Chapter 12: Recognition and Power

The air was still heavy with the tension from Reyon's fight with Visker. The fortress soldiers were still in shock, whispering amongst themselves about what they had just witnessed. A 3rd Circle magician defeating a 6th Circle elite was unheard of. Even if he used an advanced magic system like Vector Magic, it should have been impossible.

However, before the murmurs could settle, an authoritative voice cut through the noise.

"You, come with me."

Reyon turned his head and met Evelyn Phoenix's piercing gaze. The aura she radiated was suffocating, fitting for one of the strongest magicians in the household.

She stood tall, her long, deep-blue hair tied back, the signature trait of those who inherited the power of Min Hee, Leywin's wife. Her sharp violet eyes bore into Reyon as if analyzing his very existence.

The soldiers instinctively straightened their backs, stepping aside as Evelyn walked forward. Despite her relatively young age, she was already one of the three 8th Circle magicians in the Phoenix household, second only to the Patriarch.

"Follow me."

Reyon wiped the blood from his lips and nodded. He knew this was coming. Evelyn had only caught the latter part of his battle with Visker. She wanted to test him herself.

The Training Hall – A True Test Begins

The air inside Evelyn's training hall was filled with raw mana, the walls reinforced with powerful enchantments to withstand the destruction caused by high-circle magic. Reyon took a deep breath, knowing full well that this wasn't just a casual spar.

Evelyn turned to face him, crossing her arms.

"I never imagined I would see Vector Magic again," she said, her voice laced with emotion. "Not after my father."

Reyon's heart clenched slightly at the mention of Leywin. Evelyn had idolized Leywin more than anyone else in the Phoenix household. In her past life, her disappointment in Reyon had been obvious.

"I have to see it properly," she declared, stepping forward. "Show me if you are worthy of carrying my father's magic!"

Without any further warning, she raised her hands. The air vibrated violently as she chanted, her voice resonating with mana.

"8th Circle Spell: Water Vortex!"

A massive twisting spiral of water emerged, swirling with such force that the floor beneath them cracked. Unlike Visker's Water Typhoon, which was already terrifying in its own right, this spell was on another level entirely.

Reyon instinctively stepped back.

"This is beyond anything I've faced before..."

The vortex's pressure alone was enough to make it difficult to breathe. If he were hit directly, he wouldn't just be defeated—he would be shredded apart.

Countering the Vortex – The Power of σ

"I need to weaken the spell first."

Reyon's eyes glowed as he activated Sigma (σ).

The moment he cast σ, the mana flow of Evelyn's vortex was disrupted. The resistance in magic transfer decreased, causing her vortex to become 50% weaker than usual.

Evelyn's eyes widened.

"He's manipulating my mana efficiency…?"

For an 8th Circle spell to be cut in half by a 3rd Circle magician was absurd. Even though her spell was still far stronger than Visker's, it was clear that Reyon's abilities weren't normal.

But even a weakened Water Vortex was still too strong to stop completely.

"Earth Wall!" Reyon quickly chanted.

A thick, three-layered earthen barrier rose in front of him. The vortex crashed into the wall, shaking the entire hall. Cracks began forming instantly, and despite his countermeasures, the raw force sent him flying backward.

BAM!

His body slammed into the stone wall behind him, and he coughed up blood.

The room fell silent.

Reyon wiped his mouth and slowly stood up, his breathing ragged. His body was screaming in pain, but his determination remained unshaken.

Evelyn lowered her hands, stepping forward with an unreadable expression.

"You stopped my spell," she said softly. "At your level, that shouldn't be possible."

Reyon chuckled weakly. "You didn't use your full power. If you had, I wouldn't have lasted."

Evelyn's lips curled into a small smirk. "Maybe."

She crossed her arms again, evaluating him with newfound respect. "I can count the number of people who can withstand my serious spells on one hand. You're impressive, Reyon."

Reyon exhaled, relaxing slightly.

Then, to his shock, Evelyn suddenly lowered her head.

"I was wrong about you," she admitted. "I always resented you for failing to live up to my father's magic. But I see now that I was the blind one. ....I apologize, Reyon."

Reyon's eyes widened.

"Did… Evelyn Phoenix just apologize?"

In his past life, she had always looked down on him. She had never acknowledged him, let alone apologized.

Reyon took a deep breath, shaking his head. "You don't have to apologize, Aunt. I never took your words as an insult. I took them as advice."

Evelyn stared at him for a moment before her expression softened. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his head.

"I shouldn't have insulted such an adorable nephew," she teased, ruffling his hair.

Reyon stiffened, clearly unaccustomed to such gestures.

She chuckled at his reaction before straightening up, her demeanor shifting back to that of a commander.

"Alright," she announced. "Since I dragged you here to test you, I may as well reward you properly."

Reyon raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Evelyn smirked. "From today, you are officially a 4th Rank Captain of the Dark Nation border."

A moment of silence passed.

Then—

"What?!"

Reyon wasn't the only one shocked. The soldiers outside, who had been eavesdropping, erupted into murmurs. No one had ever been promoted to a 4th Rank position on their first day!

Reyon narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious?"

Evelyn nodded. "I don't give out promotions lightly, Reyon. Your talent is real. And with what I've seen today, I trust you can handle it."

Reyon clenched his fists. To be recognized by Evelyn, of all people, was an achievement. But he also knew this meant his responsibilities had increased drastically.

Evelyn smiled. "Come on, Captain. Let's go meet your squad."

Reyon exhaled, shaking his head. "If they don't acknowledge me, I'll just have to show them their place."

Evelyn laughed. "That's the spirit. That's my nephew."

As they walked out of the hall, Reyon knew—this was just the beginning.

He had earned his place.

But now, he had to prove why he deserved it.