Godslayer's Legacy: THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

The faint hum of the airship's engines thrummed steadily through the deck as dawn's golden light stretched across the sky. Eryndor's (The Capital) towering skyline loomed ahead, the Council Citadel casting its sharp silhouette against the brightening horizon.

Inside the observation chamber, Rui leaned against the reinforced viewport, his silver eyes reflecting the glow of the sun. His fingers lightly traced the faint silver veins still threading through his skin, their glow soft but constant.

Kovar stood nearby, his glass dome flickering with faint amber light as he scrolled through streams of diagnostic data on a floating holo-display. His stance was rigid, hands clasped tightly behind his back as if holding back the weight of everything they had left behind at the Scar.

For a while, neither spoke. The air between them carried a fragile silence—one that felt like it could shatter with a single word.

Eventually, Rui broke it.

"Kovar… you said the Council's expecting us. What did you tell them?"

Kovar glanced up briefly, the glow from his glass dome dimming faintly before stabilizing. "Enough to keep them from doing something reckless. They know the Scar stabilized, they know something unprecedented happened, and they know you're the reason we're both still alive."

Rui's brow furrowed faintly. "That doesn't sound like the whole story."

"It's not." Kovar's voice was sharp but not unkind. "The Council thrives on control. Too much information too quickly, and they'll panic—or worse, act out of fear. They need answers, but more importantly, they need the right answers. And right now, Rui, you're an anomaly they can't explain."

Rui's silver eyes flickered faintly in the light as he considered Kovar's words. "And what about you? How do you explain… me?"

Kovar hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping closer, his gloved hand gesturing toward Rui. "You're not something that can be explained with simple words. But… if you want to understand how they'll see you—how they'll measure you—you need to understand how they see strength in the first place."

Rui tilted his head slightly. "Strength?"

Kovar nodded, his voice steady and clear now. "In our world, Rui, strength isn't just one thing. It's not just mana cores, or raw power, or fancy titles—it's all of it, woven together."

He raised a hand, streams of golden light flickering from his glass dome, forming intricate diagrams in the air between them.

---

"The Universal Ranking System, these ranks apply to everyone Rui,—mages, warriors, aura users. It doesn't matter how you wield your power; this is how the Council—and the world—judges your capability."

The golden diagram split into several tiers, each one glowing faintly in midair.

F Rank: The faintest flicker of power. The weakest.

E Rank: Basic competency. The foundation.

D Rank: Functional, reliable, but limited.

C Rank: Capable. Recognized. Competent.

B Rank: Exceptional. Respected in any circle.

A Rank: Powerful. Able to stand alone in battles.

S Rank: Monsters on the battlefield. Game-changers.

SS Rank: Legends. Their names carry weight across nations.

SSS Rank: Myths. The stuff of stories and nightmares.

"These ranks aren't just about raw strength, Rui. They're about impact. What you can do. What you can withstand. What you can change."

Rui's eyes scanned the floating ranks, his expression thoughtful. "Ok, I already know this, but where do mages or aura fit into this? I do not understand the titles..."

Kovar waved his hand, and another diagram branched out, showcasing Mage Ranks alongside Warrior Ranks and Aura User Ranks.

"Mages."

Novice Mage: Beginners, barely able to channel mana.

Apprentice Mage: They've learned control but lack refinement.

Master Mage: Skilled. Capable of structured, consistent spellcasting.

Grand Mage: Commanders on the battlefield.

Archmage: Singular figures of immense magical control.

Sovereign Mage: Reality-bending powerhouses.

---

"Warriors."

Novice Warrior: Basic combatants, raw but determined.

Elite Warrior: Skilled. Physically formidable.

Master Warrior: Disciplined fighters, deadly in close quarters.

Warlord: Battlefield commanders.

Titan: Near-unstoppable forces of nature.

---

"Aura Users."

Initiate: First awakeners of willpower projection.

Sentinel: Reliable defenders and enforcers.

Warden: Leaders on the frontlines, adaptable and sharp.

Exarch: Forces capable of commanding entire fields of combat.

Primarch: Dominant presences whose will can shape environments.

---

"First, Mages." Kovar's voice was clear and steady. "Mages are defined by their ability to manipulate external mana. They draw it in, shape it, and release it as spells. They can devastate battlefields, command the skies, or heal fatal wounds depending on their expertise. But their true strength comes from distance and control."

The diagram shifted, showing silhouettes of mages surrounded by glowing spheres of magic.

"A Mage's ranking—Grand Mage, Archmage, or even beyond—is not just about their core or their talent. It's about their mastery. A Master Mage with a well-honed Silver Core could, theoretically, outmatch a higher-ranked Archmage with poor control. Raw power is important, but precision defines true mages."

