Chapter 31: Concentric Circles

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Concentric Circles"Let us see if you ignore this strike like the others..." Lian murmured, preparing a new combination, his mind sharp with anticipation. "Geometric Spell, Circle!" After dodging yet another fireball that singed his backside, sending him tumbling across the sand, Lian focused on his new idea. A standard circle appeared in his mind, as it always did. "Let us see if this works..." he muttered, circling the worm, sensing it was about to launch another fireball. Did these worms possess infinite mana? Even Lian, despite growing stronger from absorbing the Mana Core and cultivating, felt a slight weariness from the prolonged battle. With his eyes closed, he began to envision creating a circle within another circle. In essence, two concentric circles—one slightly smaller than normal, indicating a fiery projectile rather than a full fireball, and an even smaller circle nestled inside it. What was the point? To imbue a single projectile with greater explosive power without sacrificing its speed! "Yes, it is working!" he hissed, forming the two concentric circles in his mind. "Ignis Arde, Ignis Globus!" he shouted, completing the circles. From his hands, a fiery projectile, its hue more intense than usual, shot toward the worm’s flank, striking it dead-on. [Accuracy: 63%] Unlike previous attempts, where the effect had been so minimal it did not disrupt the worm’s spellcasting, this time was different. The worm, its mouth still agape as it prepared its own spell, took the violent hit in one of its previously blackened, weakened areas, interrupting its incantation, a critical blow that shifted the battle’s momentum. However, as it was in the final stage of forming its fireball, the interruption caused a magical backlash. The fireball, ready to be launched, exploded within the worm’s mouth. The blast was powerful, sending the creature crashing to the ground, kicking up sand all around, a chaotic eruption of fire and debris. A faint laugh escaped Lian’s lips. "How do you feel now, you filthy worm?!" His voice carried a mix of triumph and defiance. Another fiery projectile, crafted with two concentric circles, struck the downed worm. "Just in case you are still alive..." he said, approaching cautiously, his steps wary but confident. Meanwhile, the other Iron 2 worm, still undergoing its evolution, continued to writhe and twitch. Its surface was growing increasingly red, a sign that the transformation was nearing completion. "It looks like it is almost done..." Lian noted, his eyes narrowing. [Mana Core: Bronze 1] [Do you wish to absorb it?] The notification appeared as Lian retrieved the spherical object from the dead worm’s body. Its size matched the previous Mana Core. "Absolutely not, not right now..." Lian muttered, storing the sphere in his spatial ring. "Hurry up and evolve..." he urged the writhing worm. A few minutes passed before the creature ceased its convulsions. Then, an intense burning sensation enveloped the surrounding area. "I would say that is the sign of a complete evolution, correct?" "Geometric Spell, Circle!" "A simple projectile should suffice..." he added under his breath, raising a hand toward the worm’s head. This time, he had no intention of obliterating the creature into pieces, his aim precise and calculated. "Ignis Arde, Ignis Globus!" The projectile launched, sinking into the worm’s head and ending its misery, a swift and merciful strike. [Mana Core: Bronze 1] [Do you wish to absorb it?] After collecting the Mana Core, the same notifications appeared again. "Not now..." Lian murmured, storing this core in his spatial ring as well. "Alright, I cannot stay here... I must leave." His steps were slow but steady. The fatigue was becoming more pronounced as he trudged through the desert. After crossing dozens of dunes, Lian stopped. "I am dying of hunger, thirst, and I need rest... I do not think I can continue like this..." he said, collapsing to the ground, exhausted, his strength sapped by the unforgiving environment. Despite seeming to have boundless stamina, the truth was different. Lian was tired, hungry, and above all, filthy. He reeked with every fiber of his being, a walking testament to the desert’s cruelty. "I think I will take a break... if a monster appears, I only hope it is as late as possible—" he groaned, closing his eyes, his voice a weary plea. Slowly, the boy sank into a deep, heavy sleep, his body surrendering to the weight of exhaustion. --- "It has been over a day since I arrived here... how many more worms must I kill to escape this useless Gate?!" A frustrated cry echoed across the sands. A girl with a simple appearance wandered the desert barefoot. She wore a blue tunic with bronze veins, a distinctive mark of a Mage, her presence a stark contrast to the barren landscape. The Astralis Academy was not the only place in the empire to study magic, of course. Many other cities and kingdoms housed their own academies. "Another one of those worms?" the girl muttered under her breath before casting a spell against the creature. "Aqua Vivax, Rivo Levis!" A powerful jet of water struck the worm’s head as it emerged from the sand, obliterating it completely, a display of raw power that left no trace of the beast. "Sigh, I cannot take it anymore... is it possible I am the only one who ended up here by mistake?" Her voice carried a mix of exasperation and loneliness. Seline continued walking in a random direction, munching on fritters. "I do not want others to end up in a place like this, but it would be nice to have some company..." Her words trailed off, a wistful hope in the desolate expanse. The girl’s name was Seline Frostmere, a strikingly beautiful and highly talented student who had recently enrolled at the Aetheria Academy in the Silverlake Kingdom. Her unique beauty and constant eating had earned her several nicknames, but her violent temperament was what left the deepest impression, a fiery spirit that belied her gentle appearance. The academy knew her for her motto: "Hit first, talk later." She was dubbed "Miss I Will Smash You First" by all. Despite this, she was a kind person... if not for her violent streak, Seline could almost be considered humble, a paradox wrapped in a blue tunic. After walking for a while and climbing a sand dune, the girl paused, the hot desert wind tousling her black braid. Her green eyes scanned the horizon, squinting against the blinding sun. "Still nothing," she murmured, popping the last piece of fritter into her mouth. "This is one of the most boring Gates ever... not that I have done many, to be honest." She sighed, wiping her hands on her tunic, her movements casual yet tinged with frustration. Seline continued walking for some time before something in the distance caught her attention. "Huh? What is that?" Her curiosity piqued, a spark in the monotony. There was considerable distance between her and the unidentified figure lying in the scorching sand. Approaching with curiosity, Seline was already preparing a spell when— "No, no, no," she said after a moment of hesitation. "I must calm down. I cannot solve everything with violence... Seline, breathe slowly..." Her self-restraint a hard-won battle against her instincts. The figure in the sand became clearer as she stopped in her tracks. "It looks like a human! So I am not the only one stuck in this place??" Her voice rose with a mix of relief and disbelief. "Do not tell me they are dead?!" she shouted absentmindedly, rushing closer with speed. But then she saw the figure’s chest rising and falling slowly. "They are alive..." She approached cautiously, mana tingling in her fingertips, ready to cast a spell, her caution a shield against the unknown. Once she was several meters away— "What in the world!" she exclaimed, taking several steps back. "Are you sure they are alive?" she blurted out, staring at the figure’s chest moving up and down. "They smell like a burnt, moldy corpse... are they even human??" Her nose wrinkled in disgust, her senses assaulted by the stench. Lian snored softly, lost in an exhausted slumber. He did not hear the girl’s approach, nor her sharp muttering as she insulted him—or rather, stated facts. Seline tilted her head, pinching her nose. "How in the world did they end up in this state?!" Her voice was a mix of curiosity and repulsion. With a swift gesture and arcane words, she conjured a small sphere of water from thin air, letting it hover above Lian’s head. "Let us see if this wakes you up." Her action was both a test and a mercy, a spark of mischief in her green eyes. 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