Chapter 81—S-Rank |
It took almost a dozen hours for the party to feel like they’d recovered enough to re-enter The Final Sunrise. Even then, it was only that fast thanks to the new regeneration ability they’d all gotten, simply named Abyssal Regeneration. Their bodies had healed relatively quickly, but the damage to their PIMs, and waiting for it to properly settle in the reattached or rebuilt sections of their bodies had taken longer.
During their recovery period, Nivian and Ilrolik had worked on farming the skybike area of the S-Rank dungeon. With a bit of trial and error—and a few early boots out of the dungeon for the alliance fleet dropping below fifty percent—they’d found a good method to make the most of the experience. Having shared it with Seena’s group, they’d gone back to farming, finally getting the three full hours out of the dungeon on their last attempt before Hiral and company decided it was time to get back at it.
Yes, they could’ve rested a bit longer, but they all felt how close they were. And how much they wanted a round two versus Lappdoug… after they were also S-Rank.
With the advice from the other two parties—who’d caught up on levels—Hiral and the others almost got the full three hours on the first attempt, then easily on the second. After that, each iteration was about refining the grind. Being in the right place for the most experience, fine-tuning how and when they were using abilities, and managing how close they could get attention to the cap without going over.
All in all, it took them fifteen run of the dungeon—by which point they were all pretty burned out from killing skybikes—to reach A-Rank, level twenty. Having usually—at most—taken only an hour break between dungeon runs, other than one longer one for a nap and something to eat, everybody was exhausted.
But, more than exhausted, they were excited. Sleep could come after evolutions.
“It’s too bad we can’t all come in with you,” Wule said, as the three parties stood around the dungeon interface for A Quaint Farm.
“We still have another level to get,” Nivian said, his brother groaning at the thought of more skybikes. “Besides, a dozen stat points isn’t the end of the world.”
“It’ll only be two,” Hiral said. “It’s just me evolving for now. Then we’ll come back out, and when you’re all level twenty, I’ll connect your souls to your PIMs. Then you can evolve.”
“You can do that?” Loan asked. “Without making us explode?”
“Yes, and probably,” Hiral answered the questions in order.
“I’d have been more confident if you just said yes,” Wule said.
“How?” Ilrolik said.
“Runes, of course,” Nivian answered before Hiral could.
Hiral smiled. “That’s the plan. I’ll use them like I did on myself, making them act like a bridge between your PIM and soul.”
“And it’s safe, right?” Yully said.
“It’s Hiral,” Wule said. “It’s reckless. But, it’ll also work. So,” he turned and threw up his hands. “Let’s go kill more stupid bikes. I swear, the day I don’t see more of them can’t come too soon.” He was almost to the stairs as he grumbles continued, when he turned and looked at the rest of his party. “I’d rather not do this by myself.”
“Good luck with your evolution,” Nivian said, patting Hiral on the shoulder. “The next time I see you, you’ll be S-Rank.”
“Thanks, Nivian,” Hiral said. “You won’t be far behind.”
“No, I won’t.” The Death Knight smiled, gave Hiral one more pat on the shoulder, then turned with the rest of his party to follow his brother.
“We’ve got one more level to do as well,” Ilrolik said. “We’ll see you soon. Try not to blow anything up, yourself included.”
“I’ll do my best to…” he cut off, a pair of massive arms picking him up into a tight bearhug.
“I knew it would be you,” Loan said. “From the moment you walked into my hall. I knew it would be you.”
“Me… to…” Hiral wheezed out. “What?”
“To excel,” Loan said. “And to prove all those morons wrong about you. Hah,” he said, putting Hiral back down. “Let them even try and call you Everfail in a few minutes.”
“That’s already not going so well for them,” Right pointed out.
“True. Still, I can’t wait to see their faces. Anybody who ever doubted you…” the big Shaper trailed off, his head turning slowly to where Sera stood.
Stoically, with her hands clasped behind her back, she didn’t seem to be taking offense to the words, though they definitely applied to her.
