443: Still not enough?

443: Still not enough?

‘As expected…’ Max thought silently, his gaze lingering on the fading golden light where the Excalibur had vanished, leaving behind only a deep crater and the silence of awe.

‘A Legendary Rank skill… evolved from something as basic as a Common Rank one…

It’s strength might reach Divine Rank or even surpass it.’ His fingers tightened slightly around the hilt of his sword, not from tension, but from quiet reflection.

The strength that Excalibur had just displayed wasn’t a fluke—it wasn’t just the raw power of a high-ranked ability.

No, it was far deeper than that.

It was mastery.

True, relentless, unfathomable mastery.

Max knew better than anyone that most experts, even the most gifted, rarely ever pushed a single skill beyond level 20.

For many, even reaching level 10 was already a feat of talent.

But him?

He had pushed every skill he had through the Limitbreaker Realm—surpassing level 100, where the system stopped guiding and the path had to be carved by one’s own will.

From the moment he first picked up the skill and learned it, he had never let it go.

Not until it became something greater.

From Common to Uncomon.

Uncommon to Rare.

Rare to Epic.

And now—Legendary.

Each evolution had been built upon layers of comprehension, battle-hardened instinct, and soul-deep discipline.

Making Magic Swords Excalibur, not just any skill—it was the crystallization of every mastery of all the ranks from Common to Epic Rank skills.

And now, Max was mastering the Legendary Rank…

“Blob… how strong am I right now?

Can I defeat someone at Expert Rank?” Max asked suddenly, his voice filled with curiosity.

After all, with his current power, even those at the peak of Seeker Rank couldn’t last more than a single strike against him.

Naturally, he thought he might have already crossed into the realm of the experts.

But Blob’s reply shattered that illusion like a bucket of cold water dumped over his head.

“You’re nowhere near it,” the spirit’s voice echoed in his mind, firm and dismissive.

Max frowned, confused.

‘Nowhere near?’ He asked mentally, feeling a bit frustrated.

Blob didn’t sugarcoat it.

“You clearly don’t understand the gap between Seeker Rank and Expert Rank.

It’s massive.

Let me explain.

The ranks you’ve passed—Novice, Apprentice, Adept, and Seeker—are what we call the foundation ranks.

They’re the basics.

The difference between them isn’t that large.

Anyone with talent, resources, and effort can climb them quickly.

But starting from Expert Rank… that’s where everything changes.” His tone grew heavier, more serious.

“From Expert to Master, then Champion, and finally Legend Rank—those four are the real stages of power.

The gap between each one is so large it’s hard to describe.

Even geniuses who can supposedly fight five levels above their level in the Seeker Rank get crushed when they enter this zone.

Just one level in Expert Rank is equal to several levels in Seeker Rank.

That’s how steep the climb becomes.” He paused before driving the point home.

“No matter how terrifying your strength seems now, you’re still in Adept Rank.

Even if you destroy Seeker Rank geniuses with ease, it means nothing in the domain of true experts.

You’re still far from touching the threshold of the Expert Rank.” Max nodded silently, taking in every word Blob had said.

The truth stung, but he couldn’t deny it.

‘I need to get stronger—and fast,’ he thought grimly.

But the problem with his soul… it held him back.

‘I can’t do anything here,’ he admitted to himself with clenched fists, the frustration bubbling inside him.

For a moment, he tightened them so hard his knuckles turned white, before finally releasing the tension with a long breath.

No use losing control.

Not yet.

‘Once I’m done with the Tower of Truth… I’ll head to the North Region of the Valora Continent.’ His eyes hardened with resolve.

He had made up his mind.

There was no turning back.

But then, a thought crossed his mind—sharp and clear like a blade itself.

‘If I manage to comprehend all four of my auras to the level of concepts… and master them completely,’ he reasoned, ‘then I might actually stand a chance against someone in the Expert Rank.’ His eyes lit up with a flicker of hope, a rare expression for someone who had been burdened with so many battles, so many impossible odds.

Even now, he understood the gap between Seeker and Expert Rank was monumental—almost insurmountable—but concepts were the foundation of true power.

They weren’t just techniques or energies; they were laws, truths of the world.

And if he could grasp four of them—flame, lightning, sword, and space—then he would possess a strength few could rival.

‘Not even many Expert Rank leaders can comprehend more than one,’ he thought.

‘But me?

I’ll have four.’ That thought surged through him like lightning, igniting something within.

‘This is my edge,’ he realized.

‘This is my weapon against the impossible.’ His lips curled into a faint, determined smile.

‘All the more reason I need to make full use of the Chamber of Concepts.’ This place, this tower wasn’t just an opportunity—it was the anvil where his future self would be forged.

With that thought in mind, he turned slowly, facing the massive crowd gathered before the tenth hall.

His gaze swept through them like a storm, sharp and unmoving, until it landed on the group of demons who stood at the front.

“Anyone else who wants to challenge me?” His voice rang out, calm but cold, laced with the kind of confidence that made the air around him grow heavy.

But no one stepped forward.

Not a single demon.

Not even those from other races.

Fear rooted them to the spot.

Some still trembled, visibly shaken from what they had just witnessed—the brutal annihilation of Craig.

That moment where Max’s golden sword came down like divine judgment, erasing Craig from existence with terrifying finality, was seared into their minds.

It wasn’t just a victory.

It was domination.

And that kind of power left behind only one thing in their hearts—pure, unshakable fear.

Seeing that no one dared to step forward and challenge him, Max calmly stepped down from the arena, the silence in the hall echoing louder than any roar of approval.

The crowd parted instinctively as he walked, and he landed softly beside Alice and Princess Lenavira, his expression unreadable.

Just then, he paused, sensing something shift within his body.

Reaching into his storage space, he pulled out the Essence Stone—it was glowing, no, radiating with a golden brilliance that seemed to pulse with power, lighting up the area around his hand like a miniature sun.

Princess Lenavira’s eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

“It looks like the points you gained from defeating Craig and Korbin are enough to push you to the peak of Adept Rank,” she said calmly, as if it were just a casual observation.

Max gave a small nod and placed the stone back inside.

It wasn’t the time to absorb it.

Not here.

Not now.

He had other things to deal with first.

“What are your plans now?” Lenavira asked again, this time with a hint of genuine curiosity in her voice.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS ShinGotLost Your gift is the motivation for my creation.

Give me more motivation!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay