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Chapter 43 - When the world breaks (11)

The damp chill of the cavern pressed against my skin, mingling with the faint luminescence that danced along Zainab's azure scales. Her massive, coiled form lay relaxed but vigilant, her serpentine eyes fixed on me with sharp intensity. Nibbles sat on my shoulder, his tiny claws gripping me firmly as his nose twitched, ever curious about the world around us. The silence between us lingered like a taut string.

"I'll be leaving for the surface soon," I began, my voice steady but filled with purpose.

Zainab tilted her head slightly, the movement sending ripples through her coils. "Why?"

There was no room for hesitation in my response. "There's something I need to collect. Something vital to my growth."

The truth was far more complex. The Planet Shard I had found in the goblin cave was just one piece of a much larger puzzle. To achieve the next step in my evolution, I needed more of these shards, scattered in places fraught with danger and challenges beyond imagination. I couldn't afford to stay in this cavern, safe but stagnant. My path demanded risk, demanded pain, and I was ready to embrace it.

"You speak of growth," Zainab said, her forked tongue flicking in and out. "Yet you hide the details. Why?"

Her gaze was unyielding, but I met it with equal resolve. "Some secrets are better left untold."

She considered my words, her long body shifting slightly. Then, with an almost imperceptible nod, she relented. "Hmph. Suit yourself."

To my surprise, she didn't pry further. Instead, her tone shifted, carrying a hint of wistfulness. "I've never been to the surface myself."

Her admission caught me off guard. "Then how do you know so much about it?"

A soft chuckle emanated from her, low and resonant. "My kind are born with the memories of our ancestors. It is our nature, a gift of survival to guide us until we grow into our power."

She went on, detailing the intricate inheritance of her species. Some of her kind received memories of distant worlds, ancient wars, or forgotten realms. But every one of them was gifted a foundational knowledge: the racial structures of their kind, elemental affinities, the tongues of many creatures, and even rudimentary mental techniques to outlast enemies and rivals. It was an elegant system of preservation, an unbroken thread of wisdom passed down through time.

"And you?" I asked, unable to suppress my curiosity. "What memories did you inherit?"

Zainab's eyes gleamed with unmistakable pride. "I was fortunate. Of all my kin, I inherited memories from one of the lesser ministers to the Water Primogenitor itself, my ancestor. Such luck is rare. Most of us receive fragmented glimpses of some random ancestors long forgotten—often useless or mundane. But I? I gained knowledge that stretches back to the foundations of the cosmos."

Her voice carried a weight that made my pulse quicken. The way she spoke, it wasn't arrogance but a statement of fact. She knew her worth, and she reveled in it.

"What kind of knowledge?" I pressed, leaning forward despite myself.

She shifted her coils, settling into a more comfortable position before she began. "Ranks."

The single word hung in the air between us, laden with an ominous gravity.

Zainab began to explain, her words weaving a tapestry of power and ambition that both enthralled and overwhelmed me.

The journey of strength started with the Unranked: beings bound by the frailties of mortality, struggling to transcend their limitations. From E- to A+, these were the stepping stones to true power. Then came the Rankers, individuals stepping on the path of no return, becoming low rankers. He suspected himself to fall in this category. those who had ascended beyond mortality into the ranks of S- to SSS+. These individuals wielded power sufficient to survive the void of space, their bodies no longer bound by the need for oxygen or the constraints of a single world.

At SSS+, they gained the freedom to leave their planets behind, stepping onto the path of exploration and cosmic discovery.

Next were the Mid-Rankers, a realm marked by metamorphosis and mastery. The path began with Masters, beings who had chosen their way and refined their control to perfection. Then came Grandmasters, who could craft semi-domains and alter the fabric of their chosen paths. At the pinnacle of this tier stood the Great-Grandmasters, beings capable of creating entirely new techniques and wielding full domains. These beings didn't just modify; they innovated, crafting realities to suit their will. They also began to touch upon the elusive concepts—the fundamental truths that governed existence.

Beyond Mid-Rankers lay the High Rankers. The first among them were the Lords, beings who wielded concepts with deliberate mastery. Zainab's ancestor, she revealed, had reached the King rank, a station of immense power and influence. The pinnacle of High Rankers was the Emperor rank, where beings achieved sublimation, their lives stretching across millions of years.

Finally, she spoke of the Ancestral Ranks: Divine and God. These were realms of power so vast and incomprehensible that even her inherited memories could offer only vague hints.

By the time she finished, I felt as though my mind had been stretched to its limits. The enormity of what lay ahead was staggering, a cosmic ladder that seemed to reach endlessly into the heavens.

"How insignificant am I in this vast universe?" I muttered under my breath.

The thought threatened to crush me, but I refused to let it take hold. I had stared into the abyss of despair too many times, and I had learned that hope, though a poison, was also a source of strength. It was a poison I willingly embraced.

"I'll make my way," I said, my voice firm. "Even if it takes a thousand lifetimes."

Zainab observed me in silence, her serpentine eyes unreadable. Perhaps she saw something in me, a flicker of determination that even I wasn't fully aware of.

The next three days passed in a blur. While Zainab prepared for her breakthrough, I threw myself into training. My Flowing Style demanded precision, fluidity, and an unrelenting focus. I spent hours shaving milliseconds off my movements, each repetition a step toward mastery. My goal was clear: reduce the time it took to execute a movement from 0.6 seconds to 0.4.

Crude dummies made of rock and vine served as my sparring partners. They didn't fight back, but they didn't need to. My battle was with myself, with the limits of my body and mind. Every strike, every evasion, had to feel as natural as breathing. Pain became a constant companion, but I welcomed it. Pain was a teacher, a reminder that growth always came with a price.

On the second day, a thought struck me as I watched Nibbles dart around, his tiny frame moving with uncanny speed and precision. He had proven himself to be far more than just a companion—he was a partner.

"I've been thinking," I said, kneeling down to meet his gaze. "What if we formalized our partnership?"

Nibbles paused, his tiny paws clutching a piece of dried fruit. His head tilted, his bright eyes glinting with curiosity.

I extended my hand, channeling a sliver of mana. The power of my newfound aspect, Contract, surged through me as I formed the framework of an equal-equal agreement.

The little creature didn't hesitate. He placed his tiny paw against my palm, and the contract formed with a subtle flash of light.

The changes were immediate. A thread of shared energy now connected us, allowing me to sense Nibbles's emotions and, to a limited extent, his thoughts. The b9ond also enhanced his physical abilities, making him faster and stronger. For his part, Nibbles seemed delighted, darting around with renewed vigor and chittering excitedly.

"Well," I said with a smirk, "looks like we're stuck with each other now."

Nibbles responded with an exaggerated salute, prompting a rare chuckle from me. For a moment, the weight of my ambitions and fears felt lighter.