บท 64: The Wish Of The World

Aiden returned to his room, settling onto his bed in a cross-legged position. He closed his eyes and focused on the mana moving around him, preparing to enter meditation. The world of Sarna, where Aiden now found himself, was one with ancient traditions when it came to the diverse paths of power. Here, meditation techniques were classified into five ascending levels: Human, Spirit, Profound, Immortal, and Divine.

These levels were not just arbitrary rankings; they defined the maximum potential of those who practiced them, and also determining their path as either a Mage or a Warrior. Despite the different approaches, both paths shared a common point: the use of mana.

Warriors, those who refined their bodies with mana, channeled it through their entire being, starting from the heart and moving to the mana core located in the naval area. This gave rise to a different classes among warriors , each with its own unique meditation technique. For example, Lyssia, a Martial King level warrior, was an example of an assassin-class warrior. Her meditation technique emphasized speed, agility, and stealth—traits that made her a deadly force in the shadows.

Knights, on the other hand, like Alex and Konstantin, belonged to the most renowned warrior class. Their techniques focused on strength, vitality, and defense, making them formidable opponents on any battlefield. These techniques often included innate skills, such as mastery of specific weapons or enhanced endurance, which were critical for survival in a prolonged battle situation.

While Warriors focused on the mana core and physical refinement, Mages took a different approach. Their power lay in their mana core but also their spiritual core, located within the mindscape—a unique, inner world also known as the sea of consciousness. Most of the time, this mindscape reflects the essence of the individual, his memories and his very soul.

The spiritual core, deeply connected to the soul, was the source of a Mage's power to form spells. It enabled them to construct intricate magic circles. The stronger the spiritual core, the greater the Mage's capacity to create complex and powerful spells. Mages were not limited to the elemental powers; they could also specialize in areas such as light, poison, or nature magic, each requiring a different set of runes and techniques.

These magic circles were not merely tools; they were complex magical structures, composed of an outer and an inner circle. The inner circle determined the type of magic, while the outer circle shaped the spell's form and function. When combined, these spells could create powerful formations, such as the teleportation magic Aiden had encountered on the flying island.

Like warriors, Mages were also divided into various classes. Olenna, who had battled against Rei, was a Nature Element Mage, while Dario specialized in poison magic. Saya was a Light Mage, capable of harnessing the power of light through her magic circles.

The difference between Mages and Warriors made it nearly impossible to combine the two paths. Mages strengthened their spiritual core and focused on the manipulation of mana for spellcasting, while Warriors channeled mana to enhance their physical bodies and combat abilities. The only similarity between the two was their reliance on mana as a fundamental energy source.

The idea of combining these two paths—of becoming a Magic Warrior—had long been a great dream for many. But it remained just that: a dream, unfulfilled across eras. There were rumors and legends, that the ancient demons and angels races were the closest to master both paths, achieving unparalleled power. Yet, these were stories lost to time, with no living being able to confirm whether it was true or not. The closest approximation to this legendary hybrid was found in the magic beasts, whose formidable physical strength and innate magical abilities set them apart from the other races.

In this world, Aiden was an anomaly. His divine ability, Sunshine, allowed him to blend the strengths of both paths—an ability that fascinated even the most knowledgeable people like Eldric. While Aiden himself dismissed it as a mere byproduct of his unique power, someone like Eldric saw in him the potential to achieve what had long been considered impossible.

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Aiden's Divine Sun Technique (DST) was a meditation technique unlike any other. It had six levels, each one enhancing his power and extending the time he could fight during the night, the period when his powers were the weakest.

He had already reached the first level during his time on the flying island. By focusing his meditation, he had managed to create a pseudo-image of the Sun within his mindscape, enabling him to harness the power of Sunshine even in the absence of the actual Sun. This allowed him to fight for up to an hour at night without needing to wield his sacred weapon, Rhitta.

Now, as he sat in his room, his mind clear of all distractions, Aiden concentrated on advancing to the second level. He knew that reaching this level would elevate his maximum strength to that of an 8th level warrior and extend his nighttime powers to two hours without Rhitta's aid.

This possible newfound strength excited him, though he remained composed. "If I can reach the second level," Aiden thought, "I'll be able to hold my own against 8th level warriors and Mages, even in the dead of night."

But Aiden knew that this was just the beginning. The DST had six levels in total, and while he had unlocked the first two, the remaining levels were still a mystery. He suspected that more information would reveal itself as he progressed, but for now, his focus was solely on reaching the second level.

As he concentrated, a memory of his last fight with Riss surfaced. Aiden's eyes flickered open for a moment as he recalled that battle. He had faced Riss during the day, when his Sunshine power was at its full use. Yes, Aiden power didn't reach its peak yet but the fight had been far closer than he was willing to admit.

Riss was powerful, more so than Aiden had anticipated. Despite his own formidable strength, he had found himself pushed to the limit, forced to keep up with Riss power. It had been a sobering experience, one that lingered in the back of his mind, a reminder of the dangers that awaited him in this world.

"I underestimated him," Aiden thought, clenching his fists in determination. "I underestimated the strength of the people in this world. That won't happen again."

The realization fueled his resolve. He needed to grow stronger, not just to surpass Riss, but to be ready for whatever other threats might come his way. He had learned his lesson—this world was full of powerful beings, and if he wanted to survive, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. focus returned to his meditation, the memory of that close battle with Riss serving as both a warning and a motivator.

"Let's focus on the meditation, I'll deal with the other things when the time comes" Aiden thought.

With renewed determination, Aiden drew in the mana around him, channeling it into his core as he sought to break through to the next level. The energy flowed smoothly, his body and mind in perfect harmony as he inched closer to his goal.

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Just as Aiden was deep in meditation, focusing on the second level of his DST, Eldric who was to adjacent room felt the change of mana in the air around. He sensed how it was moving towards Aiden room, slowly getting absorbed and refined by him.

Eldric just opened his eyes and with a thoughtful expression, started thinking about Aiden's meditation technique. He had always suspected that Aiden might have a powerful technique but he didn't want to ask as it was rude to ask about an important secret like that.

Eldric murmured to himself, "It has to be an Immortal level technique for him to be able to pull that amount of mana. Also, it has to be perfect for his divine ability to let him raise the maximum output of mana that he emits during the day".

Eldric considered the possibility that Aiden might be using an Immortal-level meditation technique—an extraordinary achievement for anyone, let alone someone as young as Aiden. Such technique can make him reach the Saint level. But suddenly a thought appeared in his mind , a suspicion that this technique might be even more powerful.

"Could it be... a Divine-level technique?" Eldric murmured to himself, the thought sending a thrill of excitement through him. The idea was almost too incredible to contemplate. Divine-level techniques were the stuff of legend, spoken of in ancient texts but rarely, if ever, seen. They were said to be capable of unlocking powers beyond the Saint level.

The implications of Aiden wielding such a technique were very big. Eldric's mind raced with the possibilities, his excitement growing with each passing second. If Aiden indeed was in the process of mastering—a Divine-level meditation technique, then the potential he held was limitless.

"How much more can you show me?" Eldric smiled, excitement and anticipation in his eyes. He had already witnessed Aiden perform feats that defied conventional understanding, but if Aiden was truly on the path of a Divine-level technique, then he had only scratched the surface of what was possible.

The world had waited for someone like Aiden. And now, Eldric was determined to see just how far Aiden could go.