Astrea was worried by their Master but they did not want to disturb him so they can only follow his orders.
{Argus's POV}
Argus then repeated the process with the remaining energies. His focus remained unwavering as he prepared to form the second core. With a deep breath, he directed the vortexes of energy into position, guiding them with precision as he had done before.
This time, the process went much faster. The experience from the first attempt allowed him to manage the energies more efficiently. The chaotic vortexes obeyed his commands more swiftly, and the solidification began to take shape with less resistance.
Encouraged by the improved speed, Argus moved on to the third and final core. His movements were now almost instinctive, and the vortexes responded quickly to his will. The formation of the third core proceeded even faster than the previous ones. The energies blended and solidified with remarkable efficiency, and the pressure within his body lessened significantly.
By the end of the process, Argus had successfully created three blue rhombohedron-like cores, each perfectly solidified. His body, though still pale and weak, had managed to endure the strain. As the final core took shape, Argus felt a profound sense of accomplishment and would have showed it if not for his skill.
A while ago, as Argus formed the second core, he sensed that someone was watching him and felt a great danger approaching. When he began to form the third core, the feeling of danger intensified.
Though Argus remained vigilant, he could see no one nearby, yet the sense of impending threat lingered. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the unease, and focused on his task, determined to complete his work despite the growing sense of danger. Argus did not now who or what is observing him and he also did not now where is the danger is coming.
'If it comes then it comes. I will just face it head on.'
***
The next step was to upgrade the cores to make them even more solidified. Argus was just beginning this crucial part of the process.
He opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. Argus noticed that the vortexes were still active, with 25 floating energies from each vortex. It became clear that the vortexes would not release new energy until he absorbed these energies.
Argus decided to use the volatile energies to enhance his cores. The energy from the two vortexes was pure and denser, indicating it was a higher level type of energy.
'The dark wisp energy can be called Yin Qi and the crimson energy can be called Yang Qi.'
Argus named the energies based on their characteristics. The dark wisp, resembling the essence of death, was named Yin Qi, while the crimson wisp, embodying vitality and life, was named Yang Qi.
Argus nodded in satisfaction, as he based the names on the Yin Yang diagram, one of the symbols created by the human race.
He did not immediately absorb the Yin Qi and Yang Qi from the vortexes. Instead, he began to focus on recuperating, primarily healing his body. He needed his body to be at least 70% healed before he could start absorbing these two energies again. If he attempted to absorb them now, he would risk serious injury.
It didn't take long for Argus to recover 100% physically. He noticed that his regeneration had almost doubled. Even without checking his stats, he concluded that it must be an effect of the Yang Qi, as it was a type of life energy, though a volatile one.
After that, Argus began absorbing the energy from the vortexes. He decided to absorb one wisp of energy from each vortex first to see how his core would react. When the wisps of Yin and Yang Qi entered his body, they were immediately drawn toward something inside him.
The two wisps of energy were equally divided among the three cores and absorbed faster than a blink of an eye. It was as if the cores were like hungry beasts, devouring the energy eagerly and asking for more, their hunger far from satisfied.
Argus decided to increase the number of energies he absorbed to five from each vortex, making a total of ten. When they entered his body, even without running the formula, the energies were instantly drawn toward his three cores and absorbed just as quickly. The division was still equal among all three cores.
Satisfied with the result, Argus further increased the number of energies absorbed. His cores could handle the energy with ease, absorbing it almost instantly. However, his body was a different matter. Argus found that he could only handle a maximum of 20 wisps of energy at a time before the excruciating pain returned, similar to what he had felt earlier. Any more than 20, and his body would start to fail, so he decided to limit himself to that amount. Despite the agony, he didn't flinch.
'I will have to experience this sooner or later, so why not get used to it now?'
Argus understood that the path of an Awakener was filled with hardship. He knew he would face even more painful trials, perhaps worse than his body cracking apart under the pressure, or even worse than his soul being torn apart.
Knowing his body's limit, Argus began absorbing 20 wisps of energy at a time. Each time, the three cores absorbed the energy within just a few seconds, dividing it equally among themselves.
The vortexes quickly replenished the absorbed energy, but the maximum remained capped at 25 wisps per vortex. This allowed Argus to keep absorbing without worrying about running out, but he maintained his limit to prevent overloading his body.
Argus felt his cores were full, but he didn't stop. He continued absorbing the volatile energies into his body, and his cores kept taking them in without hesitation.
Crack!
Suddenly, the surface of his three cores began to fracture. Instead of panic, Argus remained calm. Crimson light seeped from the cracks, glowing ominously. It was as if the outer layer of the cores, once solid blue, was being peeled away like a fragile shell. The cracks spread rapidly, until all three cores were covered in a web of fissures.
Finally, with a soft shattering sound, the outer shell broke away completely, revealing a new set of cores. Solid, stronger, and now a deep, pulsing red. These new cores radiated power, far more stable and resilient than before. Like an egg hatching, the blue outer layer had given way to something far more formidable.
Argus didn't bother observing further; he already knew the process by heart. Every time a core was upgraded, the outer shell would peel away, breaking like fragile stone to reveal a stronger core underneath. The stronger the core became, the slower the cracks would form, meaning the outer shell would take longer to break. Likewise, the tougher the shell, the more painful the process.
This was why the Core Forging Realm marked the first major divide between elites and common awakeners. If one couldn't endure the agony of strengthening their core, if their will was weak, they wouldn't advance. Without resilience, no amount of talent would be enough to get stronger.
Talent, on the other hand, was a different matter entirely. For example, a genius awakener had a naturally high ceiling. Their core could reach higher levels of strength and rarity, like a high-level color core. This meant they wouldn't struggle as much when breaking the shell and upgrading their core, provided they had enough energy. Their journey through the Core Forging Realm would feel more like a natural progression rather than an uphill battle.
A common awakener, however, faced a different path. With a lower ceiling, their potential might only allow them to form a weaker, less vibrant core. Yet, this wasn't the end of the story. What they lacked in natural talent could be made up for through perseverance and sheer endurance. If they were willing to endure the pain, face setbacks, and constantly push their limits, they could gradually break their weaker shells and refine their cores, slowly but steadily catching up to the so-called geniuses.
In the end, while talent could ease the process, it was perseverance and willpower that truly defined one's limits.
However, in reality, the gap between the talented and the average often created a harsh truth. Many people, when confronted with the overwhelming natural gifts of others, lacked the willpower and perseverance to push beyond their limits. The ease with which geniuses seemed to progress discouraged those with lower potential. The pain, struggle, and slow progress caused many to falter, giving up before they could realize their full strength.
Argus understood this well. While talent could pave a smoother path, it was often this gap between ability and determination that defined who would truly reach the summit of power. Many simply didn't have the resilience to overcome the difficulties, leaving only a few to break through the divide.
Argus continued the process, maintaining a calm focus within, even as the outside of his body showed signs of strain. His skin cracked and healed repeatedly, the cycle of damage and regeneration becoming a familiar sensation. Though he had grown used to the pain, he knew that without his skill suppressing his emotions, a bitter expression would have undoubtedly crossed his face.