Chapter 63

Chapter 63: The Three Pillars:Corpus,Spiritus and Anima.

After making sure he had their full, undivided attention, Hugo paused for a few moments to organize his thoughts in the mental network before finally transmitting with deep reverence:

The body, the spirit, and the soul... These are the three pillars upon which a Way rests.

It is by building upon these three pillars that one takes their first step onto the Way and ceases to be ordinary, Hugo transmitted, his mental tone echoing with gravity. Now tell me... what do you think the Way actually is?

A heavy silence fell over the network for a long moment as each of them pondered the question.

Kuro was the first to answer, her mental voice sharp and uncompromising: A means to gain power.

Greg shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck before projecting his thoughts: I... I don't really know for sure. I guess it's a special kind of training to become stronger?

Gil could sense that Greg was mostly echoing Kuro's perspective.

Orphée remained unusually quiet for a long while, stripping away his playful persona before giving a surprisingly reflective answer: It is a path one takes to elevate oneself.

Finally, after everyone else had spoken, Gil offered his own answer: I'd say it's a personal path built on a foundation you choose for yourself, in order to become something more.

Hugo listened in total silence through the spectral link, taking in every single response before letting out a slow, approving breath.

None of your answers are wrong, Hugo transmitted through the mental link, his tone deep and measured. And I wouldn't say mine is absolute either. To me, the Way is a means to excavate potential buried deep within my body and transform it into strength—a force to help me face whatever hardships cross my path. But what I was taught is that the Way is all of those things, and so much more.

Hugo paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

Before we dive into the actual practice, Hugo continued, his presence in the network growing intensely grave, there is one principle I cannot stress enough. It is the principle of compatibility. An individual can only work on one Way at a time.

Gil immediately scowled. A flood of questions and contradictions surged through his mind. It seemed completely impractical, if not outright illogical, to claim a person was strictly locked into a single path.

Just as Gil opened his mouth to press the issue and tear apart that logic, Hugo raised a massive hand in the physical world, cutting him off before he could project another thought.

I know what you're thinking, the giant transmitted, his eyes locking onto Gil in the dim light of the cell. And I know what you're about to say.

Once he was sure Gil wouldn't interrupt, Hugo resumed speaking, his tone turning far more serious.

That is precisely why I said the Way is all of those things and so much more, he projected, his mental presence heavy with caution.

First off, just because someone embarks on the path of the Body, don't assume they will turn into mindless physical hulks who only know how to punch. And don't think those who walk the path of the Spirit are physically helpless glass cannons. It would be a fatal mistake to categorize the Ways using such lazy stereotypes.

He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the quiet cell before continuing.

Each Way possesses its own method of progression and a complete system of inheritance.

That means someone on the path of the Body can develop devastating long-range attacks or learn to fortify their mind against psychic intrusions.

Practicing one specific Way does not render you weak in other areas—it simply dictates the framework through which you achieve those feats.

Then, his eyes narrowed, his mental voice dropping to a low rumble.

Secondly... attempting to force a Way for which you have zero natural affinity—or trying to mix incompatible paths—will cause a violent backlash within your foundation itself.

The words hung in the darkness.

A sudden realization struck Gil like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened, snapping toward the giant.

Wait... is he implying that—?

Gil wasn't the only one. Beside him, Orphée stiffened as the same chilling thought swept through their shared link.

Hugo offered a solemn, heavy nod. It is exactly what you are thinking, he confirmed, looking visibly uncomfortable as he admitted it.

A path forced without affinity doesn't just stagnate... it destroys the practitioner from the inside out.

It was almost as if the Way itself were sentient—as if it possessed a will of its own.

The heavy implication hung thick in the air. Hugo shook his massive head, clearing his thoughts to dispel the eerie mood.

But... there's no real proof of that. They are just rumors and tales I heard from the seniors who taught me. I never got a clear confirmation or an answer regarding it.

Even so, the mere prospect that the Way wasn't just a linear training method, but rather a form of absolute, uncompromising intent that refused any deviation once chosen, was chilling enough to give them pause.

Gil already had a mountain of information to process, but Hugo pressed forward without giving them time to dwell on it.

So, let's move on, the giant transmitted, refocusing their attention. We'll start with the Way founded upon the Body. Naturally, it begins with rigorous physical conditioning until you reach a baseline level of bodily fitness before we can advance any further.

Hugo paused, scanning the group. On that front, I'd say most of you are decently prepared. Except, perhaps...

His gaze locked squarely onto Gil.

It took Gil a second to register the giant's silent focus. Lowering his eyes, Gil unconsciously cradled his empty left sleeve with his right hand.

The missing limb was a constant, hollow reminder of what had been taken from him.

On that note... Gil projected into the link, his mental voice tight with an underlying edge of anxiety. I need to know. Will missing an arm handicap my balance or permanently block me from practicing this path?

Hugo didn't answer right away. He knit his heavy brows together, sinking into a deep, agonizingly long silence as he carefully weighed the physical requirements of his path against Gil's severe bodily limitation.

