[SWORD RANKING: SWORD MASTER]
[HEART CORE: ASHEN-ORIGIN: 3-STAR]
[MIDDLE CORE: ORIGIN ARTS CULTIVATION: 5 STAR, GRAND AURA WARRIOR]
This was what his current progress looked like.
5 Star, also called Grand Aura Warrior in Aura.
Another name for it was… the realm of masters. The realm of masters. For those specialized in magic, they were called arch-mage.
Master and archmage. The demarcation separating the normal from the elites.
One could say this was the first obstacle anyone faced on their path to strength.
The lower realms could be easily attained by training one's body to its limits; however, to attain the master realm, one had to grasp will, and for arch-mages, one had to grasp chantless spells.
And more specifically, for a swordmaster, a master specializing in the sword, one had to grasp will with their sword.
In simpler terms, will is the concentrated expression of a swordsman's intent, spirit, and resolve—manifested through their blade. It is the invisible force that could transform any technique into dominance, turning every slash into a declaration of purpose.
The term will went a long way, and was very important to those in this stage. Again, it wasn't wrong to say, the focus from this stage was his will. And in the wide concept called will, the first stage any swordmaster had access to was Intent.
At this stage, will determines what the swordsman wants to achieve with each strike, and not just physical harm; it could be psychological pressure, or moral assertion. For example, the will to cut. The pure desire to cut was ingrained into his sword as he struck, though it was only subtle at this level.
Now, this was just the personal benefit one attained as a result of their hard work.
The real benefit was something else. The master realm contained the majority of the military power of any large empire, church, kingdom, or organization. It meant they would be accepted anywhere they went.
In a village, the position of chief guard was certain, and the village chief wasn't far off. In most cases, the village chiefs offered their children to be wedded to such a person.
In a small kingdom, a commander position wasn't far off; in an organization, a lower executive position wasn't far-fetched, and in a large empire, the position of a squad leader wasn't impossible. Certainly, all these positions came with their benefits; it didn't matter the age one attained such a rank.
Basically, attaining this level already sets one up for the rest of their life.
Then there was the measure of one's talent, which often depended on how quickly one reached this realm. A younger person who attained this level was prioritized more highly than an older person who reached this level, due to the potential to attain a higher level.
And for someone of Baines's age, he could be considered a rare genius.
And because of this, for many, this rank was also the final limit. Many got drunk on their achievement and relaxed, eventually becoming weaker than average; some hit their limit, and some just lost their will and gave up entirely.
For Baines, however, it wasn't enough.
He wasn't just doing this for revenge. No, he wanted to attain a level where no one could even think of doing such a thing again.
'It's not enough.' Baines muttered as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
The power he was feeling at his fingertips was immense, almost to the point of making him relent and rest; however, his desire for revenge brought him back each time.
He moved his aura around him as he felt the new change.
'My sword aura is stronger.' With just pure aura, he formed a full short sword attached to his fist and swung it at one of the constructs of his previous state, and it dispersed as easily as a feather.
'Basically, I gained access to more aura.' From the sword made of aura, it changed into a shield, then an arrow, and finally a spear. That wasn't all.
His body was reinforced with an aura, increasing his body strength and his speed likewise. His body reinforcement meant he could now withstand attacks with his body before he began accumulating injuries.
And the most important, the grasping of Sword Intent, the will of the sword.
The nature of this will vary, just like Baines experienced the continuous voice inside him. The process was unpredictable, and self-discovery was the key to maximizing its potential.
Baines exhaled.
'I'm not where I want to be, but this is a start.' He affirmed himself after feeling the changes in him.
It was then Eye came up, reminding him of his other goals,
[FIRE ELIXIR IS NOW SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION.]
[ASHEN-ORIGIN: 3/5 STARS]
He nodded at the notification before taking out the case for the elixir and tossing the fire elixir into his mouth.
"Urgh..." As it touched his throat, an intense burning sensation spread through his body. Even with his current reinforced physique, it felt like his insides were melting.
Eye had warned him against consuming it too early, and now he understood why. It was simply too hot. He clenched his fists, endured the pain, and guided the pill with his origin arts toward his core.
Then, a change occurred.
He was formerly in a meditating position, but suddenly, he found himself standing outside.
It was a strange phenomenon.
He stood at the center of what seemed like an empty desert that stretched endlessly. The sand was smooth, brown, and seemed inviting.
'Where am I?' He asked himself and looked around. He tried to move, but he couldn't.
Then he looked up and saw the most beautiful sun he had ever seen.
Usually, the sun was too bright for anyone to truly see and eventually had to cover their eyes, but now, he could see it.
It was swirling in a beautiful dark gold color that instantly captivated him. At the same time, it was like understanding dawned in him.
'It is… dim.'
One would ask, why else would he be able to see the sun? It was because it had lost its glow.
As he had that thought, he returned to reality, and a rush of dark golden glow burst from his body.
Two minutes later, the glow dimmed and Baines opened his eyes, a golden hue flickering briefly within them.
At this point, he understood the situation.
'The Dark Sun.' He muttered the name of what he had just seen with surprise and shock.
The sun he had just seen wasn't a powerful technique or just a random dim sun.
No, it was the remnant of a forgotten god.