Azimuth: The Elden Throne (New Version)

Chapter 91 My Path

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New weak, new chapters.

And a small announcement.

I know that I said before that I was planning on only doing one chapter after chapter 100, but after seeing my current schedule, I saw that may be a bit hard.

So I'll be posting one chapter per day from now as today is also the start of another week and with a pretty big chapter at that.

And technically speaking, this is chapter 90, so it's a good and round number to start doing so.

I'll keep doing Bonus chapters.

This chap is 4K words long, it could've been a bit bigger, but I think it went okay.

Peace!

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/Around 2 hours later…/

/Poof!/

With a pensive look, Dale closed his book.

He stored it inside his inventory, thinking about what to do next.

"Hum..."

'I learned quite a bit, but that's not enough.'

"I would like to know more before having to make my choice but…" He mumbled to himself

'I don't think I'll have that chance anytime soon, and postponing this choice won't lead me anywhere... On the contrary, I might end up losing other opportunities and the chance to grow further.'

'In simpler terms, I'm divided.'

'On one side, I could already start walking down a path, and on another note, I could just focus on my routine and grow stronger in it before eventually choosing a path with a greater understanding of it...'

'The latter choice would be the better one, but I'm afraid I don't have the time to spare.'

'I need to grow stronger, and fast so that I can finish my Quests and seek more treasures, to prepare so when the time comes...'

He looked to the side to see David with his eyes closed, probably sleeping or resting… Even a statue needed some rest from time to time…

Or perhaps he was simply lazy.

"My options..."

'There are 9 Classes for me to choose from.'

'Alma Conqueror (Spear); Alma Conqueror (Sword); Alma Conqueror (Self), amounting to the first 3 chapters of this book.'

'Sentinel of Fallen Embers; Fallen Crusader; Nihilith Abyssal for the middle portion of the Book.'

'Demonic Champion; Arcane Incarnate; Storm Caller for the latter portion... Focused more on Magic and Arcane-related Classes... But still, it's quite a lot of options.'

'However, 4 of these Classes are less than half completed, so the information within them is really limited.'

'The least complete of them is Nihilith Abyssal with only a measly 9%…'

"A shame really... As it was one of the most complex and strange tales of the book." Dale said with a disappointed sigh

'But at the very least, I got an idea of what each Class is supposed to be, how strong they are, the potential they hold, what effects it should have on me, and more…'

'Starting in a simple way, which is the strongest Class? And which one holds the most potential?'

"This is what matters in the end..." He said with a small smile as he closed his eyes

'There isn't exactly a direct answer to this question, as each Chapter was written like a biography of some kind, so whatever events happen are rather individual to the tone and pace of the story they happened in.'

'And since each of those chapters aren't exactly connected, it's hard to draw comparisons in between, albeit some do have connections, like the first 3 chapters.'

'Above all, these stories happen in the Mirrored Planes, somewhere beyond my current knowledge.'

'From what I read, the one with the strongest start is without a doubt Nihilith Abyssal.'

'Even though it's only around 10% done, its power as it's described in the book surpasses all of the other stories even by the time when they are halfway done.'

'At least from the descriptions and the way the pace was conducted, things could be subjective to the protagonist's world view...'

'It seems to be a type of Class that gives you a lot of power at the start, like Skills, Stats, Powers, and so on...'

'However, I cannot say if there is some sort of counterbalance at the end, or if it simply keeps on going until the end with no major side effects.'

'As for the one with the most potential, I would say it's the Alma Conquerors… But that is subjective to someone's talent and how they grow themselves into becoming... Well, the Alma Conqueror.'

'Because of this, I put the Number 1 spot tied with Sentinel of Fallen Embers.'

'There is a purpose to that... Anyway...'

'Going over each Class quickly, going over its main theme, abilities, and future…'

'Starting with Nihilith Abyssal…'

Dale grabbed his book and narrowed his eyes.

"A Nihilith Abyssal is, in simple words… An aspect… A living embodiment of something. Unfortunately, the story doesn't go that deep into explaining what exactly it is."

"As the name says, it's deeply tied with the Abyssal… What exactly is the Abyssal?"

"From what I understood, it's a term for being prevenient from the 'Abyss'…"

'What is the Abyss? Unknown. It was only referred to in the first few pages of the Chapter to signify the birthplace of the Nihilith Abyssal.'

'I do have a description of the place, but it's convoluted as it doesn't come from the narration, but from the inner mumbled thoughts of the creature, in this case, the Main character, as it opened its eyes for the first time within this strange world.'

'I can't tell if it's some sort of monster, a manifestation of evil or good… But I can tell what the future of this Class would signify.'

"Destruction and Resilience… That is the main idea of it."

'Most of its abilities described in the book show the creature's ability to cause mass destruction and to survive dangerous encounters with minimal damage.'

