There’s always someone above. Might as well aim higher.

Not possible—.

Mother, can’t do that—.

Is there even a creature that could beat that?

If I could take it down, I’d be a hero by default.

No—.

There’s always someone above, you know.

Incredibly far above, almost incomprehensibly so.

This encounter with Mother had to have been divine will.

So don’t get cocky, yes.

In truth, whether it’s the Earth Dragon or Mother, I can’t even imagine fighting them now.

Just meeting them would trigger a death flag.

Even fleeing before combat would be difficult.

[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Detection LV9' upgraded to 'Detection LV10'.]

Huh?

Seriously?

Detection has maxed out already?

Wait—.

But no new skills or evolutions?

Huh.

That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?

I’ve put so much effort into Detection—.

The return was substantial, but if I’m being honest, I’d still like something more.

Even if I can’t surpass that Mother, I at least want to be strong enough to escape.

Really… nothing at all?

《The… Zā…》

Huh?

What was that just now?

…Probably just my imagination.

Still, wishing for what isn’t there won’t change anything.

But becoming stronger is the most straightforward solution, isn’t it?

If I keep growing without arrogance, I might eventually reach a level where I can flee even from outliers like that.

Then it’s decided—focus on growing stronger.

First, level up.

From now on, I’ll actively hunt monsters.

I’ve hunted two Tatsunootoshigo after evolving.

Thanks to the effect of Pride, experience gain is increased. According to past patterns, I should level up soon.

After evolution and level reset, the experience required for the next level-up appears to be partially reset as well.

Level-up after evolution occurs faster than before.

Faster, but still slower than when at level one prior to evolution.

Therefore, I observe that experience required is reduced to a degree, but not completely reset.

Based on past patterns, the next level-up will likely occur upon defeating the next monster.

In fact, leveling up upon defeating the second Tatsunootoshigo would not have been unexpected.

Defeating a monster of catfish-class strength might result in gaining two or more levels at once.

For now, level-up depends on locating a monster.

Next, skills.

Skill level-up occurs continuously, even during movement.

Just like with identification, detection, foresight, and thought acceleration—same principle applies.

Detection has reached maximum capacity, but several accompanying skills have also increased.

Keep the detection active continuously until all skills reach maximum level.

At the same time, begin leveling up other skills that could be improved during movement.

The safest option is sensory enhancement.

Movement while focusing the eyes, or walking while sniffing at the air—either way, it would elevate.

Some skills are nearing their cap, so let's begin from there.

One more thing.

I don’t want to just move— I want to stop somewhere and do it properly.

It was a practice session for mana manipulation.

Upon reflection, skills can be acquired simply by accumulating proficiency points—no skill points required.

If that’s the case, I’ll just use points on the blind eye and try to manage magic manipulation on my own.

Thanks to Detecting's assistance, magical perception functions without issue.

Focus awareness there, and the flow of magical energy becomes perceptible.

If, thereafter, the magical energy can be manipulated—either through successful effort or attempted manipulation—proficiency should accumulate, granting a skill.

Once a skill is obtained, the next step is the long-awaited practice of magic.

However, one must not forget: my objective is to pass through this middle tier and return to the upper layer.

Leveling up skills or increasing proficiency is merely incidental to that process.

It is not worth halting progress for.

Only something that can be done during movement.

This middle tier is merely a passage—no place to settle.

That must not be forgotten.

[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Thought Acceleration LV3' upgraded to 'Thought Acceleration LV4'.]

[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Prevision LV3' upgraded to 'Prevision LV4'.]

Good good.

Thanks to the title "Lord of Pride," mental skills are leveling up faster.

Keep raising the level steadily like this.

Likewise, the title "Lord of Endurance" should be improving resistance skills, but these cannot be raised just by effort alone.

Poison Resistance and Paralysis Resistance can be increased through toxic synthesis. Slash Resistance, Blunt Resistance, Break Resistance, Corrosion Resistance, and likely Shock Resistance can each be raised by self-harm using universal thread. But that should wait until a permanent base is established.

Not suitable for this mid-tier layer, where recovery is slow and proper rest is impossible.

Status enhancement skills should ideally be raised early, but even these require a stable base for thorough development.

It would be ideal if status enhancements could be raised during combat, but otherwise, one would need to perform physical training.

If one has the time and stamina for that, it would be better to advance slightly sooner.

For now, the priority remains skills that can be improved during movement—specifically sensory abilities.

Visual enhancement is nearing its cap at level nine; it should be prioritized for advancement.