Since the time Logan heard Luther Kyle’s explanation about the characteristics of a superhuman, he had been mulling over it. The characteristic of a superhuman makes the unconscious desires of an individual manifest into reality when they surpass human limits. Furthermore, the possibility of being able to control it artificially crossed his mind first. ‘What would my attribute be if I naturally became a superhuman?’ He didn’t even consider a balanced general awakening like his master. He couldn’t abandon the possibility of becoming far superior, as Luther had explained.
Fortunately, he had a clue. The Natural Magic that had appeared in his sword, Lux—the Time Acceleration. He still couldn’t understand why Lux’s power, which was supposed to emerge in line with his true nature, had manifested as such. If he had to guess, it seemed to represent an overwhelming speed. Perhaps the martial principle related to the domination of space and speed emphasized by his master had unconsciously manifested. Therefore, there was a high probability that the attribute that would appear upon awakening would also be related to speed.
‘Or maybe…’
The desire to overturn everything. The destructive dream that had dominated his soul until just before his regression. If a superhuman’s characteristic was the manifestation of desires accumulated in the soul over a long time, it could also manifest as a power or an aggressive attribute.
‘After all, it felt like it would be either strength or speed.’
There was nothing bad about that. Especially if it was an attribute of speed, because it would be more in line with the martial arts principles emphasized by his master.
However, after coming to the empire and experiencing Jerome’s Absolute Vision, sensing the Emperor’s Shadow, and witnessing the miracle demonstrated by Tris Hornsby, he couldn’t think about it so simply.
‘Even with the power of Force Core, I can become the strongest in physical terms in my peer group. It’s not just strength and speed that allow me to fight against Aura Users now.’
If he became a superhuman, he was confident that he would not be inferior to anyone in physical abilities. But would physical capabilities be meaningful in stopping moves like Jerome’s Absolute Vision or the one shown by Tris Hornsby?
When such thoughts arose, his mind leaned towards a different direction for awakening. Since then, Logan had been deeply engrossed in it, searching for a possibility that could surpass everything he had ever seen. After a long contemplation, he finally came up with a plausible assumption.‘Be it speed, strength, or supernatural abilities, it’s an ability to surpass limits that one couldn’t normally.’
Crossing over limits—the possibility of that becoming a characteristic itself.
During his stay at the villa, Logan worked diligently to visualize it: designing the attribute while hovering around the critical point of Aura capable of awakening, envisioning the future when he would awaken. His abnormally heightened senses on the verge of awakening allowed him to conjure up highly realistic visions of the future, but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t envision a good outcome. The scenarios where his muscles burst and bones shattered were among the less severe ones.
However, the frequently emerging result of dying from a burst head was something he couldn’t bear.
‘Too dangerous. Too much so.’
Was it worth the risk? Was there any reason to take such a gamble? When thoughts like these crossed his mind, Logan would recall the Emperor and the empire, the move shown by Tris. ‘No! I cannot afford to think complacently.’
The empire he experienced firsthand was far stronger than he had imagined, and his future was even darker for that. He couldn’t do without taking risks if he wanted to avoid the destruction he anticipated.
‘Risks are, of course, to be taken.’
With that thought in mind, he researched and studied the most promising methods again. After intense research, it was not until he was about to leave the capital that Logan grasped the direction he should take. Now, it was time to apply it in reality.
‘Slowly… gradually.’
Whoa.
The first force core in his heart amplified the power it exhaled by eightfold, passing through the second, third, and fourth cores, filling his entire body.
And as that full energy began to evolve in accordance with his familiar will.
‘It’s done!’
A ‘fifth’ force core sprung out, orbiting around the existing cores.
Whoa.
The vibration that started from the heart’s force core enveloped his whole body, spreading the robust power of Aura throughout his frame, fundamentally transforming him.
All eyes focused on Logan as he radiated auspicious golden light from his entire body.
Luther Kyle, upon recognizing the signs of awakening, announced it, and everyone cheered and held their breath. However, by the time morning dawned and the golden light that brightly lit the campsite under the dark night sky persisted, the expressions of the knights guarding Logan grew increasingly anxious.
“Luther, sir. Is it normal for it to take this long?”
“Mmm. I’ve heard it varies by person. Usually, it wraps up quickly…”
With the guards’ expressions turning grim at those words, Luther chuckled and continued.
“I remember taking a long time myself. It just means he’s undergoing a significant change, so let’s just watch.”
The knights managed to calm their spirits somewhat with his laughter. But Logan’s meditation went on until the sun that had risen anew crossed the midday sky and began to set again, and the knights, worn out by the anxious wait, began to take turns to rest.
At that moment.
Flash.
As the sunset approached, Logan opened his eyes amid a bursting spread of golden light.
“It ended faster than I thought. Maybe we could have marched further and set up camp there?”
He smiled as if all he did was blink momentarily, but the party did not point out his misconception.
“Lord, is it really…?”
“Did you really become a superhuman…?”
At Victor and Henderson’s queries, the knights’ focus intensified.
“Yes. Now, I too am an Aura User.”
As Logan freely manipulated the auspicious golden light at his fingertips.
A jubilant cheer erupted throughout the camp.
“However, it will remain a secret for a while. Even once we return to the estate.”
“Yes! We shall keep it in mind!”
