[MA] 265. Cannon Fodder (Patreon)

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[A/N: Chapters this week: 2/3

Next chapter: Saturday]

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WARNING: THE TRUTH OF C-RANK

You found out about one of the A-tier secrets of the Alliance.

Revealing it to anyone of D-rank or lower, whether willingly or not, by accident or not, whichever the circumstances, is treason.

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It wasn't stated in the window, but if it was an A-tier secret, S-ranks could spill the beans without punishment.

Shen was dumbfounded. The reveal was astounding enough, but it was that important of a secret?! That made absolutely no sense.

"Why lie about it?" he asked. "And why is it so big that I just got told I'll be branded a traitor if I reveal it?"

"Three reasons," Liya started. "The first is related to the B-rank being the great threshold in the Alliance. Everyone wants to reach it, and many would take shortcuts even if they were told it was suicide. If they knew the step from C to B-rank needs you to master all Laws, more people would be tempted to take only one Concept into their Path and call it a day. Some weak-willed fools already do that because Path Walkers must master all Concepts before touching on a Law, but it's still much easier than mastering all Laws. Much, much easier."

Shen still didn't get it. "What's the problem with that? More B-ranks would be good, right?"

"Yes, but while Guardians suffer no tribulations, mana isn't harmless. When a Guardian uses mana, it changes. It gains weight depending on the Guardian's rank. You couldn't feel it before, but you might now. Here." She raised a finger and created a ball of pure Darkness floating above it. "State you can't analyze mana weight, then try to feel and compare it to ambient mana."

"I can't analyze mana weight," he said, got the notification on getting some points, then did as told.

It wasn't easy to spot what he was looking for, but nowhere as complicated as controlling his body as a Law. As she said, it was different from the depth of phase space. Instead, her mana particles felt heavier despite looking and feeling the same in all other properties as ambient mana, including density.

He could tell it was the Laws that made it so. Her mana had the same base amount of Laws as all mana, then there was extra Darkness, Annihilation, and Spear on top of all others. And then, there was even more Darkness because that's the main element she was using.

He turned his eyes to her body and soul after, and there was no extra Darkness, but it was still heavier because the mana was changed by her Path as soon as she made it hers. It was similar to how his qi became his Image when he made it his.

"I see it," Shen said.

Liya smiled. "That was quick. I'm glad you found a way to stop the Guardian System. I'd bet any cultivator with a strong backing will also keep their ability to understand mana."

She had mentioned that before, and he raised an eyebrow. "Did you know about that?"

"I suspected it. I never interacted, friendly or in combat, with very important cultivators. At least, not that I know of. But I found them disregarding mana in a way only someone more powerful than them or wholly ignorant would." Shen opened his mouth to reply, but she dissipated the ball of Darkness and raised a hand to continue, "I didn't tell you because I could do nothing about it. If you could, you would when you find out. As you did."

Shen sighed. She had a point. She knew his connections and thoughts, he had shared it with her, and he wouldn't be willing to ask the Immortal Emperor for assistance with that yet. However... "I understand why you did it, but it should've been my choice."

Liya clearly hadn't expected that admonishment. "I don't tell my charges what I don't believe they need to know," she said softly.

Ah. There was that. Shen had started his breakthrough after they kind of broke up.

While she had become a great defender of freedom of speech and hierarchical transparency at some points, she still believed in limiting some information here and there. He disagreed with her, but they had discussed it before, and he wasn't about to change her mind now.

"You're also my friend," Shen pointed out resentfully.

Liya frowned. Then, she sighed and relaxed. "You're correct. I never... had a friendship with anyone. Not like this. I should've told my friend and let him decide by himself. I'm sorry."

Shen still felt a little hurt but nodded. Their incoming time apart would do them more good than he expected. They needed to sort many things out within themselves. "Apologies accepted. Why is mana weight important?" he asked to get back to the matter at hand.

"The world weight wasn't chosen at random. Mana weighs on a Guardian's Path. A Guardian's Path must be solid enough to support it, or it will crumble."

