《God's Slave: Reincarnated Into an Academy of Heavenly Descendants》


 Chapter 1: Slavery In Modernity

    STEP. CREAAK.


    STEP. CREEAK.


    STEP. CREEAK.


    The sound of footsteps echoed, apanied by the agonizing groan of the wooden floor.


    Judging from the tempo, it seemed to be that of someone just a step away from a full run.


    Quickly, it closed in until it came to a sudden, abrupt stop.


    KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.


    Three knocks sounded¡ªnot too loud, but far from quiet¡ªon the metallic door, followed by a few seconds of silence. Finally, after thirty seconds of waiting, it came.


    "Come in..."


    It was a gruff voice, one that could only belong to a military veteran approaching seventy years of age.


    The doorknob twisted under the pressure of a pale white hand, a clink resounding through the silence before the door opened.


    He walked in.


    The room was fairlyrge, dominated by a central desk that took up about a third of the space.


    It was covered with unarranged, rusty-looking books, old-battered hardcovers withrge brown covers, and envelopes.


    Most noticeable of all was the fat, bulky figure sitting behind the desk, his legs crossed over each other and the table.


    A faint squeaking sound rang out from the wheeled chair he sat on.


    Between his middle fingers was a fat cigarette, from which he tookrge puffs, releasing the smoke from his hairy nostrils and dark, hard lips.


    "You called for me, Sir Murdermoon." The tone was respectful, as crisp as the morning breeze in a tendered garden of green.


    "Ahhhh," a loud exhale followed as the fat figure finally opened his eyes, revealing bloodshot eyes with red veins and seemingly lifeless, but soon a smile widened on his face.


    A sickening and cunning one.


    "Nn, my boy. You look just as pale as ever. Having quite the good time, aye?" he said, his tone a mix of mockery and surprise as he looked at the figure before him.


    It was the familiar figure of an average-looking young man with dirty ck hair and a dust-covered face.


    Even through it, one could still see his extraordinarily white face, which was simply beyond normal and could only be described as pale.


    Dusty white shirt with various patches, and baggy brown jeans¡ªhe looked just like the ordinary factory worker on a Wednesday duty.


    "You also look pale as well. Might be safe to say you''re having quite the good time too, Sire." Nn responded, sounding as respectful as ever in his country German tone, which elicitedughs from others around the ce.


    "Hahahahaha..." Just as expected, the man burst into loudughter, which quickly shifted into wheezing and coughing as he choked on the cigarette smoke.


    But he soon stopped himself and pressed the smoke on a te, extinguishing the mes.


    Murdermoon knew well not to have such a thing on him while speaking to Nn.


    One might copse fromughter listening to him and die if they choked on his cigarette.


    He might be closing in on his death soon enough, but he still prayed every night for a few more years.


    "You really are doing good, Nn. Thank you for thepliment."


    "The problem is, just that I''m an Irishman and should be white-looking. To be pale for me is to be sick, you understand..."


    "I''m very sorry for my wording then, Sire..."


    "Nah, it''s fine... I called you here for something important." He waved it off, and Nn looked at him with his broody eyes, hoping in his mind that it wasn''t what he was expecting.


    It was the same hope that never got fulfilled, not even once.


    "Congrattions, I have decided to ce you in charge of the Sector E mining area."


    ''ce me in charge or make me ve harder for your dirty organization...'' Nn thought, yet with no visible change in expression on his face.


    "Might I remind you, Sire, that I am currently in charge of Sector A, D, F, G, U, and J mining sectors. Three times more than any worker in this organization.


    My working hours are three times more than anyone here.


    Also, I am the lowest-paid worker in the organization currently."


    "So?" Mr. Murdermoon responded without as much as a single change in his expression.


    "So, I hope the organization might let me pass this position and give it to someone better than me." Hepleted, looking straight into Sir Murdermoon''s eyes unflinchingly, even as he stared hard at him for a few passing seconds.


    "Ahhh," with a disappointed sigh, Sir Murdermoon took his legs off the table before sitting upright and staring dead straight at Nn.


    "You know, Nn, your bastard of a father embezzled funds close to 30% of our entire organization''s capital and ran away with it, leaving only you and your mother alone."


    Just a few years ago, the organization, ording to protocol, had no choice but to make sure that amount was paid by your father''s family, which is you and your mother.


    Your mother declined any association with you and your father, and then all the responsibility was ced on your head..." Sir. Murdermoon began, studying Nn''s expression, which had no visible change at all.


    "Normally, we would have been forced to throw you in jail for your living years due to yourck, but we decided to be merciful and instead proposed a merciful deal."


    Can you remind me of that, Nn?" Sir. Murdermoon asked.


    "I am to work for thepany as a coal miner, and 80% of the money goes to the debt my father owed, and 10% of the rest is to be paid to me as wages.


    It would take a total of 60 years of work for the organization to finally pay off my debt and be free once more..." Nn recited out loud the lines of the ''merciful'' contract given to him exactly 15 years ago.


    It was what had changed his life, officially making him a ve in the modern world.


    "Correct. Isn''t that better than spending your entire life in jail for a crime you didn''tmit? We were being nice to a kid, Nn."


    "And now you are trying to shy away from your rightful responsibilities? Isn''t that what you''re trying to do, Nn?" He asked him, as Nn''s fist automatically clenched tightly within his palm.


    "Luckily for you, the organization has decided to be merciful to you. You have worked 15 out of your 60 years, remaining a total of 45 left."


    "This contract here says if you take this responsibility, five years would be canceled away for you, meaning you will only have to work for just 40 years more before you finally get your freedom..." He said, bringing out a contract and cing it in front of Nn, then cing a pen on it.


    "The choice is yours, Nn. ept the responsibility and save yourself five years more, or remain headstrong and suffer for more years. What do you say, aye?"


    "Tch."

 Chapter 2: A Grave Mishap...

    The evening sun began its descent, casting a fiery orange glow through the drifting clouds.


    Exiting the grand-looking Coal Elementals Organization was none other than Nn, with his one-armed bag slung over his shoulder.


    Now, he was better dressed, donning a clean blue shirt with just a couple of patches and baggy white jeans he had inherited from his father.


    Fortunately, the organization had fairly good cleaning facilities that ensured its workers were as clean as they could be before leaving.


    All of it was none other than a ploy to hide the real dirtiness of whaty within the organization.


    "Hey, Null!" A voice called out from afar as Nn stopped and turned back, sighting a bearded man dressed in a security uniform waving at him.


    "Here..." he said, and in the next instant, a key was sent soaring toward him,nding in Nn''s palms.


    "Help me out tomorrow, will ya?" the man said as Nn nodded before pocketing the key and continuing on his way.


    Since he was always the first person to arrive at the organization, the security guard gave him the key to the gate so he could open it earlier.


    It saved the guard a couple of hours to spend with his family, so Nn had simply shrugged and epted the duty, as it didn''t affect him.


    For the past five years, he had also taken on the job of the morning gate opener.


    His mind tried drifting to the exchange that happened between him and Mr. Murdermoon, his boss, but Nn pushed the thoughts down.


    "Forty-five years, forty years? Like it even matters..." he muttered, clicking his tongue.


    The average working years of the most desperate coal miner in the organization was just three years.


    No coal miner ever lived to the age of 70!


    The work was grueling, and the chemical effects of the job were life-sucking.


    He was 25 years old and had 40 more years to work before he could retire.


    That meant he would be working until he was 65, and he suffered the effects of coal mining three times more than the best coal miner.


    It would be a miracle if he survived until the age of 40!


    So what''s the mention of 75 years?


    Nn already knew he would forever be a corporate ve until his death.


    He had epted that fate years ago, which was why it made no sense to him whether he lost or gained five more years.


    He had simply signed the contract.


    If he didn''t, he would have antagonized the higher-ups, and who knew how they would make his already difficult life even harder?


    The thoughts of running away had crossed his mind often, but he knew it was a futile endeavor. They would eventually find him and make him work even harder.


    As for the thought of simply ending his life since his fate was bleak anyway, he wasn''t bold enough to put his neck in the noose, no matter how hard he tried.


    And so, he had been stuck in this loop, probably eternally.


    CRACKLE.


    The loud sound of thunder crackling resounded, followed by the heavens pouring down their tears.


    Everyone quickly brought out their umbres, and some got into cabs to protect themselves from the rain.


    But Nn simply shrugged it off and continued his walk, ignoring the pitiful stares from others.


    Soon, he was thoroughly drenched in rain, which poured even harder, but he continued on his way.


    After about an hour and thirty minutes of walking, night had fallen, and there was no moon in the sky, making things slightly darker.


    Finally, a bit of a smile showed up on Nn''s face as he crossed the street and walked toward an alleyway where a figure sat.


    An old man, sitting on an animal skin, with a bowl in front of him.


    One nce revealed he was a beggar, and the small extended ceiling of the house he sat under protected him from the rain.


    From three meters away, the man turned his eyes straight toward Nn, a small smile like Nn''s appearing on his face.


    Finally, Nn stood before him, dipping his hand into his pocket and bringing out the notes.


    It was his daily pay, his 10% wage. He bent to the empty te and ced the money inside it, just like he always did, before rising up.


    But something unusual happened as his hand was suddenly caught by the old beggar, and he couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at that.


    It hadn''t happened in close to seven years now.


    It had always been a simple thank you exchange before Nn continued on his path.


    "I...I...want...to give you...a...gift..." the old man struggled to say. It seemed he had a speech disorder.


    "Oh," Nn mused as he watched the old man release his hand before dipping it into his pocket and pulling out a folded letter.


    With shaking hands and a bowed head, he handed Nn the letter, and without much thought, Nn took it and stood up, continuing on his path.


    Ten minutes passed, and Nn''s mind settled as he felt closer to home.


    While thepany seized everything from his father, they surprisingly left him his home and even filled it with food for him.


    It was surprising to him why thepany did that, but there was also chance of them simply being scared he might die of malnourishment, which would impede his work.


    That was most likely the reason why they had done so for him.


    It was also the reason why Nn had never needed the wages given to him, choosing to always pass it to the old beggar instead.


    That finally reminded him of the gift he received from the old beggar.


    Dipping his hand into his pocket, Nn brought the letter out, quickly unfolding it.


    Suddenly, he felt the hair rise at the back of his head as he turned his gaze to the far side.


    It was pitch ck, but he could swear he heard the sound of screeching tires on the asphalt ground. As he narrowed his eyes, his face massively changed.


    Quickly turning back and trying to move away, he was simply too slow. A bright light shed in his eyes at thest second, and then...


    BANG!


    A force hit Nn with so much power, he was rapidly sent flying to the side amidst the sound of truck ss shattering and then...


    RIP!


    Something hot tore through Nn''s chest, as iron found its way toward his throat followed by...


    BLEURG!


    Blood poured out of his lips as he looked down at himself in horror.


    Right now, sticking out from his chest was a sharp spike that impaled him through, tearing exactly through his heart.


    The blood wouldn''t stop flowing out of his lips and he wound in his chest.


    Just to the side, he could see the one who caused it.


    A truck had crashed into a house, on its side, with mes quickly appearing over it, brightening up the area.


    "Guess everything finally ends here. Should I even be happy or sad..."


    Nn whispered amidst the blood raining down, and in thest second of his life, he turned his attention to his right hand, where he could still feel the tight grasp of the letter.


    With the light from the burning truck, he read its content as life slowly slipped off his body.


    Quickly, the expression of mockery on his face disappeared, followed by a dazed look, and then he smiled brightly¡ªthe brightest smile he had ever had since he was born.


    The letter slowly drifted from his hands as his head slowly dropped.


    "I guess it was all worth it in the end..." he mused silently to himself, his eyes rying the content of what had been written in the letter...

 Chapter 3: Heartwarming Letter and Celestials Battle

    "Dear Good Samaritan,


    This letter has been written by my son, as I am not well-versed in writing, but I hope it conveys my deepest gratitude. For seven long years, my son has been suffering from a disease that has left him in a painf. My younger daughter also needed an operation for an ectopic pregnancy after a traumatic assault.


    Since then, both my daughter and grandson have been unable to enjoy life, and the money the doctors are requesting for their treatment is far beyond my capabilities.


    This is what led me to begging.


    I want to inform you that the money you have unfailingly given me for seven years now has changed our lives. My son, who was in aa for seven years, has woken up and helped write the content of this letter. My daughter sessfully had her baby three days ago and came home to me justst night, safe and sound with her baby boy.


