The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 95: Chapter 96: So... Am I a God Now?

We stayed at the hot spring for the remainder of the night.

There was no reason to rush. The academy break had only just begun, and after spending so much time surrounded by lessons, training, and various matters, a quiet night in a place like this was more than welcome.

By the following morning, we had packed our belongings and resumed our journey.

Before leaving, however, we stopped by Sunday Village once more to thank the people who had prepared the food for us.

"Thank you for everything. The food was excellent."

Mr. Gareth waved his hand with a smile.

"There’s no need to thank us. You brought us a giant boar, after all. We’re the ones who should be grateful."

Even so, I made sure to thank the villagers who had actually prepared the meals. They had given us considerably more food than we had expected, and after last night’s feast at the hot spring, I had to admit that the trip was already turning out better than I had imagined.

Once we finally left the village behind, Draven stretched his arms as he walked.

"I didn’t expect traveling on foot could be this enjoyable."

I glanced at him.

"Neither did I. I’ve always wanted to experience something like this, but back then, I never really knew where to begin."

The words came out more naturally than I expected.

Perhaps that was the strange thing about this journey.

I had spent so much of my life fighting, training, and pursuing greater strength that something as simple as traveling without a particular objective had never seemed important.

Now that I was actually doing it, I was beginning to understand why people enjoyed it.

"I enjoyed it, Master. Thank you."

Cedric’s expression remained as composed as ever, although there was a faint softness in his eyes.

"Is that so? Then I’m glad."

We continued walking for a while before Draven suddenly looked toward me.

"Master, have you ever considered becoming a god?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"That’s a rather sudden question."

"I’m serious. Judging from what I’ve witnessed, I can no longer determine whether you are merely a mortal or something beyond that. Your power is simply too abnormal."

I thought about it for a moment.

"I’ve never really considered it. Perhaps if I continue accumulating power—especially if I encounter demons in Hell and absorb their strength—I might eventually reach that level. But I honestly don’t know whether my current power is already comparable to that of a god."

Draven became unusually serious.

"As far as I’m concerned, Master, you’re already beyond what most beings would call a half-god."

"That’s quite a statement."

"It’s not an exaggeration. Ordinary half-gods cannot simply grant blessings capable of pushing another person toward transcendence. Those two individuals you mentioned before, the ones you called the Eclipse Hands, were already approaching that boundary."

Draven narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I still don’t understand how you’ve accomplished it. Perhaps it’s because your power operates on principles that I don’t understand. And there’s another problem."

"What is it?"

"Your presence."

He gave me a strange look.

"You suppress it so completely that even I can barely sense you. To a primordial dragon, that shouldn’t be possible unless the difference between our levels is considerably greater than I originally assumed."

I remained silent for a moment.

So I’m really that strong?

I had suspected it, but hearing it from someone like Draven made the possibility considerably more difficult to ignore.

Just what kind of power did I gain after coming to this world?

I pushed the thought aside.

"Let’s forget about that for now. We have a journey to enjoy."

Draven sighed.

"As you wish."

I looked toward the road ahead.

"We still have about three days if we continue on foot. Tomorrow, though, we’ll fly. If we spend all four days walking, we’ll waste most of our vacation."

I paused briefly.

"And while we’re at it, we’ll visit the main headquarters."

Draven nodded.

"That sounds considerably more efficient."

"Exactly. There’s no reason to make a four-day journey when we can shorten it to a few hours."

Cedric quietly agreed.

"Understood."

Draven remained silent for a while after mentioning the Transcendental realm, as though he were organizing his thoughts before deciding how much of the subject I actually needed to know.

"You seem to be thinking about the rankings now," he finally said.

"I am. If there really is a hierarchy beyond ordinary humans, I’d rather understand it properly."

"Then I’ll explain it from the beginning."

Draven raised one hand and began counting with his fingers.

"At the bottom is the Human level. Ordinary people belong there. Above them are the Enhanced Humans, followed by Superhumans. Those two stages are still fundamentally mortal, although the difference between them can become quite large."

I nodded.

"After that comes the Superior level. This is where things begin to change considerably. A Superior isn’t simply someone with a stronger body. Their mana, physical abilities, and overall existence have already surpassed what most mortal beings are capable of achieving."

"And after Superior?"

"Transcendent."

Draven’s expression became noticeably more serious.

"That is the point where a being breaks through the natural limitations of their species. A Transcendent isn’t merely stronger than a Superior. Their body and mana begin operating on a different level entirely."

"Next is Supreme Transcendent, they are further stages of the same realm. The difference between those three levels is not something that can be measured simply by how much mana someone possesses. Control, quality, physical evolution, comprehension, and the nature of one’s power all become increasingly important."

I listened quietly.

"So the Transcendental realm isn’t simply another title."

"Correct."

Draven lowered his hand.

