That night, after training with the spear for the first time, Gareth was left feeling strangely pumped. Unlike previous days when he would be left tired, today was ntoiceably different.
The excitement from training with a weapon seemed to fuel him with newfound energy, making him eager to continue training.
As he started cultivating, his body began feeling strange. Unlike before, when he was trying to channel his mana to no avail, this time it was strangely easier. He didn't feel as much restriction as he had previously and was even able to sense the mana very clearly.
He felt like he would be able to do it. He willed the mana inside him, and slowly but surely, it began to flow. Gareth was happy, but he didn't let it distract him from what he was doing.
Concentrating even harder, he began channeling the mana according to the guidelines of the cultivation technique. Things were going smoothly, and it seemed like today was going to be the day.
However, suddenly, his mana was unable to flow further. It was as if it were being stopped by a dam, not letting it flow like he wanted.
Gareth didn't panic when he felt this. He had read about it in the cultivation Technique. This was the last hurdle anyone wanting to become an Ardent had to face.
Breaking the barrier would allow the mana to be able to flow to the rest of the body, making the user capable of using it. However, this challenge was the hardest, one that the individual had to undergo on their own.
No one could help, not even an Ardent. This had to be done on their own; otherwise, the individual was unworthy to wield mana.
Gareth channeled his mana, forcefully slamming against the barrier. The scene resembled a wave of shimmering liquid forcefully crashing against a transparent barrier.
The barrier trembled but ultimately held true. Gareth, unperturbed, could only try again. Another wave crashed against the barrier, and this time, the barrier seemed to crack slightly.
It was a small crack, as thin as a hair even, but it was a crack nonetheless. Gareth only needed to continue what he was doing and he would be able to break it.
However, things weren't so easy. Because he wasn't an Ardent yet, simply channeling his mana cost him a tremendous amount of energy.
Despite only cultivating for a short time, his body was already soaked with sweat, and he was panting heavily. He was already tired despite cultivating for less than thirty minutes.
It was early evening now, and the sun could be seen starting to set over the horizon. Gritting his teeth, Gareth mustered up all his energy and with desperate effort, willed his mana once more.
BOOM!
The wave of iridescent liquid crashed into the barrier once again, enlarging the crack even more. More sections of the barrier were cracking, making it look as if it was going to crash any moment from now.
However, it held firm, stubbornly refusing to allow the mana passage. By this time, Gareth's breathing had turned heavy, and sweat was dripping from his nose. He was utterly exhausted, much more than he was when he started training.
Gritting his teeth, he refused to give up and decided to try one more time. With a desperate surge of will, his mana turned into a massive wave, crashing into the barrier once again.
CRASH!
This time, the barrier was unable to hold on and shattered into a pile of transparent glass-like particles before disappearing into oblivion.
The mana that was finally free surged throughout his body, flowing to every corner and crevice. Every limb and digit now had mana coursing into them, filling them to the brim with energy.
Meanwhile, outside, a wave of mana could be seen flowing into the manor. The mana formed something of a mini cyclone as it flowed into Gareth's room.
Gareth, who was still high on the ecstasy of finally becoming an Ardent, suddenly felt mana rushing into his body. Unlike before, this was mana from the environment, not the one he previously had in his body.
The feeling of satisfaction it brought was intense, with Gareth even having to suppress the instinct to moan out loud. Just as he was on cloud nine, a sharp voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, mortal, for surpassing your limit!]
[You are now a higher being!]
[You have gained access to the Oracle!]
A cold, mechanical voice resounded in Gareth's mind. The voice was androgenous, and Gareth couldn't tell whether it was male or female.
He was surprised by the voice, and before he could ponder the implications, a knock came from outside his room.
Knock Knock Knock!
Before he could even blink, the door opened, and the person knocking entered. Gareth was surprised because the one who entered his room was the head maid.
" Apologies for bothering you, Sir Gareth, but the Countess has requested your presence immediately."
Her words greatly surprised Gareth. Not the words themselves, but the manner in which she spoke them. The respect in them caught Gareth off guard, and he wasn't able to respond instantly.
Who could blame him? When he first got here, this woman looked at him with disgust and didn't even treat him like a human being. She couldn't even be bothered to talk to him personally.
And now she was looking at him with something resembling...respect? She even started with an apology. And she called him sir???
Before he could fully comprehend it, she spoke once again.
"Sir Gareth?"
Her question jolted him from his shock.
"Yes?" He answered.
"The Countess."
"Oh, right, I'll go to her office right away." He said while standing up and attempting to go to her office. However, before he could even leave the room, the head maid spoke once again.
"She is not in her office."
Her words stopped Gareth in his tracks as he turned around and asked.
"Then where is she?"