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Chapter 183: Edgar’s Breakthrough
🕑 Added 2023-05-05 17:36:01 +0000 UTCEdgar floated in nothingness, suspended before a massive sapphire sphere. His eyes watered. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
The sphere was colored light blue, with little stars glistening inside. It was made of a material like starry silk. Its outer layers flowed around the sphere, while the inner ones stayed still. Clouds of colors floated inside, occasionally merging with each other or splitting to create new combinations.
It was magical.
Edgar tried to draw a deep breath, only to realize he had no body. Or rather, he did, but not a physical one. Though it looked like him, he quickly realized that here, wherever here was, he was a floating orb of light, and the physical form was only a mantle he chose to clad himself in.
He got rid of it at once. His body was part of him, but this glowing orb… This was the real Edgar. The closer to the truth he was, the better.
He knew what was happening. This was the inside of his soul. He was breaking through.
Excitement flooded him like water puring out of a broken dam. He felt his worries and fears wash away in the stream of power. He was not useless. He had not taken a wrong step. His breakthrough had just been a matter of time—and the right circumstances, as he quickly observed. High pressure was the catalyst to forming a Dao Seed. Perhaps not the only one, but a catalyst nonetheless.
His first instinct was to note it down. But, as his attention rose to the sapphire sphere, he was captivated again.
This was magic. His magic. His dream. He had to succeed.
The Dao Stabilizing Pill he’d gotten from Ar’Tazul activated in his stomach, where it had waited for weeks. A warm stream passed through his veins, calming him down.
He could feel the Dao calling him. The sphere meant to merge with him, become one whole entity of vast, breathtaking power.
Edgar calmed himself and jumped right in.
Magic.
Brilliance surrounded him on all sides. He had no eyes, yet he saw. No ears, yet he heard. Giant mountains of gold. Floating islands over the sea. Animals made of stars and solar gasses. Humans of glass, their heart shining orange, and a giant, benevolent eye with three tentacles trailing behind it.
Edgar knew not who he was. The essence of magic was distilled into his body, filling his mind with power and wonder.
One moment, he was a bearded old man. As he gently raised his hand, the sea rose with it, and as he brought his cane down, the waters split as if by heaven’s sword. Then, he was a winged woman surrounded by light. One smile was all it took for the earth to mend under her feet, wiping away the wounds of war. He was a barefoot child, cradled in an alley between buildings, with the heavy rain cascading over him and making him shiver. Magic erupted from his body, washing away the pain and fear, bringing warmth he’d never felt before.
A flash of pain snapped his attention to the present. The Dao around him was an angry tide, every part rising to seek his attention. With a second flash of pain, a ring of light spread from his body, calming the Dao where the two met.
Edgar was shaken. He had almost lost himself to the visions. If not for the Dao Stabilization Pill, he would have failed.
But the first hurdle was past. Edgar was the master of himself now, and he couldn’t stop excitement from sparking all around him, a wild exhilaration rising from the depths of his soul. It was just him and magic now. A private lesson, with the universe itself as the tutor. He would sink into the wells of knowledge that were his deepest dreams.
He opened his arms and let the Dao flood him. His mind remained whole, an impregnable fortress, but the essence of magic filled his body to the brim. It spoke to him; sought to take him over. Sought to battle him.
But Edgar corrected it. His magic was not made for battle. It was made to awe, to inspire, to create.
He could sense the misalignment inside him. This was his magic, but it was not the very essence of his being. He was not perfectly aligned with his Dao.
Then again, he didn’t need to be. Let the rest of his soul wash away, let the impurities forever hide themselves in a treasure chest under the ocean. This was the path he wanted to walk. This was the life he chose to lead.
This was the Edgar he chose to be.
His mind shattered into a thousand pieces. It remained whole, but each piece faced a different vision, a different scenario. Edgar saw the three people from before and nine hundred and ninety-seven more—one thousand visions, no more and no less.
