War continued to escalate each day. Hundreds of personnel kept dying all the time, with an occasional awakened elder as another poor sacrifice.
Such tough times gave rise to many meteoric talents. Like a fading star, they appeared and made great contributions before they fell into great battles.
No fate protected the greats. They either survived with their own skill and wit or they have long joined the earth.
The warfare on the mainland became the crystal opposite of the frontlines. Peace and quiet remained during tough times.
Although prices rose due to the amount of resources. The frontlines required, the price stood at a reasonable price.
5 years had passed since Liam last made his great breakthrough and each new prototype took more and more time with the end nowhere to be found.
At the moment, his prototype had a ratio of hundred fifty-five compared to hundred. Great news from these breakthroughs came in the form of spells.
His power grew, and he had a sort of protective weapon capable of killing small animals with ease.
Thanks to his calculations. One ice bolt now could freeze and damage any limb of a human with the head potentially being a fatal spot.
Moreover, the three elders had a small breakthrough. Such advancement didn't count as an awakened realm.
Still, it became a sort of half step. Which made the future road to the awakened realm a large stride instead of jump into the darkness.
Bad news became the lack of effective production.
Talia mastered the one hundred thirty to one hundred. A thirty percent increase.
Although close to the level Liam reached, he got there 3 years ago and long travelled way further.
Estimations told him that in a decade, apprentices might be able to master the ability of one hundred fifty to one hundred ratio, which would enable for a large amount of awakened elders.
However, a decade might be too long. For the current human race, they needed high end power.
Thanks to mana grains. A lot of talents broke through to the unawakened realm early.
For them, the unawakened realm barrier became nonexistent. Any talented youngster with some resources could become an unawakened elder.
This caused the position to lose quite a bit of power, and a few awakened elders that had irreversible injuries took over the highest active sectors.
Such decisions unawakened elders didn't fight against. In fact, they planted their own family elders.
After all, a lot of new blood could battle them on even the ground. But, with the real superpowers standing high.
No matter how many, the unawakened elders wouldn't be able to shake them at all.
No one could challenge them. At least, before Liam and the group create the perfect ratio for the awakened realm.
Now, no matter when it comes to the administration of large cities or politics. Big families would always have an advantage.
Liam now understood way more about the awakened realm and what it entailed.
A person who undergoes awakening makes the power his own. But to make it his own depends on the comprehension of the user.
Some choose to fuse with their spirits, truly becoming one. Others paved the way of nurturing their spirit, absorbing its essence before they repeated the process.
While they couldn't cast large spells. Their bodies became powerful and their spirits were invincible.
Amongst the few paths explored. Such is the most frowned upon, after they believe all spirits to be a part of oneself and also a gift from the highest God.
To absorb it almost became taboo were it not for the great power they can exhibit.
The third and least explored path. Some called it the path of the real devil.
Such humans no longer possess the crystal on their foreheads and instead they nested it near their hearts or other parts of the body.
This violated the sacred thought. The greatest gift of the god to mankind moved around like that became unacceptable.
Practice like this never held any ground. Oftentimes they became lunatics to be hunted down on a level similar to the alien lunatics.
However, that changed. A meteoric genius who fused his heart and the crystal and pioneered the path further than ever before.
Later on, he became a figure on the level of the holy Fire Saint. Many years have passed since then.
The path itself fell into darkness and rose brilliantly many times and, over time, it became a special status.
To defy the god means to hold great responsibilities. Not to mention the fuse.
The thought of even using a sacred thing and manipulating it according to one's whims became a tribulation.
Either you succeed and turn into a genius. Or die and perish for defying the natural order.
No matter what, it would never become mainstream unless someone pioneered a safe way and the higher ups of the church along with the gods acknowledged the path to be a righteous one.
Until then. Either a hero or a condemned fool.
3 mainstream paths that covered a lot of potential paths. Of course, others existed.
However, no powerhouse appeared to justify the path. Liam's path through mana grains, no one considered as another alternative path.
People thought of it as a support method. A way to get one to the level where they can choose and become awakened elders.
The thought of using spells from mana grains for powerful weapons became no more than a hearsay.
Unless they could grow infinite mana grains. Then to use the spells, it would cost too much.
Many would rather wield authentic power than one time use.
Speaking of awakened elders. Liam received great news. Terran would soon undergo an awakened realm breakthrough!
Moreover, his success became guaranteed in the eyes of many higher ups.
The one leap many fail at became a simple step for Terrain and his great abilities, which would soon make him famous.
Some people knew about him on the frontlines. Back at home, almost no one knew.
Nevertheless, the name would shine! A seeded awakened elder that could one day enter top 20 and perhaps even the legendary top 10 with enough determination.
3 months later, when Liam grew close to another small success. The news came across the land like thunder.
Terran managed to breakthrough. To make things even more spicy, he went out to the frontlines and challenged one of the alien ships.
On a level where even 3 elders would be hopeless, he won and destroyed the enemy.
People began to notice something. The news which shook the world more than ever before.
His crystal gone as a rock replaced it and sealed the gap in its stead. No one knew where he put it.
Or with what he wished to merge. However, his potential became unknown, and no one dared to estimate it.
Either straight to top 1 or even the outer space. Or the new future of a cripple or a cold corpse.
Terran sent a few letters thanking Liam and others when they sent him gifts to celebrate his achievement.
The rumours or difficulty didn't stop him. Liam read the letter with Akand and others as he felt a real momentum coming from the letter.
Like a huge boulder rolling down a mountain. Nothing could or dared to stop him.
He would walk that way and pave out another name for himself in this damned world.
A month later, after his breakthrough. The aliens managed to single him out and surround him with more than 4 airships, soldiers, and massive cannons.
The battle lasted 3 hours and under a heavy siege of other airships and enemies, no support came to help him.
He didn't fail.
In the end, he escaped. His mangled limb saved just in time. Clothes burned, damaged, reduced to simple rags.
What came from the aftermath of the battlefield were scraps of his enemies and nothing more.
Such a feat catapulted him straight to the twenty-fourth position. The youngest elder to reach the top twenty-five.
A real legend in making, not a fake or a phony. True material that people could believe in.
Back home, tales about his journey and steady steps started to become an example of many young and aspiring talents.
Even when you walk step by step. At the end, you might explode with the brilliance exceeding that of the most daring daredevil.
Others thought of him as a new needed blood that would bring a significant change. Some thought of him as another falling star.
So bright, dazzling, but easily gone the next moment.
Nevertheless, no one doubted the young man and his prowess. Terran Ferro might be here to stay.
And when he does. The aliens might just bleed a lot of blood.
Frontlines, which already shone as bright as the Sun, turned into even a more dazzling thing.
The great offensive officially began.
Winner or loser would depend on the blood and valor of thousands of great giants who hold up the sky for the powerless.
The day they got the news of the great offensive. Blythe bid goodbye with a sad smile and left.
Everyone knew where she wished to go. And her last words only for Liam to keep...