Ex-Rank Awakening: My Attacks Make Me Stronger - Chapter 340

Chapter 340: EX 340. Ancestor & Descendant
As Leon soared over the vast plains leading to the capital, the wind carrying the scent of scorched stone and earth beneath him, he finally caught sight of the Empire’s golden walls glittering under the sun.

The aftermath of the battle still lingered in his body, a quiet hum of divine power pulsing through every vein.

But just as he was about to descend, something shifted.

A ripple in the air brushed past his senses, it was subtle, yet distinct.

His brow furrowed.

“That’s… weird.”

The sensation wasn’t demonic, nor divine, but something in between.

Curious, he changed direction, his figure vanishing into the horizon.

Inside the capital, the streets had returned to their usual rhythm.

Merchants called out prices, children darted between carts, and the people who had once trembled beneath the imperial barrier now smiled again, pretending nothing had happened.

Yet not all shared that calm.

Eden moved quietly through the crowd, his coat brushing against the cobblestones. On his shoulder sat Blessing, her doll-sized form nestled lazily against his neck, though her small brows were furrowed in worry.

“Why the long face?” Eden asked with a faint grin. “We made it to the capital. We’ll see Leon soon.”

Blessing shook her tiny head, her expression clouded.

“That’s not it. I… I can’t sense the Ancestor.”

Eden’s stride slowed. A shadow crossed his eyes. “You mean Leon?”

She nodded.

“His energy, it’s gone.”

Eden’s chest tightened.

“Did we… miss him?” The thought alone made his stomach sink. Tracking Leon across Pandora was nearly impossible. Searching again would be a nightmare.

Then, a calm and deep voice came from behind them. Familiar in an impossible way.

“Who is this ‘Ancestor’ you speak of?”

Before either could turn, the world twisted.

The air warped with divine precision, and in the blink of an eye, the busy street vanished. No one even noticed their disappearance, it had been far too fast to see.

Eden’s vision blurred, then cleared to reveal open skies and drifting clouds beneath his feet. He staggered, realizing he was now hundreds of meters above the city.

Blessing fluttered beside him, her wings unfolding into full, dark arcs that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.

And then he saw him.

A figure stood in the air ahead, calm and composed.

His silver hair drifted with the wind, his eyes faintly aglow with divinity. Power rolled off him like waves, though he kept it carefully reined in.

Eden froze. He had never seen this man before—at least, not like this.

But before he could say a word, Blessing shot forward, her small body trembling with excitement.

“Ancestor!” she cried.

Eden: “…”

Leon: “…”

The wind whistled softly between them, and for a heartbeat, all three simply stared.

****

Eden was the first to break the silence, his expression twisting between disbelief and caution.

“Blessing… why are you calling this per—” He caught himself mid-word, swallowing the rest as his eyes flicked over Leon’s bare chest.

“—I mean, man… ancestor?”

It wasn’t that Eden was trying to be disrespectful. But Leon was shirtless, his upper right hand marked with a strange, faintly glowing tattoo that pulsed like veins of light beneath his skin.

The sight made Eden think of some wandering ascetic.

Still, calling someone who could erase you with a glance a perv didn’t seem like the best of decisions.

Blessing, floating over Eden’s shoulder, didn’t share his hesitation. Her small face was solemn, her voice steady.

“Because he is the Ancestor.”

Eden frowned, trying to piece it together.

“But you said the Ancestor was Leon.”

That made Leon’s gaze shift from the boy to the tiny familiar.

He’d stayed silent through the entire exchange, but something about her, something faint connection, pulled at his attention. The same strange connection he’d felt ever since spotting her for the first time.

His voice came calm, curious, but edged with quiet weight.

“What are you?”

The question struck both Eden and Blessing still. For a moment, the air itself seemed to hold its breath. Then the small familiar fluttered closer and bowed mid-air, her head lowered with reverence.

“I am Blessing a loyal descendant of the Ancestor.” she said softly.

Leon blinked. Ancestor? He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or sigh. Inside, his thoughts drifted in mild exasperation.

‘I’m not even twenty-five yet I’m being called an Ancestor? What’s next, will I start growing bald too?’

Still, as he studied Blessing closer, his amusement faded into quiet intrigue.

There was truth in her words, he could feel it. A thread of connection, faint but unmistakable, humming between them like a distant echo of himself.

More than that, she carried a trace of corruption within her, yet it was stable and contained. ‘Someone who could harness corruption safely… she might prove useful later.’

“You’ll tell me everything, Once we’re in the palace.” Leon said finally.

Blessing dipped her head again.

“Yes, Ancestor.”

Eden blinked, completely lost.

“Palace? Wait—what palace?”

Leon smirked at his confusion.

“You’ll see.”

Before Eden could press for answers, the world bent. The sky, the clouds, the distant hum of the city, all vanished in a flash of white.

****

Lancelot’s voice echoed through the empty training grounds, sharp and steady like the ring of steel.

“Focus, Adrian. Black Star isn’t about strength—it’s about rhythm. You don’t force it, you flow with it. Again.”

Adrian stood at the center of the sparring circle, sweat dripping from his chin, his breathing uneven.

The air shimmered faintly with dark, star-like motes that orbited his fists, manifestations of the Exalted-grade art that Lancelot was drilling into him.

The lieutenant’s gaze was firm but approving. “For someone at Rank 2, you’re progressing fast. You’ve already grasped the first form. Once your control improves, you’ll be able to handle the second. And after that…”

Adrian’s eyes lit up as he caught the next strike, countering smoothly before stepping back into stance.

“I’ll be ready for the next forms when I advance.”

Lancelot smirked.

“Exactly. The art will grow with you, if you survive its pace.”

But just as Adrian exhaled and prepared for another round, the air inside the private imperial training field shimmered.

A pulse of divine pressure rippled outward—subtle, but impossible to mistake.

Two figures materialized out of thin air.

Lancelot’s stance shifted instantly, his aura flaring in warning.

Adrian mirrored him, tense and wary, until his eyes widened in recognition.

“Eden?”

The younger man blinked, equally startled. “Adrian?” His expression twisted into exasperation almost immediately as he glanced around, spotting the faint traces of divine energy lingering in the air. His shoulders slumped, and with a resigned sigh, he muttered,

“The pervert got you too…”

Adrian “…”

Lancelot “…”

Meanwhile, somewhere far above, Leon had already left them behind.

He stepped quietly into his chamber, his aura dimmed to a calm glow.

Elizabeth lay asleep beneath the pale curtains, her breathing faint but steady. The faint traces of lost vitality around her body made Leon’s heart tighten for a moment.

He knelt beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“Don’t worry, Lizzie,” he murmured, his voice low but resolute. “You’ll be good as new soon.”