In each, he saw a creature—be they human, animal, or strange beings he knew nothing of—work their magic. But, this time, he wasn’t them. The vision was a script he could tamper with. He could sense how things were going to turn out, and in every vision, he chose to alter the course of history.
Where the bearded old man split the sea to let his people pass, Edgar forced the waters to bend the knee, saluting the man’s effort. Fish danced. A few children behind him laughed.
When the woman smiled and mended the earth, Edgar made flowers rise from the ground. One came up to her nose, blessing her with its fragrance. The angel’s smile turned warmer.
Where the child erupted with magic, banishing the cold and fear of rain, Edgar willed the clouds to disperse, letting a brilliant sun dominate the sky, the herald of a new day.
In every vision, Edgar followed his heart to change the world. He found himself laughing. All the awe, beauty, and childlike wonder he created came back to fill him, suffusing his soul until it was ready to burst.
The visions went away. Edgar was left with a body of magic, a soul bursting at the seams. Yet, his smile was warm, his eyes sparkling. He let himself stand, taking a deep breath to stabilize his new Dao Seed.
He then opened his eyes to find a different world. A world where he was one step closer to the person he dreamt of being.
Edgar waved his hand, and a gentle breeze blew out, escaping from the window and going down to fly around the humans, gymonkeys, and brorillas working in the forest. Where it passed, flowers bloomed in the grass, and the creatures of the forest were tickled.
He waved his other hand, and the messy papers and notes across his study rose, arranging themselves into neat piles deposited on the desk.
The last hints of excess magic, left behind by his breakthrough, were expelled through a slow exhale, which cleaned the room of dust, polished the walls until they shone, and summoned a little spectral monkey dancing in their midst. A final, small gale met the door, swinging it open just as an old lady was about to knock it from the other side.
Edgar raised his eyes. “Hello, professor.”
“Edgar?” the professor said, her eyes widening. She took in the changes, then inspected him. She began to shiver. “Edgar!” she cried out with excitement. “You—”
“I broke through,” Edgar said calmly, inspecting his own hand. Physically, nothing had changed. But everything else had.
“That’s incredible! You finally did it! You are the first E-Grade on Earth!” The professor was wild with joy. She rushed in to hug him, expressing her deep relief. The lack of an E-Grade had been pressuring them hard. Now, that issue was no more.
However, Edgar did not respond with the same enthusiasm. Still with a smile, he gently pushed her away. The professor frowned and tilted her head at him—but even her prodigious powers of understanding weren’t enough to see through his intentions.
“What’s the matter?” she finally asked.
“I did break through,” Edgar repeated. His smile turned bitter. “I hold great power, but it is not as you hope. Magic is not a weapon. Not my magic. It is a tool of beauty, a device of wonder, a medium of joy.”
He could see the professor’s heart fall. So did his.
“But Edgar,” she said, “if you don’t fight…”
“I know.”
He pursed his lips. His new Dao Seed was still crying out in joy, relishing in the powers of creation he had been granted. But his heart was crying salty tears, because it knew that things were as the professor said. If he did not fight, the people he loved would die. Beauty would lose, and mediocrity would reign. But what could he do, if he wielded great power that was not a weapon?
“My magic is one of peace,” he repeated, every word weighing on his soul, “but even roses have thorns.” He closed his eyes. The weight of his decision was heavy, too heavy. He was choosing to defile the most beautiful thing in the world. But what choice did he have?
“Just once,” he said, rising to his feet. The professor’s gaze was perplexed. “Just once, I will strike out with this power of mine. Just once, will I ruin that which is beautiful. I will tip the equilibrium for your armies. If we fall after that… Then, let it be fate. I will die in a field of flowers.”
“Edgar…”
“I will be off, professor,” he said. His body levitated, easily pulled by the strands of the elements around him. It was almost effortless. As he reached the window, he turned to her again, smiling warmly through his pain. “And when I return, prepare a celebration for me, okay? Bring the children. I will give them a show they will never forget.”
“Edgar…” Her voice trailed. Why did she look so sad?
