Ascenders Rift

Within the silent temple at the core of the ruined city of Belanore, an unusual scene could be noticed; a rain of golden blood had fallen from the skies, dousing the bodies of the humans the stood underneath it. As this happened, those amongst these humans who were awake heard a voice within their minds.

[You have been contaminated with Supreme Blood. As such, your mortal frames shall be undergoing a suitable enhancement to adapt to the change.]

[Commencing Enhancement!]

As Evan heard this, his eyes flashed with excitement as he thought, 'This is the greatest reward we could ever get, especially at this stage! A Supreme Blood is not something that we should even hope of getting at such a stage since it is the blood of an Apex Tier Lifeform that has been classified as Supreme based on their personal power. I suppose both Alios and Lyeecia wanted to gift this chance to us as a sign of even more goodwill. I truly thank you both for this gift, and I promise to you that I will do my best to see your deepest wishes to fruition.'

When Evan thought to here, his eyes shone with determination as he gripped his fists tightly while staring at the heavens. Soon, he felt his body growing still, forcing him into a state of paralysis. A bright golden light shone over his being for a moment, covering everything in sight.

On the side of Rick and the others, each had similarly undergone this change as only Rick and Emilia were awake to notice. The two had a hint of shock and worry on their faces as they couldn't move, but as they felt their bodies changing, they soon felt a tinge of relief.

After a few minutes, the rain of blood had stopped and the lights on their bodies faded. At this moment, Evan, Rick, and Emilia had regained the ability to move their bodies. The moment this happened, the system sounded once again in their minds, followed by the text in their eyes.

[Body Enhancement is complete!]

[You have absorbed a fraction of the essences in the Supreme Blood, all Hosts with hidden talents have awakened their latent ability!]

[All forms of Inherent Energy have risen by +9]

Currently, the previously exhausted Breya, along with the collapsed Layla and Joe, was beginning to show signs of waking up. Rick and Emilia were currently staring at their stats with shock as they felt the changes in their bodies.

"This is unreal!" Rick said as he stared at his hands, by now, he could stand up as the previous injuries had all but vanished after being doused by the Supreme Blood.

Emilia nodded as she added, "Yes, it's almost as if it was a blessing in disguise, those bosses were truly great people. I feel sad for their loss..."

As Emilia said this, her eyes looked upwards towards the heavens as they began to turn misty. It seemed that she was about to cry at any moment.

Rick seeing this sighed as he stared at her and spoke, "There's no point in being sad, they wouldn't like that, now would they? The best thing we can do for them is giving it our best to come out of this whole thing alive and in one piece. So, chin up and smile, I've found that your smile is even more radiant than even those royal roses when you're cheerful."

Emilia felt a litter better hearing his words, she lowered her head with a slight blush and nodded when answered, "Okay."

Rick was feeling pleased seeing her like that, but soon, Emilia spoke again, "But doesn't that mean that you're watching me a lot? Are you stalking me?"

When Rick heard this, his heart jumped as he started to sweat, he glanced at her direction and saw that though Emilia seemed to be blushing she was looking at him thoughtfully.

"I-I, of course not, I've only noticed your wonderful expression at times, especially w-when you're speaking with your brother. Yes, that's right, I would never do such a thing," Rick said with a bit of stammer in his words.

Emilia's face turned a bit sly, much unlike her usual innocent state, she already knew the truth, but she curled her lips and asked, "Really?"

Rick quickly replied like a soldier greeting a general, "Yes, ma`am!"

Emilia snickered at Rick's manner; she decided to no longer tease him as she spoke, "Okay, I'll believe you,"

As Emilia said this, she shifted her sights onto Layla and Breya, who were showing signs of waking.

Rick seeing this heaved a sigh of relief as he spoke in a soft tone, "That was close, I need to be more careful. Maybe, I should stop stalking her as well, since when did I stoop to such things? My pride as a prince shouldn't be broken so easily..."

As Rick thought to here, he looked at the slumped over Joe that was twitching slightly as a new thought came into his mind, "Hmm, wait if I can gain this fatty's support, then wouldn't pursuing her be easier. That's right, why didn't I think of this sooner? My mind must have been clouded; from now on, I'll take a new approach."

Following his words, Rick stooped down and began to help Joe gently as if he was assisting a dearest friend.

At this moment, Evan was smiling as he inspected his equipment that he had gotten beforehand. There was a greenish cape with unique runes, an aesthetic-looking chest armor with metal plates that had ancient markings and leather straps, an agile pair of green boots, and a leather belt with a vaguely glowing red gem embedded at its center.

