Chapter 173: Echoes Of The Ex-Rank

​[Aetheldawn’s Mansion.]

[Sitting Room.]

​"That is what happened."

​Sara closed her book with a soft, decisive snap after listening to Juliana’s detailed explanation. She turned her head toward Kelly, who remained standing motionless before the massive stained-glass window, her vacant gaze lost in the vibrant blooms of the estate garden.

​’Did you use your mind reading ability on her?’ She asked telepathically, sending the thought floating gently through their established link.

​"Huh? No, Kelly’s situation is, well, special... It will only harm her," Juliana admitted, holding her jaw in deep thought as she observed their elder sister figure. "I think I can only do that when she is asleep."

​’You think?’ Sara raised an eyebrow at her, her expression cool and questioning.

​’If you aren’t sure, then don’t do anything... We will wait for Asher, he should know a way.’

​Juliana nodded at Sara’s sensible telepathic words and let out a long exhale: "But I don’t know when he will come back."

​’Don’t worry, he isn’t weak.’ Sara opened her book again, her long fingers turning to a page, and continued reading.

​"You are so confident... Is that why you’re reading that book? Doing it for him," Juliana asked teasingly, a mischievous smile forming on her lips as she leaned forward.

​Sara shot her a sharp glare, but a small, undeniable smile formed at the corners of her mouth: ’I am not reading this because of him.’

​’Like anyone who knows what is inside that book will believe you.’ Juliana shook her head, chuckling softly before her expression shifted back to serious inquiry:

​"Oh, I want to ask something very important—what happens when an SSS-RANK Awakened cultivates their Spirit energy to 100% purity?"

​Sara raised her head to look at Juliana, her dark eyes holding the accumulated weight of histories. After some seconds of heavy silence, she looked back down at her book.

​’Nothing happens. If you don’t get any assistance from an Ancient Family, you are stuck at SSS-RANK.’

​Juliana blinked, utterly stunned by her abrupt reply: "So this is the reason there are many SSS-RANK Awakened. They can’t increase their Purity with Evolution stones; they only need to cultivate spirit energy by absorbing it from the world itself... For those who only push their rank by absorbing Evolution stones, they become stuck here."

​Sara nodded her head in silent confirmation.

​"Um... How does someone break this limit?"

​’I don’t know, only the Ancient families know the secret.’

​Juliana sighed softly, resting her chin in her hands: "I am asking because of Asher... We need to figure out a way for him to break through this limit."

​Sara paused her movement mid-page: ’He has that special ability, called system, I say we keep watching. If he needs our help, he will say it.’

​"I guess you’re right. I wonder what he is doing now," Juliana said, tapping her jaw with a gentle, fond smile returning to her face.

​Sara slowly nodded her head, opening her book wider as her eyes moved carefully to another page.

__

​[Dungeon.]

​BAM!!

​Asher punched the heavy rocks on him, his shattered armored overcoat scraping against the rubble as he violently pulverized the massive boulder holding him down. Panting heavily, he finally crawled out from the smoking wreckage of the collapsed throne room.

​{Health Point: 1.}

​’Lucky I have the Aetheldawn family’s bloodline, or I would be dead by now,’ Asher thought with a grim shudder, recalling the red system notification that had flashed across his vision during the core’s cataclysmic explosion.

​{Asher’s Health Point: 1.5m - 500k - 100k - 500 – 1 -....}

​{DING!}

{Health Below 20%, Triggering Family Bloodline.}

{Health Instantly Restored to 100%, and all stats, including Health increase by 500% for ten minutes.}

​He wiped the dark blood off his lips with the back of his hand, his body trembling from residual shockwaves: "Even with these buffs, my health still reduced to 1 point... The damage from destroying the core is fucking higher than 5 million."

​He quickly brought out a high-tier health potion from his storage, popped the cork, and gulped it down.

​"This thing only gives me 50% of my full health points, but for now, this is enough," he thought, feeling warmth circulate back through his damaged body as he moved his gaze all over the ruined, dust-choked cavern.

​"Tempest... Come out."

​BOOOOM!!

​A brilliant beam of light burst down from the clear, torn sky, and Tempest flew out, its massive wings fanning away the lingering ash.

​"There are still parts of Anika’s and Darion’s bodies, find and eat them."

​Tempest gave a low, understanding screech, immediately grabbing a massive boulder with its razor-sharp talons, hurling it out of the way, and digging through the rubble for essence remnants.

​"Human."

​"....?!"

​Asher turned around sharply, his eyes widening as he stared at Darion’s translucent, phantom form hovering lazily in the air above the shattered throne platform.

​"You are still alive?!!" He exclaimed in genuine shock, reaching instinctively for his blade.

​"Impressive, human... For defeating me, I am impressed. But this blood feud has just been crossed... You are now my enemy, and also my God’s enemy. Once the time is right, I will watch you bleed, and beg for mercy."

​"Oh, you’re just a soul, I thought you were still alive," Asher muttered, relaxing his posture slightly and crossing his arms across his chest with an indifferent scoff:

​"Although I cheated, I still won... I will wait for that day."

​"You are arrogant, human. But don’t think because you defeated an Ex-Rank, you have reached the Pinnacle... Before true strength, Ex-Rank is nothing but a stepping stone! Make sure to get stronger, because when I Descend on your world, you will be my first target."

​Asher raised an eyebrow at his parting declaration, a cold lump forming in his throat. Are there ranks even higher than Ex-Rank?

The hell?! Ex-Rank already broke the ceiling of strength in his words, even Astrid was so fucking powerful!

If there are actually things above this rank, can their world survive?