Badge in Azure

Chapter 1441: Advancing One After Another (Part 1)

Saleen knew there was no hope of advancing in just a month, so he began working on his family badge. He started to write magic inscriptions on the surface using power of the soul, which gradually resonated with the badge’s material.

It was a very silly way of going about this. Then again, the secret arts clearly stated that until one’s power of the soul advanced to the level of being able to materialize and kill while away from one’s body, one could not use the strongest method to work on anything. Simply stated, because his soul was still lacking in power, Saleen would have died had his soul left his body.

All esoteric information finally started to unravel once Saleen undertook this project.

The badge’s original form was a book written with lines of lightning-magic chants, which required the power of the soul to be invoked.

If Saleen’s power was strong enough, the badge would revert to its original form: the Lightning Magic Book he had always dreamed of having. The crafting of that magic book, however, was totally beyond his comprehension. The space inside was large enough to hold the world.

The book had been crafted using the remains of a god, specifically the Thunder God.

What human would have been able to kill the Thunder God and craft his own equipment with the god’s remains?

The badge Saleen’s father had given him was actually more powerful than any godly item he had ever seen!

Saleen couldn’t figure out much of anything at the moment, so he stopped thinking altogether, pleased that he’d made some progress on the family badge. From then on, his ball lightning would be much enhanced but he hadn’t the faintest idea how high the multiplier would be.

The most important thing was his ability to grow lightning-magic chords. They allowed him to reach a balance with the other six. Finally, he could imbue lightning powers in any icicles cast.

It was the only lightning magic Saleen could cast without having to use power of the soul. By contrast, the lightning badge, or any other lightning magic recorded in the book, required power of the soul for casting.

Replenishing power of the soul would be far more difficult than replenishing mental powers. Common magic nuclei or gemstones fell short in this regard. Only divine crystals or divine persona replenished power of the soul. A mage would have to rely on meditation only, otherwise.

Saleen did not find that to be troublesome. His art of meditation was imparted by Jason, and Jason had long been able to use power of the soul. That art of meditation of his was also created specifically with the power of the soul in mind.

That skill belonged to high-level mages. The art of meditation practiced by some was rendered useless beyond level-13.

That underscored the importance of lineages. Without a good lineage, one would end up being common or average after achieving certain levels regardless of one’s innate talents simply because of a lack of corresponding skills.

Saleen finished working on his family badge in about 12 days. He knew there was more work to be done before he could turn the badge back to its Lightning Magic Book form.

It was fortunate that the badge was useful at the moment. Saleen put it back on his Thunder Dragon Bangle feeling satisfied. Before he knew it, his magic chords began growing at a frightening speed.

Though he had spent over 1,000 years of training, he still failed to reach his desired level. But not all was lost: suddenly he was advancing as a result of all the good work he had done on the family badge.

The effect of a mage getting to level-13 was an eye-catching spectacle. The entire Hall of Gods was filled with sparkles of lightning. Demons, who were somewhat weaker, all ran back to Saleen’s magic amplifier.

Seven magic chords grew inside Saleen’s body while electrical charges danced among the magic chords in a variety of forms. There were tree-like forms, sword forms, ball forms, bubble forms, lightning, and even just some irregular-looking shapes.

Saleen started chanting from the Book of Lightning, which was advancing chants used for stabilizing the magic chords.

It was too unexpected. His magic chords grew when he least expected them to and when he was almost in a state of despair. The six divine persona fragments flew out from his Thunder Dragon Bangle and were slowly disintegrated and absorbed by Saleen’s magic chords.

Saleen was indeed lacking in talent, but his encounters were mystical and incredible. Such divine-persona fragments still held rules of the water element god and did not disappear entirely. If Saleen’s body of water element absorbed the divine persona in one piece, he would have either fragmented or been assimilated and become a water element god.

Either way, Saleen would have regretted both situations.

After the divine-persona fragment was drained over 1,000 years, only power of rules left inside, like other forms of energy, were almost all drained. Whatever bit of energy left within was incapable of threatening an advancing mage in desperate need of energy.

After six pieces of divine persona fragments were absorbed, Saleen’s magic chords nearly over the Hall of Gods. The Winged Skull hurried and changed the magic nucleus at the magic array at the center of the hall. All energy absorbed while Saleen was still advancing came entirely from the huge building.

The Hall of Gods was crafted using the remains of gods. Saleen’s magic chords were incapable of dissolving them, but they were still able to absorb power infused within. The Winged Skull was afraid of anything untoward happening, so it swapped out drained magic nucleus with a fresh level-16 one as soon as it saw the currently used one had drained.

