Geometric Mage: First Spell, Circle

As he stepped off the ring, the gazes of the four factions toward him had changed. Brutus had recovered, but unlike before, he no longer showed a scornful look. His head was slightly bowed as he watched Lian walk away.

"It is better this way… at least he will not chase me to the ends of the world for revenge," Lian muttered, leaving everyone behind.

The direction Lian was heading toward was obvious at this point: the registration desk where he had placed his bets.

There were several desks where one could register and place their bets. At the same time, there was a single glowing device that shone for each person in the stands. It was a kind of artifact capable of storing gold coins for betting.

"Not bad, kid. Two consecutive victories. I believed in you!"

The man continued to shower Lian with praise. His expression was one of slight embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head, his cheeks faintly flushed. He did not expect to receive all these compliments.

"I know why you are here. Here, these are for you. With a little extra! Consider it a gift for not saying anything about the clash between the factions."

Lian nodded as he picked up the spatial ring on the counter, before thanking the man with a slight nod and walking away.

The only free seats in the stands were too uncomfortable for Lian. He did not want to draw too much attention. This was the price of fame!

So, he decided to stand, watching the battles between the factions from behind. Who knows, maybe he would gain some insight.

"Oh, right. That guy said something about an extra… let us see if it is true—"

With a simple thought, Lian's mana flowed through the spatial ring. The contents within poured into his mind as his mouth involuntarily opened, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Holy crap, I think it is a lot… I am rich!" he whispered with joy after a moment of hesitation. Besides his Mana Cores, which the man had returned, there was his winnings.

A total of 2000 gold coins against the 200 he had bet. A tenfold return!

As if that were not enough, next to the pile of gold, there was another pile containing 1000 gold coins, along with a few other useful items. "This must be the compensation the man was talking about… well, what can I say? He is forgiven!"

Lian did not know the prices of things, nor the real value of gold coins. However, one thing was clear.

With 3000 gold coins, he could buy countless Bronze-rank Mana Cores. Especially now that they were worth so little, as the market had recently been flooded with them.

Meanwhile, the faction tournament resumed, with the Red Dragons, Silver Phoenix, Black Tortoise, and Yellow Tiger fielding their best members.

The announcer kept shouting, trying to keep the energy high, but Lian noticed the atmosphere had changed. The battles were… disappointing.

The participants seemed to use all the same spells. It was boring and repetitive to watch. "Patrick's fight back then was a breathtaking battle in comparison. Hand-to-hand combat and relentless spell-casting. But Patrick had a unique talent… tsk, I should stop thinking about that guy. Did he really kidnap Sera?"

Lian became depressed thinking about all this. She could have been his only… friend in this place. Now he was alone.

Lian was not the only one disappointed by the ongoing battles. The crowd in the arena seemed less enthusiastic too.

They kept comparing the fights they were watching to Lian's, doing nothing but fueling his fame.

However, among the stands, Bronze Mages were not the only ones. There were many Silver Mages in the arena.

"Did you all see that too? That little guy knows his stuff! That is how a real Mage should fight, not just with spells but with fists too!"

"Yeah, it was awesome! I remember at his age I was not that good… well, I have improved a lot now, but still, I have to admit that kid was impressive!"

"Only because he fought third-rate Mages like those. When he reaches Silver, I will show him how a real fight should go."

"And if he becomes Silver 1 Steel 1? Would you not get taken down before you even realize it? After all, Knights are fearsome against Mages—"

Many figures were talking among themselves, some more excited, others more hostile, and some indifferent. However, one thing was certain. Lian had left a piece of himself in each of them, his name now whispered with a mix of awe and curiosity.

---

"It was an interesting afternoon! I became rich, fought against other Mages, and now I am famous! I just hope I do not get myself into trouble…" Lian muttered as he headed toward the dormitories. He needed to rest.

It had been an intense day, and the sun had already set. The moon softly illuminated the academy's structures. Some students were returning to their rooms, while others were still chatting about the battles they had witnessed.

"Hey, Lian!"

A shiver ran down Lian's spine as the voice pierced his ear like a whisper.

"Who are you?!" Turning sharply, Lian saw a boy, slightly shorter than him, greeting him with a smile.

Noticing Lian's wary gaze, the boy raised both hands in a gesture of peace. "Do you not remember me? I am the guy who earlier warned you not to sit in that spot. Sure, I did not make it in time, but I tried…" His smile faltered for a moment as he recalled what had happened.

He had not managed to save Lian from the factions' clutches, but things had not gone too badly.

"Oh, now I remember you! What are you doing here? And how did you recognize me?"

Lian was walking with a hood covering his face. He had found it in the spatial ring among the items the man at the counter had given him. Despite this, the boy in front of him had recognized him.