Rogue Ascension: Book 5: First Ascension: A Progression LitRPG, page 5
He found it and mentally pressed the button to snap a shot: May sitting primly on her knees while holding Curi’s mini humanoid form like a slimy stuffed animal on her lap. Beneath them was Happy’s ghostly carapaced back. Around them was a winter wonderland tunnel of white powdery snow and glittery ice shards.
Joey stared at the image his crystal ball network captured. He saved it in his personal profile. Nevermind all the missed opportunities to take some scenic photos on his earlier adventures, this still image of a time passing by had a grip on him.
It was surreal. Like a painting from a digital artist. Yet this was real life. It was all real. May and Curi were real.
May was real. And Joey wanted to fight her.
Plus more.
“I want you to be strong,” Joey said, barely loud enough to be heard over the falling hail. “So strong that you’ll scare me.”
“Why?” May asked.
“So it’ll look extra awesome when I beat you in our future duel. I’m thinking it’ll be a death fight for sure. Sanctioned by the gods. A free death for an awesome fight between the greatest and strongest beginners. That way we can go all out without risk of losing our path to greatness.”
May smiled a smidge. “There is a risk even if we’ll get revived. We’ll know who is stronger than who for sure. Then one is more likely to get consumed by the other and further the winner’s path to greatness.”
“Is that how you see it? If we were to fight, you’ll consume me?”
“Yes, I will consume you, Joey Eclipse. I’ll want everything you have to be mine. Forever.” She lost her smile. “Though you probably won’t enjoy being owned by me that way.”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
“I don’t know if I’ll enjoy being owned by you if you were to defeat me.” May looked down at Curi in her lap. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind much if you can prove yourself skilled enough. Even so, I have my own ambitions. I want to be the strongest. I want to fight bigger and badder monsters. And crush them. I want my path to greatness to be the strongest ever.”
Joey chuckled. “I like your tyrannical passion.”
May hummed. “I admire your greedy ambition. I would like to have you for it.”
“You will have your chance. Don’t worry. Before our duel, I’ll make you so strong even the primordials will doubt if I’ll beat you. But I will.”
May stared at him. Either unbelieving. Or unable to respond to his arrogance.
He didn’t blame her. He was being extra arrogant to overcome the dragon reluctance inside of him.
The inner dragon wanted him to be afraid of losing to May and having everything he owned and accomplished consumed by her. Then he would be a side character in her path to greatness.
I won’t.
Joey had other plans, but kept them to himself. Outloud, he said, “So you’re up for it? Me against you right before ascension. I’ll call whoever to help. Fuzzy, Mike, even the Tidal Moon Lord. Hell, they can broadcast it all across Multiverse Z. The best beginners ever in a one-on-one duel.”
“The best beginners ever?” May swept strands of hair behind her ear delicately. “Can I truly be considered that compared to you right now?”
“Yes.”
“Then it must be true if you are adamant about it. You tend to support your arrogance with truthful action.”
Joey gave her a cocky smile. “Maybe it’s because I’m a god in the flesh. No lie.”
She almost laughed.
Almost.
4. Inviting the Princess to Play in Your Jungle
On the eastern shores of Zambwi Land, the beasts sensed the coming of their territorial ruler and another ruler from distant waters. Cats, reptiles, bugs alike turned toward the swirling power of twin rulership. They had no choice but to decide on one of two options.
One: To bow to the powers of the prince and princess, especially the prince of their land.
Two: Rebel.
The giant millipede caravan reached the eastern mouth of the river. The first opposition tried to rise out of the water with all of its might: [Tidal Moon Beast: Small Reptile: Croc lvl 48.]
The analysis came back saying it was small. It was large compared to Joey and May. The beast’s jaws could snap them both up and gobble them easily. If they allowed it to eat them.
As Happy turned toward the sandy shore, the croc glided over the surface. Its jaws creaked open to take a bite out of Happy first.
May set Curi down and hopped off Happy’s back. She shattered the croc’s skull with an easy-going punch.
She bounced off the croc’s back with the tip of her toes. She landed on Happy’s head next to Joey and Curi.
“We could’ve intimidated it,” Joey said.
“We could’ve,” May said.
Joey smiled.
May flatly looked around. “Zambwi Land. I’ve always wanted to come here. My father came from this land.”
“Welcome to your second home, then.”
Joey formed four clones to protect Curi as he kept napping. It was nighttime now. It wouldn’t take long to cut a course from here to New Zam City even while moving at a casual pace.
Casual for them was blistering fast for others below Level 100.
Joey jumped down to the beach. He set down the dark moon dungeon entrance.
May joined him.
He was wearing basic loose black pants. No shirt. No shoes either.
Zambwi Land felt nice and warm after leaving behind the Hail Tide. It was the autumn months of the calendar, too. The people and creatures of Zambwi had time to enjoy the weather before winter changed things.
Granted, he was Level 100. The humid jungle barely affected him like it would adventurers half his level.
May was wearing a new skin-tight, seaweed-green seeker suit from Curi’s dimensional storage. Curi held all her stuff for her.
The seeker suits cut off at the upper arms and legs. She wriggled her toes in the sand.
