The S-rank ascension is a major turning point for all awakeners in the world.
Only a few extraordinary races, like dragons and elves, are an exception to this rule.
Higher races like dragons already have a body more powerful and advanced than others from the very moment they are born.
They have long life spans, immense power, and insanely high talent.
Any random dragon can become an S-ranker as long as they live long enough, even if they don't train at all.
But things are different for weaker races like humans and others.
Compared to dragons and elves, humans have an extremely small lifespan and an extremely weak body with a very low potential on average.
The reason why there are so many awakeners in human society is because the population of the human race is just that high.
With enough population base, obviously more talented individuals are bound to appear.
Weaker races can't compete with the likes of dragons in term of physique; that is, until they ascend to Rank S.
Rank S is a major watershed for them.
Rank A is the maximum potential of a human, and to go beyond that, you would need to break the gene limiter.
You would need to ascend past the weak physique of a normal human.
In simpler words, you would have to become a higher being yourself. Only after reaching rank S can a human being reach the same starting line as that of blessed races like dragons and elves.
Most awakeners remain stuck on this step their entire life. No matter what they try, they aren't able to break past the gene limiter of their body.
The reason for this is also very simple.
Most awakeners think that you need to break the gene limiter to go further, but that's simply impossible by normal means.
Only those who have walked a long way on their 'Path' have the strength to actually break through the 'Limiter' that is blocking their 'Path' and stopping them from going forward.
The limiter is like a locked door in the way of your 'Path,' and you must find a 'Key,' the 'Ambition' that can unlock the 'Path' forward for you.
It sounds simple, but it's just as complicated.
Rio himself had long reached Rank A++; he was just one step away from ascension. All he was lacking was the key to the locked door in his 'Path.'
And he happened to find the 'Key' at the right moment in the right place.
Alverto is not only an enemy of his, but even the original Rio's soul residing inside him also considers him a great enemy.
They both wanted to defeat Alverto today once and for all.
This stubborn wish to succeed, this powerful 'will' to become better than the enemy, finally gave Rio the 'Key' that he needed when he came face to face with Alverto.
In that moment, Rio had attained the realm that is beyond mortals, the realm of higher beings, the 'S-rank.'
[Ding! With the help of your 'Imperfect Sword Heart,' you have awakened a new divine 'Physique'…]
[Ding! Congratulations! You have attained the 'Imperfect Sword Body'!]
[Ding! You have learned the Skill, 'Void Travel'!]
[Ding! You have learned the passive skill, 'Supreme Being's Aura'!]
[Ding! All your stats have been enhanced greatly!]
[Ding! You have gained a new passive skill, 'Enhanced Regeneration'!]
[Ding! Congratulations! Your skills and techniques have improved greatly!]
[Ding! Congratulation! You have been given a unique title 'Imperfect Supreme Weapon,' by ????A??m???...]
[Ding! As an anomaly in the world, your improvement in strength has caused even bigger changes in the threads of fate!]
[Ding! Various Hostile 'Laws' of the 'World' have started to pay attention to you!]
[Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully ascended to Rank-S!]
…
Plane of Consciousness.
"Ugh… Not again…"
When he found himself sitting on this familiar bench again, he couldn't help but complain out loud.
"Hahaha, c'mon man, you hate meeting me that much now!? Your reactions are so hilarious, pffffttt…hahaha…."
"What is that face… it's as if you have stepped on sh*t while walking… oh, I Can't… pffff…hahahah…. Ah, my stomach… pfffttt…."
Hearing that familiar annoying laugh of his friend, he couldn't help but frown even more.
The last time he came here, he could only see the bench and a bit of the scenery, but now he can even see that they are sitting at the edge of a public park near the shore of a small river.
He could see the high-rise buildings in the distance and people walking around in the park.
Yet the strange thing was that no one seemed to notice the two of them sitting on this bench located under the shade of a tree.
"Cough, cough… okay, okay, don't glare at me like that. I won't laugh at you anymore… cough!… pffftttt!… cough!!…."
