[You sacrificed your Circle Three of both magics, returning to Circle Two 0% in exchange for more power]
[Your circle received a 30% power boost, but in return your evolution will be slower]
[Thanks to absorbing mana into your body, your mana capacity has increased, but now you will feel pain for three weeks whenever you use magic]
[Your determination was so great that your soul received a boost]
[Your body absorbed too much mana and will remain sore for a month, but when it ends you will receive a ten percent improvement in everything]
[A Constellation wants to give you a reward]
[Updates made]
Name: Enrico Solcren Ferreira
Magic: Fire Circle 2 0%
Magic: Water Circle 2 0%
Mana capacity: 289
Unique Skill: Elemental Clone
Soul: 80
When he opened his eyes on the forest floor, all destroyed, he saw several system screens. He felt he had gone insane, as it was the first time he had seen so many screens in a row, and it still didn't compare to the stories he had already read.
'Did I really receive all this?'
Of course, he saw many disadvantages, but he felt this was one of the best rewards he had received, and not even from an arc.
'Wasn't I only supposed to receive things during Arcs?'
[This was an improvement to your body from sacrificing your circle, apart from the Constellation giving you a reward. Everything is because of that attack, but I don't think you'll use it again anytime soon, right? It would only get in the way.]
'...you're right.'
That technique had several problems to use again, at least for now. He didn't even know it would give this improvement, especially since Kai used it to eliminate that Evil God and didn't live long afterward to know the results.
'What nonsense, the protagonist dying without even reaching the final villain… about this circle improvement, does that mean my potential has returned to being low?'
[Not exactly. Your potential remains the same, but from now on your circle is better than the others. So even though it's at 0% now, it's actually at 30% and still growing. Of course, since your circle was improved, it will take longer to raise your percentage.]
'I see… so when it comes to aspects of my circle, it looks like it dropped, but in reality, the improvement potential is higher than before.'
That also meant that when it reached 99%, his circle would actually have a potential of 129%, which was incredible—being able to be at the level of Circle Three even without evolving his circle. As for the other improvements and the pain he would endure, he didn't care, because he didn't think it compared to fire cancer and that pact of sacrificing a hundred vampires.
'Good thing I trained hard to keep my water magic at the same level as fire. Thanks to that, both improved at the same time.'
Seeing the trail of destruction around him, he noticed everything was starting to disappear, a sign the sacrificial ritual had ended. He wanted to raise his hand and flip off the Evil God who must have been watching everything, but he couldn't move his hand.
'When I meet him, I'll make sure to do it right in his face.'
He saw shadows approaching from afar and summoned his clone back, which had at most twenty seconds left. With its help, Enrico managed to stand, and the two walked closer. The surrounding trees began to vanish, and the houses of the city reappeared. Kaela, now limping, approached, forcing her body to stand.
"I'm glad you're okay, professor."
Behind him, Lan and Arvanys were further back, Arvanys leaning on a tree branch to stay upright.
"Good job, Kael an—"
"Enrico. I thank you very much. Thanks to you, I now have my first body for a subordinate."
Turning to where the body was, they saw Raul crouching, his palm touching a finger, the only thing left. A skeletal hand picked up the finger and carried it into a portal.
"I came here to look for potential subordinates and find a good one."
Arvanys tried to move closer, but she fell as the tree branch disappeared, realizing now they were in the city, where guards seemed to be looking for someone.
"Damn Raul."
"Well, my name isn't Raul, since I made sure to kill him before coming to a city that would be attacked. So none of you should know me."
His appearance began to change as he picked up an item that opened a portal behind him. He now had the appearance of that student who Kaela thought should be dead. Turning around, he entered the portal, which closed just in time before the guards approached.
"Who was he?"
"Finally found you… but did you really have to show up now?…"
Enrico trembled, his eyes full of hatred toward the one who had vanished, though he seemed to try to hold back. Meanwhile, they noticed Kael had disappeared, with Arvanys worried.
"Where's Kael?"
"I found them, Sir Valerio."
The guards helped the badly injured ones, including the two girls, while Enrico was healed by mages, as one of them communicated through a transmission stone. Enrico had his hands on his face, deep hatred within him, but he couldn't show it.
'Why did you have to appear now, Jago?'
He only didn't attack because he couldn't. Besides having little mana, Jago was levels above him, which only deepened his anger. He was using Cris's appearance to keep his real one a secret, but he didn't know Enrico already knew his true face.
'If he doesn't know, I can use it to my advantage.'
He was treated while lowering his head, his hair covering his eyes. He had hunted Jago many times and even thought he might be dead at times, yet he never gave up searching for him. But now Enrico knew he was truly alive. He gave a smile and glanced at the portal.
'This is the second time you've made me this angry… but now that I know you're plotting something, I'll make sure to kill you with my own hands.'