Formless Ascension: My Affinity Is Limitless

The first faction to step out of one of the many teleportation circles was the Inagawa-kai. They came out in droves, about twenty of them in total, all of them emanating powerful auras that made everyone discussing on the terraces go utterly silent.

Donovan Sr. and Albert, who were a fair distance away in their secluded corner, could still feel their presence from where they were, especially the old man at the forefront, a wizened-looking Japanese man.

That was surely the person called ”Shogun,” the leader of Inagawa-kai, the Yakuza faction that had suddenly gone quiet over the past month. Now, they had reappeared in full force for the Global Summit.

As they stepped off the teleportation circle, a decently high-ranking receptionist stepped forward to greet them. Unlike the standard guards stationed along the walkways, this man radiated an aura that clearly placed him above the ordinary staff, even if his level was still far below Shogun’s.

With a polite bow, he ushered the Yakuza delegation toward a private, floating lounge sectioned off above the crashing waves of the ocean. High-end food, special care, and dedicated attendants were immediately placed at their disposal.

The mid-tier faction leaders sitting in the general seating area could only watch the grand reception in silence. However, no one complained. In this new world, power dictated treatment, plain and simple.

Before the crowd could even process the arrival of the Yakuza, a second teleportation circle flashed with blinding white light.

When the glare receded, the representatives of the Free Ascenders’ Guild stepped into view. Nearly thirty of their highest ranking ascenders had arrived to represent their faction. None of them possessed the terrifying individual level of Shogun, but as a collective group, their combined aura was heavy enough to draw every eye on the terrace.

A female senior host stepped forward, greeting them with professional grace before guiding them to an expansive, open-air pavilion on the opposite side of the terrace.

The next major arrival didn’t occur until three minutes later, when only seven minutes remained.

Another teleportation circle flared brightly, and when the light faded, a figure stepped out.

Stormcaller. The twelfth-ranked ascender on the global power leaderboard.

The moment he stepped down from the teleportation circle, conversation stopped entirely. Even the Inagawa-kai and the Free Ascenders’ Guild paused their private discussions, subtly shifting their attention toward him.

The man looked terrifying. The sides of his head were clean-shaven, while the rest of his dark hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, leaving two long strands falling down the sides of his face. He looked somewhat Asian yet also European to an extent, but his face wasn’t really pleasant to look at. His eyes were cold, arrogant, and glaring, practically daring anyone on the terrace to meet his gaze.

Beside him were two strikingly beautiful women, both dressed in quality silk garments. He held both of them loosely by their waists, pulling them against his sides as he walked with an arrogant, unhurried stride directly toward the largest, most luxurious private enclosure on the terrace.

He didn’t even pay attention to the aide that had been directed to guide him. The person was sufficiently leveled, but they were nowhere near his level in terms of strength. Stormcaller had reached Level 24 over the past month, from his Level 23 status before. He was at the border of the Mortal-Nascent Realm threshold right now, the most powerful person here by far, and everyone knew that.

He sat in the lounge as though he was a king waiting to be served, ordering the aides to fetch him drinks as he chuckled with the two ladies fondling him from both sides.

Once he settled, some of the aides politely tried to tell him that that was not his reserved spot, but only one deadly look was enough to shut them up. They had no choice but to leave him be.

Seeing that his presence was enough to terrify them, he became even more domineering.

”And this is a Global World Summit?” he sneered, looking at the guards who could only look on without making a move. ”Heh! It seems I’m gonna have some fun here today! Lots of good stuff for the taking—”

Suddenly, as he was speaking, another teleportation circle lit up again, drawing everyone’s attention. However, this time, it wasn’t just one, but three nearly simultaneously!

The first circle lit up to reveal a sleazy-looking young Chinese man reclining on a lavish, gold-trimmed palanquin. The vehicle was being carried on the shoulders of four muscular ascenders whose levels were respectable in their own right.

Flanking the palanquin were several beautiful women in matching red robes, peeling grapes and feeding them to the young man as he laughed lazily.

Behind him, an entourage of nearly fifty members of his force, each carrying decorative chests and luxury goods, also appeared.

Immediately, everyone knew who this was.

Golden Finger Chen! The third wealthiest person on the planet. He had come in full force, displaying his wealth and loftiness.

However, he didn’t get to bask in the glory for long. Just a second after him, the second teleportation circle flashed, revealing the next arrival.

Four silent figures clad in dark robes that covered every inch of their bodies. They were the faction to arrive with the least members so far. But that didn’t diminish the weight of their entrance at all.

Everyone’s eyes went straight for the breast of their vests, where an embroidered insignia was etched. The symbol of a flame hidden behind a shrouding mist.

The Shadow Brokerage!

The extremely reclusive and secretive organization had arrived. They had decided to send out some of their people to this meeting too. All the major players on the terraces forgot about Golden Finger Chen and his wealthy display entirely. If it was about wealth, Jolene Okafor was already putting on the greatest display. The Shadow Brokerage was a more interesting party than some young rich guy coming out so pompously.

Still, just when everyone was beginning to get interested, the third light flashed a second later. And immediately, everyone — including Stormcaller, who was lazing on the sofa in the largest lounge with his women — felt an immense wave of danger.

A tall, huge figure built like a bear, with a rash look and a wild, lazy grin on his face appeared. He was entirely alone, but his presence was far more terrifying than every other faction that had arrived before him.

In fact, unlike many of the previous arrivals who had been releasing part of their essence in a display of power, he wasn’t even actively releasing his essence, but the sheer density of his physical presence was enough to make every single faction present — from the minor players like the Donovans and the Alberts, to the Yakuza, the Guild, and even Stormcaller — go completely rigid with tension.

”F—Father... who is that...?” Donovan Jr. choked out through his teeth.

His voice was barely a whisper. His body had reacted on pure survival instinct, forcing him to make as little noise as possible so as not to draw the giant’s attention. Beside him, Albert, his father: Donovan Sr., and even Sophie, the calm and graceful girl, had gone pale, their muscles locked in terror.

They were staring at a Nascent Realm entity.

Donovan Sr. opened his mouth, trying to force out an answer to his son’s question, but his vocal cords refused to work.

Before he could choke out a response, the giant man’s eyes scanned all the figures present, then his voice boomed across the plaza:

”What? No one interesting has arrived? Don’t tell me this king arrived too early!”