Loan coughed. “Anyway, Hiral. I’m proud of you. Always have been. Even more so, now. Go, become the first S-Rank. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Loan.”
“Are you finished being all mushy?” Ilrolik asked. “First, you start putting points into dexterity, now you’re getting all weepy eyed on me.”
“I’m not the one with a tear running down my cheek,” Loan laughed, though he actually had tears running down both cheeks.
“Allergies,” Ilrolik said. “Pretty sure we discussed this before.” Without waiting for a reply—though she gave Hiral a nod—she started up the stairs after Nivian’s group. Her party followed her, everybody except for one.
Still standing in the same place since Loan’s small tirade, Sera looked at Hiral.
Seena, Seeyela, and his doubles stood protectively nearby, while the others were closer to the dungeon interface.
“I won’t… try to hug you,” Sera said a little awkwardly. “I just wanted to say I’m proud of you too. As a mother, as a Maker, and as somebody with a family I also want to protect. You and I may… never be that, but I appreciate everything you’ve done to make us all stronger. Without you, none of us would be here.”
“Thank you, Sera,” Hiral said, making sure to use his mother’s name. Travelling with her had dulled the edge off a lot of the anger—what was left of it—but there were some things even time wouldn’t change. “Despite my… initial feelings on the subject, you’ve been a good additional to the raid group. I know how much Ilrolik and the others rely on you.
“And, I know what’s waiting at home, that you want to protect. We don’t see eye to eye on some things, but we both love those three. As annoying as they can be.”
“Your father…” Sera said, shaking her head in agreement.
“Don’t even get me started,” Hiral said, taking a breath. “You and me, we’ll both do whatever we have to, to keep them safe. I’ve seen it from you while we’ve traveled, and I can respect that.”
Sera stood a little straighter at one of the few positive things Hiral said to her.
“You should probably catch up to the others,” Hiral said. “I can feel them waiting at the top of the stairs.”
“I should,” Sera said, half-turning before she looked back. “But, Hiral, I was wrong about you before, but I am proud of you. And, I also respect the man you’ve become, even without my help. You’ve found good friends, and people who can support you. I hope someday, after you’ve done a better job than I did, you have the opportunity to understand how much of a relief that is to see as a parent.”
Sera’s eyes darted to Seena, then she turned and marched off without giving anybody an opportunity to speak.
“Something I should know?” Seeyela asked, looking at Hiral and Seena with a raised eyebrow.
“Don’t worry,” Seena laughed. “Just the dog.”
“Don’t you want a niece?” Laseen cackled. It was strange to see the vampire walking around with her hood down. Then again, the smile on her face was a far better accessory.
“Sooooo…” Yanily interrupted. “Innuendo about kids and dogs is fun and all, I’m sure you two will be great uncles,” he said to Left and Right. “But, can we please go get S-Rank?”
“Yes, please,” Seena said, laughing at the look on her sister’s face.
“Fine,” Seeyela said. “Want me to clear the wolves and stuff so the interface pops up?”
“I’ll get that,” Hiral said.
“Oh, you think you can clear it faster, mister?”
“Yup,” Hiral said at the same time Yanily opened the portal to A Quaint Farm.
A look of challenge on her face, Seeyela followed the spearman through, and the others followed without delaying. As soon as they were on the other side, Left and Right resummoned, Hiral ignited his pseudo-aspect.
“Let’s see how fast you are now,” Seeyela said.
“What do you mean?” Hiral said. “I’m not going to go anywhere.” With the statement, he tapped the floating Yes button to get the dungeon started, the white walls of the ready room vanishing around him.
Even before the walls faded, Hiral unleased his full-power Intimidating Aura+, the weight of the Edict of Gravity component of it crashing down on the entire dungeon in an instant. The forest—and the wolves inside it—flattened. The scarecrows behind the house were reduced to straw and kindling in an instant.
“Y…” was all the Boss had a chance to say before he and his reinforcements were left as smooshed puddles on the road.
