Noticing that his students were distracted, Balrog snapped his fingers, sending a shockwave through the room to regain their focus.
"I won’t bore you with nonsense like saying knights are better than mages—that’s simply dismissive. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, just like our knight class. Never underestimate them. Together, we complement each other, watching each other’s backs. There’s no room for discord because our ultimate goal is survival."
Every cadet nodded in acknowledgment of their teacher’s words. It was true that knights often looked down on mages, considering them weak and in need of protection, but as Balrog pointed out, it was a thing of the past. It was best not to underestimate a mage; like the knight class, they also had their own strengths and weaknesses.
"Who can tell me about the different stages?" At this basic question, everyone raised their hands. Their teacher simply picked someone—a young man with a burly physique named Leto.
"The basic steps are as follows: Accumulation, Condensation, and Manifestation. After that, you become a Low level, then Intermediate, followed by High level, and finally the apex level—the ultimate level," Leto proudly explained, his eyes shining as he spoke about the last level. His goal was clear: to reach the ultimate level, a goal shared by everyone present, though only a few could actually achieve it, as reaching this level was extremely difficult.
"Not bad," Balrog said. "As Leto mentioned, we begin by going through three stages known as the basic stages. Accumulation: In this stage, you gather ambient primordial energy, imbuing it into every fiber of your body in preparation for the next stage, the Condensation stage. Here, you use the accumulated energy to create a core that will house the energy for your future use. Lastly, by utilizing this energy and receiving a blessing, you can manifest outside your inherited law, this is the Manifestation Stage; only then can you be considered a Low level Knight or Mage. After that, by accumulating more energy as your core grows, your level rises. To become an Intermediate grade Knight or Mage, your core must be as large as a basin.
If you’re wondering how this is possible, considering the core is nestled within the human body, let me explain: after creating your core, it exists in an independent world of its own, even though it’s inside the body. Nobody knows how this is possible, but it is."
The cadets nodded, now understanding how the core could grow without causing the body to explode.
"Moving on, to reach the High level, your core must transform into a liquid form, becoming as vast as an ocean."
The cadets widened their eyes.
’So the difference between Intermediate and High is extremely vast. The chasm between them is immense,’ Nero concluded, and Balrog’s next words confirmed this.
"I see the surprise in your eyes, and that’s understandable. With my explanation, you must now grasp just how significant the gap between Intermediate and High level is."
They nodded in agreement. Balrog continued.
"Lastly, the Apex level. You can only reach this stage when your core becomes a vortex. You should know that a vortex is bottomless."
Most cadets shuddered, confronted with the reality that the path to the top wouldn’t be easy. Yet instead of feeling discouraged, their eyes burned with determination, vowing to achieve greatness and reach the top or, at the very least, become the second best—the High level.
Balrog nodded, pleased to see his students maintain their will. Their determined eyes were a gratifying sight.
’I wonder if I can be considered to have reached the ultimate level, considering I have a vortex with something sealed within?’ Nero thought before shaking his head. He couldn’t think like that, as not only was his core sealed, preventing him from using any primordial energy, but he also had nine stars sealed within him. To become like the others, he would need to unseal them.
’Sigh! It’s like I’ve started from the back,’ Nero chuckled inwardly. While others typically began with the steps mentioned earlier, he had skipped them because, in his inner world, he already possessed a vortex—the ultimate form of a core—and nine stars, nine laws sealed within him.
While Nero was lost in thought, someone was glaring at him with malice—it was none other than Barak, who was eager to mock him, leading to his next move.
Raising his hand, he successfully drew Balrog’s attention.
"Yeah, Barak, do you have a question for me?"
"Yes, I do!"
"Then go ahead."
Barak smiled, a vicious grin on his face.
"I believe that everyone present here has already passed through the three basic stages and can be considered Low level Knights. However, there’s someone here who cannot sense or use primordial energy, and thus cannot be considered a Low level Knight. I wonder why he is authorized to be here?"
As he finished his sentence, Barak shot a cold glare at Nero, his intentions clear.
Most of the cadets nodded, curious about how someone like Nero could be a cadet, let alone admitted to the special class.
Nero, having regained focus after hearing Barak’s question and feeling the eyes on him, chuckled, his lips curling into a mocking sneer.
Barak’s blood boiled, while Adam found the situation amusing.
Meanwhile, their teacher massaged his forehead.
"Nobody said you must necessarily be a Low level Knight or Mage to be admitted. Anyone can pass if they pass the academy tests. Being a Low level Knight or Mage is a bonus. Nero proved himself through hardship and wit. You must be an idiot not to see his potential. Just think about it: someone who is not even a Low level Knight passed the academy tests and became the second best. Imagine what he can accomplish and how strong he will be once he becomes capable of using a Law."