With his core being different and his meridians reversed, he found he could practice more than one [Mana Accumulation Technique] simultaneously without damaging his core.
It was like forming another core in his body, which did not make any sense at the start, but then, as he closely inspected his body and experimented with it, he realized that thanks to his unique condition, the mana was flowing in the reverse direction, the cores would not get entangled.
This realization opened new possibilities for his growth and power.
But at the same time, it was hard for him. No matter the mana accumulation technique he saw or learned, he needed to adapt all of them to himself.
At the same time, the other cores were not completely unlinked to each other. Their energies needed to be balanced.
He had found out about this while trying to cultivate [Flame Serpent Art]. When he tried to cultivate those energies, he almost internally injured himself because the fire energy of the art made the energies itself too destructive.
It was nothing like [Devourer of Stars].
It was as if that art was the best thing that was suited for him, and while cultivating that, he didn't feel any pain. But that was not the case for the [Flame Serpent Art].
While he was cultivating that, his core burned, and that alone was not enough. Just like his core, almost all of his meridians also burned. The destructive energy of the fire was not being regulated inside his core.
Since his meridians were reversed, rather than expelling the energy, it was holding it inside, and that increased his inner temperature. And that alone made it nearly impossible for him to bear the pain as it was even more than what he was doing before.
That was why he had postponed training for it, as he knew he did not have the time to do such a thing. His efforts needed to be focused on the things that would benefit him.
Because he was running out of time, while he was cultivating, he had realized one thing.
'With the speed of my cultivation right now, I will not be able to form the third star until the war ends.'
The higher one's rank was, the higher it was for them to reach the next realm. That was especially the case for Lucavion, as he needed to adjust the teachings of his master and the manual he had left for his own core.
And that was not easy. He needed to understand the technique, which had become more and more complex than it was before. He also needed to absorb mana and cultivate his inner mana to reach the pinnacle of the second stage.
For him to do such a thing, he needed an immense amount of time, and that time was something that he did not have.
Constantly being sent to the battlefield as a foot soldier was taking a lot of his time. It was nearly impossible for him to only focus on his cultivation, as he was out there fighting for his life.
That was why he decided to try to cultivate another art and form another core. If he were to do such a thing, he would show himself that he had awakened his core and became Awakened to the military.
With how things were going rough and the Arcanis Empire winning the war, there was no way the army would reject him or do a background check for him.
He had already learned from the military that even now, many Awakened were being encouraged to join the army by being promised many rewards, and that was the case for the soldiers who were also awakened.
There would be many pills, essences, and alchemy products that he would be given if he showed that he was awakened.
But there was one thing restricting him: the fact that he was practicing the art of that Traitor Gerald. At least, that was how his master was known. Practicing the [Void Starfall Blade] openly would bring too much attention and scrutiny. The stigma associated with Gerald's name was still strong, and any association with him could spell disaster for Lucavion.
That was the reason he found the need to cultivate another technique. If he were to show that he was awakened by a different art, he would both pass the scrutiny and prove himself more worthy. This would likely grant him more resources, making his cultivation journey smoother.
For Lucavion, it was a win-win situation. Even if he failed, he would still be unable to escape the battlefield's demands. Without the resources, he would not be able to reach the third star in just a year and a half. It was also not like he could easily defend himself while perfectly hiding his strength.
There were bound to be things like the 'Knight of the Wind' incident happening again.
Determined to pursue this path, Lucavion decided to start with the [Iron Will Spear Art]. He needed to convert it to a sword technique and make it his own.
He studied the manual, paying close attention to the flow of mana and the specific techniques. It was challenging, but he had a foundation laid by his master's teachings, which made the adaptation process more manageable.
And because the [Iron Will Spear Art] was a technique that only used raw mana without any attributes, it came as a blessing in disguise. Because thanks to that, there were no side effects that his core would be bearing.
He spent days and nights practicing, his body moving through the forms with increasing precision. He visualized the mana flowing within his reversed meridians, adjusting the techniques to harmonize with his unique condition.
In the end, he was able to achieve what he had wished.
[Black Blade of Ironclad]
It was the name that he had given the technique since it was a breathing technique that he made out on his own. Even if he had taken inspiration from the original [Iron Will Spear Art], he had changed both the mana circulations and the weapon that the art would be used on, so he shamelessly changed the art from one to another.
But at the same time, it also came with its own hardness as he was forced to spend much time cultivating this technique. He had spent a whole two months creating this technique, and that was why he was not able to focus on his main cultivation core [Devourer of Stars].
Despite the time and effort, Lucavion knew he needed to balance his cultivation. He couldn't afford to neglect the [Devourer of Stars], but he also needed to solidify his cover. With his new technique, he decided it was time to show his prowess to the other soldiers in the army.
Intentionally demonstrating his abilities during training and minor skirmishes, he ensured his skill with the [Black Blade of Ironclad] did not go unnoticed. The raw, unembellished power of his technique drew attention, and soon, whispers about his potential began to spread.
It wasn't long before he was called for an examination by his superiors. They tested his strength, endurance, and skill in a series of rigorous challenges.
Lucavion passed each one with flying colors, his mastery of the [Black Blade of Ironclad] evident in every move. Though it was evident that the art was not anything special, his way of using the sword was exceptional.
"Impressive," one of the officers remarked, watching Lucavion closely. "You've shown exceptional skill and dedication. We could use more soldiers like you."
After the examination, Lucavion was raised from the rank of foot soldier to a third-rate soldier. In the military context, the term "third-rate" was generally used for first-stage Awakened and vice versa until the third-stage Awakened, which was called a first-rate fighter or mage.
Lucavion's rise in rank came with new responsibilities and privileges. He received better equipment, access to higher-quality resources, and a greater degree of respect from his peers. The change in his status also meant he was no longer on the front lines but rather part of more strategic missions.
This advancement allowed Lucavion to focus more on his cultivation. Balancing the training of the [Devourer of Stars] and the [Black Blade of Ironclad], he worked tirelessly to harmonize the two techniques within his unique condition. His progress was slow but steady, and each day brought him closer to his goal of reaching the third stage.
As he grew stronger, his reputation within the army solidified. His superiors took note of his dedication and skill, and he was given increasingly challenging tasks.
Despite the constant danger and the weight of his hidden identity, Lucavion felt a sense of purpose as he was getting stronger with each second, and he was already strong enough to deal with the most third-rate soldiers only using his [Black Blade of Ironclad].
Not long after, he became a member of a special troupe that was filled with people who were awake like him, though the group was mostly filled with people with antics overlooked by Colonel Morgan.
From now on, he will no longer be staying in this place.
"After consuming the High Tier Mana Essence, I will no longer be forced to stay in this damned place."
Since today, he would be breaking through, and it would be his last day on the battlefield.
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I am open to any criticism; you can comment on things that you would like to see in the story.
And if you liked my story, please give me a power stone. It helps me a lot.