"Congratulations, young master, you are now a 9-star Knight!"
Lydia's voice echoed in the room, charged with a mixture of awe and admiration. Her eyes, ever serene, shone with disbelief.
Had he really created his dantian on the first try, with no master to guide him? She was witnessing not just talent, but the birth of a genius.
Kael looked at her but said nothing. This was just preparations for his next plans, though he knew that strengthening himself by three different paths would cost him a lot of resources. However, he was not worried. He was a young master of a great duchy with years of history, so he could attain a strength that would allow him to navigate the Northern Frontier freely.
As he watched his mana essence recover at great speed, a small smile tugged at his lips, but it was quickly erased.
He waited in silence for about ten minutes until his mana essence recovered to 97%, to begin the creation of his first Magic Circle.
[Do you want to re-activate the assistance function?]
[Yes/No]
Kael, this time, did not think too much and pressed "Yes" without hesitation.
[The creation of the First Magic Circle begins!]
Instantly, he felt the mana essence of his core stir, releasing torrents of energy that converged toward his heart. There, between heartbeats, a magical diagram began to weave itself, line after line, rune after rune, like a spider's web.
[The mana capacity has decreased by 6%].
[...Decreased by 13%]
[...Decreased by 21%]
The notifications appeared tirelessly, but Kael ignored them. His eyes remained closed, his mind absorbed in the intricate process unfolding inside him. Every stroke of the diagram was perfect, flawless.
However, his confidence in the system was not blind. Every cell in his body was alert, ready to intervene at the slightest mistake. He knew that failure at this stage would mean death, and Kael had no intention of dying from someone else's carelessness.
The magic diagram continued to be painstakingly created under the guidance of the system. Although the method was not revolutionary, it was efficient and had little chance of failure.
Kael knew of a much more advanced method than the system's, but he could not use it with Lydia in the room. He did not want to raise further suspicion with techniques that would not be used for another millennium.
Time continued to pass. Night had already fallen, and a light, cold breeze blew through the snow. However, Kiran Mountain was not plunged into darkness: from the sky, small bright lights could be seen, like a luminous band.
In one of the rooms of the Medici mansion, there were two people: a woman dressed as a maiden and a young man with shoulder-length black hair, sitting on the floor in the shape of a lotus.
Ding!
[The Magic Circle has been successfully created!]
[Congratulations! You have become a 1st Circle Mage!]
At the sound of the notifications, Kael slowly opened his eyes, and a smile formed on his lips. He brought his awareness to his magic diagram and saw it perfectly intertwined.
A part of him, deep inside, still remembered what it was like to fail. Now, that part was silent.
With this, Kael could be the first person to walk three different paths: Mage, Knight, and Master Zu.
I finally have my basics down. Now I just have to do more research on the Zu, and also resume my reading of the book <
Kael stood up and looked outside. Night had already fallen, and it was most likely dinner time.
Ding!
[Now that the dantian and Magic Circle have been successfully created, the assist function will be disabled again.]
He looked at it for a brief moment before closing it. He realized that the methods of the system, while novel for the present age, were no big deal to Kael.
This system is useful... for someone of this age. But its limits are obvious. Once I exhaust what it can offer me, I will discard it like everything else that no longer serves me.
He had lived too long.
"Young master..." Lydia spoke in disbelief. She had never seen anything like it: creating a dantian and a magic circle in a single day, coupled with the fact that it hadn't been a week since she had created her mana core.
It was simply absurd.
Kael adjusted the sleeve of his clothes and looked at Lydia calmly. "Let's go to the dining room. Maybe the others are already waiting for us."
Without waiting for a reply, he left the room with a serene step, feeling the presence of his maid following close behind.
The journey through the corridors of the mansion was silent, but as they descended into the dining room, Kael paused at the threshold. The scene he encountered was... peculiar.
The long ebony table gleamed under the light of crystal chandeliers, and every seat was occupied. Alessia, his mother, occupied her usual place, flanked by his stepmothers.
His six older brothers, arranged in order of age, watched him with looks that ranged from hatred to irritation.
"Son," he said, slurring the word as if tasting its flavor. "You're late."
The silence that followed was cut by a faint flicker from Zephyr, whose eyebrows rose a fraction.
"You have created your dantian."
A murmur went around the table. Spoons hovered in the air, lips parted in disbelief.
"Yes, Father. This afternoon, to be exact." Kael didn't flinch. He didn't mention the magic circle. Revealing all his cards now would be a mistake.
Zephyr sketched a minimal smile. "So you chose the Aura Path."
It wasn't a question, but a realization. Zephyr didn't care; an S-rank talent would shine in any path.
"Yes," Kael replied, holding her gaze. "It's efficient, versatile... and doesn't require the exorbitant resources of magic."
Zephyr gestured vaguely toward the empty chair next to the sixth sister.
"Sit down. Dinner is about to be served."
Kael nodded and took his place, feeling hos siblings' eyes burn into the back of his neck. The sixth, in particular, dug her fingers into the tablecloth, white with rage.
It was obvious: his father was using him as bait. Every word, every gesture of favoritism, fueled resentment. The Kael of before would not have noticed it.
The envy, the hunger for recognition, the illusion of being special... all this I had seen before, in other faces, with other names.
As he feigned interest in his glass, he scrutinized those present one by one. Stepmothers, siblings, even the servants who whispered in the shadows. All, except Alessia, were enemies.
And he was no longer the weak child they had known.
As he pretended to drink from his glass, his gaze was lost in the dark reflections of the wine.
It is not anger that moves me. Nor nostalgia, nor revenge. Emotions are chains for those who do not know where they are going.
It is clear to me.
I do not seek recognition. I do not seek affection. Only a result. It doesn't matter if they call me a monster, a genius, or an aberration. As long as I move forward, everything is justified.
I've already crawled once. I have failed. I will not repeat that life.
His breathing was calm, his heartbeat steady. But deep inside, a will burned like a collapsing star.