?


    Wesret, Don, and Philip left the mage''s room with a dazed expressions.


    They continued to hold onto their hands in shock. The power they felt was surreal.


    They all had raised their levels by two.


    Poor ves like them could only dream about it.


    ves don''t have this luxury. And even in the dangerous mines they served in, not just the ves but even the guards were considered expendable. So these ves could never believe they would one-day scale two levels simultaneously.


    In the earlier battle, he had nearly died, and Emeros rushed him and saved them with his stone and spear throws.


    With their unwounded form and the fast speed of the imps, even if there would have been a dozen level-one ves, they would find themselves losing at least two or three persons!


    But now, the three ves not only survived a battle of eleven, they even left the room with their levels increased by two!


    The moment they left the room and only walked several paces, they could already see the guard waiting for them at the door which led to the mage''s rooms.


    It was the same guard that they saw stop Emeros at the entrance.


    Many other guards stood by him and were curious.


    They had heard of a man who was so strong that he managed to take on eleven imps with only three other allies that were level one! This youth managed to slump a level 3 ve with a single punch and could harvest precious mines!


    And many became envious of this boy.


    A faint glow would remain when a person has sessfully leveled up. Depending on the process, the magic involved to create a level-up, the glow would vary in color.


    And the three ves had that faint light of red as they left the room.


    "All of you had a level up?!" The guard could not ept it and cursed. Even with eleven imps, only one of them would have leveled up!


    But as he approached, he noticed that their eyes were red, and they had a look of terror on them.


    "What happened?" The guard asked.


    "We were... forced to a contract with the mage," Wesret revealed a mark on his arm.


    "We are to..." Philip began as he tried to control his sobs.


    "Fight with... Emeros and kill deep into the mines. If we disobey, this mark will kill us."


    "A ve mark!" The guard was shocked. He had heard that this was the usual practice that mages made. But the appearance and expressions of the ves showed that they were tortured and forced to receive the mark.


    "Why?"


    "Emeros... is on a suicide mission. That idiot kid should have just rolled over and died!" Wesret eximed in anger.


    "He gave us all the imps power to increase our levels to fight to help that stupid brat...! Deep in the mines!" Philip couldn''t take it anymore and began to throw up.


    The guards were startled.


    "It looks like that kid... is in for some trouble."


    "Hmp. No wonder. I guess he must have been taking some weird drugs. He''ll be dead soon!" The guardughed and left.


    As they left, the ves all nced up.


    "That was... disgusting! What did that mage make us eat!" Philip cursed as he began to put ice on his lips.


    They had eaten something spicy and disgusting that made them have odd expressions they wore when they left.


    "Why couldn''t master Emeros just bribe the guard as he did to that level 3 ve!" Donined.


    "It wouldn''t work." Emerosughed as he appeared.


    "Master Emeros! I-I didn''t mean-!"


    "Rx! I''m not offended. We''re both ves in this mine. And I have to apologize for making you eat those spicy things!" Emerosughed.


    "Anyway, the ve thought he was strong and tried to steal my ore. He was greedy, but I showed him that I was stronger and not be taken lightly. I gave him that ore to settle our differences. He probably won''t go after me or bear a grudge and may even ask to join us. He will think in his greed, I could be reasoned with, and he could gain something from this. Greed is easy. But that guard, he was envious. He was jealous of me. I could see it in his eyes. He didn''t want what I have; he hated that I have what I have." Emeros exined.


    "You seem to be an expert on jealousy." Perment emerged.


    "Not jealousy. Jealousy is from Zeal. You are jealous of one passion that you are protective of. This was envy. The desire for things not owned. I have... seen it with my own eyes." Emeros smiled as he recalled the Jealous power that Thessh had when she wielded the power of the Phaulos Gallen.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "For a kid, you sure sound very wise."


    "You can thank my master. Before him, I was... pretty dumb before everything else." Emeros chuckled.


    "In any case, the guards will definitely spread that rumor. You three, go to your ces. Emeros. What we will be doing will be incredibly reckless. My advice is that you present yourself as someone who was an apprentice of the master. We tell a story about his betrayal before his death and how you ended up here. But if all goes well, we might have a potion that can help you recall a lot more."


    Emeros nodded.


    Each went their way.


    The rest moved back to their ces while Emeros and Perment were seen moving out.


    Emeros was chained, and Perment pulled him like a dog on a leash.


    The guards all saw it and didn''t ask questions as to where the mage would bring a mere ve.


    A carriage awaited Perment, and the pair rode it to leave for town.


    "Who is this man that we are going to meet?" Emeros asked.


    "An old enemy. And this is exactly why I chose him for this deal. He will maltreat me and insult me. But in the end, I will have thestugh!" Permentughed as he held on to the drawing of the formation that they had created.


    The energy conversion circle that I made is moreplex and was actually inferior to the ones that Perment knew. In fact, if he used this energy conversion circle, he would draw out less energypared to using his original circle. But as Perment knew that the trick was to cast out an expanding energy that would run in a spiral, he could now draw out 10% more energy even if he used the inferior energy conversion circle!


    The pair arrived at the house of a Baron Mage.


    Many guards stood by and had their hands on the hilts; even archers were aiming at him like an enemy.


    Perment moved out, pulling the chain that brought Emeros out.


    Perment held arge round object covered in cloth.


    The Baron and owner of the household appeared. He was arge, bearded man holding arge staff. But unlike Perment, he was a Captain Mage!


    But as mages, the Baron that waited for them knew that it was an Energy Conversion Circle.


    "Stop. You go that far. Now tell me, what is this ''new formation'' that increases the energy drawn out by ten percent!" The Baronughed.


    "It''s right here in this energy conversion circle. To prevent all the information from leaking out, I made several alterations that will obscure the power this can do. I won''t waste words, Emeros. Bring out your bag!"


    Emeros ced his bag down and brought out the corpse of one imp. They used ten of the eleven imps to increase everyone''s level.


    "Here is an imp. Present the corpse of another monster that, if added, will only be almost enough to cause one level-up. And present a ve among you who has not been bestowed any energy. And I will increase his level!" Perment eximed.


    Everyone was amazed.


    "Baron Elford! You said I wouldn''t amount to anything! But today is the day that I rise to prominence! Before you, I will sell an energy conversion circle that will be the talk of this kingdom!" Perment challenged.


    Emeros was quiet. But he could feel a great hunger for vengeance in Perment''s heart, and his hatred towards this Baron was immense.


    "And I am showing this to you because I want you to be the first to see it! You will benefit greatly from this, for I have no standing. You could earn, but I want you to swallow your pride and tell others about a miracle in the discipline of Energy Formation Circles! This is but the least of my creation! And all my notes have been burned and are all in here!" Perment pointed to his head.


    The Baron was stunned as Perment spoke with grand ambitions. Perment was an angry, bitter man whom he had silenced numerous times throughout his life. But now, Perment was back to im such things.


    "...Then let''s see! Bring out another imp corpse!"


    "Another Imp? You know that''s not enough! I''d need to increase the output by another twenty percent!" Perment voiced out.


    The Baron sneered, but before he could say anything...


    "Alright. If it''s to show you, I''ll exert some effort!" Permentughed.


    "...What?! You...! You can do it?!"


    "Of course. I''m selling an energy conversion circle that can do 10%. But for me? That''s not the limit!" Permentughed.


    "Then prove it!" The Baron frowned.


    "Alright." Perment took out a hammer and began to hit the covered te where the energy conversion circle was drawn.


    TAP! TAP! TAP!


    "There! Now, this should reach twenty percent. I''ll just remove itter. Bring out your ve! It''s time to level him up!"