Lycoris_Radiata

I've started this series with the intention to write about the supernatural world, but all that happened the last three chapters seems like some xianxia power fantasy.

As such, this will be the last chapter for Akio's power ups. I'll try to write about the supernatural from the next chapter.

As soon as Akio opened his eyes, an elder came to him and guided him to another island. Akio was told to stay there is a temporary residence till the time arrives for the airship to leave. His step-sister has already finished her trials and left the island, and considering that he is one of the last few people to pass the trials, he is alone in his room.

The trial will take a maximum of three weeks to finish, so the airship is arranged to leave for the homeland once per week. Akio took two weeks to finish his trials, which is fairly long. There were only a few dozen people other than him waiting for the airship.

After entering his room, Akio promptly locked the door and excitedly opened his status screen.

He checked the skills section, and sure enough, there were two new skills there. Fuin Mark and Fuin Armament.

He willed for the description of those skills to appear.

[Skill name: Fuin Mark - Nine Heavenly Bodies]

[Description: Upgraded from seven pointed star Fuin Mark, this new Fuin Mark is more stable and has more functions compared to the previous one. It has a copy of a set of the heavenly rules of the spirit realm, so summoning spirits with it will not make them turn insane. Restraining insane spirits with the Fuin Mark will return them to sanity. Since the Fuin Mark has a copy of the set of heavenly rules of the spirit realm, by using the skill 'Fuin Armament' as a medium, it helps the spirits in finding their way to the spirit realm. In addition to it, by using the skill 'Fuin Armament' as a medium, it will create a mirror space where any damage done will remain inside the mirror space and not be reflected in reality. It has nine functions, with three of them locked currently due to host's insufficient power or understanding.]

[Functions:

> Heavenly Body - Blue Star: Control (when using this function, skill 'Six Eyes' will be temporarily boosted)

> Heavenly Body - Purple: Mana Heart (when using this function, mana and spiritual power increases by 20 times)

> Heavenly Body - White: Regeneration (when using this function, any injury received before or during its activation will be regenerated instantly)

> Heavenly Body - Grey: Spatial Perception (when using this function, user's perception of space increases)

> Heavenly Body - Colorless: Instance Realm (when using this function in conjunction with the skill 'Fuin Armament', a mirror world will be created)

> Heavenly Body - Black: Spirit Summoning (when using this function, user can summon spirits while allowing them to retain rationality)

> ???

> ???

> ???      ]

As Akio read through the skill's explanation, he can barely control his excitement. In addition to the basic passive boost in Health, Mana and Spiritual Power, his Fuin Mark gave him active-type boosts as well as some new functions.

With Limitless, he's physically almost invincible. And with huge Mana reserves as well as Six Eyes' control, he practically has an almost limitless Mana.

Now, he can be considered as one of the strongest people around.

Of course, with the advanced formation technology this world seems to have, they may find a way to go around his Limitless, by locking the space, sealing his Mana, using spiritual and soul-based attacks which he is lacking in, etc.

'I'll get there eventually. The strongest.'

Akio then fell asleep.

He is obviously very tired from the trial. Everyone himself for a long time without rest took a toll on his body and mind. 

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After a few days, the airship arrive and Akio went home without any further issues.

He assumed there will a side quest here, judging from how main characters always seems to find themselves in trouble right after getting power ups.

But it seemed that nobody is brave enough to find trouble with the Akarsuki Clan.

------------------

Akio went home and met his mother.

Previously, he wasn't able to sense his mother's Mana even with Six Eyes'.

The Fuin Mark is a cheat, in that it can shape reality itself. The mere fact that it contains a copy of the heavenly rules of spirit realm makes it such that without being a Fuin Mark Master yourself, it's impossible to sense for strong a Fuin Mark Master is.

Now that Akio himself is a Fuin Mark Master, he quickly tried to sense his mother's Mana, found that his mana is actually slightly stronger than her!

He wondered why her mana is not stronger when she's clearly much stronger than him. Well, stronger in things other than defense. He decided to ask her, and got an unexpected answer.

"It's because of spiritual power. I have more spiritual power, more control, and more experience in handling spiritual power than you do, Akkun¹Akio's nickname. I probably explained in a previous chapter but wtv.. Just as I can't damage you due to your Limitless technique, as long as my spiritual power doesn't run out you will never damage me. I'm fast enough to not get hit by your 'cursed techniques', as you call them. But well, since I can't damage you, admittedly, it will just result in a stalemate.

You were so focused on increasing your mana and I thought that you were cute, doing such advanced stuff when you're just a small child, soo I left you to your devices.

Since you now received your Fuin Mark, it's time to focus more on spiritual power, Akio."

Akio is enlightened.

