Ch.222Chapter 222: Age of Chaos (6)

# Chapter 222: Age of Chaos (6)

Professor Aaron’s private training ground shook violently.

Valt concentrated all his strength and will as he constructed the circle.

CRACK—

CRACK—

He reached the 5th circle, then the 6th, and the 7th in an instant.

And now he was challenging the magical barrier of the 8th circle.

“NNNGGGHHH!!”

Perhaps it was because he was forcibly constructing and assembling the circle.

Valt felt a shock as if his entire body and heart were being shattered.

He could be certain.

No one but him could endure this.

If any other human had attempted this, they would have already been reduced to a puddle of blood.

The aura, mana, and elemental power contained in each of his cells resisted the repulsion of the magical power generating the circle.

His endurance had long since surpassed the realm of ordinary Geruntus.

“AAAAARRRGGHHH!!”

A massive storm of magical power.

Even Lilith and Professor Aaron, who had been watching and regulating the magical power, eventually had to let go.

“My… In all my life, I’ve never seen such a sight…”

“P-Professor! Valt! Will Valt be alright?!”

The Wizard of the Lake.

Aaron’s eyes remained calm.

“Well. If it weren’t Prince Valt, his body would have been torn apart long ago. But seeing him endure like this…”

Professor Aaron trailed off before adding one more comment.

“He’s just like a dragon.”

Valt endured with unwavering will.

A massive whirlwind of magical power like a great storm raged around his body, while Lilith and Elder Master Professor Aaron watched Valt’s condition intently, providing unwavering support.

Though minimal, it was clearly effective for Valt.

And when the magical storm began to subside slightly.

Aaron, who had been watching, said to Lilith.

“Lilith, get ready.”

“Yes!”

This would likely be the final moment.

The last segment where they could provide assistance.

“Valt! This is the final push! Focus your will and expand your magical circuit!”

Professor Aaron shouted. His voice penetrated the magical storm and reached Valt.

Lilith desperately used her magic to stabilize Valt’s magical power, feeling his pain and the explosion of potential through their soul contract.

Her face was already pale, but her eyes remained fixed on Valt.

Valt squeezed every ounce of strength from his body.

The magical circuit in his mind felt like it was burning, and the magical power throughout his body screamed.

His physical-based magical power and original magical power fused together, creating a massive wave.

He crashed all his will against the magical circle barrier.

Break! Expand! Become a new vessel to hold this overwhelming amount of magical power!

KWAAAAAAAAANG!!!!

Another massive storm of magical power erupted around Valt’s body.

The entire training ground shook, and the magical tools around them screamed.

The magical storm was far more powerful and pure than anything shown in previous training sessions, temporarily distorting the surrounding space.

The storm persisted briefly before converging into Valt’s body.

Like a cosmic black hole sucking in everything.

*Ding!*

【Sub-Quest Complete! Magical Circle Expansion!】

【Reward will be granted!】

The system sub-notification appeared quietly.

Valt’s magical circle had finally expanded to the 8th circle.

His magical growth, which had been stuck at the 5th circle, had reached the realm of the 8th circle in one go.

After the explosive increase in magical power, the instability from imperfect control disappeared, and the magical power was perfectly contained and stabilized in the vessel of the 8th circle.

If before it had been like an untamable wild horse, now it felt like a powerful steed ready to move according to his will.

He sensed that his magical control ability had improved dramatically.

“Huff…”

Valt slowly opened his eyes while catching his breath.

The flow of magical power he felt inside his body was on a completely different level than before.

The feeling of magical circuits throughout his body opening wide. The density and purity of magical power he felt at his fingertips was beyond imagination.

An 8th circle magician… a realm that crossed the threshold of Master-level powerhouses.

Lilith and Professor Aaron looked at Valt with expressions of disbelief.

Their eyes mixed with shock, respect, and wonder.

An 8th circle magician. And to jump from the 5th circle in such an abnormal situation.

It was an unprecedented speed in history.

“The 8th circle… you really… really succeeded…”

Lilith spoke with a voice filled with emotion and surprise. Tears welled up in her eyes.

The stable strength she felt from Valt through their soul contract gave her great reassurance.

Professor Aaron stroked his chin while gazing at Valt with wonder.

He held a magical diagnostic tool in his hand, but his interest was already directed at Valt himself beyond the tool.

“Amazing! Truly amazing! From the 5th circle to the 8th in one go! Unprecedented speed in history!”

Professor Aaron exclaimed. His voice contained excitement he couldn’t suppress.

“Your potential… is beyond imagination. This is growth speed only seen in dragons.”

Valt smiled.

“It would have been impossible without Lilith and you, Professor.”

He smiled with satisfaction.