"And the more Laws, the more solid it is?" Shen guessed. "No, that sounds wrong. I'm sure there are B-ranks with a single Law out there."

Liya nodded. "Indeed. It's not about the number of Laws, but how in sync with a Guardian's existence their Path is. If they half-ass their Path just to reach B-rank more easily, the heavier mana will crush their Path and kill them as soon as they rank up. They need to fulfill more than half their Path potential to survive."

Shen raised an eyebrow. "Path potential?"

"You, for instance, took seven Concepts into your Path, and it's perfectly in sync with you. That's your potential. If you had taken four Concepts instead, weren't a cultivator, and reached B-rank, you would survive. If you had taken three instead, you would die."

Shen was starting to get it. "That makes taking only one Law very dangerous."

"Exactly. Very few people have a Path potential of a single Law. Over ninety percent of Guardians have two or more. None of them would survive with a single Law if they reached B-rank; one is exactly the half of two, it's not enough. That is the first of reason we lie: so no one will die because they took a shortcut. Also, those who only have a one-Law potential won't double-guess themselves and waste time, maybe never reaching B-rank because of that."

Shen still couldn't accept it. "People would learn after enough of them died."

"Would them? You're new to the Alliance and don't fully understand the tyranny of rank. Some, like you and maybe all cultivators, know when they accomplish their Path potential, but most don't. Many would just risk it. As for magic tools and abilities to do that, I've never heard of them, and the drow never managed to develop them. If they exist, they are hoarded by A or S-ranks."

"It still feels like a feeble reason. If someone is weak-willed enough to cripple their Path like that, can they even reach B-rank?"

Liya smiled. "Your question is closely linked to the second reason: we need willpower to fight the Void. You can't kill Void Spawn of set ranks without a Concept or Law at the proper threshold. But fighting the Void isn't all about Concepts and Laws.

"Before mastering a Law, you're vulnerable to the Void invading your mind to try to seduce you unless you're a True Path Walker. However, you can't walk a True Path unless it's perfectly in sync with you. If the Void invades your mind, you need sufficient willpower to resist it. If more people take the easy way to progress, they won't have enough willpower. If enough of said people try to fight on the frontlines, they will die even before reaching B-rank. Or worse: they might flee in panic and leave others to die. The Alliance as a whole will grow weaker.

"Fewer weak-willed people will get to B-rank and die because they only took one Law into their Path. Those with a one-Law potential will be more likely to get there, making it seem less lethal than the Alliance claims. Plenty should at least get to C-rank, though, and will be seen as a success. They usually get there faster than those with more Concepts in their Path, too, and they will be much more numerous. Envy and the wish for a faster riser or more C-ranks in a race's ranks will speak louder than reason. Eventually, the Alliance's ranks will get bloated with weak-willed idiots that can never become B-ranks or effectively fight the Void. Guardians also tend to use more mana at higher ranks, increasing the strain on the mana generators. Eventually, we'll have more internal strife for resources than we already do and no one strong enough to protect us from external threats. And that's how the Alliance perishes.

"This is called the Disgraceful Chain. One link pulls the other until we are all wiped out."

Shen's frown deepened. "It sounds very far-fetched."

Liya shook her head. "It's not. In the past, the Alliance revealed the truth to everyone but forbade people from reaching D-rank with a single Concept. That was considered statistically better; that's less than ten percent of potential B-ranks, those with a one-Law potential, getting stuck at E-rank. However, almost everyone went for two Concepts instead, and suddenly, people who had the potential to reach B-rank didn't hone their willpower as much and either took longer to get there or died on the way. I always tell you how willpower is important. Believe me on that.

"Back then, more people got stuck at C-rank than nowadays. I read that something made them change the policy, and things today are much better. There's no prohibition, only an open secret that three Concepts are the most effective. Only someone like you would die with three Laws, and I bet people like you are rarities. Also, mastering three Laws should prove challenging enough for most to get to B-rank. Their willpower wouldn't be too lacking.

