The Ranking System for Ability Users

The door opened, and there stood my Childhood Friend, still in her pajamas, with neat short hair and a radiant face, showing no signs of the mess she had just woken up.

What a sunny, cheerful boy!

Good morning, Quan.

Eriri thought to herself, but still greeted them.

Good morning! You're here really early today. Did you come on an empty stomach?

Hasegawa Izumi responded with a sound of agreement, then gave a playful look.

"You came on an empty stomach?"

This sentence made Eriri's eyebrows twitch.

"I just couldn't sleep, so I got up early. I didn't come here to freeload!"

She puffed out her chest slightly and said in denial.

"Why are you emphasizing this so much? Even if it is, it doesn't really matter, given our relationship."

He raised an eyebrow, then turned and went inside.

Our relationship...

These words pleased Eriri, who gave a soft snort but didn't retort arrogantly.

"I'm going to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. You can watch TV for a while."

Upon entering the living room, she watched her Childhood Friend's retreating figure as he entered the kitchen, then sat down on the sofa and turned on the television.

The news is playing on the screen, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Boring."

She shook her head.

The strange tales I heard from my classmates were more interesting than what I'd heard from them.

And the adventures that Izumi and his friends experienced...

The girl realized that her threshold was a bit too high, and now she only wanted to complete her 'entry into the Dao'.

"Ha~"

After a while, Kōko came out yawning.

"Kōko."

"... Eriri."

The two exchanged a glance, their tone quite intimate.

Ten minutes later, Hasegawa Izumi came out carrying the prepared food.

Today's breakfast was radish, corn, and pork rib soup with steamed seafood. It was fragrant and delicious, not oily or greasy at all, and easily won over the two little gluttons.

"Delicious!"

"Wow! I approve of today's offering!"

After breakfast.

After watching her favorite anime for a while Kōko went back to her room to study, working hard for her final exams in three months. After all, this was her chance to 'change her fate,' and the next one wouldn't come for another six months.

The two went to the bedroom.

Eriri took out a pile of drawing paper to check on her training progress with her Childhood Friend and to get guidance on the direction to take next.

Izumi once said...

The Path of Cultivation lies in Wealth, Partners, Method, and Place!

She has this advantage but doesn't use it: she just endures hardship without facing it.

If she were to be thrown further and further away by those Fox Spirit, she would find it even more unbearable.

109

Chapter 109: The Classification of Ability User

"Now, Eriri, your paintings finally possess their own unique will, completely breaking free from the influence of Mashiro's Path of Painting. From now on, you just need to continue along this path."

Hasegawa Izumi sensed the girl's spirit in the painting and nodded approvingly.

Just as he expected, Eriri's somewhat obsessive personality actually gave her a significant advantage in shaping her own path.

As the saying goes, "No madness, no life," and pressure is also a necessary factor that forces a person to grow.

"Um..."

Eriri smiled and nodded.

'With the right direction and Izumi's help, anyone can transcend the ordinary!'

'Hmph, those guys...'

'Just wait until I surpass you all!'

A burning passion ignited within the Girlish Heart.

"Speaking of which, Izumi, there's another question that's been bothering me."

After putting the drawing paper away and tidying it up, Eriri suddenly frowned.

"Um?"

Hasegawa Izumi turned her head away, thinking that she was about to say something difficult because of her serious expression.

Result...

"If I become Ability User, will my nearsightedness be cured?"

Eriri asked expectantly.

Because she often stays up late drawing, the girl has been nearsighted for a long time. She usually wears contact lenses when she goes to school and black-rimmed glasses when she is at home, which is quite a problem for her.

"Of course! Is psionic energy such an inconvenient thing?"

He asked the question in a matter-of-fact tone.

However, before the girl could be happy for long, he continued, "But the changes brought about by awakening are usually biased abilities. Without the support of spiritual power, the initial awakening will not bring much improvement to the essence of life, so it will be a rather slow process."

"A bit difficult to understand, but... a preliminary awakening?"

Eriri murmured to herself, pondering the meaning behind her words.

"Could it be that Ability User are also divided into levels?"

