his hands
At first, he felt something close to curiosity.
Then horror.
And then…
Extreme embarrassment.
As despite [Monarch's Indifference] working overtime to keep his mind composed, Leo felt his cheeks flush red as the details of the technique began to slot into place within his head.
'What the hell kind of sick bastard came up with this move?' he thought, as a sharp pang of secondhand shame hit him like a truck.
Because the technique—despite its crude name—was disturbingly efficient.
Initially developed as a torture technique in ancient blood wars, [Ball Buster] was a skill that targeted the most sensitive regions of the human body with surgical cruelty.
For men, it focused on the testicles—specifically, the fine network of nerves, blood vessels, and mana channels in the scrotum.
The technique involved placing one's palm over the target area and releasing a finely tuned burst of mana, laced with vibrational shockwaves that shattered capillaries, ruptured nerves, and collapsed the inner tissue structure—effectively turning the organ into an unusable lump of pain and trauma.
And the worst part was that it wasn't just physically agonizing—No
Because, it actually rendered healing spells almost useless, as the damage spread in a radial pattern designed to evade common regeneration techniques.
As even with high-level medical intervention, there was always some form of permanent damage left behind.
Which made Leo shudder just thinking about it.
And while it was cruel on men, it was no less cruel for women, as the technique targeted the chest of the women—specifically, the fatty and glandular tissues that formed the breasts.
As with just a five-second-long contact infused with mana compression, [Ball Buster] deflated them entirely—reducing their volume to flat muscle and leaving behind a painful, tender scar that echoed for weeks.
'…What kind of ancestor creates this and thinks, "Yes, this is my legacy"?' Leo groaned internally, burying his face in his hands—at least, metaphorically, as the pod held his arms firmly in place.
And worst of all?
It worked.
It was effective.
Horrifyingly so.
It bypassed armor. Ignored mana barriers. The technique was so invasive and brutal that even if it didn't kill the target, it almost always rendered them completely incapable of continuing the fight.
But even with all that power… Leo couldn't bring himself to accept it.
'Absolutely not. I will never use this.' He resolved internally—
Not because he wanted to keep it a secret weapon.
Not because he wanted to save it for a desperate moment.
But simply because he was far too ashamed to ever be seen using it.
'I don't want to be known in the universe as Leo Skyshard, the weirdo who attacks the genitals!
Also, such weird fetishes never end well–
What goes around, comes around, so if I do end up busting someone's balls, I'm sure they will become obsessed with me and come to chop my dick off at some point of my life!' Leo thought, as he rejected the idea of ever using this move in his life.
"Pervert. The ancestor was definitely a pervert," he muttered to himself.
As for the first time ever, Leo found himself praying, that no one would ever ask him what skill he unlocked during this awakening as he would simply feel too embarrassed to even talk about it.
'What do I even say?'
'Do I admit I learned a move that turns men into eunuchs and women into flat-chested amazons?' Leo wondered, as he re-swore to keep this one buried deep within his own memories.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 134: Leakage? Nah---Timeless AssassinC134: Leakage? Nah---
(Rodova Military Academy – Genetic Awakening Chamber)
Major Hen stood in front of the two pods, arms crossed as he paced idly around the chamber.
His boots echoed lightly against the reinforced floor, as real-time neural data from each pod streamed across the data slate in his hands.
He did not expect anything too dramatic this time—not after the third shot had already begun to show diminishing returns.
But he still kept an eye on the numbers, as watching these two freakishly talented kids go through their transformation had become an oddly entertaining affair for him.
Leo's vitals were stable. Heart rate slightly elevated. Oxygen absorption optimal.
And yet—
Hen frowned as he scrolled through the biometric results.
There was no major growth spurt. No noticeable changes to skeletal density. No muscle mass spike. Not even a hint of physical restructuring.
If anything, the only improvement came in the form of a marginal 3% increase in mana circulation capacity—hardly worth reporting if this were any other student.
And yet—
The neural scan of his brain showed significant activity.
About 10 minutes into the session, there was a sudden spike in brain activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex and deep memory zones, as Hen raised an eyebrow and tilted the slate sideways to confirm he wasn't misreading.
"Huh… well that's definitely a skill unlock," he muttered, watching the readings climb and level out as Leo's brain entered full data assimilation.
'Bloody hell… I wonder what kind of move he's unlocking this time,' Hen thought, his lips twitching into a conflicted smirk.
Because while a part of him felt genuinely happy that Leo had inherited another bloodline skill—another step toward unlocking his full potential—there was also that small, quiet voice of a seasoned fighter in his head whispering:
'What if you're the one who has to deal with that move during training?'
As the thought made Hen chuckle dryly to himself.
He almost couldn't believe that he had started to feel worried about a kid's growth.
But it just went to show how quickly Leo had evolved in just four shots, as sparring with him had already gone from playful to "slightly annoying" to "stay focused or you'll get stabbed" for Hen.
"What about Yang?" He muttered at that point, as swiping on the slate, he changed the screen to one that displayed Su Yang's data.
—---------
Su's results were more straightforward.
No neural spike.
No sudden skill acquisition.
But there was an improvement in the constitution.
Muscle distribution around the joints had shifted slightly—especially around the knees, ankles, and shoulders—forming additional micro-muscle groups designed for more explosive acceleration.
His tendons were denser too, likely to support sharper pivots and bursts of movement.
But beyond that?
Nothing major.
There were no flashy skill unlocks.
No mana circulation breakthroughs.
Just small, methodical improvements that wouldn't have been noticeable without precision tools in the first place.
*Sigh—*
Reading the data made Hen exhale through his nose, as he dragged a hand through his hair.
'So they're plateauing,' he thought.
Not in a bad way—but in the sense that the initial fireworks of the first few awakening shots had clearly dimmed.
The fourth shot, as expected, wasn't the game-changer the first two had been.
