Natural Awakening

Main article: Awakened (Human Rank)

The first step is to Awaken and to Awaken one must gain control over their soul essence and use it to form the soul core. While some powerful creatures have their soul cores already formed, most are born Dormant, like humans. Learning how to control essence is the hardest part, but with knowledge, success is almost guaranteed.^[1]

Main article: Ascended

Ascension involves rising above one's mortal nature by improving the quality of both one's soul essence and body. This can be achieved naturally, by refining the essence or slaying powerful enemies. Once your essence reaches a qualitative change, the last step is to reform the soul core. The easier part of the process is learning how to access their Soul Sea and the hardest part requires a soul-refining technique. Many such methods were once known but are now lost.^[2]

After the one's soul essence Awakens and can control it, the next step is to patiently work on forming the soul core to accumulate power.^[3]

Ascension is a step of rising above one's mortal nature by improving the quality of their essence and body. This can be slow or fast, depending on how one refines themselves naturally or by absorbing the essence of stronger beings. Once the soul essence reaches a qualitative change, the soul core will reform and grow stronger. However, conscious refinement is necessary for this process.^[3]

Some noble creatures possess multiple soul cores and walk the path of ascension more naturally.^[3]

Ascending is the process of reforging the soul core. While Awakening involves condensing soul essence into a core, Ascension requires transforming that core so it can contain Ascended essence, which was far more volatile and potent than Awakened essence. Because a soul core is originally formed from solidified Awakened essence, the central difficulty of Ascension lies in altering or replacing this structure so that it can properly contain and stabilize the higher-quality essence.^[4]

There are two possible approaches to reforging the core:

• First Approach: An enlightened, slow, and conservative method in which Ascended essence washes over the core like sea waves over the shore, gradually changing its composition through repeated cycles. Over time, the structure of the core is altered one sand particle at a time, eventually allowing it to accommodate Ascended essence. This method is extremely time-consuming and can take decades to complete. To sustain the process, an individual must either learn to elevate the quality of their own essence or acquire a steady supply of Ascended soul shards to substitute for personal enlightenment.^[4]

• Second Approach: Described as swift, radical, and quite possibly lethal. It was likened to construction: rather than replacing the parts of a hut one by one to turn it into a castle, one could demolish the hut and build a new castle in its place. Applied to Ascension, this means destroying the existing soul core, which is formed from Awakened essence, and shaping an entirely new core from Ascended essence. However, it was noted that the destruction of the soul core usually causes the collapse of the soul, making this method effectively a death sentence, and that nobody had found a safe way yet to accomplish it.^[4]

Main article: Transcendent

Transcendence is a profound transformation where a mortal assumes the first qualities of the divine. It involves transforming the soul essence and core, becoming more potent and voluminous. The Awakened must become one with the world and be recognized by it, their soul has to be expanded beyond the confines of the body and the world be it water, wind, shadow, light or something else.^[3]

A Transcendent's connection to the world is not all-encompassing, but rather a connection to one or several aspects of it, such as water, wind, shadow, light or something else, and the key to achieving Transcendence is awakening their Aspect.^[3]

The world responds to the Transcendent and even bends to their will. However, not all Awakened humans possess an Aspect, and as they rise on the path of Ascension, it becomes harder to move further without claiming their Aspect and Flaw. It is actually impossible to Transcend without them.^[3]

An Aspect and Flaw is required to Transcend. One can't exist without the other. Imperfection is an absolute law, just like death, and humans are flawed as well. However, being flawed is the essence of life and growth, as it allows for constant struggle to grow and improve.^[3]

Main article: Supreme

The secret to going further on the Path of Ascension was hidden in the changes that the soul of a living being underwent during Transcendence. A Saint's soul broke the limits of the mundane and expanded, becoming intertwined with the world. A Sovereign's soul had to claim authority over its part, which was the essence of Supremacy.^[5]

The Supremes took another step toward Godhood and seemed tied to authority, similar to Nightmare Creatures' growth in Class, where Tyrants focused on rule and authority.^[6] If Transcendence was the step of breaking away from the limits of the mundane. Supremacy was the act of asserting one's power over the world, thus establishing the foundation of their future apotheosis.^[7]

The process of achieving Supremacy revolves around manifesting a Domain, which is unique to each Transcendent and tied to their Aspect. Central to this is the concept of an overwhelmingly powerful will—a will that is cold, sharp, uncompromising, and absolutely confident in its own rightfulness and existence. Doubt and indecisiveness are seen as the antithesis of such will, suggesting that belief in one's ability to reshape reality is foundational.^[8] However, the nature of Supremacy is paradoxical, likened to a self-fulfilling prophecy where belief in one's will strengthens it, making its realization possible. This paradox mirrors the enigmatic existence of the Sovereigns themselves.^[8]

Main article: Apotheosis

Natural Apotheosis is a method of attaining godhood (Sacred rank) without challenging the Fifth Nightmare, instead achieved through growth by feeding on one's own Domain. Sunny explained that Asterion is aiming for natural Apotheosis, seeking to accomplish what Kanakht failed to achieve by attaining godhood through feeding on his own Domain — not as a human, but as a creature, which in practice means enthralling all of humanity and then devouring it. This process treats the Human Domain as fertilizer for his growth, consuming the souls of countless humans in order to ascend. Asterion presents this path as a safer, better way to become a deity compared to the Fifth Nightmare.^[12]

There is no single way to gain control over their soul essence, as it is a unique experience for many. Some spend years meditating and perfecting their souls, eventually entering a state of unity between mind and soul. Others attune themselves to the world and travel to different realms to gather insights about the nature of living things. Some follow warrior teachings and train their bodies, while others receive sudden epiphanies in a moment of dire crisis with no preparation.^[1]

However, there is a path that anyone can walk, both the simplest and most dangerous, as well as vile. It is to kill those who have already Awakened and plunder their soul shards in order to absorb their soul essence. The Awakened essence can already be controlled and by mixing it with Dormant beings' essence can change it a little. Absorption of enough essence can cause one's essence to Awaken.^[1]

In the Age of Heroes, the process was simpler, but as monsters decreased, humans and noble creatures began to kill each other.^[1]

There are methods and techniques for refining one's essence. The knowledge has been accumulated over countless generations and is taught to disciples over many years, but only a few succeed. Those who succeed must first find their way into their Soul Sea. Without the ability to enter the Soul Sea, it would take one many lifetimes to Ascend even with the best refinement technique.^[3]

One needs to control their soul essence by guiding it throughout the body, following the roadmap of major blood vessels. Through one's will to guide the essence in flowing slowly in a complicated cycle, increase the speed of the essence, making it rush like a mountain river and spinning inside their body like a raging whirlpool. The essence condenses under the pressure of its weight and the pull of the rotation. Making the essence circulate faster, eventually reaching a critical point where a soul core will be formed. A condensed mass of energy slowly formed in the place where their heart would have been, not solid yet but more like a shimmering liquid. At the very center of this mass, a tiny crystalline gemstone is slowly being born.^[13]

• Rain's Awakening
• Sunny's Process to Natural Supremacy
• Nephis' Process to Natural Supremacy
• Mordret's Process to Natural Supremacy