It was nearing sunset when Horace left the arena and prepared for his travel to the capital of the Republic, Aeternia.
Kyrian went to the library, seeking solace among the ancient books and scrolls. The warm, crimson light of the setting sun filtered through the tall open windows, casting long shadows across the rows of bookshelves. The large opening by the windows welcomed the first breeze of the coming evening as it gently caressed Kyrian's face.
The library had magical formations in place to help the readers to pick out books they desired. Kyrian voiced out his need for knowledge of mana, "Library, lend me books that can help me understand mana."
Without a pause, the books immediately flew from the bookshelves, some of them even puzzled Kyrian because other books did not come from the bookshelves, and he wondered where these books came from. It seemed like particular books could only be found through voice command or locked behind a certain level of authority and looking for them manually is impossible.
The first book that he received was called 'Universal Laws of Mana' written by Minerva. The book talked about how mana practitioners achieve immortality.
The author explains that almost all creatures born in Gaia start as mortals, incapable of sensing mana. Some remain mortals, while others experience an [awakening], unlocking their potential to become rank 1 mana practitioners. Theoretically, there are nine ranks of power in this world, although the Arcana Institute's records only document up to rank 7. Ancient texts claim that nine ranks exist, but the path to reach the highest levels appears to be obscured.
In various cultures, mana users are referred to as cultivators. This term reflects their process of gaining strength through the accumulation of mana and comprehending its pathways, which is essential to their quest for immortality. Although no one has achieved immortality yet, it is widely believed that a hidden path to it exists.
He read thoroughly until he reached the part of cultivating towards rank 2 since he was positive that he was currently in rank 1.
The books states that to reach rank 2, a cultivator must accumulate mana in their bodies to form a core that will be an integral part of their cultivation.
Kyrian paused there with sudden revelation, 'Doesn't that mean I'm already a rank 2 cultivator? I'm only 4 years old. This doesn't make sense. It said here that I must accumulate a lot of mana in my body to form a core. I don't remember absorbing steady streams of mana. It hasn't even been a week since I left the eastern continent.'
The boy continued reading as he learned that seeing mana is unique to those in rank 2 and said, 'If perceiving mana with my eyes was unique to rank 2, then how did I see them without having a core?'
His situation was getting weirder and weirder as soon as he learned more about himself in the books. He decided that perhaps asking his master about it would be better since the old man might know something about his situation.
Kyrian opened another book about the geographical location of the cities and states in the Republic. He is now standing in the state of Ziront, owned by the Zemof family who specialize in steel arts. The disciple learned of his master's greatness as it seemed that they really owned lands that spanned hundreds of thousands of kilometers. The specialty of the people living in the state of Ziront is metallurgy and blacksmithing.
Moreover, he read about the other states in detail. In summary, he gathered that the Republic consists of five states, each governed by one of the five Elden Houses.
Ziront: Ruled by the family of steel, Zemof, the state is located at the western end of the continent. It is connected to the landbridges of Thiodan, the land of the beasts.
Pyrus: South of Ziront, the state of Pyrus is named after its ruling family. Pyrus is primarily desert, but it is rich in rare minerals essential for magecraft and blacksmithing. The families of Pyrus and Zemof maintain a strong relationship through trade; Pyrus supplies raw materials, and Ziront crafts these into magecrafts, weapons, and armor. Pyrus and Ziront are connected in a single landmass, but the two states are separated from the mainland by rivers, and narrow land bridges. Specially crafted boats, and airships facilitate travel between the mainland and the states of Pyrus and Ziront.
Undalor: Located on the east coast, the state of Undalor is ruled by the family of Undine. This state comprises thousands of islands forming an archipelago, dominated by mages specializing in water magic and its variants. The western ocean provides rich resources like crimson corals, which enhance a mage's comprehension when a person cultivates nearby the crimson corals. Known for its warm weather and beautiful beaches, Undalor is the Republic's top vacation spot. There were even legends that speak of a special relationship with ancient sea serpents, though no definitive proof exists.
Thalmera: Directly west of Undalor, Thalmera is governed by the Elden house of Tellus. Surrounded by mountains and large floating landmasses, the rulers have mastered Earth magic. The state's precious resource is gravites, essential for airships and other floating devices.
Stormhaven: South of Thalmera lies Stormhaven, ruled by the prideful Elden house of Mistral. Known as the land of storms, its rulers command the state with powerful storm magic. Stormhaven also serves as the Republic's prison, where the most heinous criminals are sent to rot, sealed, and interrogated.
At the heart of these states lies the capital, Aeternia, also known as Eternity. Positioned southeast of Ziront, northeast of Pyrus, southwest of Thalmera, and northwest of Stormhaven, Aeternia is the cradle of human civilization where magic was first discovered. It serves as the center of all research, administration, and arbitration for the entire civilization of the Western Continent, Aicras.
The founding fathers of Aeternia believed that humans are eternal and will exist even after the end of time. It was a bold claim despite there were no beings who had achieved anything close to immortality in that era.
The most pristine institute of learning, Arcana is also located in the capital city of the Republic. It is where the most talented children of the Elden houses and other prodigies are sent to be educated, cultivated, and empowered to serve the Republic as its guardian, researcher, and military force.
There is also the Adventurer's Guild who take the requests of various institutions and private entities to achieve missions like slaying demons, beasts, or the impending arrival of the abyssals. It is a wide organization that has branches worldwide. It is unknown who leads this thriving organization, but powerful organizations and families do not bother them for unknown reasons.