Successive Ascensions

"Level 1 Spiritual Source Adept: Spiritual Sources 8/10."

"Ha! It worked!" On the other side, Long suddenly let out an excited roar, clearly elated. 

Simon turned to look at him and saw Long with his arms raised, shouting in triumph. He understood immediately: Long had absorbed enough spiritual sources and had evolved once more. Originally a Level 3 Spiritual Source Adept, Long had now ascended to the formidable Level 4.

"Ha ha—!" Long, in his exhilaration, swung his steel shovel and killed another Water Rat Beast charging from below. However, he soon noticed that absorbing this source yielded no notification. He realized that as a Level 4 Adept, the Level 2 Water Rat Beasts were no longer effective for him; he needed to hunt more powerful spiritual beasts.

"Simon, come quickly. These Water Rat Beasts are useless to me now," Long called out as he swiftly moved to join Lily's side.

With Long guarding Lily, Simon felt reassured and headed down the other staircase. Below, numerous Water Rat Beasts were still swarming up—ideal targets for the spiritual sources he needed.

Though each kill only granted one spiritual source, dispatching these Water Rat Beasts was far easier than battling the Advanced Corpse Beasts. Simon even found the latter more challenging than the Level 3 Sea Lizard he had slain, which had granted him two spiritual sources.

As a Level 2 Spiritual Source Adept, killing the Level 2 Water Rat Beasts awarded him one spiritual source per beast. Similarly, when Long was a Level 3 Adept, he had also gained one source per Level 2 Water Rat Beast.

The number of spiritual sources obtained from hunting a spiritual beast is not always directly proportional to the beast's strength. Simon had begun to understand some of the rules for acquiring spiritual sources: defeating a spiritual beast of the same level or one level lower yields one spiritual source, while defeating a beast one level higher grants two. Conversely, killing a beast two levels lower has almost no effect, rendering the spiritual source nearly ineffective.

Regarding elite spiritual beasts, the number of sources obtained varies. For instance, slaying an elite beast of the same level grants two sources. Simon had yet to encounter elite beasts of different levels, so he was unsure of the exact yield for those encounters. 

Defeating an advanced corpse beast yields only one spiritual source, indicating that these beasts are not high-ranking within the hierarchy of spiritual beasts. However, their formidable strength makes them particularly challenging adversaries, suggesting that corpse beasts differ significantly from other spiritual creatures.

Simon had amassed eighteen spiritual sources, needing just two more to ascend. He switched positions with Long, facing two Water Rat Beasts rushing up the stairs. Without hesitation, he swung his iron rod. 

The rod struck the first Water Rat Beast squarely on the head, killing it instantly. As the spiritual source flew toward him, Simon thought, "Just one more." 

His rod then struck the second Water Rat Beast, but this time, it missed the head, sending the creature tumbling down the stairs.

Dark shadows surged from behind as more Water Rat Beasts appeared. 

"Tonight is unusual, so many monsters are emerging, it's quite unexpected," Long remarked, wielding his steel shovel to knock down a low-level corpse beast before handing it off to Lily. Observing the increasing number of low-level corpse beasts flooding the corridor, he frowned. His greatest fear was the presence of advanced corpse beasts hidden among them, a misstep could be fatal. Thus, he stayed close to Lily, remaining vigilant.

Simon, watching the Water Rat Beasts still charging up the stairs, took a deep breath, gripped his iron rod with both hands, and swung again. "The last one," he murmured to himself. His rod struck a Water Rat Beast on the head, sending it flying. A spiritual source appeared, darting towards his forehead.

As he absorbed this final source, information immediately filled his mind:

"Level 2 Spiritual Source User: Spiritual Sources 20/20"

"Commencing ascension... Ascension successful."

"Level 3 Spiritual Source User: Spiritual Sources 0/30"

"Basic Enhancements: Strong Lungs I, Muscle Growth I"

"Special Skills: Insight Rune (Incomplete), Devouring Fang (Left)"

Simon took a deep breath, feeling a surge of new power within him. With his ascension to a Level 3 Spiritual Source User, all his abilities—strength, speed, sensory perception, internal organs, reflexes—were heightened.

"You can choose one for enhancement: Strong Lungs I, Muscle Growth I, Stomach, Kidneys."

Immediately, another message surfaced. Simon, without hesitation, swung his iron rod, swiftly dispatching two more Water Rat Beasts. Two spiritual sources emerged, and new information flooded Simon's mind:

"Level 3 Spiritual Source User: Spiritual Sources 1/30"

"Level 3 Spiritual Source User: Spiritual Sources 2/30"

Since Long had ascended to a Level 4 Spiritual Source User, killing Water Rat Beasts no longer yielded effective spiritual sources for him. However, as a Level 3 Spiritual Source User, Simon could still gain valuable spiritual sources from these beasts.

Feeling the information in his mind, Simon decisively chose to enhance Muscle Growth I. Previously, despite being a level below Long, he had demonstrated nearly equal prowess. Simon attributed this to his muscle enhancement, which granted him greater strength and speed, enabling him to contend with Long, who was a level higher.

Thus, he chose to further enhance his muscles. Although strengthening other areas was also crucial—such as enhancing his lungs to hold his breath longer, aiding in underwater combat, or fortifying his stomach to drink floodwater or consume raw meat without falling ill—Simon believed that prioritizing muscle enhancement was paramount for acquiring greater strength.

Only by possessing greater strength can one confront more terrifying monsters and better ensure survival. With this choice, new information emerged in his mind:

"Muscle Growth Type I upgraded to Type II, granting superior muscle control, increasing resistance to impact by fifty percent, and enhancing overall strength by three hundred pounds."

As Muscle Growth Type I evolved into Type II, Simon felt the remarkable transformation in his muscles, and his power reached astonishing levels. Advancing from a Level 2 to a Level 3 Spiritual Source User, his physical attributes saw significant improvement. For instance, his lung capacity slightly increased, extending his breath-holding time by about thirty seconds, and his basic strength enhanced by approximately one hundred pounds. Previously, his basic strength was around six hundred pounds; now, as a Level 3 Spiritual Source User, it had at least reached seven hundred pounds.