'Perhaps it could lead to some sort of development in the Art of Unknown magical abilities, but...'

"Not really what I wish for."

'Pure destructive power is not what I seek, besides, the Class is too incomplete for me to accept it... It's like walking on a dark road, one I have no idea where it ends.'

'Specially one that looks this... Bizarre.'

"Next… Storm Caller."

'Storm Caller is pretty simple, it's a branch of Wizards that study and base their powers around Storms, with a deep emphasis on Lighting and Water.'

'In the early parts of these Stories, Storm Caller has the Second and most stable firepower of all 9 Classes… But only when there's a storm.'

'If there isn't a storm, his power falls to the weaker 3…'

'Also, because its power is tied to storms, that would mean its potential is deeply limited to that of the force of nature…'

'Which isn't small, storms aren't limited to what I know, some planets can have extremely destructive storms… But it's unrealistic to think of a man being able to control, summon, or stumble upon a planetary Level storm like that…'

'Of course, since the story is only 42% completed, perhaps the Main character found a way to circumvent this problem and to create a storm whenever and wherever he wishes…'

'There are also some minor details tied to this story that could either raise its value... Or decrease it.'

'The Storm Caller didn't come from nowhere, those that have the power to be Titled as such are deemed High Wizards.'

'They're part of a long lineage and Clan of Wizards, the problem is, where are they?'

'And how would they react if a stray Wizard utilizing their crafts were to appear all the way in the South?'

Dale felt a little tired from all the thinking, so he took out a cup from his inventory and poured a bit of water into it from a container on top of the table David was at.

/Gulp.../

And as he drank the water, he continued to think:

"Next, Arcane Incarnate."

'This one is also deeply tied with Wizards, but its main approach is completely different.'

'An Arcane Incarnate is some sort of Spiritual being… Although as always, I'm unsure if the concept of a spirit means the same thing in this world.'

'To become one, a person would have to abandon their normal flesh to become an Incarnation of Mana… From what I understood, most of their body's composition would be completely exchanged for pure Mana.'

'For example, the Human Body is around 60% water, but for an Arcane Incarnate, that percentage could be exchanged for Pure Mana... And the percentage would likely be above 90%.'

'Their form may not change much, but what they are, at their core, would.'

'Its benefits include an extremely high connection and control of Mana plus an increase in life expectancy, talent, cognitive abilities, and resistance to most forms of damage due to assuming an ethereal form.'

'However, its side effects are pretty similar to those of an undead, lost of several senses, dulling of emotions, the inability to procreate, and most importantly, the fact you stop being Human… Or whatever you were before.'

'Being Human is subjective, but losing your senses, emotions, and a bit more is a complete turn off though.'

'Not really what I'm looking for either.'

"Arcane Incarnate can also be taken as a form of shortcut."

'It's described that powerful enough Wizards and Mages would eventually reach a state similar to it without suffering from its side effects.'

'As their control rises, their abilities manifest, and their state of being changes... The boons of the Arcane Incarnate would come to them on their own.'

'So pretty much, choosing this Class is the same as me accepting the fact that I'm not talented enough to follow the ordinary path to the end, instead having to rely on shortcuts.'

Dale stretched his arms and looked out the window…

"Although I like magic, I haven't really considered becoming a mage that much…"

'I don't need to worry about not having the Skills or knowledge necessary to become one though, as the books I collected would fill that void.'

'But I don't it's really for me and for what I'm trying to achieve…'

"Next, Demonic Champion."

'Despite its awful name, it's also pretty honest with its idea.'

'A Demonic Champion is a one-in-a-generation creature that grows to become some sort of Judge to all Demons… As to what Demons are, it's rather vague.'

'But it doesn't seem to be the well known Biblical sense of it.'

'In the first place, most of the explanations of creatures or other beings in this book don't make sense, they're also rather contradictory with what I know from this world.'

'It's as if they are from another place entirely... The Title of this book says it all.'

'I wonder just where the Mirrored planes are...'

Shaking his head, he took another gulp from his bottle of water, continuing with his pondering.

'The idea of a Demonic Champion is that of a Neutral party that is feared by many Demons, acting as an intermediary in case something happens, or simply by ruling over them all.'

'The story starts with a person that makes a contract with a Demon, there's even a lengthy description of how to contract with many different Demons, and even what benefits and responsibilities you would have depending on who you choose…'

'This took 20% out of the available 50%... Almost half of what I have.'

'The person would then grow under the authority of said Demon until the point they would outgrow said Demon, and eventually usurp his power.'

'This process changes depending on what type of Demon you choose to make a contract with.'

'Overall, it's actually not a bad choice, if it wasn't for the fact that Demons are hated…'

'The Class gives me a lot, of power, abilities, and more... And depending on who I choose, I can maximize and prioritize what I want while choosing the side effects…'

'It's the most customizable Class…'

'And by the Nature of a Demonic Champion, I would resist most forms of corruption or manipulation from Demons, and at the same time, not be chained by their contracts.'

