Circle Measurement
The Circle Measurement Room looked just as Kim Jehyun remembered from his past life. The vast space, easily over 3,000 square feet, was lined with mana measurement devices neatly arranged in rows, all calibrated precisely. Toward the back stretched a series of rooms labeled with circle numbers—the places where they tested if you could actually cast spells of that circle.
Circle measurement boiled down to two things: whether you had the mana capacity for that circle, and whether you could actually manifest its magic.
"Welcome. What brings you here today?"
A young female mage seated at the desktop near the entrance spoke up, addressing Jehyun. She was cute, with her hair tied in twin tails.
"Yes, I'd like to get my circles measured."
"Alright, then please come over here, fill out this application, and hand over your ID."
Jehyun took the form from her and handed over his Magic Tower ID.
"Oh..."
The female mage's expression shifted subtly as she looked at his card. It listed not just his age and birthplace, but also his enrollment date and circle rank.
She glanced reflexively at his face after checking the age and circle info.
"Ah... so this is your first time registering."
"Yeah, pretty much."
Jehyun answered nonchalantly, but he caught her expression and knew exactly what she was thinking.
—Why's she looking at me like I'm some pitiful stray?
'Spot on. She's probably pitying me for being stuck at zero circles after ten years in the Tower.'
He'd thought he'd grown numb to such looks after receiving them so often.
Apparently not. This one felt particularly uncomfortable.
'Still, this is mild. Most people just ignored or sneered at me.'
The woman in front of him, gazing at him with genuine sympathy, had a kind heart.
—You won't have to endure such gazes anymore. Instead, you'll receive looks of awe and admiration. Of course, only if you properly inherit this body's power.
'Didn't you see me make the Mana Core in just two weeks? Piece of cake.'
—Kuk, two weeks... Still, hubris is forbidden.
'Yeah, yeah, got it.'
Jehyun bantered idly with Alkasha as he filled out the form and handed it back. The mage entered the details into the system and guided him to the 1st Circle testing area.
"Good luck. Fighting!"
She struck a fighting pose before returning to her seat. The unexpected cheer put a smile on his face.
'Cute.'
Jehyun chuckled softly and stood before the mana measurement orb. A male mage wearing old-fashioned black horn-rimmed glasses approached to guide him. He looked middle-aged.
"Kim Jehyun. First time for circle measurement, right?"
"Yes."
Officially, it was. He'd come a few times before regression for circle and mana checks, but this was his first post-regression.
"The process is simple. Place both hands on the mana orb in front of you and channel your maximum releasable mana into it."
A colorless, transparent orb about the size of a soccer ball sat before him.
Bzzz.
As Jehyun placed his hands on it per instructions, the orb trembled faintly, resonating with his mana.
'About a third of my mana should do it?'
—Hard to say precisely by human standards, but that should register as 1st Circle level.
Jehyun adjusted his output. His memory of exact 1st Circle capacity was fuzzy, but he figured his current mana was at least triple that. Even compared to when he'd hit 2nd Circle, he had more now. Dumping everything would peg him at 2nd Circle or higher.
'Better not stand out too much until I've fully inherited the dragon legacy.'
—Indeed. The half-powered are targets of suspicion. But once you wield true strength, flaunt it. I won't abide seeing my great power's heir cower.
'Obviously. Once I'm confident in my power, I'll never live like before.'
Vmmm.
The orb reacted as Jehyun infused a controlled amount.
"Huh...?"
The male mage blinked rapidly while monitoring.
"This... what..."
He stammered in confusion. The orb before him glowed with a golden hue—a color and attribute he'd never seen.
He shot to his feet, shouting.
"Golden attribute...!"
The orb poured out brilliant golden light. The mage's pupils shook like they were in an earthquake.
"...!"
The female mage watching from afar widened her eyes too. A true attribute mana awakener—the first she'd seen since starting here. And golden, no less. Unheard of.
Thump.
Her heart raced. She was that shocked.
'Mana amount?'
Her gaze flicked to the readout.
'...Oh my god!'
Status:Extremely High (Top Tier Potential)
A whopping 1.731. Average baseline was 1.0. 1.731 was extraordinarily high—often called "potential" for first-time readings. The current Tower Master had scored 1.92 on his first go, causing a huge stir.
Jehyun hadn't quite matched that, but 1.7+ was elite territory. Incredible on its own.
The Circle Measurement Room erupted that day. But those present had no idea this was just the appetizer. Years later, when Jehyun revealed his full power here, they'd witness an unprecedented record never to be broken again.
* * *
Word of the chaos spread like wildfire through the Magic Tower.
"Hey, you hear? One of the trainees registering for 1st Circle awakened a 'golden' attribute."
"What? Golden? Is that even a thing?"
"Yeah. World first, apparently."
"Whoa, insane. What attribute is it? Gold means light-type, right?"
"Spot on for light, but hold up—it's dual: light and fire."
"Holy shit. Nuts."
Jehyun's golden mana became the Tower's hottest topic, stirring a dormant buzz.
