People came and went like ants trickling through his consciousness, none of them doing anything more than providing a passing curiosity. If only in the tiniest of senses, Sam was starting to gain the mindset of a future god. He would be cultivating for a lot longer than this in the future.
Eventually, something finally clicked within him, bolstered by everything that he had gone through over the last few months. The rage that he felt at the uncaring System for the carnage that it had brought upon his planet. The cold fury that he felt when he contemplated the alien invaders who sought to destroy his home world. And most importantly, his desire for revenge. At its purest form, the concept that he wished to gain was that of the Avenger. A being who existed in order to right the wrongs committed against themselves and their people. In a multiverse where power was everything, and life was cheaper than mana, his Dao would fit right in. Even better, it was more closely aligned with his more powerful Dao Fragment, meaning that he had made the right choice in choosing to combine them now, rather than later when they would conflict more with one another.
As this insight rocked his mind and body, he finally seized the moment. He grabbed his two Daos in his will, one blazing with power, and the other significantly dimmer, and started to press them together. Using his concept as the bridge between them, he used its conceptual weight to make up for the lack of understanding of Resolution that he had in comparison to his other Dao. Pain began to surge within him as the Daos touched each other. Cracks ran across their surfaces as they were sundered by the process of subverting the will of reality.
Sam set his jaw and focused on his Mantra as he worked. This was the opportunity for greater power than anything he had ever touched upon before. It was a chance to see what being an E Ranker was really like. At his current stage of power, he could put up a fight against a low E Ranker, like the Titans. However, even with his prodigious strength, he was unable to actually finish the job. His stamina and mana would run out before theirs. With the litany of strong fighters that would be pitted against him, he would need every edge that he could get.
Blue and reddish flames melded in the center of his being, painting a picture of his crystallized intent. Out of the ashes of the old came the new, a swirling sphere of color that contained all of the aspects of his Daos, from the blue of Resolution to the golden of his Dao Echo. Sam’s eyes snapped open of their own accord, and a sudden tempest of power began to swirl around him. For the briefest of moments, his eyes flashed with the color of his new Dao.
A wave of aura pressure washed out for miles in every direction, empowered by the break through. The closest cultivators found themselves pressed to one knee in its wake. Sam rose to his feet, and let out a primal roar of rage, shouting out his hunger for vengeance to the heavens themselves. Then the emotional part of the breakthrough ended, and he was met with a notification. He sat down to read through them, ignoring the looks of awe and terror coming his way.
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You have gained a new Dao!
Dao Seed of the Avenger(First Step)
You are the bulwark that stands between your people and the reaper. The shield, and the sword that prevents the hungry tide of evil from devouring them. Not only this, you are the one who reclaims their honor when all else fails. Such strength and conviction merits the accolade of the Avenger. Take your new power in hand, and hunt those who dare to attack you and yours.
+150 to all physical stats
+100 to all mental stats
The bonuses were a little less than double that of the previous rank, but the increase to his energy reserves and overall power was immense. More notifications started to spiral into his vision, the first of which was from his Dao echo upgrading.
Dao Echo of Inspiration(Seed Stage)
Dao Echoes are one of the rarest sources of power in the Multiverse. When a being sufficiently skilled in the ways of the Dao manages to capture the essence of a Dao beyond their current understanding, there is a small chance that they will be able to gain a shadow of its power. You managed to incorporate a tiny fraction of the concept of Inspiration into your being, as it resonated with your path. Dao Echoes cannot be upgraded, but they will make forming their parent Dao far easier in the future. Dao Echoes provide bonuses based on your current level of Dao understanding, up until you gain the actual Dao itself.
+200 to Intelligence
+200 to Wisdom
In one fell swoop, his two mental stats had become his highest ones. It was not necessarily bad, simply intriguing. Two more messages waited for him, which he quickly opened.
Congratulations, Sam Atlas. You have taken the Second Step on the Road to Zenith.
The Road to Zenith is a metaphysical path to the heights of the cultivating world, and its followers line the ranks of the upper echelons of the Boundless Expanse. You have proven that you are among their numbers by setting foot on this path.
First Step: Complete all initial thresholds before F Rank.
Second Step: Gain a Dao Seed before level 149.
Rewards: Your Fatemark has deepened. Dao Comprehension speed +25%.
The Road to Zenith seemed to be finally paying off with the bonuses that it granted. A boost like that was absurd, especially to Dao comprehension. It was very welcome though. The last message though was probably the greatest of the lot.
You have upgraded a title!
Greater Dao Paragon of 10,239,428,157th Universe: Celestial -> Supreme Dao Paragon of the 10,239,428,157th Universe:Transcendent
You are the undisputed hegemon of Dao prowess within your universe, having reached the Seed stage before even exiting F Rank. Your talent in this realm seems to be boundless. This is the final title that you may gain in this title chain.
Bonuses: +30% to all stats, +25% to Dao comprehension speed