'It's been 12 years since I arrived in this world.'
'And today… I'm finally breaking into the Soul-Strengthening Realm!'
[Ambition is good, kid, but don't get ahead of yourself. Millions have tried over the ages, but how many have succeeded? None!]
'True, but I've got a shot, at least according to the Prophet King. I've collected a lot of beast cores. If I fail, it won't be for lack of mana,' thought Elion, flashing a confident smile to Valen.
Elion tapped into the immense reservoir of beast cores stored within his personal inventory inside his mana core. With fierce determination, he began to absorb mana, drawing it not only from the atmosphere but also from the cores themselves in a wild, relentless surge of power.
The beast cores began to diminish at a pace visible to the naked eye, their energy rapidly depleting as Elion drew from them.
According to the Prophet King's teachings and Valen's guidance, advancing to the Soul-Strengthening Realm required one to bind their very soul to their mana pathways.
For warriors, this meant linking their muscles to the soul. As they advanced deeper into the realm, their organs would follow, eventually intertwining their entire physical form with the strength of their soul.
For mages, the process involved connecting the mana core to the soul. As they progressed, all the meridians within their body would also fuse with the soul's power, greatly amplifying their natural affinity with mana.
The soul, the cornerstone of all strength, was what allowed practitioners to transcend their limits. The stronger the connection between body, mana, and soul, the more potent their spells and physical abilities became.
It was a process that not only enhanced raw power but tapped into a deeper well of potential, refining every aspect of one's abilities.
The deeper the connection between the soul and the body, the greater the enhancement both would experience within the Soul-Strengthening Realm. This profound link was crucial for laying the groundwork for future realms of power, which is why the Soul-Strengthening Realm was often referred to as the Foundation Building Realm.
It was here that a practitioner's true potential was forged, ensuring that the strength gained would serve as an unshakable foundation for all advancements to come. A solid connection meant not only power in the present but limitless growth for the future.
Once a person completes their initial connection with the Soul, that pathway becomes fixed. While it can be strengthened over time, the size of the initial connection determines how far it can be expanded.
This limitation is also why it's impossible to reach the Soul-Strengthening Realm in both the Warrior and Mage Paths.
For instance, if someone starts by connecting their soul to their muscles (as in the Warrior Path), once the entire body is linked, there's no remaining "space" for the mana core to be connected. The reverse is true for those following the Mage Path—after connecting their soul to their mana core and meridians, there's no room left to connect to their physical form.
Some practitioners have tried to connect both paths one after the other, but this is even worse. It's like creating a narrow tunnel for a car to pass through and then trying to squeeze a truck inside.
The limited soul connection would permanently block any chance of advancing further, leaving them stuck in the initial stages of the Soul-Strengthening Realm, unable to grow in either path.
What if someone tried to connect both paths simultaneously? Unless they managed to link their muscles and mana core at the exact same time, with the highest possible level of connection, they would face the same problem: permanent stagnation at the lowest level of the Soul-Strengthening Realm.
For Elion to successfully advance in both the Warrior and Mage Paths without compromising his future potential, he must perform a perfect dual connection—linking both his muscles and mana core simultaneously and achieving the highest tier of soul connection.
Only then would he be able to progress in both realms without facing the limitations that had trapped countless others before him.
The Soul Pathways are divided into 6 tiers, from lowest to highest:
Copper Pathway:
The most basic tier offers only minimal enhancement. While it allows the practitioner to enter the Soul-Strengthening Realm, progress is slow, and the connection between the body or mana core and the soul is weak. Those with this tier are usually stuck in the lower stages of the path, and will forever be stuck at the Soul-Strengthening.
Iron Pathway:
A more common level of connection, offering decent strength and moderate enhancement. Practitioners with Iron Pathways can reach a respectable level of power, but they are often unable to push past the Soul-Strengthening Realm.
Silver Pathway:
The Silver Pathway allows for faster progression and stronger enhancements, giving the practitioner greater control over mana or physical strength. It marks a significant improvement over Iron and is often the gateway to more elite practitioners.
Those who manage to create a Silver Pathway will almost always break into the Domain Creation Realm.
