The Path of Refining Body and Core

Imagine a tree with roots that stretch deep into the earth, providing a steady foundation for its towering trunk and outstretched branches.

In the same way, the optimal method for refining the body and core is to strengthen them simultaneously, much like nourishing a tree's roots and trunk.

Removing impurities bit by bit, each strengthening exercise builds upon the last until the core is like an unbreakable anchor, grounding the body in its power.

However, if the core is stronger than the body, refining world energy can be like a gust of wind, causing pain until the body is fully adapted.

Just as a tree must weather the storm until it grows stronger, so too must we endure discomfort to reach our true potential.

The reason why normal tissues cannot tolerate even the slightest spasms from the mana core is due to the sheer intensity of the power that courses through an Awakened's veins.

When an Awakened attempts to use Accumulation during times of bottlenecks, the sheer force of the energy can cause them immense pain, as if their inner core is being ripped apart.

Imagine an unrelenting storm of magic, surging through every fiber of your being, threatening to tear you apart at the seams. The pain is unimaginable, as if lightning bolts are striking your very core.

Your body convulses and trembles as the energy disperses violently. In that moment, you feel as if you have lost all control, all sense of self.

It takes immense discipline and training to master the art of Accumulation, to learn to ride the waves of magic and channel it with precision.

Only then can an Awakened hope to harness the true power of their mana core without fear of its destructive potential.

The refinement of one's body is a crucial multiplier to their raw physical strength, with mass playing a vital role in the equation. As a fighter, the effectiveness of your body refinement is directly proportional to your mass, resulting in an amplified physical prowess that can make all the difference in combat.

Those who have Awakened possess the ability to continuously refine their own bodies over time through a combination of various techniques such as exercise, combat training, and specialized breathing exercises.

These efforts result in gradual progress, with occasional large leaps forward in the form of breakthroughs.

The result of this dedication is a heightened level of body refinement that can give the Awakened a significant edge in combat or other physical challenges.

While an Awakened individual can refine their body to a significant extent, such progress is ultimately constrained by the limitations of their core.

As Awakened refine their bodies, they gain heightened physical strength, increased endurance, and improved appearance.

The benefits are amplified during their natural growth phase, resulting in a remarkable transformation.

Perfect body refinement allows an Awakened to avoid problems while upgrading the core because the body and core can actually develop together.

For instance, while those who Awaken at the age of 50 or 60 may have to wait for years to move from the cyan to blue core due to the body's need for adaptation, individuals with perfect body refinement do not.

They always possess the highest levels of strength, agility, durability, stamina, endurance, and more for someone of their core. Meanwhile, even much older Awakened cannot claim the same without undergoing extensive training and adaptation to their new abilities as their body evolves.

Being awakened at birth only entails perfect physical development and the potential for more frequent breakthroughs.

However, it must be noted that Elyon is a unique case and cannot be classified within these parameters.

There are subtle indications of his exceptional nature and the distinct condition he possesses.

Impurities are a tar-like substance that can be found throughout the body, including in the organs, blood vessels, and neural pathways. Despite their presence, impurities are not caused by any disease or anomaly and are as natural to the body as the bridge of the nose or skin moles.

Impurities are a double-edged sword: they hinder a person's development and enhance the signs of aging, yet they also serve to inhibit the flow of mana, preventing the body from breaking down faster than it can recover. Without these mechanisms, ordinary individuals would perish the moment their bodies were no longer strong enough to bear the power of their own cores.

Like a tide towards the shore, impurities are drawn towards the core of the body, amplifying their effectiveness with proximity. Once expelled from the body's pores and orifices, the core demands evolution for survival.

If Should one's body harbor too many impurities and lack the necessary refinement, the Awakening process would prove fatal.

The mana core, overstimulated by the uncontrollable surge of mana waves, would push the body to the brink of explosion, rupturing its organs and expelling the impurities along with it.

To avoid such dire consequences, it is essential to eliminate some of the impurities and compel the body to restructure itself, ensuring that it can withstand the intense Awakening process without suffering irreparable harm.