Attribute awakenings were rare to begin with, so even standard ones drew attention. A brand-new golden one? Instant sensation.
And that wasn't all.
"Mana baseline was 1.731 too."
"Crazy. That's top-grade."
"Right? Hardly anyone in the Tower breaks 1.7."
"Honestly, if I'd gone all-out on my test, I'd have crushed 1.7 easy. Held back though."
"Here we go again with your bullshit. If you're so great, why're you still stuck at 3rd Circle?"
"I could've hit 5th anytime if I'd wanted."
"Sure you couldn't."
Jehyun's baseline score fueled the fire too.
"Who is it? Kim from the high mages? Or Hanna Ri?"
At first, speculation pointed to elite heirs or child prodigies. The room hadn't publicized the name, so rumors swirled anonymously.
Not for long. The hype spread fast.
"Nah, not them. Some no-name. Kim Jehyun or something? 17 years old. Took him ten years to hit 1st Circle."
"Wait, I've heard that rumor... The guy who couldn't even reach 1st in ten years? And he awakened an attribute? Talk about a glow-up."
"Jealous af. Heard he grinded the Mana Training Room 15+ hours a day right before. Maybe I should try that."
"Bet. Starting today, I'm camping in the Mana Training Room. Attribute awakening, here I come!"
Many envied Jehyun. Attribute awakening was like a golden ticket to success.
Suddenly, the Mana Training Room boomed. Mages swarmed it—even 4th Circle+ folks, who usually used private rooms. Unusual.
Mages were superstitious like that. If a high-circle mage had a breakthrough somewhere, everyone flocked there, believing residual enlightenment lingered.
"Lucky attribute awakening, sure—but ten years for just 1st Circle?"
Not everyone praised him. Some mocked the ten-year grind.
"Exactly. Ten years for 1st? Is that even a mage? Another decade for 2nd?"
"Ten years for 1st? He'll never see 3rd."
"Pearl necklace on a pig. Golden mana means jack if you lack talent from the start."
"And that baseline? Still buying that crap? Buddy of mine hit 1.5 first time—still flailing at 2nd. Means nothing."
They refused to acknowledge his sudden rise. A former inferior now enviable? Infuriating.
Some escalated to outright hostility.
"That bastard awakened golden mana? Did he use it when he beat you?"
"Well..."
"Spit it out. And damn—you're 2nd Circle, right? Got your ass handed to you by a fresh 1st Circler?"
Jinhojang hung his head at the boy's words. He couldn't admit Jehyun hadn't used any magic.
'Fuck, doesn't make sense. He tanked my spells with his body.'
It baffled him. He was above average for 2nd Circle, with dungeon experience. Magic Missile and Mana Bolt had slain countless low-tier monsters—even powered down, not something Jehyun should've shrugged off easily.
"That guy's got something! Tanked Magic Missile and Mana Bolt barehanded!"
"So? What'd he hit you with?"
"N-not magic, but... his physicals were superhuman. Movements and strength way beyond normal."
Kim Hyeongjin crossed his arms, his long red hair swaying down to his shoulders. His face chilled despite the fiery locks.
"1st Circle mages have better physiques than normals too."
"N-no, it was different! Beyond any mage's body. No spells, but faster and stronger than me."
"Hmm..."
Hyeongjin stroked his chin. There were 1st Circle buffs like Strength, Stone Skin, Agility. Proportional to mana and circles. Unless Jinhojang lied, Jehyun couldn't outmuscle him—attribute or not. Circles bridged gaps; this was basic magic.
"Artifact maybe?"
"Uh... yeah, think I saw a rune-etched bracelet..."
"Tch. Lucky find—an enhancement artifact."
"R-right? Wasn't my fault then."
"..."
Hyeongjin eyed Jinhojang pitifully. Beaten by a lower circle, no shame. And cursing in front of him? Recently, he'd mouthed off to the Mana Training Room manager, earning a rep as "mannersless trash" among professors.
Jinhojang had decent talent but poor emotional control.
'Time to cut him loose for good.'
But first...
'Use him to deal with Jehyun.'
Jehyun knew Jinhojang was his lackey yet crushed him—defying Hyeongjin's authority.
'Take them both out at once.'
Two birds, one stone.
'Golden mana... I never awakened attributes, and this loser does?'
Hyeongjin's mood soured. Jehyun had always grated on him. A nobody who'd lucked into the Tower. Handsome too—parasite-pretty, even guys noticed. Girls? Obvious.
Learning a girl he'd liked fancied Jehyun flipped a switch. Bullying started small, then turned real.
Jehyun's stagnation kept them apart, fading interest—until now.
'Warned him to stay out of sight.'
His own fault. Crushing a 1st Circler relying on artifacts? Easy.
Jehyun possessing what he lacked? Unbearable, especially from someone he'd deemed forever inferior.
But Hyeongjin didn't know. This Jehyun wasn't the old one.
Touch him, and regret eternally.
* * *
Meanwhile.
"Pardon? Score?"
Jehyun's eyes widened. He'd come to register for the 1st floor Ascension Tower exam to claim the dragon legacy.