— Huuuh, what a relief.


    I scanned the level I was on. I had no idea how deep this was, but the monsters around were definitely much stronger than me. Not far away, behind a sturdy magical barrier, stood a small hut—or rather, a shack—with three walls made of black rock fragments and a wooden plank roof. That must have been where Rom lived. I stepped closer and touched the barrier. My hand passed through it effortlessly.


    Most likely, it was only meant to keep monsters out. I entered and looked around. A wide wooden bench, a stone table, quite a lot of shelves for such a shack… The shelves were almost empty—just a few magical devices I couldn’t identify, a couple of ceramic jugs and bowls filled with colorful powders.


    I stirred the powders with my fingers and found a silver storage ring in one of the bowls. No idea whether Rom had hidden it here or had simply left it and forgotten about it—there was no telling what that lunatic might do.


    I activated the storage and peered inside. Not much—some silver coins, about twenty magical scrolls, a few handwritten books that were probably his, and around a hundred and fifty ninth-class monster cores.


    Now that was a jackpot. I flipped through the yellowed pages of the manuscripts and stored them in my main inventory under the “literature” section. The scrolls went there as well—I didn’t understand them either, but they might as well stay there. I poured the cores onto the floor and picked one up.


    Heavy, about the size of a human head, crystal-clear… I could physically feel the immense, terrifying power sealed within. Absolutely stunning. After admiring them for a while, I stored them away.


    It was time to figure out how to get out of here. The exit was about thirty kilometers away—a distance I had no chance of crossing, as hundreds of monsters stronger than me would never allow it. My only option was to wait for Lui and force him to guide me out of the deep levels.


    I had been hanging in that cave, chained up, for about a month, so if Lui kept the promise he made to Rom, he would show up in another two months. I wasn’t thrilled about waiting, but I didn’t see any other remotely safe options.


    I lay down on the bench and thought back to Rom’s words about the circles inside me. He probably hadn’t meant the mana circles around a mage’s heart—he had insisted I didn’t need those. Then what the hell had that madman meant? They were inside me, but I didn’t have them because I didn’t need them…


    Mana circles around the heart were what mages used to convert ambient mana into what they needed. I couldn’t sense external mana because I didn’t need it—I was mana myself. That was nonsense. But…


    What if I created a mana circle inside myself? Was that even possible? I pulled out Sui’s notes and opened the section on first-circle magical seals. They actually looked simple—far simpler than the rune-based magic circles I had used for absorbing monster mana.


    From those notes, I had long since figured out the purpose of these circles, down to the function of every single stroke in their design. I even had a simple yet elegant theory for enhancing them several times over using runes. The only problem was—I couldn’t create these circles.


    But the fact that I couldn’t create them externally didn’t mean I couldn’t carve them inside! The circles inside me! That’s what that lunatic Rom had meant!


    I hoped my guess was correct and that I wasn’t about to do something that would tear me to pieces. Alright! I took out a stylus and paper and carefully redrew the first-circle fireball seal in the shape of a ring. Done. Now, enhancing it with runes. Done.


    I stared at the drawing—it felt like something was missing. Of course! There was an order for the absorption runes, but I also needed an order for release runes! Once I added that, I was certain this would work.


    For the experiment, I chose the lower phalanx of my left pinky finger and began carving my newly invented magical seal around it. It was excruciatingly painful, and transferring every detail from paper onto my own bone was an agonizing process—but after several hours of work, I had done it flawlessly.


    Just in case, I stepped a few dozen meters away from the shack and focused on my pinky, trying to activate the magical seal.


    Suddenly, a small, bright red magical circle flared to life above my head. It rapidly expanded and descended to about knee height. I looked around.


    It was beautiful—bright, with geometrically precise patterns along both its outer and inner edges, holding runes in perfect alignment. The circle spun slowly around its axis—and that axis was me!


    So… was this magic activated now? How was I supposed to use it?


    — Fireball! — I shouted into the silence.