A Quaint Farm: Complete
New Record
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Time: 0:00:01
The clapping of Yanily’s hands echoed out through the silent dungeon, while Seeyela’s jaw hung open.
“You can try to beat his time next time we come in, Sis,” Seena said, gently patting her sister on the back while she struggled to keep herself from laughing. It really wasn’t working very well.
While all that went on, Hiral started toward the dungeon interface, his doubles at his side. As fun as all that had been, it was time to be a little more serious.
“You going to absorb us before you evolve?” Right asked.
“No,” Hiral said. “Like last time, I expect the Edicts to make a bit of a showing. I’ll need to deal with them. Besides, even after I evolve to S-Rank, you’ll remain A-Rank until I absorb you and reactivate Foundational Split.”
“And you want to test your soul-stitching plan on us,” Left said, having learned that last time they’d combined. Why Right didn’t know it…? Eh, more likely he knew, and just forgot. Or chose to ignore it.
“Correct,” Hiral said, eyes on the dungeon interface.
“You ready?” Seena asked, coming up beside him and twining her fingers between his. “You’ve got all your Edicts now, and connected the last of the runes to your own soul?”
“I got the Edict of Sound a few dungeon runs ago,” Hiral said. “That was last one. And, yes, all my runes are attached. I’ve got my full pseudo-aspect.” He held up his hands to show his entire outfit was now made of the glowing white, with not a hint of black to be seen, other than his runes.
“We going to get a show again?” Yanily said.
“Probably,” Hiral said. “The Edicts I got recently all seemed to be judging me. Waiting for… well, this. I expect they’ll play a part in my evolution.”
“You sure it’s okay not to the have the others around?” Seeyela said. “We all got an improved evolution because of what you did last time.”
“No, this one won’t be like that,” Hiral said. “And, I’ll give you an improved evolution anyway. I’ve been saving up the inspirations from connecting with the Edicts. Saving up my not be the best way to say that. I’ve used a lot of it to figure out how I’m going to connect your PIMs to your souls.”
“With your runes?” Seeyela said.
“Actually,” Hiral said. “For you guys, I think I can do one better. Because of how long we’ve been together.”
“One better?” Seena said. “Two runes?”
“Edicts,” Hiral said. “I’m going to imprint Edicts on your souls. That should increase your potential by a not-insignificant amount.”
“I feel like I’m going to sound like Wule here,” Seeyela said. “But are we going to explode?”
“No,” Hiral said. “That’s what the rest of the inspirational energy is for.”
“You can’t do it for the others?” Seena said. “Use Edicts, I mean?”
“I think I can only do one person per Edict, and, I don’t know them like I know you all,” Hiral explained. “Maybe Nivian and Wule, or Loan, but not the rest. We’ll see.”
“Then stop dawdling,” Yanily said, spreading his arms wide. “Let’s see if S-Rank is all it’s cracked up to be.”
“Go,” Seena said gently, letting go of his hand, and pushing him toward the dungeon interface.
Giving his friends one more look, Hiral swiped his hand over the crystal, pulling up the options. “Rank Evolution.”
No sooner had he said the words, than the curtain to where the PIMP hid between realities pulled aside, a storm of power raging raw and pure. Unlike previous evolutions where a streamer of energy connected Hiral’s PIM to the PIMP, this time, the entire storm came for him.
As if they could sense the roaring energy, the rest of the party instinctively took several steps back, while Hiral leapt into the air on a burst of Rejection. Across his body, his double-helix flared as bright at the noonday sun, then lifted off his skin to swirl around him. Deeper inside him, a floodgate opened. All the energy and fragments of meaning he’d gained from the creatures he’d killed gaining the levels, poured out of whatever interspatial space it had been crammed within. It filled him, head to toe in an instant, while thick lashes of lightning-looking energy from the storm struck him.
