Chapter 1263 – How To Train A Generation

The final push to B-grade was the main topic dominating the ninety-third universe in recent months and years. As more closed in on evolution or even evolved, their Records echoed throughout the multiverse, making it easier for others of the same generation to do the same.

Throughout history, many scholars have found it odd that those of the same generation who competed in D-grade often ended up roughly equal in level even when in A-grade. The eventual explanation was naturally found in the way Records worked and how they affected the direction and development of the multiverse as a whole. Periods rife with Records led to faster growth for everyone, while periods with lulls led to slower growth for everyone.

This was also why the level pace seemed to quick in a period like just around the integration of a new universe. Taking a few hundred years to go from D to C-grade was considered pretty decent in regular times, but in a period like this, most accomplished it within a century easily. Considering half of this century would be spent within Nevermore, it was a pace no one could compete with in regular times… except not really.

Even during periods of calmness, geniuses emerged who rose to power with incredible speed. Despite a lack of multiversal Records sparking growth, they managed to progress at the same pace as during periods filled with Records. This naturally also confused scholars who tried to figure out how to optimize progressing in the multiverse, but the explanation was once more straightforward, and yes, was again based on Records.

A genius had the Records to progress quickly on their own. They didn’t need the multiversal Records to boost their growth, but innately had more than enough to maximize their leveling speed and blaze through the levels and grades on their rise to power.

Yet it also remained a fact that these multiversal Records helped even geniuses in periods of progress like the one the multiverse currently found itself in. However, the way they helped differed slightly. Rather than limiting speed, it functioned more like a rubber band, affecting experience gain only.

When enough people got ahead, there would be a rubber band effect pulling those behind them forward by slightly increasing their experience gain, though, of course, if one got too far behind, it was easy to slip out of the band and lose this effect.

Someone like Jake rarely benefited from an effect like this, as the gap never got big enough when it was just a few levels separating him and others. However, an entire grade difference meant that even Jake experienced a slight increase in experience gain, courtesy of those who had already evolved.

Why the system even had an effect like this wasn’t much of a mystery either. Competition and rivalry were primary drivers of growth, so the system had an incentive to keep those who could challenge one another at roughly the same level. This entire period-based flood of Records was essentially just a meta-expression of relational Records that could always be found between those with close relationships. Just that, rather than being between friends, family, rivals, and enemies, it was across an entire generation, whose shared period of life linked them all together.

These periods of high growth occurred many times in every era, though it was nearly always around the integration of new universes that it was truly multiversal. Other times, it was more region-based and could happen on smaller scales. Wars in galaxies, system events, or other significant happenings that brought many people together would create similar effects, increasing the overall Records of all those involved. And yes, this was another reason why the large factions in the multiverse enjoyed keeping a few good wars going… it was just that good for progress.

Even if everyone knew how strong these multiversal effects were, many still found themselves surprised at just how powerful they were this time around. It was believed that every generation was defined by those who stood at its pinnacle, and during the integration of the ninety-second universe, the wave of Records was also immense due to the emergence of Yip of Yore and Altius the Blade.

Yet this generation was stronger. The wave of Records was more powerful. There had been two leading figures of this generation, with Ell’Hakan and Jake Thayne, but now the latter had killed the former. With that, it should be unquestionable that the pinnacle of this generation was the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, but he was far from standing alone at the top.

Just beneath him were several other standout figures. The first Runemaiden of Valdemar in many years, and the first from a newly integrated universe in eras. Two Ghost Kings in the same generation who’d even attended Nevermore together. Wintermaul, an elemental embodying the concept of ice and frost itself. The Eastbound Monk, a mysterious figure who’d proven themselves incredibly powerful in the Prima Guardian event. Lopas, a monster with equally as much mystery surrounding him, after his Nevermore performance. Even a new True Royal from the Endless Empire had appeared, and not that long after, the Cerulean Demon Prince who’d successfully absorbed the full Records of a god, spawned rumors of the Cerulean Devil’s return. The Demon Prince had already been just a single step behind Ell’Hakan and Jake during Nevermore, and now that he had evolved to become even more powerful, there was even speculation that he’d reached their level.

