Now, he was alone in this vast space.
'Time to start again.'
Without hesitation, after Martos left, Baines set his long-planned strategy into motion.
First, he dispelled all the Ashenfall energy he had gathered in his body and as expected, it didn't lower his swordsmanship rank. To track his progress, he instructed Eye to record his current state:
[SWORD RANKING: SWORD KNIGHT]
[HEART CORE: ASHEN-ORIGIN: 0-STAR]
[MIDDLE CORE: ORIGIN ARTS CULTIVATION: 4TH STAR, AURA KNIGHT]
His sword ranking, knight was largely his ability to produce sword aura and it worked in tandem with the cultuvation level.
And as for how he reached 4th star in one year, the aura from his heart core, the second core, he slowly transferred them over the course of the training. Surprisingly or not, the energy in it was pure helping him able to instantly practice the origin arts
And as for his heart core, he named the technique Ashen-Origin because he was using Origin Arts to absorb the natural energy called Ashenfall.
Afterwards, Baines laid out his family's collection.
He extended his hand, summoning a dark red blade from his wrist that extended over his clenched fist.
Releasing it, he summoned it to his other arm.
Demonic Blade, Roesha. It's ability was simple. It grew stronger the more blood it consumed.
"Rest for now. That time will come," he whispered, patting the blade. It vibrated before retreating into his body.
Next, he picked up a martial book:
[Emperor's Body]
Then another:
[Absolute Cut Destruction]
After skimming through more texts, he raised a dangerous elixir he had been warned against consuming previously.
"Can I take it now?" he asked.
[ADVISABLE TO CONSUME AT SWORD MASTER.]
He sighed.
It meant he had to become a 5th star.vwithout much choice, he placed it back before inspecting the rest of the weapons and techniques, though his main focus was the sword.
"Eye, set a timer for five years."
[TIMER SET: 4 YEARS, 11 MONTHS, 31 DAYS, 11 HOURS, 59 MINUTES.]
For his Ashen-Origin in his heart, he was going to form stars inside his core from the violent storm.
Eye had assured him of the safety of this method, which would accumulate immense energy, though at the cost of a longer cultivation time.
No, it would be his trump card.
As for his middle core, he hadn't decided which affinity to take on. In the end, he decided to wait until he reached Sword Master and to reach that level, he needed more training.
A hologram of Martos appeared from his Eye.
Martos had certainly surpassed the Sword master, and using eye, he could fight with the hologram and make the attacks real to give life experiences, meaning it was perfect for training.
Though it was limited to what Eye had seen, he could just add more power and aura.
'I will use Eye to absorb all these techniques, get my body used to them with Martos. And the weapons, I would try to get used to them. The rest will come after I reach sword master.' His plans had been laid, it was time to begin.
...
One Year Later
A dark purple flame flickered around Baines as he exhaled and opened his eyes.
He had just formed his third star in his heart.
The moment he started cultivating Ashen-Origin, he realized how far the Ashen family had fallen behind. Two stars already contained more energy than the four stars in his middle core. At three stars, the comparison became meaningless.
Yet, none of this halted his dual cultivation towards the 5th star.
Now 15 years old, Baines had grown taller, shedding the softness of childhood. His features sharpened, hinting at the man he was becoming. But he cared little for that.
'It's time.' He stood facing Martos's hologram and gripped his bladeless sword. A deep purple aura engulfed it as he charged forward.
For the next two years, he fought Martos under various simulations: assassinations, ambushes, army battles, single combat, he faced every possible scenario.
A year was spent adjusting to different weapons. Another year was dedicated to pushing toward Sword Master.
But nothing came. No breakthrough.
Exhausted, he decided to collapse, not physically, but mentally. The transfer of martial arts through Eye was brutal, risking head implosion if he wasn't careful. So, as Eye transferred techniques, he forced himself into deep rest.
A month later, he woke up, his mind digested with endless techniques.
From all the techniques he had just learnt, only one word came to his mind
Cut.
Without hesitation, he picked up his sword and charged at Martos.
Many techniques required special conditions to activate, but he used what he could. He spent another two months adapting his muscles to these techniques, modifying them, and making them his own.
Still, that voice in his head persisted. No, it grew louder.
Cut. Cut. Cut.
For months, he ignored it. Until, at last, it interfered with his training.
That day, during another near-death battle against Martos, he snapped.
"FUCK IT! I'll CUT YOU. I'LL FUCKING CUT YOU!"
With his body aching and bleeding, he envisioned the source of the voice, some unseen force demanding destruction. He gritted his teeth, fueled by sheer will to cut.
Purple aura surged, gathering in his blade.
"CUT, YOU BASTARD!"
As he swung downward, his mind expanded.
Something opened inside him, and a wellspring of energy unlike anything before gushed in.
His blade radiated an intense purple light, extending to his entire body.
