Killian’s mind replayed the entire war against the treant over and over. He could still see how his men had held their ground, even when things became nearly impossible. They had been trained, yes. But more than that, their minds had been honed to withstand the pressure of a greater threat. He couldn’t have been more proud of them.

“How many are dead?”

Killian stirred at the sound of a quiet voice.

He turned and saw Magus Elias standing nearby. They hadn’t spoken much during the entire expedition. In fact, Elias had barely spoken to anyone except Lord Arzan. The question caught Killian a little off guard, but he answered smoothly.

“Twenty men,” Killian said. “Their ashes will be the first thing to reach their families once we get back to Fort Aegis.”

Elias nodded. “I expected more. I’m glad the majority survived.”

“Anything more than zero is too many casualties.”

Elias gave a small smile. “You have the makings of a good leader.”

“I’m just a Knight,” Killian replied firmly. He didn’t like short talk, especially not when it came in the form of grief-bonding.

“No, you’re far more than just a Knight,” Elias said, shaking his head. “You’re a general. You don’t need to spend all your time guarding your lord. He’s more than capable of protecting himself. You’ve shown the kind of leadership that will be remembered in history. Even those proud Mages who think they’re better than everyone won’t be able to ignore your name, not with your strength.”

That caught him off guard. Killian looked away for a moment and thought before speaking. “That strength came from Lord Arzan. And there are still times he needs me as his guard… like right now.”

Killian glanced around at the camp. Tents had been set up for a short rest before they would begin the journey back. The soldiers were exhausted from the brutal expedition. There had been no celebration yet, only quiet rest after the funerals were done. Lord Arzan had also withdrawn into his tent, though for a very different reason.

Elias followed Killian’s gaze. “I believe his advancement will go well. He’s far more skilled than I ever was at his age.” He paused. “Though I’ve been wondering… how old is he? He looks young, but if he’s really in his early twenties, then he’s the most gifted Mage in the world.” Elias let out a small laugh. “I only reached the fourth circle when I was in my sixties.”

Killian almost asked how old Elias was now, but stopped himself. Instead, he just nodded. “Lord Arzan is young.”

Elias gave him a knowing look. “Not much of a talker, are you?”

Killian gave a small grunt. “I’m not sure if we’re allies.”

“We just fought side by side. Not to brag, but I’d say I played a big part in your victory.”

“For that, both I and my lord are grateful. You’ll always have a place in Veralt if you want it. But our countries are different.”

Elias grew quiet and looked out over the ruined land. The barren, cursed soil gave off traces of dead mana, and twisted creatures still skulked at the edges.

“I don’t think there’s much left of my country,” he said at last. “The plague may have ended, but I don’t know if this land will ever recover.”

Killian noticed a rare, honest pain in the Magus’ eyes. It made him pause. He wondered if Elias had truly loved his people and his nation. It was still a mystery. Killian wasn’t the type to judge another’s patriotism, but as Lord Arzan had told him once, “A Magus never reaches greatness without being ruthless and practical.” Patriotism wasn’t usually part of that.

“A kingdom is its people. You can always rebuild.”

Elias gave a sad smile. “I’ve always believed that too. But you also need land to rebuild on.” He sighed. “We lost a lot of our people. The armies and Mages who survived, along with those from the big cities, are all crammed into a single city at the edge of the plague. The living conditions there are terrible. It’s not the kind of place you can rebuild from easily.”

Killian frowned as he understood what Elias meant. “They plan to go to war… to take more land?” he asked. “Even if they still have an army, they must have lost most of their supplies and resources.”

Elias sighed and looked out at the dead land again. “Desperate times turn men into worse than beasts. And desperate beasts are dangerous. I don’t want it, but there are already whispers. Some want to attack the small border kingdom of Aeoloria and then move to gain more land in Lancephil.”

Killian stiffened at the thought. His men had barely survived one nightmare, and now another war might be on the horizon. “Are you in favor of that?” he asked carefully.

“I was in favor of dealing with the plague and reclaiming our land,” Elias said quietly. “The first part is done, even though the royal family thought it was lost forever. But the second part…” Elias shook his head and pinched between his eyebrows. “I don’t know where to even start. I’ve never heard of dead mana being fully removed. For all I know, the land is cursed forever.”

Killian nodded slowly, but his thoughts drifted. He thought of Amyra and the ancient Elder Tree stumps. Maybe they were the only way to heal the land. But her existence was a tightly kept secret. Not even Elias could know about her. Only Lord Arzan could decide when—or if—that secret would ever be revealed.

Elias’ next words caught Killian off guard. “That’s why I’m hoping Arzan might have answers.”

Killian frowned. “Why do you think he does?”

Elias chuckled softly. “He has the look of someone who knows what he’s doing. Someone with answers. If he knew how to kill the treant and purge the plague, maybe he also knows how to reclaim this land.” He turned to Killian and asked, “Do you think he knows? And if he does, will he help?”

Killian looked at the tent where Lord Arzan rested. “We’ll only know when he wakes up.”

That was the most he could give to the old Magus who was trying to pick answers. Elias smiled at that. “Then let’s wait for his fourth circle ascension.”

***

The tent was quiet, just like Kai wanted. He sat cross-legged and focused on the heartbeat that thrummed in his ears.

For so long, he had chased the next step with everything he had. Time after time, he had pushed himself toward the fourth circle, only to fall short. But now, he knew deep inside that today was different. Today was the day he would finally advance.

