Chp 24 The path to Power

Two days passed in a flash. It felt like only yesterday that I had killed them. No, I shouldn't think about it. I need to focus on my training today. My sword feels a little heavier but stronger—it feels good.

A voice came from behind. "Grey, come here. Today, I will teach you something new."

It was Commander Arthur.

"As an aura swordsman, there's not much left for me to teach you. You already know how to control and utilize aura within your body. Even before I told you, you had already infused it into the swords around you."

Grey nodded. "Commander, how do we determine if an aura swordsman is stronger than us?"

Arthur replied, "By seeing their aura, you can gauge their strength. But there's another way—the number of cores they have inside. The more cores you possess, the stronger you are."

Grey asked, "How many do you have, Commander?"

Arthur smiled. "I have seven cores. The more cores you have, the more aura you can control for longer periods. The highest in this continent is an eight-core swordsman named Athis from Plasis. No one has reached the ninth core—at least, that's what people say. But one person did: the founder of Guardia. The tales of his strength have always inspired me."

"Then... how many do I have?" Grey asked.

Arthur answered, "You currently have one core, but you're ready to create another."

"How do I do it?" Grey asked.

"Like last time—form a core with the surrounding aura inside your body. This time, you will do it on your own."

Grey nodded and quickly sat down to meditate. Within seconds, he reached inside his body, seeing the aura flowing through him—twice as much as before. Slowly, he started forming the second core. When it was done, he noticed there was still plenty of aura left. He struggled to form the third core, failing three times before finally succeeding on the fourth attempt.

Grey opened his eyes and saw Commander Arthur training with his sword.

Arthur turned to him and said, "Took you long enough. It's been three hours."

Grey took a deep breath. "I made two cores. Now I have three."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Two at once? That's incredible. You truly are a talented person. Now, release your aura and observe the difference."

Grey released his aura, and immediately, he saw it—it was much larger than before.

"Now, focus. Try to make it smaller and more controlled," Arthur instructed.

Grey concentrated and compressed his aura. Once he had it under control, he moved toward the wooden training dolls. When he struck, his sword sliced through effortlessly. Unlike before, his hands no longer shook, nor did he feel any pain.

Arthur clapped him on the back. "Well done. You've improved. Now, let's duel."

Grey lasted longer than before but was still no match for Arthur. After their sparring match, Arthur said, "You're getting stronger. Don't be discouraged. Now, for what I originally planned to teach you—how to detect soldiers nearby."

Grey looked intrigued. "How?"

"Close your eyes, calm your mind, and try to sense how many people are around us."

Grey obeyed. He focused, his mind settling into silence. Then, he heard it—the sound of swords clashing, distant voices, Levy and Baran talking, and Ash practicing with a wooden dummy. After a moment, the sensation faded.

He opened his eyes. "I heard them."

Arthur nodded approvingly. "Good for your first try. Practice it every day—it will help you grow stronger."

Meanwhile, in a dark alley, a voice filled with hatred spoke.

"Beelzebub," Jackson muttered.

"How do you feel?" the voice whispered.

Jackson's expression was cold. "It feels good. I should have accepted this sooner. I was a fool. Tell me, Beelzebub... how do I get even stronger?"

Beelzebub's voice oozed with satisfaction. "Absorb the bodies of those you kill. Their essence will make you stronger. The more you absorb, the greater your power. Just kill and consume—it's that simple."

Jackson narrowed his eyes. "But there's a catch, isn't there?"

Beelzebub chuckled darkly. "With each kill, with each absorption, you will lose something. I won't tell you what—you'll understand soon enough. Now, go ahead. Try absorbing."

Jackson looked down at the lifeless bodies he had slain. A dark energy seeped from their corpses, turning their flesh to brittle skeletons as the essence flowed into him. He felt the surge of power within him and grinned.

"This... feels incredible. I feel stronger!" He burst into laughter. "Ahahahaha!"

Beelzebub asked, "What will you do now, Jackson?"

Jackson's smile turned sinister. "For now, I must get stronger. I'm still too weak. But one day... I will destroy Guardia. First, I will take over this city of 'freedom.' There is no king here—everything is controlled by the guilds, so I will also make a guild of my own. I will make them submit to me. If they refuse... I will kill them."

Beelzebub's voice hummed with amusement. "This will be an entertaining journey to witness."

Jackson smirked. "It will be. But first, tell me more about yourself."

Beelzebub hesitated. "We are not that close yet. Perhaps, as our bond deepens, I will tell you. For now, focus on your goal."

Jackson crossed his arms. "Calling you Beelzebub all the time is tiring. Can I call you something else?"

"You may call me anything you wish."

Jackson thought for a moment. "Then... I'll call you Varina from now on."

A moment of silence, then Beelzebub—now Varina—spoke. "That name suits me. I accept it."

Jackson grinned. "Then let's go, partner."

Varina's voice curled with amusement. "Sure, partner."