Initially, a sense of tranquility enveloped Kyle's mind and body. He became aware of his bloodline pulsating through his veins as his mind and body both reached a state of complete calmness, leading him into a trance-like condition.
He exhaled tendrils of smoke and sensed a sensation of floating in a void. Gradually, he opened his eyes and discovered himself within a vast, white expanse.
"Hmm..."
The white space around him stretched out, yet it lacked any visible objects. Confusion flickered in his eyes when he saw nothing in his surroundings as he had full knowledge of how to achieve the transcendent rank.
His master, Hubert, had told him in the No Mana Land that he needs to pass the universe test when he reached the end of the divine rank and shatter the divine shield encasing his soul, which had only absorbed divinity in the divine rank, and he would ascend to the transcendent rank.
"What must I do? Do I need to search the test in this expansive white void? There's nothing... Well, let's start by breaking the divine shield around my soul."
He felt the shield around his soul, and with a mere blink, it shattered into many pieces. After all, his soul had already reached the end of the transcendent rank. How could it not break a mere divine barrier?
"That was a breeze. What's next?"
He looked around and started walking forward to discover the trial the universe was supposed to provide to evaluate his worthiness to enter the transcendent rank and achieve true immortality. As he moved ahead, he spotted a raised area resembling a standing wall on the ground. He nearly tripped, caught off guard by accidentally encountering it.
"What the heck?"The wall barely grazed his toes, measuring no more than half a finger's width.
The moment he discovered the wall, a thought not his own crossed his mind that he had to pass this wall to break the barrier blocking his path to the transcendent rank, leaving him utterly speechless with a look of bewilderment on his face.
"So, this is the universe's test? Why do I feel like it forgot to up the challenge? And why does this seem familiar? Almost like I've been through it before."
He stared at the wall with narrowed eyes. Kyle had forgotten, but he had indeed passed a familiar wall when he reached the pseudo-divine rank. However, at that time, the wall that blocked his path was about knee-length, which had now shrunk to a length even shorter than his toes
At first, he thought about leaping over the wall, but after a moment's contemplation, he opted to break through it.
After all, he didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. Stepping back, he retracted his right leg and forcefully kicked the wall, causing it to immediately shatter like paper. With his strength at the final stage of the transcendent rank, a barrier intended to hinder divine rank individuals striving to attain the transcendent rank presented no obstacle for him.
After breaking the wall, Kyle stepped over the shattered fragments and stared into the vast white expanse that seemed to lead into an endless void. He shut his eyes for a second, feeling a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body as if a barrier impeding his progress had vanished.
As he closed his eyes, a pair of luminous white eyes materialized in the void. These eyes seemed puzzled as they fixed their gaze on Kyle. The moment the eyes locked onto him, a cold energy emanated from his body, enveloping him entirely as if safeguarding him from all harm.
'Oh... a human with Celestial essence within him? It's been ages since I've come across such a being. I was puzzled by why my power wasn't working. Regardless, his essence didn't meddle with the trial, nor did he violate any of nature's rules because I can see his body has already achieved the transcendent rank, so the trial was never meant to impede him.'
The luminous white eyes flashed with annoyance as they closed themselves. It was the universe's will, awakened from its slumber upon sensing an issue in the trial designed to evaluate the divine rank individual's worthiness to reach the transcendent rank.
'Ugh... now I regret waking from my slumber, thinking Azazeal had once again forcefully raised someone's rank. I have grown too weak from using my power to keep the realm designated for the dead in this universe sealed, but if it continues like this, I do not think I can hold on for long because all the Celestial spirits are dying. I really want to kill those two bastards who sealed the path leading to the Celestial realm. It's all because of them I have to suffer... one died and one left the universe after they destroyed my peace.'
Even after seeing Kyle and sensing the power of the essence in his body, the universe's will didn't harbor much hope that the human standing before it would achieve anything substantial beyond reaching the supreme rank. As soon as this human posed a threat, Azazeal would swiftly eliminate him to prevent him from interfering with his goals.
