61 Elation

"Akin to humans, every animal is also able to cultivate on an instinctual level to become magical beasts. Unlike us, however, their advancements aren't as clear cut. A Fighter advances to become a Crusader, while a Mage becomes an Archmage. Such a linear process is exclusive to humans.

Every other living being is different in the sense that they may evolve into multiple different magical beasts. A common deer, for example, may evolve to become a windeer, a great deer, or even something like an auhirsch.

And it's not by chance that this writer chooses the word "evolve," as advancing changes the magical beast in a way that simply doesn't happen with humans. Even a tenth level Paladin, the pinnacle of bodily strength despite claims to the contrary, will have children born unawakened and without a speck of mana in their bodies. That's just the way it is for us humans.

Magical beasts, on the other hand, will give birth to magical beasts, and not the animals they evolved from. A windeer will give birth to another windeer, meaning that cultivation gains aren't lost between generations.

Reading up to this point the reader may begin to wonder why then aren't magical beasts so much more powerful than us humans? With this sort of advantage, the magical beasts should have eventually gotten to a point where humans simply couldn't compete, correct?

Yes and no.

While the magical beasts' ability to evolve is truly remarkable, it can also be considered a double-edged sword. After evolving, the magical beast is considered a different species and as such is unable to reproduce with common animals. If it tries, it'll result in nothing but stillborns or eventually a sterile half-bred.

Such a fact means that it is not enough for a magical beast to evolve by itself. It also requires another evolved magical beast from the opposite sex so that the two may reproduce and ensure the survival of this new species.

This isn't a problem at lower stages of cultivation considering how easy it is to advance. Statistics maintains that up to one in every ten common animals manage to evolve throughout their lifetime. At higher stages of cultivation, though, as advancing becomes more and more difficult, such a problem may spell a death sentence to any new species.

It is this simple fact that ensures the parity of forces between humans and beasts; or it would, if not by the humans' superior intellect. It's this intellect that allows us to build cities and research more and more the workings of spells. As such not even dragons, the most powerful magical beasts to ever exist, can contend with humans.

With every passing day, our population grows, and more and more lands come under our control.

While I maintain that evolution is impossible among humans, it's also undeniable that the southerner is a human of sorts. Similar to magical beasts and common animals, the offspring of a civilized man and a southerner is always a disaster. These half-breds are always sterile, which can only be seen as a blessing. Often unhinged and with intellect bellow even that of a southerner, these curs—"

John couldn't take it anymore and closed the book. He'd begun reading it hoping for a clue on how to advance, not expecting it to take the turn it took. "What a load of bullshit."

John wouldn't consider himself exactly normal, but he certainly wasn't unhinged nor did he have low intellect. He didn't know if he was sterile; Athalia didn't seem to think so given how she talked of him having children of his own.

It had been a month ever since his talk with Athalia. As she asked so, John stopped pushing himself as hard as he used to. It certainly wasn't easy. The increased time on his hands meant he had much more time to think about how stagnant he was, increasing his anxiety. If Athalia had hoped for him to relax more, then it seemed that her intentions backfired.

With a sigh, John put the book aside and resumed his squire obligations. He grabbed Marleya's sword with both hands and, with a heave, lifted it from the table. Despite being three levels higher than when he first became a squire, the weapon barely felt any lighter. Marleya had once mentioned how little did levels matter as a Fighter, and John could see why.

According to her, only after becoming a Crusader did levels truly start to matter. Before that, a lower leveled Fighter could make up for the difference in strength simply by having more muscles. After becoming a crusader though, the muscles themselves didn't matter nearly as much as the mana instilled into them, which was what dictated a person's level.

This difference in levels would become even more pronounced as a Paladin. The more one cultivates, the harder it becomes to advance. On the other hand, each new advancement is also more beneficial than the last. That is to the point where only one or two levels of difference could decide the outcome of a duel.

John pushed open the door and came out from Marleya's quarters and into the training grounds. He struggled to carry the heavy weapon towards the other side of the training grounds where Marleya was giving out orders as usual. With her on duty, none of the sergeants of the guard could be seen.

"What took you so long?" she asked before taking the sword from his hands.

John stood side by side with her. "I got caught up in a book."

Marleya scoffed. "I'm pleased to see you taking your duties seriously."

"Hey, don't blame me. Athalia's the one who doesn't want me getting hurt again."

"Wa—" She paused midway to shout at a Fighter after he dropped his sword. "Was the book any good at least?"

"It called me crazy and dumb, so I'd say no."

Marleya scoffed again, less angry and more amused this time. "You won't have to worry about books insulting you anymore. I talked to lady Athalia, and you'll be glad to know that she accepted to let you go back to training."

Her words surprised him. "I didn't expect that. How did you convince her?"

"I simply explained how much you'd rather be training instead of doing nothing. She agreed on the condition that you won't be getting injured as much."

"Thanks," John said with a smile.

"Don't thank me yet. All I need is for you not to get injured. I'll be sure to make you work twice as hard to make up for the lost time."

John walked to the weapon racks and grabbed a dulled longsword. "As long as it helps me have a breakthrough, then fine by me."

Marleya laughed. "That's the spirit. Now, let's start from where we stopped." She looked towards one of the dueling rings where Neina was helping her defeated opponent back up. "Neina, come here!"

Neina twitched and almost let her opponent fall back to the ground. She quickly walked and saluted the knight. "Yes, dame?"

"I want you to spar with John. Make sure to control your strength this time, understand?"

"Yes, dame," she responded before turning to John. "I'm surprised to see you back here. I was afraid that you had started to avoid me after last time."

John laughed. "You're not the first person to knock me down and I doubt you'll be the last."

"I'm glad to see that you're not ashamed."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I feel ashamed?"

"I mean, you did get beaten up by a woman, but there's no shame in that. Other men would probably feel emasculated, but I'm glad that's not the case with you." A playful smirk crept up her face.

"Very funny. Just wait until I breakthrough."

"And how long will that be? One, two more years?"

John knew she said it as a joke, but it still hurt him a bit. "By the way, you better take care not to hit me like last time. I'd hate to see what Athalia would do if that happened."

Neina's smile froze.

Not waiting, John stepped forward with a stab. Neina quickly reacted by striking at the blade and sending it to the side. John didn't try to twist and turn like he usually did. Instead, he brought the blade back to slash at her arm.

Neina blocked it almost too easily this time but, as John expected, she didn't try to counter. Not caring for form at all he slashed and stabbed as he saw fit. He knew that he was leaving himself full of openings. He also knew that she wouldn't explore any such opening after what he said. As such, John kept on attacking while Neina kept on defending. It felt way too similar to going against a training dummy.

After so long without pushing himself, John felt alive again. His goal by cultivating had always been to get stronger, but he never realized how much he enjoyed the process as well. Every time he struck against her sword, the vibrations traveled up his arms and echoed inside his body.

At a normal fight, he'd be aiming at the opponent's body instead of their weapon. Given the difference in strength though, it made no difference as she could move much faster than him. That was just as well to him as he didn't truly want to hurt her.

John's muscles ached a pleasant ache before becoming not so pleasant anymore. He didn't care. As long as it wasn't truly hurting then he could keep on going. He raised the dull sword up high and brought it down with all of his force. She blocked it again.

He prepared for the next attack when he noticed something wrong. His sword remained touching against hers and, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't pull them apart.

No, that wasn't right either. The swords weren't the problem—

John's arms gave out, dropping the sword and falling lifelessly to his sides. His knees gave out next as he felt something breaking inside of him. No, not breaking; opening.

John would smile if he could.