"My best guess? There is a way of finding out a Guardian's Path potential, and it was used in a long-forgotten past. It didn't work for reasons unknown. The current policy has some people taking shortcuts and holding the Void tide to give the ones with a perfectly synced Path time to reach B-rank and beyond. The current arrangement is a middle ground between quality and quantity."

Shen still didn't like it. "People should be allowed to make dumb decisions, too. It's their Path; it's their right to walk it however they want."

Liya chuckled. "That sounds very close to our latest trouble with our friendship, doesn't it? But we're discussing something that might cost the Alliance's continued existence. The Disgraceful Chain. Also, no one is forbidding anyone from acting dumb. We're just not telling them exactly how dumb picking a single Concept can be. A few weak-willed idiots would think twice before trying to take the easy way ahead, but the lives of those few are a price the Alliance is willing to pay for the greater good."

They were back to an old argument: where did freedom of speech or hierarchical transparency end?

Shen still didn't fully agree with it but guessed things made enough sense not to be outright moronic. If—and that was a big if—the powers-that-be really had tested other methods, and this one was the safest for most of the Alliance, they should use it. For better or worse, they were a military state at war. They needed the right amount of soldiers with the right strength, which must be reached with the appropriate amount of resources, or they might all die.

More importantly, those were the rules, and he was currently too weak to do anything about them.

"I see," he said. "You sound very defensive of Alliance policy despite your... misgivings about them."

Liya shrugged. "You know me enough to know I believe very little of it. I figure I'll learn the truth when I grow strong enough, and if I do and disagree with it, I can do something about it then. I'm not about to become a dead traitor by revealing the secret to D-ranks just because I heavily suspect A- and S-tier races won't let their chosen ones advance without a perfectly synced Path, and thus, we're all just cannon fodder to give them time to grow stronger and keep their positions secured."

That aligned with Shen's thoughts, though presented much more cynically.

He saw no sense in continuing that conversation. It would lead nowhere. That's how things were. There's one thing he didn't get yet, though. "Why would the Grand Senator lie to me about it before he even entered the Alliance?"

He and Liya had breached the subject on the Terrace. The Republic was pretty new to the Alliance, even more than Earth.

Liya shrugged again. "He got intelligence on the Alliance beforehand, didn't he? Only dealing with the Void is considered unforgivable even if you did it before entering the Alliance. All other laws just start counting from the moment you join it. Things could get juridically messy, though, especially if a recorded message from before the integration was read after it. I guess he didn't want the hassle."

Shen had also guessed as much but wanted to see if she had any different idea. That was it for that subject. He changed it back to what it had been before she revealed the A-tier secret.

"Did you also need to learn to control your body with your mastered Laws?"

"Of course. It took me half a month, if you're wondering." She smiled. "Go ahead, brag all you want."

Shen didn't hide his smile but said, "That would be impolite."

Liya rolled her eyes. "Let's use this big reveal to talk about your advancement. Guardians are supposed to master their individual Laws at C-rank, then the entire set at B-rank. C-rank was very similar to E-rank to me, except I increased my understanding of my Laws instead of my Concepts.

"Your goal is the same, mastering your Laws, but I guess your Path will greatly differ from mine. My best guess: it's all about getting enlightened. You already have access to everything your Laws are; they are partly your body and soul. You can control them as if you mastered them. But what now? You're harmonized. Should you harmonize more? Force them to submit to you? Is just learning more about them enough to progress? The antidron has no information about it.

"You should consult with a cultivator you trust about it. Maybe accept the invitation to the Republic or even take a chance with the Association. Until then, I suggest you only walk further in your Path if you get enlightened about something. You're closely tied to your Path and its Laws, to Reality itself, so as long as your willpower isn't overwhelmed, it should be safe to trust your instincts and insights."

Her words made a lot of sense. It also explained why he could do something only those who had mastered a Law were supposed to. Also, knowing such control was about mastery and not rank or realm humbled him a notch further.

Shen pointed out, "So, peak C-ranks can do the same as me but with mastered Laws instead."

"Yes. And you're wondering if your Laws can withstand mastered Laws, aren't you?" Shen nodded. "That's the third part of this training session. The first was dealing with your twisted perspective. You had to tackle it before you got more used to controlling your Laws outside your body."

