Bermuda [bl]

Everyone was abuzz with the fact that Leonardo Blaine was an All-Rounder, a mage who could use all four major attributes.

Typically, a mage undergoes mana measurement and component analysis once when graduating from the academy and once when joining a new organization.

However, the academy's mana measurement was difficult to conduct precisely, and in the case of Leonardo Blaine, since he enlisted in the military immediately upon enrollment and served as a boy soldier, there weren't many records of him. Moreover, even those records were mostly erased.

Furthermore, the Imperial Army, especially the special elite unit Armsilver to which Leonardo Blaine belonged, strictly kept the information about the abilities of its members top secret.

Therefore, among the existing data on Leonardo Blaine, the most accurate and up-to-date information was this data held by the Council.

"What about his rank? Is it above S2-grade?"

When someone asked a question, the medical staff of the Council who was giving the briefing answered,

"Regarding the mage rank, I was going to introduce it on the next page, but to give you the conclusion first, just measuring his mana capacity alone, he is S4-grade."

"S4-grade, you say?"

"Oh my goodness."

Raina Logia's mage rank referred to the grading system that measured a mage's mana capacity and the technical abilities they could use.

Firstly, excluding the detailed technical aspects such as control, they measured the pure amount of mana a mage possessed, starting from the lowest 'F' grade, advancing past 'A', and culminating at the highest grade, 'S'. This alphabetical grading was then further divided into four technical skill levels, extending up to level 4.

Of course, this data varied slightly depending on the mage's understanding and range of technical skills in using their mana, but generally, the more mana one possessed, the more techniques they could use, so the higher the grade, the stronger the mage was considered to be.

So, it was natural for the hall to become noisy at the mention of S4-grade. It was the highest grade among the currently existing ranks. Even Hugo, who had somewhat anticipated it, was equally surprised to actually hear that grade.

It wasn't that there had never been an S4-grade in the Council's history, but currently, among the combat personnel capable of being deployed in actual battles, there were only two S4-grade mages: Commander Hugo Agrizendro and Deputy Commander Shorendo Hazelnut.

In other words, Hugo Agrizendro had captured such a terrifying fellow.

"However, during the process of extracting Leonardo Blaine's mana, we tried to remove the black choker on his neck, but it couldn't be removed due to some kind of sealing magic. That black band seemed to be made of a material that combined leather and fine metal components, and its main function appeared to be absorbing mana, although weaker than mana restraining stones."

As the image moved to the next page, a photo of Leonardo's neck area filled the front screen. The contrast between the black line crossing his white neck was clear.

"The origin is not exactly known, but it is presumed that the military put it on him when releasing him from prison after Leonardo Blaine was court-martialed."

With the medical staff's briefing, some of Hugo's curiosities about Leonardo were resolved.

Hugo had also seen the black choker on his neck before. However, when he first saw it, he simply thought it was some kind of accessory, so he didn't pay much attention to it and didn't know it had such a function.

He had expected the military to control him in some way after his expulsion, but he had never thought it would be such an inhumane method, treating him like a dog, so his brows furrowed involuntarily.

After hearing about the choker's function, Hugo recalled the feeling during the battle in Frost Territory when Leonardo's mana emission size irregularly increased and decreased while he continuously released mana.

At that time, he simply thought it was because he was tired, but realizing that it was because he was being absorbed by the choker he was wearing while struggling to emit more than that, he newly felt that the guy was even more remarkable.

'He fought like that even while wearing such a thing.'

The guy was so strong that he didn't feel at all like something was absorbing his mana.

If that choker, a kind of handicap, hadn't been there, how much stronger would he have been? It was already surprising enough that he escaped from the iron cage in the middle of the Imperial Capital, but from the beginning, he had been fighting with his mana suppressed in every moment he confronted Hugo.

"Then, does that mean he can't properly use the full S4-grade mana?"

