Chapter 506: This is My Way of the Knight! Six-star Earth Military Rank

「Cyrenaica local time, November.」

「Surt’s Stereoscopic City, deep within the Vengeful Angels’ garrison.」

By order, the Holy Fire Guard was stationed outside the main gate of Holy Song Manor, the private property of the local Governor, Sacker.

The Gothic-style building stood in the heart of the Upper City District, modeled after the Holy Capital Cathedral. Its main limestone structure towered over thirty meters high, its outer walls mottled with rain stains. The soaring spires and pointed arches created a magnificent, imposing sight.

The manor also housed a private chapel for the local Governor’s prayers.

Inside the chapel, rows of burning candles were placed beneath the Radiant Holy Image, and a bronze-cast Holy Word Scripture rested directly in front of it.

Clad in full armor, Reinhardt knelt on one knee before the Radiant Holy Image. His eyes were closed, his right hand tightly gripping the Divine Emperor’s Fury. A light breeze swept through the room, causing the candlelight to dance and flicker across the deep black surface of his Avenger Armor.

Forty-three days had passed since his battle with Nelom.

Ever since that day, Reinhardt could clearly perceive subtle changes occurring in his Knight Power—changes that symbolized his Knight Military Rank was beginning to evolve to the next level.

Unlike his previous, effortless promotion to the Five-star Earth Military Rank, this time was different. Even though that battle had pushed his Knightly Physique to take the most crucial step toward greater power, his Knight Military Rank still refused to advance.

This was the first true bottleneck Reinhardt had encountered since he began his journey on the path of a Knight.

His Knightly Physique, bolstered by his Steel of the Heart trait, had already reached the absolute peak for an Earth Knight. But when it came to his Knight Power ascending to an even higher stage, things were different.

At this point, neither the system nor the Steel of the Heart trait was of any use to Reinhardt.

In other words, if he could not take this step forward himself, his Knight Military Rank would stagnate forever, no matter how powerful any external aid might be.

After the battle that day, Nelom was the first to advance, his Knight Military Rank rising to Six-star. The entire process was incredibly smooth; he simply stood there, and his power ascended to the next level.

After that, they regrouped with Matthias and the others.

On the journey back to Surt, Reinhardt had discussed insights regarding Knight Military Ranks with Nelom, but the latter couldn’t explain the specific process.

In fact, he seemed even more surprised than Reinhardt.

Reinhardt knew then and there that he couldn’t count on this guy, who seemed to understand nothing but combat.

His promotion to the Earth Military Rank back then had gone so smoothly not only because his power was already at a bottleneck, but also thanks in large part to the indispensable teachings of Geoffroy, the Battle Group Tutor for the Emperor’s Shield Third Group.

Without his guidance, it would have been impossible for Reinhardt to have grown from a self-taught Knight lacking systematic training to his current level in just three short years.

Now, his Military Rank had grown to the peak of an Earth Knight. At this stage, there was no one left who could guide him on where his path as a Knight should lead.

In other words, every Imperial Knight qualified to advance to the Sky Military Rank and become a Demigod walking among mortals would only ever walk firmly on their own path!

And the Six-star Earth Military Rank was the sole entry ticket to the Sky Military Rank.

This was also why in the later stages of the Earth Military Rank—Five-star, Six-star, and Seven-star—each advancement was almost as hard as ascending to the heavens!

A seemingly effortless advancement in Military Rank was often backed by the accumulated experience and tempering from countless life-and-death battles!

Although Reinhardt failed to get an answer from Nelom, someone else had offered him a suggestion.

Morphis, of the Holy Fire Guard.

He told Reinhardt that according to Imperial Knight tradition, if an Imperial Knight’s Military Rank stagnated for a long time, they would often choose to return before a Radiant Holy Image to contemplate the true meaning of Knight Power.

However, Reinhardt had never heard of such a tradition. Even Matthias and the others were hearing for the first time that Imperial Knights had such a custom.

When asked where he had learned of it, Morphis simply replied that it was something his tutor had taught him.

Whether this tradition truly existed was impossible to verify for the time being. Nevertheless, on the fortieth day of his stagnation, Reinhardt had come to Holy Song Manor, to the private chapel and its Radiant Holy Image.

In the quiet chapel, he could hear his own heartbeat.

‘So, what is the true meaning of Knight Power?’

He had been pondering this question for three whole days. A strong Physique, powerful Spiritual Power—he had already received this answer on his first day at the Knight Training Camp.

However, his Physique was already at the absolute peak for the Earth Military Rank, and his numerous battles on the brink of death had long since proven his courage and will to fight.

Even so, his Knight Military Rank still couldn’t take that crucial step.

‘Is my Physique not strong enough?’

‘Or is Spiritual Power about more than just courage and the will to fight?’

He had no way of knowing.

It was at this moment that Reinhardt understood why so many Imperial Knights were stuck at their Military Rank for their entire lives, unable to advance even a single step.

Confronting a question where the answer was supposed to be self-evident felt utterly impossible.

‘Could it be that without the help of the system and my Steel of the Heart trait, this is the limit of my Knight Talent?’

And if he felt anything in this moment, it was profound frustration and indignation.