To be honest, Leon thought his mother would simply reach into his soul and carve the magic circle herself. That seemed like the kind of magical absurdity he had grown used to by now. But apparently, touching another person's soul directly could cause irreparable damage, so she used a safer, more precise method.
A strange magic unlike anything Leon had seen before was cast by his mother. Several intricate magic circles formed around him, each brimming with ancient runes and delicate patterns. Moments later, they fired beams of condensed mana into his soul.
FLASH!
The converging rays met at a single point within Leon's soul. There, they began to gently—yet powerfully—carve a crevice into the spiritual fabric of his being, the space where his first true Magic Circle would take root.
Surprisingly, this was the part where his father expected Leon to scream in pain. But contrary to expectations, the boy didn't even flinch. Compared to the torment he had endured battling Ignatius within the Soul Realm, this felt like a mild itch—perhaps a scratch at most. The burning sensation that accompanied it was noticeable, but hardly unbearable.
Leon endured the process with steady breath and calm focus. The Magic Circle was soon completed within his soul, glowing brightly with mystical energy.
However, something unexpected happened.
As soon as the circle formed, two distinct energies—those belonging to Naturia and the System—were drawn into it. Even Ignatius' fiery essence, despite his unwillingness, was pulled in. Their influence fused into the circle, coloring it with unique elemental attributes.
FLASH!
"W-What?!" Faylen's eyes widened in shock as she perceived the phenomenon with her magic sense. As the magic circle stabilized, she watched the elemental fusion take place.
Leon sat up slightly. "What's wrong?"
He hadn't expected anything major to happen. If anything, he was worried that Naturia and the System might've meddled with something they shouldn't have.
But to his surprise, his mother wasn't angry—in fact, she looked astounded.
"Leon… do you feel that? Your magic circle—it's an Elemental Circle! It holds the signature of not one, but three elements!"
She held her mouth in awe before continuing, her voice trembling with excitement.
"Your talent grade… it's Triple S!"
Leon blinked. "Triple S-Grade Talent? What does that even mean?"
He vaguely remembered his mother explaining a talent system tied to magic circle formation. As far as he could recall, magical talent ranged from Grade D to A, with A-Grade being considered elite. S-Grade talents could potentially reach the 9th Tier of magic, while SS-Grade talents, like his mother's, were capable of mastering the mythical 10th Tier.
So… what was Triple S?
At that moment, his father stepped in, his tone serious despite the awe on his face. "Leon… do you know what this means?"
Leon tilted his head. "Should I?"
Faylen jumped in, unable to contain her excitement. "There have only been two individuals in the entire history of this world known to have Triple S-Grade Talent. They were the first two Heroes—the ones who vanquished the original Demon King. They weren't ordinary humans either. They were High Humans blessed directly by the Gods!"
His father nodded. "And now, our son… you're the third."
Leon fell silent, his small hands clenching at the blanket under him.
He wasn't sure what to say.
All this time, he thought the System was carrying him. It let him cheat through most things. He had been relying on it since birth, convinced that without it, he'd just be another kid.
Yet now, they were telling him that he was one of the most talented magic users in the world's history?
"How…?" he whispered.
The System's voice echoed calmly in his mind.
"My creation was forged from Divine Runes, comprised of the elements of my creator—the God who sent you here. The elements infused into me include Soul, Law, Fate, Light, and Life. There's also an artificial element within me… I don't know which one leaked into your circle, but I felt a portion of me become bound to it."
Leon's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you're saying that my magic circle absorbed one of your divine elements?"
"Yes," the System replied. "Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen."
Leon sighed, looking up at his parents.
"Mom, what's the third element you detected in the magic circle?"
Faylen's golden eyes flashed as she invoked a soul-inspecting spell. Gazing deep into his soul, she scanned the newly-formed magic circle. Her expression slowly changed—what started as curiosity became confusion, then wonder.
"I… I don't know," she muttered. "It's a strange composite of several elements, but also… none of them. It's like a new element altogether."
Leon's brows furrowed. "A new element?"
Faylen nodded slowly. "Yes. It could be… an entirely new elemental property. One that's never been recorded. If that's true, then this magic circle of yours is not only Elemental, but unprecedented in magical history…"
"All the more reason to keep him hidden," Allan murmured.
Faylen, however, seemed less worried and more delighted. "But just imagine the potential! An Elemental Circle infused with Fire, Nature, and an Unknown element of divine origin?! No magician in the world has such a thing!"
Leon blinked. "What's an Elemental Circle, anyway?"
Allan, still reeling from the discovery, explained, "It's a rare type of Magic Circle that's automatically imbued with elemental affinity. Normally, magicians have to slowly infuse elemental properties into their Magic Circles by learning and mastering elemental spells. But an Elemental Circle is… born with them."
"In other words," Faylen added, "your magic circle didn't just form early—it formed perfectly. The elemental mana inside you fused into its creation. This is something that even prodigies never achieve. Leon… you're not just talented, you're a once-in-a-millennium kind of genius."
As his parents sandwiched him between their warm, loving hugs and praises, Leon couldn't help but feel… off.
Sure, he was grateful. It was amazing to be so strong already. But something gnawed at the back of his mind.
A voice from long ago…
A memory from Chapter 1.
> "In this world, there exists an extra. An existence outside the laws of fate. He is not supposed to be here, and yet, he must be. For when the time comes, he will decide the fate of the world. The extra… will become the center."
Was this the power that being had spoken of?
Was he, Leon—the overpowered extra—really destined to change everything?
He wasn't sure.
But for now, he had gained a gift unlike any other.
And he would grow it, protect it… and wield it.
Even if it meant inviting every challenge the world had to offer.
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