As no matter how talented the candidate, the body could only process so much foreign enhancement at a time, which was why the academy never registered the fifth and final shot until the end of the semester, as they saved it till the end for maximum impact.
The fifth dose was kind of like a super-boost, as it was a shot five times stronger than the rest, designed to push candidates to their genetic limit in one last explosive surge.
But even with the diminishing returns now showing—
Leo and Su Yang had already surpassed what most students accomplished in a year.
Across the board, they were faster, stronger, sharper. Their mana circulation, their natural attributes, their combat instincts—everything had grown at a pace that was simply not normal.
As while they had both entered the academy with similar baselines to the other Elite students like Mu Shen—
But now?
Now they were on an entirely different tier, having already become stronger than most second-years.
More composed.
And already more dangerous.
'So this is the legendary growth rate of Monarch-tier talents,' Hen thought, as he slowly nodded to himself, finally understanding why Alric had only ever cared about these two since the beginning.
'It makes sense now…' Hen realized, as he finally saw Alric's vision in full.
Even if Rodova failed to win the Circuits this year—
If trained properly, Leo and Su Yang could win it alone for Rodova next year.
Which was why Rodova needed to treat them like the supreme gems that they were, without question.
*HSSSS—*
At this point, the first pod hissed open as a cloud of nutrient gas spilled into the chamber, forcing Hen to turn his gaze toward Su Yang, who groaned lightly as he tried to sit up, drenched in sweat.
"Easy Yang, let me help you–" Hen said, moving forward as he caught Su Yang under the arm, and eased him on-to his feet.
"Easy, Yang. There's no need to behave like Skyshard…. He might be a freak who doesn't need support after Genetic shots, but you do—" Hen muttered, shaking his head at Su Yang's attempts to break free of his support, as he guided Su toward the recovery room.
Moments later, the second pod hissed open.
And Leo stepped out of it with an oddly flushed face, which made Hen feel confused.
"…Why the hell do you look like you just lost your virginity and were caught in the act by your father?" Hen asked, but Leo refused to respond.
He was never talking about what he experienced in the pod to anyone, and hence after letting out a deep sigh, he began walking towards the recovery room, deliberately avoiding eye-contact with Hen, who followed him closely with curiosity.
'Did he just accidentally let out a load or something?' Hen wondered, as he peeked towards Leo's military robes to see if there was any hint of semen leakage, but nothing of the sort seemed to have occured, as Hen double checked with his data slate.
'Huh…. Weird—' Hen concluded in the end, as he shrugged it off and instructed the boys to rest and sip on potions until the doctors cleared them to return to their dorms.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 135: The final stretchTimeless AssassinC135: The final stretch
(Rodova Military Academy – Physical Training Grounds)
There was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere among the first-year students after receiving their fourth Genetic Awakening Shot, as the race toward the Circuits selection officially began.
With no other major events scheduled between now and the start of the selections, every student seemed to enter a hyper-focused clutch mode, pushing themselves harder than ever in the hopes of squeezing out every bit of improvement possible in the seven weeks remaining till the selection day.
Lately, whispers had been circulating across the class—rumors that Su Yang was on the verge of becoming a Grandmaster-tier fighter.
Having already fulfilled the physical, mental, and skill requirements for a breakthrough, he now only needed to raise his mana concentration to the threshold, with most expecting his advancement to occur sometime within the next two weeks.
And it was this unexpectedly rapid timeline that sent ripples through the rest of the class, as murmurs of disbelief, anxiety, and awe grew louder by the day.
"He's going to break through. I'm telling you—within the next two weeks, Su Yang's becoming a Grandmaster."
"Ooof— A Grandmaster in just five months of joining the academy?
That's insane!
Meanwhile, most of our second year seniors are still crawling at Master-tier, barely making progress. With even the more talented ones yet to make a breakthrough."
"It's insane. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. I mean, I've been working my ass off since day one, and I'm still stuck trying to stabilize my mana flow.
Let alone reaching the Grandmaster tier as a first year, I'll be lucky to reach it two years after graduation."
"Yeah, the difference in talents is just insane. And borderline unfair.
What takes us years is possible for them in months—*sigh*,"
"It was always my dream to make it to the Circuits. Ever since I was a kid… I used to watch those broadcasted fights with my dad and swear I'd be on that stage one day.
Because that's where you get your first real shot at money and fame.
That's where the elite notice you.
The best weapons smiths want to make custom weapons for you.
The best gear smiths want to make custom body armor for you.
The best business conglomerates want to sponsor your career.
And organizations like the six big clans or the best adventurer guilds in the universe try to rope you in as a young talent.
It's like your whole life changes. And you instantly become famous and rich, which is why I must make it there!"
"Yeah, well, good luck dreaming when you're standing next to walking disasters like Su Yang and Skyshard. How the hell are we supposed to compete?"
"We're not. That's the thing. This year, we're not competing—we're surviving. I've already made peace with it. I'm aiming for the next year's summer camp. They say the top five students who don't make it into the Circuit team get auto-qualified for it, and honestly? I think I've got a shot."
"With those two on the team, and Mu Shen, Mu Ryan, and Doku basically locked in for three of the next year's summer camp slots, there's two spots still left up for grabs and I think I can clutch onto one of them."
"Exactly. It's sensible to start planning for the next year, as realistically your chances of making it to the team this year are slim to none.
But if this year, you can't be in the top five newbies? Then your dreams of ever appearing in the Circuits are as good as dead.
Because then you're just… cannon fodder. You train. You bleed. You get passed over. That's the game."
The students discussed while stretching before today's morning training, as everyone seemed super motivated to do their best for the upcoming selections.
As even if they could not make it to the team this year…. A good performance could confirm their seat for next year, which was crucial if they wanted to keep their dreams of ever appearing in the circuits alive.
—--------
(Leo's POV)
As Leo stretched before the start of physical training, his thoughts drifted back to the conversation he had shared with Su Yang the previous day, while the two of them were recovering side by side in the medical ward.