"Transcendence is a change in existence. Once someone truly crosses that boundary, they are no longer restricted by the same limitations as ordinary mortals."

"And after that comes Demigod."

"Yes. Then Half-God, God, and eventually the higher divine levels."

He paused before continuing.

"But there is something you should understand. These rankings aren’t an absolute law that every race follows in exactly the same way."

I looked at him.

"Because of differences between races?"

"Precisely."

Draven smiled faintly.

"Humans, elves, beastfolk, demons, dragons, and other ancient races have completely different natural limits. A human reaching Transcendent is an extraordinary achievement. For certain ancient races, however, that same level may be part of their natural progression."

"Dragons included?"

"Especially dragons."

His expression changed slightly.

"Dragon society has its own hierarchy, and it’s considerably more complicated than simply assigning us a rank and calling it a day."

"Then where do you stand?"

Draven gave me a somewhat awkward look.

"That’s the difficult part."

"You don’t know?"

"I know exactly where I stand. What I’m saying is that explaining it using your ranking system isn’t particularly accurate."

He folded his arms.

"Among dragons, there are ordinary dragons, elder dragons, ancient dragons, and True Dragons. These distinctions are based not only on age, but also on bloodline, innate power, evolution, and the depth of one’s existence."

"So you’re a True Dragon."

"Yes."

Draven’s tone carried a hint of pride.

"I am a True Dragon. But even among True Dragons, there are differences."

He looked toward the sky.

"The word ’Primordial’ isn’t simply another species or a title that someone can inherit because they were born a dragon. It is a designation given to a True Dragon that has reached a level of power far beyond that of an ordinary True Dragon."

"So Primordial is above True Dragon?"

"In terms of power, yes. But not exactly as another species."

Draven shook his head.

"Think of it as a distinction earned through evolution. A True Dragon can live for an incredibly long time and possess tremendous power, but that does not automatically make them Primordial. To be recognized as one, they must reach a level that separates them from the rest of dragonkind."

"Then you’re saying not every True Dragon can become Primordial?"

"Correct."

Draven’s expression became more serious.

"Some True Dragons will never reach that level regardless of how long they live. Others may possess exceptional bloodlines but lack the power or conditions necessary to cross that boundary."

"Then how many Primordial Dragons are there?"

"I wouldn’t know the exact number."

"Because there are too many?"

"No."

Draven gave me a strange look.

"Because Primordial Dragons aren’t exactly the sort of beings who gather together and keep records of themselves."

That made sense.

"Most of them existed long before modern kingdoms, and some have disappeared entirely. Others are sleeping, hiding, or simply have no interest in the affairs of the younger races."

"So when you said you were a Primordial Dragon..."

"I meant that I had already surpassed the level of an ordinary True Dragon."

Draven tapped his chest lightly.

"My existence has reached the point where the name Primordial can be applied to me. It isn’t something I simply call myself because it sounds impressive."

"I see."

I thought about what he had said.

"So where would a Primordial Dragon fall on my ranking?"

Draven thought for a moment.

"If you insist on comparing the two systems, an ordinary True Dragon would already be somewhere around the higher Transcendental levels, depending on the individual."

"And a Primordial?"

"At least within the Primordial realm you established."

He smiled.

"But don’t misunderstand. Being called Primordial doesn’t mean every Primordial Dragon possesses identical strength. There can still be an enormous difference between two beings carrying the same designation."

"Just like the difference between two gods."

"Exactly."

Draven then looked directly at me.

"And that’s why your situation is difficult to judge."

"My situation?"

"Yes. You possess abilities that don’t fit neatly into any of these categories. You can grant blessings, strengthen other beings, and apparently push them toward a level approaching Transcendence. Your Eclipse itself also seems to develop in ways I have never seen before."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I’ve lived long enough to understand most forms of power that exist in this world, yet I still cannot determine exactly where yours ends."

I smiled faintly.

"Sounds like you’re saying I’m troublesome."

"I am saying that you’re troublesome."

Cedric, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, suddenly spoke.

"Then what rank would Master be?"

Draven immediately became silent.

I looked at him.

"Well?"

He sighed.

"That’s precisely the problem. I can’t give you an accurate answer."

"Even as a Primordial Dragon?"

"Especially as a Primordial Dragon."

Draven shook his head.

"If I were to judge purely by the power you’ve displayed, I’d place you somewhere beyond the ordinary Half-god realm. But your actual potential is impossible for me to measure."

He paused.

"And I have a feeling that what we’ve seen so far isn’t even the complete extent of your power."

I didn’t answer.

Because, honestly, I wasn’t sure either.

The more I learned about this world’s power system, the more I realized that I had been measuring myself using standards that might not even apply to me.

The Eclipse wasn’t merely another form of magic.

It was something I still hadn’t completely understood.

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