    Words cannot describe the emotions I feel towards what you have done for me and my family. Now, I am happily united with my son and my daughter, along with her handsome baby, whom we named Nn. I have learned that you are called Nn by the people in the organization.


    Thank you for saving my family from unimaginable despair. I hope you also find peace in your life, just as I have in mine.


    Thank you, thank you very much."


    ----------


    Ever since he had been born, Nn couldn''t say his life had ever been peaceful.


    His father was a coal miner and a drunkard, and his mother was a well-renowned whore. Neither ever had time for him, and the only thing he often heard most was the sound of their quarreling.


    Just at his tenth birthday, he had been thrown into the coal mining industry with the fate of working for 60 years in very.


    Nothing had been bright for him, and he knew more than anyone that his life was truly meaningless.


    He had always known the quote about everyone being blessed with the gift of life, but very few people actually getting to live it.


    Many people find it hard toprehend, but not Nn.


    He was the exact definition of it.


    He was alive, but there was no difference between him and a dead person.


    Yet, right now, as hey there, a stake out of his chest and life slipping away from him, he felt like he was the most fulfilled person in the world.


    He had used his seemingly useless life to save another man''s.


    And not just a single man, but a son, a daughter, and a grandson.


    Now he felt it. His purpose in life. And he knew well he had sessfullypleted it.


    "Perhaps, it was all worth it in the end..." Those were hisst words as his head slumped, and thest vestige of life finally floated away.


    _______________________


    "How sad of a life...." The voice rang through the pitch-ck void of space where a milky white ball, along with millions of others, floated onto a golden white step that disappeared into the far distance of the void.


    In the next instant...


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP


    An incredibly loud sound of the void being torn apart rang out, and a single gigantic eyeball, thousands of kilometers in radius, appeared in the ripped open space, looking through it.


    Instantly, it settled onto the sphere where Nn''s soul bally, and in the next instant, the voice rang out loud and clear...


    "Come to me, dear one..."


    Like amand that could not be refused, Nn''s soul ball floated from the multitude of white balls toward the gigantic eyeball.


    "YOU DARE, YOU BASTARD!!!" The loud roar boomed through the entire void of the underworld as a figure appeared instantly in front of Nn''s soul, his devilish ws wrapping over it, but suddenly...


    BAAAAAAANG


    Green Lightning smashed into the hand, causing it to jerk backward as the enormous devilish figure of pure red skin was tossed back like nothing.


    Finally, stopping his backward motion, his blood-red eyes stared down at the single eye in the sky, which held nothing but mockery and disdain.


    "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING, LOKI!!" the devilish figure roared out loud, a gigantic red spear appearing in the next instant, as he prepared to take off to the sky...


    "Why must you be so loud, Yama!? I bet I can hear your damn voice echoing in my head a thousand times already..."


    "Shut up, you bloody bastard. You are the one invading my workspace here, you are the problem!" Yama roared out back in anger as a few clicks resounded.


    "Isn''t your job to determine whether a soul should go to hell or be reincarnated? We both know this mortal soul is a good one, and he will definitely get reincarnated.


    I''m just giving you a helping hand, you horned idiot..." Loki responded with a snort.


    "I don''t need your bloody help in a million years now and I won''t need it in a million yearster.


    Also, that is the reincarnation path he is supposed to go through, and we all know any other path leads elsewhere.


    So what exactly are you trying to do? His rightful ce is back to Earth!" Yama roared back, not willing to take a single step back.


    He knew well what kind of god Loki was and that he was definitely up to no good!


    "Oh? What if I tell you he doesn''t belong to Earth but our world instead?"


    "What the bloody hell are you nning again, Loki!?" Yama said in exasperation.


    "Look, you horned idiot. Look into his soul, what do your blind eyes see?" Loki called out to him as Yama shook his head and could only agree to his stupid request.


    As his eyes stared at the soul, he could see his entire life ying and not a single expression appeared on Yama''s face.


    Only one word: "Unlucky!"


    But as he kept looking at the figure, he finally saw something strange, and the deeper he stared, the more shocked he became...


    "He...he...he carried that god blood!!!?" Yama screamed out, but before he could say another word, Nn''s soul quickly flew up and entered Loki''s space, entering one of the runic lines in his eyes.


    "Wait, Loki! You still need the authorization of Psyche before you can take away a bloody soul! And where he gets reincarnated to is in her hands, not yours!" Yama protested, resulting in a sigh from Loki.


    "Just tell her I owe her one. And you damn well know where I''m sending him. I''ll pay it back to you sometime, Yama. Thank you.


    And have fun in the otherworld, eh?" Loki whispered before the crack in the sky disappeared, taking Nn''s soul with him.


    "Tch, there better not be a next time!" Yama grumbled before he also disappeared into thin air, returning back to his post.

 Chapter 4: Reincarantion: Dawn Of A New Beginning

    "Ahhhhhhhhh!"


    A loud gasp tore through the unsettling darkness as crimson and astral blue eyes snapped open, followed by a loud exhale.


    BAAADUUUMP


    BAAADDUUMP


    The sound of the chest thumping loudly resounded through the darkness, its intensity increasing, and with it, the body jerked up to its butt, staring around the area.


    "Is... is this heaven?" Nn wondered in shock as he looked at the darkness around him.


    It wasn''t what he expected heaven to look like at all, and the only ce he could think of made his heart thump even faster.


    "Don''t tell me I''m in hell!?" he asked in shock.


    But quickly, Nn''s ears perked up as he heard a faint voice and turned his head upwards, seeing a hole in the sky.


    "No... no. I''m... I''m in a pit!" Nn affirmed to himself as he rose to his feet, but in the next instant, he unconsciously fell to the ground, smashing his face and bloodying it.


    "My legs are broken," he mused to himself, but then it dawned on him.


    He knew well it was the truck that killed him, but he was also sure the truck never broke his legs. So just how did he now have broken legs?


    In the next instant, Nn began thinking, and quickly, his hands clutched at his head as his teeth bit his lips hard.


    The memories. They were like a loud hammer mming through his head unforgivingly, but he quickly picked up this image.


    "I... I was reincarnated into the body of Nn?" he mused.


    "Reincarnated! Reincarnated!?" he asked repeatedly.


    The trope of reincarnation was from those stories that he read when he was around 8 to 9 years old.


    They were his sce through his best days, and even though they were quite expensive, his drunkard of a father never ever refused him money, not even once.


    And so, Nn had been able to buy coins for the stories on the app called Webnovel and even donate Super Gifts for the author of his most favorite ones.


    But he actually got reincarnated! How was that even real?


    What came was an incredible joy that wanted to make him scream out loud, but the memories that appeared after made his face rapidly pale as he recognized just what had led him into this pit.


    He was meant to be dead, killed by his ssmates!


    And right now, his two legs had been broken and his liver had burst. He needed to immediately find help or he would die soon.


    "Fuck, I won''t die just after getting my new chance..." Nn swore angrily and immediately his eyes locked onto thedder that led up to the hole in the sky.


    His legs were broken so he couldn''t walk, but that can''t stop Nn. He had been through much as a coal miner for 15 years!


    Quickly, on his weak arms, he began crawling towards thedder, and after much struggle, he reached it and slowly dragged himself up.


    The arms he currently had were incredibly weak, and he could see cuts on them, borrowing light from the hole in the sky.


    There was no way those tiny sticks called hands could carry him all the way there.


    But Nn bit down on his teeth and grabbed the railings before climbing up.


    "Finally. My freedom, finally!!!" The thought kept ringing in his head, causing blood to pump harder and harder, and adrenaline quickly kicked in for him.


    Nn never knew how it was possible, but with his weak arms, he managed to drag himself up thedder and finally, his hand grabbed the edge of the hole where he sessfully pulled himself up.


    Exhaustion quickly began catching up as he breathed out loudly, heaving through his nose and mouth, but he didn''t let that stop him.


    Quickly, the memories shed by and he picked one of them, the one that had just what he wanted.


    "The hospital is not that far..."


    The realization hit him, and while Nn could hear voices in the opposite direction.


    ''Perhaps, I should go to them and ask them to help me to the hospital. It would be faster than having to crawl there myself....'' Nn reasoned, but in the next instant, his hands moved and he began dragging himself forward towards the direction of the hospital and away from the voices.


    In his past life, he had received no help at all and he wouldn''t delude himself that anyone would help him.


    What if he walked there and they ignored him?


    He would have wasted precious breath and might die before he could reach the ce. That was too much to risk.


    With that, he quickly began his journey, climbing through steps and grasses, and soon he approached the hospital.


    "Thank God!" Nn said as he sighted a few young men anddies on his path, and from afar he called out to them.


    "Please! Please help me... to the hospital!!!" he screamed out, and fortunately, the three young men were the first to take off, running towards him with grave expressions on their faces.


    "Hey, are you okay!?" they asked in concern as one of them moved to help raise him up but stopped at thest second as he felt his friend''s hand on his shoulder.


    "He''s bleeding out cold, Dorata. He needs help..." The young man screamed out, wanting to shrug off the hold until the voice came from his second friend.


    "Can''t you see who he is, that''s Nn. That piece of trash!"


    "Huh?" With furrowed eyebrows, the young man stared back at Nn''s face, and realization dawned before slowly he backed off andughed out loud in mockery.


    "Tch, I guess you got roughened up quite badly by Quinn again. I''m not surprised though.


    "Your life would only be hell if you survived again, so just die, okay?" he whispered to him before they allughed and walked off.


    With a dumb gaze, Nn stared at them as they left, the mockingughter ringing in his brain for some time, unable to process it.


    "I am dying and they areughing it off. Is this a joke?" he wondered in shock, but the pain in his leg woke him up, and without wasting a single more second, Nn kept dragging himself until finally, he arrived before the door of the hospital and knocked with hisst bit of energy.


    STEP... STEP... STEP...


    The sound of footsteps was what Nn heardst before he finally fell t on his face, exhausting thest bit of energy within him.


    "Well, well, what do we have here?"

 Chapter 5: Awakening

    The showering light rays from the ceiling were the first thing that awakened Nn from his slumber.


    They poured onto his face like golden sun rays in the early morning, and the vision was enough to dazzle him for quite a few seconds.


    But quickly, his grogginess cleared up, and he slowly sat up.


    Looking around him, he could see he was in a ce that looked like a hospital room, but without the usual bits of wires; it simply seemed like a mini-room, and he was lying on the bed.


    Raising his hands to his arms, the white light from the crystal above the ceiling showered its rays on him, and he unconsciously clenched hard within his palms, unfurling and furling once more.


    "I''m really alive. I live... again," he thought with exasperation as his eyes moistened, but he reigned in the feeling of crying out the tears.


    He couldn''t believe how he was given a second chance, but quickly, his mind was starting to register the feeling of having been given a second chance.


    "Could it have been due to me helping that man?" he mused to himself, remembering hisst memories of his life on Earth.


    But that didn''t matter much.


    He was now alive, and that was all he needed.


    "That said, this ce..." Nn mused to himself as he rose from the bed, stepping onto the ground.


    With a feel of his bearing, he rose to his feet before walking toward the milky-white ss that was hung over at the other end of the room.


    Arriving before it, he could finally see his own reflection and the scene of it, one which felt alien yet familiar to him.


    It was a young man around the age of 16.


    He possessed an oval-shaped face, milky white and could be referred to as quite handsome.


    His right eye was a strange color with sharp crimson pupils, reminiscent of a fiery raging beast, while the second left eye was an astral blue-colored gem that gave off a vibrant light, a direct contrast to his right one.


    His hair was snowy white and flowy, falling over his shoulder.


    On Earth, the young man before him would be one of those young masters ofrge corporations or a world-renowned model, judging from his beauty.


    But what was eye-raising was the fact that the young man was currently half naked, and on his body, Nn could see various marks.


    They had healed up, but they were still there¡ªthe stubborn scars that held on, unwilling to be erased.


    Feeling the scars, Nn closed his eyes, and his hand trailed over them.


    Immediately, memories began washing into his brain, and he quickly came to the realization of who had done it.


    The answer brought him close to tears.


    They were cuts andsh marks inflicted by other pupils onto Nn himself.


    "What did you do wrong..." The faint whisper came out from Nn''s lips, and once more, memories flowed, this time in arge amount, and he finally understood the reasons for the injustice.


    It was a simple reason.


    The body he inherited was... cursed!


