Chapter 2

#1

The House of Montemer—renowned for its magic.

The talent of its first patriarch, who was said to rival even the mighty Guardians, was described as a world-shaking power.

The 9th Circle.

A realm so exalted it was spoken of only in legends—home to dragons and the pinnacle of sorcery.

Only here, in Montemer, could a 9th-circle mage be born.

Montemer’s unique method of forming magical circles boasted extreme stability and an endless gravitational pull for mana.

A mage who grew stronger simply by breathing.

That was Montemer’s innate ability.

“Yeah, right. Like I care about that crap.”

But to Lawrence, an ordinary human from Earth, all of this was nothing but hot air.

Confucius said this, Mencius said that…
Internal energy in martial arts novels, blah blah…

To him, magical theory meant absolutely nothing.

Instead, what made his heart race was something else—
the magical circle.

That now-outdated method of casting magic, with its precisely drawn patterns and mesmerizing geometric beauty.

Lawrence had always been a man who loved such things.

“Young master, are you awake?”

“Uh… hi, so… what was your name again?”

“Rachel.”

“Rachel.”

The maid smiled warmly at him.

She was the only servant in this annex, tucked away at the edge of the Montemer estate.

But her smile carried a touch of sorrow when directed at him.

I remember now. She was the only one who ever truly cared for me.

She had looked after him since he was an infant. That much time together inevitably formed a bond.

Human affection, once layered over years, becomes impossible to hide.

“Young master, are you feeling all right? You still can’t sense any mana…”

“Yeah. I still can’t feel a thing.”

“Then what about tomorrow’s evaluation? Perhaps you should just give up, accept the inheritance they’ll grant you, and…”

“It’ll be fine.”

Rachel’s eyes widened.

His voice wasn’t timid, but calm.

Not the pitiful, trembling boy she’d always known, but someone who finally seemed fitting for the heir of a great magical house.

“Young master…”

“It’ll work out somehow. Thank you, Rachel.”

Was this gratitude for everything until now, or a farewell hinting they might never meet again?

Her heart grew uneasy at his sudden change.

“Where’s the room with all the unused junk?”

“The very last one in the basement. But it’s filthy and hasn’t been cleaned in ages. Should I tidy it up first?”

“No, there’s no time. The evaluation is tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, young master. Tomorrow.”

Lawrence nodded.

Twenty years ago, on the day of the magical evaluation.

Yes, he remembered.

The patriarch’s summons, the ten-year-old child who knew nothing, the disappointed stares, the cruel pain…

The other children had thrown dirt at him, trampled him, cursed his mother, and mocked even his name.

The memory of being insulted and treated as garbage by adults was still painfully vivid.

[Proceed to the workshop for your first artifact.]

Lawrence turned, his eyes fixed on the message glowing in the corner of his vision.

With every step through the annex, old memories resurfaced.

Rachel had worked so hard here, often struggling alone.

His past life of living independently on Earth had given him skills that helped lighten her burden with cleaning and laundry.

His hand brushed the rough wooden railing.

His mother, who gave birth to this body, had died of some unknown illness.

His father abandoned him—born without a mana core—until Lawrence was driven to leave the family altogether.

“Damn them.”

At the very least, they could have let him live an ordinary life.

Resentment toward the family and disappointment toward those who weren’t worthy of being called parents filled his mind.

And then the annihilation of the clan… I don’t know why it happened, but…

Still, there were those who treated him with warmth.

Rachel. A handful of kind relatives. Someone who had already died…

For their sakes, and for the honor of his name in the life to come, he had to prevent that annihilation.

These thoughts carried him to the door of the storeroom.

“So this is the place.”

Seen through a child’s eyes once again, it looked like the entrance to a massive dungeon.

Perhaps the remnants of childish adventurousness made it seem that way.

He smirked faintly and stepped inside.

This annex’s other name was the junk storage.

A place where the family dumped anything they deemed useless.

“Whoa…”

[Old Ring – Manifest: Lightning Bolt]
[Failed Golem Core – Manifest: Fire]
[Broken Lizardman Spear – Manifest: Water Arrow]
[Pierced Leather Armor – Inscription: Strength]
[Old Iron Greaves – Inscription: Haste]
[Inscription…]
[…]

To Lawrence, it was nothing less than a glittering treasure vault.

#2

[Step 1: Choose a medium. Gems, monster bones, organs, or minerals are recommended.]
[Step 2: Select an item to extract a power from. Manifestations project outward force, while Inscriptions fuse power into the body of the artifactor.]

So, Manifest equals active skill, Inscription equals passive skill.

[Step 3: Engrave the extracted magic circle onto the medium. Most extracted circles are one-time use. In this process, Authority is awakened.]
[Step 4: Implant the completed artifact into your body. Then its capacity, activation keyword, and cooldown will be displayed.]
[During this tutorial, you will work with the legacy arranged by the Great Lord.]

