Chapter 140: Nine Circles

At first, he thought he had seen wrong.

So he injected more Pacheonki into his eyes and checked even more closely.

And he could tell it wasn’t a mistake.

The number of circles surrounding Kring’s heart was clearly 9.

Having 9 circles.

That meant Kring had entered the “9th Circle.”

What in the world…….

Gaon was very flustered.

He could understand Kring’s appearance.

In ancient books from the past, it was written that spirit beasts of 8th grade or higher could transform into humans.

But the circles didn’t make sense.

To begin with, if circles had existed before, maybe, but up until just now, Kring had no circles in its heart.

So why had circles suddenly appeared, and 9 of them at that?

……Maybe not those circles?

Of course, the 9 circles surrounding Kring’s heart might not be the “circles” Gaon knew.

They could be different circles, not a mage’s circles.

Considering that Kring wasn’t a mage to begin with, the possibility wasn’t small.

“Dad!”

Gaon, who had been lost in thought, made a surprised face at the voice in his ear.

It had spoken before, but it rang in his mind like message magic.

But this time, it produced a voice directly.

“You can speak now?”

“Yes!”

Kring answered with a bright smile.

And began examining its own body as if it was fascinating.

……

Gaon looked at Kring and inwardly groaned.

There was a lot to ask.

So much that he was troubled about what to ask first.

Just whatever comes to mind.

Gaon quickly finished his thoughts and asked Kring.

“By any chance…….”

“Yes!”

“Are those circles in your heart magic circles?”

“Huh! How did you know?!”

Kring asked back with a surprised face.

And then said with a regretful face and voice.

“I was going to surprise you later!”

“……I’m surprised enough.”

Gaon answered Kring’s words and looked at Kring’s circles.

It was real?

He had thought the possibility of it not being was higher.

But they were magic circles?

Entering the 9th Circle was real?

“But Dad, there’s one thing I’m curious about…….”

“What?”

“I feel something tremendous from you, but it wasn’t because of circles?”

“Ah…….”

Gaon let out a low exclamation.

What Kring was saying now was clearly “perfection.”

Come to think of it, Kring had entered the 9th Circle, but perfection wasn’t felt.

It wasn’t strange.

Gaining perfection at the 9th Circle was for humans.

And Kring was in human form, but not truly human.

It wouldn’t be up to the 12th Circle like dragons, but to gain perfection, Kring was presumed to need to enter at least the 10th Circle or 11th Circle.

Gaon explained the situation to Kring.

“Ah, so that’s why!”

Having heard the explanation, Kring exclaimed as if understanding.

And at such a reaction from Kring, Gaon thought.

Feels incredibly smarter.

It had understood words well before.

But not to this extent.

“But did the circles suddenly appear?”

“I wanted to imitate Dad!”

“……”

“Me?”

Gaon couldn’t help but ask back.

And for good reason, as it was an unexpected reason.

“Yes! Dad using magic looked so cool! And it suited me well too!”

“Ah, I see.”

Gaon nodded as if understanding.

Of course, he didn’t actually understand.

And for good reason, what realm was the 9th Circle?

For humans, it was the supreme realm where one could gain perfection.

Yet entered the 9th Circle just because it wanted to imitate?

How could he understand that?

Maybe…….

At a sudden thought, Gaon sharpened his eyes.

Is Kring on the level of dragons?

Dragons enter the 9th Circle without difficulty.

If Kring’s limit was the same as dragons?

Still too fast.

Even if dragons enter easily, that’s by dragon standards.

Usually, the time dragons take to enter the 9th Circle is 150 years.

Even the talented Ferbeng took 90 years to enter the 9th Circle.

Yet Kring entered in one go.

It had the help of the elixir, but even so, it was too fast.

I don’t know.

Gaon stopped thinking.

Anyway, it was fact that Kring had entered the 9th Circle.

Thinking more wouldn’t change anything.

“By any chance, can you use magic once…… No.”

Gaon was about to check how strong Kring was but stopped.

He couldn’t check here now.

And for good reason, as even without gaining perfection, it was the 9th Circle.

The 9th Circle was by no means a low realm.

No matter how sturdy the cultivation room was, it wasn’t to the extent of withstanding 9th Circle magic.

I’ll check in Eon Kingdom.

Now, Gaon planned to go to Eon Kingdom.

In Eon Kingdom, he could freely check Kring’s abilities.

Just then.

“Can’t I use magic?”

Kring said.

And with a very shocked face.

“No, it’s not that. You haven’t used magic yet, right?”

“Yes!”

“And you don’t know how strong it is.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go to Eon Kingdom and first check how well you use magic.”

“Huh, then what about Lepra?”

“He’s able to protect himself now, so it’ll be fine.”

Up until now, Kring had been protecting Lepra.

Because Abyss could scheme.

But Lepra had entered the 7th Circle.

On top of that, he had awakened eyes.

Most schemes wouldn’t work.

In other words, there was no longer a reason for Kring to protect Lepra.

On top of that, using Kring, who had entered the 9th Circle, for protection was a waste.

“Then are we going right now?”

Kring asked with sparkling eyes.