    Nothing happened. The magical circle kept turning. Alright, let’s try something else. I willed a fireball to appear in front of me.


    A fireball appeared.


    It hovered about two meters ahead at waist level—small, about the size of two fists, but perfectly shaped and vividly colored.


    I looked at a rock a few hundred meters away and willed the fireball to strike it.


    Instantly, the fireball shot forward and exploded against the rock. Not bad! It left a crater several meters deep and half a meter across. The magical circle continued to spin around me.


    For the next few hours, I experimented and trained, creating fireballs of various sizes and strengths. Once I had played around enough, I deactivated the magical seal. The circle around me lifted upward, compressed into a single point, and vanished.


    I am a First Circle mage! It has finally happened, what I’ve wanted for so long! And how many people told me it was impossible? Huh? Where are they now? I am a mage!


    Laughing loudly, I returned to the hut, sat back down on the bench, and closed my eyes dreamily. I was very pleased with myself.


    Well then, in this world, magic existed for the following primary elements: fire, water, earth, wood, air, metal, light, darkness, space, and time. All others were just variations and combinations of these ten fundamentals. Suis’ notes detailed only the elements of fire, water, earth, and air. Each of them had three magic seals from the first to the third circle, making twelve in total.


    Days passed, and gradually, the level became bright again; the insects burned to ashes by my breakthrough restored their population.


    The following weeks, while I waited for Louis to return, I devoted myself to transforming the magic seals from Suis’ notes and engraving them onto my bones. Strangely, I could activate the magic of all three circles simultaneously, causing three bright red rings to rotate around me, each larger than the last.


    Yet, the theory in the notes stated that a mage could only use the magic of one chosen circle at a time. Strange. I also spent a lot of time training with magic and combining spear techniques with strikes enhanced by magic.


    Some of it worked, some needed rethinking, but I didn’t give up—I had plenty of free time.


    Then the moment came when Lui descended to the level. I immediately hid behind a rock and prepared a thin thread of my blood, shaping it with my aura.


    Lui walked toward Rom’s hut, relaxed, when the thin thread wrapped around his neck.


    — Well, hello there, you tailed bastard! — I said, stepping out from behind the rock.


    The nine-tailed one’s pupils narrowed, and he jerked to the side to escape.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    — No, no, no, no, you’re staying right here. You know just as well as I do what my blood can do at a great distance from my magical self.


    — Where is the esteemed Rom?


    — Dead. — I answered simply.


    — Ha-ha-ha, now that I definitely didn’t expect. For the Battle Ancestor to take down an Eighth Circle mage… I don’t even remember hearing stories like that before.


    He seemed to accept the situation.


    — What do you want to do with me?


    — What I promised. After all, I always keep my word. I’ll kill you, and then I’ll go and wipe out your entire damned clan.


    Louis was silent. So was I.


    — I know I’m guilty before you, I led you to your death twice… But my other kin have done nothing wrong to you. Please, reconsider. Don’t touch them.


    — Give me one good reason to do that.


    — I can’t. But I’ve spent enough time with you to know that you’re not the kind of person who kills the innocent. If you want, I’ll make a slavery pact with you under the Eye of the Judge and serve you until death—just spare them.


    — Have you lost your mind? What the hell would I do with a servant? The only thing I want is to crush your skull into dust.


    I sighed.


    — Fine, I’ll promise not to touch them under one condition.


    — Name it. I’ll do anything.


    — You’ll guide me to the twenty-fifth level. By the way, where are we now?


    — Alright, I’ll fulfill your condition. We’re on the thirty-fifth level. Will you give me an hour before we depart?


    I spread my hands, showing that I didn’t care. The nine-tailed one pulled out a stylus and paper and sat down to write something. An hour later, he called me.


    — I’m ready. Let’s go!


    I had to admit—he had balls of steel.


    We moved forward in silence, he ahead, I ten meters behind. In the two days it took to reach the twenty-fifth level, we didn’t exchange a single word. There was nothing to say. He knew he would die, I knew I would kill him.


