Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1952: Pawn

Sylas had no systematic method of becoming a Progenitor. Even back on Earth, a world that couldn’t have been more desperate, becoming one had nearly killed Sylas several times over.

Earth had been a world the most willing to take chances. It had nothing to lose, and yet it had made Sylas bend over backwards.

One didn’t even need to talk about just how much it had taken out of Sylas to become a Galaxy Progenitor, and even that had only been possible because the All-Seeing Eye had formed due to a rare treasure brought forward by a member of Legacy.

If not for the All-Seeing Eye taking shape and forcing the highest wielders of Karma in the Galaxy to pit themselves against one another, Sylas wouldn’t have become a Progeny. And even then, he had to do even more after that before he was officially crowned a Progenitor.

There was one last glaring elephant in the room.

Sylas had been born on Earth. He had been born in the Milky Way. Those worlds were naturally attuned to him in the first place.

He was no Spirit Beast, he hadn’t been born in the Spirit Horizon, nor on any one of their neighboring planets or Horizons.

You couldn’t just become a Progenitor because you felt like it. No matter how much you did for a world, if you were never born there, it was basically impossible.

But not entirely so.

Did Sylas have any proof of that? No. He only had his own personal speculations, speculations he was hinging his entire plan on.

What he did know, though, was that the first step would always be the same.

Prove himself to the world. Force it to acknowledge him. Force everyone on it to acknowledge him.

The skies rumbled under his oath. The Ape Emperor heard it, and then he felt it. His eyes couldn’t help but widen.

This didn’t make any sense. Wasn’t this all because of Sylas? If that was the case, why would he do something like this now? Also, didn’t he want to destroy their Sanctum? Even if this wasn’t him, why would he swear to defend them to the end and even get revenge on top of that?

“I would focus on me if I were you, little Ape.” A laughter came from the shadows and a palm nearly passed right through the Ape Emperor’s chest.

The latter just barely managed to dodge.

“SHOW YOUR FACE, COWARD!” the Ape Emperor roared in fury.

Every one of the 713th Emperors was locked in a battle exactly like this. They were still suppressing their Spirits from leaving their bodies and killing their younger generation as well, so they were barely acting at 30% capacity if that.

But this wasn’t the worst part to the Ape Emperor. He could feel his target playing with him. Because they were trying to hide their identities, they weren’t even using any of their main abilities. Otherwise, that palm would have definitely landed.

This was the greatest insult to the Ape Emperor. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so furious.

He roared.

“If you mean what you say, Sylas Grimblade, do it!” the Ape Emperor said.

All the frustration in his chest was billowing upward. He didn’t expect that Sylas would be able to deal with two C- tiers with such ease. Even if they were only Veil Humans, a C-tier was still a C-tier.

The furious roar of the Ape Emperor shook the skies. Even the Spirit trying to rip its way free of his body billowed along with him.

The shadowy figure sneered. “He will die soon enough. I didn’t expect him to be such a sentimental fool. If he’s sworn not to run, this battle is already finished.”

“Only a coward would run when defending their home. What difference is it to swear an oath or not?” The Ape Emperor growled, pulling out a halberd from his spatial ring. It buzzed with a bloody light and scent, his fury pooling into it. “What would a backstabbing, scheming, scurrying rat like you understand about that?”

“Scurrying rat?” the shadowy figure sneered. “Why thank you. This scurrying rat wants to see you squirm a little bit more. Just sit back and enjoy the show. I wonder how much stamina that brave little boy down there has.”

Sylas only gave the skies a glance after the Ape Emperor spoke. It seemed that at least one problem was solved. He didn’t need people of the Sanctum attacking him as well. Though… There was a flicker in Sylas’ eyes but he ignored the thought for the time being. There was no use wasting time on useless, meaningless thoughts.

Instead, he wanted to see just how far he could push himself.

It had been a very long time since Sylas had truly set time aside to train, going from one problem to the next tended to do that.

It seemed that if he wanted to improve, he was just going to have to do it with his life on the line.

Sylas took a breath and exhaled. In that moment, he felt countless Wills fall upon him.

…

A distance away, sitting in a ship and watching the proceedings, two unlikely Thryskai allies had come together.

The Sona and the Buri.

“He’s so arrogant. I want to rip a layer of his face off.” A Thryskai with fiery red hair and golden flames in place of his Skai Eye growled, wanting to make a move to stand from his throne.

The Buri waved a hand to stop him. “Relax. I’m sure you know Rykhan’s fingerprints are all over this. We’re acting because it makes sense for us, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come without risks. When is the last time you’ve seen an E-tier take down a C-tier that easily?”

“My damn self.”

The Buri gave the Sona a glance. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ziel. Defeat? Maybe you could have. But that easily? Pull your head out of your ass.”

Ziel didn’t reply, his enraged glare still focused on the distance.

“Just let the small fry act. In fact, we might not have to make a move at all. The world knows for a fact he’s here now, and quite a few powers want him dead.

“Want to bet how long it’ll take the Seeing Eye Guild to appear? How many babies did that psychopath kill?”

Ziel didn’t reply. For a moment, it looked like he had completely lost himself to fury. But after a long while, he exhaled a breath filled with ashy heat.

“He’s strong.” Ziel finally said.

“Yes. He is. But his greatest weakness is that he is still an E-tier.”

The Buri looked toward Ziel. “Do you finally agree with me now? We need to move mountains. We can’t just hope the Seeing Eye Guild appears. They will definitely hedge because they’re waiting for the Skai Heaven to turn against them now that they’ve been exposed as traitors. They’ll want revenge, but they won’t overextend themselves.

“So long as Sylas Grimblade is alive, and The Sanctum remains, the path to Demi-Godhood will remain blocked.” “What do you suggest?”

The Buri rolled his eyes. “Were you not paying attention before?”

“Fuck off, Riqo. I have better things to do than listen to you whine all day.”

Riqo grinned. “Let’s go all in.”

“You’re not serious.” Ziel looked toward Riqo like he was looking at a madman.

Riqo’s grin widened. “It would be a shame if we had a pawn like the Disciple of Wrath and never used it, right?”