It had come rather unexpectedly, however, it was a much welcome reality check for Leo.
"I think I've finally hit the physical and mental thresholds I need to attempt the next tier, Skyshard.
This fourth shot has given me that last push I was missing.
And with me already having mastered the five skills necessary to break through, I feel like I'm close to touching the limit."
"The only department I'm lacking in now is the mana concentration needed to break through.
My body still can't store enough mana to facilitate a breakthrough.
But my goal is to hit the required concentration within the next two weeks—so I have enough time to train with my new strength before the Circuit selections begin."
"I suffered a lot of humiliation last time... and I need to repay all of it—with interest this time.
Because, that's the only way I'll reclaim my confidence in myself and in my bloodline."
"So try to keep up, Skyshard. You may have the better fighting style right now, but I'm about to leave you in the dust."
Su Yang had warned, as Leo did not take those words lightly.
Just like him, Su Yang had been grinding obsessively ever since his defeat against Minerva.
As a thoroughbred noble, he had hit his life's lowest point when he was humiliated and defeated by Minerva and ever since then he had been training like a maniac.
Unlike his previous self, who was accustomed to riding on talent alone, this changed Su Yang pushed himself relentlessly for every bit of progress he could make.
And now, with a breakthrough within his arm's reach, he was about to get the rewards for his hard work, which would increase his battle strength by leaps and bounds, and mount significant pressure on Leo who would be suddenly left behind.
Because unlike Su Yang, who was expected to break through in the next two weeks, Leo still needed five to six more weeks to get there himself.
His mana concentration was almost at the necessary level, as the Complete Marrow Meditation Manual showed he had already completed over 90% of the cellular replacement process.
With him now needing just four more weeks of six-hour meditation sessions to finally meet the threshold required to advance.
But unfortunately that wasn't the only requirement.
He was still lacking in the physical, mental, and skill categories— which were all critical pillars of progression that couldn't be overlooked.
[Celestial Veil] and [Thousand Phantom Strikes] still needed to be pushed from Advanced to Perfect mastery.
And [Parallel Processing], which didn't follow any traditional grading system, also had to be sharpened through constant repetition, until it also hit [Perfect] grade and became instinctive under pressure.
'I'm not too far behind… but I'm behind,' Leo analyzed, as deep down he knew that he wasn't miles away from Su Yang, and was very much on pace to become a Grandmaster before the selections.
However, there still remained some significant roadblocks that he needed to iron out, before he could catch up to Su Yang once again.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 136 136: CowardsTimeless AssassinC136 136: Cowards
"Skyshard. Yang. You'll both be wearing the 300-kilogram vests today—along with an additional 10 kilograms on each wrist and ankle," Marvin instructed, his tone firm as he gestured toward the weighted gear.
Su Yang stepped forward without hesitation, lifting the 300-kilogram vest with a practiced motion. But to Marvin's surprise, Leo did not follow suit.
Instead, Leo reached for the 325-kilogram vest, his expression unreadable—like a man on a mission.
"I said 300, Skyshard. Not 325—" Marvin repeated, but Leo paid him no heed, slipping the heavier vest over his shoulders without so much as a glance back.
Something about Su Yang already brushing up against his physical limits while he hadn't yet even approached his own… didn't sit right with Leo.
'If I can't out train him, I'll never catch-up to him' Leo thought, as he realized that if he wanted to make up the gap between them, he'd have to push himself harder—starting now.
"Are you sure about this, Skyshard? You were struggling hard with the 290 yesterday—" Su Yang reminded, raising an eyebrow, as Leo answered with a silent, impassive nod.
"Can't let you leave me in the dust," he said simply, as Su Yang grinned, understanding immediately.
This was Leo's way of declaring that the chase was on—and Su Yang welcomed it.
"Very well then… try not to fall behind my pace today," he replied, as Marvin clapped his hands and ordered the rest of the class to begin the day's drills.
—--------
From a distance, the second-year seniors stealthily observed the juniors' training session, intent on gathering crucial intel about their future opponents.
As with Circuit selection day only seven weeks away, every detail mattered.
They tracked every sign of potential, every moment of hesitation, every flash of strength from the juniors who looked like they might threaten their current spots on the team.
Unlike the first-years, who still believed raw power and flashy technique were enough, the seniors knew better.
One-on-one combat wasn't just a contest of strength—it was a chess match, and information in such matches was the king.
To know your opponent was to know yourself. And if you knew where they excelled—and more importantly, where they faltered—you could shape a perfect strategy for victory.
That very approach had been the key to Khyaal and Minerva's wins over Leo and Su Yang.
It wasn't brute strength that carried them—it was preparation, as without that groundwork, those matches could've easily tipped the other way. In fact, if they'd fought purely on instinct, Khyaal might have lost outright.
"Wait… he's putting on the 325-kilo vest?" one of the seniors muttered, squinting. "That's what Khyaal wears now."
A stunned silence followed, broken only by the thunder of footsteps hitting the track.
"Look at the way Skyshard and Su Yang are running," another said, narrowing his eyes. "That speed… they're practically flying across the field, and they're not even breathing hard. Are they really still first-years?"
"They're not supposed to be this physically gifted. Those two… they might be once-in-a-generation," Minerva murmured, her voice low, the words half-whispered more to herself than anyone else.
A strange sense of relief washed over her. She was glad she had pushed herself into the Grandmaster realm recently. Because if she hadn't, she would be genuinely worried about facing those two again.
"So… which one of us loses our seat?" Caleb asked, his tone dry but edged with tension. "Do you think we're still safe against them?"
Silence answered him.
There were ten spots in every Circuit team, but only five were selected for each matchup by the Captain.
Typically, three of those five were the unshakable core—mainstays who fought nearly every match—while the remaining two spots rotated depending on specialties and opponent matchups.
It was a system that allowed versatility, but also constant pressure. Every member got to fight at least once during a Circuit season, but only the best kept their place in the core.
