[spoiler alert]
Author's Note: This chapter contains a detailed breakdown of the power systems, ranks, and world-building mechanics of this novel. If you prefer to discover these details naturally through the plot, you may skip this. However, if you want to understand the fundamental differences between the various energies, this guide is for you.
The Path of the Radiant Blade: The Ten Echelons
I. The Awakening Stages (Physical Foundation)
Novice (The Spark): The initial awakening where a user first feels the Aura circulating in their veins.
Ironknight is used to reinforce the muscles and skin, making the body as tough as metal.
Vanguard: The user can move with superhuman speed, using Aura to push their physical limits beyond mortal capacity.
II. The Channeling Stages (Weapon Integration)
4. Edge-Sealer: The ability to coat a physical sword in a thin, vibrating layer of Aura to increase sharpness.
5. Swordmaster: The user's energy and their blade become perfectly synchronized; the sword feels like an extension of their arm.
6. Auramaster: The user can release concentrated "slashes" of energy from their sword, hitting enemies from a distance.
III. The Dominance Stages (Mastery)
7. Grandmaster: The Aura becomes so dense it creates a physical "pressure" that can crush weaker opponents just by standing near them.
8. Void-Cutter: The user can cut through non-physical things, like magical barriers or even the air itself, using refined Aura.
9. Sovereign: The user can command the Aura in the atmosphere around them, not just the energy inside their own body.
IV. The Ultimate Ascension (Divine Manifestation)
10. The Formless Origin god (Blade of the Soul): At this final peak, a physical weapon becomes obsolete. The user can manifest blades of pure, solidified Aura from thin air. These phantom swords are indestructible and can be summoned by thought alone, capable of cleaving through mountains.
> "At the zenith of the Tenth Echelon, the warrior casts aside their steel. For when the soul itself becomes a blade, the world has no armor left to offer."
In this world, alongside Aura, exists the second fundamental force: Mana. This energy is harnessed by Mages to manipulate reality
Itself.
The Infinite Arcana: The Nine Circles of Mana
I. The Initiation (The Internal Spark)
1st Circle Mana Disciple: The Mage learns to sense the "Mana Veins" in the atmosphere and can perform basic cantrips (small lights, minor sparks).
2nd Circle Elemental Weaver: The user gains the ability to influence a specific element (Fire, Water, Earth, or Air) in its rawest form.
II. The Manifestation (The External Force)
3rd Circle SpellBinder: Mages can now cast complex offensive spells, such as fireballs or ice lances, by weaving Mana into intricate patterns.
4th Circle Arcane Scholar: Mastery over "Area of Effect" (AoE) magic. A single spell can now affect an entire battlefield or protect a whole squad with barriers.
5th Circle High Mage: The Mage can cast "Silent Spells," bypassing the need for long chants or incantations. Their reaction time becomes lethal.
III. The Transmutation (The Reality Warp)
6th Circle Archmage: The ability to combine elements (e.g., Lightning and Water) to create devastating hybrid magic.
7th Circle RiftWalker: The Mage can manipulate space, allowing for shortdistance teleportation or opening small dimensional storage pockets.
* 8th Circle Sage of the Ancients: The user can summon massive natural disasters, meteor showers, tsunamis, or earthquakes using the Mana of the planet itself.
IV. The Ultimate Zenith
* 9th Circle The WorldWeaver: At this final level, the Mage no longer just uses Mana; they command it. They can rewrite the laws of physics within their territory, turning dreams into reality or erasing existence with a single thought.
Beyond these two energies, there exists a third fundamental force known as Divine Power. To inherit this sacred essence, one must enter the fold of the Holy Church.
If your strength is great enough, the Church itself will seek you out for induction.
However, the path to divinity demands a heavy price. Should a powerful Mage or a seasoned Aura user seek to claim this grace, they must first completely purge their body of all Mana or Aura.
They must hollow themselves out, for Divine Power brooks no rivals within the soul.
Once the vessel is cleared, the ritual of the Church begins. Through a sacred fragment—a relic of the Holy Church—the Divine essence is bestowed upon the initiate. It is not a power one grows from within, but a gift of divinity granted by the god itself.
The Divine Power is divided into The Seven Heavens of divinity. Unlike Aura or Mana, which are earned through effort, these tiers are granted through "Faith" and "Service" to the Church.
The Seven Heavens of divinity
I. The soldier (1st Tier)
The body is purified. The user can sense "Divine Intent" and their physical presence brings a strange sense of peace to allies. They can perform minor blessings, like sealing a small wound or purifying poisoned water.
II. The Templar (2nd Tier)
The user's body becomes a conduit for Holy Fire. This energy does not burn the skin, but it sears the soul of anyone with "Dark Intent" or "Impure Energy."
III. The Oracle (3rd Tier)
The user gains the "Eyes of Truth." They can see the flow of Mana and Aura around them, identifying an opponent's weakness or predicting their next move a second before it happens.
IV. The priest (4th Tier)
The power of Judgment. The user can manifest a "Zone of Silence" where no Mana can be gathered and no Aura can be flared. Within this circle, only Divine Power remains functional.
V. The paladin (5th Tier)
The user manifests Spirit Wings made of pure light. They gain the ability of flight and their speed rivals that of a 9th Echelon Vanguard, but with the added grace of divine weightlessness.
VI. The bishop (6th Tier)
The user can perform Miracles of Resurrection. They can bring back the recently fallen or heal limbs that were completely destroyed. At this level, they are seen as living gods by the common folk.
VII. Saint or Saintess (7th Tier)
The final ascension. The user no longer possesses a human ego; they become a direct extension of the Church's Deity. They can summon The Gates of Heaven, raining down spears of light that can erase an entire city from the map, leaving only ash and holy resonance behind.
Note."When you bind yourself to the Church, the power you wield is not your own—it is a fragment of the Deity's own essence, bestowed upon you as a sacred gift.
This creates a permanent, metaphysical tether between your soul and the Divine. As you ascend through the tiers, this connection tightens, turning your body into a more refined vessel for their light.
Upon reaching the final, Seventh Tier, the boundary between mortal and god vanishes entirely; your body becomes a living tabernacle, allowing the Deity to descend and inhabit your flesh, speaking and acting through you with the absolute authority of the heavens."
"However, even at the peak of the Seventh Tier, a mortal vessel remains fragile.
A human body, no matter how purified, is not built to contain the infinite and terrifying weight of a God's true essence for long.
To host a deity is to walk on the edge of annihilation; if the possession lasts too long, the sheer pressure of the Divine light would cause the flesh to crumble and the soul to shatter into nothingness.
God can only descend for a fleeting moment—a brief, devastating visitation—before the mortal shell begins to burn away under the heat of the heavens.
Major Spoiler warning.
Author's Note: The Power Conflict, the relationship between the Church and outside power users (Aura Users and Mages) is very hostile.
The conflict arises from how power is obtained:
* The Church: Members get power easily and quickly. Simply by joining and having Faith, God grants them Divine Power.
* Aura Users (Independent): They must undergo years of grueling physical and mental training to awaken their energy.
* Mages: They must spend their lives studying complex theories and mastering difficult techniques to use their magic.
Because the Church provides a 'shortcut' to strength, both Mages and Aura Users despise the Church. They believe that power without effort is a hollow lie.
This creates a world where the Church is politically powerful but socially hated by the 'true' masters of magic and combat.