“Ho ho ho ho, that’s right. Indeed.”

Aaron stirred waves in the lake for the first time in a long while.

It was pure joy at the result created by Valt’s talent and their assistance.

Valt stood up. Overwhelming physical power, 8th circle magic, the amulet that amplified physical power into magical power, and the release of the “Do No Harm” restriction. He had now become a true physical+magical monster.

The path of ‘transcendence’ to surpass Master-level powerhouses and confront the wall called the Dark Assembly became even clearer.

The power of the 8th circle provided the foundation to directly confront Master-level powerhouses.

“Professor. Lilith.”

Valt said. There was no hesitation in his voice now. Only sincere gratitude.

“Thank you. Thanks to you… I can now do what needs to be done.”

Professor Aaron returned to a serious expression.

“Reaching the 8th circle is a marvelous achievement. However… you must have felt it too. That the barrier of the 9th circle still exists.”

Valt nodded. Though he had gained the power of the 8th circle, the realm of the 9th circle was another dimension entirely.

His magical circuit had expanded, but something fundamental was still lacking to advance to the 9th circle.

“The 9th circle cannot be reached through mere magical quantity or control.”

Professor Aaron explained. “The 9th circle… requires ‘conviction and definition of one’s own magical system.’ Your power is overwhelming and diverse. Physical, elemental, blood, aura fusion… but you still lack a single ‘definition’ that encompasses all of these. You need to find your own answer that penetrates all these powers as one. If you find that answer… you can truly transcend to the 9th circle.”

Valt calmly accepted the professor’s explanation.

The 9th circle was not a realm that could be reached in one go.

It required deep contemplation about one’s power and identity. But that was fine. He had gained the overwhelming power of the 8th circle and learned about the next goal of the 9th circle and how to reach it.

For now, that was enough to be satisfied with.

***

At the very moment Valt crossed the barrier of the 8th circle.

The Academy’s Emergency Command Center. The sound of dozens of magical communicators ringing incessantly, communication officers shouting urgent reports from everywhere, professors checking maps with grim faces and issuing orders—it was chaos.

The urgency felt in the Chancellor’s office was nothing compared to this. The wave of information pouring in from across the continent was overwhelming everyone.

At that moment, one communication officer stood up abruptly and shouted. His voice trembled but was filled with urgency.

“Urgent report! His Imperial Majesty of the Harken Empire has issued an order for all forces to assemble! The Empire’s strongest legions have begun gathering at an unprecedented rate!”

The entire command center fell silent for a moment.

The Emperor’s direct mobilization of troops. And a full military assembly at that.

It was a sign of how seriously the Empire viewed the threat of the Dark Assembly.

Another communication officer soon shouted with a trembling voice.

“Reports coming in from all regions! Kingdoms and duchies that have prevented civil war… they’re gathering all surviving forces to their capitals or major strongholds! They’re forming alliances! They say it’s to counter the Dark Assembly!”

North, East, South, Central… forces that had barely suppressed rebellions across the continent were reorganizing their troops without even a moment to catch their breath.

In the face of a common enemy called the Dark Assembly, signs of a united front that transcended national interests were forming.

The continent’s powers had finally begun to move their armies. Under the name of the Dark Assembly, all light and shadow of the continent began to gather.

And then the most important and ominous report erupted. With a low warning sound coming only from the dedicated communication line, one officer clutched the radio and almost whispered:

“Special report! Western Great Forest… magical detection network has detected… deep inside… dense magical energy response… incomparable to anything before… magical energy beyond imagination! Like it’s covering the earth… distorting space… massive magical energy…! It’s beginning… from the Dark Assembly’s headquarters…!”

The entire command center froze once again.

Coupled with the continent’s military movements, this ominous signal from the Dark Assembly’s headquarters. A clear indication that they were not simply an organization in hiding, but were about to start ‘something’ against the entire continent.

The magical energy report reminded everyone once again that the Dark Assembly’s threat was a fundamental calamity connected to other realms, beyond simple military mobilization.

Coupled with the continent’s military movements, it foretold the massive collision to come and the Dark Assembly’s true purpose.

***

At that moment, Professor Aaron’s emergency communicator rang.

Beep—

Beep—

The fact that something that rarely rang was now sounding made Aaron serious.

Valt asked the grave-faced Aaron:

“What’s happening, Professor Aaron?”

Aaron replied in a low voice.

“Ho ho… living this long, I see such days too. It’s His Imperial Majesty’s order for full military assembly.”

“What?!”

“He intends to personally eliminate that garbage group called the Dark Assembly. This old body should be of some help too, so I must go.”

The Dark Assembly, the Emperor, and the continent.

It was the moment when a battle with an unknown future was about to begin.