Reforged inside and out, the raw potential of his body grew exponentially. His flesh and bone became almost as durable of Tomorrow’s brass, while vitality like an endless jungle filled his organs with life. As amazing as all of that was, it was nothing compared to the refinement of his solar energy.
Hiral had pulled a number of tricks and gained multiple advancements of his solar energy, and the PIMP took all of them, and just made them better. Energy purity, potency, and speed reached a level Hiral could barely imagine possible.
He’d always measured what he thought S-Rank would be—in his head—by his power at A-Rank. It wasn’t even close. It was like thinking one could imagine an ocean by seeing a puddle.
His whole body surged as more and more of the PIMP’s lightning reforged his body. Filled the extra space he’d made available through the improved evolution before. Add in his advanced classes, and he was well-beyond what Dr. Benza had estimated as SS+Rank.
It was everything he wanted and more. Everything they’d need to have a chance on the other side of the Black Gates.
And it wasn’t enough for him.
Lightning and the PIMP’s storm froze around him as the Edicts emerged with a dungeon-cracking THOOM like thunder. Across the sky, they spread, each of them standing like judges on the proceedings taking place, with two slightly in front of the others.
The Edicts of Time Dilation and Time Contraction, of course, who were responsible for the pause of the world. While they watched him, twelve of the Edicts—the ones that had tested him last time—came to slowly circle around him. He’d already met their standards.
It was time to prove to the other eleven he had what it took to stand with them as an equal.
The two Time Edicts casually came down to float on either side of him. Unlike the other nine waiting their turn, these two seemed indifferent. Their role here wasn’t to judge, but to facilitate. Whatever was about to happen, they were needed, and Hiral offered a nod of thanks for their support.
With them in place, three Edicts separated themselves from the pack, and Hiral couldn’t help but shudder at seeing the combination. This can’t be… good.
The Edicts of Expansion, Unsealing, and Breaking approached, overbearing and powerful. Something about the light spilling from where their lines carved in reality told Hiral to endure.
Endure what…? He got his answer the next second, the power of all three erupting like a volcano.
In that same instant, Hiral’s wonderful, newly forged body ceased to exist.
Everything that he was—matter and energy—Unsealed, Broke, and Expanded to fill the entire dungeon. Pain like he’d never known somehow filled him, even though he had neither a mind nor body to experience pain.
It didn’t get any better after that, a pulse from the three Edicts telling him the next part was up to him. He needed to use the other Edicts if he wanted to survive this. That was his test. It was also his chance.
Filling the space like he did was agonizing, but as he pulled on the Edict of Decrease, he forced that pain down. Then, much like he’d done so long ago in the blood realm when they’d battled Ur’Thul The Undying, Hiral reached out to take control of the realm around him.
The Edict of Dreaming added solidity to his reach, grabbing the frozen bolts of lightning, and then transforming them into untethered energy. Free of the PIMP’s control, the Edicts of Attraction and Absorption pulled them into Hiral. For that part, he hardly needed to do anything, his ‘body’ filling every inch of the dungeon the PIMP’s storm had been released into.
Big like that, though, Hiral saw the truth of the opportunity the Edicts had given him. There was so much more space to fill with energy. The PIMP hadn’t done a bad jobbringing them to S-Rank, but it was almost an artificial S-Rank, like they’d talked about in The Final Sunrise. Could they PIMP make them true S-Rank, on the level of the Progenitors?
No. I didn’t know what I was missing out on until I saw it like this.
And, with that insight, it was clear the PIMP had not brought enough energy along to fill Hiral. So, taking the Edicts of Piercing and Connection, Hiral stabbed deeper into the space where the PIMP hid. Where it kept its endless energy. Realizing even that wasn’t enough, Hiral’s eyes drifted higher, to where cracks had already formed along the edges of the dungeon.
Beyond those cracks, he’d seen the space once. It wasn’t true space, like what Tomorrow had showed them, but it separated him from Genesis. From what he needed. Power. Potential. Providence.
All the things that made Genesis special.