The image dissolved into faint particles, replaced by a rugged silhouette—broad-shouldered, brimming with raw energy, fists crackling with faint light.

"Then we have Warriors." Kovar's tone shifted slightly, carrying a harder edge. "Warriors are the opposite of Mages. Their power comes from internal mana. Instead of shaping the world around them, they shape themselves. Their mana is woven into their flesh, their bones, their very cells. A Warrior of sufficient rank can punch through steel, shrug off spells, or move faster than the eye can follow."

He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in.

"But their power has limits. Warriors rely on proximity, on engagement. Put a Master Mage against a Master Warrior at a distance, and the Mage wins every time. But let that Warrior get close—let them reach the Mage—and the story changes. A single strike from a high-ranked Warrior can end a fight before it begins."

The golden projection rippled again, this time forming an unassuming silhouette—a figure wrapped in faint tendrils of energy, standing at ease.

"And finally, Aura Users."

Kovar's voice softened slightly, carrying a tone of quiet respect.

"Aura Users are… unique in their power. They lack the inherent connection to mana that Mages and Warriors have. For most of them, mana is something they can feel but not truly command. But what they lack in direct manipulation, they make up for in resilience, adaptability, and sheer numbers, since aura is what most humans rely on."

The projection shifted, showing groups of Aura Users with glowing weapons, shields, and faint protective barriers.

"They channel aura into tools—artifacts, weapons, armor—to achieve things they could never do on their own. A well-equipped battalion of Aura Users can overwhelm a lesser Mage, and a disciplined Aura User with an artifact can even stand toe-to-toe with a Warrior if they're skilled enough."

Kovar's glass dome dimmed as the projection faded, leaving only the soft hum of the airship in its wake.

---

"But here's the important thing, Rui," Kovar continued, his tone steady and measured. "These three paths—Mage, Warrior, Aura User—they aren't isolated. They intersect. The strongest militaries, the most fearsome warlords, the most dangerous battlemages—they all understand this balance."

He gestured faintly, his glass dome flickering as another projection formed—three interlocking circles representing Mages, Warriors, and Aura Users.

"Mages excel in manipulation and devastation—from a distance. Warriors dominate close combat, relying on raw strength and physical enhancement, solitary by nature, defined by individual power. Aura Users bridge the gap, supporting, holding the line, often seen as the working force of combat—discipline and numbers define their strength, and sometimes—rarely—achieving feats that blur the lines between the other two categories."

Rui's brow furrowed slightly as he absorbed the explanation. "But in raw power… Mages are superior, aren't they?"

Kovar nodded faintly. "Yes. At the peak of mastery, Mages are the most destructive force in the world. But power is not the same as victory. A single misstep, a single moment of vulnerability, and all that raw power becomes meaningless."

"Mages often hold positions of power in both politics and academia, revered for their knowledge and destructive potential.

Warriors however, while respected, are often viewed through the lens of military prowess—leaders on the battlefield but seldom rulers. Aura Users, despite their sheer numbers and adaptability, are sometimes dismissed as expendable assets in the grand schemes of war."

---

The air between them went still as Kovar let Rui digest the information. The distant silhouette of the capital loomed closer now, its vast towers casting long shadows across the sky as dawn transitioned into morning.

"Where do I fall in all of this?" Rui asked quietly, his silver eyes sharp and reflective.

Kovar hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You're… outside the system, Rui. Your core is tempered, your mana flows in ways that defy natural order. You should fall into the Mage or Warrior category, but the things you've done—the things I've seen you survive—they blur the lines."

He stepped back, his gaze turning briefly toward the viewport.

"Maybe the council will try to define you. Label you. Fit you neatly into one of these categories. But they won't succeed. Because whatever you are now, Rui… it's not something that can be measured by our ranks."

Rui's silver eyes flickered as he processed Kovar's words. Outside the system. A part of him wanted to scoff at the idea—it sounded grand, otherworldly, like something out of the stories his tutors once told him. But another part of him felt… hollow. Like he was standing at the edge of a precipice, staring into something vast and unknowable.

The faint hum of the stabilizers signaled the ship's final descent. The docking platform of the Council Citadel came into view—a vast expanse of polished stone, glowing runes, and armored figures waiting in disciplined formations.

Kovar straightened, his voice carrying finality. "Remember everything I told you, Rui. The council is not your enemy, but they're not your ally either. Tread carefully."

Rui nodded once, his silver eyes sharp and resolute.

As the airship descended into the waiting arms of the capital, the weight of everything Kovar had said settled into Rui's chest—heavy, unyielding, and undeniable.

Whatever awaited them below, it would change everything.