Divine Path

The silence after Edward's command was heavier than the dust in the training hall. Vaishnav stayed on the ground. Blood dripped from his split lip, each drop loud in the quiet. His fists clenched against the cold stone—not because of the pain in his jaw, though it throbbed like fire, but because of the shame crushing down on him.

I flew… from a First-Level…The thought screamed in his head, louder than anything Edward was saying.

He couldn't look up. Not at Rudra. Not at Devyani. Definitely not at Edward. His image—the calm, confident Third-Level—was in pieces, broken like his pride.

With a raw, angry sound, Vaishnav pushed himself to his feet. His eyes burned with rage. He didn't say a word. Just turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him hard enough to shake the walls.

Rudra stood, breathing hard, the deep blue shimmer of his prāṇa slowly settling around him like dust after a storm. The rush of adrenaline ebbed, leaving behind the sharp ache in his shoulder, the dull throb in his ribs, and the bitter tang of blood on his tongue.

He watched Vaishnav's back as the door slammed shut, the echo jarring in the heavy silence.

Rudra looked down at his hands—knuckles red, skin tingling. The power beneath his flesh no longer surged. It pulsed. Coiled. Waiting. Not like a gift. Like a storm barely held at bay.

And now, he knew what he lacked most.

Not strength.

ExperienceTechnique.

The realization settled deep in his bones.

And suddenly, the vast training hall felt too small—too narrow to contain what he had become, and what he would have to become next.

Silence hung heavy in the training hall, broken only by Rudra's ragged breathing and the fading echo of the slammed door.

Edward watched the space where Vaishnav had disappeared, his expression grim. He let out a long, weary sigh, the sound heavy with responsibility and regret.

"Devyani," Edward said, his voice low but firm. He didn't turn from the doorway. "Go after him. Make sure he gets medical attention for that jaw immediately."

He finally looked towards Rudra, who stood battered but steady amidst the settling dust. Edward's gaze was intense, assessing, but not angry. "I'll go see Vaishnav myself later," he added, his tone implying the conversation wouldn't be pleasant or easy.

Then, his focus settled fully on Rudra. "You," Edward stated, his voice losing none of its gravity. "Come with me. We need to talk. Now."

He turned and walked towards a smaller door leading off the main training floor, clearly expecting Rudra to follow. The immediate test was over, but the real consequences were just beginning.

The heavy door clicked shut behind them, sealing Rudra and Edward in a small, austere office. Dust motes floated in a single shaft of light cutting through a high window. Rudra stood stiffly, every ache from the fight a sharp reminder of Vaishnav's fury. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions.

Edward leaned against a worn wooden desk, his earlier intensity replaced by a deep, probing scrutiny. He didn't offer a seat. His gaze felt like a physical weight, dissecting Rudra piece by piece.

Finally, Edward spoke, his voice low and deadly serious. "Rudra. Tell me truthfully. Do you also walk the Divine Path of the Body?"

Rudra blinked. The words meant nothing. "The Divine Path of... the Body?" he echoed, genuine confusion knitting his brows. "What is that?"

Edward's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. A flicker of pure astonishment crossed his normally controlled features. He stared at Rudra as if seeing him for the first time. "You… you don't know? You possess physical strength that rivals a tempered Third-Level Initiate,… and you don't even know the name of the path?"

Rudra shifted slightly, the movement pulling at his bruised ribs. "I just… trained. My body changed when I Awakened. It got… denser. Stronger." He offered no grand explanation. It was simple fact. of course he excluded his dream the thing that changed him.

Edward exhaled sharply, a sound of pure disbelief. He paced a short step, then stopped, pinning Rudra with his gaze again. "Alright. Foundational knowledge first. What, in your understanding, is the main essence of a living being?"

Rudra didn't hesitate. His basic Awakener indoctrination covered this. "Three pillars," he stated flatly. "The Body. The Energy – prana. The Soul."

