Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 788 The difference between Klaus and Kaizen

?Almost two weeks after the big meeting, a lot has changed, both on and off Rise Online.

Klaus' two personas have been very busy indeed, but let's talk about Klaus first.

As the new ambassador for the Special Program, Klaus had some unusual duties and one of those duties was to record videos and commercials talking about the Special Program. Hongué Holdings apparently intended to launch this program in other countries, but mainly in Asia and South America, where there were two huge commercial audiences for the company. They believed that if they developed their brand on these continents, they could become real mainstays in emerging countries and people would look to play Rise Online because of the economic benefit they would get.

Anyway, all that wasn't important to Klaus. He just recorded what he was asked to in a studio on campus and then went back to his studies.

Because of the many tasks in Rise Online, Klaus neglected the Archery Department for a while during those two weeks. Although he sometimes showed up to train, it wasn't often that he managed to do so, which was making Coordinator Isabella Nairn a little disappointed.

After a particularly long recording session, he was surprised by a familiar figure as he left the studio.

"Klaus, we need to talk," said Isabella with her arms crossed. Her honey-colored eyes reflected a mixture of concern and disappointment.

Klaus took a deep breath. "I know I've been absent from training. The last few weeks have been crazy, but I promise I'll make up for it," Klaus replied, visibly tired.

The Coordinator sighed too, looking at the floor before finding the courage to speak. "It's not just about the training, Klaus. You have a responsibility to us too, you were the one who stood out the most, alongside Lara, and that's the only reason we had so many new gadgets. So we need you two, our leaders, to be there, to inspire not just with your deeds, but with your presence."

Klaus nodded, understanding the validity of Isabella's words. He knew he needed to find a balance, and it wasn't impossible, but now that he had become an Evolved, he had more responsibilities than before.

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So, although he was a little removed from his personal activities on campus, in RO he was very active.

With his current power, Kaizen was more powerful than ever. With a wave of his hands, he could literally open a door in space-time that took him to Yggdrasil, a parallel dimension between the Worlds that literally served as a highway between any 'Realm' he wanted to go to. It was no longer necessary to use a 'key' or a specific 'door'. Nothing was subjective anymore, of course.

What's more, <Psychokinesis> and his other abilities had reached another level. If he could lift an army of people before becoming an Evolved, now he could literally lift an entire building with ease, which made him understand why Evolved were literally compared to gods. Having power like that was like walking on a glass bridge. Any misstep could bring the whole thing crashing down.

Yet the wreckage of the city of RO, once devastated by an unimaginable catastrophe, could now be easily manipulated by Kaizen. His control over <Psychokinesis> and newly acquired ability, <Sidereal Casting>, made him an essential force in rebuilding the ruined metropolis.

With a raise of his arms, Kaizen concentrated on <Psychokinesis>, and stones and rubble began to float into the air. Then the ability <Sidereal Casting> was activated, which allowed him to shape the matter in his possession, adding brick by brick and wall by wall to the old form they had. This process was so beautiful to watch and seemed like a spectacle of power that defied human comprehension, which always attracted many spectators.

The thunderous sound of the buildings he restored and then put down always echoed down the street.

However, Kaizen was not alone in this endeavor. Next to him, Fryft, who was a very powerful mage, was doing the same, but on a smaller scale, because her <Telekinesis> was much less powerful.

Zylok and the others were also helping, in their own ways. The cooperation between the guilds became a remarkable spectacle.

The Arcane Magicians Guild used the magical abilities of its members to erect a magical barrier around the city, providing an additional layer of protection for the city. The Order of the Sword, with their enhanced physical abilities, carried heavy building materials and protected the workers from the dangers that arose from time to time - after all, a lot of demon blood was spilled that night and that attracted monsters like fresh meat.

Members of lesser-known guilds also helped with the labor. Even rival guilds put aside their differences to join in the reconstruction. The previous rivalry was replaced by a sense of unity. The guild leaders, once involved in fierce competition, now found themselves working shoulder to shoulder towards a common goal. Thus, little by little, the Capital of Mibothen was being rebuilt.

However, rebuilding a large city like this would take at least another two months. So, with foreign help arriving, Kaizen and his friends left Mibothen and set off for the Capital of Mibothen. It was a long journey by carriage, and Kaizen and the others were in no hurry. In a way, it was a chance for them to rest.

"Tell me, tell me, Kaizen! How did it feel when you saw Ether for the first time?" Alina asked excitedly. She was referring to the moment Kaizen became an Evolved and saw golden particles dancing in the air.

"Ah, so you really do call it that..." Kaizen said, with a bit of sweat dripping down his face because he wouldn't know how to explain how he became an Evolved to an NPC. "Well, it was a bit strange. I just saw a flash and felt energy flowing through my body, a lot of energy."

"That's... incredible! They say that only gods are capable of expelling ether, but you managed it somehow. Does that mean you're a god? That theory could explain how you're so strong, but it wouldn't make much logical sense, because you're a Psyker and it's not possible that you're the son of a god, or in other words, a demi-god, after all, whose son would you be, having the powers you have? Thor? No, of course not..."

For the first time since meeting her, Alina's brain seemed unable to find answers to her questions, and finally she seemed to know nothing. For Andrew, Jayaa, Xisrith and Kaizen to observe this was funny, because it was the first time they knew about something that Alina didn't know. Despite this, there was an NPC in the carriage who seemed to know an exact answer to this question.

"Alina, is there really nothing in that library about Transcendence?" asked Og'tharoz as he piloted the carriage.

"Transcendence?" Everyone in the back of the carriage asked at the same time.

Alina then nodded and seemed ready to hear what Og'tharoz had to say. The demon took a deep breath and continued:

"Transcendence, or Evolution, is an evolutionary process that various creatures can go through and has existed since the first Realms were created at the foot of Yggdrasil. I believe that the simplest way for you to understand this concept is through the well-known process of the caterpillar?"

"You mean the fact that a caterpillar can become a butterfly?" Jayaa, standing next to him, asked.

"Exactly. A butterfly is first born as a caterpillar so small that it could be mistaken for a larva, after eating a lot it curls up into a cocoon, a pupa, and in the end, as you know, it comes out of the cocoon to become a beautiful insect with wings. It's a simple process on the surface, but not genetically. For this reason, genetically it is almost impossible for more advanced creatures to 'evolve', to go to a higher stage. When it does happen, it's such a slow process that it can barely be called evolution. It takes thousands, maybe millions of years."

"I don't understand what you're getting at, Og." Alina said. "The theory of evolution is well known, but there's nothing about an above-average human like Kaizen being able to obtain the strength of a god."

Og'tharoz smiled. "Of course, this process couldn't be genetic as the theory of evolution suggests. In other words, what are the only two ways a creature can evolve other than genetically?"

"Intellectually and spiritually." Xisrith replied while cleaning his red katana.

"Right answer, Xisrith. Transcendence is a mental and spiritual process, and when a person finally manages to transcend, they reach the maximum potential of their body, they take advantage of everything that was in them and what wasn't. This applies not only to humans, but also to elves, orcs and all sentient races... Kaizen has somehow managed to Transcend, he has opened a door, and although he is not literally a god, he has reached the pinnacle of raw power that a Psyker can achieve."