Only now did Eren realize what Alephee meant when she said that he was swimming in the wrong pool when he was in Anfang?
Labh Salem was many times larger than Anfang geographically. However, the complexities it contained within itself were much more profound for someone like Eren.
He realized that the advantages he had in Anfang– the advantages he had fought so hard for– the advantages he had earned for himself through hard work and perseverance– almost didn't matter much in Labh Salem. This was because almost everyone else had them as well.
When everyone has the same advantage as you, it is similar to having none.
Tantras allowed Rankers to break even with the Practitioners of other paths. For example, most Rankers would have lost to Elementalists or the Soulweavers when it came to employing intent-based magic or making use of one's Spiritual Force.
The Tantras provided the Rankers the means to compete with the Practitioners of other paths by leveling up the playing field. They allowed even the Rankers of mediocre talent and aptitude to progress much further than what they could hope to reach using merely Ranking Techniques.
For example, Amory would have become a Grandmaster a long time ago if he had access to a Tantra suitable for him. He wouldn't have to risk his life in Monster Canyon or be a part of the Rank-up program initiated by the White Raven Guild if he had a Tantra.
A suitable Tantra not only reduced the bottlenecks the Rankers had during their Ranking Journeys, but it also streamlined one's Path. This means the Rankers' affinity with a particular element of Ranking Path would only increase with time if they kept on practicing a suitable Tantra. It might sound like it didn't mean much, but in reality, Tantras had the potential to turn every Ranker into a genius of their generation.
Of course, Tantras could only be used in Labh Salem because of the Menaka's Blessing as well as the involvement of the immortal gods and demons. Without these aspects acting as the dampers, the use of Tantras would have turned half of the Rankers' population into lunatics. And the other half would have been scarred for their lives.
Most Rankers would have refused to practice Tantras if their divine patrons didn't give them the assurance they needed to embark on their Ranking Journey this way. As the world that was referred to as the Land of the Faithless, Anfang didn't have gods backing their followers. Thus, the exclusion of Tantras became a norm there after the erection of the divine formation.
When Eren learned about the existence of Tantras in Labh Salem, he decided to get a hold of a few of them for his own research. He did not have plans to start using the Tantras right away.
However, he wanted to convert his Rootless Ranking Technique to Rootless Tantras after analyzing a few samples. He had plans to develop his own Tantra in a way that would make it easy for him to channel his divinity as well.
'Tantras are not only beneficial for the followers who practice them but also the gods who support the said followers. It means that the Tantras could help the gods grow their divinity.
The more practitioners a Tantra had that was linked to a particular divine entity, the easier it became for the said gods to increase their divinity and benefit from their followers at the same time. This was why the gods and powerful demons were ready to support their followers in practicing Tantras for themselves,' the butcher concluded.
'Erni, are you really considering creating a Tantra related to your divinity and spreading it among the White Raven guild members in Anfang?' Reen asked a question when she sensed the chain of thoughts.
'Yes, eventually. It would be a huge plus for me if I could make use of the resources I have in Anfang the right way. It could also help my workforce there, enabling the Rankers of Anfang to break past their limits and get rid of their respective bottlenecks. So it'd be a win-win situation for me and the Rankers still staying in Anfang as well.
But I'm far away from doing anything like that for now. I don't even have access to the Tantras that are suitable for me. So I'll focus on getting just that first,' Eren answered Reen's question truthfully.
'How about we just steal these Tantras from people in here? Or plunder them after killing them? Reen asked the next question.
'Naah. The kind of Tantras we want– the powerful Tantras– are a well-protected resource that the temples of various gods offer only to their most steadfast followers.
Tantras also make it easier for the Rankers to make the best use of the specific Skill Tree their patron god gives them access to. They also have the powers to enhance So it has to have a high value in the Rankers' eyes,' Eren explained patiently.
'Then how do we know which Tantras to look for?' Reen asked. Eren pondered for a bit as if he was trying to recall a memory that was not his, to begin with.
'Tantras also have set categories, Reen. The high-caliber Tantras sanctioned by the gods could only be practiced by their priests because it required the respective gods to exert some
Of course, one could get their hands on some basic Tantras using money. Or they could become a hired help for the temples. Or they could sign contracts with someone to get their hands on a compatible Tantra.
I have to say this. Compared to Anfang, it is much easier to get these Ranking Resources here.
But… something tells me the Tantras that one could get easily would not be as effective as I would want them to be. Especially for me who has such a broad Ranking Path.
I want the most effective Tantras for myself. Only then could I progress rapidly in my Ranking Path,' Eren let his thoughts run free as his carriage approached Ishgaar's temple region?
