[Yue's POV]
Amon was going to fall face-first onto the floor!
Shit, after going through an ordeal like that, the last thing he needed was for his face to be injured as well. I rushed to cushion his fall as he did to me a few minutes back, but my reaction was slow. Before I could reach him, a mysterious light wrapped around Amon, preventing him from suffering a concussion.
Since Sister Yval and I were the only ones in the chamber, it wasn't difficult to guess who saved Amon.
[Curious…]
Sister Yval looked down upon Amon's body like a scientist viewing a specimen. Her golden eyes were shimmering with great interest as she pointed her snout at the unconscious boy.
[This one has yet to find such a resilient human! This one expected him to fall once the blessing reached his core, but he endured it till the end! Is it because he's a Child of Solaris?! No, his soul is completely different! Curious…]
Sister Yval thought out loud while twisting and winding her neck to get a closer view of Amon. I could only let out a wry smile, watching her wings flap adorably like a puppy who had just found its new toy.
Since Sister Yval had been tasked with guarding the Necropolis, she'd spent most of her time sleeping here. However, that didn't mean she was a hermit without knowledge of the modern world. On occasion, she would send her senses out to monitor the happenings of the planet, sometimes even sending a fragment of her spiritual form outside to tour the planet.
Spending centuries alone in a cave does get boring, even if she had abandoned her physical flesh and transformed into a spiritual being. Throughout the years, she had witnessed the Fall of the Titans, the Great Dragon War and the First Demon Invasion—the fall of Dragons and the rise of humanity.
I can confidently say that no one on the planet is more knowledgeable and wise than Sister Yval.
"Will Amon be okay?" I asked with trepidation.
Sister Yval tilted her head to the side and asked: "Is he your mate?"
"Mate? Well, yeah, we will mate eventually."
I didn't lie. We will get married and have children once the Calamities have been dealt with. I have planned for three children, but that's negotiable. If Amon wants more, I'm confident my body will handle it!
[Ah, so that's where your concern comes from. Don't worry; this one's blessing doesn't harm the soul but reconstructs it. He will awake within a few hours. And not to worry about his vigour. This one swears that he will be capable of planting his seeds in you once he comes of age.]
"That's good to know… wait, that's not what I meant!!!"
I was distracted by Sister Yval's comments. Even though she was my most knowledgeable friend, I'd forgotten how out of touch this Dragon was with humans in general.
"What I mean is… will there be any repercussions from your blessing?"
[Odd… Weren't you the one who asked for this one's blessing?]
"I know that! It's just… I can't help but be worried about him…"
Laying Amon comfortably on my lap, I brushed my fingers through his jet-black hair. Sleeping like a baby, no one could guess that this young boy would one day bear the world's burden on his shoulders. My heart trembled at the tribulations ahead. Although Sister Yval's blessing today would help tremendously improve Amon's power, there were too many hurdles to cross.
Knowing Amon, he would face those trials alone, ignoring the damage and pain it would cause himself.
That was why if I wished to change the future… I had to become much stronger than I was before.
"Sister Yval, will you look after Amon for a moment?"
[Certainly! But, Child… Are you thinking of transcending to the next stage already?]
I looked up at the wise golden orbs that floated above my head, and I couldn't help but break a smile. As expected of Sister Yval. After reading my memories, she could easily guess my next move.
"Yes, I will consolidate my mana to break through the third circle. After that, I must trouble you to hide my mana with your soul essence."
There was a reason why I stalled myself at the second circle, even though I had the memories of a Grand Mage in the past. At my tender age, if I condensed my third circle, the Elune House would do everything possible to keep my identity hidden. And at my level, I could not conceal my third circle from the mana-sensitive mages in the Elune House.
For that, I needed Sister Yval's power to hide my power level until I could condense my fifth circle and hide it myself.
As a reference, the earliest anyone has condensed their third circle was sixteen years old, and the current peak of magicians was the eighth circle, a realm that only few in history have ever reached. Even my grandfather, the head of the Elune House, was only at the eighth circle.
In my past life, I'd condensed my ninth circle and became strong enough to contend against Great Demons and the Ancient Titans. But that wasn't enough. Even as the only magician to reach the ninth circle, I could not stand beside Amon when he needed me most. I was too weak against the force of the Calamities.
Against the Calamities that would occur, I needed to reach the undiscovered realm at least.
The enigmatic tenth circle.
[Child… Entering the third magic stage at your age will come with significant risk.]
"Don't worry, I have full confidence in my mana control."
[But the path you have chosen… Isn't it against the laws of nature?]
"..."
I wore a bitter smile while I dropped my head. At this moment, I regretted allowing Sister Yval to read my memories thoroughly. She knew exactly what I would do and how dangerous it could be.
"This is nothing… compared to what Amon had to endure in my previous lifetime."
[Child…]
Sister Yval watched over me with empathic eyes. Since she'd read my memories, she knew what sort of burden Amon had to endure. She knew the pain and suffering I'd witnessed. And finally, she knew why my heart was burning with the desire to walk on this uncharted path.
