Abyss Progenitor

After having a hearty family meal. Wade and Aron stood in their backyard. Both stared intensely at each other.

Aron had his hands behind his back. His expression was unreadable, as he observed his son like a hawk.

Meanwhile, Wade stood in a boxing stance. One he had learned from his fellow couriers.

"You give out too much information." Aron broke the silence, making Wade's skin crawl, as his sight set on his father's cocking wrist.

Without hesitation, he ducked down, as an ear-piercing whistle passed above his head, missing him by a few millimeters.

As he looked back, Wade saw a brown rubber ball bounce off the metal door, producing a loud bang.

"Dad, did you perhaps rethink your decision of teaching me?" Wade snickered, as his father responded with another cannon-like throw.

The ceaseless bombardment of hundreds of nail-sized rubber balls soon ensued, making Wade wonder where his father had found so many.

Regardless, Wade was used to this game. His fluid movements transitioned like ocean waves, looking like a dance with death.

However, his trance-like state was interrupted by his father's next words.

"Did I tell you that you were adopted?"

Wade momentarily froze. In the next moment, a painful sound of rubber meeting flesh resounded, as Wade was knocked down face-first into the lush grass.

Unconcerned, Aron didn't seem to want to register his son's loss, as he bombarded helpless Wade with more pain.

"That's not very kind of you, Dad." Wade grunted, as he tried to cover his head while mustering the strength to get up.

However, Aron didn't give him a moment of respite, as he reappeared beside Wade, pressing his large palm on his son's head, pinning him down.

"Don't fall for the enemy's taunts. Don't be cocky. Don't expose your inexperience. Don't…" Aron continued on lecturing his son the list of "don'ts". Wade was quite used to this, as he calmly listened and noted his shortcomings.

"Now stand up." Aron released Wade from his clutches, as he promptly jumped on his feet and dusted off his clothes.

The father and son duo remained standing in silence, as a few minutes passed, accompanied by the chirping of birds.

"Do you remember our agreement?" Aron asked. He approached closer, as he stood just a half a meter away from Wade.

"Yeah." Wade answered, preparing for whatever his father was about to throw at him.

"Good. Now let me demonstrate to you the difference between a Ranker and a normal mortal." Aron's menacing voice rattled his ears, sending chills down Wade's spine.

The next moment, red energy waves erupted from Aron, quickly filling the entire courtyard. Everything became coated in bloody red, making for a nightmarish scene.

Wade's heart sank to the bottom. He looked at his father, as his entire being begged him to flee as far as he could.

Aron's eyes had become completely red, as if the gaze of the devil himself was fixated on Wade, wishing to swallow him whole.

However, Wade didn't cover in fear. His father told him what it took to be a Ranker. An inhuman will and persistence. Deep in his heart, Wade knew if he looked away now, his future as a Ranker would be non-existent.

The red energy wave made him feel like he was in the deepest quagmire, desperately struggling to swim out, but a hand from above was shoving him deeper into this manifestation of terror, unwilling to let him go.

Wade persisted. He clenched his fists, his gums bled and veins popped across his face. His limbs turned cold, as his brain redirected the blood flow to save itself at any cost.

Wade's entire being felt like he was in a glacier. A glacier of pure hateful flames that wanted him dead.

Time ticked, or did it? He didn't know whether time was flowing, as his eyes were glued to his father, who had become a devil's avatar.

"Not bad." Aron said, raising his hands opposite to each other, as he clapped them hard, sending a loud boom toward Wade, throwing him back several meters.

Wade fell on his back, panting hard. His entire body trembled from pain. His muscles felt incredibly sore, aching from all the strain. His face had lost all color, becoming paler than a sheet of snow.

The sight of his father's transformation replayed in his head over and over. As if his brain was trying to carve this image into his soul, to never cross paths with it ever again.

"Do you understand now?" Aron stood over his son's tattered figure. His deep gaze shone with profound light.

Wade slowly nodded, spitting out blood.

"This is just a fraction of what I showed you. In reality, no Ranker cares about mortal life. Only those few who have eccentric characters and delusions of sainthood might consider a few times before massacring an entire city. However, such people will deem you as cattle who needs salvation, rather than an actual human being with his wants and needs. Just like regular humans see ants as insignificant." Aron slowly explained, letting his words sink in.