He instinctively knew.
Sword Intent.
The mark of a Sword Master.
With a final swing, he cleaved through the hologram.
He collapsed onto his back, breathing ragged.
For the first time in years, he smiled
SWORD RANKING: SWORD MASTER]
[HEART CORE: ASHEN-ORIGIN: 3-STAR]
[MIDDLE CORE: ORIGIN ARTS CULTIVATION: 5TH STAR, GRAND AURA WARRIOR]
This was what his current progress looked like.
Sword Master in skills and Grand Aura Warrior in aura.
The master realm. One could say this was the first obstacle any martial artist faced. The lower realms were attained by training their bodies to their limits. The master realm, however, to reach it, one had to grasp will. Then the grand aura warrior rank lay in the master realm. One could say that to attain grand aura warrior, one had to reach the master realm, however, the reverse wasn't possible.
Now, all this was just hard work, and the benefit was something else. The master realm contained most of the military power of any empire, church, kingdom, and organization. They would be accepted anywhere. In a village, the position of village chief wasn't far off; in an empire, a commander position wasn't far off; in an organization, a lower executive position wasn't far-fetched. The measure of one's talent often depended on how quickly they reached this realm, and for someone of Baines's age, he could be considered a rare genius.
Basically, attaining this realm already set anyone in it for life. Yet, for many, this rank was their final limit. Many got drunk on their achievement and relaxed, eventually becoming weaker than average, while some hit their limits and lost themselves or gave up.
HOWEVER, for Baines, it wasn't enough. He wasn't just doing this for revenge; No, he wanted to attain a level where no one could even think of doing such.
'It's not enough.' Baines muttered as he clenched and unclenched his fist. The power he was feeling was immense to the point of making him relent and rest; however, his desire for revenge brought him back each time.
He moved his aura around him as he felt the new change.
'My sword aura is stronger.' With his aura, he formed a short sword attached to his hand and swung it at one of the constructs of himself, and it dispersed.
'Basically, I gain access to more aura.' From the sword made of aura, it changed into a shield, then an arrow, and finally a spear. That wasn't all. His body was reinforced with aura, increasing his body strength and his speed likewise. His body reinforcement meant he could withstand attacks with his body before he began accumulating injuries.
Most importantly, the grasping of Sword Intent, the will of the sword.
The nature of this will varied, just like Baines experienced the continuous voice inside him. The process was unpredictable, and self-discovery was the key to maximizing its potential.
Baines exhaled.
'I'm not where I want to be, but this is a start.' He affirmed himself after feeling the changes in him.
It was then Eye came up, reminding him of his remaining goals,
[FIRE ELIXIR IS NOW SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION.]
[ASHEN-ORIGIN: 3/5 STARS]
He nodded at the notification before pulling it out and tossing the fire elixir into his mouth.
"Urgh..." The moment it touched his throat, an intense burning sensation spread through his body. Even with his reinforced physique, it felt like his insides were melting.
Eye had warned him against consuming it too early, and now he understood why. It was simply too hot. Clenching his fists, he endured the pain, guiding the pill with his Origin Arts toward his core.
Then, a change occurred. He suddenly found himself standing outside. It was an empty desert that stretched endlessly.
'Where am I?' He asked himself and looked around. He tried to move however, he couldn't. Then, he looked up and saw the most beautiful sun he had ever seen.
Usually, the sun was too bright for anyone to truly see, but now he could see it. It was swirling dark gold only, but it captivated him, and at the same time, it was like he understood something.
'It is dim.' Why else would he be able to see the sun? It had lost its glow.
As he had that thought, he returned to reality, and a golden glow burst from his body.
Two minutes later, the glow dimmed, and as Baines opened his eyes, a golden hue flickered within them.
'Dark Sun.' He muttered the name of what he had just seen.
The sun he had seen wasn't a powerful technique or just a dim sun, it was the remnant of a forgotten god.
Gods. These were deity-level beings of immense power who did not dwell in the mortal realm. They specialized in divine energy, bestowing their followers with power in exchange for faith. The greater the number of believers, the stronger the god became, while their worshippers gained abilities fueled by their devotion. It was really a win-win situation for both parties.
But what happened when a god lost all its followers?
What happened when their believers, temples, and churches were destroyed?
They lost their faith, their belief, and eventually their strength. Without worshippers, they faded from memory, were erased from history, and eventually became forgotten. That was how a forgotten god came to be.
Baines extended his hand, summoning a dark golden flame. It flickered weakly, lacking divine energy, resembling magic rather than holy fire.
"So, a god's technique without divine power functions like magic?" He studied the flame, deep in thought. He knew this because to learn Ashenfall, he had to learn magic.
Then, a wild idea struck him, and he asked Eye, "Could divine energy just be an advanced form of mana?"
[USER IS CORRECT AND INCORRECT]
"What do you mean?" He asked in amazement. He seemed more surprised than when he reached the master realm.
