Regression of the Vector Magician

The battlefield was set. Two warriors stood face to face—one a royal, a seasoned 6th Circle magician, and the other, an underestimated prodigy, a mere 3rd Circle magician.

Around them, hundreds of soldiers gathered to witness the impossible.

They all believed the fight was already over before it had even started.

A 6th Circle against a 3rd Circle?

No contest.

Or so they thought.

Visker's First Attack: Water Blade

Visker stood tall, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You had your chance to back out," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance.

His mana surged, blue light swirling around him as he raised his hand.

"Let's end this quickly. Water Blade!"

A crescent-shaped arc of water materialized in an instant, slicing through the air at breakneck speed.

The sheer pressure of the spell was enough to cut through high-density steel as if it were butter.

The soldiers gasped. A killing move right from the start?!

But Reyon didn't flinch.

With a single motion, he raised his hand.

"Aerial Flow."

A gentle gust of wind flowed from his fingertips.

Whoosh!

To everyone's shock, the lethal Water Blade was deflected effortlessly.

The crowd fell silent.

Even Visker's eyes widened slightly.

A 3rd Circle magician had just nullified a 6th Circle spell?

Visker's Rage and Strongest Spell

Visker scowled, his pride wounded.

"You really think you're something special, huh?" he growled.

He clenched his fist, and the temperature dropped.

A deep blue aura surrounded him as mana surged like a tidal wave.

The air grew heavy.

The ground trembled.

Reyon's eyes narrowed.

"This mana pressure… It's his strongest spell."

Visker smirked. "Let's see how you handle this. Water Typhoon!"

RUMBLE!

A colossal vortex of water erupted from the ground, towering 30 feet high.

Its sheer power and force threatened to consume everything in its path.

The soldiers stumbled back, some shielding their faces from the sheer pressure.

Even Reyon couldn't hide his awe.

"So this… is the power of a 6th Circle magician."

The massive typhoon surged forward, ready to swallow Reyon whole.

But he wasn't about to back down.

Reyon's Counterattack: The Power of σ

Reyon took a deep breath.

"Should I try σ?"

Normally, even with Vector Magic, the maximum power he could bring out was around 5th Circle level.

But with σ, he had an efficiency boost of 5%.

It was a gamble.

But a gamble worth taking.

"Landslide."

A wave of earth erupted from beneath him, colliding with the typhoon head-on.

The water and earth clashed, sending shockwaves rippling through the fortress.

For a moment, it seemed like Visker's magic would overpower Reyon's.

But then—

The typhoon trembled.

And then—

It collapsed.

BOOOOOM!

A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield as the force of Reyon's counterattack tore through Visker's spell.

The shockwave that followed sent Visker flying, his body slamming against the stone wall with a sickening crack!

Silence.

Then—

The entire fortress erupted in gasps and whispers.

Reyon had won.

A 3rd Circle magician had defeated a 6th Circle royal.

The Aftermath

Visker lay on the ground, coughing up blood, his body trembling from the impact.

If that last attack had been a little stronger… he would've died.

The soldiers stared at Reyon in disbelief.

"Impossible…"

"He actually beat Captain Visker?!"

"How can a 3rd Circle magician do this?!"

But as the murmurs spread, a chilling voice cut through the air.

"Enough."

The soldiers froze as a new presence arrived.

A woman with raven-black hair and piercing golden eyes stepped forward.

Her very presence radiated authority.

She was the Commander of the Dark Nation Fortress.

Evelyn Phoenix.

Evelyn Phoenix: The Unyielding Commander

Reyon's expression stiffened at the sight of her.

Memories from his past life resurfaced.

Evelyn had always looked down on him.

She saw him as weak, useless, a disgrace to the Phoenix name.

But in his past life, she had been one of the strongest warriors in the family.

She had inherited the bloodline of her grandmother, Min Hee, and reached the 8th Circle in her 30s.

She was a pillar of the Phoenix Household.

Yet—

She died during the Cerberus attack on the fortress.

Reyon clenched his fists.

"No matter what… This time, I won't let my aunt die."

Evelyn's Judgment

Evelyn stopped in front of Reyon, her golden eyes unreadable.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then she spoke.

"You've improved, Reyon."

Reyon's eyes widened slightly.

She actually acknowledged him?

The soldiers held their breath.

Evelyn turned to Visker, who was still struggling to stand.

"And you… You embarrassed yourself today."

Visker gritted his teeth, rage burning in his eyes, but he said nothing.

Evelyn then turned back to Reyon.

"You've earned your right to be here. But don't get arrogant.Strength alone won't be enough to survive in the Dark Nation."

Her gaze darkened.

"You'll need much more than that."

Reyon nodded, determination burning in his eyes.

He wasn't here just to prove himself.

He was here to prepare for what's coming.