    On the twenty-fifth level, he turned to me, took a letter from his storage, and handed it to me along with a ring.


    — One last request. Deliver this letter and the storage to my wife.


    My jaw nearly dropped.


    — Are you completely insane? Couldn’t find a worse candidate for a mailman?


    Lui looked around.


    — As you can see, there aren’t many other candidates on this level…


    I was conflicted. I wanted to both let him go and tear him apart. Approaching him, I lightly punched him in the nose, just enough to make it bleed.


    — That’s the price! Now hand it over!


    I snatched the envelope and storage from his hands and checked if it had an address. It did.


    The nine-tailed one smiled at me, blood dripping from his beard onto the ground.


    — Well, I guess I’ll be going, then?


    I only nodded in response. I had no more words, nor could I say anything.


    Louis turned his back to me and walked forward in silence. I couldn’t tell how steady his steps were since his nine proudly raised, fluffy tails covered his legs, but he held his head high.


    He definitely had steel balls.


    For a moment, I wanted to call out to him, to make him stop—but I suppressed the urge.


    Every word, every action has consequences. We are both the cause of our actions and the result of their consequences.


    So…


    A hundred meters.


    I released the aura restraining my blood.


    The explosion didn’t leave even a speck of Lui behind.


    I scanned the level. A few thousand seventh-class monsters were hiding in the mountains.


    I smiled.


    A few months ago, I had wiped them all out—more than a million—and yet here they were again, appearing and multiplying.


    But right now, the monsters weren’t my concern.


    I rushed forward at full speed toward the passage to the higher level.


    The climb took me three days. I was almost flying, ignoring everything in my path.


    From the eighth level onward, I started sensing human auras, but that didn’t bother me.


    At the end of the third day, I emerged from the dungeon where I had spent two and a half years.


    The sun! It still existed… I looked up at the sky, spread my arms wide, and burst into laughter like a madman. The guards and dungeon visitors glanced at me warily. Were there not enough lunatics wandering around here already? I must have looked the part—shaggy, dressed in tattered rags. No matter. I shook my head and ran toward the city of Vangan.


    At the gates, the guards refused to let me through, taking me for some homeless vagrant, but I pulled out my silver adventurer’s plaque from the city’s guild, and they moved their swords away from my chest.


    — Guys, can you recommend the best inn in the city?


    I listened to a long and convoluted explanation before leisurely making my way into town. It looked better now than when I first arrived. Cleaner, livelier, perhaps? Had the threat of a monster breakout disappeared, allowing people to return to their old homes?


    An hour later, I found the recommended inn and stepped through the wide gates. Not bad, judging by the exterior. The door guards twitched as if to stop me, likely afraid I would frighten the guests with my appearance, but I simply pressed them down with my aura to calm them.


    — The best room for three days! — I poured a dozen gold coins onto the counter in front of the girl. Then, after a brief thought, I added five more. — And send someone to buy me some simple clothes, alright?


    The girl’s eyes sparkled the moment she saw the coins.


    — Yes, sir! Of course, sir! Please, follow me!


    We went up to the third floor, where she led me to a luxurious two-room suite and handed me the key.


    — Sir, your clothes will be in your room within an hour.


    — Thank you.


    She left, and I stripped off my rags before trudging into the bathroom. Holy hedgehogs, what bliss it was to soak in hot water without worrying about treacherous people stabbing me in the back or monsters trying to eat me! I indulged in the bath for about two hours, and when I emerged, a set of clothes and shoes was already waiting for me on the table.


    Dressed, I headed downstairs and walked to the adventurers’ guild.


    — Hey, Jara!


    I greeted the girl at the counter. She stared at me for a long time, unable to recognize me. I pulled out my silver adventurer’s plaque and handed it to her.


    — Sir Aney! How… We thought you were dead! You entered the dungeon two and a half years ago!


    — Heh-heh, no monster has been born yet that can eat me!