Ability to manipulate space? They can flare spiritual power enough to undo spatial bindings, move fast enough to not get hit by hollow purple, red, blue and other cursed techniques.

Akio can teleport? They can move fast enough to reach such high speed that teleporting wouldn't make much difference.

Akio's defense is strong enough to block spiritual power attacks, but as long as he doesn't use enough spiritual power in his cursed techniques, his attack will never be strong enough to damage his opponents.

Akio was slightly aggrieved that he made such a noobie mistake. Who doesn't know that specializing in just one stat will bite them in the ass later? And Akio just up and ignored improving spiritual power. He was so blinded by Limitless, recreating cursed techniques and increasing his Taijutsu skill that he ignored this world's power structure.

But nobody can stop Akio's goal to become the strongest!

After listening to his mother's explanation, his inner chuuni skyrocketed and Akio started to search ways to infuse spiritual power into his Limitless and other techniques.

Since using spatial techniques powered by spiritual powers can possibly affect the balance of realms, such knowledge was unavailable for someone of Akio's status. In the past, the only reason why Akio was able to access knowledge regarding usage of spatial techniques powered by mana, is because of his mother used a favor an elder of the Elder Council owed her. Now even his mother can't help him, and Akio is left to figure everything by himself.

Of course, Akio knows that this is the first obstacle that the protagonist faces in many xianxia novels. Hoarding of knowledge by large and influential persons and clans.

But the protagonist obtains an overpowered technique anyway, either through dumb luck or by making his own overpowered technique like in the case of Yun Che's forced comprehension of fifth and sixth stages of World Ode of the Pheonix.²https://www.wuxiaworld.com/novel/against-the-gods/atg-chapter-114

Akio's chuuni heart is practically screaming at him when he encountered such a classic cliche. Akio is determined to make his own overpowered technique by somehow finding a way to infuse spiritual power in his techniques. 

Admittedly, this process proved more difficult than ever, and he was stuck at the mere beginning.

In the first place, spatial abilities are extremely rare. But since there were some mages who comprehended spatial techniques, such techniques were passed down among the Seven Major Clan's libraries.

Spatial abilities powered by spiritual power is even more rare. In the present day supernatural society, there is no known spiritual ability user who can use spatial abilities fueled by spiritual power.

After all, it requires spatial aptitude, as well as a high aptitude toward spiritual power.

Akio most definitely had high spatial manipulation aptitude. But spiritual power? He can only be considered as a genius of the younger generation. And spatial techniques require much more than that. Which is why Akio is currently struck.

Akio wistfully thought that the locked features of the Fuin Mark might help him, but he didn't place all his hope in that. He still worked hard to perfect his usage of spiritual powers and spells using spiritual power, so that one day, he can figure out how to infuse his cursed techniques with spiritual power.

He didn't want to get struck in an awkward place where neither he nor his opponent can damage each other. Such a plot only happens to side characters, and will be gloriously saved by main characters. Akio didn't want to provide an opportunity for another person to claim the 'main character' title. He is a reincarnator! He will struggle till the end to hold onto his pride as a main character!

Lycoris_Radiata

I know the last part of this chapter seems like a nerf and a plot hole. And honestly, even I feel like that.

But I have my excuse ready, hehe(nervous laughter).

I got my inspiration from bleach. In bleach, there were techniques advanced enough to open portals between soul society, hueco mundo and the human world. There is even the Dangai, sweepers, and stuff like that. But those badass captains just won't use such techniques.

The lack of aptitude is one thing, the need for setting up formations and chanting long ass spells to use such techniques is another, and lastly, why should they bother when they can just blast everything away with a swing of their sword?

This world is something familiar.

That, is how my explanation for the power structure of this world goes.

And yes, this is a nerf. I don't want Akio to die, I don't want him to be too strong, I don't want to nerf the original power of the cursed techniques, and I want to show that spiritual power has its own uses.

I want to show that this world's power structure is just different from what Akio is used to.

It'll take a while for Akio to get used to the difference and invent his own techniques, and the plot of the story will be about how Akio, even while being the strongest of the human realm, is still not strong enough among the Fuin Mark Masters and spiritual ability users who use the spiritual powers of the spirit realm, a power not of the human realm.

And lastly, while writing this long author's note, I wondered if I should just insert this explanation in the actual chapter, but my motivation is dying, and I was lazy to edit the chapter so I ignored it and published the chapter anyway.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE TRAINING AND POWER UP ARC.

From the next chapter, you can expect to see some 'supernatural' stuff that the title claims this series has.

Adios, readers. Hope to see you all in the next chapter~!

P. S. I changed the description of the series. Take a look if you'd like. It reflects the current plot of the series, which is Akio being both overpowered and powerless at the same time.