My father rushed out of the cave, eager to spread the news of the great accomplishment. He made his way to the chief's abode, intent on proclaiming the grand occasion, while my mother urged me to rest after the long, taxing trials. Her voice was filled with concern, and I could feel the weight of her worry.
I obeyed her and slipped into a deep sleep, my body and mind finally having the time to recover. Yet, even in sleep, my thoughts drifted to the future. How could I—someone who had once been a mere mortal—now have the potential to achieve greatness in this world of infinite possibilities? What path awaited me, and what challenges would come with my new power?
When I woke, everything felt different. The moment my eyes opened, I instinctively moved to get up—only to smash my head into a nearby wall. Dazed, I tried to steady myself, but instead crashed into another. My movements felt erratic, my body unfamiliar, as if I had no control over it.
The loud crash of my collisions sent my parents rushing in, followed closely by the chief, who had accompanied my father back. They were waiting for me to wake, and it seemed that my arrival had been anticipated with great expectation.
I continued to stumble, utterly confused. It took several minutes for me to gain full control of my body, the sensations strange and foreign. When I finally managed to regain my footing, I looked up and noticed the three figures staring at me, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Their figures seemed smaller as if they had shrunk in size overnight.
"Son… is that you?" my mother asked, her voice trembling.
That's when I realized it wasn't them who had changed. It was me. I had grown—taller, broader, stronger. The room now seemed smaller, and I found myself standing nearly at my father's shoulders.
My heart raced as realization hit me like a hammer. I had evolved in my sleep—and it hadn't even been a conscious effort. No heavenly tribulation had been needed. I had entered the Transcendent realm without the customary trials, my body and mind seamlessly flowing into the ascendant state.
"I… I've grown?" I stammered, still trying to make sense of it. The transformation was so sudden that I could barely grasp it.
"You've… ascended," my father murmured, his tone filled with confusion. "Without a single tribulation. It's unprecedented. You've ignored all the usual trials, my son."
As I stood there, uncertain of my new form and abilities, the chief's gaze never wavered. He studied me carefully, his eyes narrowing with suspicion and admiration.
"This is a great gift," the chief said solemnly, "but it comes with great responsibility. You are now part of an elite class, and your training will reflect that."
A few days passed as my body adjusted to its new form. My muscles felt more powerful, my senses sharper, and my mind clearer than ever before. But even as I reveled in these changes, the realities of my newfound status began to settle in.
The Ixorym were a powerful people, each one unique in their own right. To them, strength, power, and knowledge were paramount, but none of them could have foreseen how quickly I would evolve. Despite my ascendant rank, life for me continued relatively normally. The Ixorym were so accustomed to strength that, in many ways, I was just one among many.
But there was one thing that had changed. It was the reverence.
Wherever I went, I could feel their eyes on me. Whispers followed in my wake. Those who once regarded me as just another youth now looked upon me with respect and admiration. It was as if the very air shifted when I passed by. Despite this, I continued my life with as much normalcy as I could muster, pushing through the discomfort that came with this sudden fame.
Training began soon after, and I was thrust into the Ixorym training school. The academy was a place where the youth were honed into formidable warriors, creators, and survivalists. I had hoped for some respite, perhaps to ease into this new life, but there was no such luxury. The Ixorym saw the potential in me, and they wasted no time in pushing me forward.
Due to my early ascension, I was placed in the ascendant-level training camp, alongside others who had already shown extraordinary promise. It was clear that I was considered to be of exceptional ability, but I was still expected to prove myself. My daily schedule was packed with grueling combat drills, mana manipulation exercises, and rigorous survival tests. Every day was a challenge, and every challenge was met with the same level of intensity from my instructors.
Some of the students, respected me, while others eyed me with jealousy or fear. The latter seemed to keep their distance, not daring to challenge me directly. Still, I remained focused on my training, determined not to let my new power distract me from the ultimate goal—to honor the legacy of my people.
Despite the intense training, I could feel the growing tension within me. The reverence I had once welcomed now felt suffocating, and I longed for the freedom to simply live as I once had. But I knew that was a luxury I could no longer afford.
With each passing day, I grew more adept in my training, my powers blossoming even further. And yet, as my strength grew, so did the whispers of destiny and expectation. I couldn't escape the pressure. My legacy was now tied to something much greater than myself—and I would have to find a way to live up to it, despite the weight of it all.
Until the day I can regain my freedom and free my people from this oppression, my fervor will not waiver, and my goal will remain unchanging.