With a thought, each of the equipment appeared on Evan's body, increasing his stats to an even larger scale. His body now carried a mighty prestige, as he looked no different from a warrior from legends.

Evan nodded and commanded with his mind, "Inspect!"

[Evan Cross - Special Status - ????????]

[Race - Human | State - Stage 1 Ascender]

[Class - Void Inheritor |??? Tier Class - 1st Blessing (+2 Stats Per Level)]

[Class - Divine Executor |Apex Tier Class - 1st Blessing (+1 Stats Per Level)]

[Total Stat +6 Stats Increase Per Level (Total Blessings + Average Human NSB)]

[Titles:]

[The Fallen's Executor - Stat Boost - Locked]

[Belanore's Conquerors - Stat Boost - Locked]

[Level - 4]

[Next Level - 10000 EXP]

[Total EXP - 1000]

[Health - 300]

[Spirit Power - 31]

[Battle Energy - 29]

[Strength - 50(32+3+3+12)]

[Vitality - 39(31+4+4)]

[Agility - 58(32+12+14)]

[Defense - 56(28+12+4+4+4+4)]

[Stat Comparison:]

[Previous: SP - 21 | BE - 20 | S - 38| V - 29| A - 39| D - 42]

[Current: SP - 31| BE - 29 | S - 50| V - 39| A - 58| D - 56]

[Talent:]

[Void Spirit - A soul that has an innate connection with all things in the universe, a natural affinity with space, and the world around it. Effects are unknown...]

[Void Manipulation - Passive Talent - Unlocked]

[Host can more freely manipulate objects remotely with the foundation powers of space. Limits are linked to one's Spirit Power.]

[Void Skills:]

[Void Blade - A blade conjured from the universe; it can be wielded to attack with a damaged power connected with one's Spirit Power.]

[Void????? ◆: Sealed - Requires 250 SP to unseal.]

[Executor Skills:]

[Executioner Slash - A blade from the executor is certain to cut all lives, it can cleave away the void bringing any life to its fate.]

[Death... ◆: Sealed 250 BE to unseal.]

[Weapons:]

[Balnore's Wind Cape - Rank 1: High Grade]

[Vitality - 4]

[Agility - 12]

[Durability - 6]

[Elven Chest Armour - Rank 1: Mid Grade]

[Vitality - 4]

[Defense - 12]

[Durability - 8]

[Arelithian Leather Arm Bracers - Rank 1: Middle Grade]

[Defense - 4]

[Damage - 3]

[Durability - 4]

[Arelithian Leather Gauntlets - Rank 1: Middle Grade]

[Defense - 4]

[Damage - 3]

[Durability - 4]

[Arelithian Leather Leg Armor - Rank 1: Middle Grade]

[Defense - 4]

[Durability - 4]

[Lightweight Battle Boots - Rank 1: Mid Grade]

[Defense - 4]

[Agility - 14]

[Durability - 8]

[Lesser Power Belt - Rank 1: Mid Grade]

[Damage - 12]

[Durability - 8]

As Evan looked over his stats, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement when he gripped his fists while thinking to himself, 'With this, my stats are now comparable to the standard bosses and captains of my level in some weaker worlds of the Ascenders Rift. If I were to fight a true unsealed (★) starred boss, even if it were at my level, it would still be a harsh fight. Maybe I'd only be able to last a few moves if it's feeling generous.'

While Evan was thinking, he heard a loud commotion from a distance, as Fatty Joe jumped to his feet while glaring at Rick as he shouted.

"Hey! What are you doing close to me? Keep some distance, man!" Joe said as he took a few steps back from Rick while glaring at him.

Rick was enraged at Joe's words; he was only helping him up; he didn't think that there would be such a reaction. Still, as he wanted to gain a bit of his favor, he calmed his mood and spoke with a smile and reached his hand outwards for a handshake, "Hmm, why are you acting like this? I only helped you up. You know, we are now comrades in war, and you did the same for me moments ago. I think that their might have been some misunderstanding between us, let's work together as comrades from here onwards."

Fatty Joe hearing this felt strange, he gave Rick a suspicious look, but he soon shook his head and replied, "If that's the case, then thanks for the help, but I can stand on my own from now on. Also, I don't like people being so close, so please keep some respectable distance between us, okay."

Rick felt a wave of anger in his soul, but he said nothing, he knew that it would take more time than this to win the fatty over. He saw the equipment nearby Joe and recalled something; he then spoke, "Oh, you might have forgotten, theirs some new equips as a reward for the test, you should take this time to equip them."

