Chapter 248: A step forward.
[Displaying the supreme ability]
Alden looked at the status screen eagerly, searching for any changes.
The status appeared before him.
[SUPREME ABILITY — LIMITLESS ASCENSION]
[CURRENT RANK — D (PROGRESSIVE)]
[DESCRIPTION — An ability that defies the very laws of the world. Due to its strength, which was beyond what the world could bear, it has been converted into a progressive ability that grows with the user.]
[SUB-SKILLS]
[1. Limitless Growth]
The user is not bound by any limits and can break through them to grow stronger endlessly. The more the user fights stronger opponents, the more he grows. The user can adapt and increase skill comprehension during battles.
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[2. Monarch of Mana]
The user's mastery over mana is increased immensely; they can control the mana with ease. The user can merge with ambient mana for some time, making their body intangible. The longer the user stays intangible, the more stamina drain there will be. The user cannot phase through high-density objects or high-density magic.
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[3. Abyssal Soul (33%)]
The user's soul gains a ▒▒▒▒▒ property. They can store any 5 magic attacks that touch their body of power equal to the user's level or weaker than him and discharge it within a week with 90% effectiveness. Absorbing and releasing the attack consumes 60% of the magic power used to attack the user.
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[4. Spirit Domain]
The user can create a domain of 70 m radius around himself. The spirit domain increases all the senses of the user within that domain. The longer the domain is active, the more mana is drained and mental strength is consumed.]
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[5. Eyes of Supreme]
The user can see through vital points and the aura of any living thing as well as any traps. The user can activate Supreme Gaze—a more advanced form of Predatory Gaze that causes fear or hallucinations based on the opponent's greatest fear. The stronger the opponent, or those having high mental resistance, can resist it.
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[6. Limit Break]
The user can activate this skill to increase their stats by one minor level for 90 seconds. It has a cooldown of 10 hours and after its use, the user's stats will be decreased by one minor level for 20 minutes.
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[7. TRAUMATIC INHERITANCE]
If the user kills an enemy with their own hands, they may absorb a random skill, technique, or mastery from the target. However, doing so will also transfer a core memory of that being's deepest trauma. The user must relive this trauma as if it were their own—either enduring it or being broken by it. The ability cannot be used again until the inherited trauma has been processed, by the soul.]
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Tsk. Nothing changed.
Alden couldn't help but be disappointed, seeing no change in his supreme ability.
Even after he ascended to Adept rank not much had changed.
Only three sub-skills had changed—Spirit Domain, Limit Break and Abyssal Soul but even those weren't drastic. Functional improvements but nothing game-changing.
His domain size had increased. As for Limit Break, cooldown and penalty time was reduced.
He could now discharge any magic absorbed within a week with ninety percent effectiveness and even the mana cost decreased for Abyssal Soul.
Aside from those changes, everything else stayed the same.
Well—except one thing.
That percentage counter beside [Abyssal Soul].
33%.
And I still have no idea what the hell it even means.
Was it unlocked gradually? Was it tied to some condition? Did it change anything at all?
He stared at it for a few more seconds, hoping the system would magically explain it.
It didn't.
Typical.
So, he dismissed it.
Then his gaze fell across his seventh skill—[Traumatic Inheritance]
The skill was as traumatic to understand as its name suggests.
Alden sighed. He'd tried using that skill many times in the Flux Dungeon but it never activated
He scanned the description again.
What does processed by the soul even mean?
Is this something like digestion?
Does that mean, I could only absorb another traum–I mean skill once previous was completely digested?
But how will I even know when it is processed?
Honestly it was too confusing.
So, Alden left it as it is for now.
I'll just have to test it until it activates, I guess.
With nothing else to check he moved on.
Time to check my elemental mastery now.
Thinking such, Alden focused on his Mana Tome section as a new section popped up in front of him.
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[Mana Tome]
[The Eclipse Codex]
[Description: One of the three Primordial Rank tomes in the world. Its cultivation method unlocks the user's latent potential by balancing light and shadow, gradually granting them mastery over the rare Eclipse Element.]
[Current Phase]—Twilight Phase
[Spells Unlocked – Shadow Step, Shadow Manipulation, Shadow Stealth, Light Manipulation, Intermediate Healing, Radiant Beam]
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A grin tugged at his lips as he scanned his spells.
Within the four months of training, both his elements had reached a new level.
He had elevated his basic healing to intermediate level and even unlocked a new spell after he reached Adept Rank.
It was a bit difficult to use but this was Alden's dream spell
A lightsaber.
That was one of the applications of his new spell—Radiant beam.
He could extend pure condensed light from his fingertips or weapon… or at least that was possible theoretically.
If only it wasn't so damn hard to control
He couldn't even emit a small beam—let alone something like a lightsaber for now.
But he wasn't about to give up
One day, he'd unlock a higher level of the spell—just so he could wield a lightsaber freely
After going over his dream one last time, he opened his spells in detail to check their masteries.
[Spells]
[Shadow Steps]: Teleport a few metres between shadows. Requires shadows to exist in the target area.
Mastery: Expert (21%)
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[Shadow Manipulation]: Your control over shadows increases as you can manipulate shadows to your will.
Mastery – Expert (9%)
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[Shadow Stealth] —The user can cloak themselves in shadow, making them harder to detect. The longer it's maintained, the more mana it consumes.
Mastery: Adept (98%)
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[Light Manipulation] – Your control over light increases as you can manipulate it to your will.
Mastery: Apprentice (74%)
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[Intermediate Healing] – Using light mana, you can heal yourself of small injuries. Increases passive regeneration slightly.
Mastery: Adept (2%)
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[Radiant Beam] – A beam of pure condensed light that extends from the user's weapon or fingertip, lasting for a brief moment.
Mastery: Novice (27%)
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He looked at his spells proudly.
Most of his shadow spells had already reached Expert rank. Only Shadow Stealth lagged behind—and barely.
Well, he didn't use it that much anyway.
As for his light elemental spells, they had grown much too.
From their initial Novice mastery, he finally elevated them a bit.
Although he still couldn't control light manipulation much, he could now form basic shapes easily.
The Intermediate healing could now heal his minor injuries within seconds… As for major ones, it took time.
Still, better than needing to take potions mid-fight
He closed the window. The spell mastery could wait.
The real battle was only a week away. His trial.
And something told him—it wouldn't be like any trial he'd faced before.
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Author's Note
Whew. That was a long one.
We've officially wrapped up the timeskip phase and Alden's back and stronger than ever (and more confused than ever, let's be honest).
A lightsaber may still be a distant dream… but hey, he's trying, alright?
For those who might've forgotten.
Spell Mastery Levels —
Novice → Apprentice → Adept → Expert → Master → Grandmaster → Legendary