When one of the executives asked, the medical staff answered somewhat ambiguously,

"Since the subject of examination is a high-risk mage, measuring the mana emitted when casting magic is a bit dangerous, so we barely managed to measure only the mana contained within his body. Therefore, it's difficult to say exactly to what extent he can use his mana."

Dissatisfied with that vague answer, the executive who had asked the question crossed his arms while shrugging his shoulders. However, the medical staff's following words were enough to excite the solemn hall once again.

"However, there is a separate reason why our medical team has designated Leonardo Blaine's rank as S4-grade based on his internal mana capacity alone. To be precise, it's because his mana is immeasurable."

"...Impressive."

"Immeasurable?"

"That's impossible. Another one like that..."

At the mention of immeasurable, everyone's gaze turned to one person. Hugo, at the end of those gazes, unknowingly smiled. This was the very reason why he had felt an interest in Leonardo that he couldn't feel towards others.

"Immeasurable, huh..."

At Hugo's exclamation mixed with a chuckle, those who knew Commander Agrizendro looked at him with unfamiliarity.

Currently, in the Council, there was only one person who received an S4-grade with immeasurable mana: Hugo Agrizendro. Since then, even among those from specific regions or bloodlines known for their outstanding mana, the title of immeasurable rarely appeared. But Leonardo Blaine had shattered that wall.

"Wow, he was actually even more amazing. See, it wasn't for nothing that my arm got wrecked, right?"

Andreas Frederick, the 4th Battalion Commander with a cast on his left arm, whistled and spoke. Beside him, Meterion Clinder, the 3rd Battalion Commander, glanced at him and added a remark,

"It seems fortunate that you can cover up your weakness."

"You really-."

Andreas glared at him for a moment, then closed his mouth as if he had something to say to him.

"Now, now, everyone, quiet down."

Amidst the murmuring crowd, one of the Council members opened his mouth to settle the atmosphere. At that, Hugo narrowed his eyes and looked at him. Somehow, he felt like he knew what words would come out of that mouth next.

"If it is revealed that he is an S4-grade mage, each institution probably won't stay still. Therefore, this information must be kept top secret. And we need to think about recruiting him to our side as much as possible."

Some nodded at the council member's words. Indeed, now that Leonardo Blaine was in the hands of the Council, the Council had the highest possibility of recruiting him. However, some seemed to have different thoughts, and after much deliberation, a staff officer cautiously opened his mouth,

"But Councilor, Leonardo Blaine has already been dishonorably discharged from the military once. Will he willingly let himself be recruited by the Council?"

"No matter how strong he is, he must have realized through this experience that there is nothing to gain from wandering alone."

At their words, Hugo rubbed his chin and thought. An All-Rounder S4-grade mage with immeasurable mana, the first to appear in 12 years besides himself. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed unlikely that he, with such a flashy ability even in his titles, would readily comply with what the Council wanted.

Once the council member opened the floodgates to that argument, everyone had their own opinions. However, the majority didn't want to let go of the S4-grade mage they had painstakingly captured this time.

That was because the three institutions—the Imperial Knights, the military, and the Council—had always been engaged in an invisible power struggle with each other. In the midst of that, having a rare immeasurable All-Rounder belonging to the Council meant a tremendous increase in power.

Among the three institutions, the Council and the Imperial Army, in particular, had always been in a confrontational relationship.

Of course, the Council was in charge of internal affairs while the military handled external forces, but there was a constant subtle tension between them. The fact that the military had expelled Leonardo Blaine without passing on that information to the Council, and the fact that not even a single support soldier from the military was present when the Council arrested him, were all for those reasons.

While engaging in a power struggle to prove their superiority, the two institutions were always wary of their forces being drained to the other side. Therefore, if they could just recruit Leonardo, who was once a powerful force in the military, it would be equivalent to the Council dealing a huge blow to the military.

With that thought alone being thrilling, the once-quiet hall was now filled with heated debates as everyone voiced their opinions. And at that moment, Commander-in-Chief of the Council Abraham Langaster, who had been quietly observing, opened his mouth,

"How about including him in the Elder Millie Peninsula subjugation team this time?"