Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1373: True Powerhouse

Sylas looked at the results calmly and then turned back to go and stand next to Gwenu, who was looking at him as though her eyes might fall out any moment now.

“You…”

It didn’t even matter to her at all that Sylas took half a day to do something that should have taken seconds. Not to mention the fact that Sylas had come back looking even fresher than he had when he started—this was impossible.

She didn’t know what to say.

For one, Sylas shouldn’t have even been able to see the Rune. He was in the F-tier. How could he see an E-Grade Rune? That didn’t make any sense.

But to draw it?

“It’s your turn,” Sylas said calmly. Then he closed his eyes, resting his mind more.

Gwenu blinked, and then she went up.

The moment the Rune appeared, her aura surged and she slapped out her palm three times, each one looking like a Scorpion’s Tail lashing out.

A sizzling heat filled the air, and then she pulled back, slapping her palms together.

Three pieces, separated into differing Foundations, surged together like magnetized pieces.

BANG!

Sylas wasn’t paying much attention as most of his mind had been shut down, taking turns to rest. But he could feel the forcefulness of drawing E-Grade Runes. It was quite fascinating.

It was different. He had felt some of it for the first time during his turn.

The world seemed more resistant to the drawing of stronger Runes. This only confirmed Sylas’ thoughts more, though. The world was against Rune Masters as a whole. That should be the real reason Time and Space were kept separate.

However, if by definition a Rune Master was defying the natural order of things anyway, why would you stop at just this alone? Obviously, he had to go as far as possible.

From now on, drawing Runes would only grow more difficult.

—

[Gwenu Vamperraline][Time: 00:00:14][Full Points Rewarded]

—

[Uowen Leava][Time: 00:00:12][Full Points Rewarded]

—

[Nenabri Venom][Time: 00:00:15][Full Points Rewarded]

—

[Magnus Kaelthar][Time: 00:00:12][Full Points Rewarded]

—

One after another, they finished in rapid succession. Suddenly, the difference between them and Sylas became obvious once more. But this time, even Vaernon wasn’t speaking. Until, that is… it was his turn.

He looked toward Sylas, his eyes narrowing for a moment.

“I don’t know how you did it, what petty tricks the Scorpion Lineage has pulled, or what you intend to do by joining while only being able to—”

“Stop wasting my time. I have little to zero intention of exchanging too many words with a dead man.”

Sylas’ words seemed to have a Will that cut through the air like steel, slicing apart Vaernon’s momentum as though it hadn’t been rising at all.

Vaernon’s mind seemed clouded for a moment, the next words he had been meaning to speak slipping from his mind as though he had never formed them at all.

Sylas opened his eyes. Even through his sunglasses, it looked as though he could tear into Vaernon with nothing but his gaze.

“The only words I have to spare for you is a description of what’s about to happen. I took half a day to complete the Sight Secret Realm. I will take another half a day for the Visualization Secret Realm. Followed by another half a day for the Enlightenment Secret Realm.

“That will be your last chance to have your name ranked anywhere ahead of me.”

After saying these words, Sylas went back to resting. Maybe Vaernon said something more, or maybe he didn’t. Either way, Sylas only seemed to awaken to the world again when it was once more his turn.

—

[Vaernon Kaelthar][Time: 00:00:07][Generational Record Broken][Double Points Awarded]

—

Sylas only faintly glanced at the results and then started his next turn.

This time, he somehow seemed to move even slower. And yet, just as he said, a perfect half day later, he was awarded his half points before moving on.

With every turn Sylas took, his eyes seemed to glow brighter behind his sunglasses.

By the time he was halfway through the Enlightenment Secret Realm, his expression seemed to have regained all of its blood.

However, he still took his time, one casual stroke after another. And yet, as his abilities grew more confident, he only seemed to get slower.

One stroke looked like just one to everyone watching, but to Sylas… it felt as though he was stroking along the same lines again, and again, and again. A single rep felt like tens of thousands to his mind, and it was precisely why he was going so slow.

If he went faster, he might be too easily overloaded. That and…

He needed to rest.

He had pushed his mind much too far, his body feeling like it was on the edge of collapse. Without a chance to make up for that, he would only be throwing himself into a lion’s den.

Of course, he had no hesitation about losing no matter what. But… it would be a lot closer than he wanted it to be.

He didn’t just want to win.

He would crush them.

…

Vaernon’s feet lit up as the Breath Round began. There was a gloominess between his brows that hadn’t been there before.

He had been crushing the others, holding back just enough to not defeat Fowler’s records while also making it clear that he was far and away the best here. But for some reason, it just wasn’t hitting like it should.

Somehow, Sylas’ words continued to linger in the air, and every time, he took exactly half a day.

If he was really struggling, then every round should have taken longer. It was either he was improving every time, or… he was holding back from the start.

The public was made up of fools that were probably jeering and waiting to collect their money from the Golden Grove. But he had been making fun of Sylas not because he believed his own farts, but because he needed the world to believe them.

Vaernon growled internally. Something needed to change, otherwise they would just end up losing again. And this time, it would be even worse.

Maybe the Scorpion Lineage was cheating and they could expose Sylas later. But even if Sylas was secretly an E-tier all along, he wouldn’t lose to someone at the same level as him.

BANG!

Vaernon’s aura flared as the matrix appeared before him.

He would no longer be holding back.

—

[Vaernon Kaelthar][Time: 00:00:03][Generational Record Broken][All-Time Record Broken][Perfect Points Awarded]

—

[All-Time E-Grade Breath Mastery Leaderboard][1. Vaernon Kaelthar – 00:00:03][2. Fowler Leava – 00:00:11:03]

…

—

A flickering sliver of light came from Vaernon’s forehead, a bloody crimson spreading out in waves that seemed to want to consume the world.

Every one of Sylas’ actions seemed to grate on his nerves. The more he interacted with the man, the more furious he became.

At first it was nothing more than a joke, but now Sylas was well and truly testing his patience.

Sylas hadn’t even said anything in the entirety of the last day, and yet that only seemed to infuriate Vaernon more.

Since that was the case, fuck their original plans. He was going to show this pitiful Sector the might of a true powerhouse Clan.