"Ha!" I exhaled as I finished the final swing of my training sequence, the blade cutting through the air with precision that would have been impossible just months ago. I wiped sweat from my brow as my lips curled into a satisfied smile, feeling the familiar burn of muscles pushed to their limits.
Finally.
I closed my eyes and reached inward with my consciousness, seeking that inner landscape where magical development could be observed and measured. And there it was—clear as daylight now.
The Wall.
I had reached peak Integration-rank at last. The months of relentless training, the countless hours spent pushing my limits, the careful cultivation of my magical core—all of it had led to this moment. In front of me, visible in my mind's eye, stood the legendary barrier that separated Integration-rank from Ascendant-rank. This was what I needed to cross in order to step beyond mortal limitations and join the ranks of those who could truly shape the world.