“It’s been a long time since I had little beasts to play with,” May said. “I usually go for stronger. But sometimes it’s nice to crush a few weaklings for my amusement.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely a war siren in that little girl body of yours,” Joey said jokingly. “Your people love being cruel to your enemies.”
“Aren’t others the same?” May blinked slowly. “Such as you.”
“I don’t prolong the death that much. Except for the devil. That bastard had it coming.” Joey shrugged as a pack of gorillas rushed out from the jungle line.
[Tidal Moon Beast: Small Ape: Jungle Gorilla lvl 51.]
…
[Tidal Moon Beast: Small Ape: Jungle Gorilla lvl 49.]
[Tidal Moon Beast: Small Ape: Jungle Gorilla Alpha lvl 55.]
Joey kept his Dominator + Added Toughness deactivated. He tried to act cool and inconspicuous. Just so he didn’t spook away the prey.
May was an actress herself. She lowered her head and stood hunched inward. Completely negating her intimidation affinity.
She’s a devious girl, Joey thought. Then again, she’s a politician.
So was he.
The Level 55 Jungle Gorilla Alpha beat its chest with fists bigger than Joey’s head. The alpha stood nine feet tall. The others were eight feet tall. They were significantly larger than gorillas from Joey’s old universe.
The alpha kept hollering and beating its chest to assert its dominance.
“Oh, wow, so scared. Please don’t hurt me. I’m only the princely ruler of all beasts of Zambwi,” Joey said with a quiver in his voice.
The alpha took that personally.
He rushed forward at the head of the pack. It slammed down a glowing fist and emitted a concussive blast of magic force.
It hit the sand and blasted up a big cloud.
That was it.
Joey had already moved on.
In fact, he was attacking the jungle gorillas from behind. He had one in a headlock, crushing its neck with Assassin Grappling + Vital Sensor. He hadn’t used the skill and its attachment enough.
He left the alpha as a princely gift to the princess.
Like a Zambwi welcoming package.
The alpha beat its chest over May’s smaller form. It howled at her with magic that struck like a sonic wall.
May swung her arm. She smacked the sound wave aside with pure strength. The alpha used punching magic again.
May punched the alpha’s magic punch.
The alpha’s arm crunched up like a sedan meeting an unstoppable bulldozer at top speed. Splinters of bone jutted out from the flesh and fur.
The alpha arched back and screamed in pain, losing focus on May. That was its last mistake.
May stepped forward and swung a looping uppercut.
She sent the gorilla flying high like a broken flesh doll. It spewed its guts out from both ends of its body. By the time it landed like a wet sack of potatoes, Joey finished snapping the necks of three gorillas.
There were six more gorillas. Most of them glared at him. A few glanced at May warily – her intimidation affinity was leaking through.
Joey dialed up his Dominator + Added Toughness to help corral the remaining gorillas. His dominant aura hit them like a wall.
He sent three backing away from him. And into the princess.
She ripped out the spine of one gorilla. She kicked the leg of another and snapped it backward. She left it to crawl around for later. The third gorilla tried to flee down the beach.
Poor guy. May was not done. She was half war siren, and she was their princess. And war sirens loved to be cruel to their enemies.
May reached out with one hand and flatly said, “Titaness Aura Projection.”
A ghostly pink feminine hand reached out from above May. The hand was large enough to grab Happy around the waist easily. The gorilla looked like a bug under the palm of the aura projection.
May motioned her hand down and the aura projection followed suit.
Splat.
She raised the aura projection and turned it toward the gorilla with the snapped leg. It was trying to crawl toward the dark moon.
May’s aura projection plucked the gorilla off the sand. She rubbed the gorilla into a slow, bone-grinding, bloody pulp between her projection’s fingers. Then she flicked the fleshy remains away.
Another croc came lunging out of the water behind May. Big jaws opening wide. Ready to snap her up.
May gestured with her free hand over her shoulder.
The water from the river shot tendrils faster than the croc. The water tendrils wrapped the reptile up in a cocoon.
The croc snapped its jaws shut inches away from May’s back.
All that effort. But no reward. Now the croc struggled while May manipulated its own habitat against the reptile.
The Titaness Aura Projection reached into the water cocoon. With a slow press of its fingers, it crushed the croc’s head. Blood, brain matter, and skull bits swirled around in the water.
May dismissed her overt spells and turned to see Joey sitting on a pile of neck-broken gorillas. He’d been watching her while casually slaughtering the remaining gorillas with his grappling.
It interested him to see her spells. They both looked epic in quality.
“That was my Titaness Aura Projection and Great Water Magic spells. You will soon see all the others,” May said. “There is no point in hiding anything from you for our future duel. Besides, you are also my instructor in true magic. I imagine you’ll need to see my spells.”
Joey didn’t have to see her spells. What he had in mind was like what Mike had done with him, but with some changes. However, she sounded resolute in showing her spells to him.
The Titaness Aura Projection was a fun one. It had more creativity in its conception than Great Water Magic. However, Joey imagined the latter was way overpowered if May was in her natural environment.
The aura projection was kind of slow and unwieldy, though. It seemed easy enough for Joey to dodge.
