"Keep monitoring Azazel, especially that house"


    "I will contact you the moment if I find something amiss, Lord Lucifer" Azazel bowed his head.


    "Where are Aria and Dr?"


    "They are both cultivating in their rooms, Lord Lucifer. Do you wish to see them?"


    Michael shook his head, "No need. Nightmare, let''s go"


    He willed the system to activate the runic teleportation. In a few seconds, the space before them twisted as they felt the familiar sensation of being teleported.


    ***************************


    "I never get used to this feeling. '''' Nightmare shook his head to calm down his nerves. After being teleported, he felt like he was about to throw up. Fortunately, he learned to control this nasty sensation.


    Since Gaya destroyed their home, Michael had to leave a rune on arge oak tree near the construction site where his home used to be. There was no one working at the construction site as it seemed like early morning. The usual golden rays of sun on the horizon were nowhere to be seen. It was a chilly cloudy morning.


    On this cloudy morning, there were growing patches of blue, the sort of hue that was soft and bright at the same time. Though beneath the sheet of cloud was a gray that deepens to steel, the leading edge is a brilliant white, as if it were the pages of a new book ready for any curious eye. So, on this day that could bring rain or sunshine, he hoped for heavy rain because rain plus hot coffee always calmed his soul.


    In the sky, the clouds were arranged as neatly as child''s toys, scattered over blue, content to drift where they fell. The morning sun had the potential to bring a day as hot as yesterday, but those wonderful puffs of white radiated it back out into space. The air was cooler, the colors less vivid and all without a drop of rain.


    Nightmare shrunk his size just enough tofortably sit on Michael''s shoulder like a bird. He wrapped his tail around Michael''s neck for extra hold as well asfort. Walking out of the forest, he made his way to ire''s home.


    "Good Morning brother Ghost"


    "Good Morning Nightmare"


    Michael''s home was located near a green lush forest at the far end of the sect. It was rather a solitary ce just like Michael''s preference. Plus, it was built on a small hill so he had to walk the stairs to reach ire''s mansion. While climbing down the hill, he met several disciples in ck uniform who greeted them with the utmost respect in their eyes. Besides the disciples, the hill, the surrounding areas, and the staircase were filled with g poles. They hadn''t hoisted the gs yet but it seemed like the disciples were nning a huge celebration before the tournament.


    "Good morning" Michael greeted them back with a small smile. He could see they were looking around him for Gaya as she was always used to being near him.


    "Brother Ghost, we are betting on you to win"


    "The whole sect will be there, make us proud Brother Ghost"


    The disciples were extremely excited. They were brimming with smiles. Michael just nodded to their requests along the way to ire''s mansion.


    After reaching the most popted area of their sect where the most buildings were, in addition to a long line of carriages hooked to two to four horses, he saw several fancy carriages with pegasi in front.


    "One….two….three" He saw Ricky in the distance counting the carriages one by one. He had parchment and a quill in his hand as he marked something on the parchment every time he counted a carriage.


    "Young Master Ghost"


    "Young Master Ghost"


    "Look it''s a dragon"


    "Such a majestic creature"


    "Greetings Young Master Ghost"


    Along the way to Ricky, Michael was greeted by several men of various ages. They were the owners or the drivers of the carriages. They all bowed their heads slightly to show their respect to the youngest 5-star alchemist of Elon.


    "Oh Master Ghost, wee back" Ricky stopped counting the carriages to greet Michael.


    "What''s going on here?" Michael asked,


    "Sect Leader ire hired these carriages for the disciples and the elders, Master Ghost. We are alling to witness you and sister Aelia kick ass and take the championships" as Ricky speaks with excitement, his eyes searched behind Michael to locate Gaya.


    "Is everyoneing to Royalnd?"


    "You betcha Master Ghost. Oh," Ricky seemed like he had a sudden realization,


    "Lord Christopher is staying behind I think"


    "Where is Daniel?"


    "With Lady Raylene, today they are starting to cultivate thends near river town" Ricky''s eyes sparkled in delight as he was born in River town. If the river town was getting developed into a buzzling city, his family would have an even better life. With the sry he was getting from Ghost, Ricky''s family had already be one of the wealthiest families in the river town.


    Ricky was not a selfish person. Hence, he wanted the entire river town to be a rich city.


    "Carry on" Michael gave a pat on his back before resuming his journey to ire''s manor.