[DIVINE POWER FUNCTIONS SIMILARLY TO MAGIC. IT USES ENERGY TO INFLUENCE THE WORLD. HOWEVER, DIVINE POWER STEMS FROM ABSTRACT CONCEPTS LIKE FAITH, WHILE MANA ORIGINATES FROM THE TANGIBLE CONCEPT, THE WORLD.]
[A STRANGE MUTATION WAS UNDERGONE THAT CHANGED THE CONCEPT, WHICH ALSO MAKES IT INCORRECT]
"Then what about aura?" Baines asked.
[AURA DERIVES FROM THE BODY, A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ONE'S PHYSICAL FORM, SOUL, ENERGY, AND THE WORLD.]
"Wait, wait, what are you saying here?" He felt Eye getting unto something.
[MANA, ITS TECHNIQUES, AND POWER. THEY ARE LARGELY DONE BY THE WORLD. IT SOLEY DEPENDS ON THEIR COMMUNICATION WITH THE WORLD. WHILE DIVINE POWER AND ITS TECHNIQUES ARE THE INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD.]
Baines's mind raced. "So, magic relies on the world, and divine power influences the world, while aura is purely dependent on the individual?"
[USER IS CORRECT.]
"Then… if divine power is an advanced form of mana, there should be a higher form of aura too!" His heart pounded with excitement. There had to be, right?
[THERE IS.]
"What is it?" he asked eagerly. He hadn't heard of any energy like that; maybe he would learn of it now.
But the answer was unexpected.
[ASHENFALL.]
Baines froze.
The Ashen family had fused mana and aura together, triggering an unknown mutation. That mutation had wiped out much of their lineage. Even now, the surviving members barely understood what Ashenfall truly was. It wasn't just a technique, it was something entirely new.
"Ashenfall is aura's equivalent to divine power…" Baines whispered in awe.
[CORRECT.]
"Then, which is stronger, mana or aura?" he asked, still processing this revelation. The way Eye put it, Aura was better than mana.
But,
[THEY ARE EQUAL.]
Baines frowned. That didn't make sense. How could someone using the world as their tool be equal to someone relying solely on themselves?
But he didn't think much about it. He just accepted it and sighed. "Thinking about this won't change anything. The only thing I can do is keep mastering Ashenfall."
He extinguished the flame in his hand and stepped outside. The sky was as dark as ever. He hadn't seen the sun in years, but he didn't mind. The darkness was a reminder of his struggles, his battles, his rage.
With two years left, it was time for the final push.
The process of forming each new star in his core took longer than the last. Creating his fourth star required six months.
BOOM!
The ground beneath him cracked. His dark purple Ashen energy surged into the sky. His Heart Core pulsed violently, greedily absorbing the dense energy.
A smirk crept onto Baines' lips as he felt the vast energy, even larger than his main core. "I thought I needed to reach five stars first…"
Among the techniques Bartos taught him, the minimum requirement to perform them was reaching the fifth star in Ashenfall. But he was wrong; with this much power, he could already perform the techniques Martos had shown him.
But he wasn't done yet.
He didn't hesitate and returned to his meditation and began forming his fifth star.
A year passed. He was still compressing Ashenfall within him, his aura surging to new heights.
The more he cultivated, the clearer it became. Ashenfall was destructive, chaotic, rebellious. It tried to consume everything, even its user.
And from those concepts, the Ashen family was even able to create a technique to safely absorb it. It demanded destruction, and that was the technique for absorbing it did. The technique was made to destroy itself.
Inside his heart's core, four dark purple stars glowed, swirling with overwhelming energy. And as the fifth star neared completion, the other four suddenly reacted, devouring even more Ashenfall energy.
The four stars reformed into five-pointed stars, and the fifth was taking shape.
Ashenfall resisted, struggling against his control. It wanted to destroy. But Baines' rage burned brighter.
"AHHHHHHHH!" He let out a roar, forcing the last surge of energy into his core.
The last finally turned into a five-pointed star, the final piece falling into place
Then—
BOOM!
His energy exploded toward the sky.
The ever-steady and dangerous mana storm, which had reached the sky and blanketed the land in darkness for years, finally changed for the first time.
Its dark grey hue deepened into a beautiful yet ominous purple, and its size doubled, whirling with reckless abandon. The darkness expanded, the ground rumbled, and the Ruinborns' eyes snapped open as if they had always been asleep.
A fragment of the storm detached itself, spiraling down and wrapping around Baines. His body trembled as he was lifted a few inches off the ground.
Unaware of his surroundings, only one thing entered his mind: a picture. A perfect depiction of this place: dark skies, cracked land, and a towering storm connecting the two. However, the storm in the image was now a deep purple, the same as his Ashenfall energy.