"Of course there are. Although each Ability User has different abilities, some focus on lethality, some on deception... Obviously, classifying them solely based on combat power would be too simplistic. So, through analyzing spiritual power and the essence of life, I've finally made a classification. Do you want to know?"

"Please be sure to introduce it!"

She tilted her head back, giving me a look that said, "I'm very curious."

"First, there's Level One, which I call 'Initial Awakening,' meaning the state of just awakening. At this point, the limits of the human body are broken, the body is completely renewed, and with the support of spiritual power, the gap between them and ordinary people gradually widens. This is what we call 'Awakening of Abilities'... Similarly, if someone is an ordinary person, they can also achieve 'Awakening of the Physical Body' by breaking through the limits of the human body."

"Then comes the second tier, which I call 'Complete Awakening.' At this stage, the Ability User can control their abilities at will, or have complete control over their body. Body and soul are synchronized, and the vitality of life will be greatly enhanced..."

"Finally, there's Rank Three, which I call 'Blooming' or 'Sublimation.' It means that once your abilities or physical strength have accumulated to a certain level, it's like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, allowing you to achieve a leap in development within a certain period of time, with your combat power increasing exponentially."

At this point, Hasegawa Izumi stopped.

"Huh, is it already over? Only three stages?"

Eriri was stunned for a moment.

"Not exactly, it's just that I haven't fully confirmed the details yet."

He shook his head.

"Why?"

She pressed for an answer.

"Because this world cannot yet accommodate a more powerful being."

He looked out the window, his gaze sweeping across the view, and said wistfully.

"So, the upheaval is still ongoing?"

Upon hearing the familiar words, the girl finally realized what was happening.

"That's right."

"I see. I wonder what the world will be like in the future."

Eriri sighed.

"By the way, Eriri, if you're really troubled like this, I can actually help you with your treatment."

Suddenly, Hasegawa Izumi changed the subject.

"Hey, you can do that too? But there's no need, I can do it myself!"

Eriri was initially surprised, then flicked her twin tails and said haughtily.

It wasn't that she was being pretentious; she just wanted to personally experience the sense of superiority of 'doing things that humans can't do'.

"Then it's up to you."

Seeing through her Childhood Friend's thoughts, Hasegawa Izumi didn't press the issue.

It's really nothing important.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing..."

"Is this an invitation from Winter Comic?"

"No, it's just that Gasang recently received an invitation to attend a 'New Year Festival' in Chiba. She asked me to ask you if you want to come with us."

Eriri's expression shifted, as if she had remembered something.

"That's possible."

Since she had some free time, Hasegawa Izumi readily agreed.

"But is there any explanation for this? Why do people have to make a special trip to Chiba to attend the festival?"

He then expressed his doubts.

"Because it was an invitation from several organizations, and they seemed to have a good relationship with us, Gasang planned to give them face. Secondly, it's said that the host of this festival is a powerful superhuman who plans to share some secrets about 'superhumans' with others, which is something Gasang and the others can't miss."

Eriri offered an explanation.

After the cataclysmic changes, very few lucky individuals in the world were able to awaken. Therefore, even these great families knew very little about extraordinary knowledge, and some information was difficult to verify. This gathering naturally became very attractive.

"However, according to the information Gasan received, things haven't been peaceful in Chiba lately. There have been many accidents, and an investigator has gone missing there, so I'm a little worried that we might encounter some danger..."

"So, you're planning to have me protect you?"

Hasegawa Izumi's tone was somewhat playful.

"Uh-huh."

Eriri met his gaze, then nodded in agreement like a little hamster.

"Because... Izumi seems to be very strong."

She figured that her Childhood Friend, as the leader of the Far East Magic Society, should naturally be stronger than everyone else.

"It's not just a feeling."

Hasegawa Izumi chuckled.

This time, the girl's judgment was correct.

"Then I'll leave you in my care! Izumi! I'll come pick you up with Kasang another day."

Eriri clapped her hands, her face beaming with joy.

This is a rare opportunity to be alone...

"And Kōko, she can't live alone without me."