Chapter 436 That’s a Seal (2/2)

Joshua expression was serious even as he mumbled inwardly.

”Progress is at four-fifth. The text is all over the place but the gist could be seen. It should be referring to the sublimation of my body's lifeforce—in other words, my progression towards Legendary. However, it seems that there are still some unfulfilled requirements for the time being, which is why there is no way to ascend.”

The last part was easier to understand—the warrior has to observe something new, thereby fulfilling the conditions to condense Steel Strength and in turn progress towards Legendary. As for that certain something, he had mostly observed it, leaving just one last condition to be fulfilled.

Although he mostly got the idea of the text, the doubt in Joshua's heart became heavier instead.

”What on earth is the thing connected to my ascension to Legendary? And I've already observed four of those?”

His brain whirling, all forms guesses passed through the warrior's minds' eye.

Different path to ascend towards Legendary? That was possible. The elderly Pope Igor, Nature's Magister Aydril Galanoud, the Emperor Israel Diamond, and Herlas the Witherer whom he engaged in a mortal struggle just now. These individuals had already progressed towards Legendary—or more specific, found their path towards Legendary—and there were exactly four of them.

Nonetheless, Joshua shook his head since that was not quite right. Although learning about the path of ascension for those Legendary champions had broadened his reasoning, the warrior did not receive any epiphany. He did not desire to become a living light or a forest, while realizing will and evolving into a Void behemoth seemed far-fetched. The path that Joshua chose was completely straight and plain—to sublimate his lifeforce, nothing too roundabout.

Then was it too kill enough Supreme champions who had the potential to ascend towards Legendary? That idea was rejected by Joshua as soon as it appeared. Apart from the Supreme Aragami that he and 03 slew on Karlis, Mandagar the Undead Dragon, Grundy, the Death Smoke black dragon and the many other Supreme giant dragons he had slain exceeded four a long time ago, hardly matching up with the number on the progress counter.

There were also many other conjectures, such as his lifeforce reservoir or certain undiscovered secrets of his body's energy. Nevertheless, most of the guess do not have any grounded evidence, and so were all dismissed by the warrior.

At that moment, radiance sparkled over the Dragonslayer Swordspear in Joshua's hand. With a flow of mana tide, a silver-haired girl appeared, holding the warrior's waist and so spent she was about to fall prone on the ground. On the other hand, the black-haired youth simply dropped onto the earth, making company with the snow.

”Master, that fellow just now was quite strong…” Ying mumbled as if having lingering fear as she turned to look at the sunken lake beside the river. ”In that otherworld, the force of that sphere he blew out was too strong. If it did not disperse halfway because he could not control it, I almost thought that I would be blown into pieces.”

”That's right, Master.” Ling echoed his sister even as he lay prone and breathless on the ground, as if he would stop breathing entirely soon. ”We could compensate for your energy flow this time, but it's still difficult when you start fighting… Most importantly, there was some extraordinary incredible force within Master's body—especially the bones. It's too scary…”

That should be the divinity.

Joshua shook his head grudgingly as he listened to his weapons. He still did not dare to use the divinity in his own body. He would not have the focus to control the power even if he used just a little part of it—especially in a fight against such a formidable foe like Herlas. One moment of carelessness and he would assimilate completely with the divine power, becoming a monster without reasoning that only understands destruction, combat and slaughter.

There was no reason to use divine power against weaker foes either. Such a thing would be a double-edged sword for self-destruction before the warrior could attain more significant abilities.

As Joshua prepared to speak and soothe the divine armament siblings, he suddenly blinked, an idea flashing like lightning across his mind.

”Otherworld?”

He softly murmured the word, catching even Vale Dani by surprise as she summarized the situation on Mount Mordus beside him. Joshua did not have the strength care about other things, and simply latched onto the inspiration and keeping to that train of thought.

”The different worlds—Karlis, Illgner, Mycroft and that world of plagues just now… No, the subspace Herlas opened does not count as a world, it's as most a half-plane… Right, Bloodmoon Abyss! Although destroyed, it's definitely a realm too!”

The Initial Flame created worlds, Steel formed all things.

With Steel being part of Creation, Steel Strength was in turn the power that created all things, and the origin of all energy flow, the purest of essences. Different worlds would naturally have different Steel Strength, and exactly because of various fortuitous encounters he traveled many different realms, witnessing the different Steel Strengths that exist!

If the text that had been obscured meant observing the Steel Strength in five different worlds, then everything made sense!

The Steel Rain on the Karlis realm and its World Serpent along with Father Nature of the Illgner Realm and its own World Serpent were the most powerful and most essential origin of power. On the Mycroft realm where Joshua lived, his aura cultivation and vigor condensation were completed here and therefore counted as having its essence observed.

It was rather hard to explain for the case of Bloodmoon Abyss. But one way or the other, the warrior did feel a shred of a different scent when he fought against Mandagar in that world. Perhaps that had been the residual Steel Strength in the Bloodmoon Abyss?

Although it could not be proven now, Joshua felt that this guess was the most likely.

In truth, Joshua's current inability to reverse lifeforce and sublimate it into Steel Strength had been precisely due to his lack of understanding towards it.

Even if he had a further grasp of the course of his fight with Herlas it was still far insufficient. On the contrary, if he could head for five different worlds and carefully experienced the various little differences in the foundations of energies, the warrior would definitely find a clue from within to ascend towards Legendary.

As Joshua became a little thrilled with his hypothesis, something Vale Dani said beside him completely grabbed his attention.

On the surface, the warrior appeared to have been listening carefully to the mage's summary of events, but his mind was entirely absorbed on the problem regarding ascension. Then, Vale Dani's sudden mention of something made Joshua focused—he even frowned.

”Wait a moment, Vale Dani. You were saying that, to wipe out the cultists, Brandon and the others had chased them into the ruins?” The warrior asked gravely. ”When was that?”

”A few hours ago.” Vale Dani curiously noted Joshua's change in response, before shrugging lightly. ”I had kept watch outside until Socrasson came, whereby I thought to come here and see the outcome of your battle against Herlas… On that note, Joshua, your ability…”

The warrior did not hear the rest. His brow furrowed, he looked worriedly into the distance, towards the direction of Mount Mordus.

Then, Joshua spoke with an incomparably solemn tone.

”No, Vale Dani. That isn't a ruin.

”That's a seal.”garbled text