The rushing wind, the sound of chaos, the bloody skirmishes…
It could only be described as exhilarating.
It was hard to imagine such a moment, enveloped in an atmosphere like war without truly having to fight a war.
This was the purpose of the Ascension Ceremony!
It was impossible to hear anything over the winds and the screeching and roaring of beasts. In all directions, one could see impressive displays of both combat and nonaggressive climbing.
It really depended on where one's abilities lay.
The stronger beasts that didn't have as much maneuverability climbed higher by tearing others down and using them as stepping stools, while their opposites ducked and weaved through the crowded mountainside with utter precision.
There was no such thing as pacing in an event like this. Even if one reached a high level, if they reached it slowly they wouldn't truly earn their status.
All those participating used everything they had from the start, not hesitating to show cards they'd been hiding for years to gain an advantage!
There were a few specific parts of the mountainside where interesting things were happening.
The strongest beasts separated themselves from the crowd quickly and started their own cold war at a higher altitude, but within the main pack, there were two groups that didn't quite fit in.
The first was atop the back of a large sparrow. They surrounded her with shields and attacked when needed as she swerved through the masses and charged up.
Meanwhile, the second group rode a winged wolf, a rare beast among the crowd, and didn't carry the same care for caution.
Zara also used dexterous means to ascend, but there was no way newcomers like them wouldn't be targeted.
Any time they got close to another beast, it would turn hostile and try to bring them down.
Of course, none of these small fry had that kind of capability!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Freya and Hel showed their might again, emitting furious waves of spatial mana, combined with something much subtler and more deadly.
Damien focused on the largest beasts around them, not necessarily causing damage, but forcing their paths to diverge and sometimes even regress away from Zara.
The girls also did their roles.
Rose's illusions were extremely useful in a large area filled with enemies like this one. She was able to mimic the appearances of some surrounding beasts and clone them with illusions, drawing others into combat with their main bodies and establishing grudges between the enemies.
This was perhaps the most effective strategy. With everyone enveloped by the competitive atmosphere, their emotions were at an all-time high.
Any slight provocation was enough to send them over the edge!
Once they realized how effective Rose's illusions were, Elena and Ruyue stopped acting independently and supported her.
Arrows of ice and light spread through the opposition randomly, their routes so convoluted that none could find where they came from.
Especially since Damien and Rose worked together to shield Zara, creating a mirage that blurred her visage in the eyes of others!
He couldn't speak for anyone else, but Damien was having a ton of fun!
"Hahaha! Higher, higher, higher! This isn't the best you can do, is it?!" He roared like a madman, slinging his twin guns like a cowboy.
"You want to see my best? Then I'll happily show you!" Zara responded, her sharp teeth glistening in the sunlight as she grinned.
After all, her personality was heavily influenced by him.
Even if she was more refined now, there was no way she wasn't enjoying something like this!
She flew freely at a level she'd never been able to fly before. Her wings flapped gracefully yet with clear purpose and her bodily adjustments were made with utter precision.
The shadow that reflected her appearance on the mountainside stretched out and connected with those of her opponents. Whenever she found a perfect opportunity…
Whoosh!
Her body sunk into the cliffside and reappeared almost a hundred meters higher.
"Nice!"
Damien slammed his arm through the air, sending a wave of mana at the beast Zara had just overtaken.
'Severance!'
Shiiing!
It was like incorporeal sword light that flew through the air. The beast in question had no chance of survival and was directly bisected.
The greater part was…the attack didn't disperse!
It kept traveling down and cutting through any beast in its way until it reached the point they'd just teleported from, crippling several competitors.
Damien's eyes turned to the last person in their group, a stranger who'd just been recruited.
Her actions weren't as grand as the rest of theirs, but as promised, she was also doing her part.
Damien could feel it in the air; that strange mana she showed him.
It didn't have many offensive capabilities, but it put a layer of formless protection around Zara that made other beasts inherently avoid her.
It was surprising that she had room to move her wings with such freedom, and Damien could only credit this to Sia.
'It'd be nice if I could see how she attacks, but we can save that for another time.'
Their current height was at least 300 kilometers off the ground.
The mountain's total height was estimated to be around 1500 kilometers, while the milestones Sia wanted to reach were 1000 kilometers and 1200 kilometers high respectively.
If they made it to the 500-kilometer mark, they'd gain the right to enter the central region, while anything higher than that determined one's position in the central region itself.
The mountain's pressure had begun showing its fangs.
It pushed against the group's protective barriers and tried to drag them down, but this wasn't nearly enough to contain Zara.
She'd grown as someone aiming for the Divine.
Some small pressure from a mere mountain?
If she let it get to her, then she wasn't worthy of her ambitions!
Of course, Zara could only hold this thought because she wasn't a native of the area.
The Overseer's eyes were completely different as he inched closer to the 500-kilometer mark.
A domineering armor covered his entire body and a radiant green light seeped into his bones, constantly allowing him to surpass his limits.
It was difficult. Even at the 400-kilometer mark, he had to push himself to an extent he'd only exerted a few times. When external threats were added, it became more trying than ever!
The armor gave him the chance to do what he'd never done before; to push past the 500-kilometer mark, the 700-kilometer mark, and even higher.
He couldn't allow his own weakness to take away this heavenly blessed opportunity!
SWOOSH!
425 kilometers…450 kilometers…
He could see the first landmark, the first step to achieving his goal, right in front of him.
But nothing was ever that easy.
In a situation like this, even if one had the power to achieve something, they had to first ask if their enemies would let them!
A shadow covered the Overseer's vision.
A giant eagle glided directly above him, looking down with a smirk on its face.
"Wind Spirit King!" He yelled through a gritted beak.
"Haha!" The Wind Spirit King laughed.
"My little ones say you've been tormenting them in recent days. Since we're here, let them have their revenge!"
Whoosh!
The Wind Spirit King unfurled its wings to their greatest length.
Attached to its underbelly and hiding under its fur were thousands of Messenger Birds, their eyes glowing red in anger and mockery.
They'd been suppressed before, but with their ruler's protection, such a thing would happen no longer.
The second their eyes found the Overseer, they frenzied into attack!
