CATS

Sighing I thought back about my progress in the past few years, my mana core has improved leaps and bounds reaching the light orange core feeling close to dark yellow.

Frustrating I've made close to no progress in my lucid dream cultivation technique, inching around 20% efficiency if cultivating normally, I'm close to giving up on it. But the little extra boost of cultivation with no repercussions, gives it all the value I need to at least continue cultivating it, just maybe not improving it.

I've been able to increase my arsenal of proficiency with more weapons, but haven't been able to get much better than proficient in any weapons.

While I've basically mastered mana rotation and a handful of tricks I've seen Arthur use when fighting.

The mirage walk has been mastered and well the burst step technique has also been basically mastered, albeit I'm too weak to use it to its full potential.

Similarly my spells have only increased, I just haven't had much of a chance to try them out in a real battle. 

Excitingly, I've been able to finally manipulate metal, I mean i've always been able to. It's just now I can do so just as if it's a deviant. It can be performed equally well as my earth magic.

Annoying I've still lacked being able to awaken my gravity deviant. But I'll be patient it's worth it.

On the other hand my rune skills have only improved, equaling my current level of spells successfully entering the master level.

The next and seemingly last level of grandmaster would allow one to exceed their maximum spell level, requiring time and external stimulus.

Say I wanted to make a rune that shot a spear of earth into the sky, I could do so up to my strength level, the time to create the rune would depend on the users level of skill. 

But to go beyond, I'd have to learn the runes with a twist, the only way to go beyond your limits was to use the world around you. These types of runes would attempt to intercept and connect to the environment around you. 

Conjurors seemed to have an easier time accomplishing this task. But the level of a grandmaster is judged at what level their runes can connect to the world, simply connecting to ambient mana in one's surroundings wasn't enough, it seemed to border into ether and was the true foundation of runes.

This was the true reason why I studied runes so diligently, it seemed to be one of the only ways to not just get in contact with ether, but to also learn how it operates and can be used.

So the studying really has just begun for me. 

*knock knock

A noise echoed from the front door of the Helstea manor interrupting my thoughts. I glanced toward the living room, seeing Elsie hesitantly approach the door, with the old maid. I realized what was going on and just watched on as Ellie opened the door for her older brother Arthur.

Both not know who the other was, Arthur spoke to the old maid. "Hello, Im Arthur Leywin, here to find my family."

Before the maid could understand the situation and find a solution, a screech and flash of my mother went flying toward Arthur.

Entrapping him in a hug they both had a heartfelt reunion, slightly tearing up. While Ellie looked on concerned and confused making her cry is distress.

I got up and walked toward them courisly, just to be pulled by my dad into a giant embrace. 

Acting surprised, I spoke in a childish battle cry. "Ah! Dad get off me! I need to show Arthur who's the boss now!" While flexing my mana, catching Arthurs attention.

But not disrupting the reunion as Reynold suppressed me with a hand over my mouth.

I revealed my core grade as solid red, even though my true cultivation was around solid orange. Our parents were already under the impression of my solid red core not long ago, so only Arthur was surprised. But probably more sunrises that I had even awakened. 

Confirming a few theories about mana he had devised. But Art didn't get much of a chance to think it over as he was dragged to introduce himself to the helstea family, then was interrogated by our parents for the rest of the day.

He was lucky I didn't get a chance to fight him and put him in his place. But it would eventually happen. It was inevitable.

Bored of the socializing I left half way through the interrogation under the promotion of taking care of Ellie.

Since she had long fell asleep, I took her to her room and placed on her bed to sleep the night away. 

While I also went to my room, not to sleep since it was still a little early for me, I just did some light studying skimming through previous books and notes.

Even though I was much stronger than Arthur, he still radiated a dangerous feeling… making me think twice whether I could actually defeat him.

I knew my magic superior, while his was probably a bit more diverse. Due to his many affinities. But that diversity was pointless and probably more of a hindrance. He still hasn't reached a point we're he specializes in one type of mana. Though he has begun to lean more towards fire magic.

While Arthur had great specialization and experience with swordsmanship due to his past life… mine was more diverse and less specialized. Completely inverted with our magics relationship.

In addition, Arthur's body was probably slightly stronger, my magic enhancement trumped the advantage he had in fully integrating his mana with his body… a feat I was still a few years away from. 

So… with all things considered the difference in core grades made the main difference. Something I planned to stay ahead along with magic specialization and hopefully surpass his specialization with weapon mastery.

Only time would tell, in this silent battle, though considering Arthur is wasting time adapting to his small body and trifling with the whole paradox of being apart of a new family while not fully accepting his position in it all.

I knew my victory was inevitable, and it all stemmed from my knowledge of the future and the secret that I didn't let hinder me, unlike Arthur. 

The next day was the day I would show Arthur who was boss. Challenging him during breakfast, before Rey could challenge him first to see his progress. 

Arthur was forced by the peer pressure of everyone's gazes and my incentive nagging.

Our mother was conflicted, dad had high expectations, Ellie didn't know what to think but the Hestea family was interested in the so-called more talented brother, the first born.

Making our way to the back yard were I normally trained, Arthur and I stood on separate sides of a stone platform. 

Our dad tossed us both dull wood swords. Making eye contact with each other. I could tell Arthur wished for me to start the spar. So I did. Regulating my strength I charged forward enhanced with some mana, we clashed blades neither taking a step back. I willed stone from the ground to pierce toward Art forcing him to dash away disengaging. 

I again willed the previous spike of stone to launch a few smaller spikes to follow Art. Forcing him to dodge while, but they kept coming so he eventually destroyed them with a swing of his mana enhanced sword. 

Before getting close to me, isolating the fight into pure swordsmanship, with the current strength I was exerting Arthur quickly took the upper hand.

So I responded by attempting to use earth and wind magic to disrupt his techniques and movement. 

Eventually I had to add some more strength to get the upper edge. Forcing Arthur to use his elements himself, specifically Fire and Water. 

He refused to use his other elements it seemed. Amping up the intensity, I pushed him with a burst of wind he couldn't avoid. Forcing him to the ground, though he recovered basically instantly, it wasn't enough time to avoid earth enhanced shackles capturing him legs. 

Noticing the inconsistency, he gathered all the strength in his leg to break the shackles, but they posed to resilient. 

This gave me enough time to reach Arthur and now Arthur couldn't move his position as he let loose to suppress me so he could figure out how to get out of the situation.

Arthur's earth magic seemed to offer a futile resistance. Making his option only to destroy them, but such a task also seemed futile.

Also noticing his suppression was slowly being broken, Arthur dropped his sword with a sigh. "I forfeit" he claimed.

Pausing me in my tracts as the spectators entered the battlefield.

Shocked at the display of strength. I didn't really know how I should act, so I winged it acting mad. "Huh, forfeit? Are you scared! Fight me with all your strength! I refuse to believe your this weak!" 

Getting a knock on my head from our mom, I huffed in fake frustration. 

Both our parents were excited at the prospect of us going to the magic academy. Ignoring the price they'd have to pay for our entry. Until Vincent expressed his disire in us earning an early enrollment and getting the headmaster of the school to personally test us.