Just as Matthew was lost in thought, Calm's breathing suddenly grew heavy, his face contorting in obvious agony from the violent clash of energy within him.
The instructor's muscles bulged as veins popped along his skin, sweat soaking his thin clothes almost instantly.
He gritted his teeth so hard his jawline went rigid, his body trembling uncontrollably under the onslaught of the rampaging energy.
Relying on a willpower forged through years of grueling cultivation, he forced himself to maintain the flow of life energy, not daring to slacken for even a second.
I can't let it descend into chaos. I can't let it disperse...
Matthew silently recalled the key points his instructor had once emphasized.
He knew very well that the instructor had to focus every ounce of his strength on guiding the fundamental loop of his energy cycle. Even the slightest slipup would be disastrous.
If he lost control, the resulting energy backlash would be catastrophic. At best, his foundation would be ruined, shattering any hope of future advancement; at worst, he would die on the spot.
Matthew's own heart skipped a beat as he clearly sensed the violent energy fluctuations filling the room.
Time crawled by in agonizing slowness.
He had no idea how much time had passed—perhaps only fifteen minutes, though it felt like hours—before Instructor Calm's violent trembling finally began to subside.
The chaotic, clashing energy fluctuations within him gradually stabilized.
The deep crimson on the instructor's face receded, and his rapid gasps slowed into long, deep breaths.
The torrential sweat stopped pouring, and his furrowed brow slowly smoothed out.
A brand-new aura slowly and quietly began to emanate from his body.
It was steadier and more restrained than before, like tempered steel.
At the same time, it carried a vigorous vitality and a faint, latent pressure—the distinct aura of a higher life level.
The aura of the Silver Rank!
“He did it...”
Sensing this newborn, calm, yet powerful aura, Matthew finally let out the breath he had been holding.
He knew the most dangerous hurdle had been overcome.
Now that the barrier was shattered, Calm only needed to slowly rein in his life energy to stabilize it.
However, fully gathering and stabilizing a brand-new Silver Rank energy cycle would take some time.
Taking advantage of this lull, Matthew quickly replayed the thrilling process in his mind, analyzing and absorbing its invaluable lessons.
He now had a profound understanding of the actual breakthrough process.
Hearing the instructor describe it was one thing.
But witnessing the clash of energy and the sheer battle of wills with his own eyes gave him a completely different level of insight.
When it eventually came time for him to make the attempt himself, it would likely be another experience entirely.
Fortunately, the gains from this observation were undoubtedly immense.
This was absolutely worth it!
Matthew thought to himself.
At the same time, his gratitude toward his instructor deepened.
He knew that when charging for the Silver Rank, a Class holder had to focus entirely on guiding the energy within their body, leaving their external perception and defenses at their absolute lowest.
It was undoubtedly one of the most vulnerable, defenseless moments of their life.
If the person standing watch beside them harbored ill intent, or even just caused a minor distraction, the consequences would be catastrophic. The breakthrough would fail, and they would likely suffer a fatal backlash.
Yet, the instructor had actively invited him to watch. This alone spoke volumes about Calm's genuine trust in him.
Still, business is business. The fewer people who know about the goat demon, the better.
Matthew knew he would never do anything to harm Calm, but when it came to his core secrets and the massive risks involved, he would never easily reveal everything.
He knew exactly where to draw the line.
Still... this Silver Rank aura doesn't seem as imposing as that goat demon's...
Matthew couldn't help but compare as he felt the aura emanating from Instructor Calm.
His mind drifted back to his head-on battle with the goat demon, Rivera, in the cave.
In its demonized state, just standing from afar, the goat demon's chilling, tyrannical aura had been enough to make one's skin crawl.
By contrast, while the instructor's newly awakened Silver Rank aura was powerful, its sheer quality still fell short of the menacing dread that the demonized goat demon had exuded.
It seems that even within the same rank, there can be a world of difference in strength. A creature like that goat demon... is probably an exceptionally formidable foe even among those at the Silver Rank.
Matthew realized this.
Since I managed to kill that goat demon, does that mean that if I lay all my cards on the table and fight with my life on the line, my combat strength is already comparable to some of the stronger Silver Rank fighters?
He quickly suppressed the thought, however.
It's too early to say. After all, Instructor Calm is still in the stabilization phase. Once he's fully adjusted, his aura and strength will undoubtedly grow much stronger.
Even so, the highly probable estimation sent a surge of quiet excitement through his chest.
Living in such a remote area, it was incredibly difficult for Matthew to find strong human combatants to spar with, making it hard to gauge his true combat strength.
While Matthew's mind raced, Instructor Calm's powerful new aura completely receded, returning to a deep, placid calm.
He slowly opened his eyes. A profound glint flashed across his pupils before dissolving into his usual composed look, though a much heavier sense of power now lay hidden beneath his calm exterior.
Seeing this, Matthew bowed solemnly, his face filled with genuine joy and respect as he offered his heartfelt congratulations.
“Congratulations, Instructor! You've successfully broken through to the Silver Rank!”
Hearing his voice, Calm's face lit up with a joy he couldn't quite conceal, though his expression remained as gentle and humble as ever.
He waved a dismissive hand, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips.
“There's nothing much to congratulate. I'm likely just the weakest of the Silver Rank. I can feel it.”
“My talent is limited, and the quality of the crystal core was very ordinary, so the life energy feedback from the breakthrough was rather weak. Strictly speaking, I will still need quite some time to stabilize my foundation at the Silver Rank.”
Despite his modest words, the slight curl of his lips and the newfound vigor in his eyes betrayed his immense joy and the sheer relief of finally achieving a lifelong dream.
Matthew listened quietly, a sudden realization dawning on him.
So that's how it is, he thought. The crystal core doesn't just assist in the breakthrough itself; the quality of the core also directly determines the strength of the life energy feedback one receives afterward.
The instructor's explanation perfectly validated his earlier hypothesis.
While the ordinary crystal core had ensured a safe and stable breakthrough, it also meant his initial strength post-advancement would be on the weaker side.
The thought was fleeting, and Matthew didn't dwell on comparing the two. He understood that everyone's resources and circumstances were different.
For his instructor, this had been the safest and most ideal path available.
Rate on N.U.
