The Medici Matrix

'There are nine ranks of peerage and cultivation. In descending order they are Monarch, Archduke, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Count, Viscount, Baron, and Knight. These are not only peerage ranks but also correspond to cultivation bases with the same name. Within each rank, there are 5 sub ranks, respectively known as Entry, Lower, Middle, Upper and Peak making up for a total of 45 sub-levels.

To level up, each vocation goes about it in roughly the same way. Through the accumulation of energy. For spiritualists to break through the major levels. Let's say from Upper Baron to Entry Viscount, one has to contract a spirit of at least the Viscount level

It is not necessary to reach the 'Peak' of the Cultivation level to progress, but doing so will give you a huge boost as it means you have a sort of 'hidden' sub-level of power. I am currently an Upper Duke. I was a Peak Knight, Baron and Viscount. However, from there all I could do is reach the Upper sub-level. From that point, it became incredibly difficult to reach another Peak.

However, this means I have 3 extra sublevels that most won't have. And people already call me a once-in-a-millennium genius.

Hence I am what is referred to as a Three-Peak cultivator. The more 'Peaks' exist in your cultivation base, the easier it is to reach higher levels and possibly attain a 'Peak' later on.'

An Upper Duke Three-Peak Cultivator. That was Eden. But Hestia had promised him that he will at least be a Six-Peak Cultivator. That meant that his minimum cultivation should be Duke, possibly Archduke. After seeing how easily Eden dispatched Fuchs, Artillians mind couldn't help but race.

It was clear that Eden and Fuch's had similar cultivation levels, but their Peerage, which includes both Cultivation levels and Peaks, was not the same. According to Eden, a Five-Peak Upper marquis could battle a Three-Peak Archduke powerhouse. That's an entire 6 subranks of power.

Even though the 'Peaks' were only attainable by a chosen few, they were still counted among the sub-levels as anyone could attain them. Attaining a Peak had less to do with Talent and more to do with good fortune and hard work.

IF Cultivation level represented Energy Quantity, Peaks were a measure of energy quality. Peerage was both quantity and quality together. Quality could make up for quantity but the opposite was also true. If one spent too much time trying to be a perfectionist and attain Peaks, then their level would stagnate and they would not rise.

Cultivation was fastest during one's first 30 years, between the ages of 15 and 30 to be particular. Therefore during that time, quantity had to be the focus. But missing a single Peak for a level makes it almost impossible to attain a Peak in the level above. Only freaks of nature with superb strokes of luck could attain Peaks after skipping a level.

Artillian went back into his bedroom and took a look at himself.

He noticed that his skin had tanned slightly. If only he had a mirror, then he would notice the beautiful azure of his eyes slowly turning grey. He suddenly felt hungry and this caused him no small amount of confusion.

'I just ate not too long ago and now I'm hungry again?'

Now before we proceed, I want us to make proper preparations. I have scanned through your memories and I have to say I am impressed by your talent in modifying spell matrices. I want us to use this to our advantage. Let's go to the library. I have a plan."

On the way to that large Library, Hestia explained her plan to Artillian but he couldn't help but be in awe. It was superb and made him feel much safer than before.

'This is insane, but it could work.'

Artillian reached the library and approached one of the stupendous bookshelves. Hestia had shared a few basic spells with him to allow Artilian to perform an extremely complex one.

Artillian calmed himself and focused his Spiritual Energy. He pulled it from his Dantian and circulated it according to the pathways in the spell matrices. The Spiritual Energy was then guided to his finger.

"Aitho."

Small embers of flame ignited on each of his fingertips as his hand made a claw shape. The five flames we small but they burned brightly. An odd feeling of warmth and purity emanated from them.

"Halysis." As soon as he spoke the second chant, small chains made up of fire travelled between the embers and connected them. The five embers now looked to be part of a circle of flames that started to rotate clockwise. But Artillian was not done. The circle of flames left his hand and floated in mid-air. It had completely turned into a smooth ring of fire made up of a single chain that revolved none stop.

"Aitho."

Three new embers appeared on Artillians hand from his ring finger, middle finger and index finger.

"Halysis."

The previous scene repeated itself, except this time it was a triangle. The embers formed the three-pointed edges of an equilateral triangle made up of a flaming chain. The triangle did not rotate like the circle but it was stable and still.

"Aitho"

This time, all fingers except the thumb produced embers.

"Halysis."

The embers chained and combined to form a square. The square chain of flames rotated in the opposite direction as the circle, anti-clockwise and placed itself next to the triangle that was in the middle.

"Kerannymi."

This chant caused the three shapes in the air to compound upon each other, creating an odd shape It looked like a triangle drawn on top of a square that was on top of a circle. The edges of the triangle and square popped out at different ends while certain parts of the circle's perimeter would be the boundary in other parts. It was a simple yet complex shape that housed many mysteries within. The three flaming chains weaved and interlinked to form a new complete whole.

Kindle, link and mix. Aithos, halysis and kerannyymi. This was the setup for one of the most complex spells either of the two had heard of.

"The Medici matrix." Both Hestia and Artillian said out loud. The importance of the Medici Matrix in the study of magic theory was as important as Einstein's Theory of Relativity on earth.

Most of Earth's modern-day spells were born using the Medici Matrix as a base. The small Medici Matrix came and embedded itself on Artillian's skin. The smell of burnt flesh started to sound out in the room. Artillian knew that this would happen but he held his ground. If there was one thing he could do its resist pain. He feared it, he despised it, but he would not lose to it. He didn't even let out a squeal as third-degree burns appeared on his skin. After 30 seconds or so, the sizzling stopped and only a tattoo-like image of the Medici Matrix remained. Artillian's entire back was soaked in sweat as he took deep mellow breaths. He had experienced a lot of physical pain, especially before he had died, but that was incredibly intense, even by his standards.