The Path of Ascension 3

The Path of Ascension 3 is the third of twelve volumes in C. Mantis's LitRPG progression-fantasy series, which began as a Royal Road serial before publication by Aethon Books in 2023. The series crosses game-like LitRPG systems with xianxia-style cultivation: Matt, orphaned by a rift-spawned monster attack and saddled with a Talent officially rated detrimental, joins the Path of Ascension — the Empire's public program for climbing its Tiers of power — alongside his partner Liz and his Bond, the Arctic fox Aster.

This volume picks up shortly after the team's bid for treasure went wrong, ending with an entire planet fighting off autonomous golems and a flying rift. Before they can settle back into training, Matt, Liz, and Aster are pulled toward a war between two rival kingdoms, each seeking approval to join the Empire proper. Those running the Path of Ascension are offered a chance to choose a side and fight — trading battlefield service for experience, glory, prizes, and power.

With a kingdom's survival on the line and so many watching the team's every move, the war becomes both an opportunity and a test of how far their climb can carry them. The book continues the series' pattern of steady, systematic advancement — rifts, Tier-ups, and training arcs — set against imperial politics that slowly come into sharper focus.