Genetic Ascension

Saryah’s smile never faded as she scanned Fowler up and down. It was as though she could feel his apprehension.

“I heard that you were looking into my family.”

Fowler immediately shook his head. “I’ve done no such thing.”

Saryah giggled. “I believe you, I believe you.”

She took a step forward, her obnoxiously large breasts swaying with her as she leaned toward Fowler. She had the oddest scent to her.

Grapefruit. That was what it was, Fowler was sure. But somehow it also felt like bloody roses, as though someone was slowly dropping honey-infused blood onto the citrus Spritz.

“But, you are very smart, aren’t you, Fowler? I believe it’s quite unfair that the system chose to take your Title away from you. Even the Kaelthar Clan isn’t aware of my Race’s lineage, but you do know. You hadn’t even been actively looking for it, but you stumbled onto the pieces by accident and that beautiful mind of yours put them all together.” Fowler stood straight, slowly regaining his calm. His own pride ran deep. He was well aware of his own intelligence, but that was what made it all the more devastating he had lost his Contested Title.

“The system doesn’t just assign anyone such a Contested Title,” Saryah continued singing his praises. “But you seem to have been bettered this time. Quite rare, quite rare, indeed. Most Sectors don’t even produce one Dominus Paragon, but this one formed two of them.”

Fowler’s jaw clenched.

“If you really want, you can probably establish yourself in another Sector. After a few decades, the system will consider you a native and might give you a new Dominus Paragon Title. You could even go to a stronger Sector and gain one that suppresses this rival of yours. So why are you moping around here instead?”

Fowler took a breath and exhaled.

“You said you would tell me why I lost,” he finally spoke.

“Ah, 1 did, didn’t 1? You lost because of a Title known as Primus Luminaria. It’s the cousin to Primus Imperium, but instead of being for battle, it is purely for Rune Mastery. In its presence, Rune Masters, especially those of this Sector, have no right to draw Runes before him, I’m afraid.”

“Itis a Conquest Title?”

Saryah shook her head. “It is a Contested Title. You can take it back if you succeed in your little magnum opus. So long as the system believes your path is superior to his, that is. Are you confident?”

She smiled again, scanning Fowler’s eyes.

“You said that it isn’t a Conquest Title. Why? It shares the same naming scheme. Why is Dominus Paragon a Contested Title without sharing the same naming scheme?”

Saryah chuckled. “You are asking me questions that you should be asking the creator of the system instead.”

“I’m asking you.”

“Ah, it seems you’ve finally remembered that you are a C-tier. I’d better answer lest I be in danger then, hm?” Her words sounded as though she was scared, but her tone and constant giggling painted a completely different picture. “Many things in the system aren’t consistent because it used the previous Legendary System as a template, do you not know this?”

“I do, but I believe you have a better explanation.”

Saryah’s smile widened. “Maybe I do. But that will require something from you, now won’t it?”

“I will join your efforts.”

“Good. Now that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

“Tell me what I want to know.”

“Okay, okay. Don’t bully a young girl like me. You have to be delicate.” Her eyes twinkled. “Haven’t you ever wondered why, with how large the universe is, such powerful Titles are handed out on the basis of Sectors instead of Horizons? Or Skies? Or Heavens?” Latest content published on novel(ꜰ)ire.net

Fowler didn’t reply, waiting for the answer.

“The truth is that these remnant Titles are pieces of much larger Titles. They are technically incomplete. In the past, Titles were divided into five major categories. The first were Graded Titles, the second were Growth Titles, the third were Primus Titles, the fourth were Dominus Titles, and the last are Paragon Titles.

“Graded Titles disappear with every Tier jump. They can be used to elevate your Foundation and strengthen it considerably. Growth Titles stick with you and grow as you do, and can evolve. The last three sets of Titles are technically Growth Titles, but they can often be stolen by others if you lag behind. This is the tier of Contested and Conquest Titles.”

“Dominus… and Paragon…? Are separate…?”

“Indeed. The Dominus Paragon Title is a bastardized Title, a creation of the current system fusing together two aspects of a Title. The current system doesn’t have the processing power to focus on all your feats and figure out something as complex as genius. What it’s really doing is comparing aspects of domination, and how much destruction and carnage you’re wreaking on those who have also caused destruction onto others.

“The caveat, of course, is that you aren’t allowed to use your fists.”

Fowler’s eyes blazed. “Are you telling me it’s not a real measure of intelligence?”

“It can’t be,” Saryah chuckled. “The system needs a completely separate system just to allow you to boost your power with a Mount. Do you think it has the processing power to read your mind and understand how good your schemes are?”

Fowler stood in silence for a long while. And then, all at once, the fog hanging over his mind vanished.

There was a rush of energy, and the sight of a disheveled man vanished, being replaced by the Fowler the world had known for a very long time now.

Cold, calculating, focused. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of the madness that had corrupted him just moments ago.

Saryah’s smile deepened considerably.

“Welcome back.”

Fowler finally looked at Saryah—truly looked.

“You came here because you have a way for me to get it back.”

“Of course. The system is too easy to trick when you understand its underlying reasoning. Let alone Dominus Paragon, we can get you the Primus Luminaria Title back as well.”

“And Primus Imperium?”

“That is a Conquest Title, unfortunately. Its requirements are much more stringent, and unless Sylas Grimblade was a C-tier, it would be possible.”

“What do you need from me?”

“From you? Your brains, of course. No matter how intelligent, an F-tier is still just an F- tier. Their processing is too limited. You could be half as intelligent as him and stil outmaneuver him. Not to mention the fact I don’t believe the gap between you is all that large at all.”

Fowler looked out into the distance, his gaze and mind focused.