Rowan's kill count climbed steadily. His lives counter continued to rise, so did his experience.
Eventually, he leveled up to forty-seven.
Moon stopped him near a small stream after the level-up notification.
"How far are you from Three Stars now?"
Rowan paused, feeling his own power.
His face darkened after a moment.
"It's a little difficult. I have a Fair Grade Spirit Art. I filled my last available acupoint during the alpha fight. To advance to Three Stars, I need to evolve my last skill to second order, and I'm still missing around ten thousand Lives."
Moon's expression didn't change, but internally he cursed himself.
'Shit. How did I forget.'
He had, for some time, unconsciously calibrated his expectations around his own group's abnormal foundations.
His own acupoints produced the combat output of a Five Star Evolver with only eleven filled.
Rowan didn't have that advantage.
Rowan had a Fair Grade Spirit Art, he could only open twenty five acupoints.
