The Path of Ascension 5

Matt, Liz and Aster have reached Tier 10, which makes them eligible for the Pather tournament. It is the first arena where their opponents are as strong as they are, and the first place where the team cannot lean on monsters being weaker than they look.

Their years of guidance from Luna end with unusual terms of entry. The team must compete twice: once openly as themselves, and once behind masks. Restrictions are attached to both rounds, set up to show that their standing owes nothing to reputation or backing.

This is the fifth of twelve volumes in a progression-fantasy series by C. Mantis, first serialized on Royal Road and published by Aethon Books. Matt is an orphan whose Talent was rated detrimental.

He joined the Empire's Path of Ascension with his partner Liz and his Bond, the Arctic fox Aster. Since then he has climbed Tier by Tier through rifts and dungeons, training under some of the Empire's most powerful figures.

The series pairs LitRPG elements, such as dungeons, skills and ranked Tiers, with an advancement system closer to xianxia cultivation. The rules are meant to stay consistent from book to book. Earlier books centered on dungeon runs and steady advancement. This one shifts to open competition, so the team is tested against peers rather than monsters.