Chapter 140: Then let’s have a drink
Kael was now officially at rank 7, beginner level.
However, he had not yet undergone the qualitative change; the red-steel-colored mana essence began to move of its own accord as if it had life throughout Kael’s body.
Kael, with his consciousness, could see how this energy ran through his blood vessels and joined with the platelets moving through his bloodstream, rubbing against him, until it reached his heart, where he could see the exquisite magical diagram of the second circle.
The essence of red steel mana completely covered the heart, which stopped for a brief moment before beginning to beat much harder than before, as if it were coming back to life.
The mana essences continued to improve Kael’s condition at an alarming rate—his lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestines, brain, and more. The same was true for his muscles and bones; everything grew stronger.
But with the difference that when the system strengthens it, the process is not painful or agonizing; it is much more natural and gentle, as if it were part of the evolution or will of this world.
Time continued to flow, with the ship advancing through the blood-red waters, and Kael sitting in the lotus position as his body was enhanced by the steel-red mana essence.
Ding.
[Congratulations! You have reached rank 7.]
Kael looked at the notification window that appeared in front of him, feeling the changes in his body and his mana core, which was now much stronger and not as fragile as before.
Rank 7... I’m finally at the starting point.
He clenched his fist, feeling his body overflowing with power. He was now on the same level as Michel, but his strength was not equal to it. In addition, he was now also a seven-star knight.
As he examined the changes in his body, a new notification window appeared before his eyes.
[Now that you have reached rank 7, your body will receive an upgrade.]
"..." Kael looked at her briefly as he prepared for the system upgrade, further increasing his strength.
Ding.
[Starting body upgrade...]
Kael began to feel tiny pricks all over his body, as if thousands of poisoned needles were piercing him at once. It was as if a swarm of carnivorous ants were walking under his skin, devouring his flesh from within.
The pain grew with terrifying speed until it became a wave that completely overwhelmed him. This time, it was much sharper and more excruciating than all his previous experiences. It wasn’t just physical suffering: it was as if his entire body was being forced into an unnatural mutation.
His muscles began to stretch in impossible ways, pushing beyond their limits until they tore with a wet, repulsive sound.
His bones cracked like dry branches, moving in directions no human body should be able to withstand.
Each snap of broken bone was accompanied by a new shudder, but in that chaos of destruction, strength also rose: muscle fibers rebuilt, bones reinforced, a body that crumbled only to rebuild itself stronger.
His blood vessels widened violently, like snakes writhing beneath his skin. Blood flowed through them furiously, and platelets swirled, multiplying and circulating at an impossible speed. It was as if his body had been forced to accelerate.
The entire process was unbearable, a torture that would have driven anyone mad. But Kael gritted his teeth until blood spurted from his gums. Not a single moan escaped his throat. His expression remained cold, unyielding, as if he refused to grant the pain even the satisfaction of seeing him break.
Meanwhile, from the outside, his body was a grotesque spectacle. His flesh warped, sank, and then expanded; his bones protruded beneath his skin before snapping back into place; his veins, swollen like black snakes, ran throughout his body. He looked less human and more like a creature being forged in a hellish crucible.
Time passed quickly. In the room, the only sound was the frantic beating of his heart and the constant dripping of sweat falling to the floor, forming puddles beneath his body.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the pain began to gradually dissipate. The veins, which had been thick as snakes, sank back into the flesh. His bones and muscles, deformed and rebuilt countless times, regained a stable shape.
Ding.
[Your body has been successfully enhanced!]
Kael, with sweat still running down his forehead, opened the status window to see the improvement in his body.
Kael Medici.
Title: Strayed Demon.
Talent: SSS.
Mana Core: Awakened.
Rank: 7
Knight Rank: 7 Stars
Magician: 2nd Circle
Traits: Refinement (A), Swordsmanship (A), Melee (S), Tamer (C)...
Strength: 202 +
Endurance: 201 +
Agility: 200 +
Vitality: 215 +
Mana Capacity: 100%
Stat points: 0
All my stats are in the two-hundred range.