'But the main side effect is colluding with Demons… Something I would prefer to stay away from.'

"The premise is good, but as expected, good things aren't given for free…"

"Even if I don't follow this path, it means that I was given the means to summon Demons..."

"I truly do not recommend that... Like, at all." David added when he heard Dale's words, interrupting him

"Is it that bad?"

"Listen to me, if you ever hear about Demons, just turn around and go on the opposite way."

"It's not that they're strong, they're just... Weird and confusing, they're the type of beings that are better left alone and never interacted with at all."

"That book in your hands... I was thinking about it for a while, and it would be wise if you took precautions."

"The madman that wrote it... I can feel something strange in it, difficult to say what it is due to my current condition."

"Then... Do you know what a Demonic Champion is?"

"A Champion?... Is that why you were talking about Demons?"

David became pensive, before saying:

"To become a Champion of renown, one must possess a Stigma, that's the source of it all."

"Even if you wish to follow this path, it matters little if you don't possess one."

"I imagine the process of transforming the Stigma into a Crest is described in the story?"

Dale nodded, but he still had a question:

"In this story, the person started by making a contract with a Demon..."

"Ah yes... That is a way of getting a Stigma... A risky one."

"It's like selling yourself as a slave, then killing your captor and taking everything they owe."

"It sounds simple, but the process isn't."

"Hear me out, until you get a Stigma of your own, do not follow the path of the book, the person within might have been lucky, but we can't say the same about you."

"Before we end this... What is a Crest?"

"It is the ultimate form of a Demon's identity."

"Only powerful Demons will possess a Crest that identifies them, and to be a Champion, one must possess the strongest of them all, a Crest that shatters others in its mere presence."

"And to demons whose Crest are their everything, there is no greater fear... Or desire than a Crest like that."

Dale remained silent, thinking, what David had just said went with the words of the book, albeit in a more direct way.

'So I would need a Stigma... I see.'

'Making a contract with a demon can be seen as a form of shortcut, to embrace the "Demon" side of the Demonic Champion instead of rising to be one from scrap.'

'It can be seen as a trap... Or the greatest of hurdles.'

'But isn't that the path of a Champion nonetheless?'

Thinking all of this, he mumbled, "Next… Fallen Crusader." as his expression relaxed a little.

'From everything that I understood, this one is similar to a Demonic Champion but in this case, a Crusader needs Divinity as a source for his powers.'

'This means that if I were to choose this Class, I would have to choose one of the many Gods within this Continent…'

'Unfortunately, this Class doesn't help me in how to become a Crusader for each Church… It instead gives a simpler example...'

'However, different from the straightforward Demons, to become contracted with a God, it takes a long process…'

'Besides, it will be all for naught anyway.'

'A Fallen Crusader, as the same says, has fallen. Abandoned his code, or committed a sin that makes him unworthy of his Title.'

'His power source was cut, and his abilities were sealed or warped beyond recognition…'

'That is why, out of every Class, this one has the weakest start of all. You literally start being beaten down to the ground after doing a long ass quest to be accepted by a God.'

'Come on, you have to do all of that just to be kicked out? What's the point of this Class?'

'Of course, that's when its benefits come in…'

'Because a Fallen Crusader can accept all energies of all Gods besides those of his patron God without any side effects!'

'This also includes Demonic powers as well...'

'Because of this, although you lost your Divine powers, you can still tap into the Demonic ones without suffering from its side effects…'

'Where this leads to however, I don't know, as the story is only 36% completed, about a third of the way… And that isn't enough for me to draw anything conclusive.'

'In my option, this Class is one of the weakest ones from what I have available to choose from... If I could, I would even prefer to choose its counterpart... A Crusader that hasn't fallen.'

"It's a shame, it does seem promising, even if I were to invest a lot of time at the start…"

'But I would say there is another problem with this Class… Pissing of a God. And that is something I wouldn't even want to attempt.'

'The only benefit I can see in a Fallen Crusader is how he isn't bound to a God anymore... But is that really bad?'

'It's not like anyone can rise to Godhood just like that, it may even be arrogant to think like that, this isn't a fantastical fantasy...'

'Perhaps instead of aiming to be the highest thing in all of creation, it may be more realistic to aim at being the best among those similar to you...'

'Although even that is a bit ridiculous.'

"David, do you know anything about a Crusader?"

"... Are you thinking of becoming one? We do have a position open, our treatment is way better than the other Gods..." David said in an amused tone when he looked at Dale

"... Forget it..."

"Ahh! Come on, put some more thought into it!"

"Though... If you do wish to stay with my Boss, then a Crusader would be too little for you, isn't that right, friend?" He said with a mysterious smile as he looked at Dale

"What I can say to you is that... If you do choose us, then we'll treat you well."

