Savage Awakening 108. Breakthrough (III) (Patreon)

A/N: housekeeping: changed end of Yuki’s section so he notes Zane’s breakthrough, but doesn't come see

//

A single note rang out. A silvery note, a note of the soul. It was the same note Zane felt in that Steelheart Conclave Law recording. Now it spread from him, washing outward, touching the souls of hundreds, all at once. Resonating.

Suddenly the bottleneck fell away; some constriction vanished from his soul. Essence could flow freely again. The last of the Worldseed's essence rushed into him. It was almost enough to break past Level 100—but not quite.

After finishing off that A-grade Vial of Elixir though, he'd be there. Then he'd be a true Foundation cultivator.

He breathed out and opened his eyes; his breath was a puff of silver rising to star-dotted dusky skies. Huh. The sun was setting. What day was it? He wasn't even sure.

He stood. Something felt odd. It was those Steel Law currents. They'd been screaming at him all this time, but they'd gone quiet now. Like they couldn't touch him anymore. They felt gentle as breezes. He realized he was his own font of Elemental Law—it streamed out of him. Blunting the Meteor’s Elemental Steel Law. They were equals.

He strode up into the first ring of the Crater, where silvery veins pulsed like heart-valves of the earth, where the ground was glossed totally silver, where the Steel Law was densest. He met no resistance. He strode right up to the Meteor, reached out a hand, and touched it. It was firm and very cold. When he did, he felt a resonance in his soul too. Like two songbirds singing the same pure note.

He smiled.

***

Chen Xiaoshan, Wold Rank #13 and emissary of the Mount Hua Temple, was trembling as he activated his transmission crystal.

A brash voice streamed out. It was breathing heavy; you could make out the deep-throated roaring of some Monster in the background.

"This had better be important,” it said. Followed by a grunt. "These damned A-ranked dungeons, I swear—“ Explosions in the background. "Such a nuisance!"

"It is important, Master," said Chen. "You won't believe this.”

"Bah!" There was a massive cracking sound. Then a howl, like that same Monster had just been fatally wounded. "Speak!"

"Master—from this day forth, a new great power rises in the West…"

***

Siberia

Vanessa Volkova was blasted off her feet. She crashed into the icy tundra, shattering a plate of glassy frost. She barely had time to scramble to a knee—then a silky-white sash wrapped around her throat.

And then she was cased in ice. Frozen solid.

The ice melted all at once, sloshing away. And she fell gasping.

"Good," said Irina Volkova. One clipped syllable.

"Really?" said Vanessa. She brightened. Then she flushed, schooled her expression, cleared her throat. "That is—thank you, Mother."

"As opposed to your last hundred attempts. Which were not even passable. Good should be the standard."

Vanessa sagged. "Oh."

Irina paused. "But," she sighed. "There has been a definite improvement in the past month. Don't think I haven't noticed. Keep it up."

"Yes, Mother!" Her daughter was blushing again. Embarrassing. Vanessa had many flaws, and being needy was certainly one of them. But Irina couldn't be too annoyed. Now her daughter was willing to put in the effort to improve herself; that was what mattered. It gave Irina hope.

The talent had always been there. Her daughter was as talented as Irina was—it was what frustrated Irina so. Vanessa had such gifts, yet she frittered time on nonsense. Boys and clothes and partying—before and after the Change. And she walked around so proudly all the time. Proud of what? She'd accomplished nothing. Irina told her so almost daily, but it never seemed to get through.

Before the Change, Irina had been head coach of the Russian national team in Olympic judo. Before that, she'd gold-medaled thrice for the Soviet Union. And before that, she spent twenty years straight waking up before dawn and swimming in freezing lakes—and that was a warm-up for a full day of grueling full-contact sparring with world-class black belts from dawn till dusk.

Yet Vanessa knew nothing of discipline, despite Irina's frustrated efforts. Even that America trip—which should have been a training trip—was little more than an excuse for sightseeing.

But something happened on that trip. When Vanessa came back, there was a new spark in her. Finally. She grew obsessed with getting stronger; she seemed embarrassed of herself. As she should be. Since then, she'd shot up to #14 on the Wold Rankings.

Irina was equal parts proud and annoyed. She'd had this in her all along? Where would she be if she just applied herself from the start?

Irina had only seen her like this over a boy.

…If she was honest, Irina half-suspected it was the case again. Her daughter was as foolish as she was gifted.

