Chapter 9 Levels up

That night, as the rest of the recruits groaned their way into cots and hammocks, Ramon sat cross-legged in the dark corner of the training hall, breathing evenly, focusing inward. The gym had emptied hours ago, but he'd remained behind, claiming he needed extra meditation time to "process the day's failures."

The truth was different. Something had stirred during his humiliating bout with Marte—something that made his blood sing and his vision blur red. Something the system had noticed.

> **Ancestral Recall Meditation – Enhanced Mode Active**

> **Status**: Unstable Blood Resonance Detected

> **Analyzing combat data...** Emotional surge triggered dormant pathways

> **Current Rank**: F-1 (34% XP to F-2)

> **Refinement Opportunity**: Blood Memory Extraction Protocol available

> **+150% XP Potential** if successfully integrated

Ramon's breath caught. Blood Memory Extraction. The system had never offered that before. He could feel the echo of that rage-fueled moment when he'd nearly struck Marte down—the split second when his bloodline had wanted to hurt, to dominate, to prove its worth through violence.

"What does that mean?" he whispered into the darkness.

The system responded with its characteristic precision:

> **Blood Memory Extraction**: Advanced meditation technique accessing ancestral echoes stored in bloodline pathways. Risk: Mental strain from processing foreign memories. Benefit: Accelerated Will Force development and potential trait manifestation.

He hesitated, fingers trembling slightly. That surge during the fight had felt wrong in the moment—terrifying and alien, like something else had tried to puppet his body. But the system had reacted to it. Had welcomed it.

The pain in his ribs from Marte's strikes seemed to throb in rhythm with his heartbeat. Weak. Pathetic. F-1—the absolute bottom rung, barely awakened to his bloodline at all.

"…Initiate," he breathed.

> **Warning**: Emotional instability detected in bloodline resonance

> **Ancestral Echo Source**: Unknown Imperial lineage branch

> **Risk Assessment**:

> - Mental strain: HIGH

> - Physical strain: MODERATE

> - Discovery risk: CRITICAL

> **Blood Memory may reveal violent ancestral patterns**

> **Energy Core stability: 73% - within acceptable parameters**

> **Accept risk and proceed?**

Ramon clenched his fists. Every day he fell further behind. Every training session proved his inadequacy. The other recruits whispered that he shouldn't have passed the bloodline awakening at all—that his F-1 energy flow was pathetically weak, more ceremonial than practical.

But here, in the dark, something offered him a chance to be more.

"I accept."

The pain that followed wasn't physical—it was memory, emotion, rage—all pulled inward like a blade dragged across his soul. His vision went black, then red, then filled with images that weren't his own:

A battlefield under a broken moon. Bodies scattered like discarded dolls. And standing among them, a figure in blood-stained armor, hands wreathed in crimson mist, summoning a weapon that seemed to devour light itself.

"The weak serve the strong," a voice echoed—not heard, but felt in his bones. "Pain is the only teacher that matters. Mercy is the luxury of the victorious."

The visions crashed over him in waves. Different battles, different faces, but always the same underlying current of dominance. Of taking what was deserved through strength alone. These weren't just random ancestors—they were Imperial bloodline bearers, warriors who had commanded through aura and will, who had bent others to their vision through sheer force of presence.

Ramon's body convulsed as his Energy Core responded to the ancestral echoes, trying to integrate memories that belonged to warriors centuries dead. His F-1 bloodline energy manifested unbidden, its weak and unstable flow suddenly flaring with power that pulsed in rhythm with the ancient memories.

The system worked frantically to stabilize the process:

> **Energy Core Status**: Multiple level advancement detected

> **Filtering traumatic memories...** 84% success rate

> **Extracting tactical knowledge...** Combat instincts preserved

> **Imperial traits detected...** Aura of Command (dormant signature found)

> **Warning**: Rapid advancement in progress - monitoring for Energy Fracture risk

Then—

> **+334% XP Gained**: Blood Memory Integration - EXCEPTIONAL SUCCESS

> **RANK ADVANCEMENT**: F-1 → F-3 (Double level jump achieved)

> **Will Force Enhanced**: +8 points (Significant mental resilience boost)

> **Energy Core Capacity**: Expanded by 280%

> **Dormant Trait Discovered**: Imperial Presence (Locked - requires E-rank advancement)

> **System Advisory**: Double advancement is within safe parameters. No adverse effects detected. Energy Core structure has naturally expanded to accommodate increased flow. This level of improvement is exceptional but stable.