    The world where he currently was is vastly different from the world he knew.


    This world held a strange source of power that has been learned to be harnessed by the people.


    And in this world, what was greatly valued was one''s bloodline and Mythological Descent.


    The Nn that he was in was a member of the Greek Mythological Descent, even though his real Mythological god was unknown to him.


    The Greek Mythological Descent could be said to be the strongest in this world, but still, Nn got bullied by everyone he walked by, and the reason was very simple.


    While Mythological Descent was important, what was even more important was the energy called Divine Essence.


    Everyone in this world possessed it and could use it in a certain form.


    The same could be said about Nn.


    He also had Divine Essence, but unfortunately, Nn had no ess to his Divine Essence.


    He couldn''t control it, and what was even mind-numbing was the fact that Nn had a weird constitution that made others able to take control of his Divine Essence beyond his own will!


    Divine Essence that could only be used to improve the abilities possessed had very different uses for Nn.


    Not only could others manipte his Divine Essence, but they could even steal his Divine Essence for themselves.


    They could take it out of his body using it to empower themselves and also control it within his own body to harm him.


    The marks on his body were made from a whip that had been formed by his own Divine Essence and had been used to whip him by his bullies.


    Without being able to control his own Divine Essence and others being able to absorb his Divine Essence and use it, Nn had quickly turned into a weak piece of trash in a world that valued strength above everything else.


    The body he was in right now had gone through literal hell.


    Others could make him fall by simply manipting his Divine Essence and messing with the flow, and they could harm him by conjuring things from his own Divine Essence.


    They could make him instantly weak by simply absorbing all his Divine Essence and rendering him helpless.


    Essentially, he was useless, and his only use of his power was helping others be more powerful to harm him even more.


    The memories of the endless bullies flowed harder and harder until Nn himself had his fingers dug into his palms.


    He could feel the injustice that the body he was in had suffered.


    The reason why he had died was because one of his bullies had taken things too far and whipped him and cut him up until he could no longer take it and died.


    Then he was thrown into the pit to rot away.


    That was how Nn had been able to fuse with the body.


    "Tch, bastards!" He said grinding his teeth together.


    None could better rte than Nn himself.


    The bitting feeling of Supression.


    It was something his soul hated most deeply and the feeling caused a fiery rage to bloom through him.


    But just as quickly as the fiery rage came, it dispersed from his heart.


    ''I can''t afford to lose my head to rage or it''ll only repeat itself again. I''m still powerless to resist. What I need to do is a find a way.


    Don''t worry Nn, I''ll make sure your body will never feel this again..." Nn promised to his other twin soul, with eyes closed, and his heart brimming with conviction.


    And that was when it came.


    [DING!!]

 Chapter 6: Encounter With Celestial Heirs

    "Uh?"


    The sudden ringing and influx of light shed before Nn''s face as he furrowed his eyebrows while knittly staring at the strange golden lines that were slowly shaping together in the air before him.


    In the next instant, his head jerked to the side as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.


    CLINK.


    In the next moment, the door was pulled open, and a figure walked in, finding Nn sitting on his bed.


    "You''re awake?" That was the first thing she asked the petrified-looking Nn.


    Right now, Nn wanted to scream out his lungs at the anomaly before him, but the memories of the person being one of the numerous Celestial Heirs stopped him.


    She was ady with green-colored skin, green-colored eyes, and green-colored hair reaching her back.


    She wore a whiteb coat over a smart-looking and luxuriously made t-shirt and trousers, and she had spectacles on her face along with a pen and a book.


    Behind her, Nn could see the dangling green tail, making his heart chill within himself, but he quickly forced down his urge to run and responded calmly.


    "Yes, I am fine, doctor. Thank you very much for saving my life," he said.


    Emerald, of course, noticed Nn''s strange behavior and his seemingly petrified state as he looked at her.


    She could hear how hard his heart was thumping and see the sweat dripping down the back of his neck.


    That made her pause and look at him intensely for a while.


    ''Was he thinking I would try to harm him too? Poor guy,'' she thought.


    "Now that you''re feeling okay, I''m afraid you''ll have to resume sses. You''ve been absent for 7 days now..."


    ''I''ve been unconscious for seven days!? Guess I really did take quite the beating...'' To the additional info, he knew she was just being polite and requesting him to leave the hospital.


    "Very well then. Is there some fee I am required to pay?" Nn asked as he rose and gently weaved past her, with a smile on his face.


    "No, you don''t have to. The academy pays for everything," Emerald responded.


    ''Not like you can, anyway...''


    "Okay then. See you around, doctor. Hopefully, I''m not here anytime soon to bother you again. Hahaha..." Nn said with a half-hearted smile before quickly scurrying off from the monster.


    Left alone in the room, Emerald stood there with a raised eyebrow.


    "Is that really Nn, the trash? He looks...different from how they described him? Smiling and being humorous. Maybe he got hit in the head too hard this time."


    ____________________


    On exiting the door, Nn navigated through the various hallways before finally exiting the passageway.


    In front of him was an extrarge lobby filled only with staff who were all just chatting.


    The hospital had no scene of people being wheeled around or any patients of that kind. It was almostpletely deserted.


    But searching in his memories, he realized the reason for that.


    The Academy Hospital was made for the students only.


    They were all Celestial Heirs, capable of healing any wounds within minutes, and grievous ones might only require a short nap before fading awaypletely.


    They all had natural regeneration due to their divine essence and could therefore heal any wounds.


    The only anomaly was Nn, and therefore he had also be the regr customer of the hospital.


    It was hrious yet ironic at the same time.


    The staff only gave him one look before removing their eyes and continuing their conversation, and Nn also continued to the exit.


    He quickly opened the heavy ss door after much exertion and finally left the confines.


    ''Damn, who makes a hospital door so damn heavy...'' he grumbled in his head before turning to look at his surroundings.


    His jaw simply dropped to the ground at the sight.


    Right now, he felt like he was an ant in a world of gods.


    Before him were extremelyrge structures that could rival skyscrapers in pure size and height.


    Some of the buildings were made from pure jade, while some gigantic ones were made from pure gold.


    The various buildings had strange designs, some shaped like various animals, while others had various symbols and extrarge statues integrated into the building itself.


    It was an embodiment of otherworldly luxury with jaw-dropping design.


    Right now, he felt he was in an ancient world, yet one thousands of times more developed than the one he previously lived in.


    "Beaten so hard you are amazed by the buildings, eh, Nn? Just what the hell did Quinn even do to you this time, Hahahahahaha," theugh rang out as Nn turned his head to the side where a trio could be seen jesting at him as they walked over.


    Nn''s heart, against his control, suddenly began spiraling, a sign he took as fear.


    But the strange thing was he himself wasn''t afraid.


    In such a scenario, he could only guess that it was his body''s natural reaction anytime he was approached.


    The previous Nn was very weak at heart, but that was more than understandable.


    "Or maybe there is some certain type of beauty to every structure that is quite dazzling to the eyes, aye?" Nn responded back as soon as they arrived before him, turning to look at another structure designed in the shape of a raven about to take off.


    "Huh?" A slight sound left Alfred''s lips, finding it more than surprising that the trash dared respond back to him and wasn''t pleading for mercy yet.


    He was about to grab him when Nn turned his head to the other person beside him and asked.


    "What do you think, eh?" he asked, pointing to the extra gigantic gold structure that towered above the other structures in the ce.


    The structure was so big it dwarfed others, arresting attention, and the same could be said of Jayden''s, who also turned to look at the structure.


    "Quite magnificent, I think. It''s a Greek structure, after all..." Jayden unconsciously replied, but his eyes also narrowed in the next instant.


    Did Nn just ask him a question, and he felt interested enough to answer!?


    "Whatever," a louder voice boomed out as the one in the middle, a young man of 2 meters in pure height and with a muscle that would put an earth''s bodybuilder to shame came to stand a few inches before Nn, before hisrge hands moved and sped tightly on his shoulder.

 Chapter 7: Unfair Treatments...

    BAAAAMM


    CREAAK


    Nn felt his shoulder bones creaking from the horrific pressure thatid under the weight of thoserge arms.


    It was like an extrarge mountain was suddenly thrown onto his shoulder, making him shudder on his feet.


    ''How? How can a hand weigh so much!?'' Nn thought to himself silently in shock, but his face remained as stoic as ever, as he resisted the pressure of the arms under his trembling body.


    "You know Nn, Quinn had been singing the praise of him having finally gotten rid of you throughout the entirety ofst week."


    "But now that you''re standing before me, hale and hearty, that would mean he is wrong and therefore a liar."


    "A very big shame to his name, and you know what Quinn will do to you this time, right?" he said with an evil grin filled with mockery.


    ''Tch,''


    "He''s going to make sure you go through hell, and this time, you won''t be returning no matter how lucky your luck is, isn''t that right?" Goropleted, wanting desperately to see the horror sh in Nn''s eyes.


    Unfortunately, he received none, and that made him tighten his grasp on Nn''s shoulder, wanting something from him.


    Even a wince in pain would do to satisfy his ego.


    "And you know what I find amusing?" Nn suddenly asked in return, resulting in an eyebrow raise from Goro.


    Without moving, he watched as Nn inched toward him, his mouth moving to the side of his ear.


    "How do you think Quinn will feel when he sees that his prey, which he hurt his ego over, had first been defiled by you?


    Too weakened by another person to be a worthy entertainment.


    You know what Quinn will do to anyone who dares hurt his ego and awaken his ire, don''t you?


    "There are quite a few gazes on us right now and I''m pretty sure some of them know your name."


    "You really want to risk offending Quinn for your mini-satisfaction of seeing me wince in pain?" Nn asked, slowly and calmly, making sure every word sank in as clear as they could.


    He smirked when he felt the pressure on his shoulder instantly reduced.


    As Goro listened to those words, which could also be described as a threat, he had no choice but to agree.


    If Quinn really learned he had previously injured Nn, after he had dered Nn was his to prey, then he might just have Quinn''s angered eyes turned to him, and that would do him no good in this academy.


    Quinn was a person to be greatly feared, not just due to his background but also due to his power.


    He wasn''t a person who he could mess with yet.


    CRAAASSSH


    BAAAAM


    The entire world shed and Nn felt himself crashing onto his butt from a rough push from Goro.


    "Count yourself lucky, trash...." he said to him, spitting at his side before walking off, quickly followed by Alfred and Jayden.


    Now left alone was Nn, sprawled on the ground with slight aches in his butt.


    But it was nothing he couldn''t endure and he rose up, patting his butt before continuing on his way.


    He had the memory of his dorm room with him, and he quickly navigated through the buildings, but the closer he reached his dorm room, the more embarrassed he grew.


    Everyone was literally jesting him on the way,ughing out loud in mockery as he passed, so much that there were no students that weren''t mocking him.


    Some even taunted him, pping him hard on the back of his head whileughing off, and sometimes, he would feel sudden pain in his knees that would make him fall to the ground, followed by theughter of the students.


    What was supposed to be a journey of just 10 minutes, ended up bing a journey of 45 minutes due to relentless bullying and jesting from the students.


    But using the name of Quinn, his ultimate bully, Nn had been able to scare off the majority of the students who wanted to take things too far.


    But still, he suffered quite the aches from the ces where he was swiftly hit at.


    45 minutester...


    Nn arrived before a gigantic building the size of a mini-skyscraper, and on therge golden gates, he could see the words.


    "Greek Descents Students Dorm House..."


    It signaled it was the dorm building made specifically for the students possessing Greek Bloodlines.


    Nn also possessed a Greek Bloodline, even though he had zero idea who his patron deity was.


    Without wasting any more time, he entered through therge gate.


    But instead of entering into the building itself, Nn took a sudden turn to the side and walked through the narrow alleyway, before he arrived at the building''s backyard.


    At the back of the buildings was an array of smaller looking buildings, with dark walls and growing moss all over the ground.


    It was a group of smaller extra buildings where the junk equipment from making the dorm building were stored.


    The past words were trash houses. It was in one of these ces that Nn called his haven.


    Even though he was of Greek Descent like the rest, he wasn''t allowed to live in the Greek Descent main building and forced to live away at the trash houses.


    Even his own Bloodline descent rejected his existence.


    Arriving before one of the ''better looking'' trash houses, Nn''s hand moved towards the door knob and gently opened it.


    CREAAAK


    The wooden door groaned from being forced to do its work, and Nn entered into the house.


