Chapter 227
But that wasn’t true. History had repeatedly shown that true talent shone in any path. What mattered was not the path chosen but how one treaded upon it.
Just because someone had the potential to be a spiritual exorcist, if they lacked the willpower to persist and grow strong, they would get nowhere.
Having talent and using it were two different things.
Now, Oliver possessed great espera talent. Nadia was born with high spiritual exorcist potential, so naturally, Oliver had obtained even greater talent.
But a single path?
“Why settle for one when I can pursue both?” he mused, a flicker of ambition lighting his eyes.
If he were to describe his current situation, he was more suited to the spiritual path than the physical.
Still, he wouldn’t let that limit him. Why choose when he could master both?
He smiled knowingly. With the knowledge from the novel, he knew it was possible to walk both paths simultaneously.
It was known to a few that one could be both a physical and spiritual exorcist. Although not a grand secret to the clans, it wasn’t easy to achieve.
Only those with ample time and effort attempted it. It was extremely demanding and time-consuming.
Most exorcists couldn’t afford such a luxury. They had to choose—quickly—and dedicate themselves fully to a single path.
The Union heavily promoted single-path specialization, discouraging dual-path training.
Humanity was constantly at war with demons, and the more exorcists they could prepare, the better. If everyone tried to walk both paths, it would greatly impact battlefield readiness.
A pragmatic choice, Oliver knew, but not one that suited his plans.
Everyone wanted to be strong, especially exorcists, who had their own reasons to be the best among their peers. Being both a physical and spiritual exorcist would undoubtedly give them an edge, if they had the means and knowledge.
To prevent greed from taking over, the Union popularized proper paths and exorcism techniques for both categories of exorcism. This was not entirely done to recruit more exorcists, but also because novices lacked knowledge.
The Union had countless expert exorcists with vast experience, so it was better to prevent novices from wasting their time from the outset and save their efforts to focus on one path.
In the novel, Nadia, with her talent and hard work, became both a physical and spiritual exorcist.
So, Oliver, with tenfold her talent, would breeze through it. There was no need for him to hold back; what applied to ordinary folk didn’t apply to him.
“I should start now.”
Oliver glanced at the broken windows and stared at the clouds, filled with dense golden-brown clouds trapping sunlight. He knew he had to hurry up.
Swish!
The espera in his body gathered at his solar plexus and started to take the shape of a sphere.
As he began to form the sphere, fluctuations started to appear around him. The pure espera circulated around him.
The fluctuations were so strong that if not for the Abyssal dome, demons in the city would have noticed him instantly. It was understandable since his espera was already huge even before the breakthrough, and after this, it would grow even more.
It was hard to conceal it normally.
The pressure was immense, but Oliver welcomed it. Power thrummed through his veins, eager to be unleashed.
As time passed, a small sphere of bright pure espera formed at his solar plexus.
Usually, this indicated a successful breakthrough.
Oliver had done it and was now technically a Rank-2 exorcist.
His body felt lighter, his senses sharper. But something was different—this wasn’t just a breakthrough.
Things should have stopped there, but they didn’t for him. The sphere of espera started to spin as he kept his eyes closed and mind focused, not minding his surroundings. He was fully immersed in the process.
Thin strands of espera, in the form of threads, began emerging from the sphere of espera, increasing in number as seconds passed.
Countless threads of pure espera extended from the spherical core. He focused, willing control over the countless threads.
The threads stirred and started to move, each going in a different direction, slowly filling his veins and covering every inch of his body.
His veins intertwined with those threads of espera, creating espera channels in his body using the threads as a medium.
The process was long and painstaking; sometimes he lost control of a thread or two, which would strike a wrong muscle or organ, causing him pain.
Hours went by as Oliver remained focused and didn’t move from his meditative posture.
His luck was great as no trouble arose, and the entire process remained smooth.
Finally, after what seemed like half a day, he opened his eyes, and a misty breath escaped his lips.
His skin had a certain glow that wasn’t there before, his hair seemed brighter, and his features appeared more defined.
“I did it.”
He stood up, dusting his clothes slightly, as he examined his body. He had broken through to Rank-2 and could feel a turbulent power flowing inside him.
It surged through his veins, alive, waiting to be tested.
If he were to face that chimera again now, he could have easily suppressed it with techniques alone, without even using his water element.
He looked down at his hand and clenched it, feeling a certain energy. He had successfully created the espera channels as well.
One had to know that for first-timers on the path of physical exorcism, forming espera channels required guidance from seniors in the field. Creating espera channels was an extremely important process, as it laid the foundation for a physical exorcist.
If even one of the countless channels was mishandled by mistake, not only would the exorcist’s life be in danger, but there was also a chance of future outbursts, essentially damaging the exorcist’s potential.
After all, this was the very foundation of an exorcist’s life. It had to be done with extreme care.
So, did Oliver act carelessly because he didn’t have time?
The answer was no.