"What is a rank? What are our abilities? And is our battle power supposed to be this high? It was only ten before—now it's five thousand."
Master White immediately starts asking questions.
[Calm down, Master White. I will answer all your questions one by one.]
[Let's start with what a rank is.]
[There are many different explanations, but let's go with the most common one.]
[Existence is divided into 10-Layers and each Layer is classified into multiple realms.
When you are on a particular Layer, your combat power within that Layer is measured, and you are graded with one of the following ranks...
Low > Mediocre > High > Peak > Elite > Invincible...]
[If we take you as an example, you are a Layer-1 existence and your rank is mediocre.]
[That means, you can easily defeat a low-ranked Layer-1 existence.]
"So, is one's rank fixed?"
[No, you can always increase your rank within a specific Layer.
It generally progresses from Low to Peak as one crosses realms in that particular Layer.]
[Anyone can be a peak Layer-1 or Layer-2.
The only exception are the elite and invincible ranks, which are granted very rarely—especially in the higher Layers.]
[You need to understand that ranks are not a definite measure of one's strength. It can always change.]
[Ranks are mainly used as a criterion for recruiting soldiers, or in some rare cases, as a measure of one's talent.]
[Unlike Layers and realms, ranks are not absolute.]
"Let me get this straight—ranks are assigned based on combat power in that particular Layer and when we step into the next Layer, our rank resets and we will be graded again?" Azrael asks.
[Yes, it is simply a measure of combat power within a particular Layer.]
"Okay," says Azrael.
"Then why is our rank—mediocre? We have just stepped into the first realm—it should be low." asks Master White.
[Don't forget the kind of blood you assimilated, that is also why your battle power jumped from ten to five thousand.]
[Such an astronomical increase was expected.]
[And all this boost in your combat power comes from only a minute fraction extracted from a single drop.]
"What..?!"
"All of this is just from a fraction of a drop!?"
Azrael and Master White feel nervous and excited at the same time, the shock clearly visible in their eyes.
Once again, they realize just how terrifying the blood they assimilated truly is.
"Tell us about our abilities, system." Azrael says after a while.
[Before discussing individual abilities, you must first understand what abilities are.]
[When blood is assimilated, the main result is the ability to cultivate Enos.]
[All other abilities are merely by-products of that assimilation.]
[The uniqueness of the ability depends on the assimilated blood.]
[The higher the Layer of the blood, the more unique and powerful the abilities.]
[There are two types of abilities : passive and active.]
[Active abilities require Enos for activation,
while the passive abilities are always operating and do not require Enos.]
[Most individuals gain two or three abilities.]
[These abilities originate from the assimilated being and are not innate.]
[Once you start cultivating Enos, you can create new innate abilities or discover new ways to use existing ones.]
[There are many factors involved in creating innate abilities, but we will not address them now.]
[Do you want me to explain your abilities?]
Azrael and Master White consider many things and try to understand about abilities from the explanation given by the system.
They still have many questions, but decide to ask later.
"Yes." Azrael replies to the system.
[Passive abilities : Super strength, Energy circulation, poison immunity, curse immunity, Elemental overlord.]
[some are self-explanatory, such as super strength and immunities to poison and curses.]
[And the immunity to poison and curses is absolute to any substance or spell in the universe.]
{Energy circulation - improves the rate of circulation during cultivation and makes it easier to cast active abilities during combat.}
{Elemental overlord - Gives the host the ability to acquire and manipulate any element and master it.}
"Wait... Immunity to any poison and curses in the universe?!"
"Isn't this a bit too much?" asks Azrael.
[The immunity is not an ability per se.
It is a default property of blood belonging to an existence of the highest standing.]
[Poison becomes irrelevant after crossing certain Layers.]
[As I said before, there are many intricacies and details that are needed to understand a single ability. But you will learn about them later.]
"Okay."
"What about the other two passive abilities, system?" asks Master White.
[They are as simple as they are defined, one improves your speed of cultivation and the other one raises your affinity with any element and helps you master it.]
[You will understand them better, once you start cultivating.]
"Mm." Master White nods.
[Shall I proceed to active abilities?]
"Go ahead."
[Active abilities : Force manipulation, Energy manipulation.]
{Force manipulation - allows the user to negate, multiply and redirect force.}
{Energy manipulation - grants access to different elemental energies and allows manipulation in any way possible.}
[Elemental overlord and energy manipulation together combined will grant exceptional elemental control.]
[And although force manipulation appears to be simple, it is anything but. Once mastered, your combat ability will be raised far beyond any of your peers.]
After getting the answers to all their questions, they both fall into deep thoughts.
They need to properly assess themselves before taking any drastic step.
It is a calm night as silence settles over Azrael's room.
*****
Outside the Vaeloreth Castle,
The wind is lightly laced with cold as it marks the beginning of winter, the birds on the trees don't make a sound as they find warmth in each other and are too comfortable on the branches.
Common folks rush into their houses as they all feel the chilly winds and anticipate the coming frost.
The streets are emptied and a beautiful silence is all that remains accompanied by the roaming stray animals.
The moonlight blankets the capital city of Sylvane, gifting the city a fragile tranquility. It's late at night and nobody wants to disturb this heavenly peace bestowed to the citizens of the Sylvanus kingdom.
It is indeed a serene night.
On a balcony in one of the rooms of the Vaeloreth castle.
Two young boys remain still, both appear devilishly handsome.
One reclines with eyes closed.
The other, with his sparkling blue eyes, is staring right at the white celestial body hanging in the sky.
Are they admiring the beautiful and tranquil atmosphere given to the people? Or do they plan to disturb it..?
No one knows...
Both of them stay like that for a while.
Suddenly, the boy lying on the chair opens his eyes and the one staring.. turns his head and looks back at the emerald-green eyes.
Azrael and Master White exchange a single nod with a light smile.
No words followed—none were needed.
In that small motion, the bestowed peace was disturbed.
As all this serenity was just a foreboding of the coming storm.