The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Divinity (synonymous with mana in this world) was greatly essential in combat because it enhanced physical abilities, empowers weapons, and levels the playing field against powerful foes like Wave Beasts, Dungeon Beasts or Players more powerful than others in strength or skill measurement.

Using numerous Moonlight and Twilight Regioners as an example, many Players possessed abstract Skills that may not directly aid in battle.

This was where Divinity came in as it allowed them to augment their bodies or weapons for greater impact. By channeling Divinity into their limbs, fighters can deliver stronger blows, move faster, and endure more damage, while imbuing weapons with Divinity enabled them to penetrate magical defenses or deal elemental damage.

This versatility made Divinity indispensable when facing opponents with natural advantages like sharp claws, dense hides, or immense strength.

Beyond its immediate combat applications, Divinity also complemented Skills, allowing Players to create powerful synergies.

For example, a fire-based Skill could be amplified when paired with a Divinity-infused blade, turning it into a molten weapon of destruction.

However, using Divinity requires careful control and balance, as overuse can deplete a Player's reserves and leave them vulnerable.

For those who can manipulate Divinity in its physical form, they have an even stronger advantage as they can use it to create long range attacks without depending on a physical Skill.

All in all, Divinity ensures that even those without combat-heavy Skills can stand their ground in battle, making it a vital resource for survival in the dangerous world of Players and beasts.

So, it was imperative that Aeric of Starlight learnt how to use this energy moulded from desire and power in the course of battle.

The training ground was prepared. All the workers had finished cleaning it after yesterday's training, all the dummies had been remade and weapons but real and fake had been arranged.

The morning sun cast golden beams across the grounds filled with wood and iron, with grass filling the earth after it.

Standing on the ground was Aeric and the squad who were before Alzera. The revered Dungeon Clearer had a sharp gaze that lingered on him, appraising, as if peeling away the layers of his carefully maintained façade.

"Well, Prince Aeric," Alzera began, her tone probing yet laced with a teasing edge. "How much can you really do?"

Aeric scratched the back of his head, feigning sheepishness. "Uh… enough?" he replied vaguely.

Alzera chuckled, the sound sharp and knowing. "I remember you claiming to be a Junior Elementalist back in the Dungeon," she said, crossing her arms. "Since the Prince of Starlight was said to be unable to produce a Class on his Declaration, let us be honest here."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You lied, didn't you?"

Aeric stiffened but nodded slowly. "Pretty much... Sorry." He shrugged.

"The Prince apologizes? How rare of someone with your pristine caliber!" Alzera arched a brow, smirking.

Aeric scoffed playfully.

The team looked at each other. "You seeing this?"

"You don't even have a Class yet. Since it will be a week tomorrow, that is when your announcement will be, isn't it?"

"Yes," Aeric answered.

"Good. Then this makes things interesting."

Alzera straightened and began pacing in front of the group. "You see, Divinity doesn't only manifest through your Class or Skills. It can also be channeled directly into your body to enhance your strength and attacks."

"I'm sure you already know this as they teach it to you in your fancy Royal Institution. But let me show you."

Alzera walked toward a training dummy, her steps confident and precise. She paused, took a deep breath, and then, with a subtle shift in her stance, she channeled Divinity into her legs.

"Watch carefully," she said with a commanding voice.

In an instant, she launched a kick at the dummy.

Bang!

The impact was explosive, the wood splintered as the dummy's head shot clean off, sailing through the air. It landed unceremoniously in a basin of clothes where a maiden was washing, sending a spray of soapy water everywhere.

"Splash!"

The maiden let out a startled yelp, but Alzera ignored her, turning back to Aeric with a triumphant grin. "See? That's the power of channeling Divinity. Now, your turn."

Aeric stepped forward, his nerves replaced with determination. He mimicked her stance and focused, trying to channel Divinity into his leg. His first kick struck the dummy, making it shake but leaving it otherwise unharmed.

"Ouch," Aeric mumbled. 'Why did that slightly hurt?'

"Try again!" Alzera barked. "Pull the Divinity from your Divine Body, and channel as much of it to your right leg!"

That was where Alzera was getting it wrong. Aeric realized this. For all of the Awakened Players, channeling Divinity to their body parts was something that they had to do, but for Aeric, it wasn't.

Taking a deep breath, he reset his position. This time, instead of attempting to channel Divinity, he simply activated the Divinity present in his leg's Meridians.

The energy already coursing through his veins surged to his leg, glowing a fierce red. When he kicked, the dummy didn't just break, it was launched high into the sky, vanishing over the castle walls.

The group stared in stunned silence.

That was it.

The thing that differentiated Aeric from other Players was his earlier Divinity overload. Because of that and because of the strict body tempering and other cultivation exercises he did, Aeric had managed to stabilize the flow of the excessive Divinity in him.