    It was a simple room, with two doors to the side.


    At the far side was a simple two-seater sofa and a ss table, ced on a dirty looking rug.


    And at the far corner of the room was a foam on the ground, that was enough to contain just a single soul sleeping on it.


    He could guess that was Nn''s bed.


    A small wardrobe was ced at the side of the bed, and then there were some old looking books that were at the side of the table, with some of them disorderly spread all over the floor.


    Swiping his hand on the table, thick dust covered Nn''s finger revealing to him just how dirty the room was, and he could only sigh in exasperation.


    "Even my house as a coal miner on Earth wasn''t this worse. At least I lived in a three-bedroom bungalow that others were jealous of..." Nn mused, but quickly he cracked his neck and shoulder bones.


    ''It was time to get to work!''

 Chapter 8: Awakening The God King System!!!

    For the next six hours straight, Nn did nothing but clean up the area around his house and his own room.


    Even as a coal miner who worked in dirt, he had always been fond of cleanliness, as it gave him a clear head.


    Within the six hours, he was able topletely wipe off the grime growing all over the ground.


    He also washed away the dark sooty objects on the walls of the house that made it look pitch ck and disgusting, and in a few hours, he hadpletely revolutionized the smelly-looking backyard to something at least livable.


    Once he finished giving the outside of the house a good look, he moved inside.


    He brought out every object from within the house and then washed everything he couldy his eyes on, even the walls!


    There were two rooms in the house: the kitchen, which waspletely empty of any food save for a few pieces of dried bread, and the other room was the toilet, which left much to be desired.


    Everything underwent a thorough clean, and after the rooms were sparkling clean, Nn began arranging the objects back into the house after clearing away the soot that covered them.


    In less than three hours, he was able to sessfully finish that, and entering the room now, a new odor permeated everywhere.


    An odor that Nn could breathe in deeply and feel his heart calming within his chest.


    "Now this is my home," he mused to himself, satisfied with his work.


    Normally, Nn felt bitter that he had to live in such a ce when other students like him lived in the grand building itself.


    But he knew well not to be too stupid to just waltz into the building screaming for justice.


    If there was any justice in this academy, then the previous Nn wouldn''t be living here, nor would he have died.


    For now, he was powerless, and his only choice was to use what was avable to him.


    With the cleaning done, he could finally think for himself and walked over to the table where he had packed all the books of the previous Nn.


    Opening it up, he discovered they all covered a single subject: how to use a dagger!


    In the next instant, Nn stretched forth his hand.


    Quickly, white aura began condensing at the top of his palm under Nn''s curious gaze, and after ten seconds, something appeared in Nn''s palm.


    Something that made him shocked, even though it wasn''t supposed to.


    It was Nn''s first special ability as a Greek Descent.


    It was a spearhead with a shortened handle, thus resembling arge dagger, and a two-pronged, jitte-like de.


    The de''s edges were currently rusty, and at its center was a strange symbol of a blood-red circle whose ends never touched but continued sideways instead.


    "Hmmm," a slight hum escaped Nn''s lips as he looked at the de.


    ording to his memories, every Celestial Heir could awaken their first ability at the age of 12.


    The stronger and more pure their bloodline is, the stronger and more pure their ability is.


    Nn''s ability was the de, but not once had it saved Nn from his bullies.


    And the reason was simple: hisck of control over divine essence.


    While the de could currently rest easily on Nn''s palm, once he was entirely sucked off his divine essence, the de would be too heavy for him to naturally lift.


    And without even being able to lift his own de, he would get defeated by the others in a blink.


    Nn had understood this uselessness so much that he left the de to rot away in his ability space, never bringing it out for close to entire months now.


    But Nn''s eyes narrowed when he felt the strange golden panel appear before his gaze once more, and some words were quickly formed.


    [Greek Descent Ability has been sensed. Scanning Host''s First Ability]


    [Result Achieved.]


    [Host''s Greek Descent ability is the Lost Dagger of Kratos!]


    [Host''s first Greek Deity has been discovered!]


    [Host is an apostle of Kratos, thest God of War and Strength]


    [Modifying System''s Current Activity to the discovery.]


    [System Modified...]


    [Congrattions, Host, on officially awakening the God King System!]


    "The... God King... System?"


    [Host should call out the words ''System Interface'' to learn more about its power...]


    The runic golden notification panel came as quite the surprise to Nn, rendering him speechless for a while.


    Of course, he wasn''t a newbie to the world of systems, but that was also exactly what made him speechless.


    It seemed too wild to believe, but he called out nheless....


    "System Interface"


    [Host''s Info] [Host Attributes] [Descents] [Descent Skills] [Shop] [Quests]


    Focusing his attention on the Host''s attributes, the notification panel''s message immediately changed.


    [Host Information]


    - Name: Nn Gottschald


    - Sacred Name: God''s ve


    - Title: ??


    - Age: 16


    - Level: 1


    - ss: God''s ve


    - Exp: 0/100


    - HP: 70/100


    - Divine Essence: 20/20


    "My Sacred Name is God''s ve? Is that why others can control my own divine essence both within and outside and I can''t?"


    "That looks more like a curse than a Sacred Name..." Nn mused with furrowed eyebrows, looking at the Sacred Name aspect.


    Even though he had just returned from the hospital, his HP wasn''t full, and that was due to the small bullying he got on his way.


    Also, his Divine Essence was very small, but he didn''t care much about it since it was useless anyway.


    Still, it showed him whatever this was, it was pretty urate.


    Swiftly, he moved to the next panel, and that was the real high-brow-raising fact....


    [Host Attributes...]


    -Strength: 7


    -Agility: 5


    -Perception: 6


    -Charm: 4


    -Intelligence: 12


    {Attributes Points: 0}


    "Hmmm, this is strange. I''m not really sure what this numbers signify. They look low but what are the standard stats points for others..." Nn whispered but the golden panel changed.


    [Let me do the host a honour and exin to him of his pathetess.]


    "I''m pretty sure that word don''t exist." Nn unconsciously argued back.


    [It does in my dictionary! The normal attributes stats points for the ordinary lesser mortals with no Divine Energy is 10 in all attributes.


    And for the Celestial Heirs. The average of thier stats points is double that of mortals which is 20 at least.


    That means, not only is Host weak but even weaker than a mortal even though Host is a Celestial Heir!]

 Chapter 9: Learning More Of The Systems Function

    "Well, that is quite the news to hear..." Nn mused to himself.


    It was no wonder he had felt like dying when that bulky guy had simply ced his hands on his shoulder.


    Every Celestial Heir that he met was at least thrice stronger than he was.


    Any efforts to resist would be close to useless. It truly was pathetic.


    [So you understand your pathetess now?] The system asked him, its mocking tone as clear as day.


    "Well, not everyone is blessed with the Sacred Name of God''s ve that makes everyone else steal off my Divine Essence or use it to harm me inside my body.


    How do you expect me to grow if I don''t have control over my own essence?" Nn argued back fiercely.


    While he didn''t even know who the hell was talking to him right now, he couldn''t stand to watch someone mock his efforts.


    [The God''s ve title is one of the best titles that a Celestial Heir could ever be given.


    The only reason why you are so pathetic is because you failed to use your brain!] the system barked back, and Nn felt he had enough.


    "Just who the hell are you!?"


    [I, peasant, am the brain behind the mightiest power of the universe.]


    [The guardian entity of an unsurpassable, limitless power, known as the God King System!]


    It is and will forever be your greatest honor that you just happen to fulfill the requirement for bonding, and therefore I am now stuck with you, probably for eternity.]


    "Well, maybe you should also include the rudest oldie that has ever existed!" Nn shot back at him.


    [You! You bastard...] It was able to reply back to him but suddenly went quiet, and Nn thought perhaps the system had finally been able to sympathize with him.


    [Hmph, arguing with a peasant like you will be giving you too much honor.]


    You expect a mighty person like me to be modest to a peasant like you, even weaker than an ordinary mortal. You clearly do not have sense, just as I predicted.]


    "Tch," he snorted, as he got another sharp-mouthed reply from the system again.


    He was about to respond again, but soon quieted down as he read the system''s words in his head.


    It imed that it was the brain behind the God King System.


    While he had no idea of how powerful the God King System is, the name itself was inspiring, and the system didn''t seem like the one to lie.


    This situation was like a god and a mortal meeting for the first time. It would be strange if the god was suddenly modest and talked to the mortal like they were equals.


    The simple fact was they weren''t.


    So therefore, Nn grimly sucked it up and didn''t give a reply. But instead, he moved on to the next tab on the panel.


    [Descents]


    [First Descent: Greek Pantheon]


    [Pantheon Type: Kratos]


    [Second Descent: King Pantheon]


    [Pantheon Type: Trimurti]


    [Third Descent: ?????]


    [Pantheon Type: Unknown]


    And that was everything that was stated about his Descent.


    Unfortunately, Nn had no idea who Kratos was at all, but from the system''s earlier description, it dictated him as the god of war and strength.


    [You really are an idiot, aren''t you? Your pantheon type doesn''t even use Divine Essence, and you''re focusing so much on divine essence, peasant!] the system grumbled out once more, not forgetting to mock him again, but Nn simply ignored it.


    His heart had gone through so much to worry about the prickling words of a seemingly arrogant higher being.


    Looking at the panel, he could guess that the first Descent, like the system mentioned, was the one where he had gotten the ability of the dagger from.


    The second pantheon was most likely the one possessed by the system itself. But the third Pantheon?


    "What is the third descent all about, and why is it not revealed?" Nn asked.


    [Simple. Because you have yet to awaken it. Once you awaken it, if you ever would that is, then you will see it!] It responded quite harshly, but he shrugged it off once more.


    Quickly, Nn moved to the next panel.


    [Descent Ability]


    1. Lost Dagger of Kratos


    - Description: Ability to sever through anything possessing Divine Essence.


    - Pantheon Type: Kratos


    ????


    ????


    ????


    ????


    "What''s with the question marks?" he asked in confusion. He was expecting some more abilities that he was unaware of, but all he saw was the dagger.


    [That''s the only ability that you have for now. What were you expecting?] the system asked, and Nn sighed before moving to the next tab.


    [Shop]


    [Locked!]


    [Locked!]


    [Locked!]


    [Do you want me to exin that too?] the system asked, and Nn shook his head.


    "Don''t worry. I understand now..."


    [Now, move to the most important tab of all!] the system dered grandiosely as Nn moved to thest tab.


    [Quests]


    [Active Quests:


    - Learn of the potential of the one who carries the God King System.


    Status: Upleted.


    - Re-awaken Your Pantheon Will


    Status: Upleted.


    - Undergo The First Dream Trial Of The God King and obtain your first Crown.


    Status: Upleted.]


    [Rewards of Quests will be figured out after havingpleted the quests, but each will lead the Host into bing a true God King!]


    "Hmmmm, quests, huh? Isn''t this like those video games?" Nn asked with genuine surprise.


    [Don''t you ever darepare the God King System with those time wasters of your mortal realm!] the system dered in anger, and Nn quite understood why.


    "My bad. So let''s talk about the first quest. I''m to learn of the potential of the God King System, right? And I''m guessing you''re the only one who can help me do that?" Nn asked.


    [Yes, I am the only one in the entire multiverse.] The system replied with pride.


    "So help me then?" Nn replied, but the golden panel remained silent for the next two minutes.


    "Um, are you there..."


    [Yes, I am.]


    "I thought you were going to help me do the exining, right?"


    [Yes. But then I suddenly have this strange thought and that is, why should I?]


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 10: Re-awakening Conviction!

    [I said, why should I help you? It''s a choice, peasant, not a necessity!]


    The system barked to him, making Nn finally understand it better.


    While the entity, which he would like to call the system, was truly there, it was conscious enough to choose between helping him or not.


    To the system, it would be just fine if it never helped Nn, and it could watch him dabbling away in the darkness.


    In short, it was like talking to another person to help him.


    It was their choice and not a necessity, unlike what Nn had previously thought.


    "But isn''t it your responsibility? Isn''t that why you''re created in the first ce?" Nn asked.


    [ch, a weakling talking to me about responsibility? Don''t be stupid,] the system responded.


    It was obvious it didn''t give a damn.


    "Okay then, how can I make sure you help me?"


    [Simple. Beg me!] the system said with an incredibly prideful tone, and it was surprised by what Nn did in the next instant.


    "Okay then. I''m very sorry for my words if they have annoyed you in any way.