    "See youter Nightmare"


    "You too Ricky"


    Nightmare waved his hand while lying on Michael''s shoulder. The duo continued to get greetings from the carriages drivers and owners. When Michael came to ire''s manor, he saw several youngsters in rather raggedy clothes waiting in line before ire''s manor.


    "Hey look, it''s GHost!"


    "Shhh, don''t let him hear you"


    "Yeah call him brother Ghost like the others"


    It didn''t take a genius to see they were waiting to join the sect. They were pretty nervous.


    "Wee to the Sunrise sect, my fellow brothers and sisters"


    A few words from Michael made them shudder in shock. Soon, their nervousness transformed into unending delight. Their eyes sparkled.


    Although he knew ire was interviewing them, he wanted these poor kids to rx as ire never rejected anyone. If Michael was not a genius in Alchemy, he would have urged them toe up with a screening process to filter the youngsters ording to their talent. Since was a genius, he could provide them with potions and pills to make any mediocre youngster a genius.


    At the moment, the sect needed numbers the most if they were to be the best and the biggest in Elon. Moreover, they never expected a famous legend like him to actually talk to them instead of ignoring them. Most of their families spent fearing the nobles while developing an inferiorityplex. Therefore, when he talked to them, many couldn''t believe what was happening as their minds went nk.


    "We''ll talkter. Again, wee to the Sunrise? sect"


    Michael patted a few youngsters who were standing in front of their shoulders. He then walked into ire''s manor, leaving the youngsters bbergasted with his presence.


    [Ding! Congrattions to the host for sessfully being a badass. The reward is 200 badass points]


    [Ding! Congrattions to the host for sessfully being a badass. The reward is 300 badass points]


    ...


    Just interacting with the newbies provided him with almost 3000 badass points. He didn''t talk to them for badass points, he did because that felt right at the moment.


    Entering ire''s manor, he made his way to the hall where he saw Elder Sandra and Elder Reiner conducting the interview. Elder Sandra nodded when she saw him while Elder Reiner waved at him with a wide grin on his face. The young girl who was being interviewed kept staring at him with her mouth wide open. In her eyes, he was the most handsome guy she had ever seen.


    "Sect Leader ire is in the west study room"


    "Thank you Elder '''' Michael didn''t linger around to raise the young girl''s heartbeat.


    "Go straight and take the next right" Nightmare guided Michael to the study room. This mansion of ire had a total of eight rooms not including the two rooms for the indoor garden.


    Nightmare spent most of his time with ire when he was not with Michael. Therefore, he knew the house like the back of his hand. Through the brightly lit corridor, he reached the study room to be weed by a rather odd-looking room. In his mind after hearing the word study room, he imagined the room to have dull-looking paint, several book racks filled with books, scrolls as well asrge tables. At that moment, he felt like he entered the Barbie world. The walls were painted with a subtle pink paint, that was neither too bright nor too dull. There was a single bed on the corner with two-four feet flower vases on each side. In the center of the room, he saw a round table. Even the book racks were painted in pinkish color. Several books were neatly stacked on top of each other on the table. ire was reading a book while Olivia was writing something on a parchment.


    "Teacher" Olivia was the first to notice Michael standing in the doorway.


    "Is this a study room or a girls'' room?" Michael dragged a chair before sitting backward on the chair. Seeing ire, Nightmare bounced off from his shoulder to ire''s shoulder. He nudged his head against ire''s cheek, giving her wet kisses.


    "Hiya little guy" ire stopped reading the book to y with Nightmare.


    "Ask ire. She was the one sleeping here instead of her room"? Olivia giggled.


    "Where is your other half teacher?" in her jolly mood, Olivia asked. She pretended like she''s searching around Michael.


    "She''s gone" the joyful smile on Olivia''s face instantly disappeared after hearing him.


    "Not gone gone, she went to take care of something important to her"


    "Without you?" ire frowned. ire knew the bond between the two of them. They were like joined in the hips, inseparable. Even when Aelia was not with him, she would always talk about him and the fun they had together. ire couldn''t even remember thest time Aelia talked about something that didn''t involve Ghost.


    Just a few days ago, Aelia even asked questions rted to engagement to her and Raylene. Suddenly hearing her leaving Michael stunned ire.


    ire couldn''t care less if Aelia was unable topete in the tournament, she just didn''t want the two of them to break their wonderful rtionship.