And while Yu Shen and Minerva were secure at the top—undeniably the strongest—the rest of the team? They were vulnerable. Leo and Su Yang were rising fast, and someone was going to be replaced.
"We'll need to get creative if we want to keep up with those two. But I sure as hell won't give up my spot without a fight," Marcus said, fists clenched.
As a chorus of agreement followed.
"Me too."
"Same here."
"Let's take turns watching them. By the time selection day arrives, we'll know everything—from their breathing patterns to their footwork."
The group nodded in agreement, already crafting a surveillance schedule amongst each other, as if they couldn't match the monsters rising in the junior ranks with raw power, then they decided to match them with obsession.
—-----------
(Meanwhile, Yu Shen)
Training alone in the second year Physical Training Grounds, just adjacent to the first-years', Yu Shen shook his head in quiet disdain, his muscles straining under the weight of his relentless regimen.
'Cowards… every last one of them who went to scout the juniors today, are Cowards.'
His jaw clenched as the thought echoed in his mind.
'Before you can become the Circuit Champion, you must develop a champion's mindset. And not a single one of them has it.'
He exhaled sharply, disappointment darkening his gaze.
'If you can't win your circuit matches without relying on scouting reports and cheap tricks, then you don't belong on the team. Strategy has its place, I agree, but if that's all you've got, then you'll never be a champion. You might pull off the occasional upset, but true champions dominate. They don't scrape by.'
Fury began to fuel each repetition, his pace intensifying.
'Instead of training beside me… instead of trying to become the best version of yourself… you waste your mornings spying on rookies—because you're that scared of them. Pathetic.'
Yu Shen's fists tightened, veins bulging across his forearms. He had pushed his team hard these past months, dragging them to a respectable level through sheer will.
But what he couldn't change—no matter how hard he tried—was who they were at their core.
'You can hand a beggar a fortune… but unless he's got the stomach to digest that wealth, he'll always act like he's poor.'
And that was the problem with some of his teammates. They wore the Rodova Circuits uniforms, but carried the mindset of lowlifes—obsessed with tactics and results, with no hunger for real strength or personal growth.
Such warriors, in Yu Shen's eyes, were beyond saving.
He could motivate them. He could carry them. But he could never change what they believed.
'Minerva, you ask me why I made Khyaal vice captain over you—even though you're a Grandmaster and he's not?'
His gaze turned steely as he recalled the decision.
'This is why.'
'You may be stronger, but your mindset is shallow. You chase perfection in outcomes, not in effort. You're not the kind of leader others should follow—and that's why you're not the vice captain.'
As Yu Shen pushed through another brutal set, sweat pouring and muscles burning, he no longer questioned his choice.
In Khyaal, he saw hunger. In Minerva, he saw calculation. And when the time came to fight the real battles—the kind that couldn't be won with intel and clever timing—he knew who would still be standing beside him.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 137 137: Break-Through.Timeless AssassinC137 137: Break-Through.
In life, some of the biggest breakthroughs often came not through methodical planning, but through sudden, spur-of-the-moment moments of clarity—and Leo was no exception.
Up until now, with no real metrics to track or measure the progress of [Parallel Processing], he often found himself lost, unsure of where exactly he stood with the skill, which bothered him deeply.
That was, until one afternoon during training, a flicker of insight hit him suddenly like an unexpected flash of understanding, allowing him to finally grasp the fundamental difference between different mastery levels of skills, that was beyond the textbook definitions he had memorized.
He had always known the standard breakdown:
Just learning how to perform a move was considered (Basic) mastery.
If you could activate it in under 0.75 seconds, it became (Intermediate) mastery.
Under 0.3 seconds, and it was (Advanced) mastery.
And when you brought that time below 0.1 seconds, the skill was considered to be at (Perfect) mastery.
But something about that model never sat quite right with him.
Because, in practice, he'd noticed minor inconsistencies—activation times that varied by ±0.8 seconds across different skills, but still classified under the same tier of mastery.
And he had never truly understood why that happened… until now.
Because today, as he activated [Full Counter]—a skill he had already mastered—and compared it against [Parallel Processing], which he was still struggling to internalize, the realization clicked.
The difference wasn't just in timing.
It was in instinct.
[Full Counter] required no conscious thought. It felt natural—almost primal. Like catching a ball flying toward his face, where his body responded before his brain could even process the action.
But activating [Parallel Processing]?
It was like trying to throw a ball into a moving basket. There was thought involved. Intention. A split-second of calculation and adjustment. A mental delay that made all the difference.
In the first case, the body moved before the mind could interfere.
In the second, the mind had to issue the command first—then the body followed.
And that subtle hesitation?
That was the difference between instinct and intention. Between mastery and understanding.
Between "knowing a skill" and it being a part of who you are.
And with that realization, Leo finally began to understand what mastery truly felt like—not as a measure of speed, but as a measure of instinct.
And it was then that Leo finally understood the difference between skills as instinct.
As he realized that (Basic) mastery felt like holding a ball for the first time and awkwardly trying to toss it into a basket, as at that stage, every movement needed conscious correction— as your body was unsure of the angle, the strength, the follow-through of how to make the shot.
And in contrast, (Intermediate) mastery was like getting better at it after a few hundred throws, where you now had a general rhythm—your muscle memory had begun to form—but you still needed to aim carefully, adjust for distance, and make minor corrections with every attempt.
Which further improved at (Advanced) mastery, when you no longer needed to aim anymore, because you could sink the shot without thinking too hard about the angle or trajectory.
But (Perfect) mastery?
That was different entirely—
It was when the basket no longer even mattered—because the act of throwing and scoring had merged into a single motion.
You did not need to calculate it.
You did not even need to try.
You just did it, the same way you walked, or blinked, or breathed, as the skill simply became reflex.
And in that moment of clarity, Leo finally realized what level of mastery he was at with [Parallel Processing].
As while activating it had been feeling like throwing a ball with a lot of hesitation a few weeks ago.
