The Path of Ascension 11

The war between the Empire and its enemies has gone on for a hundred years, and the weariness reaches well beyond the battlefields. The Empire faces three hostile powers while holding only two allies. Even with real advantages in hand, it can only fall back slowly and at great cost, giving up one border world after another to occupation.

Matt, Liz and Aster are now counted among the most capable Ascenders the Empire has. They work without rest to slow the losses, and they are joined by their peers Light and Shadow. It is still barely enough. The enemy powers are preparing a decisive move of their own, and if it lands, holding the line may no longer be possible.

This is the eleventh of twelve volumes in C. Mantis's Path of Ascension, a serial from Royal Road published by Aethon Books. It sits in the series' late war arc and pushes toward the endgame, so it is not a place to start.

The series mixes LitRPG elements (dungeons, skills, ranked advancement) with a progression engine closer to xianxia cultivation. Its magic and advancement system follows consistent rules, the fights are grounded, and the protagonist is a rational thinker who entered the Path as an orphan whose Talent was rated detrimental. In this volume the mood is one of attrition and mounting pressure.