Chapter 42: Chapter 42 - Tsunami
System. Tell me about Ascension to the Silver Rank.
[Request Acknowledged.]
[Searching...]
[Error.]
[There is no factual information regarding the topic "Ascension to the Silver Rank" within the System’s knowledge base.]
[Attempting further Analysis of "Basic Axemanship Manual" to hypothesize the changes to the body in the Silver Rank...]
Hmm. It’ll only be theoretical then...
[Analysis Complete.]
[Two differences have been Hypothesized.]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Mana-Core]
-The collection of Mana strands in the Mana Core changes to a half-gaseous, half-liquid concentration of mana, allowing partial physical manifestation of the Core.
-This partially manifested core should function as the primary source of mana production at Silver Rank, qualitatively and significantly increasing ALL pre-existing Attributes.
-Evidence suggests that it will also serve as a transitional structure that later develops into the central node of the Mana Pathway System upon Ascension to the Gold Rank.
[Nervous System Enhancement]
-Macro-examination of Silver-Rank Axe forms indicates reaction speed, precision, and muscular control beyond the expected scaling of Attributes at this tier.
-This discrepancy in the data suggests reinforcement or augmentation of the nervous system.
-The most probable mechanism is synchronization between the nervous system and the Quasi-Mana-Core.
-This synchronization would provide the efficiency gains necessary to execute Silver-Rank techniques, and forms a logical precursor to the full mana-pathway integration at Gold Rank.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I see... These deductions are indeed logical. The Mana-Core hypothesis aligns with what Gerard said about it as well. The stronger you are before ascension, the stronger you’ll be after.
But what do you mean "physical manifestation"? The Mana is very clearly already present inside my body...
[The spherical gathering of Mana Strands cannot be perceived by any but yourself. It does not exist in physical space.]
Interesting...
My thoughtful gaze wondered back down to the Crisis-Class cores in my hand. The stark difference between them made me wonder whether I had to look out for anything new or different.
The black core looked foreboding in comparison to the other. Dangerous. But also rewarding.
Appraisal
[Beast Core (Crisis-Class)]
[Beast Core (Crisis-Class)]
Though completely different in appearance, there seemed to be no other differences worth noting. I had initially thought the Mother’s core would prove more valuable due to the events that led to her death, but that didn’t seem to be the case, as far as the System was concerned.
System. Is there truly no difference between these two cores?
[Other than their appearances, I have not detected any other differences through the use of [Analyze], nor through [Appraisal].]
Hm. Either there is truly is no difference in their function...or the system is unable to detect those differences...
I couldn’t be certain which it was, seeing as how the System’s knowledge-base was only as large as what it could analyze. That much had been clear from my previous request about Ascension to the Silver Rank.
The spheres grinded in spirals along my palm as I wrestled with reason, pondering upon all the ways in which this could go terribly wrong.
But...maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing...
Mana Strain was deadly, to the average person or beast. But my Gift had created an entirely new skill to combat it. So...whatever the dangers that absorbing this anomalous core could bring about...wouldn’t my body just adapt?
I had to learn to think differently.
I had to find a balance. The right balance between seeking out danger that could benefit me, and avoiding danger that could kill me.
And what better way to find it, than to dive headfirst into said danger, and seeing if I land on my feet?
System. Don’t let the evolution begin until I say so.
[Request Acknowledged.]
The cores weren’t small. Almost too big to swallow, each one about half as wide as my palm.
I tilted my head back, jaw straining as I pushed the red beast core in.
Yet those efforts proved unnecessary because the moment the first core landed in my mouth, it dissolved into liquid, throat burning as it slid down my gullet.
I smiled.
Convenient.
[You have consumed a Crisis-Class Beast Core.]
[Absorption has begun...]
[EXP: 500/1500]
[EXP: 1500/1500]
[Level Up! 7 --> 8]
[You have gained 3 Attribute Points.]
[EXP: 500/1700]
[EXP: 1700/1700]
[Level Up! 8 --> 9]
[You have gained 3 Attribute Points.]
[EXP: 500/1900]
[EXP: 1900/1900]
[Level Up! 9 --> 10]
[You have gained 3 Attribute Points.]