And these were just some of the most publicly recognized figures. The rankings among the gods didn’t necessarily match the feats displayed in combat so far, but had as much to do with future potential. With some of these, the gods who even knew of their future potential were limited, even if many were already somewhat recognized figures in their own right.

Eron, the Sword Saint, Sylphie, Arnold, Sandy, Jasper, along with dozens of other figures that were mostly unknown to the masses, but whom the gods were looking upon with interest. Even if Jake currently stood at the forefront of this generation, that didn’t mean he would be there forever. While being the strongest C-grade was impressive, it didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Being among the first to evolve to B-grade was also just a minor detail.

No, the only thing that truly mattered was who had the potential for godhood, and while no one doubted the Chosen of the Malefic Viper was on a fast track to divinity, he wasn’t even necessarily the one most gods would rate the most likely to achieve godhood successfully.

Not even of the humans on Earth… but all things in due time. For now, the most crucial thing remained successfully evolving to B-grade while maintaining momentum, for if momentum was lost, it didn’t really matter if one had the potential in the first place.

—

While all the younglings were busy trying to reach B-grade, the older folks were also doing their own thing. The bait had been laid a while ago, and now, finally… someone took it.

“I got it,” Eversmile said with a nod.

“Faster than expected, which makes me assume the god on the other end isn’t that impressive,” Vilas smiled as he looked at the frozen D-grade.

Time had been stopped in their immediate area as the two of them looked at the young woman who’d attended Jake’s lesson a while ago. She had been just another face in the crowd and had not stood out in the slightest.

“Do you know where she came from?” Eversmile asked. “Her karmic connections are normal, though slightly lacking for a D-grade. None of them are particularly strong.”

“Joined the regular way as a wanderer. Did the tests, passed everything with a middling evaluation, and only started to show promise after entering my Order. Just enough promise to be noticed, but not enough to truly draw attention to herself,” Vilas answered.

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Eversmile nodded. “A good candidate to spy for some unknown faction.”

“Seemingly so,” the Viper agreed.

All efforts to figure out who had been behind Jake’s ambush in the void had been in vain so far. The other factions, who were aware of the ambush, and this unknown faction had started making lists of other gods who had gone missing without bodies being found, but there were just too many names. The Holy Church also located two spies who were confirmed to be affiliated with this unknown faction, but they were only discovered to be spies posthumously.

This was the first time they had a live connection, and the Viper wasn’t going to waste it. Waving his hand, he encompassed the D-grade girl’s body in a green crystalline material before forcibly teleporting her into his realm for further research. For now, they had more pressing matters to attend to.

“Let’s go,” Vilas said, getting a nod from Eversmile as the other Primordial proceeded to open a portal to their destination.

The two of them walked through it and appeared in an empty section of space within the fifty-second universe. An utterly inconspicuous space, far away from anything of note, and a perfect place for a solitary god to enjoy spending time alone… or somewhere to hide away while part of some unknown faction.

They had gone there after tracking who the D-grade girl had communicated with. She had set up a very simple-looking ritual, but with the Viper actively observing, he noticed something odd about it. It didn’t emit any noticeable energy, and when Eversmile saw the ritual, he also agreed it was weird. It relied on some concept or magic neither of them was familiar with, which was enough to confirm that she was likely the one related to this unknown faction.

This was further reinforced when the ritual ended, and the message was successfully sent. There were no remnants of energy or even karmic traces left behind, perplexing the two gods once more. Fortunately, as they’d observed the entire thing, Eversmile had managed to track not the delivery of the message, but the very faint karmic connection that was formed when the D-grade thought of the person she wanted to receive it.

Using this as a guide, and after they froze time in the D-grade’s room, Eversmile had fully tracked the message to this empty part of space.

“Hiding in a fold in space,” Vilas said after quickly scanning the area.

Eversmile didn’t wait as he tore a hole in spacetime, motioning for them both to enter the rift. All things considered, it was a pretty low-level method of hiding, but it tended to do the job as long as no one combed the area thoroughly.

Passing through the crack, the two Primordials found themselves in a small space where a single figure sat on a floating stone in the middle of nothingness. Vilas immediately recognized the person sitting there.

He was on the Altmar Empire’s list.

Despite seeing their target right in front of them, neither Primordial made a move as they both immediately felt it.