Chapter 241: Chapter 241: New Powers Chapter 241 – New Powers DING! [Applying the x10,000 effect.] And so, it began. The affinities. [You have obtained the affinities: Void (Half-Ascension rank), Space (Half-Ascension rank), Light (Half-Ascension rank), Order (Half-Ascension rank), Justice (Half-Ascension rank), Shadow (Half-Ascension rank), Invisible (Half-Ascension rank).] CRACK—! The space around Noah shattered as the overwhelming surge of power erupted. Countless visions flickered in and out of existence, as if the affinities themselves were bleeding into reality—manifesting their presence, asserting their will. In one breath, the world turned into unfathomable darkness. In the next, it flooded with blinding divine light, as if Justice itself had taken root. Then it became pure Void. Then Order. Then Invisible. And on and on. But through it all, Noah didn’t even blink. His gaze remained fixed, calm, focused—his entire being attuned to the new forces blooming within him. The moment he obtained them, he felt it—something was missing. But now wasn’t the time to think about that. He turned his attention back to the system. The physiques— [You have obtained the physique: Epitaph of the Unseen Emperor.] [You have obtained the physique: The Prime Arbiter.] [You have obtained the physique: Tenebris Monarch.] [You have obtained the physique: Voidheart Sovereign.] CRACK—! His body cracked—his bones, his skin, his very structure writhing with unfamiliar forces—forces so vast they defied logic. Noah remained expressionless. He remained seated, cross-legged. Still focused entirely on the panel before him. The bloodlines— [You have obtained the bloodline: The Eonian Tribunal.] [You have obtained the bloodline: Nightborne Covenant.] [You have obtained the bloodline: The Nihilblood Kin.] And finally... The Titles. [You have obtained all the titles at x10,000 from all five women.] Then without pause, [Brace yourself. The transformation begins.] Instantly, a pain unlike anything before exploded inside Noah. Unfathomable. His vision blurred, his consciousness shaken. His body twisted and contorted as new forces ripped through him. One moment, he looked like the Void itself—endless and silent. The next, he was divine light incarnate, with a sigil of scales burning on his forehead. Then came shadow—an abyss so dense it devoured the light itself. One by one, and layer by layer, Noah felt his entire being reshape, evolve, ascend. He didn’t scream. He didn’t groan. He clenched his jaw and endured. The transformation dragged on—minute after excruciating minute—before it finally ceased. Noah lay on the ground, breathing shallowly. His body now held,alongside the Elysiari bloodline, three new bloodlines of such depth and strangeness they seemed to protest their own coexistence. The Elysiari bloodline, in particular, throbbed in agitation. Noah gave a weak smile. "Just wait until I finish... and you’ll eat to your heart’s content," he whispered. As if understanding him, the agitation stilled immediately. He chuckled faintly, then focused again. There was something bothering him. Something subtle, but unmistakable. The affinities. "What’s Half-Ascension rank?" he asked aloud, "And why do I feel it’s... not complete?" [The Ascension Rank is the stage that comes after Transformation Rank.] [At Transformation Rank, you embody the affinity—you become it. But at Ascension Rank, you go beyond that.] [You take the affinity and transcend it—unlocking a unique, personal evolution.] [For example, if you reach Transformation with Fire, you become Fire. But at Ascension, that Fire may evolve into something like Soulfire—a flame that burns only the soul.] [It is not a talent. It is not a skill. It is an affinity that has broken past its limitations and birthed a higher, unique version of itself.] [So for your affinities to reach the Ascension rank, you have to choose each of them their evolution path.] Noah listened closely. His eyes slowly lit with realization. Still, he asked for confirmation, "And if you create a brand-new affinity... will it be available for others to use?" [Only if you allow it. As a World Dominator, you can erase or add affinities to the world you control.] [And if you allow others to use your new affinity—you will benefit. Their insights will flow back to you, strengthening you.] [This also applies when you create laws and bind them to your world—or, later, the entire universe.] [And yes, Ascension-rank affinities can help you forge your Law. They can be the very foundation.] [And at Law Creator Rank, you no longer wield affinities... you wield Laws.] [If you do not transform your affinities into laws, then you will lose them.] Noah fell silent. His eyes closed briefly, his thoughts swirling. "This is getting complicated," he murmured inwardly. But it wasn’t. Not really. At Ascension, he would create his own version of an affinity—say, Soulfire—and then eventually evolve it into the Law of Soulfire. That was the path forward. Clean. Straight. The only problem? Noah had too many affinities. "This is hell," he thought, already tired just imagining the task ahead. But that didn’t mean he would surrender to it. No. If the issue was having too many affinities, Then he would create one affinity that encompassed all of them. He had the Aeon Vein for that. But it was no longer enough. He needed to evolve it. Sharpen it. Transcend it. Just the thought made his mood improve. He stood again, then sat cross-legged with renewed focus. "First, let’s copy the talents," he said to himself. "Then fuse all the bloodlines into mine. Then all the physiques into my Prime Physique." "And after that... create one unique affinity to house all the rest." He paused for a moment. "And then..." "I’ll make life-saving talents, barriers, artifacts, and anything else I can think of—for my wives and my close ones." He had learned his lesson with Sari. He wouldn’t repeat the same mistake. But— "I don’t think that’s enough..." "Should I create a new type of being—one that holds a fragment of my power—and assign them to their shadows to guard them?" "No... Still not enough." "...Maybe I could make their souls undying. And their bodies untouchable—unless I’m the one touching them..." Noah frowned, thinking deeper. "...But I don’t think I have that kind of power yet." "Fuck it." He continued brainstorming for two whole hours, determined to ensure their safety. After that, when he had collected a satisfying list of ideas and solutions, Noah finally began. "Copy all the talents from these five—unless I already have them." He activated Copycat. And so— "Soulfade, Celestial Vein Sight, Child of Nihilism, Throne of Shadows, Judgment of Light..." He muttered the new talents, one after another. All of them pulsed inside him, radiant and immense. All of them, Paragon Rank. —End of Chapter 241—