Only when his tears touched his lips did Edgar realize he was crying. But so be it. He shook his head, letting the tears fall. Even in sadness, there was beauty.
“I will be quick,” he said, turning to the horizon. With a pull of the world’s strands, he flew away, picking up speed, splitting the clouds as he raced to the northeast faster than most planes could.
There was time until he reached his destination. Hours. Until then, he decided to inspect his System notifications.
Congratulations! Dao Root of Magic→ Dao Seed of Magic (early)
Congratulations! F-Grade → E-Grade
Congratulations! Your body has been infused with your Dao, taking on its attributes.
Intelligence +20
Wisdom +20
Charisma +20
Free stat points per Level up: 2 → 5
Level Up! You have reached Level 50.
Congratulations! For being one of the first ten cultivators on your planet to develop a Dao Seed, you are awarded the Title: Planetary Torchbearer (10).
Planetary Torchbearer (10): A Title awarded to the first ten cultivators to develop a Dao Seed in an Integrated planet. A sign of great potential, marking the owner as a person worthy of the Immortal System’s assistance.
Efficacy of all stats +10%.
Edgar chuckled. He had theorized many things about the E-Grade. Finally, he was about to find out everything. And most importantly, what Class he would get.
Class Upgrade available. Please choose your new Class:
Elemental Adept
Elemental Adepts are Mental cultivators who specialize in controlling the nine elements. Their greatest strength is their adaptability, and they exceed in battle scenarios where they can use clever tactics to outwit their enemies.
Arcane Body (Elite)
Most wizards choose to specialize. Arcane Bodies do not; they maintain an affinity with all types of magic. As a result, their battle power is limited, but they boast great utility and adaptability.
“Magic is the very fabric of reality, the driving force of the cosmos. Why limit ourselves to just one corner?”
It saddened Edgar that all the System cared about was battle strength. Was his magic flawed? Was he an outcast? A pariah?
That line of thought evaporated as quickly as it had come. He knew what he felt. Magic was supposed to be used his way. Everyone else either compromised, got it wrong, or simply didn’t see the world as he did. In any case, his use of magic was the one that fit him best.
Being offered two Classes was pretty normal, from what Ar’Tazul told him. In this case, the choice was clear. The first Class, Elemental Adept, was obviously meant for battle, which put it out of the question.
Elemental Adept was also the Class his master had encouraged him to pick. In fact, most of his training during the Integration Tournament had been meant to unlock this Class. Unfortunately, Edgar had other priorities now, and any lingering doubts were quickly extinguished by the other Class being Elite.
“Arcane Body,” Edgar said aloud, tasting the words. He had a shield of air to protect him from the cold, so his voice rang clear. He smiled. “Not bad.”
It wasn’t perfect, but it was meant for him. Perhaps he’d get choices closer to his Dao at the D-Grade—if he ever reached it.
Edgar chose the Arcane Body Class. Immediately, the Class Selection screen disappeared, replaced by a few new ones:
Congratulations! You are now an Arcane Body (Elite).
Congratulations! Mana Manipulation (III) upgraded into Spontaneous Magic (II).
Class Skill unlocked: Mana Sight (I).
Edgar’s world was filled with colors. He could see the strands of magic now! They were everywhere!
He had to stop and take his time parsing through all the new information. Excitement filled him all the while.
This skill was revolutionary!
Thankfully, Edgar’s Mental stat was off the charts. He quickly rearranged his mind to adapt to his new Skill, then went on his way. He could feel a Dao Vision at the back of his mind, eager to jump out and present itself to him, but he kept it at bay for now.
When his job was done, he would return to learning. Now… Now, he had to fight. Once.
Dark thoughts filled his mind for the rest of the trip, warring against the joy of breaking through and all the possibilities of his new powers.
Eventually, Edgar reached his destination. He descended through the clouds, reaching a world of cold and ice.
Right under him, half-buried into a glacier, were the headquarters of Ice Peak. A place devoid of E-Grades.
He was going to destroy it.
