Kyrian changed his approach in fusing with light magic into coating his body with mana. These are distinct concepts as fusing with mana means turning a part of your body into a state of fusion with magic itself while coating your body with mana preserves your physical body while having the augmentation of magic and mana.
In the early stages of magic, mana coating is weaker than mana fusion or elemental states since the body of a mage is traditionally weaker compared to aura users. That means that the mana can only improve a mage's body to a certain extent and augment it when using mana coating.
Before coating his body with elemental mana, Kyrian recalled how he fused two elements using the spells [Plasma Sphere] and [Pyre Blade] to see how he integrated these elements to turn into a cohesive magic spell. As he reviewed his memories, he noticed how mana is much more conducive to mana of the same quality. Just like how an Earth grade ambient mana can seamlessly be absorbed by a mage who has an Earth grade innate mana. The problem that he had encountered was that he was using the ambient mana to be absorbed by him without refining it totally to a Supreme grade quality.
Kyrian is currently looking for a mobility spell that would help him be faster, and if the cast time too is long, then it would defeat the purpose of a mobility spell.
His master wasn't around at the moment to guide him, and he doubt that he would have an answer since it was concerning light magic. Likewise, an Aura Master like Mister Lars would not have an idea of how to guide him in his problem. Nonetheless, it was fine. After all, they wouldn't be around permanently to guide him in every step of the way, and he should be used to using his own methods since everyone has a unique way of cultivating their power. Their experiences and knowledge may help him in solving his question, but ultimately, it was up to Kyrian to find out the answer.
Kyrian spent hours looking for the solution while trying different methods he could think of, but the results were unsatisfactory even with the help of the high quantities of light element and his closeness with the sun. He incorporated the books from the Pyrus family and Zemof family, but they were nowhere near solving his problem.
The mana coating technique of [Embers of Life] and [Steel Emperor] were vastly different in using light magic. Even the vague information he got from his mother didn't help him since he was trying to do the impossible by achieving mana coating in rank 2.
Kyrian truly believed that his innate talent [Limit Break] has a passive ability of breaking the limits of cultivation and having an advanced exclusive ability of the next rank is possible. Just like how he was able to perceive and see mana at rank 1, and forming a mana core at rank 2, he should also be able to mana coat at rank 2.
Time passed by, and the sun had set, and the three moons of Gaia ascended, hung low in the sky, casting a soft, silver glow over everything in sight.
The butler and the boy had to go down to the mansion to take some time to rest while they waited for Horace to return.
——
A figure emitted sonic booms and zoomed in the skies of Ziront towards the river of Ainsel where the demons were reported to be sighted. Luckily, this fast moving mass was way above the land and buildings where it could be damaged by this flying figure.
If they were near the vicinity of the figure, then everything would have been destroyed before they even knew they were ruined.
Horace was moving far beyond the speed of sound and nearing the levels of light speed with his various magitech equipment along with his law manipulation of steel to make him aerodynamic and as fast as possible without breaking the material plane.
His countenance was stern and stoic, like the image he had instilled in the meeting of the Zemof family. He had prepared various plans in annihilating the invaders to make the process of manufacturing detection devices smooth and fast. Time is of the essence since the higher their yield of production, the more lives that could be saved from the void gates and descent of the abyssals.
His rank-7 saint aura was exuded without a hint of restraint since he was away from any kind of life form except for the magical beasts that reside in the clouds. Nonetheless, he didn't care if they were harmed or not, he had exposed his aura to warn them in advance. If these creatures did not run away even if they noticed his aura, then he couldn't care less if they died or not.
After a few days of continuous flight, he arrived at the borders of the Ziront state. In sight was the river of Ainsel separating the state of Pyrus and Ziront in the western side. If one looked at the Eastern side, the Sand Serpents blocking the borders could be seen from a distance due to their colossal sizes and loud roars emanating an aura ranging from rank 4 to 6.
