After the revenge fight, many fights went on and on.
Numerous unranked second years all challenged those ranked below the 80th rank. They didn't have the confidence to challenge those higher as they were extremely strong and their chances of victory were not guaranteed.
Some of those on the ranking list were unfortunately kicked out and even the 100th position changed more than ten times!
With the uncertain nature of the ranking battle, the value of the datachips shot up as even some of the second years and third years bought them.
The first day of the ranking battle had come to an end but it only signified the beginning of an intense struggle for power.
Other days may not have drawn a crowd as much as the first day as all the ranking battles were livestreamed. The crowd would only come out when the top ten got challenged as those fights were bound to be more interesting.
Damien was in his room as he rewatched the saved videos of the day's ranking battles.
The seniors who had fought today weren't weak at all. Damien knew that just beating up a couple of hoodlums who were in the same year as them didn't give him the right to be arrogant.
Instead, it led him to think about the best ways in which to use his power more and more.
Techniques indeed existed but one needed a solid understanding of his power to be able to efficiently use techniques, create techniques and even merge techniques!
Damien's mind churned as he tried to figure out how he wanted to use his power.
After all, he wasn't the only one with the spatial and mental powers. Many others had similar or even the same power.
The galaxy was a vast expanse. Certainly, he wasn't the only one with the powers he had.
Humans were considered one of the most fortunate races in the galaxy.
After all, not only could humans awake in all three paths of power but also there was diversity of powers among humans.
So many powers had been awakened and every time the government registered a new power into its database.
Unfortunately, this was a privilege many of the alien races didn't have. Most often, their powers were one way and it was extremely common for them to share almost the same traits.
Using the Voronoi as an example, they could only awake in the body path and spirit path but their prospects of awakening soul powers were nil.
On top of that, the powers they awakened were known as racial traits as awakened Voronoi naturally had monstrous physical capabilities.
Geniuses like Emperor Zaluk and Prince Zirkon were one in a million as they had powerful spirit path powers to complement their ridiculously strong bodies.
This was one of the main reasons why the Voronoi didn't like humans and were exceptionally wary of the human race.
Humans had access to all three paths and myriad powers while their racial genes and beings restrained them from having same.
Naturally, prejudice and jealousy was bound to surface.
Todays' ranking battles had really broadened Damien's scope on the numerous powers out there. He couldn't afford to let his power get into his head and poison him with haughty thoughts which led to misfortune in the future.
If there was any power though which could be rare or unique to him was perhaps his mysterious soul rune.
It was undocumented and relatively new. What made it even more mysterious was that so far, it allowed him to use different soul techniques even without having the corresponding soul power.
Damien had decided to experiment with it more to find out the limits of which techniques it would allow him to learn.
Once he figured it out, his strength was sure to receive an exponential boost!
Closing his comm, Damien sat in a cross legged fashion and took out his stash of high grade mana stones.
Apart from discovering many new things, the battles had also increased his desire to become even more stronger.
Why should he restrict himself to a week to enter the Peak level of the Enlightenment realm? He might as well breakthrough and solidify his foundation even before the ranking battles.
It was going to demand intense concentration but Damien was ready to give it his all.
He used five minutes to compose himself and enter a state of complete focus.
All unnecessary thoughts left his head as Damien finally closed his eyes and began to absorb mana stones while meditating.
Very quickly, he used up the mana stone in his hand and took another.
And another…
And another…
He wouldn't stop absorbing till he made it to the peak level!
**
"Haa, that was intense," Damien smiled wistfully and opened his eyes. His aura was unleashed unrestrainedly, giving off his level as a peak Enlightenment realm awakened!
It had taken him all night and a few hours of the early morning to enter the peak level.
Already, he felt an increase in his strength, mana capacity and power.
He had really broken through into the next level just like that!
Since when was it so easy?
Damien was a little stunned.
"Is it because my mana pathways are big?" he asked himself but he stopped dwelling on it after a while.
He would find out sooner or later.