No one asked why it was necessary.
They were the elite of the McLin, who had staunchly supported the lengthy journey.
Logan simply nodded without further comment.
Yet, there was one who kept pouring out fundamental questions.
“You don’t seem particularly changed; don’t tell me, you got a normal attribute… no, can’t be. After what I’ve explained, that wouldn’t make sense. Right?”
Looking at Luther Kyle, uneasy on his own, Logan cracked a smile and nodded.
“Of course, Mr. Luther. Thanks to you, I’ve made great gains. I promise to repay this debt.”
“Heh heh. So it worked out fine, but why don’t you seem very different? Did you really listen to me? With physical enhancement and power compression, you could just end it all…”
“I assure you, I’ve obtained better results. Shall I show you?”
“What? Great! Let’s test it now!”
Luther cheered at those words, but for some reason, the very Logan who had spoken them hesitated slightly.
“What are you doing, aren’t you coming quickly?”
“But weren’t we already a good match even before awakening? I would feel too sorry for you, Mr. Luther, if we were to do it for real…”
“What, you say? Huh… Haha! Well, that’s fine too! Just show me. You are the future of the kingdom!”
“Then what good is that for me?”
“I’ll do anything for you. Even if it means becoming your subordinate.”
“Really, with no take backs?”
“Of course!”
Whoa.
Logan grinned at the satisfying fullness of energy spreading from his heart throughout his body.
Just the increase of physical capabilities since becoming an Aura User was about 30%.
‘It would have been around 100% for a normal awakening.’
But he was satisfied with this already.
He was exceeding the strongest of his peers with his physique, facing even Aura Users.
It didn’t even matter to compare the efficiency of the Force and Aura energy; his combat power had increased significantly.
‘In essence, a duel would be meaningless.’
If it had come to a life-or-death struggle, he would have had the ability to kill Luther Kyle long ago.
Logan’s way of the sword, or rather, the way of the sword energy focused on speed, was almost a fatal compatibility against Luther Kyle.
Had it been a reiteration of the confrontation with Blake, it would have seemed similar.
With his awakening, the difference would have been even greater.
But what he was about to do was not merely a contest.
Now that he had seized the possibility created by the story he had heard, he wanted to show him at least once.
And he wanted to confirm it for himself.
“Come forward, let me show you what I’ve gained thanks to Mr. Luther. Brace yourself.”
At those words, Luther Kyle’s face tightened, and a red aura tinged his entire body.
The Aura Armor he prided himself on and his best combat readiness.
Watching him, Logan calmly recalled the attribute embedded in his soul.
‘The design is perfect.’
The Force Core provided the foundation for crystallizing the vague concept of transcending limits and improving efficiency further.
Unlike other Force Users, he had concentrated the core of Force in his heart to enhance output and efficiency— the source of his current strength.
‘It made imaging easier.’
The Force Core, whose ‘number’ would increase as one’s stage of cultivation rose.
‘Here I go.’
The moment he pulled the trigger engraved in his soul, an additional core spat out from the 5-star Force Core in his heart.
At the same time, Logan’s very perspective on the world changed.
His entire body’s Force spiked in an instant, and his ability to control that Force and its efficiency were amplified accordingly.
He felt each flaw visible in Luther in front of him multiplying from one to four or five.
It wasn’t just an amplification of Force and an improvement in efficiency, but a feeling of ascension in the soul itself.
A temporary yet perfect ascent of stage.
If the ascent of stage could strengthen the Force Core, then the reverse process should also be possible, and his expectations were perfectly met.
‘It’s done!’
The energy efficiency alone was quadrupled, not to mention a combat performance that couldn’t be compared to a moment before.
Feeling Logan’s changed aura, Luther Kyle’s eyes widened twice their size.
“Try to stop it.”
The brilliant golden Aura radiating from Logan’s sword cut through Luther’s red Aura like cutting tofu.
For the next five minutes.
Luther Kyle was forced to become aware of various vulnerabilities he had not recognized, each one probed and made aware forcefully.
‘You were being dominated by the unnecessarily powerful physical attribute.’
From a stage above, Logan saw the reason for Luther’s stagnation and forced him to be aware of his shortcomings as a form of repayment for telling the story of attribute design.
“Thank you, boy, you really… you awakened an unbelievable attribute.”
As Luther admired him with a complex look, Logan immediately collapsed, feeling the Force fade all the way to the ground.
“Oh no, are you alright?!”
Luther, who was bleeding profusely from all over his body, actually worried about Logan’s pale complexion.
But Logan faintly smiled and waved his hand despite feeling utterly exhausted.
“It’s just a temporary reaction. I must bear such side effects. Anyway, I am more grateful for the power I gained thanks to you.”
His words were sincere.
And unbeknownst to Luther, there was another reason.
‘It worked. My intuition was correct!’
The momentary and overwhelmingly increased combat power that Luther admired was only a secondary feature. The primary advantage that had excited Logan from the design phase of this special attribute was…
‘Being able to directly experience a higher stage, even if only for five minutes.’
Indeed, right after his awakening, he felt a slight understanding of the fifth form of the Divine Sword Technique, which he could hardly grasp before. Logan shouted in joy.
Developing slower as one’s level gets higher is common knowledge.
But he was convinced he had developed the best attribute that could reverse that common knowledge.