Chapter 108: Chapter 102: Ascension
Zeke said, "Relax. I’m not like you all. So, my first condition, punish System Administrator #86253463 with 99 mortal lives. That fucker needs to pay."
Administrator #1 said, "Nope. The most I can do is nine mortal lives."
Zeke said, "Fine, but he needs to suffer. By the end of it, he must curse his own immortality."
Administrator #1 said, "Fine."
Zeke said, "Second, I was told that I can only choose the Transcendent Primogenitor difficulty in my Ascension Trials. Change that."
Administrator #1 said, "Can’t do that. It’s already set in stone."
Zeke shrugged and said, "Then don’t blame me if any more Independent Planes ’disappear.’"
The Administrator replied, "I won’t. Because there won’t be any more World Trials for you until you ascend to A Grade."
Zeke said, "Third, increase the Earth Federation’s grace period by another millennium."
The Administrator replied, "Can’t do that either. We Administrators have nothing to do with the grace period. Even if I use all of my authority, I can only increase it by ten more years."
Zeke said, "Do it. Fourth, I want Yeomra back."
The Administrator replied, "Can’t bring the dead back to life. At most, you can get the same weapon in its nascent form with a blank soul."
Zeke said, "Fifth, ensure that we get rewarded appropriately for the trial."
The Administrator said, "You don’t have to worry about that. The System is fair."
Zeke said, "I somehow doubt that, but sure. Just expect a complaint if it isn’t. That will be all. Just send us back home."
Administrator #1 said, "Very well. I hope I never see you again."
A portal appeared around Zeke and Cass and swallowed them. When they disappeared, the Administrators got into an argument.
Administrator #2 said, "Number 1, why did you just let them walk over you like that?"
The other Administrators also raised similar doubts.
Administrator #1 said, "The skill he used to create a new timeline—did any of us approve a skill like that?"
The Administrators shook their heads.
Administrator #1 said, "And yet he still got it. He somehow acquired a skill that none of us approved of."
The other Administrators had a eureka moment followed by a look of pure horror. It had been a long time since they had experienced something like that.
Administrator #2 said, "You mean..."
Administrator #1 said, "Yes. He got the skill directly from ’them.’ That’s why I didn’t do anything to him. Not because I didn’t want to, but because we can’t afford to. Time and Fate are already pissed at us. We do not want any more enemies."
Administrator #3 said, "I’ll handle the punishment of Administrator #86253463."
Administrator #1 nodded and said, "Then this meeting is dismissed."
The Administrators nodded and disappeared.
On Earth,
It had almost been a year since Cass and Zeke had left for their Ascension Trials. Dean had set up some formations around their residence that would alert him and Leonel of any disturbances in mana. So, when a portal manifested above the lab, they both appeared there. They saw the boys safely landing on the lab’s roof.
Zeke saw the two of them and yelled, "UNCLE DEAN, CODE YELLOW!!"
Dean’s expression changed, and he transported the boys to two different mana-rich rooms. He then went back and fetched Leonel, taking him to another room from where they could observe the boys’ rooms.
Leonel said, "Looks like they passed their Ascension Trials, and their Ascension to E Grade is about to begin."
Leonel was right, as mana wrapped the boys in a cocoon.
A series of System Notifications appeared before them. For Cass, it was:
’1. You have passed the Ascension Trial at the Transcendent Primogenitor difficulty. Your System Achievement, Perfect Evolver I has evolved into Transcendent Evolver I.
Potential +300%.’
’2. You have survived alone in a timeless world. You have received the System Achievement: Timeless Warrior. Your Myth has grown.’
’3. You have received the System Achievement: Devic Star of the Neo-Nephilim Primogenitor. You have received the Unique Trait: Unlimited Armament Physique. Your Myth has grown.’
’4. You have created a new skill in a manaless world. You have received the System Achievement: Supreme Skill Architect.’
’5. You have mastered every cold weapon that yet or will exist. You have received the System Achievement: Armament Grandmaster.’
’6. System Achievements Supreme Skill Architect and Armament Grandmaster have combined into System Achievement: Envoy of Death. Your Myth has grown. Your Myth has reached the level of a Constellation.’
’Commencing Ascension.’
Zeke’s achievements were just as great.
’1. You have passed the Ascension Trial at the Transcendent Primogenitor difficulty. Your System Achievement, Perfect Evolver I has evolved into Transcendent Evolver I.
Potential +300%.’
’2. You have conquered an Independent Plane. You have received the System Achievement: Conqueror of Untold Worlds. Your Myth has grown.’
’3. You have received the System Achievement: Asuran Star of the Neo-Nephilim Primogenitor. You have received the Unique Trait: Infinite Adaptation Physique. Your Myth has grown.’
’4. You have rediscovered a lost cultivation path, the Magic Circle. You have received the System Achievement: Master of Mana.’
’5. You have founded a new runic language in #@%#$^. You have received the System Achievement: Rune Grandmaster.’
’6. System Achievements Master of Mana and Rune Grandmaster have combined into System Achievement: Archiver of Untold Knowledge. Your Myth has grown. Your Myth has reached the level of a Constellation.’
’Commencing Ascension.’
Dean and Leonel watched as humongous amounts of mana started rushing into the cocoons—humongous amounts by the standards of an average E Grade Player.
Inside the cocoons, the mana condensed into Aether. The boys’ bodies started disintegrating into sludge. It was painful, but nothing they couldn’t handle after the hell they had been through. But something strange happened: no matter how much mana the sludge devoured, it wasn’t enough.
’Error! Aether concentration is too low. Switching to pure Aether.’
But that still wasn’t enough. A System Notification appeared once again.
’Error! Aether concentration is too low. Adding a drop of Aether of Beginning.’
A small portal appeared besides both cocoons and a drop of an unknown liquid entered them.
