The night sky was completely dark, the moon not showering its magnificent brilliance on the planet, leaving its unpopular and unpopulated areas in darkness. The space over the orphanage was quiet and peaceful, despite its buildings and recreational areas submerged in weed grasses and bushes. At this moment, over the calm and quiet skies of the orphanage, a loud 'swoosh' reverberated through the scene as a massive gush of wind desperately drifted past the area, this sudden wind causing disorder among the plants and weed grasses. This sudden gush of wind was none other than the C-rank- black-clothed masked assassin. It has been two seconds since the assassin left in escape, his speed covering nine-hundred meters in an instant as this truly displayed the speed of a C-rank Awakened.
A face with eyes of desperation and dread suddenly emerged from within the gush of wind, this face resembling the black-clothed masked assassin who had just started his escape from Patrick. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! How?! ...Why?!... Why is such a powerful lightning Awakened here?! He can even use Wind Element; is he a multi-ability Awakened!? Fuck!! Did the Government already discover the emergence of the Gate and had sent such a powerful person to guard the orphanage?! Yes! That must be the only logical answer; if not, how else would such a powerful person appear in a back-water location like Southern Metro?! I hope he is not an S-rank Awakened, or else my death is guaranteed!"
The assassin voiced frustratedly and panicked as his figure was constantly shot towards outside the orphanage. But it was at this moment, did the assassin felt a cold tremble in his heart, as if Death had come, even realizing that his dream of escaping was merely a joke to the being chasing him.
"What a joke, you truly believe you can outrun me?! Not even your strongest SS or SSS rank Awakened could come a million miles distance behind my Symbiotic Adaptation Suit's speed, let alone escape me, yet a mere C-rank like you dare... truly laughable!"
Suddenly, Patrick's figure blinked before the assassin as he spoke mockingly but impassively. Since he made a move, it has been a mere nanosecond since he instantly caught up to the assassin. This was the speed of his suit, Hyperspeed.
The golden lines on the Symbiotic Adaptation Suit radiated with essence as they sucked the surrounding verdant Mana, which entered through the lines and patterns as they became golden energy essence, which then constantly washed over Patrick as this effect caused his figure to radiate golden brilliance. Patrick's figure resembles a majestic being with a super technology suit that should only exist several decades in the future. Patrick hovered in the air as the element of wind revolved beneath his boots, his dark-shield face staring down twenty meters in the distance as he gazed at the assassin's gush-of-wind body.
A look of horror was all that one could see on the assassin's face as he stared at the golden-brilliance body of Patrick in the distance, his mind racing through numerous escaping options as he watched Patrick's glowing body erasing the surrounding darkness, making the scene more descriptive. But before the assassin could even formulate one escaping option, his body trembled as his ears received this unknown man's calm yet terrifying words.
"Your path as an assassin ends here, little Jack..."
! Silence permeated the scene as this sentence caused the assassin's eyes to widen in shock. 'What! Did... did he just say my first name?! I'm from the S-rank guild, the Knight Shadow Guild; our power isn't something to scoff at, as despite being a top A-rank guild, our true wealth and power can be compared to an S-rank guild, not even the four big families in Metro City, Grey, Watson, Walker, and Halden families would dare underestimate the power and influence of our Knights Shadow Guild. As our power and influence stretch to even in the capital city, it should be almost impossible for anyone to make a background check on us, as we would know before they even initiate the investigation.
I am among the top-secret agents in our guild; my information should not be even accessible by the Government, let alone by the four big families and other A-rank guilds; even the W.A.O, World Awakened Organization, should find it hard to know of my existence, as according to records, I don't exist. I forgone the name of Jack Smikle five years ago; not even my boss knows of that name, as he only knows me by 1. But this man was able to call me by my name, and not only that, he called me how that disgraceful pathetic weakling of an abusive father used to call me. How?!'
The assassin's face was washed with the emotions of fear and anger as numerous thoughts raced through his mind. He halted mid-air, his eyes, and mouth in shock as they were left wide open. At this moment, the assassin realized an ignored factor; 'this man was able to tell his rank and Awakened ability with a mere glance; how was that possible?! Could he really be a Hired Awakened from the government?! I'm fucked!!' A look of horror, trepidation, and helplessness overtook the assassin's face as he stared at this being to surrender. He was a C-rank assassin, a prominent and competent Awakened with the powerful ability of Wind Transformation; he was still young and had the potential to surpass even Laniz Blake; he couldn't afford to die like this! He had dreamt of living a life of power, fame, and gaiety, where even a beautiful and powerful woman like Janea Forester would be but a slave under his domination.
But all these hopes and dreams were erased from his consciousness as the assassin stared at the tall man in the distance, this man resembling the Dictator of Fate, as any action from him would determine the assassin's fate and destiny. Although prideful, Jack Smikle was also a man with survival instinct; seeing that all his options had dwindled to almost nothing, he quickly assumed a respectable demeanor and bowed his head as he uttered from his gush-of-wind body.
"I apologize for my rash decision of daring to attack- augh! - The assassin's speech was interrupted as it seemed as if his throat was choked; he again assumed the look of absolute terror as he struggled to breathe. Soon later, due to the assassin not being conscious enough to control his ability, his gush-of-wind body vanished, leaving his real body immobile as it struggled to breathe. Then, the assassin's body slowly began drawing closer to the tall man in the distance, the scene looking like a higher existence toying with a mere mortal, and so indeed it was.
