To advance further.
One could only temper their will in battle.
One could only strengthen their Physique in battle.
Beyond this, there were no shortcuts.
Every Knight capable of being promoted to a Five-star Military Rank was, without exception, a battle-hardened veteran who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
This was also why most Tactical Captains in the Knight Orders were of the Four-star Military Rank, with Five-stars being a rarity. Knights who reached the Five-star Military Rank were generally transferred to the Elite Battle Groups of the various Main Battle Corps.
Take the Radiant Angels supporting them, for example.
Every Angel in the Steel Wings Mobile Combat Team was a Six-star Military Rank powerhouse! Their Tactical Captains were even Seven-star Military Rank—legendary beings who stood at the apex of an Official Knight's power!
