Ascension

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Ye Qiyan discovers Ascension while checking his conductor information shortly after awakening aboard his train. He first tests it on his starter knife, then upgrades the train itself. The train’s record-breaking advancement awards a Special Module Card, which he also ascends; the resulting Exclusive Module Card provides Fork in Destiny, allowing him to choose between station destinations 1 2.

Initially, Ye Qiyan interprets his inability to ascend certain Level 4 objects as an energy shortage. After leaving Miling Town, he tests a Level 4 treasure chest while using a Healing Lollipop to replenish stamina. The attempt reveals that targets resist advancement beyond Level 4, rather than simply requiring more energy 10 31.

Refusing to accept the restriction, he applies Ascension to his own talent. Red system screens engulf the train, everyone in Train World experiences an inexplicable wave of fear, and Ye Qiyan loses consciousness. When he awakens at Hope Valley, the chest has reached Level 5 and Ascension’s description now explicitly includes resistance negation 31 32.

Abilities & Mechanics

Activation

• Ye Qiyan activates Ascension by speaking its name or reciting it mentally 1 2.
• Early uses often involve touching the target, including the train’s control console, carriage walls, and treasure chests 1 7 10.
• The effect manifests as an invisible force; some transformations also produce light, particles, or visible changes to the target 1 2 12.
• After binding the Train System to himself, Ye Qiyan no longer needs to touch the original control unit to ascend his train, although he continues doing so out of habit 39.

Evolution & Enchantment

Ascension can improve a target’s level, properties, or function 7 12 44.

• Level increases: A Level 3 treasure chest becomes Level 4, improving the rewards available when opened 10.
• New properties: A carriage gains an enchantment maintaining an interior temperature of 22°C 7.
• Functional transformation: The Garbage Recycling Device’s robot becomes an automatic treasure-hunting robot 12.
• Enhancement without a level increase: The Level 6 Great Compassion Heavy Machine Gun remains Level 6 but gains an additional, mentally replenished magazine 44.
• Unchanged outward appearance: Ascended treasure chests can retain their original appearance despite increasing in level 3 10.

Energy Consumption

• Ascension can consume stamina, mental energy, or both. Costs differ between targets and transformations 1 3 18.
• Ascending the starter knife costs 10 stamina, while the first train upgrade costs 60 stamina 1 2.
• Transforming the Garbage Recycling Device’s robot does not succeed with stamina; switching to spirit completes the transformation at a cost of 40 spirit 12.
• After self-ascension, upgrading a Level 4 treasure chest to Level 5 costs 30 stamina and 20 spirit 38.
• The train’s Level 3-to-4 advancement costs 100 combined points, compared with 90 for its earlier Level 2-to-3 advancement. Ye Qiyan attributes the relatively small increase to Ascension’s improved efficiency 39.
• Food and rest replenish the resources needed for further uses. Repeated applications can leave Ye Qiyan physically exhausted and force him to stop working 3 12 16.

Target Potential

• Targets have differing amounts of potential. The starter knife nearly exhausts its potential after one use, while the train remains eligible for further ascensions 2.
• The Fine Marksman Rifle and Red Triple-Speed Train Acceleration Device cannot be ascended again once their potential is exhausted 8 12.
• Some targets support consecutive uses: Plant Nutrient Solution undergoes two ascensions before becoming Blessed Plant Elixir and exhausting its potential 26.
• Resistance negation does not eliminate potential limits. After Ascension is upgraded, the Great Compassion Heavy Machine Gun and Pure Purification Stone still reach states where further ascension is impossible 44.
• Ye Qiyan can sense whether many targets remain eligible for another ascension 2 7 22.

Blueprints & Crafted Objects

• A blueprint and the object crafted from it can be ascended separately. Ye Qiyan upgrades a Level 1 Wooden Bow Blueprint, crafts the resulting Black Hardwood Bow, then ascends the bow into the Flower Dawn Enchanting Wooden Bow 35.
• Blueprint improvements can increase construction requirements. The ascended carriage blueprint requires 150 kg of wood, 200 kg of metal, and 90 Mechanical Parts, rather than the original 100 kg, 150 kg, and 60 parts 2 46.
• Ascension does not necessarily remove operating expenses. WALL-E requires a Train Coin per activation, while the Planting Carriage requires electricity 12 46.

Self-Application & Intangible Targets

• Ye Qiyan’s talent can itself serve as a target. He understands ascending his talent as equivalent to ascending himself 31 32.
• This does not make every intangible system feature eligible. The System Binding Module and In-Station Startup Module cannot undergo Ascension because they have no tangible vessel 32.
• Physical cards remain eligible: Ye Qiyan ascends module cards and a Train Conductor Enhancement Card before using them 18 40.

Documented Applications

Train & Infrastructure

Weapons, Cards & Supplies

Treasure Chests

Unresolved Properties

• Unusual mental resilience: Ye Qiyan reports no noticeable psychological effects even after repeated Ascension use lowers his spirit below 20. He also recovers spirit faster than other conductors describe. He suspects an undetected ability, but no explanation is confirmed 50.
• Access to Miling Town: Shaya correctly infers that Ye Qiyan’s talent enabled his arrival at the erased station. The connection is indirect: Ascension produced the card that granted Fork in Destiny, which offered Miling Town as a destination 2 28.