Zach realized this was the only way to gain attention.

He was pivoting, and the audience welcomed it.

"Right here. Right now. Let’s make a talent," he said.

---

"Move, Lot," Vlad said.

The students were in shock.

None of them knew both masters were related, let alone father and son.

"I guess that makes Lot and Morgana siblings," Edward said.

"This isn’t the time," Lot responded.

"You’re not going in there," Lot maintained.

Noticing he wasn’t going to budge, Vlad chose to respect Lot’s wishes.

"I’ll stay put for now."

"The moment they make it out of that room, all’s fair game."

"I’ll make my play then," he said.

Lot didn’t respond.

He knew Vlad wasn’t asking for permission this time.

That was a declaration.

This was fact.

This was how it would be.

---

All eyes were fixed on Zach.

Curiosity was at its highest.

The people of the nation had long wondered about its abilities.

No, not just this nation.

The world itself longed to witness the God-Tier System with all restraints removed.

"System?" he called out.

His interface immediately surfaced.

[Tier 1]

[Talent Creation]

[Addition and Subtraction]

Inventory - [2]

New Talents - [1]

{Would you like to create another talent?}

He nodded.

He knew he could.

He just needed a volunteer right now.

"Are there any awakeners present?" he asked the crowd.

"I’ll need a volunteer."

There was murmuring for a while, but eventually one person responded.

"Please come up," Zach ordered.

Roe was right beside him.

He couldn’t use Roe.

He didn’t know how Roe’s talent would react to the God-Tier System.

The reporter got up on stage.

He bowed in greeting.

Zach was a bit surprised.

He knew he would start getting treated differently, but it still surprised him.

"What’s your talent?" Zach asked.

He knew that whatever talent he produced would make use of the pre-existing set and the reporter’s talent.

He’d already done a wind-and-ice combination.

Now it was time for something different.

"I don’t really work as a mage, so I don’t use it per se, but I awakened to the Magma Talent," the reporter responded.

"Okay. This is a first."

The Magma Talent was unique.

It was most commonly found among A-rank mages.

He wouldn’t dwell on it, but he couldn’t deny it was strange that someone with such a talent was working as a reporter.

"Hold out your hand," he said.

Roe also found it strange.

The reporter did as instructed.

He reached out his hand.

Zach reached for it.

The system alerted him with a synchronization notification.

He smiled.

It seemed everything was proceeding nicely.

[Synchronization Complete]

The notification popped up.

[Addition Process Begun]

"You might want to close your eyes right about now," he alerted them.

[Addition Complete. New Talent Cultivated.]

[Evolved Talent - Diamond]

’The messages are different from the first time.’

’I guess that was pre-set for the first talent,’ Zach noted.

After receiving this message, a massive pulse of light and energy erupted from within Zach.

It swept through not just City Hall but across the entire state.

Houses were washed in the waves.

There was no destruction, but vibrations were felt.

Everyone was stunned and amazed despite barely seeing anything.

"You can open your eyes now," Zach stated.

They all did.

One reporter went to ask for a display, but before he could—

"Diamond Talent."

"No. 5."

Zach chanted.

He noticed a free area up ahead.

"Emerging Minerals."

He struck the ground in a cool action pose.

Tons of diamond erupted from the earth in the intended area.

This was unheard of.

Unseen.

"I’ll be a foundation," Zach said.

"It’ll take time."

"I’m barely seasoned."

"But I’ll be there to protect you."

"That will be all."

Zach wasn’t going to answer questions.

Roe had only waited behind because he, in fact, did want to answer a few.

They both left the stage through the back door, where someone seemed to have been waiting.

Morgana was furious.

She had contacted not one but several news outlets, providing them with questions to ask the SSS-rank mage.

She had intended to put him on the spot.

It seemed none of that would be happening.

Zach didn’t end abruptly because he wanted to dangle a power showcase and leave midway.

He couldn’t maintain himself anymore.

He was a C-rank mage.

In truth, what happened was that his reserves were completely depleted.

’I’ll need to work on this,’ he noted.

He could barely stand.

The emergence of the new talent had taken a lot out of him.

He didn’t know it yet, but this was different from the first time mostly because of a single reason.

The rank of the mage he had operated on.

That reporter was, in fact, A-rank.

The difference between him and Zach was much greater than the one between Zach and Max.

The synchronization had taken longer while expending Zach’s mana far more quickly.

He was right not to use Roe for the showcase.

The difference in their reserves was even more astronomical.

This he didn’t know.

He had dodged a bullet that could very well have ended his own life.

What he did know was that there was no Diamond Talent spell numbered five.

He had made that up on the spot to prevent questions.

He knew people would need answers.

He just didn’t have them.

They walked through the door.

Lot informed them that someone wanted to speak with them.

It was Vlad.

He escorted them downstairs.

"I’d like to pick your brains on something."

"Hope you don’t mind," he said.

Roe knew this was inevitable.

There was only one other energy-type mage besides himself who was known to be of significance.

It was Vlad.

He knew they’d eventually meet.

He just didn’t know if it would come in the form of a conversation or a brawl.

The three of them made their way downstairs.

Lot and the others stayed behind for a while as Lot thanked the producers.

"I’m sure you boys know who I am," Vlad said.

Roe knew.

Zach barely did.

So did the rest of the world.

Vlad.

S-rank mage.

Energy-Type Talent.

This was what the world knew.

’A possible facade,’ Roe had come to that conclusion not too long ago.

He was an energy type after all.

It had taken him a long time to put it together, but eventually he connected the dots.

’The only reason Vlad could effectively use his powers as an energy type would be if he was an SSS-ranker like myself.’

’I doubt he is, as I’m sure Merlin and his people wouldn’t have claimed I was the only one with the potential to rival Merlin.’

’This leaves only one thing on the table.’

’He’s a rank in between SSS-rank and S-rank.’

’He’s some sort of SS-rank mage.’