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

Duma, his Master

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

say anything for

couple of seconds. "Not

Shang didn't answer.

to develop your Impose without any guidance. That requires tremendous confidence

looked at the ground, "I

just thinking about the possible consequences of making a mistake horrifies me to

to find out that my work

have established several Imposes, and your Colossal Sword Path seems very fitting to my Path

with copying a bit from someone else? Isn't that what everyone is essentially

say anything

be able to create a weak Impose with

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

Silence.

outstanding on my level. Just reaching the True Path Stage was already like a dream had come true, and

elite member in any city. I could earn enough to live in a

money to travel to different towns and cities. How many people can claim

about the Sixth Realm. Just the Fifth Realm is enough for me,"

say anything for several

"Fine," Shang said coldly.

SHING!

a thick book and

the cover and saw

SHING!

thick books and also threw

books were introductions to a beast's and a warrior's

shield, you have to change your Mana Pathways. You created a defensive Path for your shield, and the world has created Mana Pathways

Learn the Spell. Get more

have to follow the sounds of the Adamantite

need 100 to 200

looked with shock and surprise at all the

difficult way, making it seem like creating an

and he said that reaching the

such a glaring difference between the two ways