    Will you, mighty entity, help this young one out of your infinite benevolence?" Nn said, bowing to nothing but the air, but the system understood the gesture.


    [And here I thought you were some tough, stubborn-headed guy.


    Guess you''re just a peasant after all. Fine then, I''ll help you.] the system replied, and Nn couldn''t help but shake his head.


    Even after he obliged and became respectful, it only got shut back in his face.


    "Now, I''m serious. Listen carefully," the system warned, this time its tone grave, and all form of yfulness disappearing from it.


    Immediately, Nn knew it was his time to listen properly and be serious.


    [The God King System is something created by Trimurti, the ultimate one.


    In the world of gods, power can be shared.


    People like you only exist because a god had decided to bless your ancestors with their power, in the form of belief.


    But then, your ancestors married amongst each other and therefore the bloodline spread to you.


    Since you''re a Kratos Descendant, that means one of your ancestors must have been a devoted believer of Kratos and got blessed with his divine power, causing you to also possess the bloodline,] the system began its exnation as Nn listened with rapt attention.


    [But even amongst the gods, there were grades.


    Some gods were weaker than others, so much so that they are simply iparable.


    But there is a catch.


    The gods with overly stronger bloodlines will find it incredibly hard to pass their bloodline to their devotees.


    Even if they did, their devotees will find it very hard to give birth to children that could further spread the bloodline.


    Do you know what the end result of this will be?] the system probed, and Nn nodded.


    "That will be a reduction in the number of those who possess a higher-grade bloodline.


    They would be a lot lesser than the weaker gods who can pass their bloodline more easily amongst their followers," Nn reasoned.


    [And what will happen when these older gods are able to pass their bloodline to others?] It asked him once more.


    "Then those people will be called prodigies amongst the ordinary Celestial Heirs, making them stronger than others, due to their exceptionally high grade and rare bloodline," he replied.


    [Good. Seems you have quite a bit of sense after all.]


    [But you have to know there are some gods who simply can''t pass their bloodline at all.


    Those are the supreme gods.


    Their bloodlines are too pure for ordinary mortals to carry.


    One of those gods is Trimurti! The creator of this God King System that you now carry.


    As a supreme god, his bloodline is too pure to be carried by anyone.


    But he was a god who wanted no rules, including the defect of not being able to transfer his bloodline.


    Therefore, he did something none has ever done or thought of doing.


    He created a system and ced his bloodline within it.


    The system is supposed to help whoever its possessor is to slowly assimte with his bloodline, making sure they grow stronger step by step and therefore acquire his bloodline step by step until they eventually hold all of his power within themselves.


    His aim had fruition, but there was a problem.


    Out of the millions of Celestial Heirs that were in the entire realms, none of them can possess the system.


    Forcibly possessing them would require them to explode to nothing.


    In the end, you can guess what happens.


    "The God King system is a useless endeavor. Without there being something worth enough to possess it, then it''s essentially just useless," Nn reasoned.


    [You''re wrong! The God King System WAS useless until it found you!


    You now possess the God King System in you and that means the God King System is now a sess.]


    [All this time, it has simply been searching for one who fulfilled its requirements and it seems you just happen to do so.]


    [u''re officially the first person after a million eons to finally possess the bloodline of a supreme god.]


    [The bloodline of Trimurti. That is the potential of the God King System.]


    [Whatever god you can think of in your head is nothingpared to the power of Trimurti.]


    [ What would happen if one day you''re able to sessfully fuse with this power, Nn? Imagine it, your capabilities when you fully possess one of the the purest bloodline in existence.]


    "I... That''s..." Nn struggled to say, as imaginations shed through his head.


    The power he would possess. He would be basically unchallenged!


    How would that feel, how great would that be?


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfullypleted the first system quest.]


    [Rewards:


    1. +1 Level Up card


    2. +100 EXP


    3. Host''s slumbering will has been awakened!]


    Right now, Nn simply stood there looking at the flickering panel.


    "I can grow stronger?"


    [Wrong! You can grow stronger than any Celestial Heir that exists and even some minor gods.]


    Quickly, Nn felt his heart pounding harder and harder.


    He had been oppressed with very all his life and the same could be said of the body he possessed which had gone through hell for being weak.


    But now, he knew well there was hope. A hope shining brightly before him, and right then he decided.


    "Then I''ll grow strong. Stronger than all those who have touched this body can ever imagine.


    Strong enough to be eternally free!" He''d dered.


    [Only one conviction can give you what you want...] The system suddenly butter in.


    "What is that?"


    [Walk The Ruinous Path Of Domination!]

 Chapter 11: Levelling Up

    "The Ruinous Path of Domination?" Nn asked with a raised eyebrow.


    While he might be fired up realizing the power he now possessed, he was still in control of his head and didn''t let the adrenaline control him.


    [Yes. The Ruinous Path of Domination. It means walking a path to be the absolute strongest, usually by clearly dominating others!] the system said as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Then why is it called ruinous though?" he asked.


    Essentially, it was just being stronger than others, and should simply be called the Path of Domination.


    So why was there the need to add ''Ruinous''?


    [Because, out of the 100 people who say they want to achieve the path, none would reach it.


    Out of the thousands, only one will reach it. The others will die on the journey. It is a ruinous path.


    Do you understand now?] the system exined, and Nn nodded.


    [I don''t know if I want to risk everything walking such a path. There''s basically less than a 2% chance of even achieving it.


    I just want to be free and not be held under constraint. I don''t know about dominating everything in existence though,] Nn reasoned clearly.


    Truly, all he wanted to do right now was to regain freedom, deal with those who had harmed his body, and eventually retire, living his life peacefully, free from the burdens of the world.


    It was as simple as that.


    As for walking a path where very few people ever seed, he wasn''t sure about that.


    [You will never be free if you''re not the strongest! That''s a fact you''ll learn soon.]


    [That said, you''ve justpleted a system quest. Check out the rewards you''ve been given,] the system said to him as Nn remembered the notification he had received uponpleting the quest.


    Quickly, he noticed the red light beam at the side of the panel and focused on it. It bloomed right in front of him.


    [Congrattions on sessfullypleting the quest and learning of the God King system potential!]


    [You currently have a free level-up card and 100 EXP!]


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Sacred Name: God''s ve]


    [Title:??]


    [Age: 16]


    [Level: 1]


    [ss: ??]


    [EXP: 100/100]


    "Does Host wish to level up?" the system asked, and Nn furrowed his eyebrows.


    If leveling up was what he thought it to be, then that''s the only thing he wanted to do right now.


    "Yes!"


    [Congrattions on Host sessfully leveling up to Level 2]


    [You have been awarded +10 Attribute Points]


    [Total Attribute Points: 10]


    [Level Up Cards: 1]


    "Does Host wish to use the Level Up card?"


    ''Why would I keep it?''


    "Yes!" he said out loud, and instantly, the panel flickered.


    [Congrattions. Host has sessfully leveled up to Level 3]


    [+10 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Total Attribute Points: 20]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 7]


    [Agility: 5]


    [Perception: 6]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Intelligence: 12]


    [Attribute Points: 20]


    [How does Host wish to distribute Attribute Points?] the AI voice resounded.


    [Go ahead, make your choice.]


    The system said to him as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Right now, all of his stats were incredibly low, and he had 20 attribute points.


    How should he even distribute them?


    "Can you help me out?" Nn suddenly asked the system, and his eyes widened in surprise.


    [I can''t do that. It''s against my protocol. I can only watch you choose andter curse you if you choose wrong or right.


    But in the moment, I can''t help distribute stat points.] The system revealed its first weakness to Nn.


    And that was, though it might look bossy and seem to be the one in control, it couldn''t make his choices for him.


    And in a way, Nn tragically loved that.


    "Then I''ll distribute them based on my current needs."


    "ording to what that guy said, Quinn would have learned that I am still alive and wille for me once more.


    If that happens, then I''m not sure I will get lucky again.


    He''d probably try to get rid of me as soon as heys eyes on me after making me go through the most heinous pain in this world."


    "And the basic Celestial Heirs would have at least 20 in strength."


    "So I will opt to put my points into the strength tab to make sure I am at least just as strong as a normal Celestial Heir."


    "At least that will give me enough power to at least fight back and not get easily injured." He mused, convincing himself he made the right choice before ultimately deciding.


    "Add 13 points to strength, and add the remaining points to agility!" Nn ordered and immediately copsed onto his knees as he felt an extremely hot liquid passing through his veins, causing him toy down paralyzed.


    Cold sweat quickly covered his body, and his entire body turned red!


    "GRRRRRHHHHH" A groan of pain escaped his lips as his teeth clenched together from the pain.


    [Seriously, just since when have youst increased your strength. Your body is so attuned to your weakness and fighting against the fact that it is growing strong.]


    [This is the biggest joke I have ever seen. Hmph, as expected of a peasant.]


    Instead of words of encouragement, the system only mocked him, but Nn didn''t have time for its words as he simply tried to make sure the pain didn''t drive him mad.


    But after 5 minutes, he finally stopped clenching his teeth as he felt an incredibly cool aura that made him loudly moan in satisfaction.


    [Congrattions, attribute points have been inputted]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Agility: 12]


    [Perception: 6]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Intelligence: 12]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    "Congrattions, you have as much strength as the ordinary Celestial Heir. Now go and clean off the impurities extracted," the system said as Nn''s nose perked up and his face instantly scrunched up in difort.


    Looking at his body, he could see gooey dark solid that made him immediately jump up from where he stood and ran towards the toilet.


    But unknown to Nn, the furniture ground creakily under his steps, something that had never happened before...

 Chapter 12: Level Up Effect

    In the bathroom, there was a full-body mirror imnted, and now that the dirty ck goo was washed away from his body, Nn was finally able to properly see the effects of his minor increase in strength.


    Previously, there weresh marks over his chest and stomach, but now they were as smooth as ss.


    His formerly frail upper body, which made his ribs as clear as day, seemed to have gained more muscles.


    There were no longer any ribs in sight, but there were also no signs of abs. However, to Nn, it was an incredible improvement.


    Clenching his fist, the sound of bones crackling rang out, and suddenly he threw a punch to the side.


    VROOOOM!


    Immediately, a wave of air sted out from the spot where Nn had punched, causing some towels hung on the stand to fly off.


    "Is that even possible?!" he mused in shock. Even in his past life, he couldn''t cause a single minor ripple in the air, and now, he had just caused a st with a simple punch.


    [There''s nothing amazing about your strength. It''s a shame to even call it strength at all.


    Unless you erase a mountain out of existence with your fist, you are still nothing but a peasant to me!] The system''s mockery rang out, causing Nn''s expression to drop and his joy to diminish a little, as well as his rising pride.


    It seemed no matter what, the system would never approve of his strength growth. Well, at least for now.


    ''It might be nothing for you, but to me, it''s everything...'' he thought to himself before switching off the shower and heading out of the bathroom, quickly donning a pair of new clothes.


    His stomach grumbled as he exited, and he headed to the kitchen.


    Opening the three cupboards within the ce, there was nothing for him except those stale pieces of dried bread.


    [Tch, you don''t even have food in your house? As expected of a peasant!] The system mocked, but Nn''s eyebrows furrowed as he took out the loaf of bread and discovered there were already bread mold growing on them.


    The previous Nn had probably kept it as a safe for the next day, but Nn had spent an entire week in the hospital, making the bread already expire.


    "I need to get provisions or it''s only a matter of time before I die of hunger..." Nn mused to himself and quickly searched through his memories, finding what he needed.


    There were two ces where the students could eat.


    Firstly, they could go to the supermarket and buy their own food and cook it with their money, or they could go to the free academy cafeteria and eat there.


    The only reason why the previous Nn had only a single stale loaf of bread in his drawer and not try eating from the cafeteria was because he had once been bullied and humiliated within the cafeteria while also getting banned away from it by his bullies.


    Ever since then, he could only scramble for food around, making do with whatever he found.


    "I don''t have money to pay for food, so my only choice is to go to the cafeteria.


    I should at least be able to secure myself something, and besides, I think it''s already dark.


    Not many students will go to the cafeteria in the dark..." Nn mused to himself, looking through the window and finding the stars in the night sky. It was his best opportunity to forage for food.


    "But that can wait. Let''s talk about the second quest," Nn said loudly to the system.


    He had seen the effect of increasing his strength and right now, all he wanted to do was grow as strong and as fast as possible.