[EXP: 500/2150]
[EXP: 2149/2150]
[Absorption of EXP has been temporarily paused, as per the request of the Host.]
[Remaining EXP to be absorbed: 2951]
I exhaled, feeling swathes of that latent energy surge within me.
Peak of the Bronze Rank, just like that.
I pulled up my Attributes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Attributes | AP: 9]
Strength: 12 (13.8)
Speed: 12
Mind: 12 (18)
Constitution: 12 (15.6)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I wasted no time. I’d already given it enough thought. Mind was now being heavily boosted by Mana Strain Resistance, so I didn’t have to worry about lacking Mana for now.
And since I didn’t particularly lack any one thing at the moment, the best move, was to focus on what I got the most use out of.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Attributes | AP: 0]
Strength: 17 (19.55)
Speed: 16
Mind: 12 (18)
Constitution: 12 (15.6)
Confirm? (Yes/No)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
5 in Strength and 4 in Speed.
Yes.
My body thrummed with force, tightened with a sudden sense of power.
[Master. I can only hold back the EXP for a minute at most.]
I didn’t have time to revel in that strength. Evolution was imminent, and I had to make sure I spent any resources I had lying around before then.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Mastery | MSTP: 100]
Greataxe Mastery (Sub-Par) : 380/1000 (+)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One hundred points for having completed the Bonus Quest. I dumped everything without hesitation. It probably wouldn’t affect the evolution, but I had nothing to lose by doing so.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Mastery | MSTP: 0]
Greataxe Mastery (Sub-Par) : 480/1000 (+)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I winced, gritting my teeth as hours upon hours of memory flooded my mind in an instant, leaving my proficiency even greater than it had been before. I was almost at the halfway mark to Basic Axemanship Mastery.
[Master. 30 more seconds till my hold on the EXP fails.]
I pushed away the sentiments.
My hand gripped the second core tight, black swirling within.
A quick exhale to center myself, and down the hatch it went.
It melted just like the normal core, thick liquid sliding down my gullet in a burning streak.
[You have consumed a Crisis-Class Beast Core.]
[Absorption has begun...]
The moment it touched my tongue, it dissolved the same way as the first, liquefying into a thick stream that scorched down my throat.
But it was different this time around. My body didn’t welcome it.
My chest locked tight in revolt almost immediately, and then, the absorption began full-swing.
[WARNING: Anomalous Mana detected.]
Muscles, organs, bones---nothing could contain the quaking tsunami of Mana Burn that followed.
I seized before I could take another breath. Muscles jerked taut, vision scattering into fractured colors. It wasn’t like channeling it through my bloodstream. This mana wasn’t my own. And it wasn’t limited to vessels or paths. It was everywhere at once, a flood ripping apart the very lines that let my body move.
[WARNING: Catastrophic Mana Burn detected.]
[ALL Blood vessels are being burnt by Mana.]
[ALL Muscles are being burnt by Mana.]
[ALL Bones are being burnt by Mana.]
[ALL Organs are being burnt by Mana.]
Blood spilled from my nose, hot streams down my chin. My hearing collapsed into ringing, every pulse a hammer to the skull. My throat and lungs had seized, I couldn’t even choke out a grunt much less scream.
Agony. Torment. Torture. Excruciation. Misery. Hell.
None of these words were heavy enough to describe it.
Nothing I had felt before could compare.
My eyes rolled back into my head as I convulsed, mind going completely blank as my body was shredded apart from the inside out without end.
And then, a voice. The System.
[EXP Hold has collapsed.]
[Resuming Absorption...]
[EXP: 2149/2150]
[EXP: 2150/2150]
[Ascension Prerequisites have been met.]
[Initializing Breakthrough to Silver Rank...]
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A/N: This story is finally debuting on RISING FICTIONS! It’s make or break guys. This week is probably going to be the most important week for this book’s success, BY A LONG SHOT.
I NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
GOLDEN TICKETS. POWER STONES. REVIEWS. EVERYTHING. ANYTHING.
Vooooootee!!!
The time is NOW.
By Lysha’el, I’m going to need every single one of those I can get.
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