Zero to Peak: Ascension Online

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Guardian Buff Activated and Supercharged!

Description: Your genes yearn for a glorious battle and absolute domination. You have dived into the center of a critical conflict, a battle worthy of legend. More than fifteen million civilians cower behind the barrier, fearing their oppressors will break through and annihilate them. Your arrival has awakened a hidden buff within your genetic code. Your might has been supercharged, and your overall physicality is temporarily boosted to the rank of "Riot Black Core Supreme Crusader."

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Ivan felt his entire being transform against his will. It was as if his mind was wrestling with his consciousness, wanting to expand and simply 'explode.' Ivan couldn't grasp the term. It felt as if his mind was literally about to disintegrate into nothingness. He tried to struggle against the feeling, but it was futile.

His armor transformed, becoming darker. The cape grew unnecessarily long, unsuited for battle. The helmet's ears became smaller, and a crest with a brilliant red plume manifested on top. The intricate golden patterns that ran across his armor lost their color, blending in with the dark metal until they were only noticeable upon close observation.

Black Riot materialized in his right hand, burning with fiery golden flames. In his left, he now held a disk slightly larger than two CDs combined, wielding it like a handheld shield.

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Title: Guardian of the Weak — Reaper of Evil

Information: You have experienced a fortuitous, gene-coded activation with a 0.0003% probability of occurring.

Information (2): Because you are fighting for the weak and the unjustly oppressed, your power has been temporarily elevated fourfold. During this time, if you come into the direct presence of those you are fighting for, your might will elevate to that of a Supreme Guardian God.

Supercharged Buff activated.

Duration: Forty-five minutes.

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Physicality (Supercharged)

HP – 350

Vitality- 100 (+90)

Strength- 104.44 (+94.44)

Agility- 104.8 (+94.8)

Speed- 100.44 (+90.44)

Stamina- 100.6 (+90.6)

Intelligence – 68.44 (+51.33)

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Ivan's mind settled, quickly scanning the new information. His gaze landed on the intelligence stat, and he was stunned. He could physically feel the change in his being, the enhanced potency of his parasite powerset. He could now handle his own thoughts while seamlessly controlling his possessed minions with perfect clarity.

A powerful round slammed into his chest, the impact knocking the fiery sword from his grasp. He glared at the idiot who had dared to attack him.

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You have suffered damage.

Impact: Low

Armor Integrity: 99.5%

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'My armor's durability must have been recharged. How lucky,' Ivan thought, his eyes locating a simple but hefty spear lying a few meters away.

The adversary that engaged him unleashed a barrage of rounds as it advanced. Ivan didn't retreat. He pushed forward, using the disk—which had morphed into a wide, translucent shield—to protect himself. The shield possessed a shockwave dissipation effect, completely negating the force of the attack so that Ivan wasn't pushed back.

Ivan dove to the ground, landing just a few steps from his adversary. As the alien tried to circle around him, he grabbed the five-meter-long silver spear. He expertly controlled the weapon as he rolled forward, out of the reach of the alien's next attack, feeling the tremendous heat and tremor it left in its wake.

Turning to face the alien, he hurled the spear. It shot forward with terrifying pace, a wall of pressurized air building at its tip despite its streamlined body. The spear collided with the alien in a perfectly inelastic collision, pinning it to a heap of rotting corpses. The creature wailed in pain, the spear lodged firmly in the right side of its chest.

Ivan dashed forward, snatching his sword from the ground as he went. A flash of red from above stopped him in his tracks. He knew what was coming and instantly raised his shield over his head.

A violent boom shook the earth once more as the battleship unleashed another attack on his position. The alien he had impaled barely survived, teetering on the brink of death from the severe burns. The silver spear lodged in its chest had melted; a few oozing droplets were the only traces of its existence.

Within the newly formed crater, Ivan moved the shield away from his head. The force of the attack had driven him neck-deep into the dirt, like a hammer driving a nail into a wall.

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You have suffered heavy damage.

Armor Integrity: 88%

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Ivan was surprised that he was still alive. He climbed out of the hole the impact had made. His gaze fell upon the air within the crater, which was dense with floating dust. He correctly guessed that it was the airborne remains of gruesomely incinerated corpses.

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Your Item: Black Shield has suffered severe damage.

Item Integrity: 40%

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Ivan glanced at his shield, noticing the spiderweb of cracks across its surface. His gaze traveled upward to the menacing object in the sky. Before a coherent thought about the battleship could form, another system panel appeared before him.

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Your incomplete core has stirred. New Mission Triggered!

Description: Your adolescent-stage core, an extension of yourself, feels insulted by the attack you have suffered. It demands vengeance. You are to swiftly dispatch twenty thousand alien soldiers and destroy one battleship.

Duration: Fifteen minutes.

Penalty: If you fail to achieve these goals, your anger will consume you from within. In time, you will be reduced to a being who lives only for rage, until it finally destroys you.

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Ivan read the details of the new mission. He could already feel a dangerous rage pooling somewhere deep inside him. It tugged at him, urging him to lash out at the aliens, but his rationality remained in firm control. He recalled his earlier curiosity about the parasite powerset, which had emerged after he received the 'Reaper of Evil' title buff.

Time was ticking. Ivan had to act quickly before he lost this critical advantage. He wanted to understand the extensive effects of the buff before he began battle. He pulled up his system info.