It had started to feel more natural now, with him barely having to think about it anymore, as the activation time for the skill dropped to just about 3.5 seconds.
However, although the activation time was still on the higher end, Leo was sure that he had hit (Advanced) mastery for the skill, as the whole feel had shifted.
And that gave him a lot of confidence to advance it to (Perfect) mastery in the coming weeks, as just knowing what grade it was at brought him a lot of mental peace.
—----------
(Rodova Military Academy – Leo's Dorm Room)
Once the cellular replacement rate in his body surpassed the 95% threshold—after several grueling months of practicing the Complete Marrow Meditation Manual—Leo finally began to witness the full effects of the technique unfold before his eyes.
His bone marrow, once the standard dull yellow that marked an ordinary constitution, now shimmered with a distinct golden hue, as it underwent a profound and irreversible transformation.
At this stage, the very DNA embedded within his marrow-production cells was being rewritten—reprogrammed to permanently alter the way his body functioned at its core.
No longer would he need to spend hours in meditation to stimulate new blood cell production.
As from this point forward, his body would maintain that process autonomously—efficiently, naturally, and without conscious effort.
Crossing the 95% threshold meant Leo had entered the final phase of the Complete Marrow Meditation Manual.
With the meditation manual now directing him to focus on altering the marrow production sites permanently instead of producing new cells, in a process that lasted about 3-4 weeks.
Once completed—
The transformation would be final.
The new blood cell production system would become a permanent part of his physiology—requiring no additional effort to maintain.
As Leo would find himself completely free from the burden of meditating everyday.
What had once been a daily routine, which required him to spend six relentless hours of stillness, strain, and inner turmoil—would finally become obsolete.
And with that time freed?
Leo could focus entirely on the things that truly mattered:
Combat.
Skills.
And breaking through.
Because from this moment on, his foundation in physiology and mana circulation wouldn't just be solid.
It would be unshakable.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 138 138: Leo Vs Su YangTimeless AssassinC138 138: Leo Vs Su Yang
(Rodova Military Academy – Practical Combat Grounds)
Over the next two weeks, Leo trained like an absolute maniac, pushing himself a step beyond what even he believed he was capable of, as he drove himself to failure every single day.
It got to a point, where even the instructors started to fear for his sanity and health, as they very verbally voiced their concerns, warning Leo about the pitfalls of burning out and overtraining—but Leo only dug in deeper.
Because the moment Su Yang officially broke through to the Grandmaster tier?
Everything changed.
—---------
The first thing Su Yang did after his breakthrough was challenge Leo to a spar.
Not out of arrogance, but because he genuinely wanted to test his new strength against the one person he measured himself against in this academy, which was Leo.
Their rivalry had been brewing since day one.
In their first week, Su Yang had absolutely wiped the floor with him.
And for the better part of the first three months of their academy life, he maintained that lead—his raw talent and excellent upbringing making up the difference every time they clashed.
But then Leo started to find his rhythm.
His new fighting style took shape, and it made him fluid, precise and unpredictable.
As slowly, the tides started to turn.
Spars that once ended in decisive losses for Leo began to lean his way.
Until recently, when Su Yang could barely touch him anymore, because Leo had become just that fast and unpredictable for him to take on.
But now?
Now the dynamic had changed again.
As with Su Yang becoming a Grandmaster first, the power difference once again started to lean his way.
—---------
The moment their first spar after Su Yang's breakthrough to Grandmaster began, Leo immediately sensed that something was wrong.
He couldn't put his finger on it at first—because it wasn't Su Yang's presence, his footwork, or even the way he gripped his blade that unsettled him—but rather, it was his eyes.
Those golden, eerily calm eyes threw Leo off balance, as just meeting his gaze sent a subtle shiver crawling down his spine—one he hadn't felt since that day in the Rodova Mess Hall, when he had first locked eyes with Yu Shen.
And today, Su Yang's eyes carried that same pressure. That same unspoken warning. And that was what alarmed Leo first.
Su Yang's bloodline skill, [Domination], had never once worked on Leo before—not even slightly.
But now, as those golden eyes stared straight through him, Leo felt the unmistakable pull of Su Yang's will pressing against his own.
Not overwhelming, but sharp enough to make his body tense and his thoughts sharpen with unease.
And in that moment, Leo's jaw clenched as realization struck.
[Domination] became more potent the wider the strength gap was between the user and their opponent—and while it had failed to affect Leo in the past, back when their powers were evenly matched, that balance had now shifted.
As with Leo falling behind, [Domination] had finally taken hold.
And as the first clash of blades erupted between them, Leo discovered it wasn't just the passive pressure that had changed.
Everything about Su Yang felt different.
His footwork was crisper, his speed faster, and the sheer weight behind every movement was simply overwhelming.
Within seconds, Leo found himself on the backfoot, forced into a reactive stance, as if he were a cornered mouse facing down a hungry tiger.
Whoosh—
Su Yang's sword came crashing down in a familiar arc, activating the basic move [Vertical Slash]—a technique Leo had blocked dozens of times before.
But this time?
When Leo raised both daggers to intercept the blow, the sheer force of the strike sent a jarring vibration through his bones, numbing his arms even as he managed to block it.
CLANG—!
He staggered back, blinking in disbelief.
'The skill… it's the same move… the same execution… but the power output—'
It was completely different.
Shockingly different.
Because while the move and the man delivering it hadn't changed, the realm he now stood in had.
Su Yang, now a Grandmaster, was playing by a different set of rules.
Everything about him had leveled up—not just his strength, but his perception, his movement, his capacity to read and control the tempo of battle—and it showed with every passing second.
There was an old saying in the combat world—
"Even the weakest Grandmaster is stronger than the strongest Master."
Leo had always dismissed that line as a dramatic exaggeration.
But he couldn't do so anymore.
Not after this.
Not after watching the same Su Yang who had been struggling to land hits on him, suddenly dominate their match so thoroughly that Leo couldn't even mount a decent defense.