"So, how have you been recently? Did you like the book?"
"I mean, it's not good or anything but I kind of like how big the world is in this one…"
"I guess imagination doesn't have any limits after all… I have even prepared a very big gift for you in the book… tell me later if you like it…"
"Ah, you want to ask why you can't remember your past name?... Well, you are living a new life so the past name doesn't exist…"
Hearing those words, he asked the question that he wanted to ask the most.
"When did we even become friends?"
To that question, the other party replied with a warm smile.
"Well… it's not that I became your friend; you forcefully became my friend, you know… You don't know it but yeah, if you hadn't become my friend, perhaps things wouldn't be so peaceful…"
"Life is strange isn't it… just being your friend has changed my everything…"
"You may think that I am unimaginably mysterious or something beyond comprehension… but the truth is, the real amazing one is you…"
"Also don't mistake me, I have no control over what you do and don't do…"
"You are an 'Anomaly,' after all; there's no one who can control an 'Anomaly'… But I was indeed quite surprised that you got a girlfriend so fast…"
"Pffftttt…. You have more 'W Rizz' than I thought…hahahaha… Oh, my stomach is hurting from laughing too much…"
"I am indeed very happy that I met you, 'Rio Flash'…"
This is the first time that the other party said his name, and the name he said was his current identity, not the past one.
Hearing him say that name, Rio could only sigh heavily for a while, but then the determination returned to his face once again.
"I should go now. I will ask you the real question next time, but right now I need to go…"
The other party nodded his head and waved his hand as if to say farewell.
…
The very moment the other party waved his hand, the scene in the sea of consciousness shifted, and an anxious voice came in Rio's ears.
"Oi! Are you okay!? Wandering Soul? Oi! Are you still there??"
He was sitting near a small bonfire in an endless dark void, while Shadow sat in front of him.
"Yeah, what do you want to say?"
Shadow heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that he came back to his senses.
"You came inside the plane of consciousness and then you just sat there in a daze for so long, I was getting worried that your soul might have been hit by that hateful demon…"
Rio shook his head, and a look of doubt appeared on his face.
'Why do I get these weird visions whenever I become stronger… it happened before too…'
'Moreover, the stronger I become, the clearer the vision becomes. last time it was not this clear…'
'It's almost as if I went back to my previous world for a few moments… is reversing a transmigration even possible!?'
'The more time passes the more mysterious and stranger this world becomes… I have so many questions in my mind, but no answers….'
'I can't even remember that guy's name or my own previous life's name anymore… I can't even remember our appearance either…'
The face of the other party seemed blurry and unrecognizable, and even though he was sitting so close to him, he couldn't see the other party's face properly.
'Forget it, the more I think about it, the weirder it all becomes…'
Ignoring Shadow's complaints due to him ignoring the other party, Rio asked in a serious tone,
"Are you sure you want to implement the plan that we talked about before?"
Hearing those words, a rare serious look appeared on Shadow's face.
"We have no other choice; the other party seem like he's struggling right now but that's just because he's temporarily weakened by Riya and the other's…"
"Moreover, it seems like Jin also did something to weaken him…"
"We must do a decisive move, otherwise this will never end… we can't let Alverto leave this place alive at any cost…"
"If he survived, he will become an even bigger threat the next time… he's way too talented and way too intelligent…"
"We don't know what's happening in the outside world but looking at the scale of this massive spire of ascension, it's definitely capable of doing a lot of harm…"
Rio also nodded his head solemnly at those words.
They must end Alberto today, or his threat will just keep increasing.
Rio wants to avenge Zach, while Shadow wants to avenge his parents. They have the same enemy, and they must give their all to defeat this strong enemy.
Shadow got up from his seat and glanced at the small bonfire burning brightly, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Good thing that you didn't lose your love for Lia even after reaching rank S… this bonfire is a great help in keeping out the cold of this endless dark void…"
"Let's go… I must avenge my parents this time…"