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.

than Duma in stature, and Shang's frame was also not nearly as broadly

Master felt like an

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

say anything for a

said after a couple of seconds. "Not everyone can

Shang didn't answer.

without any guidance.

said as he looked at the ground, "I don't have

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

refine my power just to find out that my work has been for

your Colossal Sword Path seems very fitting to my Path of

else? Isn't that what everyone is essentially doing? After all, we are all learning from our

anything

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

he slowly raised his eyes to look at Shang,

Silence.

reaching the True Path Stage was already

earn enough to live in a castle with my family. I would have enough money to give my children the best education and teachers

enough money to travel to different towns and cities. How many

Just the Fifth Realm is enough for me," Duma

didn't say anything for

"Fine," Shang said coldly.

SHING!

a thick book and

the cover and saw the

SHING!

thick books and also threw

to a beast's and a warrior's

your Mana Pathways. You created a defensive Path for your shield, and the

books. Learn the Spell. Get more Adamantite Branch

the sounds of the Adamantite Branch Seeds,

need 100

shock and surprise at all the books

very roundabout and difficult way, making it seem like

him some things, and he said that reaching the Impose Stage would

there was such a glaring difference between the two ways his