"So, I just learn this mana-gathering technique, gather mana, and boom—I'm a Circle Warrior?" Cassian asked, looking a bit confused as he unrolled the scroll.
Before Katherine could respond, a sudden ding echoed in his mind.
[Does the trainee wish to instantly learn the Mana Circulation and Sealing Technique: Blood Fire Tempering, in exchange for 30 training points?]
[Note: The first seal will be created upon learning.]
Cassian was surprised by the system prompt but quickly masked his expression. Katherine, unaware of the system's offer, continued explaining. "If you hadn't opened your domain yet, it would've been much simpler. Back then, just chanting a few words would've formed the seal. But now, with your domain guarding your body, you have to create the seal manually—piece by piece. It's tricky, but on the bright side, it doesn't require any resources other than mana."
As she spoke, Cassian glanced back at the system's notifications before looking at the scroll. There, a detailed blueprint of the seal was laid out, and it was overwhelming. The design was a chaotic mix of shapes, symbols, and small intricate patterns, with words written around the edges. The sheer complexity of it made his head spin. Memorizing it seemed impossible, let alone forming it manually. It felt like a task far beyond his current capabilities.
Without hesitation, Cassian said yes to the notification. Almost immediately, he regretted it. His body began to heat up, an overwhelming surge of murderous energy flooding his mind. His domain reacted instinctively, flaring to life as his body glowed with a red hue. His hair, shimmering like fire, waved wildly as if caught in an unseen wind.
Suddenly, a sharp, searing sensation shot through his hand. He glanced down, rubbing it instinctively, only to see something unexpected taking shape. Katherine, visibly shocked, muttered, "How?"
She stepped closer, her voice filled with disbelief. "How is this possible?"
On the back of Cassian's hand, an intricate crimson circle was etching itself into his skin, glowing with a deep fiery hue. The design grew more detailed with every passing moment, lines forming into patterns, magical symbols emerging around the edges. At its center burned a vivid crimson flame, alive with power.
Katherine stared in amazement. "You barely glanced at the blueprint... How could you create it so fast?" she asked, her voice a mix of awe and confusion.
Cassian had believed he would never feel pain again, but as the circle etched—or rather burned—itself onto his hand, the sharp sting was undeniable. It wasn't as excruciating as having his wounds cauterized, but it was still intense. Yet, he didn't mind this pain. Unlike any he'd felt before, it filled his body with strength, a sensation of power surging through him. He felt lighter, stronger, as the intricate circle grew clearer and the heat on his hand burned hotter.
Lost in the strange mixture of pain and empowerment, Cassian didn't notice Katherine's gaze. She was staring at him, her expression both greedy and exhilarated. Her excitement was almost unsettling, her eyes gleaming with a fervor that bordered on something... uncomfortably obsessive.
As the circle finally completed, the burning sensation on Cassian's hand shifted to a soothing coolness. He felt as though his entire body had been reborn, refreshed with newfound vitality. Meanwhile, Katherine, who had been watching the transformation, broke the silence. "I should have made you a mage," she muttered, her voice carrying an unusual intensity.
Cassian frowned, confused. He didn't understand what prompted her comment, but her expression was unsettling. Katherine's eyes gleamed with an almost maddening obsession as she continued, her tone dripping with determination. "No, I am going to make you a mage. Your mind is far too sharp to waste on being a dull Circle Warrior."
Cassian's eyebrows shot up, his face morphing into a mix of disbelief and unease. 'What the hell is wrong with her?' he thought, already feeling the urge to step back. Sliding one foot subtly away from her, he kept his tone polite and carefully measured. "What do you mean by that, my lady?" he asked cautiously.
Katherine crossed her arms, her expression a mix of triumph and frustration. "Don't play dumb, Cassian. I heard what you said earlier—'what the fuck is wrong with her?'—and let me tell you, nothing is wrong with me."
Cassian's eyes widened. "Wait, you heard that?"
"Of course I did. You're not exactly subtle," she huffed, leaning forward. "Now listen here: you need to stop this warrior nonsense and become a mage. You're wasting your potential swinging swords and punching people when you could be unraveling the mysteries of mana or rewriting the laws of physics!"
Cassian blinked, utterly baffled. "But… I've spent my entire life training as a warrior. And no offense, my lady, but don't mages usually spend years locked in libraries or staring at glowing crystals? That doesn't exactly scream 'fun' to me."
Katherine rolled her eyes so hard he half-wondered if they'd stick. "You don't get it, do you? It's not about 'fun.' Look at what you've done! That massage technique—do you know how long it took me to master? Years. YEARS, Cassian! And you? A couple of weeks, and suddenly you're better than me at it!"
Cassian scratched the back of his head, sheepishly grinning. "Well, to be fair, I had a great teacher."
"Flattery won't save you," Katherine said, narrowing her eyes. "And then there's this seal. Do you know how long it would've taken anyone else to learn that? Even me, if I hadn't studied it before, would've needed hours just to memorize it properly. But you? You glanced at it, and poof! It's burned into your hand like some sort of magical prodigy!"
Cassian opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off, her voice rising. "You're like one of those annoying genius kids who can solve puzzles in seconds while the rest of us are still figuring out the corners! It's infuriating! And now I'm convinced you're better suited to being a mage than a warrior. You can't argue with logic."
"Logic?" Cassian muttered under his breath. "I'm not sure calling me an 'annoying genius kid' counts as logic."
"Don't test me!" Katherine snapped, wagging her finger at him. "You'll thank me later when you're the greatest mage this world has ever seen. Imagine it, Cassian: fireballs at your fingertips, teleporting across battlefields, bending reality itself!"
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, whoa, slow down, my lady. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I can even use a domain. And now you want me to rewrite the laws of reality? No offense, but I can already mess with reality just fine using my domain—and honestly, it's way cooler than anything a mage could do."
Katherine smirked, leaning back triumphantly. "Exactly. You're a fast learner. You'll figure it out in no time."
Cassian let out an exaggerated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't know whether to be flattered or terrified."
"Be both," she said with a wink.
He shook his head, muttering to himself. "This is going to be a long day..."