> **Energy Signature**: Suppressed to baseline F-1 readings via Bloodline Masking Protocol

The notifications faded just as Ramon's consciousness did.

---

"Hey—wake up."

Strong hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him gently. Ramon's eyes fluttered open to find Officer Ador crouched beside him, concern etched across the instructor's weathered face. The training hall was still dark, but emergency lighting had been activated—someone must have triggered the motion sensors.

"What are you doing down here, recruit?" Ador's voice carried both authority and genuine worry. "It's past midnight."

Ramon tried to sit up, his head spinning. His mouth tasted of copper and his muscles ached as if he'd been fighting for hours. But underneath the exhaustion, he felt... different. Dramatically different. The energy flowing through his body was stronger, more controlled, like a stream that had suddenly become a river. "I was... meditating, sir. Lost track of time."

Ador's eyes narrowed as he helped Ramon to his feet. "Meditation doesn't usually leave you unconscious on the floor. And it certainly doesn't—" He paused, studying Ramon's face in the dim light. "Your energy signature feels... steadier. Have you been experimenting with cultivation techniques beyond the standard curriculum?"

Ramon's heart raced, but the system's masking protocol held firm. To Ador's enhanced senses, Ramon would read as exactly what he appeared to be—an F-1 recruit with weak but stable bloodline energy flow. The system was somehow suppressing his true advancement level completely.

"I felt frustrated after today's training, sir," Ramon said carefully. "Thought I could push through with extra meditation time. Maybe I pushed too hard and exhausted myself."

"Frustration I understand, but recklessness will get you killed." Ador's expression softened slightly. "Listen, Ramon—I've seen promising recruits burn themselves out trying to force advancement. Your bloodline awakening was stable during initiation, but that doesn't mean you should push your Energy Core beyond safe parameters."

If only you knew, Ramon thought grimly. His "safe parameters" were exactly what he was trying to transcend.

"Energy Core development requires patience," Ador continued, offering Ramon a steadying arm. "Especially for those starting at F-1. Rushing the refinement process can cause Energy Fracture or Blood Burn. I've seen recruits cripple themselves permanently trying to skip stages or force multiple level jumps."

"Yes, sir. I understand."

But as they walked toward the barracks, Ramon felt the system providing a quiet status update that made his breath catch:

> **Post-Refinement Analysis**:

> **Current Status**: F-3 (Advanced two full levels in single session)

> **Energy Core Stability**: 96% (Excellent - structure adapted perfectly to advancement)

> **Blood Resonance**: Dramatically improved synchronization with Imperial bloodline traits

> **Combat Effectiveness**: Estimated 340% improvement over pre-meditation baseline

> **System Confirmation**: Double advancement achieved without adverse effects. Energy pathways have naturally expanded. No risk of Energy Fracture or Blood Burn detected. This represents exceptional but stable growth.

> **Next Milestone**: Continue standard progression toward F-4

Ramon stumbled slightly, overwhelmed by the implications. F-1 to F-3 in a single meditation session? That was supposed to be impossible—the kind of advancement that should take months of careful cultivation. And yet the system was telling him it was perfectly safe, that his Energy Core had somehow adapted to handle the rapid growth without damage.

"Good. Now get back to your quarters and get some rest. And Ramon?" Ador's voice carried a warning edge. "No more midnight training sessions without supervision. The gym is off-limits after hours for a reason—unsupervised energy cultivation has killed more recruits than combat training ever has."

"Understood, sir."

As they reached the barracks and parted ways, Ramon couldn't shake the echo of that ancient voice: *The weak serve the strong. Pain is the only teacher that matters.*

The system had given him power—incredible, unprecedented advancement—but those ancestral memories came with their own weight. The Imperial bloodline legacy wasn't just about strength—it was about dominance, command, the expectation that others would bend to your will.

> **Final Note**: Double advancement successfully completed without complications. Dormant Imperial traits will manifest naturally as rank increases. Current bloodline resonance suggests strong compatibility with command-type manifestations. Recommend continued cultivation of Will Force to maintain control over inherited aggressive tendencies.

Ramon slipped into his bunk, careful not to wake his sleeping bunkmates. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new opportunities to test his dramatically enhanced capabilities. The thought both thrilled and terrified him—he had jumped from the absolute bottom to respectable F-3 in a single night. But tonight, as sleep finally took him, he wondered: when the time came to use this power, would he be controlling it—or would those ancient Imperial instincts be controlling him?

The system, as always, offered no answers to questions it hadn't been asked.

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