"Are you telling me that a first-year student, who is still at Circle Zero, saw through your illusion magic?"
The academy director was the one speaking to Damian in front of him.
"I already told you yes. Now, can you give me all the information about him?"
Damian seemed impatient.
"That's impossible for a student who didn't even stand out... and only started improving now. Angela."
He handed the documents to Damian, who began to read. A woman appeared immediately—it was the maid who took care of the dorm where Enrico stayed. Angela knelt on the floor.
"Yes, sir?"
"I want you to keep watch over Enrico from now on."
"I was already doing that under orders from Miss Virelle, sir."
That surprised the director.
"That woman? No, that doesn't matter now. What did you find out? Could he be a demon?"
"That's impossible, sir, because..."
As Angela explained everything about Enrico, both of them listened carefully.
"After leaving the dungeon, he trains until late, and apparently he submitted a request to leave this Saturday."
Once she finished the explanation, they both looked intrigued.
"So that boy has already killed someone... Those eyes make more sense now."
Damian looked at Enrico's notes with more fervor.
"Rapid improvement... It seems Virelle found an interesting boy. Has a new prodigy appeared?"
"I think I'll attend the next ranking challenge personally to see for myself. Angela, keep watching him."
The director had made up his mind, and Angela quickly disappeared.
"I'm going with you. I want to see that boy in action."
Damian stood up and started to walk away.
"See you Monday, old friend."
The director sighed deeply. A new prodigy? I hope so, because I feel like we really need one.
---
Walking through a forest, Enrico was holding a map.
"It should be around here."
[What are you planning to do afterward? I think you should rest.]
"You talk a lot about resting, don't you? Well, I need to spend at least a whole day absorbing that poisonous mana, and then on Monday I'll enter the fake dungeon to try and beat those zombies."
I saw how hard you worked to find that Jago.
"Of course. I need to really understand that bastard's personality to kill him."
Enrico's face twisted into a sadistic smile.
[Right, you have things to settle with him.]
After a few more seconds of walking, he saw someone ahead destroying an entire tree—it was Serenya using her control magic, sweating heavily from exhaustion.
'Serenya? What is she doing here?'
Looking confused, he saw her quickly dust herself off and cough awkwardly.
"Subordinate, what are you doing here?"
"I came to train in this area. And you, leader?"
Serenya puffed out her chest.
"Of course I came to train like you. There are some level one Zara around here, and just so my subordinate knows, I reached Circle One—that's why I came."
"Congratulations, great Miss Serenya."
He clapped mockingly, pretending not to know.
"That's right! Praise me more, subordinate."
Serenya seemed quite pleased.
"But subordinate, this place is dangerous for someone who isn't Circle One. As your great leader, I'll accompany you."
Enrico's face turned serious.
"Sorry, Miss Serenya, but this is a special training assigned by my family."
Serenya paused and looked at him.
"Now I have even more reason to go with you."
"Sorry again, but it's something I have to do alone."
Putting on fake determined eyes, Enrico marched forward. Serenya looked at his back.
'Enrico, you don't need their approval Or maybe he's using them to train—sounds like something he would do.'
She started following him from a distance.
[It's amazing how well you act sometimes, and other times you're terrible.]
'Shut up. But now what do I do? She's probably following me.'
Enrico saw a path full of mud and walked into it.
'In the original story, she hates getting dirty after training or battle.'
Serenya paused, but went in.
'Damn, she came in.'
He started taking different paths to throw her off—he even walked past spiders, something she detests. After what felt like a long time, Enrico reached a cave and turned around.
"Stop following me."
Serenya pointed at him, eyes watery.
"So you knew! As your leader, I command you to stop trying to ditch me."
"Alright, Miss Serenya, but know that this is a family secret, so you can't see it or enter this cave. Got it?"
Serenya nodded.
"Of course, I'll make sure no Zara gets through here."
"I can help too."
A voice came from the side—it was Valença.
"So, special training, huh? Just so you know, I also reached Circle One."
Serenya looked at Valença with sparks in her eyes.
'She's trying to steal my subordinate like that other woman.'
'Damn, Valença sees me as a rival, and I want to be the wall that constantly pushes the protagonist forward. Also... if they find out I'm still at Circle Zero...'
Enrico looked at both Serenya and Valença.
"I think I should also reveal that I reached Circle One."
The two girls looked at Enrico, one surprised and the other as if she already knew. Serenya immediately pretended she had expected it.
"I knew you could do it, subordinate, but I'm still stronger, so let me take care of you."
Valença clenched her fists.
'Of course he did. He's a genius... but I won't give up.'
'Great. Now I have new pressure to actually reach Circle One.'
Enrico turned and entered the cave.
"Just so you know, this could take all Saturday and Sunday, so you can train while you wait. You can also use the food I brought."
He left his bag on the ground and went deeper into the cave.
"How did you find us?"
"This is the best training spot near the school, and when I saw you two running around like idiots, I got curious."
Valença looked at the cave.
"He said it was family training, right? That means he's going much further than our current level, isn't he?"
Serenya picked up the bag and stashed it behind a rock.
'I can't let my subordinate surpass me.'
"Why don't we train together and set up a barrier combining our powers so no Zara or human can enter?"
Valença said something that really interested Serenya, and she nodded.
The two of them started training. Meanwhile, inside the cave, Enrico went deeper. He began descending through a narrow hole.
[Is this really the mana zone?]
"Not yet."
Enrico put on the necklace Damian had given him and saw a dense fog deeper down the hole. Since this part of the mana zone hadn't been discovered yet, no one was guarding it.
"I'll tell them later. Anyone who enters here without the necklace or below Circle Eight gets poisoned and may lose the ability to use magic."
Enrico started sweating and stepped into the fog.