I would be content to ease Amon's burden just a little bit. If I ascended to the tenth realm, I could stand side-by-side with Amon as he decimated all the enemies in our path. Hence…
"I will do it. I will turn my body into a broken mess if I have to as long as I reach the tenth realm."
[... This one cannot comment on whether your path is the right one. But this one will watch over you and protect you as intended.]
Sister Yval spread her wings, and a pillar of light enveloped me from all directions. It felt like I was returning to my mother's bosom, a tender embrace that soothed my soul and eased all the tension in my body. This wasn't like Amon's gut-wrenching blessing; it was far gentler.
[This one has cast a healing spell on you. It will help with your cultivation process.]
"Thank you, Sister Yval!"
I brushed Amon's hair one final time before gently placing him on the cold floor. If not for the circumstances, I would have loved to lay down a bed and blanket for him to snuggle in. But, as always, time is of the essence.
I moved a few metres away, just far enough so my ascension wouldn't affect Amon's rest and near enough to see him. Taking deep breaths from the cool, icy air, I steeled my resolve and started the process.
Condensing a circle was a straightforward process.
Magic is the process of converting a magician's imagination into reality that would change the world. It seemed like a simple task, but as with everything, the devil is in the details. A magician first had to possess enough mana to cast the spell. Next, they needed to study for exhaustive knowledge to build their imagination. And finally, the magician must have the will to change the world.
Collecting mana was the easy part. I have been accumulating mana within my body ever since I've regressed. The surplus of mana in my body was on the verge of overflowing, making it the perfect opportunity to condense my third circle.
The next part was knowledge. As someone who has returned with all my memories, it was easy to incorporate all my magical insights into the third circle. There was no need to study countless hours a day since I'd already lived through one lifetime.
And finally… My will to change the world.
If I were going to walk the same path as before, this last requirement would easily be accomplished. But, alas, I didn't wish to repeat the mistakes of my past lifetime. To change the future, I had first to change myself.
And therefore, I was going to do something drastic.
First, I condensed my mana into my core. As if expecting the sudden surge of mana, my body automatically condensed the mana supplied into the shape of a ring. Next, I poured my magical insights into the circle, following the standard procedures to ascend to the next realm. Finally, all I needed to do was bring in my will, and the third circle would be complete.
But that wasn't my intention.
"!!!"
A surging pain pierced my conscious mind as the mana within the third circle rushed up my brain. My body felt like it was about to be torn apart by the rampant mana flow. On one side, my head was heating up as if it had been dipped into the depths of a volcano. On the other hand, my inner core was freezing rapidly, making my soul endure a neverending chill that could only be described as being dipped into a frozen lake.
The dichotomy of the sensations was tearing my body to shreds, and my subconscious mind was desperately warning me to stop. But I resisted those warnings.
I willingly downed my mind, body and soul into the depths of suffering. I could feel a stream of warm liquid drip down my nose, and my bones felt like they were breaking. It took all of my mental power to remain conscious, and even then, I could feel my soul crying out for me to stop.
However, my pain wasn't in vain. Mana wasn't just being channelled from my body but the entire surroundings. The imprints on my third circle weren't just based on my magical knowledge but the "Law" of the world itself.
It was a feat that defied nature.
To imprint the "Law" of the world into a magician's circle. It meant that my magic could now draw mana from the planet and rewrite reality at a capacity that no other magician could compare to. No sane magician would have thought of this method as containing "Law" within one's body was tantamount to suicide. Just like a chalice could not contain an ocean within itself, placing the "Law" of the world would break a magician's body if they weren't careful.
Heck, if not for my intricate mana control and the assistance of the Mysterious Grimorie, I wouldn't have dared to attempt such a suicidal thing.
And at long last… it paid off.
"Hah… Hah… Hah… I've succeeded!"
After fifteen brutal minutes of carefully manipulating my mana, the third circle settled within me. Mana was flowing at an astonishing rate, probably ten times more efficiently than before. Also, with my circle enriched by "Law," I could utilise the full potential of my surroundings and cast magic using mana from nature.
After experiencing such a stressful situation, I exhaled three times to relax my body. My mind was gradually recovering, and my soul was calming down.
[Child… Are you alright?]
"I'm okay, Sister Yval… I just need to rest and be in perfect shape."
[Impressive! This one had believed you would take far longer to succeed! But Child… Are you sure you wish to continue on this path? The higher you climb, the riskier it is to imprint "Law" into your soul. It's not too late to turn back.]
"Thank you for the warning, Sister Yval."
Even though Sister Yval was a Dragon, she possessed a heart of gold. She genuinely cared for my well-being and hoped to guide me down a safer path. But…
"I have to go down this route… if I wish to stand by his side."
I glanced down at the young boy, who was blissfully sleeping away. He'd grow exponentially now that he's received Sister Yval's blessing, and it was only a matter of time before he eclipsed me. I had to walk down this path to fight alongside him during the Calamities.
"So Sister Yval…"
[What is it, Child?]
The massive Dragon turned her snout towards me and blinked her gigantic Sun orbs twice. The curiosity within her eyes couldn't be hidden as she watched my every move. And it was for good reason. The thing I was about to ask her, the favour I was about to incur, would change the world's fate forever.
"Would you do me a favour?"