"I told you earlier, your proficiency as a Wind elemental is an absolute disgrace, now- witness and experience as I use your very Awakened ability to show you its true capability." The assassin slowly floated towards Patrick as Patrick's voice resounded the scene. Patrick merely used his index finger and utilized his wind manipulation ability to completely control every air-related element in the assassin's body, namely, Oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
But finished speaking, Patrick steadily raised his finger as one could see massive amounts of wind rushing into the assassin's apertures, his nose, eyes, mouth, and ears even bleeding blood as the intensity of the entering wind left the assassin resembling a balloon getting inflated with air at 10,000 psi (pressure per square inch; the measuring unit for pumping anything). And like the expected reaction when a balloon is inflated with huge air and instantly at that, so was the same for the assassin. The assassin's body inflated like a balloon, but unlike a balloon that expands, the assassin's body, which was made of bones and human bodily features, exploded upon reaching past his air intake limit.
The scene was quite gruesome as a certain C-rank assassin's body exploded after being fed his own Awakened ability, the element of Wind. His bodily parts scattered the scene like raindrops as they fell to the ground.
Patrick quietly floated in the air, and the element of wind slowly vanished under his feet as a blue light emerged and replaced it; he raised his right arm, observing it as if wondering something, then he spoke.
"S.A.S., scan my body for any abnormal changes."
<> ... Already done... Mr. King, no abnormal changes detected... on the contrary, you are quite healthy, and your body seems to adapt to the Mana essence quite perfectly; it's as if you are an Awakened with centuries of experience controlling Mana... should I perhaps run another test, Mr. king?<>
"No need... Mana control isn't as difficult as these Awakened make it; simply breathe the energy, direct it to your core areas, which are your Heart and Brain, make it a part of your Internal Origin energy essence, and then spread it around your body. With this method, you can easily possess enough Mana to fight indefinitely."
"Congratulations! Master, due to your 'Idea Manifestation' passive nature, you have created a Mana Breathing technique. Upgrading skill to an absolute passive nature- upgrade complete." Grace sounded as a skill-window popped before Patrick's view. Simultaneously, unlimited amounts of verdant Mana essence swirled around Patrick as his mere inhale and exhale contained the very Origin Source Energy of this planet, Mana.
[Absolute Passive Nature: Idea Manifestation; Master can subconsciously and endlessly manifest any idea or thought without limits...]
{Skill: Infinite Mana Breathing Techinque; Upon learning and comprehending the skill, the user will be blessed with the knowledge of how to perfectly breath Mana essence, granting the user a perfect Mana flow and Mana circulation. The user's comprehension talent and proficiency would determine the percentage of Mana they can utilize from the surroundings. Upon complete comprehension of the skill, the user will be able to utilize 100% of their surrounding Mana energy. Can increase Mana capacity, Mana flow, Mana circulation, and instant Mana recovery.
Sub-perk: As the Infinite Mana Breathing Technique was made by Patrick Alexander King, the skill is blessed with Energy Adaptation. Energy Adaptation: Users of the Infinite Mana Breathing Technique will be able to adapt to any different Origin Source Energies, and they can utilize those Origin Source Energies as their source of power}
"Hmm... not bad. Grace... what do you think of the Symbiotic Adaptation Suit?"
"Its indeed impressive, Master. The Symbiote is neuro-responsive, which makes transforming quite easy and fast, if you were a mortal figthing a powerful Awakened, you will be equipped before they even act, even against Speedsters. The adapting feature is also impressive... but its slow, if you were to challenge existences of Higher Realms and Dimensions as the mortal you once were, death would be a blessing. You would be gone- erased from existence before the Symbiotic Adaptation Suit even reacts to the enemy's presence, even if you had unlimited adapted powers and skills."
"...! Yes... I had also thought of such possibilities... I am in a three-dimensional reality, just like how I can control and manipulate anything below three-dimensional, so can beings from Higher Realms and Dimensions easily manipulate the constructs of my three-dimensional reality. But that's in the past now, such thoughts of Higher Realms and Dimensions don't galvanize my interest no more, as such places aren't even worth my acknoweledgement. Now... whatever Higher Existences are there, they shall be nothing but insignificant foils in my presence."
Patrick spoke, his words embedded with complete confidence and arrogance. His words seeming like a King stating the ovious when he's in the presence of peasants. As if remembering something, Patrick held a thoughtful bodily expression as he spoke.
"Grace... earlier, you upgraded the 'Infinite Calm' skill and all of my skills into Passive Natures- as if keeping up with me. I have concluded that the only reason such is happening would be because I am transcending- correct?"
"Yes, Master, with my arrival, there were also other Creations, these Creations seeming to have been existing before my awakening and even from a Verse-Totality beyond the Final Void. But from the installed information, they seem to be the Natures of my Creator. They are better interpreted as giving a fish its gills to breathe underwater or a Human the natural ability to breathe oxygen."
"...!" Patrick remained silent for some time as he listened to Grace's information, he steadily sat mid-air, the completely pitch-black throne from earlier materializing behind him, as he timely sat with magisterial ambiance. Placing both hands on his helmet, Patrick slowly removed the Helmet as he placed it on his right lap, his right arm lying on top of the helmet. A smirk of reassurance and confidence was plastered on Patrick's face as he leaned his back on the throne.
'So, its as I had calculated, Grace is my creation, but it seems she's not from the future, but rather had existed before the assembling of Time and the occurrence of Creation itself. If that's the case, my powers now are nothing compared to the True Me... I'm a variant?!- No! I am the True Me, Patrick Alexander King... then there can only be one answer to this, I am walking through Totality and its infinite possibilities as a form of entertainment, as I'm already the zenith existence in Totality and beyond.'
A shocking thought crossed Patrick's mind as he comprehended everything, like seeing through air. Grace remained silent as even after listening to her Master's thoughts, she was unresponsive. With a confident and relaxed exhale, Patrick spoke as he ordered.
"Grace, show me my Transcending Natures!"
"As you wish, Master."
[Existential Nature: Absolute Transcendence]
[Existential Nature: Selective Transcendence]
[Existential Nature: Eternal Transcendence]