Dante was relentless.
His continuous strikes pressed Tyler, who refused to use more power against that "little brat," especially after the fight against the lion.
Dante wasn't fighting — he was hunting. Experience? Technique? None of that mattered before his relentless barrage of blows. Dante was the kind who suppressed everything with sheer force.
Tyler, who was taking the hits, felt something strange. Dante seemed to have completely abandoned his knowledge of that strange art — kickboxing.
He only threw heavy punches, aiming at the body's weak spots or overwhelming his opponent with a brutal sequence of strikes. As ridiculous as it seemed to abandon skill for brute force, at Dante's level, his limited technique could indeed be replaced by strength — and that was, in many ways, beneficial, as it allowed him to gain new experience and develop his own style.
With every strike, Tyler laughed in disbelief. Did that brat really think he could win? Dream on!
Tyler stepped back and shouted at Dante:
— Well then, brat, let's see if you're really that much stronger! HAHAHA!
The old man cracked his joints for a few seconds, then threw a punch into the air. A gust of wind suddenly burst forth, forcing Dante to retreat. It was like facing a natural disaster.
The wind current seemed endless — it advanced alongside time itself, pushing Dante's body step by step.
However, even if Tyler was limited to the same level as Dante — no, even if limited to level 0.5 — any use of aura made someone without it completely defenseless.
Aura was the evolution of elemental energy and could only be used upon reaching level 2. It was said that beings of level 2 could destroy entire mountains with their aura.
Dante, struck by it, felt an immense pressure. Then, suddenly, he smashed his fist into the ground with the full strength of a level 1, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
He vanished into the haze that, for a brief second, blocked the wind before being swept away. Dante then lunged toward Tyler, but the aura of wind struck him again — this time much stronger — hurling him against the wall of the training field.
— Well, well, well... — muttered old Tyler after retracting his aura. His eyes fixed on Dante with curiosity; he truly hadn't expected such a level of strength.
To display the power of three stars with only one was impressive. He himself, though always considered a genius, couldn't even show the peak strength of two stars — much less three.
— Brat, come here!
As soon as the old man called, Dante calmly approached, cracking his body after being thrown against the wall.
— Sit down! — ordered the old man.
Dante obeyed, sitting in front of him. Tyler then knelt, placed his hand on Dante's back, and sent energy through his body.
The energy was warm and reached the mana thread Dante had absorbed. However, at that moment, the old man's expression turned unpleasant.
— Damn brat, you didn't stabilize your realm?!
As soon as he asked, confusion crossed Dante's face. Stabilize the realm? What the hell does that even mean?
— Tsk, tsk, tsk... — Tyler clicked his tongue in disapproval, then told Dante to focus on his mana thread and follow its flow.
Dante did as the old man instructed. He sensed his inner self and began to control the mana thread. Tyler guided him — instead of keeping it above the abdomen, he moved it one finger below the navel and a palm's width inward, where a small black orb lay hidden within.
— Idiot! This is your dantian! It's where your mana must be stored! Or do you think you should leave it wandering inside your body? In just a few hours, the mana thread would dissipate and be reabsorbed!
— Put it inside your dantian, now! — shouted the old man.
Dante did as ordered and sent the mana thread into the small dantian, which began to glow the moment it absorbed it.
At that instant, Dante felt he could use that mana to fight — just like when he used the seven mana threads against the Golden-Fanged Lion.
— Good, brat. Now you've truly stepped into level 1.
Your mana is measured in threads — that represents the foundation of level 1. Once you absorb 10 threads, you'll reach level 2; 100 threads, level 3; and when you reach 1,000 mana threads and condense them into a gaseous state, you'll step into level 4 — the Intermediate Stage.
— Of course, don't forget your meridians. You've already opened 10%, but to reach level 4, you'll need at least 40% open.
— Only then will you be able to use spells...
The old man finished his explanation and looked at Dante's back, as if waiting for a question. It came.
— On average, how long does it take?
— To reach level 3, it usually takes about 3 to 6 months. Level 4 may take up to 2 years.
— And how do we use spells as combatants? Isn't that a mage's skill?
— No. Mages can cast spells from level 1 and can use many types. We, combatants — or knights — can only use spells of one specific element.
— And how long would it take me to reach level 2?
— Hmmm, bold question. Maybe 10, 15, 20 years... or maybe you'll hit a bottleneck and never reach it.
There are people who spend their entire lives stuck at bottlenecks — from the sixth to the seventh star — and there are also those who never even touch level 2.
— Not to mention the difficulty — Tyler added. — So, brat, cultivate with patience. Hone each realm to its limit. Your strength stands out now, but from level 4 onward, every step becomes harder. Overcoming those barriers takes calm. Cultivate, step by step.