The path of the Soul Emperor

Chapter 25

Alex moved like lightning, seeming unstoppable as he leaped from tree to tree, his speed reaching an astonishing 100 meters per second.

Utilizing this momentum, he brandished his sword, speaking inwardly, "First Form: Abyssal Dragon."

A sky dragon formed, radiating pure Arcane mana so intensely bright that it could blind anyone who stared too long.

Leaping high into the air, Alex's sword clashed against a massive beast, already heavily injured, with deep gashes crisscrossing its body.

The creature, towering at 8 meters, resembled a hybrid of a monkey and a lion.

It roared, its body encased in green energy, as it struck back at Alex's attack.

Both combatants were at the (B-) rank.

For a brief moment, the world seemed to pause.

Then, their clash erupted with such force that shockwaves rampaged through the area, obliterating everything within a 100-meter radius.

The ground cracked, trees were uprooted, and a crater began to form as their battle continued.

Forest creatures fled in terror, sensing the immense power radiating from the duel.

Infusing his sword with intent and channeling more Arcane mana, Alex pushed even harder.

The dragon formed by his attack roared, overpowering the beast as Alex unleashed the Dragon Moon Arc at his opponent.

BOOOOOOM!

A massive explosion engulfed the area.

As the dust settled, a crater 50 meters wide and 5 meters deep was revealed.

The beast's body had been completely obliterated.

Alex stood amidst the destruction, then sat down to assess his condition, bringing up his status screen.

[Displaying Status]

[Name: Alex Sylvedy]

[Race: Human]

[Arcane Energy: 100]

[Arcane Mana: 97,349 / 100,000]

[Bloodline: Pure-blooded Human, Cosmic Orc]

[Realm: Infant Soul Stage Peak]

[Stats]

{Strength: C}

{Agility: C-}

{Endurance: C-}

{Sense: C-}

{Charm: A-}

[Unique Skills]

{Arcane Monarch}: Provides the user with unrestricted control over universal laws, enhancing their power to monarch level and boosting all skills by 100,000%. Requires 10,000,000 Arcane energy to activate.

{The Six Worldly Eyes}: Grants profound insight, often referred to as the Eyes of Destruction, Creation, Life, and Death. Associated skills include: [Wrath of Heaven], [Eternal Flames], [At Zenith], [Past and Future], [Misty Realm].

{Soul Cultivation}: Enhances the user's soul quality and quantity. Skills include: [Soul Emperor], [King's Aura], [Soul Spear], [Soul Contract], [Emperor's State].

{Arcane Cultivation}: Allows the cultivation of Arcane energy, usable for creating anything the user imagines, within energy limits.

[Bloodline Skills]

(SSS) Pure-blooded Human Transformation: A deity-like state that grants a 500% increase in Arcane mana control and a 300% boost to all stats. Requires 50,000 Arcane mana per second.

(B-) Cosmic Orc Transformation: Enhances all stats by 150% and reduces damage from elemental attacks by 50%. Requires 2,000 Arcane mana per second.

[Sword Skills]

Abyssal Style: The One Sword Manual: Mastery of the Abyssal Style elevates the swordsman to an unmatched level in speed, strength, technique, and focus.

The Five Forms:

First Form: Abyssal Dragon

Second Form: Endless Slash

Third Form: Counter

Fourth Form: Void Slash

Fifth Form: Eternal Abyss

[Swordsmanship Lv25 – Expert Realm, Early Stage]

{(SSS+) Dark King Sword}: A versatile weapon that enhances the user's soul-related abilities by 100%. Skills include:

[Soul Devour]: Consumes enemies' souls, granting their memories and enhancing the wielder's soul without negative effects.

[Sword Intent]: Increases understanding of the way of the sword by 500%.

[Cursed Dark King]: Boosts all stats by 250%, fueled by Soul Essences and Arcane Mana at 5,000 mana per second.

[One Strike]: A once-per-year technique capable of killing anyone below the Saint King realm.

[Skills]

[Arcane Mana Control Lv51]

{(SS) Veil of Wind}: Protects against almost any attack, including full-strength strikes from SSS-ranked foes, though it requires complete stillness to activate.

{(C-) King's Rage}: Boosts all stats by 50% (except Charm). Costs 500 Arcane mana per second.

{(E+) Mask}: Conceals the user's aura and suppresses detection by beings ranked D+ or below.

{(D-) Minor Healing}: Heals minor wounds. Arcane mana cost varies by severity.

{(C+) Arcane Mana Skin}: Coats the user in Arcane mana, enhancing all stats by 100%. Costs 100 Arcane mana per second.

Alex thought to himself, "Even without using Eternal Flames or Cursed Dark King, I can easily defeat a (B-) rank beast."

Just the day before, when his Arcane mana hit 100,000, he had unlocked Eternal Flames.

"Could I defeat that being if we fought again?" he wondered.

Shaking his head, he murmured, "I can't compare myself to the monsters of this forest. That being had exceptional swordsmanship, precise mana control, and an element I didn't even see."

Sighing, Alex stood up and devoured the beast's soul.

[Soul Foundation: 90%]

Over the past days, Alex had been devouring souls relentlessly to strengthen his foundation.

He was just one step away from advancing to the next realm of soul cultivation.

"If I can devour four more (B) rank souls, I'll break through with no problem," he thought, vanishing into the forest once more.