Over half a month passed with him doing that before Saleen’s magic chords stabilized. All seven magic chords returned to his body as he opened his eyes, laughing.

He had been training the wrong way the whole time. That’s why he was getting nowhere.

Breaking the barrier between level-12 and level-13 required enormous amounts of energy as a backup. If he had absorbed the divine-persona fragments long ago, he would have advanced 100 to 200 years ago instead of being stuck where he was previously.

In the absence of talent, it was a luxury to advance using conventional methods.

Looking at the high-spirited people around him, Saleen said to Sika, “So, what level are you at now?”

Sika shrugged, “I don’t know. Nature Priest is actually the end of Caucasian profession. I have no idea how levels are divided after that. It’s not like you could beat me anyway.”

“Very well. How about you guys?” Saleen looked at his children.

Both his children had grown up there. They had their mother and the demons to keep them company, as well as many mages tutoring them in the study of magic, so they didn’t really know their father.

“Level-12, Father,” Flodi answered.

“Me too,” Austin added shyly.

Saleen had some doubts. His children’s talents were such that breaking through level-13 shouldn’t be a problem. He concluded that the cause was a lack of training.

“No worries. I’m sure your mother has already told you two that we have a kingdom back in Myers Mainland. But…”

“Father, we can help when we return.” Flodi was excited. She became a sorcerer at 16; this is why she looked so young for her age.

“The enemy is an even more powerful god, so much so that not even Rafel can beat him,” Saleen pointed at the combat angel and said.

“Your equipment will keep everyone safe, Father.” Austin was similar to how Saleen had been when he was young—very cautious.

“I can’t run away from those things. You’ve been inside the magic amplifier. I have to look after so many people. I’m responsible for their future. If you’re willing, Austin, I’ll hand over the throne to you.”

Saleen’s son shook his head right away and said, “I don’t want to be king, Father. My magic studies are already up taking most of my time. I’m afraid I won’t handle so many people.”

“Flodi?”

Flodi seemed to be eager to try her hand at it, but she quickly caught her mother glaring at her. She shook her head and said, “I’m not going to be queen. I promised Mother I’d look after the Caucasians. Don’t worry! I won’t become a priest either. I’ll still be mage.”

Flodi’s expression was like the flowers on Jalin’s mask. While she was vexed, she recalled her mother saying that if she became queen, her father wouldn’t allow her to become empress. There’s still an aunt named Lex around. Ha! I’m not going to be anyone’s lackey she said smugly.

She still had command of Caucasians even if she were to not become queen.

Saleen had no idea what that daughter of his was up to. He took one look at Rafel, who then said, “One month passed. I’m unable to advance, but I’ve absorbed powers of a lot of gods. I’m now at the pinnacle of level-13 and I could use that godly item normally.”

Rafel wouldn’t rise to level-14 even in 1,000 years. That was the sad thing about gods and angels: It was difficult for them to advance.

Humans, even the likes of Saleen, would naturally get to a level and then forcefully break through another. Though Rafel’s talents were exceptional, she still couldn’t become a level-14 combat angel.

“Master, I’m at level-12 now,” the Winged Skull, who was at the side, said. Saleen wasn’t at all surprised. If he had advanced earlier, the Winged Skull would be a level-13 spirit. It was Saleen who had limited the Winged Skull’s advancement progress. It was a bad deal for the Winged Skull.

Despite the Winged Skull’s blank expression, it felt smug deep down. Its Reaper Scythe had been completely reworked. Further advancement was entirely dependent on Saleen. As long as Saleen could still advance, the Winged Skull would go with the flow. If Saleen couldn’t advance further, it would be stuck at hits current level, unless the soul bond between the two was severed.

The Winged Skull was satisfied with this arrangement. Despite a slower speed of advancement, it could still get the basics nailed down. It had taken the Winged Skull almost 1,000 years to wipe off the brand of the God of the Underworld on the scythe and acquire the rules of power of the God of the Underworld. If it was desperate to advance, it wouldn’t have been able to get any of that.

“Alright. All of you, get back in the magic amplifier, chop-chop.” Saleen took a look at his student, Truman, who was at the pinnacle of level-12 and ready to rise to level-13 anytime.

Flodi dragged her brother reluctantly and returned to her father’s magic amplifier. The Winged Skull, the last to enter, said to Saleen, “Master, about the matter of us, advancing…”

“Nailisi would know. No need to keep it from her. She isn’t as narrow-minded as you might have thought.”

“Yeah, acknowledged.” The Winged Skull stepped into the ring of the magic amplifier and disappeared. Saleen took a look at the Hall of Gods. It was a very good place for training. It’s too bad he was unable to pack it with him.