    And that would meanpleting more and more quests.


    Opening up his quest tab, he viewed the second quest on the bar.


    [Quests]


    [Active Quest: 2]


    -Reawaken your Pantheon Will


    Status: Upleted.


    -Undergo the first dream trial of the God King and obtain your first crown.


    Status: Upleted.


    "Hmm, the first one seems simpler but I don''t have any idea how to go about it."


    [Bring out your dagger,] the system said to him as Nn raised an eyebrow but stretched forth his hand and the dagger appeared once more, looking as rusty as ever.


    [Try cleaning off the rust,] it said, and Nn moved his hand, trying to peel off the rust, but his eyes soon narrowed as he discovered no matter how much he scratched, the rust remainedpletely unmoving!


    It was like it was glued there, and if his fingers couldn''t do it, then a cloth wouldn''t either.


    [The rust on your dagger is not just from you not using it. It denotes your Pantheon Will.


    Right now, Nn, youck a strong will. It has nothing to do with wanting to grow strong or anything like that.


    Your Pantheon Will is dead, and you have to reawaken it.


    Reawakening it will mean that the rust on your dagger gets cleaned off, and then you''ll be able to use it once more.


    Without that, your dagger is just useless and you won''t be able toplete the quest and grow...] the system exined lengthily to him, and Nn''s eyes furrowed before he thought of the most important question.


    "So, how do I reawaken my Pantheon Will?"


    [There are many ways, really, but I''ll choose the best for you. I''m guessing this is an academy of sorts, right?


    So is there some kind of special area where those with the Kratos bloodline undergo their training?] the system asked him as Nn''s eyes narrowed and his memory came flooding in.


    "Yes, there is. It''s in the Greek Descent training area. I have never gone there before though. Just heard of it," Nn responded.


    [Good, that''s the perfect ce to reawaken your will and fulfill your next quest. Now get going!] the system said to him as Nn prepared to leave the house, but his eyes narrowed as he went back in and grabbed a hoodie that he possessed.


    It was so big it covered the upper part of his face. At least this might be enough to avoid the majority of eyes.


    With that done, Nn exited his little house, on his way topleting his second quest and improving his strength.

 Chapter 13: Greek Descent Training Area

    The entire academy area was dark, and that also meant there were very few people around.


    This allowed Nn to easily weave his way around the Greek Descent building without anybody noticing him.


    Quickly, he arrived at the main street.


    The starlights in the sky seemed to be brighter than normal, casting the world into a mixture of darkness and moonlight.


    The area was clear enough for Nn to witness students moving around in twos and threes.


    Some students were even kissing each other in the dark alleyways, while in others, were also getting roughly kicked In the ass.


    Nn paid no attention to any of this as he continued on his way, pulling his hoodie over his head more.


    Some students noticed him, but they couldn''t see his face as he moved, either looking to the side or at the ground to avoid their gaze.


    As he walked past, some found him familiar, but none of them stopped him.


    In this way, Nn was able to walk for 20 minutes straight to the Greek Descent training area without any trouble.


    ording to his memories, such a feat deserved a reward as it had never been done before.


    The former Nn would always get into trouble no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. It was almost like he was a trouble ma.


    Finally standing before the gigantic gate, Nn was stopped by a staff member wearing the academy''s security uniform.


    "Who are you?" The figure asked him, his voice harsh and suspicious.


    There were literally no students who hid their face in the academy, making Nn a big exception, which made the guard very wary of him.


    Not wanting to cause much of a ruckus, Nn took off his hoodie, revealing his face.


    The guard simply stared at him for a while.


    Of course, he had heard the tales of Nn and had seen him being bullied sometimes. Nn wasn''t only popr among the students but even among the staffs.


    That was why it was absolutely shocking to him when he saw Nn standing before him and wanting to go into the training area.


    It was something that had never happened before.


    To the guard''s nk stare, Nn could only smile wryly, which seemed to calm the guard, who nodded at him.


    "You''re free to go in, but you must be out before dawn tomorrow. The training area will not allow you to hide here just so you can avoid sses," the guard said quite harshly, but he wasn''t to me.


    Nn hadn''te to the training grounds for ages now, and suddenly today he decided toe at the dead of night.


    Isn''t it clear that this is some ploy of his to hide within the training area under the excuse of him being in the training room?


    To the guard''s reply and harsh face, Nn only gave a simple nod before he walked past him and entered through the gate.


    "How strange..."


    ---


    Entering through therge gate, Nn was more than surprised as he felt as if he had entered into a new realm.


    Before him were various structures with different shapes and titles.


    Since there were many types of descendants apart from the Greeks, there were also many buildings catering to each descent''s training.


    But even among the training buildings, the Greek Descent training building was the biggest, depicting its status as the number one in the realm.


    Quickly, he made his way in, finding no guards outside to question him, but the insides of the training area were well-lit, even though it was close to dead silent.


    The lobby area was filled with some staff who were currently dozing off, putting Nn in quite an awkward position.


    The staff were the only people who could direct him to where the Kratos training ground was, but with them asleep, what should he do?


    Any normal student would have woken them up, but Nn was far from being a normal student.


    He was the certified trash of the academy, and they might simply see him as bothering them and wasting their time.


    But he didn''t have to think too much about it when suddenly one of the staff raised his head and immediately locked eyes with Nn.


    He was a middle-aged man, seemingly in his early thirties, with curly ck hair and dark brown eyes.


    Sighting Nn, he beckoned to him, and Nn finally approached him.


    "Is there something I can help you with?" The man asked him, his face devoid of any emotion.


    "I just want to know the direction to the Kratos Descent training ground," he replied.


    "It''s on the third floor. The elevator is just at the right corner," he replied.


    "Thank you..."


    With slight haste, Nn made his way as he was directed, finding the elevator just at the side.


    He took it, inputting the number three before he quickly ascended.


    DIIIIIIING


    The elevator opened up, and right before Nn was arge golden gate with the image of a strange symbol, which just happened to be the same as the one on Nn''s dagger, drawn onto it, followed by two axes crossed over it to give it an additional design.


    Pressing his hands onto the door, Nn''s arm bulged with veins before he was finally able to push open the door, quickly entering as the door mmed with a loud bang behind him.


    Looking around the area, it was vast with various ss rooms whose ends Nn couldn''t see.


    "So this is the Kratos Descent training area," Nn dered grandly, his eyes shing around the ce.


    There were various statues surrounding the area, each of them denoting a burly man in various stances and with various weapons in his hands.


    The entire area stank of grandness and lust for violence and battle, and Nn didn''t know why, but he strangely didn''t find it repulsive.


    [Delivering an area scan in aid of Host''s quest...]


    [Scanningplete...]


    The notification panel blinked before disappearing just as quickly.


    "So which among these training areas will awaken my Pantheon will?" Nn asked.


    [I have scanned the entire room and know the best ce for you to awaken your Pantheon will. It''s...]

 Chapter 14: Kratos Pressure Training Room

    [The Kratos Pressure Training Room]


    The system answered to Nn whose eyes narrowed as he looked around the room, discovering what the system meant.


    It was a training area at the farthest depths of the entire space, situated on the second floor.


    Nn immediately took the stairs, making his way towards the training area.


    Contrary to the rest of the training rooms, this area was made of clear ss instead and was shaped like a long cubic box, with a warrior statue at its end.


    The statue depicted a muscr man with a fierce and intense expression. He had a bald head and a full dark beard, with his body painted in red and white stripes reminiscent of tribal or war paint.


    The warrior''s outfit consisted of a leather belt with arge circr buckle and a kilt-like garment. In his right hand, he held arge axe, and in his left hand was anotherrge axe.


    Even though it was nothing but a statue, the character''s stance exuded a sense of strength and dominance that Nn found awe-inspiring.


    Slowly, he approached the ss covering, gently pushing it open, but his face changed when it wouldn''t budge at all.


    "Is this really ss?" Nn thought to himself in shock.


    With no other choice, he began exerting strength on the ss, green veins bulging all over his arms.


    After battling for 30 seconds straight, Nn finally pushed it open and quickly rolled into the half-open space before the ss shut back with a loud bang.


    "Phew, that was..." Nn was about to say when his face changed in the next instant and then...


    BAAAAAAANG


    His face smashed onto the ssy floor, feeling himself roughly pressed into the ground by a crazy pressure.


    The pressure''s source was none other than the statue of the man before him. Only now did Nn understand why the ss had been so heavy; it was because of the effect of the statue on it.


    [Let me exin to you how this area works, Nn. That statue isn''t just an ordinary stone statue; it has been imnted with a fraction of Kratos''s pressure himself! Now, it is safe to assume that you''re standing before a god!]


    [This cubic area is an artifact meant to reduce the pressure in a particr area. Look in front of you and tell me how many areas there are...] the system said as Nn struggled to lift his face and look into the distance.


    He could see right before him a total of nine barriers that extended into the distance, with the final barrier being right in front of the statue.


    "Nine areas..." Nn responded.


    [That means what you''re currently undergoing is 1/9 of the true pressureing from the statue as you''re still in the ninth room.]


    [If you want to awaken your Pantheon Will and fulfill the second quest, you have to at least reach the 6th room.]


    The system said casually, but Nn''s face paled.


    He was only at the ninth area and was already pressed tightly onto the ground, struggling to move his body. How would he fare at the 6th area? He would probably be reduced to a pulp.


    [It is also noteworthy to say, Nn, that this pressure doesn''t affect your body. It affects your will.]


    [So it isn''t your body that is being pressed down; it is your weak will telling your body it is unable to move.]


    [Your body is still perfectly fine and can rise, but it is held back by your own will.]


    [ Now you understand why I repeatedly called you a peasant? Youck even the tiniest bit of will.]


    [ I''m pretty sure others your age will easily reach the fifth area before they are reduced to such a state.]


    "I''m not a peasant!" Nn shot back fiercely.


    [Oh really? Then prove it to me, Nn]


    [Reach the 6th floor and show me you''re not a peasant.]


    [Or give up and move out; the door is just three inches behind your leg]


    [I just hope after that, you shut your mouth anytime I call you a peasant.]


    [See you on the sixth floor...] The system said to him beforepletely fading away, leaving only Nn alone in the white room and the warrior statue.


    "Tch," a click of his tongue rang out, full of irritation.


    When the system had formerly called him pathetic, Nn had med it on the fact that he couldn''t grow stronger like the others due to his weird constitution.


    But now, this was different.


    Right now, it wasn''t his weak body that was being pressed; it was his will, and he couldn''t get up.


    The other Celestial Heirs were able to reach the higher rooms and get closer to the statue, but he was struggling to move at the first barrier!


    What excuse did he have this time?


    It was as clear as day that he truly was pathetic.


    "I am not pathetic!" Nn said with beastly determination and conviction.


    In the next instant, he pressed onto the ground and rose from the floor, moving from hisying position to all fours.


    The pressure on him immediately doubled, trying to press his head back to the ground and forcefully make him sumb.


    But Nn clenched his teeth even harder as he forcefully jerked his head up, rising onto both knees.


    "GRRRRHHH"


    A groan of pain rang out from his mouth as he half-rose up, and withstanding it, he took the first step, raising his leg and immediately mming it hard on the ground.


    Now, he was only on one knee.


    "I am beyond pathetic!" he said through clenched teeth.


    With onest push, he rose his second leg up, forcefully standing upright against the monumental pressure haunting his will.


    The instant he stood upright and stared fiercely at the statue a few meters away from him straight in the eyes, something changed!

 Chapter 15: A Slave Again!!?

    It was like a faint crack or a blooming light.


    Either description fit exactly what Nn was feeling right now¡ªthe feeling as if something had been broken within him, or as if something had been brought to light.


    The feeling was faint, but Nn could feel it, and in the next instant, he took a single step forward quickly followed by another.


    The pressure on him was nothing short of monumental, yet Nn''s gaze never once left the eyes of the statue before him.


    The pressure on him seemed to be doubled as a result, yet Nn didn''t know what or why.


    But he simply kept moving forward, a step at a time.


    Less than two minutester, Nn''s hands pushed open the door to the 8th room with all of his power.


    The door wouldn''t even budge at all even though he was pushing hard, and Nn''s anger reached a new level.


    ROOOOOOOOAR


    Powerful muscles which he never knew he even had, bulged over his arms, squirming like earthworms in a sprinkle of salt.