His eyes snapped open to behold the transformed landscape. It was just like the picture, dark purple, but something was wrong.
'Wait, this isn't right.' Baines stared at the storm.
Duum…
It expanded again.
"Fuck…I need to get out of here."
Panic surged through him as he scrambled to his feet and rushed into the open throne room. Thankfully, he had prepared beforehand. He didn't know exactly when he would form the fifth star, but he knew he would hit the time limit.
So, he had packed most of his belongings into his pocket space: plants, weapons, technique books, and food, leaving only the essentials.
Without a moment to say goodbye to the home he had known for six years, he dashed toward the opposite exit and began his descent down the mountain.
'Fuck…Fuck…Fuck.'
As he maneuvered his way down, he cursed in his mind. In just the few minutes he had spent running, the storm had doubled in size once more.
'Bartos said something about underground…'
At the foot of the mountain, he frantically searched his surroundings. Then, he saw it, a small hole a few meters away. Too small for passage, but he knew he was in the right place.
With a heavy stomp, he struck the ground, forcing another opening a few meters away to cave in.
Without hesitation, he dove inside, and the hole sealed itself behind him.
The underground path stretched endlessly before him, and he ran without stopping.
After what felt like three hours, the tunnel finally came to an end. How did he know? A light was lit at the end of his path.
With a final burst of aura, he broke through the exit.
He gasped for air, his chest heaving as he took in his surroundings. Old couches, cracked hanging pictures, a fireplace—
"A house…"
Scanning the room and finding no one, he sighed in relief. But before he could gather himself, distant voices echoed from outside. Voices filled with fear and horror.
'Outside…'
Swallowing hard, he stepped toward the door and emerged outside. He did not feel relief at finally seeing people or the sun warming his back. No. All of it was drowned out by the sight before him.
The storm, once a 1,000-meter-wide monstrosity, had now expanded to a terrifying 10,000 meters. Though now distant, it was still visible.
But that wasn't all.
He could feel it, his heart responding to the storm.
WHIIIRRRR…
The storm had reached its tipping point.
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…
It exploded.
The ground trembled, the sky quaked, and terror-stricken screams filled the air.
Yet, the explosion was unnatural.
Unlike normal explosions that consumed everything outward, this one only expanded up to the edge of the dark sky and then stopped.
The cries of horror quieted as people stared, bewildered by the scene.
A thick, dark purple fog now stood where the darkness had ended.
For about ten minutes, everyone went back and forth trying to see what was beyond the veil. But even the Knights struggled to see through it, and none dared step closer. Something primal within them screamed that if they went near, their bodies would be ripped apart.
Except for one.
Step… Step…
Baines unconsciously found himself moving forward, drawn to the fog.
"Oi, oi!"
A firm hand gripped his shoulder, yanking him back, and before he could protest—
Neigh…
The loud sounds of hooves echoed through the air, drawing everyone's attention.
A blazing insignia, a burning sun with a flaming sword piercing through its tip.
"T-Thank god."
"T-The Solaris army."
"We're saved."
The residents cheered in relief as the soldiers arrived.
"Everyone, step back!" A powerful voice, charged with aura, commanded the crowd.
Baines scanned the approaching forces.
'A five-star swordmaster and 20 four-stars sword knights. A squad of the Solaris army. They're probably in charge of this town.' He forced his expression to remain neutral, stealing one last glance at the purple fog.
'Looks like I won't be able to enter again.' The soldiers will begin researching this, and the entire area will be under lockdown.
'They might even relocate the entire village.' His eyes flickered toward the old house he had come from, then back to the sword master.
"We will be holding a hearing on what happened here. Everyone, follow me!" the sword master ordered, and his soldiers moved to guide the villagers.
The residents were led back to their stations while five knights remained to monitor the surroundings.
...
Unknown to Baines, the villagers, and even the sword master, the explosion sent ripples far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
Across the world, they felt it.
The gods, the demons, the isolated powerhouses, the hidden sects, the dragons, and even the most obscure species all trembled at the sensation.
Fear. The kind of fear they hadn't experienced in centuries.
That power.
That dangerous and unknown power.
Without hesitation, they moved. They dispatched their subordinates, awakened their hidden weapons, and rallied their armies.
They wanted it.
And if they couldn't have it, no one would.
They would kill them all.
Unknown to Baines, he had triggered a world crisis.
...
Inside the Ashen Dominion.
The land had undergone a drastic transformation.
The central storm was gone. Now, Ashenfall energy blanketed the land in a thick, suffocating concentration. Here, one could literally breathe in the Ashenfall itself.
But more than that, there was light.
A massive, dark purple moon now loomed over the dominion, releasing a steady flow of dark purple energy into the air.
The storm and explosion had razed through everything. Everything except two things: the open throne and the Ruinborns.
It was unknown why the open throne was left; however, for the first time, the Ruinborns were doing something new.
They were building.