"Hi. I'm Eric. Yes, that Eric—'the extra.' You probably don't remember me because I usually appear in the background holding books or getting stomped by minor monsters while the 'geniuses' like Luca and Aiden shine in the spotlight. Life's tough, okay? But hey, somebody has to explain the boring stuff like cultivation stages before readers get lost. And since no one else volunteered—guess what—I'm your guide!
Don't worry, I'll keep it simple. If even I can understand this system, so can you. Let's dive in."
Stage 1: Aura Initiation
What happens: You suck in mana from the air like a sponge and shove it into your Dantian (that little energy reservoir in your gut).
Effect: Muscles bulk up, stamina skyrockets. Think: suddenly you can do ten push-ups without crying.
Goal: Fill the Dantian to the brim with Aura. No leaks, no spills.
Reality Check: Most commoners never even get past this stage. But hey, you're already cooler than your neighbor's uncle.
Stage 2: Meridian Awakening
Process: You unlock the 12 Primary Meridians—the highways that let Aura flow through your body.
Danger: Force it too fast, and congratulations, you've paralyzed yourself.
Why it's important: Only after this can you use Aura Arts—the flashy moves that make everyone cheer.
Example: Most 1st years are still sweating here. Don't laugh, it's harder than it looks.
Stage 3: Meridian Saturation
Process: Pump those meridians full of refined Aura until they're pressurized like overstuffed water pipes.
Benefit: Physical skills powered by Aura become explosive.
Analogy: Think of shaking a soda bottle and then opening it. Except this soda punches people.
Example: Aiden—yes, the golden boy. Only guy in our entire year at this level. We get it, you're special.
Stage 4: Core Compression
Process: Take all that Aura and squeeze it into a super-dense Core Seed inside your Dantian.
Result: Your Aura becomes smooth, stable, and instinctive.
Risk: Mess up, and… boom. As in, you explode. Not fun.
Example: Aurelia (the prodigy). Second year, already pulled this off. Some of us can barely pass exams, but sure, why not.
Stage 5: Second Meridian Cycle
Process: Unlock 8 Hidden Meridians. This is like upgrading from a horse cart to a sports car.
Benefit: Faster reflexes, better resistance, smoother Aura flow.
Note: Many knights never get past Stage 4 in their entire life. Sad but true.
Example: Vincent and Elowen—third years, already here. Total monsters.
Stage 6: Spatial Expansion
Process: Once your Core Seed stabilizes, you expand the Dantian.
Effect: Ten times more Aura capacity. Big, flashy moves become possible.
Analogy: Imagine upgrading your lungs to whale-size. Every breath is pure power.
Stage 7: Resonant Body
Process: Aura seeps into bones, blood, organs. Your entire body resonates.
Abilities:
Passive regeneration (cut yourself? Heal faster).
Aura projection (finally scare enemies with your vibe alone).
Early Aura Field.
Cool Factor: You start giving off that "don't mess with me" pressure. Instant respect.
Stage 8: Transcendent Convergence
Process: Aura fuses completely with your body. You breathe power, you bleed power, you are power.
Effect: Weapons respond like extensions of thought, movements become instinct, even advanced techniques buckle under your presence.
End Result: Basically, you're walking cheat-code territory.
Stage 9 : That's a Mystery
"And that's the Warrior Path, from baby step Aura Initiation to full-on world-bending Transcendence. Sounds easy when I explain it, right? Ha. Try it yourself and see how many meridians you rupture.
Anyway, that's enough teaching from this 'extra.' Maybe next time I'll get to explain Mage stages—unless I get killed off before then. Knowing my luck…"