This was really good; Kael could feel that in terms of pure strength, he was close to rank 7, the highest level. But he wasn’t entirely sure; the only stat above 100 was his vitality, and now they were all in the 200+ range.
Without wasting any more time, Kael proceeded directly to upgrade his magic circle.
Ding.
[The assistance function has been reactivated.]
[Do you want to use the assistance function?]
[Yes/No]
Kael didn’t think twice and pressed "Yes" without hesitation.
[The creation of the Third Circle begins!]
The moment he accepted, the essence of manna within him immediately stirred, overflowing in torrents that ran through his body until they concentrated in his heart.
There, amid the incessant beating, the magical diagram glowed, and a second layer began to form on top of it. Line after line, rune after rune, they intertwined to form a network much more refined and complex than the previous one.
[Mana capacity has decreased by 5%.]
[...Decreased by 10%.]
[...Decreased by 15%.]
[...Decreased by 20%.]
The notifications came one after another, relentless. However, Kael paid no attention to them. His consciousness was completely immersed in the process taking place deep within his being.
The third layer of the diagram unfolded perfectly. Every line, every joint, every luminous curve intertwined in a seamless framework, a living fabric that became increasingly vast and complex.
Kael remained alert, vigilant, without letting his guard down. Although the system guided him, and in previous tests he had found no errors, he was not so naive as to trust it blindly.
And under the system’s direction, without pause and with impeccable precision, the third circle of the magic diagram began to unfold, rune after rune, like a perfect cog within a larger mechanism.
Ding.
[The Third Magic Circle has been successfully created!]
[Congratulations! You have become a Third Circle magician!]
Seeing the notifications, Kael smiled. He was progressing rapidly. The chain of steps he had taken so far had not been in vain. He turned his attention to his magic diagram, where the lines of energy were clearly intertwined. The network glowed steadily.
With that, the three paths they were following were now on the same level.
Closing his status window and notification windows, Kael slowly stood up. His muscles creaked as he stretched, stiff after the two consecutive upgrades his body had endured. The pain was real, but not debilitating; on the contrary, it was a tangible reminder of the price that had to be paid for every advance.
"With these... my initial preparations are complete," he murmured, a dark gleam in his eyes. The steadiness of his voice mingled with the murmur of water in his ears.
As he left the room, night had already fallen. The moon dominated the sky, high and bright, as beautiful as ever. Its light bathed the world in a distant serenity.
Kael looked at the moon, impassive, like a man who sees no beauty in the sky, but rather a reminder of how unattainable it must be to conquer it.
"Congratulations on reaching rank 7."
The voice was soft, almost melodious, but it did not convey warmth. It drifted into Kael’s ears as he gazed at the moon, lost in his own thoughts.
Calmly, he looked down. Before him stood a woman. She was dressed entirely in black, her red eyes shining. That gaze contained no emotion: only indifference, a coldness that seemed to ignore the existence of anything not worthy of her attention.
Kael looked at her without showing surprise. He knew that presence well. It was none other than Audrey Augustus, the third princess of the kingdom of Aragon.
"So you decide to show up in person," Kael said calmly.
Audrey watched him silently for a few seconds longer than necessary, assessing him. Finally, her lips curved slightly.
"Aren’t you surprised to see me here?" Audrey asked, with a slight nod of her head, as if casting a line.
Kael looked away toward the moon again, as if her presence didn’t bother him in the least.
"Fate has an unexpected way of working," he replied, his voice calm, almost indifferent.
Audrey’s red eyes narrowed slightly as she assessed him. "So you knew... all along?"
Kael didn’t answer; he just smiled slightly.
A subtle flicker crossed Audrey’s gaze.
"You’re good at avoiding answers. How did you do it?"
Kael finally looked at her, with an unfathomable calm, almost disinterested. "Does it matter how I did it, princess?"
"Then let’s talk," she said in a calm but sharp voice. "Let’s go to the bar and talk over a drink."
"Then let’s have a drink... Princess." Kael looked away from her and started walking toward the ship’s bar.