Hiral had already planned to use the runes—and the Edicts—to improve his friends’ evolutions by pulling some of the runic energy into those evolutions. Why couldn’t he do that for himself to fuel his ascendance?
Separation cut a hole in the boundary between the dungeon and wherever it “existed”, while Piercing punched through, and Connection formed a tunnel to Genesis. As soon as it solidified, the raw runic energy rushed into the dungeon, mixing with his mist-like body.
Like a soothing balm, where the energy touched, Hiral’s pain faded, but it wasn’t moving fast enough. Already, the fracture between realms was sealing itself, while the power to keep the whole open was escalating. Within seconds, it would cost more to maintain the portal than the opening would bring through. Hiral needed to spread the energy faster to the rest of his expanded body.
Or—if he had a face, he would’ve smirked—he could just bring parts of his body to the energy.
The Edict of Exchange flashed, scooping up a huge part of himself and swapping it with the saturated energy near the breach. Instantly, that newly moved energy was also full to the brim of runic energy, and Hiral Exchanged. Then again. Again. Again.
It didn’t even take seconds for the process to complete, and Hiral was full of energy. Dozens of times more than the PIMP had tried to stuff into him, and he let the breach close.
That… just left him with one small problem. He was still an amorphous cloud of energy, and not the man he needed to be to call this a success. Once the Edicts of Time Contraction and Time Dilation released their power, if he wasn’t whole again, he would die.
No, before that happened, he needed to pull himself back together. Good thing he had the tools to do that, after he made one more improvement.
There was one other thing—not his body or his energy—that had been with him almost since the beginning. A part of everything he did that was so ingrained, he sometimes forgot it was even present at all.
The Lost Chord of the Primal Echo.
Even now, when he listened for it, he could hear the gentle melody filling the dungeon. Without him realizing it, the Chord had helped him guide the process that had gotten him this far. It was so connected to the runes and to him, it was practically inseparable from him.
Time to make that truer than ever.
Reaching out with the Edicts of Sound, Dreaming, and Attraction, Hiral wound the Chordaround the central part of the dungeon, where he envisioned his core to be. In his ears, the Chord grew louder, like it was both curious and excited about the new opportunity.
Let’s finish this, he thought at the Edicts, took hold of the Edict of Vibration, and sent a ripple of its power out through his ‘body’. At the sensation passing through him—at feeling—Hiral added in the Edicts of Compression and Attraction, and linked them to a core of Gravity at his central point where the Chord circled.
Energy rushed to the center of the dungeon—faster when he fired up the Edict of Energy—before he called on the Edict of Restoration.
Little by little, Hiral’s body rebuilt itself from the incredibly dense energy.
I can do better than this.
A thought sent arcs of lightning-like-energy streaking out from Hiral, carving more runes and equations into the air in a sphere around where he was reforming. As soon as he did, it was clear this was similar to what the PIMP did during an advanced class evolution. It broke people down, then built them back up within a sectioned-off piece of reality with very strict commands on what could happen.
If Hiral’s mouth had been finished, he would’ve laughed. Instead of the PIMP setting out the rules for his rebirth, he wrote them out himself. Where the PIMP used a cheap facsimile of the runic equations—arguably, it used them pretty well—Hiral’s were the real thing.
More and more streaks of lightning arced from his core, carving out his space within seconds, and surrounding him in a perfect egg of rules to guide the rebirth of his body.
With the last command seared into place, all twenty-three Edicts surrounding him flared, then pressed themselves into the eggshell. They would be with him for the process as well. As the last one took its place, their shapes slid across the egg to merge into the Edict of Eclipse.
“Thank you,” Hiral said a moment later.
With the words—and the completion of his S-Rank evolution—the Edicts of Time Contraction and Time Dilation let go of their hold on reality.
The resulting eruption of power flattened everything in the dungeon—including the distant mountains—and sent his poor friends hurtling through the air, until a scarf of energy caught each of them.
“Sorry about that,” Hiral said, pseudo-aspect glowing. “I guess there was an explosion involved.”