"Like, just think about it bro, other Paladins and the like have to pray day in and night for the attention of their Gods, they're nothing but pushovers claiming to be loved by a girl they've never seen before in their life." He said with some spite, if he could spit he would

"They're lied to with statues of their Goddesses, given lengthy promises of paradise and favor when their lives come to an end..."

"Like, come on! Does it even make sense? You're giving up your life for the sake of the afterlife?"

"You give up the 100 boons of being alive for the sake of being smiled upon by a woman you never saw before?!" He said in a righteous tone

"Worse! Some of those Goddesses are... Not very Divine, let's leave it at that humph!"

"Dale... Those guys are losers."

"With me here, I can make sure all of your questions are answered, on time, by the Boss!"

"And you can be reassured, Boss isn't like those Goddesses that have so self-respect! I guarantee that!"

"Your prayers will be safe with us."

"PLUS! I'll give you some... Exclusive merchandise..." He said with a sharp and slightly mischievous smile

/Cronk!/

The moment Dale was about to answer his stupid words... Divine punishment came falling down...

David's head started to distort around its forehead as if caving in...

"OUCH! H-Hey! I... I didn't... OUCH! Stop! I won't say that anymore! OUUUUCH!"

"P-Please... I yield! I yield! I was mistaken!..."

His head went back to normal, but after that, David didn't want to speak anymore.

Albeit curious, Dale decided to not speak anything, for both his and David's sake.

So with a helpless expression, Dale continued as he flipped the book's pages.

"Next one… My secondary option… Sentinel of Fallen Embers."

'First, what is a Sentinel? It's someone who watches, observes, protects a place…'

'Normally it would be clear at this point that this is a Tank Class… But don't be fooled.'

'This Sentinel isn't protecting someone or a place, but an idea.'

'This Class' main theme is the search for this Idea, all of its power growth and development are to eventually reach it...'

'All to observe an event described as: "When Dawn comes, Morning follows… Red scales in the mist, dropping down from a floating tree..." Or something like that…'

'The Sentinel is a being meant to wait and witness an event...'

'As for what it's supposed to do after this event starts?... That is left open for me to interpret.'

"The Sentinel Observes, not because it can't do anything to stop it, but because it's supposed to wait…"

"It has the power to stop it, or to further intensify this event, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a bystander…"

'Or so is my interpretation of it.'

'The Sentinel has immense power, not entirely explained, so I'll just go with that.'

'But just as he has power, he has a duty.'

'His growth speed is decent, but not exaggerated, and his potential seems to be extremely high due to his ability to interfere with such an event.'

'Overall, it's my second choice… Right behind the next one…'

"The Alma Conqueror…"

'Different from the other Classes, this one is seen through 3 perspectives of 3 different people, each choosing their own paths.'

'This gives me an incredible level of understanding and inspiration were I to choose this Class.'

'This Class comes from a Cult-like faction called InnerLight, where their topmost ranking members are called Alma Conquerors.'

'Or perhaps this Class was what gave rise to this cult...'

'This has deep consequences especially when you consider Testros' words, as according to him, the strongest Commander in the Corps was most likely an Alma Conqueror, and his Biography was very much like the second story depicted in this book.'

'If that's the case, the Southern Corps may very well have deep ties with this mysterious Cult… Perhaps Resko itself may be tied with them one way or another...'

'Also, this cult and the Commander are the only things I can tie together from this book into reality...'

'As for what they are, an Alma Conqueror is someone who has "realized" an idea.'

'Like how a swordsman may infuse Mana onto his sword, an Alma Conqueror may infuse his Will and Soul onto something else.'

'To make something unreal materialize through sheer will… This is the idea of this Class.'

'However, doing such a thing can't be so easy, and that's when a "Focus" comes into play.'

'An object to act as the center of your studies and form… The first story was about someone who chose a Spear, the second one was about someone who chose a Sword.'

'And the last one was about someone who chose Himself… He is the focus through which his Will manifests into reality.'

'It's like a... Cultivator? I don't think those Novels fall into this category...'

"The 3rd one is also the most completed, at 98% completion, 5% more than the first story."

'This also gives me a pretty good idea of what level of power and potential an Alma Conqueror is supposed to achieve at its pinnacle.'

'And the answer is rather unfulfilling… Because it depends on the person…'

'If we take a common point between the 3 stories, then the power of each one is completely different…'

'What I can tell though… Is that this Class has a lot of potential.'

"That is why this is my first choice… So it comes into question:"

'What should my Focus be if I were to choose it?'

'My Spear, my sword, or myself?... Or perhaps, something else?'

Dale closed his eyes and thought…

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Notes

We still have 60 chapters to go through before we reach where the story stopped.

I have already started writing some ideas for those far chapters... But we'll have to wait and see.

I hope you all enjoyed it.