“No, there’s something to do before that. Of course, it won’t take long.”

Gaon shook his head and answered.

Swish.

And turned his head to look toward the entrance.

Lepra was coming with those listed on the list.

Eon Kingdom’s King Belpur’s office.

“……”

“This damn bastard.”

Belpur wrinkled his face hard and let out a voice full of anger.

And crumpled the letter.

The letter had a short story written.

That contact with Emily, the bishop of the Holy Empire Seionia who had been staying in the palace until recently and returned to Seionia, had been cut off.

The reason Emily left the palace was to request support from Seionia.

What support?

Support for the golden opportunity to kill Gaon.

Yet contact was cut off?

This meant one thing.

There would be no support.

“How much money have I poured in until now!”

He had donated enormous offerings to Seionia for a day like this.

Yet refusing support?

“Why in the world……!”

He couldn’t understand.

According to Emily, there were many in Seionia who were hostile to Gaon.

So why throw away such an opportunity?

What stories had gone around internally?

Swish.

Belpur, having calmed his anger, turned his head to look at Traon, the palace magic corps leader.

Traon was savoring tea with an unperturbed face despite Belpur’s reaction.

“In this situation now…….”

Belpur said with a frustrated face but closed his mouth.

And Traon put down the tea and opened his mouth.

“That day, if not for you, I would have died.”

“……?”

Belpur couldn’t help but be puzzled.

Why suddenly bring up a past story?

“So from then, I swore to help you until death. But…….”

Traon trailed off and continued with a bitter face.

“This time, no answer. I won’t be able to stop that Gaon. It’s not too late now. How about wrapping everything up and leaving?”

“……”

Belpur couldn’t say anything.

It was absurd.

Wrap everything up?

Belpur was the king of Eon Kingdom.

In other words, Traon was saying to wrap up everything, including the throne.

If it wasn’t Traon, the palace magic corps leader and close friend, but someone else who said this?

He would have executed them immediately.

But because it was Traon, he couldn’t execute.

And because he knew why Traon said this, he couldn’t even get angry.

“Could you be believing that story?”

Belpur asked with a voice full of disbelief.

A rumor had spread not long ago.

An absurd rumor that Gaon was producing archmages.

And it was from then.

Traon acting like a man facing death.

In other words, Traon clearly believed that nonsensical rumor.

“I wish it were false too, but…….”

Traon trailed off again and smiled bitterly.

“From what I’ve checked, it’s all true. Why do you think Seionia cut off contact?”

“……”

When Seionia was mentioned, Belpur couldn’t say anything.

As Traon said, if the rumor that Gaon was producing archmages was true?

It explained Seionia cutting off support.

Just then.

“……!”

Suddenly, Traon sharpened his eyes and jumped up from his seat.

And stared fixedly at the entrance.

“What’s wrong?”

Belpur asked Traon with a puzzled face.

Traon’s expression was very serious.

Meaning something unusual had happened.

“Could Gaon have appeared?”

The first thing that came to mind was Gaon.

Perhaps Gaon had appeared in the palace?

“It doesn’t seem so. But this……!”

Traon let out a voice with a face of incomprehension.

And a while later.

Knock, knock!

A knock and the palace steward’s voice rang out.

“Your Highness, Count Calvin has requested an audience with the reinforcement from Rios Empire.”

“……?”

At the palace steward’s words, Belpur looked at Traon with a puzzled face.

The visitors were Calvin and the reinforcement.

So what had Traon reacted like that for?

Just then.

Creak!

The door opened.

“……!”

Belpur couldn’t help but be surprised.

He hadn’t permitted the audience.

Yet the door opened?

Soon, three people entered through the open door.

They were people he was seeing for the first time.

Presumed to be the reinforcement from Rios Empire.

Belpur looked behind the three.

There were Calvin and the palace steward with flustered faces.

Seeing Calvin’s reaction, the three’s actions seemed unrelated to Calvin.

And just then, Traon stepped forward and said to the three.

“How dare you, what is this place!”

Traon’s voice was full of anger.

But the three, with unperturbed faces at Traon’s words, conversed.

“See, I told you he’d notice anyway?”

“Hmm, I thought I hid it perfectly.”

“Pretending to have overcome the wall. Heh, anyway, I win?”

“Yeah, I’ll give it when we get back.”

“What? You didn’t bring it?”

“How could I bring that? Seionia would notice.”

Hearing the three’s conversation, Traon felt something off.

Traon was an archmage who had overcome the wall.

Yet their reaction was as if it was no problem.

Showing such a reaction was usually two things.

First, if all three were not in their right minds.

Second, if they had overwhelming power.

But the probability of the first was low.

Because they were beings Calvin brought.

In other words, high probability of the second, which was a very big problem.

On top of that, one more thing.

Notice in Seionia? What notice?

They mentioned the Holy Empire Seionia.

The feeling wasn’t good.

Just then.

Swish.

The gray-haired middle-aged man standing on the right took out a small orb from his bosom and shattered it.

And at what followed, Traon couldn’t help but be shocked.

Swaaak!

An immense amount of demonic energy burst out from the orb.