"What's the second part?" he asked.

"Healing yourself," Liya answered. "Your severed arms are in place, and my Law fragments are currently only stopping you from getting qi and stamina. Most injuries will require some form of energy to heal, but not severed limbs. Your arms are part of your body, and nothing is stopping you from making yourself whole—"

Before she could continue, Shen did it. His mind had recently clicked with the intimate understanding of how his body was his Path, making the healing trivial. Even if some flesh had been missing, he could simply take it from elsewhere.

In fact, he could shapeshift at will with ease, and it wouldn't require a single qi particle.

Liya shook her head. "You just missed some points by not pointing out the issue before fixing it. Let me finish next time."

Shen good mood soured slightly, but he still felt good about himself. He had simply done what felt natural. Stopping himself from healing to gain a few more points would go against his Path's desire to be whole—

—which he guessed was another weakness. His instincts weren't inaccurate but might need to be controlled at times.

Did he have enough willpower to stop himself?

Now he felt truly sour. He pinpointed that weakness aloud, then another, "Also, my instincts can be wrong when not related to insights on my Laws. My Laws are a more intimate part of me than my Concepts ever were. Behind each of them is the weight of the entire set of Laws, the pride and power to rule over Reality. Some emotions are spilling on me and making me more domineering."

| Points deducted

Shen's eyes widened in surprised. "Points deducted?" he read aloud.

Liya laughed. "Sorry to break it to you, Shen, but while you are being more affected by your Laws, your arrogance is part of you." He looked at her with surprise. "You think I wouldn't notice the look on your face when you looked at me when I challenged you? It's always there, waiting to come to bear." She chuckled again. "We're all similar. All of us. Our Path can't progress without self-confidence. If you aren't certain of yourself, you will just stagnate. In some cases, enough self-doubt can lead to death as your Path implodes. The issue is letting self-confidence become stupid arrogance, which can also lead to stagnation or death if you make a mistake when dealing with different situations. You can state the weakness of getting drunk on your newfound power and growing arrogant, and you might get points for that, but that one is on you."

Her words shocked Shen, but he could immediately tell they were true. "I guess I'm not perfect, huh?"

"Not even close. Higher ranks make us less likely to mess up, but we must work on our failings by ourselves. Things that aren't part of you won't affect you. For instance, if you were an anxious commoner but saw it as something to get rid of, you would stop being so as soon as you started walking a True Path or reached C-rank. But if you see anxiety as part of yourself, it'll stay there until you no longer do—and your mind just became much harder to change."

Shen frowned and said accusingly, "Yet, despite being my mentor, you never did anything to stop me from acting arrogantly. You left this flaw on me until it became harder to deal with."

Liya smiled. "The Triarchy sees freedom of thought as a flaw, and after my Realization, I became sure that it's one of the things preventing us from reaching A-rank. What you see as a flaw might be the fuel to push someone else forward."

He shook his head. "That was a non-answer. You're approaching it conceptually, but I'm talking about my training, not in general. I'm asking you why you did nothing about it."

"Ah. You might as well deal with it while we're at it: you're also quite egotistical at times. I purposefully avoided the subject, and you probably noticed, but you don't care about it because it's important to you." Her smile widened. "Is that a flaw, or is it something pushing you forward? Would you have gotten this far if I had made you less egotistical?"

"Still not an answer," he replied, but not as strongly as before.

Liya chuckled. "Have you ever heard the saying 'don't fix what isn't broken' when you were on Earth?"

"I did. What about it?"

"Your Path currently has flaws. These flaws persisted until now, yet here you are, stronger than ever. Would it be the same Path if you had never acted arrogantly? Would you have reached C-rank at all if you were a perfectly humble boy?"

Shen's frown deepened. "Maybe."

"Exactly. No one knows for sure which flaw is the last piece of the puzzle that can push someone a step further. Even the Triarchy must know it to some level because martial training is separate from indoctrination. The things I removed from you are statistically more likely to break than make you. Yet, I'm sure some poor drow would've walked further into their Path with such flaws, even if most wouldn't. I never 'fixed' some of your flaws because it might break you instead of helping."