“Isn’t that a little dangerous for a beginner like me?”

[You already stand within the domain of artisans. Trust your fingertips.]

“Well, if you flatter me that much, I guess I have to try.”

With a grin, Lawrence began crafting his very first artifact.

A ripple of space tore open, and a pen and a massive orb fell out.

[Medium: Petrified Dragon’s Eye]
[Suitable for Inscription.]
[Guaranteed effect: The ability to perceive another’s mana.]

Oh?

This was the medium.

Beside it lay a long, rubbery strand, almost like a piece of silicone.

[Old Dragon’s Sinew – Inscription: Dragon Body]
[Dragon Body: Artificially grants the bloodline of a dragon. Greatly amplifies all magic power. This Inscription grows with the user’s capabilities.]
[Inscription Rank: 9th Circle]
[This extract is the Guardian’s First Legacy.]
[This extract is tutorial-exclusive.]

“…Holy shit.”

The words slipped out.

9th Circle?

For a while, Lawrence could only stare in awe.

If this wasn’t a dream…

His grip tightened around the pen.

The chance to become strong.

The chance to change.

That alone became an overwhelming source of strength.

[Revealing the magic circle.]

A complex array appeared, visible only to him.

Intricate, beautiful geometry—tiny circles forming into a massive, awe-inspiring whole.

[It must be drawn without even a 1 mm error.]

“That’s exactly my specialty.”

This was his favorite type of work.

With such a clear guideline, there was no way he’d fail.

Lawrence’s hand moved confidently.

He pressed the pen to the orb and began engraving the circle.

Scratch, scratch—

Perfectly smooth lines, drawn with zero error.

His delicate fingertips set him apart from ordinary people.

Back on Earth, he had been a YouTuber with over three million subscribers—
a master of the 3D pen.

This is fun.

After all, people are happiest doing what they love.

And if doing so could also make him strong? Even better.

It reminded him of the life he had once lived, earning money while creating the art he loved.

#3

How much time had passed?

Rachel paced nervously outside the storeroom.

The boy was in his growth years—he needed to eat properly. But he hadn’t come out in half a day.

She didn’t dare knock or enter without permission.

I’m worried.

The tray she’d brought earlier sat untouched and cold outside the door. Now she held another, freshly prepared meal.

She knew mages often worked for three days and nights without pause when engrossed in research.

But Lawrence was only ten years old.

Skipping meals at his age could be dangerous.

“If he doesn’t want to be bullied by the other young masters, he really should eat more…”

Rachel knew well how harsh mages were—hierarchical, merciless, and valuing only power.

At this rate, he’d be despised, oppressed, and crushed.

She couldn’t bear to watch such a fate befall a child.

It was her duty, too—the will of the lady who had once taken her in.

What exactly was this “talent” the heavens bestowed, if it forced such a cruel path?

Her heart ached for him.

“Young master, I’ll leave your meal here.”

“…”

No answer.

Sighing, Rachel picked up the cold tray.

She’d eat it herself later—just as she always had with his leftovers.

Meanwhile, Lawrence was working at a superhuman pace, filling every inch of the orb with dense, flawless lines.

His eyes felt a bit dry, but otherwise his young body handled the work well.

“Finally… finished.”

His stomach growled—time had clearly flown.

But his chest throbbed with anticipation.

He was about to complete his first artifact.

[Activating Authority.]

Crackle—!

The petrified Dragon’s Eye glowed brilliantly.

The engraved circle sank into the medium, releasing a gentle light.

Yes, this was it—

The artifact I’ve studied all this time…

Only extraordinary beings—gods, guardians, chosen champions—could wield such Authority.

That was why no amount of research had ever led to an answer before.

[Artifact: Dragon Eye]
[Inscription: Dragon Body]
[Implantation Status: Possible]

“How do I inscribe it?”

[Bring it to your body, and it will activate automatically.]

“Got it.”

Carefully, Lawrence pressed the artifact against his chest.

Crackle—

Light flared, and his body began to change.

He might lack a mana core, but greater power awaited him.

[Dragon Eye equipped]
[Unique Effect: You can now see mana.]
[This artifact does not count toward the implant limit.]
[Inscription: Dragon Body]
[The body of a dragon towers above all life—none dare raise their head before it.]
[Current Stage: Hatchling 0%]
[Implant Limit: 3 artifacts]
[Maximum Circle Capacity: 2]

“A growth-type? How do I make it grow?”

[All experiences are wealth to a dragon. Growth will reflect the actions of the artifactor.]

“Perfect.”

Lawrence glanced around the storeroom.

The foundation was laid, but he still lacked usable artifacts.

He’d have to craft a second and a third.

Maybe keep one in reserve as backup…

A clear goal now stood before him.

Unlike others, he wouldn’t need chanting.

Grrrrumble—

“Man, I’m starving. Let’s eat first.”

A bright smile spread across his face.

It was the radiant smile of a child.