"He handed me a letter and asked me to convey a few words to you. In it, he said that you are all strong. And without a doubt, you really are. That's why he would like you to work hard to become even stronger. He knows it wasn't right to do that without warning you, and he deeply regrets what happened, but it was necessary because that place would be used for his training."
Those were the words spoken by Professor Virelle after reading the letter Enrico had left for her. The message was intended exclusively for the students closest to him. Even so, those words, which had been his last before becoming trapped, had a considerable impact on everyone.
Weak. That was what they were. After all, if they were truly strong, Enrico wouldn't have asked them to become even more powerful, right? Valença had realized just how much the gap between them had widened.
She had fallen far behind the person she had initially considered her rival and who was now the person she loved. She would need to multiply her strength many times over to stand face-to-face with him again. Enrico liked strong girls, and as his future fiancée, she needed to become even more powerful than she already was.
"Fire Magic: Flame Explosion!"
A massive explosion of fire erupted from the ground in front of Valença, blasting an enormous hole through the mountain. The impact was so violent that the rock formation split in half, while the surrounding stones began to melt due to the intense heat released by the attack. Valença retrieved the staff she had left planted in the ground and crossed through the opening created by the explosion, reaching the other side of the mountain.
'It's still not enough... Considering the level Yumeha and Rina had reached a few months ago, he is probably even stronger by now.'
Her hair was slightly shorter than it had been in the past, and her body had developed considerably over those two years. Valença had also grown quite a bit and was about to turn eighteen, with only one week remaining until her birthday.
'The best part is that Lord Victor will be able to break through that damn barrier in a month. That will be the perfect moment for us, especially if I reach the level I want by then...'
She had currently been at Circle Five for five months and had broken records alongside her companions. After all, never before had so many mages reached that level within a single year. In fact, almost all the new Circle Five mages were Enrico's friends. This extraordinary progress had begun eight months earlier, when Rina and Yumeha reached that level.
'I plan to spend so much time with him when he comes back that I can hardly wait for our reunion... Damn it, I need to increase my level before then. I don't want to disappoint him.'
One of the things that reassured Valença the most was knowing that Rina and Yumeha were connected to Enrico. This meant that if he had died, the two of them would notice immediately. However, both were still doing well and continuing to grow stronger, which indicated that he was also alive and making progress somehow, even while surrounded by so many high-Rank Nartheis. This information had been confirmed by Victor, who had managed to sense part of what existed inside the barrier a few months after its formation.
'Being able to sense something inside a barrier that transported a person and an entire region into another dimension is incredible. He truly deserves the title of the strongest.'
Victor Ashenfall was considered the strongest man in the world and the only Circle Ten mage of that era. Without a doubt, he stood on a completely different level from everyone else, and nobody knew the true limits of his power.
"Light Sword: Giant Form!"
Upon hearing Kai's voice, Valença looked ahead and saw a gigantic sword of light cutting through the area, slicing down all the surrounding trees.
Kai had also changed considerably over those two years. His hair now reached his shoulders, and his body had developed a little more. Just like Valença, he wore the black third-year uniform of Astrong Academy, with purple circular patterns on the sleeves and chest, as well as the academy's emblem displayed in the center.
He pressed his lips together for a moment, clearly dissatisfied with the result, before commenting:
"Damn it! This level still isn't enough."
Valença approached and agreed with him.
"You're right. He's probably already close to reaching Circle Six."
"Yes, it's quite possible that he'll break Professor Virelle's record if he keeps improving at this rate. After all, Rina and Yumeha reached Circle Five long before everyone else."
Just like Valença, Kai had also reached Circle Five. The difference was that he had reached that level one month before her, becoming the third person to accomplish that feat, falling behind only Victoria and Lira, not counting the three who had already been mentioned earlier.
Kai looked toward a lake in the distance.
"We should head back. It's almost time for Professor Zenaria's class. But I think we'll have to wait a little, since that girl is still training."