Clang
Block
Clang—
Every exchange ended with Leo being driven back.
Every attempt at a counter was anticipated and intercepted.
It felt like he was back in week one of the academy—helpless, scrambling, trying to survive, while Su Yang stood towering above him, untouchable.
'He's like Major Hen now…' Leo thought, panting heavily as he slid across the arena floor, ribs throbbing from a brutal kick.
Su Yang hadn't become invincible—but the gap between them had widened more than Leo ever expected.
And the worst part?
He wasn't even using new techniques.
Just the same old ones—reused, recycled, but now amplified by the sheer force and finesse of a Grandmaster.
And that was the true horror of it.
Because the same techniques Leo once dismissed as predictable were now being delivered with such precision and overwhelming pressure, that they felt brand new again.
As apparently, that's what becoming a Grandmaster truly meant.
As one not only improved in every measurable physical, mental and magical metrics when they tiered up.
But they also improved everything associated with those metrics, such as skills and their outputs.
For if both a Grandmaster mage and a Master mage who had mastered (Fireball) to the same (Perfect) grade, unleashed it at once.
If the Master mage could burn down 1 tree using it, then the Grandmaster would burn down 10.
As such was the sheer power output difference between tiers.
—-------
"Sheesh…. I had completely forgotten about the sensation of beating your ass so thoroughly.
I had forgotten how enjoyable it was—" Su Yang said, after their spar was over, as he seemed to be in visibly high spirits.
"Nice one, Yang–" Leo replied back, as he lay sprawled on the floor, covering his eyes with his arm, as he recalled the mistakes he made in this fight with an impassive face.
"You've got to catch-up to me, Skyshard. Don't let me get too far ahead, or people will forget you're my rival!" Su Yang said in a joking tone, as Leo only hummed in reply.
"Mmhmm—"
In the first place, he never cared about their friendship or rivalry as deeply as Su Yang did, however, he did not dislike it either.
For him Su Yang was a measuring stick who motivated him to be his best, which was why he kept him around, but there were no deeper feelings involved.
However, that was not the case for Su Yang, who saw a genuine friend and a lifelong brother in Leo, as taking a seat beside him, Yang finally spoke what was weighing heavily on his mind for the past few months.
"I know the class doesn't laugh at us anymore—not like they did after we lost to the seniors during the early days," Su Yang muttered, his voice low but sharp.
"But that's not enough for me. Not even close. I won't be satisfied until I smash Minerva and Yu Shen's smug faces into the dirt in front of everyone—and laugh while doing it. That's the only kind of revenge that matters."
He turned to Leo then, his gaze fierce.
"You and me, Skyshard—we're nobles. We carry the blood of gods in our veins. And these filthy commoners? They're nothing. They were born from dirt and will return to it."
"I don't care how much Rodova preaches equality or how proud they are of building this academy on 'merit'—because I know exactly what happens if we let commoners think they're equal to us."
His voice dropped a notch, laced with venom.
"They'll become the next oppressors of this universe. Just like David. That man hates us—not because we're bad people—but because we remind him of what he'll never be."
Su Yang paused, his hands clenched so tightly his knuckles went white.
"Can you imagine if David were the Principal of Rodova?" he said, voice rising with disbelief. "Do you honestly think he'd let us train like this? That he'd ever give us a fair shot at graduating?"
"No. He'd sabotage us at every turn—because he's blinded by his obsession with lifting up the commoners. He'd never care about our struggles, no matter how hard we try."
"And that's exactly why we can't ever let them look down on us."
He exhaled hard, his eyes burning with conviction.
"We have to keep reminding them who truly rules this universe. Because the second they start believing we're equals—that's when the chaos begins. That's when everything falls apart."
"To me? The commoners are a bigger threat to this universe than the Evil Cult ever was," Su Yang declared, the hatred in his voice thick and unfiltered.
Then, after a long breath, he turned to Leo again.
"In the end, it's us against the universe, brother."
His lips curled into a cold, determined smile.
"So you'd better keep up, because I won't be waiting for you for too long, and also because we have to remind this academy of who its real owners are."
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 139 139: InstructionsTimeless AssassinC139 139: Instructions
After getting his ass handed to him by Su Yang, Leo spent the next two weeks of academy life in a state of singular obsession—driven entirely by the need to push himself beyond his current limits.
And eventually, he found them.
His physical progress came to a screeching halt when, despite his maximum effort, he could no longer complete Professor Marvin's daily drills beyond the 350kg vest.
No matter how much he strained, gritted his teeth, or punished his body, he simply couldn't break past that ceiling, as it seemed like the enhancements granted by the Complete Marrow Meditation Manual, along with the cumulative effects of the Genetic Awakening Shots, had already been fully absorbed into his system.
Every drop of physical potential had been extracted—leaving nothing more to unlock at the Master tier.
As for his mental state, five relentless months of training to failure had forged his willpower into steel. His pain tolerance, focus, and discipline had been stretched to the brink and hardened beyond recognition.
And with that, Leo had finally completed two of the five major requirements for tier advancement, achieving a major milestone.
—---------
(Rodova Military Academy, Leo's Dorm Room)
On the meditation front, exactly two weeks before the Circuit Selection Day rolled around, Leo managed to complete the 'Complete Marrow Meditation Manual' in full, as he successfully transformed his body's natural marrow production sites to independently produce the enhanced blood cells from now on.
[Congratulations! You have completely replaced all the blood cells in your body with the enhanced blood cells.
Meditation Progress - 100%.]
The meditation manual flipped to its last page, congratulating Leo on reaching completion.
And although Leo expected the book to just end there, it unexpectedly flipped to one more page, where it gave Leo recommendations on what books to follow from now onwards.
[ Enjoyed the Marrow Meditation Manual?
Here are some more books from the author that may help you reach the transcendent stage.