As he said this, Rick began to sort and equip his gear, amongst them were a new spear, a pair of boots with winds at its edges, and a strange ring with a green gem.

When Joe looked at Rick, he noticed his own gear nearby and shouted, "Oh, holy shit! I'd almost forgotten about this, thanks!"

Rick, hearing this, made a sly smile as he thought to himself, "So simple..."

Evan looked over at the two and shook his head; he seemed to have picked up on what was going on, only he knew that the tower to Emilia was not so easy to surmount, there were too many layers of 'mass' around it.

Having cleared his thoughts, he saw that Layla and Breya, along with Emilia were chatting with different looks on their faces as they sorted their equipment. Both Emilia and Breya had looks of excitement, but Layla seemed to be a bit distracted.

Evan took a step and appeared within their group in almost a flash, as this happened, the girls looked at him in surprise.

"Are you girls alright?" Evan asked with a smile.

Emilia replied cheerfully, "Brother Evan, I couldn't be any better; we've gotten too many rewards from this space."

Breya nodded and added, "Indeed, this felt like a good haul, not only have I gotten better gears, but my level has even surpassed my sister's. Hehe, I think she'll be surprised."

As Emilia and Breya replied, Layla, responded with a half-hearted smile as her mind seemed focused on other things, "Me too..."

When Evan noticed Layla's expression, he stepped closer and stooped down as he leaned in and asked with a puzzled look on his face, "What's this? My princess, are you sure you're feeling well, you seem a bit troubled?"

Layla blushed at his words, but she snorted and turned her head away replied, "I am not your princess, and yes, I'm fine, I just have a few personal matters on my mind."

As Evan heard her words, he looked at her deeply before standing up and replying, "Understood, but just to let you know, if at any time you're not feeling well, I'll always be here to listen."

As Layla heard this, she looked up at him and saw that he was giving her a gentle smile, his handsome visage causing her to look at him in a daze for a slight moment before she recovered and spoke while stuttering, "L-l-like I would ever ask you! I already have Breya and Emilia."

Breya and Emilia looked at this and said nothing; they merely smiled at her reaction, thinking it was funny. Evan looked at this and smirked when he replied, "Whatever you say."

As Layla snorted at this, the others silently snickered while Rick and Fatty Joe had now made their way over.

Evan looked at them and noticed their new equipment, he couldn't help but nod in satisfaction as he asked, "You've both seem to have gotten quite the harvest. How is it?"

Joe hearing this smirked as he patted his shiny breastplate and pointed at his strange-looking headband that had two gems along with his power belt when he spoke, "Haha, Evan, I couldn't feel any better, it's like you said, I am the destined hero. It is my fate to save the world!"

Evan smiled at Joe's confidence, he thought to himself, 'Very good, with this confidence, I can deploy him in the frontlines during the chaos of the First Calamity."

Joe's senses had increased; he vaguely sensed something strange about Evan's shining eyes as he looked at him. He started to sweat as he thought to himself, "I'm getting a bad vibe from that look, maybe I was a bit too much of a brag, I hope it's just my imagination."

Evan no longer paid Joe any mind as he saw that Rick was looking at him with a look of challenge. His heart grew cold when he thought, "This guy, I definitely can't let my guard down, he isn't planning on making that time slip. If I let him get too fast, then even though his speed won't be able to defeat me, he might just be able to become a troublesome fellow, especially now that he's experienced fighting that speedy goblin.'

As Evan pondered, Rick looked at Evan and spoke with a smile, "Evan, I think we'll be able to have a rematch very soon, I hope for your sake those gears made you stronger."

Evan, hearing this smiled and replied, "As I said before, I'll accept your challenge anytime, Rick. I just hope that you'll be able to match your actions with those words."

Rick didn't reply; he merely glared at Evan while thinking, 'Hmph! You'll see it sooner or later.'

Evan no longer paid him any mind, he glanced at everyone and spoke, "Well then, it's been sixteen days since we entered here and as it's now night time, we can take this chance to rest and leave this realm by dawn. By then, it would mean that roughly eight and a half days had passed in the outside world. We should have plenty of time to travel back home and a few days to handle our personal affairs."

As the others heard his words, they looked at Evan before they replied, "Understood."

Evan seeing this smiled and spoke, "Great, let's all get some rest while we still can because, from this point onwards, we have a long road ahead of us."

When Evan said this, his eyes gleamed in a sharp light, as he stared towards the sky, which was slowly turning darker, as if foreshadowing the dismal future that was on the rise.