    "Open!" Nn roared out aloud, and in the next instant¡ª


    GRUUUUUM


    It was the sound of the door getting forcefully pushed open as Nn stepped forth inside the room, but his face instantly changed when he felt his surroundings disappear and what appeared before him was a void of space containing debris of shattereds and stars.


    The area stank of death and chaos, and a mysterious aura that cast intense fear lingered off, causing Nn''s chest to spike up.


    One moment he was struggling through the eighth door, but now he was in such a haunting ce.


    STEP


    STEP


    STEP


    The sound of footsteps suddenly rang out as Nn froze in shock and slowly turned his back towards where he could feel the sound.


    Immediately, his heartbeat spiked uncontrobly.


    Right in front of him was a man whose physical features were none other than the one in the statue.


    But right now, he was the exact height as Nn, and in his both arms were two gigantic axes, one oozing with a blue me while the other oozed out with dark burning mes.


    His body was soaked with blood and cuts, and his emotionless eyes stared at Nn.


    In the next instant, Nn''s knee gave in, and he copsed onto his knees.


    The figure looked at him from above, and his poker face slowly disappeared, reced by a grin that spread to his ears, as he slowly bent to Nn, their faces just a few inches from each other.


    "Be my ve! Oh, you weakling!, and have your life sparred."


    In the next instant, the entire world seemed toe to a stop as the singr word buzzed repeatedly in Nn''s head.


    ''Be my ve!''


    ''Be my ve!''


    ''Be my ve!''


    ''Be my ve!''


    ''Be my ve!''


    ''Be my ve!''


    "I will be a ve again, like I have always been?" Nn asked dumbly, and even though he was looking at the man''s deep red eyes, he was lost in his own world.


    Incredibly slowly, the memories of his past life yed in his head.


    The haunting day when his fate was decided, the day his mother dered having no knowledge of who he was whatsoever.


    The day he was stered as a ve for 60 years.


    The day the realization dawned on him he wouldn''t be able to live until 40 let alone 60.


    The day he remembered he would never be free anymore.


    He had almost forgotten about those days, or maybe he really was trying to forget those days.


    But now everything came sinking into his head once more.


    "I should be a ve? Why? Why does it always have to be me? Why should I be cursed with very through two lifetimes? Why!? Why!?


    WHY!!? WHYYY!!!"


    The thoughts haunted Nn until his lost eyes snapped open in shock, his right crimson-colored eyes brightening up with an intense light, and in the next instant¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOOM


    A powerful punch sted onto the man''s face, sending him smashing away like a cannon ball before he skidded to a stop, and his shocked eyes stared back at Nn who stood crouched, his left eye oozing out with a crimson red light.


    "Kill me if you want! I will never be yours nor anyone''s ve!" he roared out, every word ringing through the copsed void.


    And slowly, he watched as the shocked expression on the man''s face slowly withdrew until it was reced by an intense devilish grin.


    In the next instant, an axe soared forward towards Nn, and he caught it within his hands.


    It was the axe ring with the red mes.


    "Then fight for your freedom, even until death!" the man called out, and in the next instant, he shot forward with speed.


    Withoutgging behind for a single second, Nn also burst forth with his speed, rapidly approaching the man, and ten meters away, he jumped up into the sky, both hands holding the axe right above his head, and then he shed down with every single bit of energy within him,


    "BE GONE!!!!"


    A powerful roar followed by two axes shing resounded as the entire void shook, tearing and fracturing to pieces, and in the next instant, Nn found the entire world before him change, and right before him was the ss.


    Looking behind him, a truth dawned on him.


    He had crossed the entire 20 meters length of the eighth floor and his hands were now on the seventh door...


    Without pausing to think about it, Nn''s hands moved and he pressed his hand on the ss, and this time, he was able to lift it open after exerting his strength, and in the next instant, he stepped in.


    BOOOOOOOM


    Instantly, the ss beneath Nn''s feet shattered into pieces as his body crouched onto the ground, his hands moving straight for the floor yet they stopped ten centimetres away, as veins wriggled all over Nn''s face, making him resemble a demon.


    "I will not bow!!!" he roared out to none in particr, and in the next instant, the sound of bones cracking resounded as Nn forcefully rose his back up until finally he was on his feet once more.


    Taking a single step forward, the ground beneath him shattered to pieces from the monumental pressure, yet he sessfully took the next and the next and the next, until he arrived at the ss door of the sixth area...

 Chapter 16: Completing The Quest![Bonus Chapter]

    Sweat poured down Nn''s face as if he had just taken a shower, and his eyes were tinted red from the monumental pressure on him.


    His hands were currently ced on the ss door of the sixth area, yet he had almost no power to push it open at all.


    Merely cing his hands on the ss structure was enough to almost destroy himpletely from the pressure.


    "You can''t..."


    "Turn back..."


    "You might die..."


    "It''s not worth your death..."


    Various voices echoed in his mind, urging him to give up, to back down, to return.


    But then Nn remembered¡ªthis pressure had nothing to do with his body.


    It couldn''t tten him like a pancake because, essentially, it was only targeting his will.


    It was his own will telling him to give up, insisting that it wasn''t worth it.


    "Not worth it. If I don''tplete this second test, there''s almost no chance of me ever growing beyond what I am now.


    For countless more years, I''ll live my entire life under others'' conditions and dictations. Is that what would be worth my death!?" he responded, silencing the voices reverberating through his head.


    In the next instant, he had no idea how, but he felt his hands suddenly regain their strength.


    With a powerful roar, the sixth door began pressing backward as Nn took a single step forward, then another, pushing and pushing until he finally broke through, stepping into the sixth room.


    But immediately, his knees gave way, forcing him onto both knees, and then...


    BANG!


    Nn''s face smashed into the hard ss. His head pressed so tightly that he felt his body nailed to the ground, unable to move a single muscle.


    CREAK...


    CREAK...


    A sickeningly sharp crack, like the snap of dry branches underfoot, rang out as his body repeatedly creaked under the pressure.


    With shock, Nn noticed blood slowly oozing from a small crack that had formed on the front of his head.


    Soon, the blood began dripping from his nose and lips as well.


    Now he could feel the gaze harder on his body, and he could swear he felt a foot ced on his head, forcing him to remain in his position.


    "You will forever be unworthy of your bloodline. Give up already, go to sleep!" the voice said, as Nn''s gaze grew foggy, until eventually, it began losing its light.


    "Just give up..." was thest thing he heard before blood dripped from his lips and entered his eyes, forcing him to slowly shut them tight. But in thatst second...


    SHRING!


    A white light blossomed out of Nn''s palm as his rusty dagger appeared, and in the next instant, his hand reflexively moved, shing at the leg ced on his head.


    RIP!


    The sound of something being cut resounded as the pressure on him disappeared.


    That was Nn''s only chance as he rolled to the side, quickly getting up to his feet.


    Instantly, he advanced forward blindly, his dagger piercing outward with all his speed.


    PSSSST!


    The sound was that of flesh being cut open as Nn drove his dagger straight into the figure''s stomach, feeling the de tear through various organs ande out from the back.


    Then he roughly pulled out the dagger and backed off a couple of steps, crouching on his knees as he breathed in and out, staring at the figure who was now down on one knee.


    "You stabbed me!" the figure said in shock. The voice belonged to none other than the man from the statue, and Nn heaved loudly before rising to his feet and stretching his dagger toward the man.


    "Powerful or not, I will never be your ve..." he reaffirmed, more to himself than to the figure.


    "And you will kill to make sure of that?" the figure asked. Nn''s hand around the dagger clenched harder, unwavering as he pointed the de toward the man.


    It was sheer will that kept him on his feet right now and not copsing, yet he felt the need to make his stance clear.


    To show his will to the man¡ªa will that would never bow to anyone, no matter what the situation might be.


    That was who he had chosen to be in this new life, and the will that would fuel his very essence throughout the journey ahead...


    No words were exchanged between them, yet their silence spoke louder than any words ever could.


    Soon, Nn watched as the man grinned at him, and in the next instant, his dagger began glowing with an incredibly bright white light.


    The rust on it faded away, revealing the sharp edge of a de.


    On its edges, it burned with crimson red mes, causing the air around it to quiver from its power. Nn''s eyes shed in shock.


    His rusty-looking dagger had finally cleared up as the man rose from his knee.


    Nn watched as the stab wound in the man''s stomach faded away like it was nothing, leaving not even the tiniest scar as proof of damage.


    "You''re worthy of my bloodline, young warrior!" Those were thest words Nn heard before he felt the ss beneath his feet, and in his hands, the dagger was still gently burning with crimson-colored mes.


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfully awakened his Pantheon Will!]


    [Host has obtained the Mark of Kratos on his forehead! A symbol of regality and recognition!]


    "The Mark of Kratos?" Nn wondered as he touched his forehead. Sure enough, he could feel something there¡ªsomething like a tattoo.


    When he closed his eyes and focused on it, it appeared in front of his face, revealing the same exact tattoo as on his dagger.


    [Congrattions once more, Host, on sessfullypleting the quest.]


    [Rewards:


    1.) +2 Level-Up Cards


    2.) +200 EXP!]


    The system notification was the only thing that weed him as Nn''s body finally couldn''t hold up any longer. He copsed onto his knees, breathing heavily.


    "Finally..."

 Chapter 17: Levelling Up Once More

    [Well, well, well. Guess I was a little wrong about you, huh. I owe you an apology this time...] The system said as a grin curved up Nn''s bloody lips.


    "Then go on with it already..." he said with a cocky tone.


    [That was the apology,] it replied shamelessly, causing Nn to roll his eyes.


    "Well, apology epted," he replied before standing up.


    But instead of turning back and leaving, Nn actually walked forward towards the fifth ss door.


    [Hey, what the hell are you doing? You''ll get ttened into a bloody pulp if you dare...]


    The system warned profusely, but quieted down when it watched Nn gently push open the door and enter the fifth area.


    Less than a minuteter, he arrived before the fourth one and also pushed it open casually.


    With shock and surprise, the system watched as Nn pushed open all the doors until he finally arrived before the statue itself.


    [You?!... How... How did you do that? How were you able to ignore the pressure?] the system said in disbelief as Nn looked up at the statue of the man before sitting down cross-legged.


    "I gained his recognition during the trial. Now that I have his pantheon mark, his pressure is no longer effective on me.


    I''ve been recognized by him," Nn responded calmly.


    It was something he could immediately sense once he received the notification of being awarded his own pantheon mark.


    Instead of feeling a strange pressure, he felt an odd familiarity in the area.


    That''s how he reasoned the pressure would no longer affect him, and true to his feelings, it really didn''t.


    Still, sitting down before the statue and surrounded by the pressure, Nn could feel his own Pantheon Will strengthening, making his resolve and conviction more solid.


    "Activate System Interface," he ordered, and instantly the panel flickered to life once more.


    ---


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Age: 16]


    [Level: 3]


    [ss: ??]


    [EXP: 200/200]


    Does Host wish to level up?


    "Yes!" Nn stated calmly.


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 4]


    [+10 Attribute Points have been obtained]


    [Level Up cards: 2]


    [Does Host wish to use Level Up card?]


    "Yes!"


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfully leveled up to Level 5!]


    [+10 Attribute Points have been obtained!]


    [Level Up card remaining: 1]


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfully leveled up to Level 6!]


    [+10 Attribute Points have been obtained!]


    [Level Up card remaining: 0]


    [Total Attribute Points: +30]


    ---


    "Activate Attribute Panel," Nn ordered after that, and quickly the information changed.


    [Wow, you''re getting quite good at this,] the system teased him as Nn chuckled.


    ---


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Agility: 12]


    [Perception: 6]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Intelligence: 12]


    [Attribute Points: 30]


    [How does Host wish to allocate attribute points?]


    "Add 8 points to Intelligence."


    "Add 8 points to Agility."


    "Add 14 points to Perception."


    Nn ordered after carefully thinking about it, and in the next instant, an intense difort appeared once more as his brain suddenly froze, his teeth clenched hard from the strange mana flowing through his body, but still, Nn struggled to remain in his cross-legged position.


    One of the reasons he had gotten here was to adapt his body to the growth of strength in case he had to level up at any particr time in the future.


    He couldn''t afford to be in the middle of a fight and level up, only to copse and remain unmoving on the floor.


    That would be disadvantageous, and one way to prevent that was to ensure he could struggle to keep it under control without sprawling onto the ground.


