Sword God in a World of Magic

"Is this truly what you want?" Shang asked as he faced his student.

His student was a black-haired man who seemed to be in his thirties, and he was also over two meters tall, which was quite intimidating.

Surprisingly, he didn't have an Affinity.

However, not having an Affinity also increased someone's physical power by a little bit.

"Is fighting this aggressively truly what you wish for?" Shang asked.

The student looked to the ground as he furrowed his brows in thought.

"Do I have a choice?" the student asked.

"Yes, you always have a choice," Shang said. "You can follow whatever Path you want to follow, Duma."

Duma, Shang's student, wasn't quite sure what he should answer. "But what if my Path doesn't lead to an Impose, Master?"

Shang slowly shook his head. "The principle of Impose is to impose your will upon the world around you. The world is not the one that decides what gets an Impose or not. You are the one."

"Duma, you view yourself as a protector, not a killer," Shang said. "You told me that your goal is to protect your loved ones, correct?"

Duma nodded.

"Then, you should follow a Path that shows that. The Path you have established is a Path of the shield, and you broke into the True Path Stage with that. The gladius you use as an actual weapon hasn't received its own Path."

"Yet, as soon as you became my student, you started to emulate my way of fighting. You are using your shield to throw the enemy to the side, to crush them, and to break their balance, but you are not using it to block an attack or push the enemy away."

"Watching me train and fight has given you the illusion that following my Path is the only way to become powerful."

Duma didn't look at Shang's face.

"Is what I have taught you over the last two years worth just this much?" Shang asked in an even voice. "Are you someone that simply follows what others do? Have I not taught you to think and decide for yourself?"

None of the two of them said anything.

At the moment, Duma's imposing figure stood in front of the corpse of an Early True Path Stage corpse, but in front of Shang, he felt tiny.

and Shang's frame was also not nearly as

his Master felt like an

this all you're good for?" Shang asked after a while. "Following

anything

he said after a couple of seconds. "Not everyone can

Shang didn't answer.

any guidance. That requires tremendous confidence

Duma said as he looked at

not to blindly follow what you are doing, but just thinking about the possible consequences of making a mistake horrifies me

don't want to spend centuries to refine my power just to find out that my work has been

several Imposes, and your Colossal Sword Path seems very fitting

everyone is essentially doing? After all, we are all learning from our

anything

Path?" Shang asked. "Their Path will never be yours, and while you might be able to create a weak Impose with their Path,

slowly raised his eyes to look at Shang, "I'm fine with

Silence.

reaching the True Path Stage was already like a dream had come true, and with your help, I might even

city. I could earn enough to live in a castle with my family. I would have enough money

different towns and cities. How many people can claim to have that

Just the Fifth Realm is enough for me," Duma

say anything

"Fine," Shang said coldly.

SHING!

a thick book and threw

looked at the cover and saw the words

SHING!

additional thick books and

a beast's and a warrior's

change your Mana Pathways. You created a defensive

books. Learn the Spell.

that, you only have to follow the sounds of the Adamantite Branch

need 100 to

and surprise at all the books

had always taught him in a very roundabout and difficult way, making it seem

some things, and he

was such a glaring difference between the two ways his Master had