"Every Ranker has their own selfish motivation for pursuing power. Even I cultivated Espher to kill those who burned my village." Aron spoke with clenched teeth.

"However, you two are the reason for my growth now. I no longer hold faith in humanity or this kingdom. What I care about is my family's happiness." Aron crouched down, helping Wade stand up.

"Be someone who can hold the skies, be someone who can shatter them."

The next morning.

Wade and Aron ran on the riverside, their breathing maintaining a harmonious rhythm.

"Your endurance has improved, not bad." Aron patted Wade on the back, as a satisfied smile tugged on his lips.

Meanwhile, Wade was sweating buckets. His whole body felt sticky from all the cardio he did. Fortunately, the fresh morning breeze, coupled with the running river beside, alleviated the otherwise strenuous exercise.

"Let's take a break. I will explain a bit more about Rankers." Aron said, as they sat on the soft, rolling grass.

"As you know, Rankers grow stronger by snatching the creation's Espher for their own selfish goals. However, it doesn't end with simply absorbing and refining Espher, as one has to also be mindful of where they store it."

"Every single being under these starry skies is born with a treasure: a living body."

"The body is like the boundless creation itself, holding countless stars within. Some patches of the sky have fewer stars in them, other patches have stars so bright and big it would make you wonder if those smaller and dimmer stars broke off from them."

"However, no matter how brilliant those stars might be, like anything else, they strive for balance. It is nature's eternal will to maintain perpetual equilibrium. Just like the circle of life, some stars die while others come to be."

"In the case of Rankers, some decide to gather the majority of their espher in a specific point. For example, if you concentrate it around the heart, your blood flow and general fitness will increase compared to someone who concentrates it around the solar plexus, which increases the control over their nervous system."

"Some concentrate below the navel to increase the effect of extracting sexual energy from the opposite sex to supplement theirs. Most of the techniques out in the market are flawed and often lead to becoming entirely crippled."

"However, it doesn't mean there aren't quality ones that can significantly boost your power over time."

"Nevertheless, it also depends on what kind of Ranker you become. There are four types of established paths that have been in existence for countless eons. They are Berserker, Mage, Warrior and Summoner."

"Each path has its own pros and cons. Berserker is a pure physical ranker. By unlocking one's meridians. One seals the ability of projecting espher outside one's body. Plus, concentrating espher in one point is impossible, as the body requires absolute equilibrium to smoothly circulate espher through meridians."

"Mages are different. It is the path that has the most branching out sub-paths, allowing endless possibilities. However, for quick casting and easy manipulation of espher, they trade their physical powers, being generally weaker than even a Warrior in that aspect."

"Warrior is the most commonly chosen path. It is the path that everyone first steps on after becoming a Ranker. Only after that can one tamper with the natural balance of espher in their body."

"Last and the most mysterious one is Summoner. This path is unlocked when someone concentrates over ninety percent of their Espher in their head, specifically the frontal lobe and glabella. This path grants access to mythical powers and is even believed to invoke the will of creation. However, there are very few qualified Summoners and most of them come from ancient lineages that keep a tight control over their legacy."

Aron explained, throwing some rocks in the flowing river, as memories flowed through his mind.

"Perhaps, the most dangerous thing is those who cultivate the path of the unknown. Some freaks might concentrate all of their espher within hair's breadth in a single point in their body, as if trying to open a portal to bizarre abilities."

"I once remembered an old legend. About a Ranker who chose to concentrate all espher in his eyes. He quickly became an incredibly famous figure for being able to see through the very fabric of existence. Helping those at the apex gain knowledge never before seen."

"However, he died miserably. A single punch from a mortal human landed at the back of his head. Totally disrupting the delicate framework that allowed him to concentrate his espher in the eyes. His death was described as the one of a clown whose head popped like a balloon, with his eye sockets erupting while spewing out fireworks."

"Regardless of what ingenious ideas you want to put to use. First gain experience through sweat and blood before trying to toy with your life."

Aron finished speaking, as he stood up, looking at the rising sun.

"Let's go, we made Lisa wait long enough."