After the fall of the colosseum's saga, and the fading of its deafening clamor beneath layers of ash, Leo found himself standing at the threshold of a new stage in his journey—the Fifth Circle.
This was not merely a numerical step forward in the hierarchy of power, but a profound transformation within the very core of his magic. It was as though doors, long sealed and forgotten, had finally opened before him.
No longer was he forced to confront powers beyond his limits, nor gamble with his own body as he had done before—pushing past boundaries never meant for him, only to suffer the backlash that tore through his insides and weighed heavily upon his soul.
Now… he could wield the magic of the Fifth Circle with stability.
Without fear of collapse.
Without the threat of internal rupture.
As if mana itself had finally acknowledged him… as one of its own.
Among the abilities that revealed themselves at this stage, one stood above the rest—
A formidable power known as:
Pressure.
It was not merely a spell.
It was a living manifestation of dominance.
A force that did not target the body alone—but the mind… and the soul.
When activated, it felt as though the very world collapsed upon the opponent's shoulders.
The air grew heavier.
Time itself seemed to slow.
And existence… rejected them.
A silent terror.
One that required no sound.
This ability served to reveal the true gap between two beings. The stronger the pressure, the greater the disparity in power.
At its peak, it could cause internal bleeding… force the weaker party to collapse without being touched… or even end their life entirely—should the difference be overwhelming.
A mage invoked it through mana.
A swordsman, through killing intent and aura.
But the result… was the same:
Absolute dominance.
And among all who had ever wielded this power…
None surpassed Alphinus.
His "Pressure" was no mere technique—it was a natural disaster.
The earth trembled beneath his presence.
Mountains cracked.
Entire cities crumbled… as though they had never existed.
He had long transcended the very concept of Pressure… and redefined it as a force capable of erasing existence itself.
—
Back to the present.
After making preparations, Leo and his companion resumed their journey toward their next destination—
The city of Nectar.
The second of the three cities standing between them and the Elven Forest.
A city known by a title that inspired little comfort:
"The Free City."
But that "freedom" was nothing more than a mask for chaos.
True authority did not lie with any government…
…but with gangs, traffickers, and lords of vice.
A city that breathed corruption.
A place where everything could be bought—
And everything could be sold.
Only three days remained until they would reach it.
—
Inside the carriage, silence reigned.
A heavy silence.
As though even words feared to be spoken.
Leo sat in thought, searching for a way to begin a conversation he did not know how to start.
Beside him, the girl sat quietly, her head lowered, her eyes lost in a hollow void—as if she no longer saw the world at all.
She appeared no older than a six-year-old child.
Yet in truth… she was nearly twenty.
A trivial age for an elf.
A race that lived for thousands of years, whose perception of time differed entirely from that of humans.
The silence stretched on—
Until suddenly…
"…Ilyaria."
Leo lifted his gaze, slightly surprised.
"…What?"
She spoke softly, her voice faint, yet steady—with a trace of shyness.
"…That's my name."
A brief silence followed.
Then… a warm smile appeared on Leo's face.
"Leo. Nice to meet you, Ilyaria."
It was a small moment…
Yet it felt like the first thread weaving itself between two weary souls.
—
But that fragile calm did not last.
From the shadows of the trees, a group of bandits emerged—like starving ghosts.
The moment Ilyaria saw them—
Her body trembled violently.
She froze.
Her breathing quickened.
Her eyes widened in terror.
The sight had dragged her back…
To that day.
To the moment she was captured.
To the hands that seized her.
To the chains.
To helplessness.
Leo noticed immediately.
Gently, he placed a hand on her head, soothing her as one would calm a lost child.
"It's alright… I'm here."
Simple words.
Ordinary.
Yet within Ilyaria's heart…
They pierced through a year-long darkness like a ray of light.
For the first time…
She felt safe.
—
At that moment, Leo decided to test one of his newly acquired abilities.
A Fifth Circle spell:
Gravity Magic.
He raised his hand calmly.
Adjusted the output with precision.
Then released it.
—
In an instant—
An invisible force crashed down upon the bandits.
As if the earth itself had chosen to crush them.
They collapsed.
All of them.
Pinned to the ground.
Unable to move.
Unconscious before they could even comprehend what had happened.
No struggle.
No battle.
Only…
Dominance.
—
They continued on their way.
Throughout the journey, Ilyaria wrestled with a silent internal struggle.
Hesitating.
Retreating.
Gathering courage… only to falter again.
Until, after long hours—
She finally whispered:
"…Please… teach me magic."
Time seemed to pause.
Leo looked at her, genuinely surprised.
This was the first time anyone had asked him to become a teacher.
To pass on his knowledge.
Even in his previous life…
He had never truly taken on such a role.
He hesitated.
But…
When their eyes met—
He saw something he could not ignore.
Determination.
Sincerity.
A genuine desire for strength—
Not for domination.
But for protection.
He exhaled softly.
"…Alright. Let's try."
—
From that moment on…
He began teaching her.
Along the road, he explained the fundamentals of magic:
How to shape mana.
How to guide it.
How to nourish it.
How to control it.
He didn't merely instruct—
He built her foundation.
As though constructing something that must never collapse.
But what he did not expect…
Was her talent.
Ilyaria grasped concepts at an astonishing speed.
And executed them with rare precision.
By the time they reached Nectar—
She had already mastered First Circle spells.
A rare talent.
Perhaps even…
An extraordinary one.
—
At last…
The walls of Nectar rose before them.
The city of gambling.
The city of corruption.
A city…
That showed no mercy.
They stood before it—
At the threshold of a new chapter.
Would it be nothing more than a passing stop…
Or the beginning of something far darker?
To be continued…