“Anyway, I should check in with the others,” Kyle thought as his perception focused on the relay.
Swamp Dragon, Sebastian, and Manny were busy. Star Genesis and Fierce Breaker were available.
“I'm done,” Kyle transmitted to Star Genesis and Fierce Breaker. “I'm a Legendary Sage now. Did anything happen while I was away?”
“Congratulations,” Fierce Breaker transmitted. “I'm still in the process of earning more Merits. I've just recently used all of my Merits to buy time to become a Unique Sage.”
“Oh? When did you become a Unique Sage?” Kyle asked.
“Roughly 4,400 years ago,” Fierce Breaker answered. “I have earned 1,800 Merits within that time, but I need at least 2,500. That might still take a couple of millennia.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” Kyle answered.
“It is,” Fierce Breaker answered, “but the constant battles have also helped me grow stronger. I've already finished the Major Laws of Body and Mind.”
“Oh, you also got those?” Kyle asked. “Did you also get the Major Law of Mind from the Refinement?”
“Yes, I used the Fifth Refinement. The Sixth Refinement was difficult, and I basically didn't do anything aside from feeling terrified for its duration, but I believe I might have a shot at becoming Legendary. How bad was the Seventh Refinement?”
“Difficult to say,” Kyle answered. “While you're experiencing it, it's hell, but it doesn't feel so bad afterward. I was also just lying around while undergoing it.”
“What about the Sixth Refinement?” Fierce Breaker asked. “Did you do anything during it?”
“Yeah, I went and lived a couple of Mortal lives. I learned a good chunk about Karmic Luck.”
“How?” Fierce Breaker asked in surprise. “I couldn't do anything during it. I also haven't heard of anyone else being able to do anything during it. How is that even possible? How can you and Sebastian do things like this?”
“Oh? Sebastian also went through it already?” Kyle asked.
“Yes, he completed it just a couple of years after you did,” Fierce Breaker answered as his tone soured. “He said that it barely made a difference. He even kept working.”
Kyle took a deep breath.
“He said that? The Sixth Refinement was not a small deal! I couldn't imagine fighting anyone during it. Although from what I've heard, Sebastian went through worse. My resistance to pain is high, but his is probably even higher. I assume he's currently undergoing the Seventh Refinement?”
“Yes, he started a couple of millennia ago,” Fierce Breaker answered. “If he got this far, he will probably succeed.”
“Most likely,” Kyle transmitted. “The start is probably the hardest. If you get through the first couple of years, you can probably finish the entire thing.”
“Congratulations,” Star Genesis transmitted with a lost voice. “It's good that you got through it.”
“Thanks,” Kyle answered. “So, how's it going on your side?”
Kyle could feel Fierce Breaker moving a bit into the background as his presence on the relay weakened.
“I'm learning all I can about Formation Arrays,” Star Genesis answered. “The Formation Arrays in the Elemental Dimension make much more sense. I will keep focusing on them for the remainder of the Wisdom Fire Realm.”
Kyle wanted to make a comment, but his instincts told him that something wasn't quite right. He chose his next words carefully.
“You finished the Refinements you want to go through?” he asked.
Kyle could feel the mood worsen a little, but since he had chosen his words carefully, it didn't get too bad.
“Yes,” Star Genesis answered. “I will advance as a Unique Sage.”
“Not many people can become Unique Sages,” Kyle transmitted. “The Sixth Refinement is way worse than Sin Flames.”
Star Genesis huffed.
“Kyle, you don't need to cheer me up. I know my strengths and my weaknesses. Yes, I've attempted the Seventh Refinement, and I've failed. I went to the frontlines to increase my Momentum, and I've comprehended the Major Law of Mind, but it just isn't enough.”
“I just can't. I do not have the mental resilience to complete the Seventh Refinement, and I've accepted it. Instead of banging my head against a wall, I'm going to do something productive and learn more about Formation Arrays.”
Kyle sighed.
“I don't blame you,” he transmitted. “The Seventh Refinement is really bad. Anyway, change of topic, did anything important happen?”
“Not much,” Fierce Breaker answered, joining the conversation again. “Everyone's been busy with the Refinements. Manny is also currently undergoing the Seventh Refinement, and since he's the center of our semi-secret communications, we can't talk to each other in that way. Technically, we're not supposed to know what everyone else is doing right now. Luckily, Manny will be done with the Seventh Refinement in just a couple of centuries. He started even earlier than Sebastian.”
“I just remembered something,” Fierce Breaker added. “Manny said we should try to contact each other regularly to keep up appearances in case Humanity has already infiltrated the network. If we don't send anything, they might suspect that we have another way of talking to each other.”
“Makes sense,” Kyle transmitted as he sent a wisp of information to everyone else.
The wisp vanished, but he didn't get an answer. When Manny was busy, the wisps would just dissipate. Sadly, the wisps didn't have any form of confirmation built in. Kyle didn't know if the wisps reached their target.
“Did he also say something else?” Kyle asked.
“We shouldn't do anything risky for now,” Star Genesis answered. “We should keep working on our powers until he returns. Dangerous and mission-critical actions should be avoided.”
“Sure, I can do that,” Kyle transmitted. “I guess I'm going to ask for more time off.”
Kyle took out his Emblem and looked at it.
It had already activated again, which meant he was supposed to report to one of the Majors. His leave had already expired, and any additional year he took off without requesting it would cost ten times the usual price.
Kyle thought about his next goals.
“I can use all the Level One and Level Two Laws I have comprehended to improve some of my Infused Laws, but I think I should do that later. First, I should focus on the Major Law of Center to complete all of the Major Laws of Aspects.”
“I have around 20,000 years of longevity left. I might not have an Affinity for the other Elements, but I can probably still finish their Minor Laws in a couple of millennia. Then, I can reforge all of my Infused Laws with the Major Laws of Aspects.”
“My strongest Infused Laws are my Infused Law of Soul and my Infused Law of Center. My Infused Law of Soul just needs to be recreated with the Major Law of Soul. That should boost its power by quite a bit. As for the other ones, I need to basically rebuild my entire setup.”
“Afterward, I should focus on my Law of Hammer for a while. I want to improve its quality further.”
Kyle thought about the frontlines and narrowed his eyes.
“The Demons definitely know about me by now. If I don't improve my Battle-Strength to an unexpected level, they will kill me. I need to push myself to a level nobody has ever seen before.”
Kyle looked in the direction of Forward Base 198.
“Some members of Humanity deliver intel to the Demons, but they're doing so out of hopelessness. For now, the Demons probably don't know about our group, but it won't stay like this forever.”
“If we want to survive, we have to give them hope. We have to give them something they have never seen before.”
“The best way is power and potential.”
“I need to have the highest Battle-Strength anyone has ever seen, and it can't even be close.”
“I need to reach a level that almost looks like an unrealistic joke or parody.”
“Just give me 19,000 years. In 19,000 years…”
“I'll make your jaws drop.”
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