OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 493: Sixth Step



***

Emir leaned back, resting his head against the headboard.

'...I'm back.'

He turned to his left, eyes drifting to Lyra.

She was lying beside him, her features softened in her 'sleep'-though he knew any small movement would instantly wake her up.

Her face looked calm, peaceful, and he allowed himself a moment to take it in, feeling a strange sense of relief.

Perhaps he had been affected by the nightmare more than he let on.

Once he'd seen enough, Emir closed his eyes, letting his mind wander.

His thoughts circled back to the nightmare, piecing together the mysteries surrounding it.

These 'dreams' had changed since he became a Seraphim

Counting from the day of his ascent, he'd only slept four times: once on the same day, once after the test, the third was a brief nap just before the third gathering, and now him of a few seconds ago.

A trend remained clear between all the times he slept.

No nightmare tortured him when his slumber was brief.

He needed to be in deep sleep to experience it.

That was enough to make him wonder why, but not long, as it made sense in a certain convoluted way.

Emir needed his brain to relax a slight bit and let its guard down, allowing his corrupted soul to dredge up these scenarios, buried so far below his consciousness.

And now that he thought about it, he could still recall the string of nightmares he had suffered as a child, back before he understood any of this.

Especially the first one. He remembered it vividly, too vividly, as if it happened yesterday. It simply planted itself in his mind and never left.

A version of himself, much older, strangling a baby-his younger self, helpless in his own hands.

The meaning behind that nightmare no longer mattered; he took no one's place; he was simply a subject undergoing an experiment, a victim, even though he didn't see himself as one.

What mattered was that it happened directly after he had done the mutation unlock, allowing in the corruption, the eyes of black.

Back then, he'd believed those nightmares were random, or perhaps induced by someone, but

now...

He knew that 'someone' was himself.

'...It's all so ridiculous.'

Just as his past was done flooding through his mind, he opened his eyes again, gazing at the ceiling.

Something had shifted with this recent nightmare, and though he smiled at the end, accepting it all, he didn't like it one bit.

The immersion, Lyra's image, her accusations, the way she'd forced him to confront the tiny voices in his mind...

None of that felt like just a dream. It was too real. Every second he experienced was felt, even now.

And what he felt most of all was...

'No. I better forget it.'

He shifted slightly, turning his gaze back to her sleeping form.

That was enough to wake her up.

Lyra's eyelids fluttered, her expression gradually shifting as she propped herself up on her elbow.

She opened her eyes slowly, and after a moment, she looked at him and murmured: "Good morning~."

"Morning."

His reply was quieter than usual, but she didn't comment on that, appearing to have something new to report.

"Nathan sent over the results from Weiss. Want me to send everything?"

He nodded, already curious about what was coming.

She smiled, then leaned forward, bringing her forehead to his.

Emir closed his eyes as their neural networks shared a connection, the data beginning to stream through.

He could feel the information slotting into place, his library-like mind automatically sorting and analyzing each piece.

But then, something unexpected happened-an electrifying sensation jolted him to

attention.

It was a familiar feeling... an all-encompassing one.

Emir had just made his 'sixth step.'

He had gained a new skill.

It was a milestone he didn't expect to cross anytime soon, but it appeared he had underestimated himself.

(Skills)

{Close Quarter Combat: Inept Expert, 0% Proficiency.}

As the hologram before his eyes announced, he had finally entered the next stage.

His skill level was no longer that of an Advanced CQC specialist, but an Inept Expert one. And the reason for that advancement was simple.

-

(Specialized Skills)

{Quick Draw: 5% Proficiency.}

Emir had gained a new tab in his status, and within that tab came a new specialized skill called

Quick Draw.

That specialized skill was what allowed him to cross the chasm, entering a grade that represented the beginning of true mastery within the Celestial Hierarchy.

His previous efforts were nearly useless; he was being too greedy.

Emir needed to be incredible at something specific, and now that he was, whether

accidentally or not, everything fell into place.

It had awakened in him through his Art, Blade of the Drowned, and it originated from Weiss's ability, {Silent Bloom,} the third upgrade of the fourth ability in the Blade Dancer's Path.

He wasn't at all surprised as to why he had it.

After all, the prerequisite was that he had to be in a near-death situation, and what was closer than having his head nearly cut off by milliseconds-a moment so intense that his body could

feel the blow even now.

Quick Draw wasn't as powerful as Weiss's ability of course, not even close, yet it was a significant enhancement to his attack speed, a straight boost that came with no downsides, not taking up space in what remained of his ten ability slots.

And there was more that he realized.

Expert wasn't merely a higher grade; it was a new status entirely, with Inept, Proficient, and True as the three subgrades, each defining a stage in his evolution as a Celestial.

This wasn't simply an increase in percentage or raw power; it was a recognition of his ability

to handle combat on a new level...

A higher 'step,' the sixth one.

But he didn't think that just because of the new skill.

His recent experiences had contributed to this leap.

The dangerous game with Quinn, the unlocking of his seventh ability, the execution of both his plans, the major disaster, and the revelation of the mole in their midst-all of these successes and many more, had combined to push him to this point, bringing him closer to the

next sub-rank.

Exarch.

'Hmm...'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

It seemed Lyra's previous estimation had been conservative, even though she overestimated

most factors.

She previously said that it'd take him a year to cross to the next rank in the Celestial

Hierarchy, but right now...

'Not bad.'

He believed that it wouldn't even take him half that time.

'Not bad at all.'