Besides, whatever the reason it was, it was a good boon if it could allow him to enter the peak level easily.
With the current jump in strength, Damien felt he could learn a couple more techniques to boost his battle prowess and also reacquaint himself with his current techniques.
Taking in a deep breath, Damien pushed his spirit sense to the farthest limit.
1 meter…
10 meters…
50 meters…
100 meters…
150 meters!
His spirit sense was at a full one hundred and fifty meters now and the area which he could clearly see had expanded to hundred meters.
Unbelievable!
When awakened advanced, naturally, their senses were able to cover wide distances. Damien though was one of a kind.
Other peak enlightenment realm awakened had their senses between 90 meters to 110 meters but Damien's own far exceeded it!
He had the senses of a low Advanced realm awakened!
Damien couldn't help but smile.
This was but one of many steps to become stronger.
Now all that was left was to rein in his aura and prevent it from fluctuating like broken horn.
"Damien was that you?" came the voice of Hank.
"Yeah! I just broke through!" Damien replied.
"Sweet!" Hank exclaimed.
Damien couldn't help as his grin grew even wider.
This feeling of strength coursing through his veins felt ridiculously good.
Damien rose up to go for a shower. He had Head Instructor Riley's application class to attend.
**
"Bro, Damien broke through. He's now at the peak level," Hank said to Frank.
Frank's eyes widened. "Dude no way! How did he do that?"
"I dunno. He was in his room all day after returning from the arena and boom! He just broke through this morning," Hank said.
"That is sick! He's really a genius," Frank sighed.
Damien was now unofficially and technically the strongest first year student in the Imperial Institute.
He had reached the peak level even when all his mates were mostly at the low and middle levels of the enlightenment realm!
He was even stronger than some of the second year students now.
"Who's the genius?" came a light voice.
A purple haired guy walked into Hank and Frank's room nonchalantly. It was Lyon.
With Damien out of the house, only the two brothers were left even as they prepared to take part in the ranking battles.
Fortunately or unfortunately, no one had challenged them during the start of the ranking battle but it was highly probable that their opponents were going to make their moves today.
"Yo Lyon. You came in at the right time. We were just talking about our roommate Damien. He just broke through this morning. He's at the peak level of the Enlightenment realm now," Frank said.
Lyon's eyes widened in surprise. "Damn that's fast!"
"Yeah. He's making me question my life right now," Hank sighed theatrically,
"If we don't train harder he'll probably catch up to us," Frank joked.
They all laughed.
Advancing from level to level was easy but advancing from realm to realm was not. It took time, patience, discipline, a shitload of resources and talent.
The earliest time they expected Damien to make it into the Advanced realm was probably during the end of the first year or even when he got to second year.
"I'm itching for a fight. It's like the challengers are pansies or something," Hank complained.
"Well, be careful what you wish for. Rumor has it that Jared would be challenging either of you brothers so you got yourselves quite the fight," smiled Lyon.
"Sweet! Let him come!" Hank pounded his fists together.
"If no one comes for my spot I guess I'll have to challenge those of you ranked above me. No hard feelings brother," Frank said, patting Hank on the back.
"Today will surely be very interesting," Lyon smiled mysteriously.
"Wait. What else do you know? C'mon man, spill the beans," Frank looked at Lyon suspiciously. Lyon only smiled like that when he got truly juicy info to share.
They couldn't wait to hear it.
"Pay up folks, or just call me grandfather," Lyon smirked.
"Like hell we would," both brothers snorted.
"C'mon, aren't you interested? It involves Liu Shandian!" Lyon gave them a sly smile.
Both brothers exchanged glances.
This scoop involved god Liu?
They had to hear it!
"Grandfather!" they simultaneously said to Lyon.
"That's more like it," Lyon grinned.
[A/N: I do apologize that I've not updated the book for a while now. I've not been in the right state of mind these past few days but hopefully everything works out. I'll keep sending chapters frequently and I'd really be glad if you send me your comments and thoughts! Thank you.]