Time flowed like a river, and in the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. At this point, Kranos had reached the eleventh stage of the Qi Condensation Realm and the fifth stage of the Time Condensation Realm. Finally, after ten days of intense cultivation, he stepped out of his room.
Knowing that their son was completely absorbed in cultivation and wouldn't require food, Anna and Raphael hadn't disturbed him. Instead they were filled with anticipation and anxiousness, they hoped their son could cultivate the elemental techniques after all they had experienced the difficulties.
Thanks to their extensive knowledge, they were aware of rare cases—individuals who not only awakened an elemental affinity but also possessed a root bone. There were even instances where an ordinary awakening stone failed to identify someone's true talent, requiring a unique awakening stone to unveil the person's elemental details.
Kranos immediately walked out of his room, this was his first time secluding himself. So this is what seclusion feels like... he thought. The loneliness had refined his mental state to some degree. He no longer felt the same rush to achieve things hastily. He had also suppressed his cultivation slightly to leave some trump cards for himself.
Taking his first step outside, he immediately saw his parents waiting for him, eyes filled with expectation. Raphael's eyes widened in shock.
"Se... seve... Seventh stage?! Qi Condensation, seventh stage?!"
Hearing her husband's voice, Anna was stunned as well. "Honey, is he really at the seventh stage?" she asked, her voice trembling with excitement.
Kranos smiled. He didn't think much of the fact that his father could sense his realm—he had intentionally released just enough of his aura to let them detect it. He wasn't sure how the aura of the eleventh stage might feel to them, but he figured it would be too extraordinary.
"Yes, Mother," Kranos said with a nod, confirming their suspicions. "I've finally become a cultivator—at the seventh stage of Qi Condensation."
"Good. That's wonderful, son! I'll go prepare a feast!" Anna said joyfully and rushed off to the kitchen, leaving father and son behind.
Raphael walked up and gently patted Kranos on the head. "You did well, son. Did you encounter any difficulties?"
"No, Dad. Everything felt as natural as breathing," Kranos replied casually. He wasn't exaggerating—it had truly been that effortless.
"Actually, Dad, I think it's time we publicly announce my cultivation realm and my elemental affinity," Kranos added suddenly, catching Raphael by surprise.
Raphael raised an eyebrow but soon chuckled. His eyes gleamed with pride and mischief. Although he had been content to remain low-key, he had always wondered how long they would keep Kranos' awakening a secret.
With this suggestion… my brothers will definitely be speechless.
…
After their discussion and breakfast, Kranos made his way to the backyard.
I should get used to my strength first, he thought. He didn't know exactly how strong he was, but he could clearly feel that his physical body had been significantly enhanced—after all, he had already reached the eleventh stage of Qi Condensation.
While walking around the training yard, Kranos spotted a large rock that looked to weigh around 70 kilograms.
With my new strength, I should be able to break this, right? He mused as he clenched his fist and launched a powerful punch.
Bang!
His hand moved faster than he could register. It vanished from sight momentarily, then struck the rock with devastating force. Dust and wind burst outward. A moment later, the rock shattered into fragments.
What?! Kranos blinked in astonishment. He hadn't expected his strength to increase this dramatically.
I feel like I didn't even use half of my full strength... My power must be at least ten times greater than before!
He let out a breath of amazement. Cultivation was truly incredible.
If I can gain this much strength in a few days, won't I be able to destroy entire worlds with more time?
He immediately shook his head. That was a dream for the distant future, there was no need to think about it now.
He continued testing his strength, and once satisfied, shifted his focus to sword practice. He ran through the sword techniques—from the first stage all the way to the seventh stage, honing his control and form.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon, Donald returned. The two of them met in the training field. Kranos noticed that his teacher's face was pale, and he seemed visibly stressed.
It seems that teacher went to do something dangerous. Could he have been the one who destroyed those assassin organizations? Kranos thought for a moment before dismissing the idea. No... He already planned to leave before the assassinations happened. He probably went to explore a forbidden land or some perilous ruin.
Kranos quickly guessed, he didn't ponder too much on the details… As long as his teacher was alright, that was enough.
Kranos went on to demonstrate how far he had gone with his training, causing his teacher to be surprised.
"Good! Good! Good!!" Donald shouted the word three times with excitement before standing solemnly. "Kranos, you've done exceptionally well. I didn't expect you to grow this much in just a few short months. Originally, your father and I planned to train you for a few more years before sending you down to the lower realm to temper yourself... but at this rate, you'll be strong enough to venture there within two or three years."
Kranos was puzzled. So they already had this planned, huh? I wonder what the lower realm is like. He was curious; his mind couldn't help but wander to his previous world. Would it be similar to that?
However, he didn't voice his thoughts. Instead, he asked the next question that troubled him. "Teacher, why do I have to start cultivating on my own?" He asked. Wouldn't it be better to stay and continue learning by his side until I'm strong enough to move on?
Donald didn't respond immediately. He sat down, his eyes seemed thoughtful for a moment, and then he began telling Kranos a story. A story of a certain man… a man who…