"Exactly," Edward said, a touch of grim satisfaction in his tone. "Three pillars. Three paths to strength. There are countless variations, techniques, and schools, but the broadest roads to power stem from cultivating one of these three essences to its peak."

He held up three fingers.

Evolution of the Physical Body: The Divine Path of the Body. "Forging flesh, bone, and blood into an indestructible weapon. Unparalleled resilience, earth-shattering strength, speed that defies physics – all achieved by pushing the body itself beyond mortal limits. Your raw power… it strongly suggests this affinity."

Evolution Through Prana: The Divine Path of Energy. "The most common, the most orthodox path. Refining and expanding the prana within, mastering its flow, shaping it into techniques for offense, defense, and manipulation of the world. This is the path Vaishnav walks, and most others you'll meet."

Evolution of the Soul: The Divine Path of the Soul. "The rarest and most mysterious. Cultivating the spirit itself – willpower, perception, connection to deeper truths. Masters can project their spirit, resist mental assaults, perceive the unseen, and wield powers that defy physical laws."

Rudra listened, his mind working rapidly. The sheer scope of it hit him. The world wasn't just about getting stronger; it was about how you chose to do it. Different mountains to climb. Different weapons to forge. It was… vast. More complex than he'd imagined. A flicker of genuine interest sparked beneath his fatigue and pain.

"So," Rudra asked, cutting straight to the tactical implication, "can a warrior only walk one path?"

Edward actually gave a short, humorless bark of laughter. "No. Absolutely not. That's a beginner's misconception. The three paths are *fundamentally interconnected**. A powerful soul needs a vessel strong enough to contain it. A body pushed to divine limits requires immense energy to fuel it and a resilient soul to command it. True mastery, especially at higher realms, requires integrating aspects of the other paths into your primary one. You forge your own exclusive synthesis."

He leaned forward slightly. "Take the Soul Knights. You know of them?"

Rudra nodded sharply, the movement pulling at his bruised neck. "The Kingdom's elite. Royalty's blade. Everyone knows. The Soul Knights weren't just known; they are legendary.

"Exactly," Edward confirmed. "They are primarily Energy cultivators. Masters of prana manipulation, stealth, and combat techniques. But their secondary path? Soul. They temper their will to unbreakable levels, hone their perception to supernatural sharpness, and forge a deep connection to their purpose. That synthesis – Energy as the core, Soul as the crucial secondary – is what makes them Soul Knights. It defines their unique power and role."

Rudra absorbed this. It made perfect, brutal sense. Why limit yourself? Why not combine strengths? His mind raced, already slotting this new framework over his own experience. My body is my foundation. Strong. But I have deep prana too – that stream. And as for my soul not sure about it.

Edward watched the calculations flicker behind Rudra's eyes. He saw not awe, but assessment. Strategy. "His performance today… it defies conventional understanding for a First-Level. His physical prowess is monstrously advanced, yet you lack any formal Body Path techniques or knowledge. His prana control upon release was unnervingly precise for someone so raw, suggesting a deep innate affinity for Prana.

He definitely holds immeasurable potential… heh, I'm lucky to have stumbled upon a treasure like him

Edward straightened, his expression grave but carrying a new weight of decision. "Effective immediately, Rudra, you are admitted to the Inner Academy. Report to the Administration Hall tomorrow at dawn " He let the significance hang for a beat – entry into the Inner Academy wasn't granted lightly. "After your academy obligations each day, you will report directly to me. Your real instruction begins then I will personally train you."

He gestured firmly towards the door. "Go. Get those injuries seen to properly. You'll need to be functional.

Rudra absorbed the orders with the same focused intensity he brought to the fight. Inner Academy. Personal training under Edward. It was a sudden, steep escalation – a direct result of the potential Edward saw.

The pain was still a dull throb, but it was utterly eclipsed by the magnitude of the path opening before him. He nodded once, sharp and precise – the soldier acknowledging a vital mission.

He turned and left the room.

A surge of excitement coursed through him—Edward, among the most powerful figures in the entire province, was now his mentor. With guidance like that, he could bypass years of wasted effort.