Or she wanted to make it seem slow and unwieldy.
Joey chuckled. Was he being paranoid? Or was he being shrewd to think that the duel between him and May was already starting.
She wanted him badly. If given the opportunity, she would consume his greatness and make everything he’d accomplished a part of her path to greatness.
Then she would own the shady dragon with a historic Multiverse Z event named after him. Her greatness would skyrocket.
Joey admired her tyrannical passion. He admired a lot of things about her.
Which was why he needed to set the perfect stage so he could come out with the greatest win possible. It wasn’t enough to just be at the top. Joey had to prove it against all odds and then go way further than that.
This is a dangerous game to play, human, whispered the inner dragon. What if she wins? What if her greatness swallows up all your hard work? Would you be happy with that?
Of course not, Joey answered back in his mind.
Then why play this game? What if she becomes so strong that her true magic beats your true magic? What if she becomes a monstrous princess who can slay any dragon? Perhaps you should strike her down now. Stop her before she becomes unbeatable.
Joey smiled as May touched a giant green fern sticking out from the jungle vegetation. She rubbed the petals of a pink flower gently between her fingers. Then she stepped around softly on the grass, grasping a blade between her toes like a young girl going out into the forest for the first time.
Joey shook his head, finding the concerns of his inner dragon funny. Can’t truly win it all without making sure she’s as overpowered as I think she’ll be.
I can only imagine, human. But what makes you think she’ll be stronger than you? Perhaps you are wrong and she’s weak like all the rest. And you are all alone at the top.
Impossible. She has loads of experience. Not just System Experience. She’s literally been doing this for years longer. Baking in the oven at Level 100. Pushing against unyielding pressure. Staying patient and focused. That’s gotta mean something. She’s going to be stronger.
Then Joey would have to do everything he could to overcome the monstrous War Siren Princess once she had access to true magic. Like facing a true titaness of raw and relentless might.
Maybe he was crazy to think this way. Who would want someone to be stronger than them? What for?
I’ll know she’ll be able to keep up with me in the realms above. Joey nodded to himself.
The dragon reluctance returned to cloistering deep inside of him. It could not weigh him down now. It would wait for another chance to seed reluctance.
“You’re deep in thought,” May said after sniffing a fruit that looked like a cactus and a pineapple had a spiky citrus baby.
“I’m enjoying the views.”
“What are you viewing that’s enjoyable?”
“The type of views I want to keep seeing forever and ever.”
May let out a small huff. “You are so silly.”
5. Oaths and Celestial Anguish
The way to New Zam City was a walk in the park. If anyone could consider a jungle teeming with hateful beasts similar to a park. It felt like that to Joey.
He was casually jogging beside Happy and May while carrying the dark moon above his head.
The dark moon didn’t interact with the jungle environment like a natural object would. It curved, bent, flickered, warped around branches, tree trunks, and even vines.
No wonder Joey had found his first dungeon down at the furthest underwater levels of an old temple. It could squeeze through any crack. It could make room for itself no matter how small the gap.
Dude, I’m carrying the entrance to a pocket world. And it’s still crazy for me to see it ignore realm physics.
Was this truly an entrance to a pocket world? Or was this the entire pocket world itself?
No, Joey could hazily recall it being called an entrance. He was pretty sure it was not the whole pocket world.
The actual dungeon itself was outside the Tidal Moon Realm. Which was wild to think about.
No wonder you needed a genius like Mike for this stuff. Who else could track the multiverse dimensional architecture and deal with realms, dungeons and integrated universes other than the system? Thankfully, everyone had the multiverse system working in the background.
Curi remained protected on Happy’s back with a well-equipped and fierce squad of clones. He was awake now and had served them breakfast from his storage.
He was happily taking in the sights like he was on a tour. The clones ensured his tourism remained a safe one.
Joey was tempted to re-summon Shady from the city as another contingency. But the Shade Dragon Head was busy at work.
What was he doing while leagues away from Joey?
Well, he was helping with the monster wave. Joey received updates from Shady’s independent actions with the casual burning of monsters.
It was a curious thing that Joey and Shady could operate so far apart.
Was that because of his Shade Dragon Rogue path? Or was that simply unique to Shady?
They hadn’t teamed up in a while, too. Shady’s been playing guard dog for Joey even though the dragon head was a ridiculously powerful force of an epic spell.
Joey could truly destroy armies and cities with Dragon Wrath, Shady, copies of the Shade Dragon Head, and torrents of anti-magic flames. That combination of powers would be horrific against an enemy force.
But Joey figured it was best to save that for a very rainy day. At the very least, Shady’s current independent actions confirmed he could operate very far from Joey just fine.
The same for Happy, in fact. Though Joey hadn’t tested how far Happy could go yet.
“Is it normal for semblances and summons to do things separate from their adventurers? Like miles and miles away?” Joey asked.
“No.” May bounded high into a curvy jungle tree with a big yellow flower. She looked inside its petals before rejoining Joey’s side with an earth-thumping landing.
She was noticeably slower. Joey’s perception of her had changed because he’d grown to Level 100. He could see her movements way easier now.
She was never that fast. I was just way under her level when we first met.