Then the transmission crystal in Irina's trouser pocket glowed hot. The one only made for emergencies or other such news. Frowning, she undid the leather strap, reached past the wool lining, and brought it out. Then she listened to what it had to say.

"What is it?" Vanessa asked.

"Have you heard of this—" Irina paused, listened for the name again. "Zane Walker? An American.” She noted how Vanessa flinched at the name—her face instantly reddened. Interesting.

“He has just broken through to Elemental, apparently. In record time.”

Vanessa gasped. Her hands balled to fists. “He got there before me? I was supposed to—ugh!"

"Who is he?"

"No-one!" said Vanessa a little too loudly. She flushed. "Just… someone I met. In America. Someone who... Let's just say the next time we meet, I'll show him!” She clenched her teeth. “Next time I’ll be the one who—err—" she flushed hotter and broke off. "… nevermind…”

So it was over a boy.

Irina pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

Whatever the cause, her daughter was the most motivated she'd been in a long time. Irina would take it. "Again!"

***

"I don't understand," murmured Mason Smith. He and his father were from Utah. His father was the leader of the Faction that controlled it; they were both conservationists. They dreamed of making Utah something as close to a paradise as they could manage. They figured the apocalypse was also a chance to start over—to create their own little nature community.

But to do that, they needed power to protect everyone there. So they'd bought tickets to VGI, and here they were.

They'd been cultivating in the Elven Glade—the big Wood Law area—when they'd heard news that the Savage Sage was breaking through.

His father had gotten all excited. He’d dragged Mason here to watch it happen.

Mason didn't get the hype. "Didn't someone get to Foundation just last week?"

His father, Noah, looked over. Noah followed the top rankers very closely; he said it was his job, but Mason always thought it was his new thing now he couldn't watch Jazz games anymore. "Well, son," he said in a hoarse voice. "You know the super-geniuses, don't you?"

"Yeah. Like the guy who's number one on the Hell array—that Eze guy."

"Well, he broke through to Elemental in twenty-three hours. It took him three tries. And the Joker Savant took twenty-two hours, and it also took her three tries. Yuki, that Japanese fella, took twenty hours in two tries. The fastest we knew of was Jason Walker! Two tries. Eighteen hours…"

He shook his head.

“The Savage Sage took thirteen hours. One try."

"…Oh."

***

Zane put on his serious face and started walking purposefully back to the hotel, which seemed to be enough to dissuade the crowd from trying to talk to him. To his relief. They were chattering up a storm.

Once he was back, he drank the last of his A-rank Vial of Essence. It took about half an hour to get down. Then—

Level up!

Essence Level 100

Level 100 reached. Third class evolution unlocked. For all class evolutions:

Soul Weapon Upgrade:

Elemental Powers can be channeled directly through the Chains, greatly increasing the efficacy of all Skills which use elemental powers or elemental power fusions.

Oh?

Chain Warlord (Mythic)

The Chain Warlord is a demon of single combat. It wields its harpoons to spear its enemies and drag them in, where it finishes them in its crushing Chain embrace. A class which blends dominating grappling with devastating striking.

New Soul Weapon Form:

Anti-armor Harpoon Form - The Chains' ends become fiery, barbed harpoons that can be launched with deadly precision and incredible speed. They carry tremendous armor-piercing capabilities which scale with Level.

Hellfire Tempest (Mythic)

The Hellfire Tempest is a one-man army. Its tornado-blades tear through essence and flesh with ease, and once its attacks build, they don't stop. Once it gets going, it resembles a natural disaster.

New Soul Weapon Form:

Tornado Blade Form - The Chain's ends become spinning blades that create fierce tornadoes upon contact with the ground or an enemy. These tornadoes tear apart formations and can hurl opponents into the air, leaving them sitting ducks for further shredding. Pairs excellently with existing Cyclone-based Skills.

Dread Bastion (Mythic)

The Dread Bastion is a fortress. It specializes in absorbing the powers of incoming strikes to fuel its counterblows, which erupt in meteoric fury. A balanced class offering formidable offense and defense.

New Soul Weapon Form:

Meteor Hammer Form - The Chains' ends become akin to heavy molten wrecking-balls; they move like true meteors, fast and ferocious. They trail flames and debris as they fly, exploding on impact and leaving craters behind. They are constantly burning. Weight scales with Level.