Rising god-Chapter 136: Authority: Extraction II

’My soul,’ He recognized it. It had still been a seven-year-old child since he found soul energy. Now, the mantle hovered beside it, merging slowly with the child.

Pain seared through Baines as the merge began. It wasn’t physical, but a deep, existential agony, as if his essence were being rewritten. Yet he didn’t wince. As painful as it might be, it wasn’t as painful as snapping off his streams. He watched, understanding dawning.

Each god’s authority stemmed from their soul, and when granting to another, it was wielded through divine power. Meaning, the potency of the authority used by a god and a contractor was different in a way.

But in this situation, Baines was receiving the authority into his soul, just like every god, at the same time, would be able to wield it with ashenfall, just like every contractor.

Another thing he understood as he watched it was something called divine status. This was what made the gods call themselves that. It didn’t necessarily mean all gods had reached the deity level.

Take the wind god, Aelora, for example. He might not be a deity-level being; however, because of that divine status, Baines couldn’t even stand up to him.

A god could actually be a 6th star in strength, but due to his divine status, an 8th star might not be able to withstand that presence.

Unfortunately for him, he was a human, so he couldn’t have a divine status unless he reached that level, and the extraction authority didn’t have a divine status.

But it meant something.

If you didn’t have something and your skill could extract that thing, what would you need to do?

’Steal my own divine status.’ He nodded in understanding. And in return for not having a divine status, he was now able to wade divine status of other gods. Just like anyone who reached the deity level. What did this mean?

A god could be a 6th star, but due to his divine status, an 8th star might not be able to withstand that presence, or divine status, but now, he could fight.

Though it wasn’t total wading, as he would have to achieve that himself. The potential was staggering.

As Baines assimilated the mantle, a torrent of knowledge flooded his soul, reshaping his understanding of power.

The Extraction authority wasn’t just a tool; it was a framework, embedding sub-authorities into his essence. Like Ashenfall’s techniques, Extraction granted unique abilities only a god with the authority could command.

For example, with the extraction authority now in his soul, no, his soul now embodied the concept itself, he could unleash techniques different from the techniques with ashenfall.

The primary and only sub-authority, Edict. Its uses were staggering in scope, imagine stripping a foe’s mind bare of their memories, or claiming their authority to be his.

One could also say this edict embodied everything about the authority. Yet, it was merely a sub-authority. It meant there was room for more, and it would be his to create. The implications were thrilling yet daunting.

Then there was control. If he had to say, he had skipped about seven levels to reach his current level of mastery, which was the removal of forces of nature, like wind, air, fire, water, cloud, rain, and all sorts.

Previously, Ashenfall erupted chaotically, like a raw surge of violet energy.

Now, he could temper it, letting it flow like a river or burst like a storm. Just like he’d once noted against using Ashenfall like mere aura, not as its own distinct energy, he now realized how true that was.

And that mistake is now mirrored in his handling of blood energy. ’Am I wielding that wrong, too?’ He pushed the thought aside, focusing on his newfound mastery over Ashenfall, which he dubbed Ashen-Origin Arts.

But he didn’t yet have full control over the authority in his soul. And the reason was simple: his soul was still that of a seven-year-old, and it limited his control. To wield it fully, he needed to grow his soul’s strength.

The book Ascendance Over Mortality held the key as it had told him: "It flows like a river, the food for the soul." The Forest of Beasts, teeming with spiritual energy, was the ideal place to nurture it. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Lastly, there was the general information about the ruins. Alongside this, the ruins’ secrets, or rather the city’s secret, his way around the castle, the hidden chambers, the statue’s role, which was similar to that of a guardian, the sentinel sculptures on the throne room were protectors, the dragons’ names, and everything that had happened till date.

’It’s time,’ Baines thought, as the spectral child within him shone with violet brilliance, its eyes opening. The assimilation was complete; the child and mantle had become one.

Baines returned to reality, the throne room’s violet glow intensifying, his soul heavier with power. The sentinels’ eyes seemed to nod in approval, the throne’s pulses syncing with his heartbeat. He was no god, but Extraction made him a threat to them.

Two months had passed.

"Phew..." He exhaled as he glanced at the throne. One thing he knew was, he wasn’t strong enough to sit on that throne and wield that sword yet.

It didn’t matter whether he was qualified or not; his body would shatter if he held it, but the sword trembled as if saying, Don’t take too long.

Baines descended the stairs, finding the statue, now smaller, and its energy had dimmed. The statue had temporarily held the authority, but now Baines bore its full weight.

Without hesitation, Baines placed his hand on the statue, channeling a fragment of his authority, regaining its form, strengthened, though not fully restored.

Two reasons drove this act.

First, the statue had saved them against the Silvers. It had extracted the wind god Aelora’s authority and stored it in Edict’s first page. In the first place, Aelora’s divine status had been powerless against the statue’s might, and the statue was stronger, further sealing his fate.

Now, Baines could access that authority, which was also good for two reasons. The first was perfect for creating wind spirits for the Sky Destroyer and the "internet," to serve as carriers.

It was the reason he hadn’t summoned a spirit yet. He was looking for a favorable situation to summon probably the wind king to spare him some spirits, but now, with the authority, he could even make wind spirits.

The second was, once his soul grew stronger, he could absorb Aelora’s full wind authority entirely. Though he would then need a divine status to sustain it, that would be later in the future.

The second he granted the statue his authority is himself. Basically, Baines wasn’t yet strong enough to protect Ashenfall’s ruins. It was the reason this place was still covered in a veil, and that veil was weakening, and prying eyes—enemies—would aim for it. No, he knew they were already approaching.

By empowering the statue, it could guard the ruins until he was ready to claim the throne.

"How long do I have?" Baines asked, meaning the veil’s duration.

"A little over a month," the statue replied, its voice a low rumble.

"Perfect." He had only two months until his one-year limit for the academy elapsed.

When he leaves, the statue would then take this whole land with it into hiding, until Baines is strong enough to return to guard it. And when he could sit on that throne, everything else would be settled.

But first, he had work to do.

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