The moment he had felt that familiar pull—the instinct that told him he was close—he had ordered the army to rest.

He had stepped away and isolated himself here, inside the tent, to complete the long-awaited breakthrough.

A part of him had considered waiting until they returned to Fort Aegis, where it would be safer. But there were talks he needed to have with Elias, and a little more power could only help. On top of that, he simply wanted to be done with it. He had spent long enough stuck on the edge.

Now, as he meditated, he stretched the invisible walls of his Mana heart—the astral chamber inside him where his power lived. Carefully, he pulled in mana from the air and directed it into the almost-formed fourth circle.

The plague lands made it harder. The mana here was tainted, and he had to purify it as he drew it in. Still, bit by bit, the walls expanded. Mana threads wove into the structure, pushing the new circle closer to completion. It was almost done—ninety percent formed and growing stronger by the second.

Kai wasn’t only preparing for this advancement. As always, he was thinking ahead. He pushed the boundaries of his Mana heart wider than needed, laying the groundwork not just for the fourth circle, but for the fifth and sixth. That was why this step was so important. Any Mage who could stretch their astral realm to this size almost guaranteed their path to the sixth circle.

But after that… advancement was no longer just about pulling mana from the world. Reaching the fifth and sixth circles demanded more: perfect control, flawless internal balance, and an understanding of mana far deeper than most would ever grasp. The journey only got harder. Many Mages reached this point and went no further, either lacking the talent, the discipline, not wanting to take risks, or simply running out of time.

Kai knew the risks. The higher the path, the steeper the climb. Mistakes wouldn’t just stall him—they could shatter his Mana heart entirely. He would be left crippled, unable to cast even the simplest spell.

He pushed the thoughts aside.

With extreme focus, he guided the final mana waves into the walls. The astral chamber trembled as lines of pure energy locked into place, light blooming deep inside him like a second sun. The last thread settled, and with a soft pulse that rippled through his entire being, the walls of his astral realm stretched to the brink.

It was done. It had been hard, but thankfully, it went well.

Kai sat motionless for a moment, breathing heavily. He reached out with his senses, inspecting his inner world—his astral realm. The space inside him felt solid and whole. The circles spun in perfect harmony, their patterns stable and strong. More importantly, the chamber itself had expanded, leaving room for even more circles in the future.

For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.

He focused on the last part of his advancement. Before him, the swirling vortex of compressed mana spun like a small star. Slowly and steadily, he pulled more mana from the air to feed it.

Tainted mana tried to slip in, but Kai pushed pure mana and expelled every trace of it.

Only purified mana remained, blending into the vortex. It wasn’t easy. Sometimes the vortex rejected even the clean mana he had just placed, forcing him to push it back again and again.

Bit by bit, the circle grew. It rose steadily until it matched the height and size of the other three circles inside his core. He kept going, refusing to stop.

Finally, the circle expanded to the perfect size. A wave of energy rippled through his entire astral realm. The signal was clear, after all his hard work and failed attempts, he had finally reached the fourth circle.

Power surged within him. His mana capacity had multiplied, now holding forty-five times more than a normal person’s mana heart. It was a major jump from the third circle. An average Fourth Circle Mage had about thirty times the mana, but his result was far greater thanks to his unique method of awakening—and the natural talent of Arzan’s body.

Kai was about to end his meditation and celebrate his advancement when something strange happened.

A cooling sensation spread through his body, tightening around him like invisible chains. His breath caught as he realized what was happening. Then, just as several times before, a familiar figure appeared in front of him.

Arzan’s mother, Valkyrie… Kai thought as he took in her pale figure and white hair. She smiled warmly, even her eyes lit up. Her hands came around to embrace him. Kai felt how cold they were, but in an instant he knew she was fading.

“You are capable now… go, my heir… inherit my legacy.”

As the woman’s presence faded, Kai felt something strange enter his astral realm. He didn’t know what it was, but he could sense it clearly.

His concentration wavered. All he wanted was to rest, but curiosity pulled him back for one last look.

Alongside his four perfect circles, something new had appeared. A projection—a faint glowing map—hovered inside his astral space. He stared at it, watching as it displayed pathways and obstacles, all of them leading towards a tall, thin tower rising high between sharp mountain peaks.

Kai tried to study the map, to understand where it was, but before he could focus, a sharp pull yanked him out of his astral realm.

His eyes snapped open. His body collapsed onto the ground of the tent as he gasped for breath.

His vision blurred and spun.

Kai tried to cast [Refresh] to recover, shaping the spell with weak, shaky hands. But the magic failed every time. His body was simply too drained, too empty of energy to respond.

Exhaustion overwhelmed him. He felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, barely aware of footsteps approaching from outside.

The tent flap opened and Killian rushed inside, kneeling beside him with urgency written across his face. “Lord Arzan, are you alright?” Killian’s voice was faint, as if coming from far away.

He wanted to sit up and tell it was alright. But he couldn’t. For a moment, his body betrayed him. His hands fell to his side, twitching.

“I-I’m okay. I reached the fourth circle. I’m just too tired to move. Please… protect me while I rest.”

His vision darkened. He could see Killian’s mouth still moving, but no sound reached him.

As the darkness fully took him, one last thought stayed firm in Kai’s fading mind: He'd found the location of Arzan’s inheritance. Now it was time to claim it.

***

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