1) Deep Vein Refinement: A Deep Tissue Meditation Method
This technique focuses on refining the body's inner vascular and mana channels, strengthening the walls of veins, arteries, and mana conduits to handle greater pressure and flow. Practitioners often describe a sensation of their blood boiling as their body adapts to circulating high-density mana without rupturing.
2) Cranial Reinforcement Protocol: Enhancing Neural Stability
A cerebral-focused meditation technique that works on increasing neural conductivity and improving resistance to mental strain. This method is especially useful for those who frequently use high-speed cognitive skills, as it allows for better control, longer usage times, and reduced mental fatigue.
3) Lung Blooming Cycle: The Foundation of Breath-Controlled Mana Circulation.
An advanced breathing-centric manual that trains the lungs and diaphragm to better regulate internal mana flow. It allows users to store and release mana in sync with their breathing patterns, improving battle endurance, burst capability, and resistance to internal mana turbulence.
Leo stared blankly at the final page.
His eyes scanned the headers, then moved down to the brief descriptions, only for a mirthless sigh to escape his lips.
"Shameless self promotion at the end… of course," he muttered, dragging a hand down his face.
He'd just finished months of agonizing marrow-level reconstruction, and now the book was casually recommending neural rewiring and boiling his blood vessels like it was a fun after-school activity.
"Thankfully, I still have time before I need to choose my next manual, so thanks for the recommendations—but I won't be needing them for now," Leo muttered to himself, closing the holographic book for the final time.
With that, he had officially completed the third and fourth requirements on his path to becoming a Grandmaster.
The Complete Marrow Meditation Manual was done and his mana concentration had finally reached the breakthrough threshold.
"Four out of five requirements completed… just need to focus on my skills now," Leo murmured, exhaling slowly as the weight of his progress settled in.
And with meditation no longer consuming six hours of his day, starting tomorrow—he could dedicate every waking moment to pure combat training, pushing his body until it gave out.
Because now, there was nothing left to hold him back.
"Two weeks until the selections….. I hope it's enough—"
—---------
(Rodova Military Academy – Muiyan Faye's Room)
Muiyan Faye double-checked the lock on her door for the third time before drawing the thick blackout curtains shut.
Her breathing slowed as she activated the noise suppression formation etched beneath her desk—one of the few luxuries she'd managed to smuggle into the academy quarters under the guise of meditation enhancements.
Once the room was secure, she retrieved the communication crystal from the rooms hidden compartment, as a chill ran down her spine the moment she touched it.
'Why did the elder request an emergency mission from me?' she wondered, as channeling her mana into the crystal, she felt its dormant energy awaken, glowing faintly with a cold, bluish hue.
Within seconds, the connection was established and a deep voice cut through the silence, crackling with static-laced authority.
"How is Skyshard progressing?" the voice asked, low and commanding, unmistakably that of the Evil Cult Elder who served as her direct handler.
Muiyan Faye's eyes lit up as she straightened her posture, suppressing the excitement in her voice—though a slight yelp of enthusiasm still slipped out.
"He's advancing rapidly. He's already hit the physical and mental thresholds required for a Grandmaster breakthrough, and from what I've seen, he'll cross the meditation and mana thresholds very soon"
"At this rate, he's on track to become a Grandmaster in less than six months since joining the academy," she added with pride, her voice tinged with awe at Leo's unprecedented growth.
But the response from the crystal was not what she expected.
A cold scoff echoed back.
"Not enough," the Elder said flatly. "This level of speed is the bare minimum. If he truly wishes to survive as a Dragon, he must move even faster."
His tone was devoid of praise—only expectation.
Muiyan Faye opened her mouth to respond but held back, swallowing her irritation. She knew better than to question the Elder's standards when it came to Leo.
As after a tense pause, the Elder's voice returned, cutting through the silence like a knife.
"Did you secure the caretaker position for the Circuits team as instructed?" He asked, as Faye nodded instinctively, before remembering that he couldn't see her.
"Yes, I did. I've been officially assigned as one of the team's support personnel during the selection and tournament period." She replied before going silent.
However, after a couple of seconds, she found herself incapable of suppressing her curiosity, which was why she asked, "But… why was this so important? Why go to such lengths just to have me stationed there?"
The Elder was quiet for a moment, as though deciding how much he was allowed to say.
Then came his reply—slow, ominous, and dripping with implication.
"Something is going to happen at the Circuits this year. Something big. I can't share the details yet, but when the time comes, you must be ready to act, and most importantly, if things go wrong… you are to protect Skyshard at all costs."
Muiyan's breath caught in her throat.
Her fingers tightened around the crystal as unease twisted in her gut.
The Elder's tone left no room for interpretation. This wasn't speculation. This was certainty.
The Evil Cult was planning something major for this year's circuit's, and there was a chance that Leo may be caught in the cross-fire, as an unsuspecting bystander.
"Understood," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as a silence stretched between them once more.
Finally after a few seconds, the Elder spoke again, his tone as impassive as ever.
"Report again once he breaks through. Until then… you have no further orders."
The connection severed immediately, the crystal's glow vanishing like a snuffed flame.
Muiyan Faye sat frozen in place, her thoughts racing. She didn't know what was coming. She didn't know when.
But one thing was clear:
The Circuits this year would be far more than a tournament if the Evil Cult was planning an operation.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 140 140: How to breakthrough?Timeless AssassinC140 140: How to breakthrough?
(Rodova Military Academy – Practical Combat Grounds)
Leo, like many other students vying for a spot on the Circuits team, often trained well past midnight at the practical combat grounds—relentlessly sharpening his techniques and pushing each skill toward perfection.
With only ten days remaining until Selection Day, he stood on the cusp of a breakthrough. Every one of his unperfected skills hovered just above the 0.1-second activation mark—agonizingly close to perfection, yet still out of reach.
But now, for the first time, Leo felt a surge of confidence. He was certain he could push through to the next tier within the coming week.
