The journey towards achieving rank one in sorcery involved three progressive steps, each increasingly challenging and stimulating.
Firstly, apprentice sorcerers who had already met the mentality requirements of 13 times an ordinary adult male and beyond had to demonstrate their intelligence and creativity by mastering at least one rank-one spell model.
Secondly, they had to construct a three-dimensional representation of the spell model within their soul space, which necessitated tapping into their deepest reserves of focus and concentration.
Finally, they had to embed the model into their totems, marking the completion of the process and their official ascension to the realm of rank-one sorcerers.
Andrew had a clear advantage over the other apprentice sorcerers in this regard. He had been a rank-three legend sorcerer in his previous life, implying that he could easily recall all the intricate spell models he had previously mastered.
But that was not all! Andrew's Primordial Valkyrie lineage had awakened, granting him access to several rank-one spells from the bloodline library. Besides, he had consumed a wisdom fruit, a priceless treasure that endowed him with unparalleled genius-level comprehension abilities!
With his mind operating at lightning-fast speeds, Andrew could learn and memorize spell models at a pace that put even the most gifted sorcerers to shame. All this made Andrew an unstoppable force, a sorcerer with a thirst for power and an insatiable hunger for knowledge!
Regardless, Andrew still faced a small challenge.
As he delved deeper into the Valkyrie bloodline library, he felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of rank-one spell models at his disposal. His mind raced as he tried to decide which spell to master first.
Should he opt for the [sword of light] and the [shadow blade] that could slice through steel like butter? Or perhaps the [luminous shift] or the [shadow jump] that could teleport him to a nearby location in the blink of an eye?
So many choices, each one more tempting than the last! He muttered under his breath, trying to make a decision that would define his magical path for years to come.
Andrew remained sitting cross-legged, his mind racing over the many battles he had fought during his previous life. As he took a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down and focus on the memories.
In just a few minutes, he relived every fight, every close call, until his mind landed on the moment that had ended it all. The commander-level demon had ambushed him, wiping him from existence before he could react.
Regret and frustration filled him as he contemplated what he could have done differently. "If only I had known an innate spell that could have given me a better chance at escaping," he muttered, his eyes glinting with a newfound resolve. He wasn't going to let something like that happen again.
He had learned the hard way that when it came to survival, nothing was more important than preserving his life. He wouldn't take any chances and decided to master an innate spell that would give him the highest chances of escape in any situation.
While some might say that the best defense was a plain offense, he knew that sometimes the wiser move was to strategically retreat until the perfect moment to strike presented itself. With his trusty book-type totem by his side, he could hide in the shadows and bide his time, building up his powers until he was ready to take down his enemy once and for all.
With fire in his eyes, he mulled over the challenge before him. 'I must master either [luminous shift] or [shadow jump] as one of my rank-one innate spells,' he thought.
But then he had an idea - 'Or rather, why can't I embed them all in my totem? I still have four free pages in my book totem that I can imbue with spells before my next breakthrough.'
Andrew had inherited some rank-one spells after awakening his Primordial Valkyrie bloodline, with those that could best serve his purpose being the [luminous shift] and the [shadow jump]. Each had its own pros and cons that made them unique and exciting.
The [luminous shift], a rank-one light spell, could propel a sorcerer to incredible speeds, almost as fast as the speed of light, by using light particles to enhance their forward motion. With this spell, a sorcerer could move instantaneously between two points as long as they weren't too far apart.
However, the spell consumed a lot of mana and mentality, and rank-one sorcerers could only use it a few times before becoming overwhelmed. Additionally, the spell was most effective in the presence of bright light sources and was less handy in the dark.
On the other hand, [shadow jump] allowed sorcerers to teleport between two points by utilizing the shadows around them. This made it an ideal spell for stealth operations. However, it was not without its limitations. For instance, it could only be cast when the two points were near each other, and it needed the cover of darkness to be more effective.
"I think I'll go with both spells," Andrew decided. "But that means I still have two empty slots in my book totem. Which other spells should I choose as my innate spells?"
Andrew was unlike any other apprentice sorcerer. He possessed an incredible advantage that most could only dream of - his bloodline inheritance and past life memories.
With this powerful combination, he had already memorized numerous darkness and light spell models, ready to be summoned and imbued within his totem to enhance his strength.
He was determined to capitalize on his advantage. He wanted to embed a total of four spells, thus enhancing his powers enormously. By making them his innate spells, he would only need to focus on elevating his mentality and mana reserves to become one of the strongest rank-ones.
"I should go with the [sword of light] as my third innate spell," he murmured. "It's a highly damaging spell that'll give me a significant advantage over any foe, especially demons. As for my fourth spell, I'll choose [greater invisibility]. It'll enhance my stealth and help me stay hidden. Those four spells should do the trick as my rank-one innate spells."
With the spell choices made, Andrew wasted no more time before taking the plunge into his breakthrough process. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused on diving into his soul space.
Without paying heed to the sea of consciousness beneath him, he drifted closer to his colossal totem of a blood-red book. Filled with excitement, he quickly opened it and flipped to the coveted golden page, once occupied by the Aeon's Blessing of Death spell. It was still empty and ready for him to inscribe his rank-one spell model.
"Here goes nothing," Andrew mumbled, his eyes gleaming with resolve.
He stepped back and started contorting his hands and fingers, each motion evoking a set of runes to appear above his open book-type totem.
His gestures were similar to the most skilled conductor directing a musical ensemble as he constructed a vivid representation of his first rank-one innate spell model within his soul space.
His concentration was absolute as he drew on his deepest reserves of focus and all his previous life experiences and bloodline inheritance memories. Slowly, the three-dimensional runic structure of the [luminous shift] spell took shape, each detail shimmering with power and taking him closer to the incredible realm of a bona fide rank-one sorcerer.
At last, with a triumphant cry, Andrew completed the spell model, unleashing its dazzling brilliance within his soul space. It was a moment of pure magic, and Andrew knew he had accomplished something extraordinary.
His mental strength was at an all-time low, and he felt exhausted, like an ordinary mortal who had just completed a fifty-kilometer marathon. Constructing the visual representation of the rank-one spell model had almost sapped everything out of him.
Despite feeling tired, Andrew persevered and didn't allow his fatigue to hinder his progress.
Hardening his resolve, he summoned all his mental strength and unleashed his willpower. And then, just as he had hoped, something extraordinary occurred.
The [luminous shift] spell model he had tirelessly constructed began to move as if being propelled forward by an invisible force. And then, in an instant, it flattened and imprinted itself onto the empty golden page of the book-type totem.
HONG!
A jolt of excitement surged through Andrew's mind. He could feel his book-type totem trembling along with his entire soul space as the spell model took root within it, and he knew that he was on the verge of a significant breakthrough.
Suddenly, a powerful surge of energy coursed through his body, and he could sense his mental fortitude expanding and growing stronger with each passing moment. As the spell model drew in raw mana from the surrounding environment, Andrew grew more confident and surer of his abilities.
With a fierce determination, he pushed himself beyond his limits, pouring every ounce of his being into the moment. And then, with a thunderous surge of power, he shattered the final barrier and soared to the coveted rank of a 'mighty' rank-one sorcerer!