——
In the office of the president where Aurelius could be seen standing, his eyes silently observed the people he governed. The people he vowed to protect and serve. His visage was of grace and regal authority, staring into a large pane of glass viewing the city-state of Aeternia, the capital of the Republic.
He could see the people happily drinking in the streets without worry. There were no curfews to be enforced since the police force of magic does their job impeccably in preventing crimes. Of course, there are deranged individuals who are outliers and commit crimes, but these scums are rare. There was also little to no reason to commit crimes since poverty was long gone due to the advancement of magic and technology.
That was why the tragedy in Zara was such a huge deal to the people of the Republic. It had been generations of human mortals since the last time a lot of people died in an instance. There were slight changes in the atmosphere of the Republic, but it the overall mood was fine.
The life expectancy and satisfaction of the populace was high because of various reasons. Crops can be grown instantly with life or nature magicians. They can modify the taste and nutrients with technology and magic, so humans do not have the need to hunt for magical beasts for their sustenance.
Obviously, it was a different story for mages, aura users, and aether wielders. They need these magical beasts and different types of magical plants to sustain and improve their strengths, but the general populace has no need for this.
Building houses for the homeless was easily solved by wood and earth mages. Even the construction for fine pieces of art, furniture, sewers, and energy lines that are labor extensive can effortlessly be done by aura users. Mortal sickness and illness were easily cured by life and healing mages. Combined with magitech, it was as rare as a dragon's reverse scale for a person to die due to sickness when health care was accessible to anyone.
Even when the night covered the skies, along with the countless stars and three moons, the streetlights and screens in the various establishments of the city lit up its every corner. There were some people who just came out of the buildings from their work. Some worked in sales, some worked in research labs for magical innovations, and many other occupations that run as a cog in the vast machination of the Republic.
Not everyone could be mages, aura users, or aether wielders. The vast population of the Republic were ordinary humans who had little to no hope of advancing their strength to a meaningful degree. Sure, fifty percent of humans awaken mana, but eighty percent do not have an attribute greater than ten percent. Meaning, they won't have hopes in raising their ranks beyond rank 1.
Pursuing the path of aura and aether was harder since they require hard work, hard work, and hard work. It necessitates a lot of hard work and resources to which it sacrifices most relationships. There are sects, clans, and academies that take in people who pursue power, but in the era of peace where there are little to no conflicts, people do not have much reason to pursue power.
A normal citizen can reach the strength of a mage, aura user, or aether wielder to a certain extent if they got their hands on a reasonably advanced magitech weapon.
That is why magitech is held in high regard. Magitech's purpose is to make weapons or devices to be accessible to anyone without mana. Through the thousands of years of the establishment of the Republic, the Zemof family lead the nation in innovation of weapons for national security. Combined with the billions of humans who are capable of wielding these weapons, the Republic is a nation that can stand up on its own and be feared by other races.
That is why there is a glaring weakness in the Republic is in the higher levels, the thousands of years of peace relaxed the people into relying on magitech for power. Nevertheless, this weakness can be offset with the high population of the Republic through magitech.
But with the Prestige class initiative, the change in the balance of the world power may change with the emergence of these talented individuals who may rise to the peak ranks.
*Bzz Bzz* *Bzz Bzz*
A ringing notification removed him from his daze, and Aurelius read the message.
'Aurelius, I had a great feast with Yuanwu. That old turtle drank like a whale! Can you believe it? He drank the whole booze the size of a lake I brought, and he still wasn't satisfied. I saved the thousand-year-old ginseng wine for a special occasion and he drank it all! That shameless old turtle… You must compensate me for this Aurelius. I need ten times the size of what I lost!! Ten times!!! He was speaking so mysteriously and pretending to be a sage only to be outed as a drunkard.
Anyway, enough of my rants.
He sent his regards, saying that he trained in drinking, and he could now outdrink you. He's looking forward to meeting you in the future.
Speaking of the future, this was what he said: The future that once lay clear before us now shimmers in an enigmatic haze, elusive and unpredictable. It would be wise to brace ourselves for the shadows that may yet emerge from the mists of uncertainty. .' - Nikita.