But that meant that unlike other Players, he didn't have to channel Divinity into his needed body part, since they were already there due to their excessiveness, he only needed to activate them.

And because of that excessiveness, it made the attacks multiple times more potent that the average Awakened Player.

"Well, that was entertaining," Ryn muttered, his tone dry.

Aeric looked down at his leg, flexing it experimentally. He hadn't expected that much power.

Alzera's eyes gleamed with a mix of approval and curiosity. "Interesting."

When Aeric had nothing to say except glance at Delva who gave him a thumbs up, Alzera added. "Let's take this up a notch."

She led him to the center of a training square where numerous mechanical dummies lined the perimeter. She walked to the magical control center and moved a lever, then they activated, their joints creaking as they moved into position.

The rest of the team gathered to watch.

"Here's the deal, Prince Aeric. Use the skills and techniques I taught you yesterday. Infuse your movements with Divinity and take them down. All of them."

Aeric prepared for the fight. He knew he didn't have to channel, but only just activate the Divinity already channeled. Not that any of them would ever realize that was what he was doing.

A concept like this had never happened before.

Begin!

The first dummy lunged forward, its wooden arm swinging in a wide arc toward Aeric's chest. Aeric pivoted smoothly, his movements swift and deliberate.

With his left arm, he deflected the strike, and as the red glow of Divinity pulsed along his forearm's Meridians, he drove his right fist into the dummy's chest.

Blakaaatttarr!

The impact was explosive, the wood splintered and shattered, sending the dummy flying into the far wall.
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Before he could pause, two more dummies activated, their mechanisms whirring as they closed in from either side.

One jabbed toward his ribs, while the other aimed for his head. Aeric ducked low, feeling the rush of air above him as the attack narrowly missed.

He planted his hand on the ground, activating the Divinity in his legs, and spun in a low sweep. His glowing legs collided with the dummies' bases, knocking them off balance.

As they wobbled, he leapt up and delivered a powerful double kick, sending both crashing into pieces.

The next wave was faster; three dummies with blades for arms converged on him. Their synchronized movements made them harder to predict.

Aeric dodged the first strike, the blade grazing the edge of his sleeve. His eyes glinted with focus as he grabbed the second dummy's arm mid-swing, the glow of his Divinity surging through his grip.

With a sharp twist that he pulled out of an arsenal he didn't know he had, he tore the blade off and used it to block the incoming strike of the third dummy. Sparks flew as wood clashed against Divinity-infused metal.

He retaliated instantly, throwing the blade with precision. It embedded itself in the chest of the third dummy, halting its advance. Turning back to the second, he channeled his Divinity into his palm and delivered an open-handed strike to its core.

The force was insane, and it sent it skidding across the square, where it crumbled into fragments.

The final dummy activated, its movements faster and more unpredictable than the rest. It leapt into the air, spinning with a series of rapid strikes aimed at Aeric's head. He raised his glowing arms to block the flurry, each strike resonating like thunder. But as he felt the rhythm of its attacks, a smirk crept onto his face.

Fast and furiously, Aeric sidestepped the next strike, his glowing fist already moving. The red energy along his arm's Meridians flared as he delivered an uppercut straight to the dummy's jaw. The impact was deafening, the dummy rocketing upward and disappearing over the castle walls.

Then, before he knew it, the training was over.

Aeric looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. 'Wow. I think I've gotten too strong,' he thought. 'All those cultivation exercises, the Condensate Elixir… I didn't realize they'd make such a difference. Or is it just because these are dummies? Would it be the same in an actual fight?'

Glancing at the group, he noticed their wide-eyed stares. 'Judging by their reactions, this definitely isn't normal for someone at my rank and level.'

Alzera clapped her hands, snapping him out of his thoughts. "That was impressive, Aeric!" she said with excitement. "Most Players need time to move their Divinity to the right body part. But you? It's as if it's already there, waiting for your command."

Aeric chuckled, scratching the back of his head again. "You can say that."

Alzera's grin turned mischievous. "This next step is going to involve all of us. It usually involves you using your Class to decide your path: Ranger, Vanguard, Tactician, Support, or will you continue to be a Courier?"

Aeric frowned.

"But your class hasn't been announced and revealing it to us will be breaking the Divine Law," she continued. "I don't want any trouble with Messengers and the Disciples so we're going to make do with what we can for now."

She led them to another section of the training expanse.

The area was a marvel of magical technology: blue coloured icy walls, with crystalline devices humming with energy. Platforms floated in midair, and holographic targets moved in unpredictable patterns.

Aeric raised a brow. "Hmm. What training are we exactly about to do here?"

Alzera smirked, propping her leg on a nearby bench and leaning forward. "I hear you can manipulate Physical Divinity."