Yet, standing at the threshold of advancement, he came to a frustrating realization—he had no idea how one actually broke through from the Master realm to the Grandmaster realm.
He understood the requirements, sure. But the process itself? The exact mechanics of the transformation? That remained a mystery.
Which is why, after wrapping up tonight's training, Leo went to find Major Hen, to ask him about the same.
—----------
"What do you mean you don't know how to break through? That's the most basic knowledge even seven-year-old kids learn in school," Major Hen said, staring at Leo like he'd grown a second head.
"How did you even become a Master-level warrior if you don't know how to break through?" he asked again, this time with visible irritation, as for a moment, he thought Leo was purposely messing with him—but Leo remained quiet.
"If you're trying to piss me off, boy—" Hen began, but then paused as his eyes widened slightly in realization.
"Aghhh—your memory loss," he muttered, rubbing his temples as he let out a long sigh. "Right. Forgot about that."
He seemed to suddenly remember that Leo had suffered memory loss before being admitted to the academy—a detail Leo had revealed during his first bout against Su Yang at the start of the semester.
Hen had pushed that fact out of his mind, mostly because over the past five months, Leo had never once behaved like someone who lacked fundamental knowledge.
He carried himself with confidence, strategy, and instinct—never once seeming lost. That's why it took Hen a moment to remember that Leo genuinely lacked some of the basic knowledge needed to survive in this world.
"Alright," he said, folding his arms as he looked at Leo with a mix of pity and mild frustration.
"I'm assuming you don't even know the difference between a Master and a Grandmaster warrior beyond the name?"
Leo gave a small nod.
"Alright then. Let me start from there. Then I'll walk you through the process."
"A Master-level warrior," Hen began, "is the peak of what your species can naturally become. That's it. There's no universal standard for being a Master. It's based entirely on the limits of your race."
"Technically, you should be called a 'Master Human Warrior'—not just 'Master Warrior'—but since Rodova is an all-human academy, we don't bother using the full title."
"A Master Human warrior, a Master Orc warrior, a Master Elf warrior—they're all different. Their power is capped by what their species can physically and mentally handle."
"An Orc Master is naturally going to be stronger than a Human Master, just like a Dragonkin Master might have far more mana than either. That's why there's no single standard across races."
Leo nodded in understanding.
"If an average Human Master can carry a 200 kg load across one kilometer without slowing down, a Master Orc might be able to carry 700. But they might lack the same agility or reflexes in a flat-out dash, and between all the myriad species, discrepancies of the like are many."
"However, that's not the case with Grandmasters," Hen added, as Leo replied with a quiet, "I see."
"A Grandmaster breaks that ceiling."
"Species doesn't matter anymore at that point. The title becomes universal. A Grandmaster Human can go toe-to-toe with a Grandmaster Orc—or even win on any metric—because the body isn't just running on biology anymore."
He let the words hang for a moment before continuing.
"When someone becomes a Grandmaster, their body starts operating on mana as its main power source."
"Muscles, nerves, organs—everything gets rewired. They're no longer bound by the meat and bone they were born with. Mana powers their strength, endurance, and speed."
"The reason people respect Grandmasters so much is because they've undergone a transformation. They aren't just stronger—they've evolved."
Leo stayed silent, but the look in his eyes showed he understood.
"A Grandmaster is still mortal, of course—they can't go on forever without food or sleep," Hen clarified. "But they can maintain peak function for an entire week without eating, and stay awake for three days straight without breaking down, while a Master warrior can never do that.
As unlike masters who rely on physiology for survival, Grandmasters rely on mana."
With the foundation laid, Hen moved on.
"Now," he said, stepping closer. "Let me tell you how that transformation actually happens."
"As you already know, there are five requirements you must fulfill before you can even attempt to break through. Without all five, you don't even get to touch the threshold."
Leo gave a small nod, confirming that he knew that much at least. Which made Hen feel slightly relieved.
"Alright. Since you know that, let me explain why each of those thresholds is necessary."
He held up one finger.
"First is Physical Limit. Your body needs to be trained to its absolute peak. Muscles, bones, tendons—everything, because if your body can't handle what's coming, it'll get torn apart mid-process."
Leo's eyes widened slightly.
"There's no guarantee of success, Leo," Hen said firmly. "Reaching the threshold doesn't mean you're safe. It just means you're ready to risk your life. The breakthrough process is lethal if you're not fully prepared."
Up until now, Leo had thought that reaching the threshold was the hard part. He had no idea the actual breakthrough itself was where the real danger began.
"Second is the Mental Limit. You need unwavering focus and iron willpower. The process is agony, pure and simple. If your mind isn't strong enough, you'll pass out—or lose your mind—before you're even halfway through."
Hen raised a second finger as Leo nodded.
"Third is Meditation Manual Perfection. All manuals that guide a user to the Grandmaster stage are different, but they all serve one purpose—to refine your mana circulation. Through constant repetition, your circuits become smoother, more stable and your control over mana becomes sharper—-"
"That's crucial for surviving what comes next," he said, raising a third finger.
"Fourth is Mana Saturation. Your body must store as much mana as it physically can, because without that internal reserve, you won't survive the moment your system gets drained. You'll need it to come back from the brink of death"
He raised a fourth finger with a grim expression.
"And finally..." Hen said, his voice quieter now, "...is Skill Perfection. As you probably already know, once the breakthrough starts, your body will be flooded with dangerous levels of unstable mana."
"Your only way to get rid of it is to unleash every skill you've mastered, one after another, to burn through the poison before it kills you."
He raised the fifth and final finger, a smug smile crossing his face.
Every phase of the breakthrough carried a lethal risk. And Hen knew Leo was finally beginning to realize just how serious it all was.
"Only when you've hit all five thresholds should you even consider starting the process."
"And once I explain how that breakthrough process actually works, you'll understand why I've been warning you so much."
Hen's expression hardened as he looked Leo dead in the eye.
"Believe me—I'm not exaggerating the risks at all."
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