62 Understanding

Lucien didn't think too far on how to enhance himself in the correct direction, pure raw power was the best solution. No matter how many schemes happened in the background or in the open, overwhelming power could crush them all. Evil or Rightful, nobody weaker could judge, even if they did nobody cares, only peers or stronger foes had the right to judge you.

'I won't enhance the Soul right now, because the enhancement with points is uncontrollable, and I have much easier time getting control over body stats.'

'Put 300 points in Strength, Agility and Vitality.'

-180 000 Existence Point deducted-

The crimson light inside the Crimson World that represented the Existence Points split with an enormous ball of it exiting the world and entering the body of Lucien. What followed was excruciating pain. All three stats were going from 500 to 800 which was a jump from low Rank 2 all the way to high Rank 2, the change was not like when breaking through a Rank, but still fundamental and almost doubling the current body power.

Since the change was forceful and defying the natural order, the pain lasted for quite a while, with Lucien rolling around and charging into rocks. Booms were heard all around. Once the area grew quiet again, the youth laying on the ground looked a bit different. Even if he tried to conceal it, power was rippling from his perfect figure, his Soul was weaker than his body for the first time, but considering the current state of the war, it might not be for long.

'Give me All Lower Paths to Rank 1.'

-60000 Existence points deducted-

The crimson light split once again, with six of them shooting towards the real body of Lucien and one remaining in the world and dispersing back into fog.

The difference this time was that the light was not all in the same form, for example the one of the crimson lights was in the form of ever-changing fire, another one looked like a rock, all of them were bearing the element they were meant to bring to the next level, and once the six crimson lights were inside of Lucien each split up further into 9, meant for each gate of that Path.

The gates were a very mysterious concept, from the start till now nobody had managed to explain how they worked properly. It was only known that at each Rank a practitioner had to open those 9 illusionary gates to get to the next Rank, and there were many different methods.

Another thing that was observed was that the gates of each Rank were connecting with the gates from the previous Ranks and were going from inside to the outside like a Path from inside the Practitioner to somewhere.

-Fire Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

-Water Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

-Earth Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

-Metal Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

-Wind Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

-Light Path Opening Rank 1 Gates-

The process didn't last long and it used the same method used by Lucien, they didn't break or grind away the doors, just slammed them open, one by one.

-Opening Rank 1 Gates with Fire Path Successful-

-Opening Rank 1 Gates with Water Path Successful-

-Opening Rank 1 Gates with Earth Path Successful-

-Opening Rank 1 Gates with Wind Path Successful-

-Opening Rank 1 Gates with Light Path Successful-

-Detecting a large change in Paths-

-Alert: NO change in stats, Rank of integrated Paths is too low to alter the current stats-

-Lucien BloodMoon-

-Age: 16 years-

-Race: Human-

-Orthodox Paths:

Darkness(Rank 2)

Fire(Rank 1)

Water(Rank 1)

Earth(Rank 1)

Metal(Rank 1)

Wind(Rank 1)

Light(Rank 1)

Lightning(Rank 2)

-All Lower Paths(Rank 1)-

-Unorthodox Paths:

Silver Ghoul(Rank 2)

Vampire Count(Rank 2)

570.80 Meter Soul (Soul Devour Rank 2)-

-Strength: 800.00-

-Agility: 800.00-

-Vitality: 800.00-

-Soul: 570.80-

-All Lower Paths(Rank 1): Understanding over all the Lower Paths, speeds up the process of comprehending Middle Paths tremendously. Can feel the Particles of All Lower Paths, thus feeling what Paths are other practitioners practicing. At Rank 1 understanding is improved further, chances of getting enlightened on a Middle Path before Rank 3 are increased-

-Lightning Steps(Rank 1, Level 3): Boosts the Agility of the user by injecting Lightning Particles inside the body, at Level 1(One Blue Lightning) - 25 Agility increase, at Level 2(Double Blue Lightning) - 50 Agility increase, at Level 3(Instant Blue Lightning)- 100 Agility increase-

-Control over internal body: 80%-

-Control over particles:

Inside the body: 100%

Outside the body: 70%-

-Control over Soul : 570.80 Points-

As the understanding about all those paths was lacking, and forcefully imprinting them would be harmful, All Existence just offered a chance at enlightenment. The moment the gate opening began, Lucien was in a complete stupor, he hadn't even seen his status. It was not an enlightenment over a Middle Path, but one over all the lower paths. Under the form of an illusion and a concrete situation, Lucien was able to observe how the Paths interact with each other and the properties of each and every one of them separately.

For him it felt like years inside, but it was almost instantaneous, if someone didn't look closer, they might have not even noticed the look on his face during the illusion.

Even after the illusion finished, he stood there, trying to process all the amazing sights he had seen. Water playing with Fire and during contact no violent reactions happening, Light mingling with Darkness as if in complete peace with each other, and all the elements in their natural states, Fires burning and destroying everything in their paths, Water submerging whole nations and the life that appears after the destruction.

'I understand now. That is why understanding Middle Paths is not possible from the start, they exist on a different plane, without a strong enough Soul, or strong enough understanding of the lower plane, it's impossible to peer inside the higher planes of existence.'

'With this I have 10 000 Existence points left, but within Rank 2, I can hardly find a match, after this is finished, Middle Paths is the next target.'

'What is the price of enlightenment on a Middle Path?'

-Before Rank 3 or All Lower Paths at Rank 1 the price is 1 000 000 Existence Points, since the

simulation inside the illusion to understand the Path would be incredibly hard to simplify for the inept to understand-

-If one of the conditions is met, the price is 100 000 Existence Points-