She grinned before continuing. "That said, I did try to remove your arrogance, but as I said, it's part of your Path. Just because it was less challenging to deal with earlier, it doesn't mean it was easy. That's part of you, Shen. You're arrogant at times. It will bring both fortune and adversity if you keep it. Or you might try to change if you want. Yet, I don't think you will because I don't think this is the first time you have noticed your arrogance. Yet it's still there, just like seeing yourself as a biological human was. Your arrogance is the anxiety from my example."

Shen thought deeply about that for a while. Was arrogance really such an important part of him that he didn't want to remove it?

No. No, it wasn't. Liya was wrong about that.

It wasn't his arrogance that kept him alive or moving forward in despairing times. It was his self-confidence and unwillingness to bend. It was his defiance. It was his unbreakable will in the face of unavoidable tragedy.

Choosing to break rather than bend wasn't arrogance; it was the epitome of self-confidence in himself, which Liya claimed to be needed for every Path Walker.

Shen couldn't just erase that part of himself, but now, he accepted he had valued it more than he should have. Now, he decided to exterminate it. He would grind that part down throughout the months or years until it was gone. If it proved the wrong decision in the end, and he got stuck at C-rank forever because of it, so be it.

A cultivator cultivated themselves before anything else, and like a gardener pruning a tree, he would decide what was to be cut off. He would accept nothing else.

That, too, was choosing to break instead of bending.

It was his conviction made manifest.

That said, he agreed with the first part of her answer. That was for the Path Walker to decide whether to keep. "Fixing" people who weren't committing crimes just because you felt like it went against what he believed in.

Liya had tried to meddle with his personality when she still believed in the drow way, but he reckoned she had been almost reborn after Realizing her Path. She had already apologized for the entire training, too, and he had accepted it. He wouldn't hold it against her.

"Thank you for the answer," he said. "Can we move to the third part of the training now?"

Almost before he stopped talking, she filled his surroundings with pure Darkness without an ounce of mana. He tried to push it away with Gentle Breeze and was surprised to succeed. The wind blew softly, and the Darkness dissipated.

"Did you let me push your Law away?"

Liya shook her head. "No, but I also didn't make it as strong as I could. Law combat is a game of strategy, not a straightforward battle. You might not have noticed it, but you use willpower to control your Laws. So do I. I barely used the required willpower to cover you with Darkness. When you used Gentle Breeze against it, you used more willpower than me, and Gentle Breeze has a greater natural physical representation in this place, so it's naturally stronger. I have mastered Darkness, so it gives me an advantage, but not enough to resist your counter-attack. Now, the important part: when you erased my Law, the willpower I invested in it was also completely spent. I took a mental hit. The willpower will return with time and rest, but it'll make me more vulnerable during a fight. Like this."

Suddenly, Darkness returned, and this time, it came with a vengeance. Shen felt his Gentle Breeze break, and the mental rebound was horrible. He staggered and almost fell to the ground.

"Tell the overseers your weaknesses," Liya said, her voice coming to his dazed mind as if through water. "The third part of your training is to learn how to use the right amount of willpower when controlling your Laws. Then, we'll include your aura in the equation. It should make you just a little inferior to C-ranks with mastered Laws unless they also have an aura. And if any has a domain... Surviving them would be a great accomplishment."

Shen had unconsciously used so much willpower on his Gentle Breeze that it took him a long while to even speak again.

After recovering from it, they trained more and more until it was finally time for him to face his first opponent.

Shen felt ready.

[A/N: This chapter is over twice as long as usual, but I wanted this training bit to be two chapters long at most so as not to take too much from the excitement of the breakthrough.

That said, I also find this an important contrast to Shen's journey until now. Unlike previous times, this time, he ranked up and there was someone there to immediately help him fix his issues before they became hidden dangers. He needed that more than he might realize—and it's also a reminder of a minor foreshadowing.

We'll get to the fights in the next chapter.]

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