Dave's eyes fluttered open, a dull ache pulsing through his body as he slowly became aware of his surroundings. His head throbbed, and his vision blurred as he tried to focus on where he was. Slowly, the world around him came into view.
Rubble and dust were everywhere. He could see broken concrete and shattered glass scattered around him. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and burnt metal. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision, but the scene before him didn't change. He was still at the battle location, lying amidst the wreckage left behind from his last confrontation.
He forced himself to sit up, groaning as a sharp pain shot through his side. His body felt heavy, battered, and bruised. It took him a moment to remember what had happened—the fight, the overwhelming power of his enemy, and then… nothing. He'd blacked out.
"How am I… alive?" Dave whispered, his voice hoarse and strained. He looked around, expecting to see his opponent or some sign of what had transpired, but there was nothing—no enemy, no trace of the fight that should have ended his life.
"Bella?" he called out, struggling to his feet. "Bella, what happened? Why am I still here?"
Bella's voice echoed softly in his mind, but something about her tone was different—subdued, almost… unsure. "I don't know, Dave."
He froze. Bella didn't know? That wasn't possible. She always knew what was going on. She was the one constant, the one source of information he could rely on. Hearing uncertainty in her voice sent a chill down his spine.
"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked, his voice rising with a mixture of frustration and confusion. "What happened to the enemy? Why does it look like there was a battle here after I fainted?"
Bella hesitated, her silence stretching out long enough to make Dave's heart pound harder in his chest. "After you lost consciousness, I… I lost contact as well. It was like I was severed from you. I couldn't see, hear, or monitor anything. It was as if we both just… ceased to exist for a moment."
Dave's heart skipped a beat. "Severed?" he echoed. "But that's never happened before. How is that possible?"
"I'm not sure," Bella replied quietly. "When I regained awareness, you were here, alone and… fully healed. I have no data on what happened after you fainted or who might have intervened. Whoever or whatever brought you back did it without leaving any trace that I could detect."
Dave's mind raced as he tried to process what she was saying. He looked down at his body, noticing the lack of injuries. He remembered clearly—during the fight, he had lost his right arm. It had been torn clean off. But now, it was back, fully intact, with no sign of damage.
"How…?" he whispered, flexing his fingers in disbelief. "Who healed me?"
"I don't know that either," Bella admitted, and Dave could hear the unease in her voice. "It's beyond anything I've encountered before. Whoever healed you did so with precision and power far exceeding our current capabilities."
A sense of dread washed over Dave as he realized just how far out of his depth he was. He had barely managed to survive against a Rank SSS opponent, and now there was someone—or something—strong enough to not only save him but also heal him completely without Bella noticing?
"Okay, then…" Dave murmured, forcing himself to stay calm. "If I'm alive, then I guess I should be grateful. But there's something else I need to know." He took a deep breath, trying to focus. "Bella, what comes after Rank SS? Is it Rank SSS? And if so, what comes after that?"
Bella was silent for a moment before answering. "Yes, Dave. After Rank SS, there is Rank SSS. It's a level where the boundaries between human and something much more blur. But beyond Rank SSS, there is another rank, a level so far removed from ordinary comprehension that very few have ever glimpsed it."
"What's it called?" Dave asked, his curiosity piqued despite the situation.
"Rank Transcendent," Bella said softly, her voice carrying an air of reverence. "Those who reach this rank are beyond mortal understanding. They transcend the limits of their own being and reach a state that defies conventional power. It's the true pinnacle of what a being can become before reaching something else entirely."
"Transcendent…" Dave repeated, letting the word roll off his tongue. "What does it mean to be Transcendent?"
"It means to become something greater than even the highest superhumans," Bella explained. "A Transcendent can manipulate reality itself to some extent. Their very existence bends the laws of nature, and they possess abilities that are virtually impossible to counter. But… there's a catch."
"A catch?"
"Yes," Bella continued. "To reach Rank Transcendent, one must undergo a trial. A trial that requires gathering special stones—each representing a facet of one's existence. The trial can only be started at Rank SSS, and even then, most fail to complete it. The stones are hidden across the world, guarded by powerful beings, and their locations are shrouded in mystery."
Dave's eyes narrowed. "And what happens if you pass the trial?"
"If you pass, you become a Transcendent, gaining a power beyond Rank SSS. But even then, you're still not at the top," Bella replied, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Beyond Transcendent, there exists a realm of power that only a few can dream of—Demi-Godhood. Those who reach that level stand just below the gods. And even then, there's yet another step beyond."
"Godhood," Dave finished, his voice barely above a whisper. He felt a cold chill run down his spine. "So even if I reach Transcendent, I'll still be far from a true god?"
"Far doesn't even begin to describe it," Bella agreed softly. "The gap between a Transcendent and a Demi-God is immense. And the gap between a Demi-God and a true God is even more unfathomable. You've seen what a Rank SSS opponent can do. Imagine someone a thousand times stronger. Someone who can snuff out entire civilizations with a thought."
Dave clenched his fist, feeling a surge of determination flood his veins. He had been spared, for whatever reason. He would take that chance and push himself beyond any limit. He would become a force that not even the gods could ignore.
"I'll get there, Bella. One way or another, I'll get there."