The universe's will had long given up hope that anyone could resolve the mess caused by the two bastards it desperately wanted to kill with its own hands, even going to the extent of violating the laws of nature to meddle with the universe's inhabitants.
'I suppose... my time is almost up. Let's just rest until that moment arrives. It's been four thousand years... just a little longer, and everything will come to an end.'
The eyes gazed at Kyle one last time. The human appeared handsome and ethereal, bathed in a cold Celestial glow.
The universe's will couldn't predict Kyle's fate, but it just knew that the human's life would soon end. Regardless, it wondered why Azazeal had allowed the human to live for so long, knowing that the man had long detected Kyle's presence.
'They both harbored something similar within their bodies. The main difference is that half of Azazeal's essence was dug out of his body by those two he considered his own, while the rest of his essence was tainted by the darkness which consumed his heart. But this human... he possesses a pure essence within him. I just hope he don't get swallowed by Azazeal.'
After blinking twice with a touch of hopelessness in them, the eyes dissolved into the whiteness around and faded away. Only after the universe's will vanished did Kyle slowly open his eyes. A chilling darkness crept into his gaze, intensifying with each fleeting moment.
He didn't sense anyone around when he closed his eyes, but he felt it when his bloodline began to stir for some unknown reason. It forcefully left his mind space to enter the white space he was standing. He wanted to know the cause, yet it was in that moment his bloodline somehow compelled him to listen to the completely silent and ethereal voice speaking in his vicinity.
"Who was that...? I get swallowed by Azazeal? I? You must be joking because it would be me who will swallow that bastard if he even dared to come in my path. Not the other way around..."
The cold energy around Kyle began to resonate with his emotions, growing even colder. If before it wasn't fully merged with his body, now it finally slowly but surely started to become one with him. However, due to his strength, which was still lacking to accommodate it entirely, the process stopped before it could complete, and the essence returned to his mind space.
Kyle's lips curved into a smile, yet his eyes lacked warmth. He felt his strength, which had ceased increasing after he entered the transcendent rank, surging once more.
"Aze and Azazeal, I always wonder why these two names sounded so similar. I had my doubts. But when the voice mentioned all the Celestial spirits are dying, I became sure they both are one and the same. Aze wants the Celestial spirits, and Azazeal is killing them. What a beautiful coincidence. Aze was Azazeal all along."
A laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head. In the No Mana Land, Aze shared an old tale with him. He remembered it vividly because it all unfolded within the confines of the No Mana Land.
"So... two individuals you considered your own extracted half of the essence from your body? I wonder who they are. I do wish to encounter them one day to ensure they pay for the anguish they caused my friend."
Kyle's smile faded as he glanced at the image displaying his stats from the corner of his eyes.
________
Name: Kyle
Race: Human/Semi Celestial
Bloodline: Celestial
Soul rank: Transcendent rank (Last stage)
Rank: Trancendent (Last stage)
stats:
Strength: Transcendent-rank (Last stage)
Mana: Divine-rank
Divine energy: fourth stage (Elite)
Spiritual energy: Trancendent rank (Initial stage)
Agility: Supreme rank (Initial stage)
Current physique rank: Transcendent-rank (Last stage)
Talent: Celestial
Luck: S+
Unique ability; Nature's favorite.
Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.
Skills;
....
________
"Not bad at all."
His strength stopped surging once his rank reached the last stage of the transcendent rank, which was divided into three different stages: initial, middle, and last.
Finally, his true rank somewhat matched his actual strength. It was rare to jump all three stages at once immediately after reaching the transcendent rank, but Kyle's body had long surpassed his true rank.
Therefore, he knew his rank would ascend to reach the end of the transcendent rank the moment he absorbed enough divine energy and broke through.
Kyle noticed his bloodline skill 'Arcane Visions' had jumped from divine to transcendent rank as well, and a sense of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.
Glancing at the vast white space around him, Kyle closed his eyes to leave. It was time for him to grow stronger and hunt Azazeal now that he had confirmed the identity of his dear friend.
_Orange_
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