    — Have you really been in the dungeon this whole time? I heard you went straight to the eleventh level… Alone…


    — Yeah, that happened.


    — Oh, Sir Aney, your plaque was annulled because everyone assumed… And to prevent any misuse…


    — So, can it be reinstated?


    — Not reinstated, but you can get a new one.


    — Then let’s do that.


    — Alright. Follow me for a strength assessment, and I’ll retrieve your old records from the archives and update them myself. Apologies for the inconvenience, Sir Aney!


    She kept chattering as we made our way to the strength assessment device. Finally, we arrived. I struck it twice. The poor device groaned under the impact and displayed the rank of High-Stage Battle Ancestor.


    — B-Battle Ancestor, High Stage! Sir, you climbed an entire rank in just two years!


    Impressive memory she had.


    — I just got lucky.


    — Sir Anei, only the guild master has the authority to issue personalized plaques for Battle Ancestors. Please, come with me.


    She pulled a paper card from the assessment device, and we headed to the guild’s second floor.


    The guild master was a lean middle-aged man with black hair, streaked with the first signs of gray. His sharp gaze resembled that of a predatory bird, always ready to strike. His strong hands and broad shoulders were noticeable even under the loose robe that draped over him like a sack. A swordsman?


    — Sir Guild Master, — Little Flame handed him the paper card, — this is our adventurer who went missing in the lower dungeon levels two and a half years ago, Sir Aney. He has now returned, and his reassessment indicates that he has reached the rank of High-Stage Battle Ancestor.


    — Hooo! High Stage? That’s a rarity in these parts and a boon for the guild. Leave us, please.


    Jara exited the office.


    — Please, sit. — He gestured to a deep chair near his desk. — My name is Pir, I am the head of this guild.


    — Aney. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Guild Master.


    Pir retrieved a golden plaque from his safe and began modifying it, cross-referencing the information with the paper card on his desk.


    — Here you go! Congratulations on reaching the upper echelon of the Adventurers’ Guild of the Northern Empire!


    — Thank you!


    — Do you have time to tell me a bit about the current state of the lower dungeon levels?


    Naturally, I didn’t want to say too much, so I lied that I had only descended to the twenty-first level and had spent my time exclusively hunting monsters. He listened intently, occasionally asking for clarifications. Since he was a rank below me, he couldn’t verify my words by sensing my aura fluctuations.


    — Fascinating! Sir Aney, if you wish to sell high-level monster cores, our guild is always willing to assist. However, our prices are a few percent lower than those of the craftsmen’s guild…


    He was probably about to say something about guild solidarity and other nonsense, but I cut him off.


    — I don’t mind. Do you have a price list? I’ll take a look and decide which cores to sell to you.


    It would be strange and impolite for someone who had just emerged from the dungeon not to want to offload a few cores.


    Pir pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to me.


    Monster Core Prices:


    First-class core - 1 silver


    Second-class core - 5 silver


    Third-class core - 1 gold


    Fourth-class core - 6 gold


    Fifth-class core - 50 gold


    Sixth-class core - 500 gold


    Seventh-class core - 5,000 gold


    Eighth-class core - 50,000 gold


    Ninth-class core - from 500,000 gold, depending on quality


    Damn. Old Rom left me quite the inheritance!


    I pulled out ten sixth-class cores and one seventh-class core, placing them on the table in front of Pir.


    — Excellent! — Pir retrieved a pouch of gold and handed it to me. — Your ten thousand!


    I took the money and was about to leave, but the guild master stopped me again.


    — Sir Aney, do you have any plans? Will you stay in the city, or are you returning to the dungeon? I ask not without reason, — he added, — I must inform the local Church of the White Twins about shifts in the regional power balance if you plan to stay.


    Ugh, this power balance nonsense again.


    — Oh, please, don’t trouble the church. I’ll be leaving the kingdom in a few days—I have a lot of unfinished business beyond its borders.


    — That is unfortunate to hear, but I wish you swift success in resolving your affairs!


    We shook hands, and I exited his office.