Gold Pathway:
An advanced level of soul connection, where the synergy between soul and body or mana core is incredibly strong. Practitioners with a Gold Pathway can achieve greater breakthroughs, and their foundation for future realms is solid. Only highly gifted individuals typically achieve this level. To have a small chance to break into the Demigod Realm, a Gold Pathway is a must.
Diamond Pathway
An extremely rare and legendary pathway, known to only a few across the ages. The Diamond Pathway offers unmatched potential, allowing the practitioner to transcend normal limits. The connection between the soul and the body or mana core is so strong that it gives access to unparalleled power and allows for breakthroughs that others would consider impossible.
Ethereal Pathway
The highest theoretical level, the Ethereal Pathway is rumored to be a connection where the soul transcends mortal limitations entirely. Those with this level of connection can tap into a realm of power far beyond the known Soul-Strengthening stages, opening doors to unknown capabilities and realms of power.
Elion knew that anything less than the Ethereal Pathway would doom his ambitions. To safely pursue both the Warrior and Mage paths, something nearly unheard of across the entire universe. He needed this legendary connection, spoken of only in myths.
The Ethereal Pathway was the only one vast enough to allow him to strengthen every aspect of his body and soul, without leaving anything behind. Anything less would trap him in mediocrity, but with it, he could achieve the impossible.
Elion's body was already radiating with power, his muscles vibrating as they absorbed the mana from the cores and atmosphere. Inside his mana core, a swirling storm of energy was building, growing more chaotic as he prepared to attempt the impossible—breaking through to the Soul-Strengthening Realm in both the Warrior and Mage paths.
'This is it... I need to connect both my muscles and mana core at the same time,' Elion thought, breathing heavily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
[Kid, you better be ready. No one's ever succeeded in doing this before, not without being stuck forever.] Valen's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with concern.
'I know, but I'll do it somehow.'
Elion gritted his teeth and began. Slowly, he reached inward, sending waves of mana into both his muscles and his mana core, trying to forge the crucial link between them and his soul. The process was agonizingly slow at first, but soon, he felt the first sparks of connection forming.
His muscles bulged as mana coursed through them, and his mana core vibrated with newfound power. For a moment, Elion felt like he was on the verge of success, both paths were nearing the threshold to connect with his soul.
Then, suddenly, an overwhelming pain shot through him.
"Aaagh!" Elion screamed, clutching his head as his soul felt like it was being torn apart from the inside. It was as though two colossal forces were trying to occupy the same space, but neither could fully connect. His muscles spasmed violently, and his mana core shuddered in instability.
The pain only worsened. Elion's vision blurred as he tried to force the pathways to connect, but it was as if his very soul was rejecting the process. His muscles and mana core clashed within him, fighting for dominance, and with each second, the agony multiplied.
'No... it's not enough... my soul... isn't strong enough!'
He realized then, in a moment of sheer panic, that the Ethereal Pathway, the theoretical and only path wide enough to sustain both his body and mana, was beyond his current strength. His soul wasn't capable of handling the strain.
"Stop... I need to stop!" he gasped, his voice shaking. But the energy swirling within him had already gone wild. His muscles, pulsing with mana, were on the verge of tearing, and his mana core was trembling, threatening to collapse under the pressure.
[Elion! Stop forcing it, or you'll destroy yourself!] Valen's voice rang in his mind, filled with alarm.
With all the willpower he could muster, Elion yanked back the mana, severing the connections before they could tear him apart. The pain subsided, but his body collapsed, trembling from the aftermath. His breaths were ragged, his vision swimming as the room around him blurred.
'It's impossible... my soul isn't strong enough yet,' he thought, lying on the floor. His muscles felt like they had been torn apart, and his mana core was dangerously close to fracturing.
[You're lucky you stopped in time. You would've been stuck forever if you had tried to force it any longer.] Valen's voice was stern, but there was a hint of relief in it.
Elion lay there, panting. 'I'll need... more time... I can't create the Ethereal Pathway like this.'
'Valen, I felt it… I was so close. If only my soul were strong enough... Is there a way to strengthen it?' Elion asked, his voice heavy with frustration and exhaustion.