The Monarch

This level of control was terrifying. For Konan to reach the fifth realm, he needed something to elevate his path even further. He no longer sought conventional methods of advancing between realms. Instead, he forced his path to bloom, pushing his strength to the next level. It was almost as if the universe itself acknowledged that he was ready to ascend.

Kayden, on the other hand, had reached a surreal level of self-control. The lightning that once empowered his body no longer brought about changes. He had become a mage who fought and lived through his soul, which meant that the lightning found no more points to improve in his physical body. This was true absolute control: his strength came only from his soul and his steps. No one else could interfere with his evolution.

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Kayden no longer depended on anyone else to change his strength. Every bit of progress was the result of his efforts, something that, at times, could make him slower compared to other mages. The heavens, like an omnipresent and unfathomable entity, could identify areas to improve and transform them. However, that divine aid would contradict the path Kayden walked: the path of a monarch, one who rules over all.

Time passed quickly, and Konan became a true destructive force on the battlefield. Whenever he appeared, the slaughter was certain. Both realms already knew his reputation. At first, the orders were clear: avoid the boy at all costs. But these orders were repeatedly disobeyed, and the massacre continued until Konan reached the limits of his body.

Meanwhile, Kayden manipulated the souls of the warriors behind the scenes to face his disciples. It was easy to implant memories of hatred and resentment, as humans were driven by simple and primitive desires. Even the strongest leaders unconsciously followed Kayden’s desires. The soul, after all, was a domain barely understood and almost inaccessible to most. In this environment, Kayden felt like he was in a playground.

Konan, on the other hand, began converting his heart and techniques into something beyond the physical. After fighting relentlessly and surpassing unimaginable limits, the boy saw his path bloom in unexpected ways. He always thought he followed the path of a barbarian: fighting and killing made him feel alive, a sentiment many warriors shared. However, for Konan, it was something deeper. If he went months without facing the feeling of almost dying, he would go mad.

His true path, it seemed, was the path of death. Seeing people die made him feel alive. Watching life slip away before his eyes brought him terrifying revelations. Whenever he experienced a life-or-death situation, Konan grew stronger. The closer to death, the more powerful he became. Now, in the fourth realm, it had taken him centuries to get there. He was no longer part of the royal family, and many had forgotten his existence. Only the high nobility still recognized him.

"What do you think I should do, master?" Konan asked, still with many doubts in his mind. His strength was immense, and he knew he could crush most people below the fifth realm. No ordinary mage posed a threat to him. Yet, the battles had lost their meaning. They still taught him something, but they weren’t enough to push him to the next realm.

"I want you to become a monarch," Kayden’s voice sent chills down Konan’s spine.

***

As Kayden reflected during his time of introspection, he realized something was wrong with his path. It wasn’t doubt about what his path represented but about the direction it was taking. He needed to be unique, unique, and surpass everyone. He couldn’t walk a path already trodden, not even in its smallest details. Although his techniques and cultivation methods were original, something about him had already existed before. He was merely replicating with slight variations.

Being a monarch wasn’t something new. There had been monarchs before, and probably new ones would emerge in the future. All of them, in some way, ruled over mana, with minor variations between them, but in the end, they were all similar.

This was the answer Kayden had sought for so long. He finally reached this understanding after what seemed like an endless journey. He would reshape his path and extend it.

It wasn’t a difficult task. Kayden simply needed to alter the foundation of his path to make it truly unique. He had already done so long ago but had only now realized it. His soul was the key, and at the same time, it wasn’t.

"The monarch of oneself." That was the answer Kayden found. He didn’t want to rule or control anyone. That was merely an indirect consequence of his strength. What he truly desired was control over himself. His path, his existence, was to be the monarch of himself, to rule over his destiny and actions. Controlling the things around him was merely an extension of that.

If his will was to control the air, then ruling the air was an extension of ruling himself. That was the true difference. When Kayden realized this, his aura changed completely. And when he integrated this new understanding into his soul, it too transformed.

In the past, Kayden’s path was oppressive. His mere presence made weaker beings kneel and submit to his will without question. It was something instinctive.

Now, the path of the Monarch of Oneself was different. Kayden’s aura conveyed a sense of peace and serenity. He no longer seemed affected by the things of the universe around him.

Things around him automatically followed suit, strong winds became calm, the environment became tranquil, and in a lake, the waves calmed down regardless of how hard they were rocking.

And when Kayden became excited... the wind followed his will, everything around him resonated with his state of mind, and he governed himself, but the universe became an extension of his own will.

It was a silly detail, but it made a huge difference in the way Kayden dealt with Mana. In the past, he had to give orders to get Mana to do what he wanted, but now he didn’t even need to ask. Kayden’s spiritual sense ceased to exist and became something much superior. It was practically a unique sixth sense that he had developed. He could feel everything for hundreds of kilometers.