As the mountain of magic stones poured into the Angel Reincarnation Pond, a surge of dazzling radiance erupted from the glowing waters.
Within Leon's perception, the sacred pool began to hum with divine resonance, and the energy stored within it surged upward in a rapid climb—quickly breaching the six-digit mark.
270,000…
271,000…
272,000…
And then… it stopped.
The glowing numbers stabilized at 273,000.
Leon furrowed his brow slightly.
"…Are you sure these magic stones were worth 300 million valis?" He asked, casting a doubtful look at the proud Tsubaki beside him.
Tsubaki puffed up her chest. "Of course! That's the exact market value! Over 300 million, even! Why?"
Leon didn't answer immediately. Instead, he tapped his fingers thoughtfully against his thigh, then slowly shook his head. "It's nothing… must be the conversion ratio. Not worth stressing about."
Yes—perhaps it was a discrepancy between magical purity and currency valuation. Either way, it was enough.
Leon smiled. "Alright. The pool's charged. You can enter now."
"Really? Then I won't hold back!" Tsubaki beamed, her eyes sparkling.
Without the slightest hesitation or even bothering to remove her clothes, she leaped into the glowing Angel Reincarnation Pond.
The moment her body touched the sacred waters, the entire pool reacted.
Waves of radiant halos surged upward in slow, concentric pulses. Sacred light wrapped around her like threads of silk.
"Ohhh! I can feel it!" Tsubaki gasped, her voice filled with excitement. "Something's flowing into me—some kind of holy power!"
But her exclamation barely faded before a sudden wave of drowsiness washed over her.
"Huh… why do I… feel… so… sle…"
Her words slurred, and within moments, her eyelids fluttered shut. Her body went limp.
A blinding white light enveloped her completely, and in the next second, Tsubaki became a cocoon of light, floating quietly at the center of the pond.
"So that's how angelic reincarnation begins…" Leon murmured, watching the scene with quiet awe.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the pool's readings.
"…She only used up about 82,000 energy points. Tsubaki's base potential really is far lower than someone like Ais."
Leon paused, calculating silently.
"There's still more than 190,000 left in the pool. That should be enough for at least two more people…"
"…Next will be Tione and Tiona."
With that thought, Leon sat down in a meditative posture and waited patiently as the sacred process unfolded.
The light cocoon bobbed slightly on the pond's surface, glowing softly but steadily. Apart from that, the Reincarnation Pond remained still, like a quiet lake beneath a divine moon.
Time passed.
Second by second. Minute by minute.
Eventually, an hour elapsed.
A sudden ripple broke the silence.
Crack—
A hairline fracture formed on the smooth surface of the cocoon.
Then another.
And another.
In a blink, the cracks spread like lightning across the entire structure, white light spilling from within.
Crack!
Crack! Crack!
BOOM!!!
With a final burst of energy, the light cocoon exploded into fragments of pure light, scattering in all directions like shards of a shattered star.
Floating above the pond was Tsubaki, eyes still closed in slumber.
A glowing halo hovered above her head.
Two pairs of luminous wings extended from her back, made of pure radiant light.
She had become a four-winged angel.
Leon's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the transformation.
"…Her base level has jumped to at least Level 6."
Suddenly, a burst of crimson flame surged from Tsubaki's body, wrapping around her like a cloak. The blaze danced around her form without burning her clothes or harming her body.
Leon's expression shifted to mild surprise.
"Oh? She awakened the power of fire?"
"A Flame Angel, huh?" He murmured with a slight smile. "Not unexpected."
The Angel Reincarnation Pool didn't just enhance the individual's potential and abilities—it also awakened unique elemental affinities based on their soul's characteristics.
Tsubaki, a lifelong blacksmith and forger, had spent her life dancing with fire. It was only natural that fire became her divine attribute.
Moments later, Tsubaki's eyes fluttered open. She remained suspended in the air, eyes shining with new clarity. She flexed her fingers, experimentally touching her halo, then curiously reached back to feel her wings.
After a few seconds, her attention shifted to the flames cloaking her body. With a small frown of concentration, she closed her eyes again.
The fire responded instantly, retracting toward her chest and vanishing into her core.
Tsubaki slowly descended and landed gently before Leon.
She grinned, revealing a flash of white teeth. "So? What do you think?"
Leon chuckled. "I was about to ask you that."
Tsubaki took a moment to assess her condition.
"I feel amazing. My body feels like it's been reforged. Strength, endurance, reflexes—they've all been amplified several times over."
"My magic capacity has skyrocketed too. And I've gained some serious magic resistance. I'm pretty sure I could take a direct hit from a first-class mage and shrug it off."
She raised one hand, summoning a small flicker of flame in her palm.
"This power—it's like magic, but not exactly. It doesn't need chanting, but it still uses magic power."
"And…" She smiled mischievously. "I can fly now."
She flapped her luminous wings slightly, lifting a few inches off the ground before landing again.
Leon nodded. "Any other differences? Mental state? Senses?"
Tsubaki fell into thought for a moment, then her expression softened.
"Actually, yes. Everything feels… easier."
She looked down at her hands, then clenched them into fists.
"I feel like growing stronger won't be a struggle anymore. Like the ceiling I've been smashing against for years just disappeared."
"I don't know how to explain it exactly… but it's like I've been unshackled."
Leon's smile widened. "That's the effect of your enhanced potential."
"…So," Tsubaki suddenly grinned. "Wanna test it?"
Leon raised an eyebrow. "You want to spar?"
"I want you to gauge just how strong I've become."
Leon rose to his feet. "Alright then. Let's take this outside."
"The church ruins should be empty at this time."
"Perfect." Tsubaki stretched her wings and gave Leon a fierce grin. "Let's go."