MMORPG: Rise of the Primordial Godsmith

Chapter 1630: Breaking Barriers: Realms of Combat

Whoosh!

Sensing the tyrannical aura Aeramis was currently giving off, the young man decided to take a few steps back in response, his complexion slightly pale as he endured the terror he currently felt from the man.

Though he had asked him the question out of pure curiosity, Ataraxia thought that the realm of combat he had seen his opponent unleash at the end of the tournament was the pinnacle of what a person could possibly achieve.

After all, even with just a small difference between their comprehension, the level of might the figure at the end of the fourth trial showed him gave him a slight feeling that he was intruding upon the territory of a sovereign.

Yet, it drastically paled in comparison to the sensation Aeramis was giving him at the moment, making him feel as if the entire world around him was under both the scrutiny and the control of the man before him.

And that was far more terrifying than just entering a sovereign’s territory.

Swoosh!

“My apologies.” Restraining the aura he’d been giving off, Aeramis looked at the young man with an apologetic smile, understanding that the aura he’d let out just now was overwhelming even to someone with great amounts of combat experience.

“I just wanted to let you fully understand how much of a difference there is between each realm of combat.”

Hearing those words, Ataraxia gave the man a slightly bitter smile in response.

“You’ve definitely made me realize how much of a difference there is, alright,” said the young man, letting out a wry chuckle before taking some time to catch his breath.

Fortunately, it did not take long for him to go back to normal, allowing him to look at Aeramis once more with the curiosity he previously had. “In any case, now that you’ve mentioned it… how many realms of combat are there?”

“I only know of three realms of combat,” replied Aeramis, deciding not to withhold any information on the matter with the young man. “In terms of the might one could unleash at that realm, it goes Refinement, then Union, then Dominion.”

“You could consider Refinement as the realm of combat most fighters end up on,” explained the man, prompting Ataraxia to note his words down to memory. “The reason why I mention this is because one’s goal in the realm of Refinement is to increase one’s efficiency over skill usage.”

“I’m certain you already know that fighting involves a great number of factors to determine which of the two sides becomes the victor.” As these words left Aeramis’ mouth, the young man nodded in agreement.

“Whether it be the environment one is fighting in, the stats and abilities both sides have, the amount of stamina and energy one exerts and recovers during the fight, all of it greatly affects one’s chances in victory.”

“Now, aside from overwhelming strength, by having great endurance throughout the fight, one would be able to greatly increase their chances of shifting the fight towards their favor.”

“This endurance could come in the form of passive skills, hidden stats that increase one’s endurance, or having an eclectic display of stamina and recovery potions always ready.”

“However, if one were to look at it from the perspective of a seasoned fighter, one’s efficiency over skill usage matters the most,” said Aeramis, his expression solemn. “After all, by showing great control and efficiency over one’s skills, one’s endurance would only be boosted even further with such aids on their side.”

“Because of that, even stepping on the early stages of Refinement assures that one can remain undefeated against a single foe.” The man faintly smiled as he glanced at the young man.

“Though, by reaching the pinnacle of Refinement, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to stand your ground even while taking on four or five people at once.”

“As for Union…” As these words left his mouth, Aeramis pondered over the matter for a bit before finding the right words to say.

“Consider it as a realm of combat that’s at the same level as Refinement while also being a level above it at the same time.”

Unsurprisingly, once he heard what the man told him, Ataraxia looked back at the former in confusion. After all, wouldn’t one need to increase one’s efficiency first before tackling the fusion of multiple combat aspects?

Fortunately, the man’s next explanation swiftly answered that question.

“Now, you might be wondering… why did you phrase it that way?” Aeramis looked at the young man, a faint knowing smile tugging on the edge of his lips. “The reason why I say that is because Refinement and Union could be considered two different avenues in improving one’s combat ability.”

“Though reaching the pinnacle of Refinement would undoubtedly aid one’s journey in achieving the realm of Union, it’s not really necessary for one to do so,” said the man, causing the gears in Ataraxia’s mind to start turning.

“After all, in Refinement, your focus is to reduce any wasted movements and energies as much as possible. On the other hand, to achieve Union, your focus is to integrate and combine two aspects of combat into a greater whole.”

“Nevertheless, that does not change the fact that achieving Union would allow one’s power to surge even higher when compared to achieving Refinement.”

“I’m sure you’ve already sensed it while fighting against your last opponent,” said the man, to which Ataraxia nodded in agreement. “After all, fighting against someone who has achieved Union feels like fighting against a predator inside their own territory.”

“And for those who have achieved the pinnacle of Union, fighting against someone like them feels like fighting within a sealed prison where your only method of escape is to defeat them.”

“…I see,” said Ataraxia, his mind still processing and organizing the information Aeramis was sharing with him. “If the goal of Refinement is greater skill efficiency, while the goal of Union is the fusion of two combat aspects… what do you need to achieve if you want to reach the realm of Dominion?”

“Aside from reaching the pinnacle of both Refinement and Union, you only need to achieve one more thing in order for you to be considered to have entered the realm of Dominion,” said Aeramis, giving the young man a calm smile.

“And that… is the full integration of one’s environment in combat.”