Leon's curiosity was piqued, but confusion still clouded his expression. "I don't get it…" he muttered.
To someone like him—who had been relying on a broken yet overpowered System—talk of "Magic Circles" felt like something entirely out of a different genre of magic. Weren't spells just cast with mana and imagination?
His mother, Faylen, offered a gentle smile before taking him by the arms and lifting him up like a feather, despite the fact that he was already four years old.
"Come with us," she said.
Allan, Leon's father, walked behind them silently as Faylen carried the boy into a side room of their home. The room had always intrigued Leon with its unfamiliar arrangement. At the center, a large board stood, with chalk and ink jars placed in organized rows. It was here that Faylen began drawing.
She created a large circle etched with intricate designs, runes, and glyphs. Leon watched, wide-eyed. He had seen something similar before—during Aquarina's spell casting, for example. Magic circles that swirled with energy had occasionally appeared when she used advanced spells. Yet, he had always assumed they were just aesthetic effects of incantations.
What he didn't realize was that there was far more to them.
"Now, Leon," Faylen began, "when a magician reaches the age of four, they can begin to form what is known as a Magic Circle within their soul."
"A magic circle… inside the soul?" Leon asked.
"Yes," she said, turning toward him with a nod. "It's not like the external circles you see when casting a spell. This one becomes the very foundation of your magical growth. It's permanent and serves as the root for all your spellcasting, potency, and potential."
She pointed at the rune-engraved circle she had drawn. "The first circle you build will define the rest of your magical journey. From this, all spells emerge. Every rank you achieve, every enhancement you unlock, is inscribed into this very foundation."
Leon nodded slowly. "So this… is like my magical DNA?"
Faylen chuckled. "That's a good way to put it."
She tapped the board with her chalk, drawing ten layered circles—each more complex than the last. "There are ten Tiers of Magic Circles. Each Tier contains ten Ranks. To move from one Rank to the next, you must inscribe more runes. These runes reflect your refinement, practice, and comprehension of magic."
The runes on the board multiplied with every new spell diagram she added. "You can form more runes through spell creation, mastering spell forms, using magical artifacts, meditation, and training. But it takes years."
Leon narrowed his eyes. "And you want me to start now?"
"It's best to start early," she said. "You're already capable of manipulating magic beyond your age. Building your circle now will increase the capacity of your soul and stabilize your magical growth."
At that moment, Allan stepped forward, visibly concerned. "But she's only four. I created mine at twelve. Isn't it too early for her to go through such pain?"
Leon blinked. "Pain?"
"Yes," Faylen replied. "Forging a Magic Circle inside the soul means opening a space within it—tearing a part of your essence to make room. You'll feel pain, Leon. It's not physical pain… it's soul pain. You've felt that before, haven't you?"
Leon gave a slow nod. Yes, he had—more times than he could count. Every night in his dreamscape, when he tried to negotiate with Ignatius, the soul-bound fire dragon, he experienced searing, soul-piercing pain. He had grown numb to it.
"I can handle it," Leon said firmly.
Allan looked at him with a complicated expression of pride and worry, but ultimately said nothing more.
"Very well," Faylen said with a small smile. "Let's begin."
She raised her hands and began casting a sequence of incantations. Five magic circles formed around Leon's body, spinning slowly like celestial spheres, each glowing in a different hue—gold, silver, emerald, crimson, and azure.
"Each of these represents an elemental foundation," Faylen explained. "Now I'll guide them into your soul. Focus your thoughts. Picture your core… imagine it as a void ready to be filled with this pattern."
Leon shut his eyes. He visualized the inner core of his being, an endless abyss that throbbed with mana. It was empty—waiting, yearning for structure.
Then, FLASH—a stream of light from each circle entered his body.
The pain hit instantly.
A thousand thorns seemed to dig into his chest, his limbs, even his mind. His astral self convulsed inwards as the light tried to etch runes directly into his soul.
"Grk—!" he groaned, clutching his chest.
Faylen's voice remained steady. "Endure, Leon. You're stronger than this."
Leon gritted his teeth, channeling every ounce of his willpower. Memories surged through him—the warmth of Aquarina's hand in his, the taste of the dragon feast, the laughter of his parents, the beautiful sky above Gacia, the promise of becoming strong enough to protect everything.
He screamed—not out of agony, but defiance.
And then, it happened.
A single rune appeared within the void, glowing softly.
Then another.
And another.
The five elemental rays spiraled inward, carving an intricate, luminous circle around his core—his very soul. It spun gently, as if whispering the promise of limitless growth.
Faylen sighed in relief. "It's done… and faster than expected."
Leon collapsed into her arms, drenched in sweat, but smiling.
Allan knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You really are something else."
Leon let out a breath. "So… what Tier am I in now?"
Faylen laughed gently. "That was just the first step. You've created the framework of your Tier 1 Magic Circle. You're now a true magician."
Leon chuckled tiredly. "Just… nine more tiers and ninety more ranks to go, huh?"
His mother smirked. "Exactly. Welcome to real magic, Leon."
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