Valença followed his gaze with a cold expression.
"That's right. I had almost forgotten about her."
Kai shook his head, showing some disapproval.
"How cruel! She's been asking to join us for a year now."
The person they were talking about was Elaris, who had joined their group because she believed she would become much stronger alongside them. After all, whenever they were together, some kind of trouble always seemed to arise.
"I never allowed her to join this team."
"You only treat her that way because she seems interested in Enrico."
"And you? All I ever hear from you is that if she interferes with your rematch with him in any way, she'll be kicked out of the team."
"Tsk! That's because he already has seven wives who get in the way of my life, along with other rivals. I can't allow anyone else to interfere with our relationship!"
Valença's eyes immediately turned deadly.
'He's an idiot, I know that, but still... Hearing him talk like that, as if he actually had some kind of relationship with Enrico, makes me deeply uncomfortable.'
Seeing Kai biting his own finger, anxious at the mere possibility of someone interfering with his rematch, Valença did the same, trying to control her feelings. After all, Elian was the seventh wife they had allowed into the group, after Sylvia and Serenya claimed that Enrico liked boys with feminine appearances. At least, that was what the two of them had said, even though Elian had begged them to reject that idea.
'Calm down, Valença. He doesn't have a feminine appearance, so there's no way he'll join us. Besides, I don't want my childhood friend to become one of us.'
In the distance, the two saw Elaris emerge from a frozen lake. She was wearing noble elven clothing from the elven dimension, which had been given to her by some spirits who were searching for her.
The reasons behind that search were something Elaris didn't seem willing to reveal. Her hair had grown only a little, but her beauty was even more evident than before. Without a doubt, if a comparison were made that also included the feminine appearance Enrico had assumed years ago, she would rank third among the most beautiful people.
Valença let out a snort.
'Enrico is handsome even in his female form, so this is nothing... That form is the only woman I could ever fall in love with. Hehe!'
As she thought about Enrico's feminine appearance, the cold expression she had been wearing softened slightly, giving way to a small smile.
"Why do you have that perverted expression? Don't tell me you're thinking about something related to Enrico again!"
Elaris watched her with considerable suspicion, clearly bothered by that sudden expression. But it wasn't Valença's fault. After all, it had already been two years since she had last seen the person she loved, and she had to control herself to keep from trying to break into that barrier on her own.
Valença gave Elaris a look as if she were facing a complete idiot. After all, she had just said something more than obvious.
"Of course I'm thinking about him! Do you think I would have this expression because of something else? For a student council president, you're pretty stupid."
"You..."
Valença had absolutely no shame in admitting that she constantly thought about Enrico. After all, he was hers, so she had every right to think about him that way. The same couldn't be said for other girls who weren't even his wives, such as that damn Lira.
Elaris clenched her fists slightly, showing her irritation.
"Could you please stop treating me like this? Just because I'm interested in making him my official right-hand man doesn't mean I have romantic intentions toward him."
Valença raised an eyebrow.
"You are?"
"..."
Elaris looked away, as if she didn't want to answer the question. Her reaction was enough to make Valença stare at her as though she were looking at someone who had just been sentenced to death.
"I knew it, you damn woman!"
While Valença shook Elaris by the shoulders, who maintained a completely impassive expression, the three began making their way back to the city of Sanos with relative calm, despite the constant arguments between the two girls.
Kai, meanwhile, raised his gaze and looked at the new Astrong Academy, temporarily built above the barrier thanks to Hao's powers.
'It's truly amazing how the strongest mages can control their powers so well. I wonder if I'll be able to do the same when I reach Circle Six?'
Hao had created an entire academy using his barrier magic. The structure was gigantic and even had classrooms, chairs, and all the elements necessary to function as a real academy. The most impressive part was that he had managed to build all of it in less than ten minutes.
'Well, it's time to meet up with the others.'