To achieve this, the largest clusters of impurities along the mana flow must be gradually dispersed until they begin to move in unison with the mana itself.

As the impurities are successfully purged, the body undergoes a transformation that enables it to accommodate the potent surge of mana that now courses through its being.

The agony originates from the unrelenting cycle of destruction and renewal.

Without proper balance between body, impurities, and core, the breakthrough can occur with such swiftness that the body is unable to recover, or with such force that it wreaks havoc beyond repair, ultimately leading to demise.

As impurities are purged, the body of an Awakened gradually attains swiftness, strength, and resilience beyond measure.

Although the purification of impurities is crucial, it must be done gradually.

A rapid purification can result in a violent surge of energy that inundates every cell in the organism, inevitably leading to the creation of an Abomination.

Bright blue cores are devoid of any impurities.

Those who are Awakened possess the unique ability to dismantle the world's energy into six distinct components, eliminating the planet's energy signature and replacing it with their own.

An Awakened's core serves as the foundation for the creation of intricate runes, which are then woven together with their mana in a precise sequence to manifest spells.

This process is akin to the hands of a writer, carefully crafting letters into a cohesive narrative.

Within the blue core lies a unique power that allows an Awakened to replenish their strength at a faster rate than normal.

Through regular breathing, they can effortlessly draw in and harness a small amount of world energy, which is then channeled and absorbed into their core, providing a much-needed boost in vitality.

The organs within them swirl with energy, spinning like miniature vortexes that amplify the flow of mana and store it within their being.

These organs serve to bolster their mana core, enhancing all of their abilities, yet the Awakened have no conscious control over their power.

An Awakened's body becomes capable of circulating life force without relying on any techniques, a testament to their heightened abilities.

By stimulating their mana core, they can even upgrade their spells to Tier 3 in times of dire need.

However, this comes at the cost of a significant amount of mana, as low-tiered spells were not designed to contain such immense power and require stabilization.

Fusion Magic represents a powerful form of body enhancement magic, exclusively accessible to true mages and the Awakened. Through sheer willpower, the user imbues their body with one or more elemental magics, often opting for a combination of two.

The various elements have unique effects on enhancing the physical capabilities of those who wield them.

Unlike Spirit Magic, which draws upon mana's blend of six elemental forces and an individual's life force, Fusion Magic allows for the separation of mana into its constituent elements.

This means that Fusion Magic users have access to a plentiful and cost-effective source of energy to fuel their abilities.

With fusion magic, the user's innate elemental power drives its spells, rendering them impervious to external energy sources.

This independence from the world's elements allows fusion magic to endure even in the face of depleted energy stores. As a result, fusion magic remains a viable option in situations where elemental blocking arrays would have nullified other forms of magic.

Fake Awakened possess the rare and coveted Awakened cores, just like their fellow mages, but are set apart by their lack of knowledge and training in breathing techniques such as invigoration and accumulation.

Despite this, their magical abilities are not to be underestimated, as they possess the skill to wield Spirit Magic, Fusion Magic, and flawlessly cast silent spells.

Despite their slower physical aging, those with mana cores experience only a modest extension of their lifespan, reaching approximately 150 years compared to the typical 100-year span of non-magical humans. However, the most significant divergence arises from their inability to awaken others due to their unconscious state during the mana core emptying process by the Guardian. Upon awakening, they gain the ability to perceive and interact with the world's energy.

Guardians can fake Awaken anyone of any core, the incomplete Awakening being the last safeguard against betrayal.

Teaching breathing techniques to a fake Awakened simply makes them a true Awakened.

Without these techniques, they are unable to refine their own bodies or cores without the guidance of a Guardian, and cannot readily recover their strength at will.

Breathing techniques are thus essential for those seeking to become true Awakened.

Thus far, the presence of Fake Awakened has been limited to the service of Guardians. Despite their capabilities, the Awakened Council views them as mere puppets beholden to their Guardian masters, and ultimately denies their independent existence.

Awakened beings are both powerful and prideful, and they do not accept or acknowledge those who claim to be awakened but are mere imitations.

To them, such pretenders are but cheap facsimiles, unworthy of recognition.