"I'm not going to lie to you," Hugo finally transmitted, his mental tone heavy with reluctant honesty. "Yes... it's going to pose a problem. A big one."

Gil felt his stomach drop, but surprisingly, he remained calm. In a strange way, a small breath of relief escaped him.

Between remaining in constant, agonizing suspense and finally hearing the cold truth, at least now he knew where he stood. It wasn't as if he hadn't prepared himself for this outcome ever since he had woken up in this cell with a hollow sleeve.

Besides, Gil caught the exact nuance in the giant's words: Hugo had said it would pose a problem—not that it was impossible.

Noticing Gil's composed, unshakeable posture, Hugo gave an imperceptible nod of respect before continuing.

It is going to be significantly harder for you than for anyone else here, Hugo projected, his eyes fixed on Gil in the dim light. Especially if it turns out that your highest affinity lies with the Way of the Body over the other paths. A missing limb disrupts the balance of physical energy flow, making standard body conditioning twice as grueling and far more dangerous.

Gil looked down at his left shoulder, his mind instantly turning the giant's warning into a cold tactical equation.

Harder doesn't mean impossible, Gil transmitted back, a sharp, quiet fire igniting in his mental voice.

I didn't survive losing the arm just to let it become my permanent glass ceiling. Tell me what I have to adapt.

Hugo stared at him for a quiet second, a faint glint of approval flashing across his eyes.

Moving on from that... next, we have the Way of the Spirit, Hugo transmitted, his tone laced with quiet, undeniable reverence. It is easily one of the most coveted paths in terms of the raw, versatile power it offers.

Hugo paused, gesturing vaguely to the cold air surrounding them. All around us—in the atmosphere, in the very air we breathe—there exists a fundamental form of energy. Call it mana, ether, essence, or whatever name suits you, but it is undeniably present. Though... in a dump like this, it’s exceptionally scarce.

Gil kept that detail tucked away in his mind outside the shared link.

Scarce energy inside a prisoner holding facility... convenient for our captors.

Those who walk the Way of the Spirit are absolute masters of studying, manipulating, and weaving this environmental energy to manifest what normal people would consider miracles, Hugo continued.

That healer from earlier? He’s one of them. And a damn talented one at that, judging by what I saw during our fight.

Gil’s face darkened at the mention of the healer, his jaw tightening, though he refrained from making a scene.

Orphée, however, leaned forward in the dark, his curiosity piqued. Oh? And what kind of crazy stuff can those guys actually do?

To put it in perspective... Hugo explained, if a practitioner of the Body path throws a punch and shatters a stone wall, a practitioner of the Spirit path could alter the structural composition of the wall itself and make it crumble into dust without ever laying a finger on it.

Seeing the sudden, uneasy shifts in the group's expressions at such a terrifying description, Hugo quickly tempered his words.

But don't get ahead of yourselves. In the very early stages of our respective paths, I’ll admit they hold a slight advantage due to their range and versatility. But that edge isn't permanent. At a higher level, practitioners of the Body and Spirit are more or less equal—if anything, the scale eventually tips in favor of the Body, simply because we are far more durable and can survive horrors that would snap them in half.

And finally... we have the Way of the Soul, Hugo transmitted, his mental presence lowering to a hushed, cautious whisper.

His face hardened into a strange, complex expression—a tense mix of perplexity, fear, and deep-seated wariness, yet underlaid with a profound, undeniable respect.

Of the three, this is the most enigmatic... and by far the most dangerous, Hugo continued, the air in the cell feeling perceptibly colder as he spoke.

While the Body refines the physical shell and the Spirit manipulates the world's energy, the Way of the Soul delves directly into the essence of life, intent, consciousness, and other mysterious aspects.

The group fell into a dead silence, unnerved by the shift in Hugo's demeanor.

Practitioners of this path don't usually rely on brute physical strength, nor do they throw flashy elemental spells, Hugo explained, his dark eyes flickering in the gloom. They manipulate things that cannot be touched. Perception, memories, illusions, spiritual suppression, foresight, and the very will to live and more. They can break a warrior's mind before a sword is ever drawn, or perceive an attack hours before it is even conceived.

Gil felt a sharp, cold prickle run down his spine.

His Foresight—the predictive vision that let him see seconds into the future—and his ability to weave mental chains across their minds... directly echoed everything Hugo was describing.

Why the fearful face, Big Guy? Orphée asked, his usual playfulness replaced by a sharp edge of hesitation. If they're that powerful, shouldn't everyone want to walk that path?

Hugo shook his head solemnly. Because the soul is not a vessel that forgives mistakes. Miscalculating energy in the Body tears a muscle; messing up energy in the Spirit causes an explosion. But a mistake in the Way of the Soul? You go mad, lose your identity, or simply erase your own consciousness from existence... or worse. It is rare, as only those with a gift for it can tread its path. It is terrifyingly difficult to cultivate, and those who dabble in it with enough proficiency let al

one mastery... everyone one of my elders had warned me that unless you absolutely don't have others choices never make one of them your enemy.