    Not three minutes passed before the pain faded away, followed by a cool moisture flowing through his system. Nn''s eyes opened once more, weing the change in the panel.


    ---


    *Congrattions, Attribute Points have been sessfully added.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Agility: 20]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    ---


    "Finally. All my stats are perfectly bnced..." Nn mused as he not only felt the gravity pressing down on him lighten a bit, but could also see the world around him twice as clearly as before, making him perceive his environment even more sharply.


    And even though the sudden increase was far greater than what he was used to, his brain could properly process everything, and he felt no strangeness at all from the sudden growth.


    [You could have further increased your strength to the point where you could even be one of the strongest among the students.]


    [But you chose not to, instead opting for bnce among all your stats?] the system asked curiously, and Nn nodded seriously.


    "I could have put all of my points into Strength and be one of the strongest, but then there would be a mismatch.


    I''d truly be much stronger than the average Celestial Heir, but too slow to catch an ordinary mortal, too weak to sense a normal mortal''s attack, and with too low intelligencepared to the average Celestial Heir.


    Then what''s the point?


    Even a weaker Celestial Heir would only need to keep their distance and quickly overpower me if they had long-range abilities.


    But with all my stats bnced, I''ll be just as fast as the average Celestial Heir, as strong, as smart, and with senses that rival the average Celestial Heir.


    At least, there''s growth¡ªfrom weaker than a mortal to the average Celestial Heir. In my next level up, I''ll officially join the ranks of the elite Celestial Heirs.


    It''s a step at a time..." Nn exined at length, more to himself than to the system.


    Of course, he also wanted to be stronger than everyone else, but he reasoned that might be disadvantageous to his progress and therefore chose a path that showed fewer immediate results but held the greatest potential.


    It took a lot of willpower and self-convincing to pull that off.


    GRUUUUUUM!


    The sound of a muffled roar suddenly rang out as Nn looked down at his stomach, which was protesting.


    "I guess it''s time to go to the cafeteria. Hopefully, everything goes well..."

 Chapter 18: Heading To The Cafeteria

    Just as silently as Nn arrived in the training area, he quietly walked out.


    When he arrived in the lobby, he looked to the side and found the man who had directed him to the training area still awake, fiddling with some books.


    The man didn''t raise his head, even as the sound of footsteps echoed as clear as starlight in the dark sky, but Nn still gave a quiet "thank you" before opening the ss door of the structure and heading out.


    "Hmmm..."


    Moments after Nn left, the man slowly raised his head from the books he was fiddling with and looked at the entrance where Nn had exited.


    A curious expressiony on his face.


    "Did I just sense his life energy slightly increase?" Ares murmured, knitting his eyebrows tightly before a small smirk appeared on his face. He then turned back to the book he was reading.


    "It seems the young master is finally awakening..."


    ---


    The night was still as dark as ever when Nn exited the Greek training area and quickly walked through the streets.


    Filtering through the memories in his head, he was quick to locate the area where the cafeteria was, and he immediately made his way forward, passing through alleys and nooks to avoidrge crowds of students, and dodging various stares sent towards him.


    It didn''t take ten minutes before Nn arrived at the front door of the cafeteria, and unsurprisingly, it wasn''t locked.


    In fact, the cafeteria was never locked.


    The reason was that not all Descendants counted the day as day and the night as night.


    Some students were nocturnal, and their morning was the night, meaning they coulde and go to their own sses during the night instead of the morning.


    That also meant they could visit the cafeteria during the night.


    However, those Descendants were few and far between.


    Due to this, the cafeteria and most other structures in the academy were usually open even until midnight.


    And it was this advantage that Nn could use to enter the cafeteria.


    It was almost as if the heavens themselves were supporting him as he found no one inside the cafeteria and quickly arrived before the counter.


    A special feature of the academy was that students could serve themselves.


    But in this world, meals weren''t something to be happy or sad about.


    Compared to eating, most Celestial Heirs would prefer to spend that time cultivating.


    Additionally, cultivation negates the side effects of not eating.


    Some Celestial Heirs could go without food for months, and they would be more than fine.


    Nn hadn''t reached such a level yet, so he still had to eat to sustain his body.


    The menu for the best foods was already in his head from the previous Nn''s memories, but as Nn grabbed a te and approached the food, which looked like a mixture of spaghetti and rice, he received a notification that surprised him.


    [Don''t eat that food!] the system said, causing Nn to drop the spoon in shock.


    One thought entered his mind, and he couldn''t believe it at all.


    "Is... Is it poisoned?!" he asked in shock.


    [No, idiot! How can they poison the students'' food?!] the system fired back, causing Nn''s expression to drop.


    [That food isn''t the best for you...]


    "And why is that?"


    [Because those foods increase the concentration of Divine Essence in the consumer''s body.


    That''s a very good thing for other Celestial Heirs, who use Divine Essence, but not for you!


    Having more Divine Essence means you''ll only get screwed even more.


    What you should eat are foods that boost physical strength.


    That''s your only advantage and what you should focus on. So, eat that Titan meat instead of that...] the system said as Nn turned his gaze to the side and found the Titan meat sitting there in a veryrge amountpared to the other foods.


    ''Nobody eats the Titan meat!'' Nn called out reflexively.


    And truly, ording to his memories, he was right. No student ate the Titan meat.


    It wasn''t tasty at all, nor was it betterpared to the other foods that helped boost their Divine Essence.


    That was why it was so avable in such arge amount.


    [Side Quest Activated]


    [Eat 70 pounds of Titan meat in a single sitting!]


    [Reward: +200 EXP!]


    "WHAT!?"


    Immediately, Nn jumped in shock from the notification.


    "70... 70 pounds of meat!?"


    The highest recorded amount of meat eaten in a single sitting on Earth was just 22.5 pounds.


    How was he supposed to eat 70 pounds in a single sitting?


    [Well, you can always ignore a quest. Though that means forgoing 200 EXP. And who knows when you''ll get the next quest? Still, I can''t force you. It''s your choice...]


    The system said in an uncaring tone, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    If he really did aplish the quest, he would gain a free 200 EXP just by eating.


    Who knew when he would get his next quest? Every quest was important and valuable and couldn''t be ignored.


    Besides, just as the system said, eating the Titan meat would bolster his physical strength. It would only help him even more.


    That was essential for his own benefit...


    "Screw it!"


    Nn said as he immediately grabbed an extrarge te, pouring the meats onto it and properly weighing them.


    After he sessfully took 70 pounds of meat, he brought it to a table at the end of the hall, where people wouldn''t easily see him if they came in, and he didn''t even look at the fork at the side as he immediately grabbed the bs.


    In the next instant, a crazy meat-stuffing session began as Nn started devouring the meat forcefully.


    Surprisingly, this was the strangest yet most satisfying food he had ever eaten, contrary to what was present in his memories and that only fueled him even more.

 Chapter 19: A Day To Remember

    "Ahhh, ahhh, ahhhh, help me!"


    A deathly whisper could be heard from the dark area of the cafeteria hall, and if one could see the figure, they would be shocked speechless.


    It was none other than a young man with his arms and legs sprawled all over the area.


    But what was truly shocking was his bulging stomach, which protruded nearly half a meter into the air. It was a miracle it hadn''t exploded yet, and one could see Nn struggling to even breathe.


    [MUHAHAHAHAHA!] The system roared with loudughter, furiously mocking Nn, who was gasping for breath, trying to avoid passing out.


    At this moment, he felt like a tiny pin could make him explode into gore.


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfullypleted the quest.]


    [Host has been awarded 200 EXP.]


    "Hahahaha. Tell me, kid. Feeling on top of the world now, huh?" the system asked as Nn rolled his eyes.


    "Joke''s... on... you! Because... I now... have my 200 EXP!" Nn managed to say.


    [Well done, then. Hahahaha!] The system kept mocking furiously, but Nn ignored its teasing as hey on the ground for thirty seconds to regain control of himself.


    Slowly, he shifted his body until he reached the wall and lifted himself up, heaving roughly once he was done.


    Slowly but surely, Nn crawled his way out of the cafeteria, returning to his dorm room.


    He received quite a few strange gazes from the students, some of whom looked at him in horror, while some females burst intoughter when they saw Nn.


    "Did you get impregnated by Quinn this time?" a celestial heir with strange green eyes that glowed brightly in the darkness called out to Nn, easily identifying him due to his Descent ability.


    With how messed up Nn looked, the boy didn''t even bother to touch him and kept his distance.


    Who knew what Quinn had done to him this time? Nn looked like all he needed was a knock on the head, and he would burst into pieces.


    The boy didn''t want to have the crime of murder on his head in the academy.


    And so, Nn was able to walk his way from the cafeteria back into the Greek Descent dorm building.


    As slow as ever, he crawled into his dorm room at the back of the building.


    Quickly entering his door and locking it, he took a fewst energy-depleting steps before copsing on his bed, and it was less than a minute when...


    SNOOOOREEE!!!


    A loud snore broke through the entire room, reverberating so loudly it could be heard throughout the entire backyard of the Greek Descent training area.


    Thankfully, there was no one living in the backyard, or he would have had hundreds of celestial heirs roughly banging on his door that night.


    ______________


    The golden rays of early morning poured through the well-cleaned ss window in the small cottage-like room, illuminating the handsome face of a white-haired young man whose eyebrows slowly quivered.


    In the next instant, they opened up.


    Immediately, the entire room was reflected in a strange mix of starlight blue and crimson red, a result of the golden rays of light shining in the young man''s eyes.


    What greeted Nn was a strange notification appearing right in front of his face.


    [Congrattions, Host has gained a +5 increase in strength stats!]


    [Good morning, kid. How are you feeling now? Hahaha.]


    The system asked him as Nn''s hand unconsciously moved towards his stomach.


    He heaved out a sigh of relief when he felt it had reduced to what it usually was.


    In the next instant, Nn gently nailed a single finger on the ground, and in the next moment, he raised his entire body up with the power of his middle finger on the ground.


    Once he became a straight number one in the air, he exerted strength and swung himself up, rolling twice in the air beforending on both feet.


    CRAAACCKKK


    CRAAACCCK


    The sound of bones cracking rang out as Nn straightened out his body, his eyebrows raising as he felt the strangeness.


    [So, how are you feeling now?]


    "I feel abnormally strong. Almost like I can carry an entire train and fling it away with a finger..."


    [That''s being delusional of you, but still a good answer.]


    [It seems the food you ate yesterday helped your dried and famished cells to grow, and the same could be said for your muscles too.]


    [And in the end, you even had a +5 increase in your strength. I''d say you''re lucky to have forced yourself that much yesterday in the cafeteria...] the system said to him as Nn smiled pridefully.


    Yesterday as a whole had been hell for him, but he had pulled through, and he didn''t regret any of his decisions at all.


    [So, you''re preparing for ss or what? The sun is almostpletely out?] The system suddenly called out as Nn turned his gaze to the window, his eyebrows furrowing.


    "I haven''t gone to ss in almost an entire month now..." He said with quite a worried expression.


    And it was really true.


    The previous Nn had avoided ss due to relentless bullying, always finding a way out of it.


    But the academy hadn''t even cared much for him, nor did they even bother to punish him for his absence.


    It was probably because they understood what he went through, and what''s the point of tutoring a person who can''t grow his strength and can only be a better instrument? It had no point.


    "Jokes on all of them, though. Because I''ll resume ss starting from now on!" Nn dered with an evil glint shing in his eyes.


    Now he had some strength, and he knew well of some of his bullies in ss who were weaker than the current him but still liked picking on him.


    Now that he was strong, it was time to properly settle the scores with them!


    Immediately, Nn skipped towards the bathroom, quickly preparing himself, and in less than thirty minutes, he locked the door before moving out of the Greek Descent boarding room straight towards his ss.

 Chapter 20: Sources Of Power

    "As we already taught in thest ss."


    "The cultivation bases of the various myriad races that exist in the God Realm are divided under the four conscious powers cultivated by these races..." The clear feminine voice rang through the white-colored enclosure.


    Its source was from none other than a prettydy dressed in the academy staff''s uniform: a golden shirt and an equally white trouser.


    Her long golden hair poured down her shoulders, and her clear, bright golden eyes¡ªdevoid of pupils¡ªwere focused intently on the ss as she taught with seriousness and interest.


    Golden scales adorned parts of her face, revealing her to be a Mesopotamian Descent, one who carried the bloodline of Tiamat to be exact.


    Before her was a small ss of about 30 students, all Celestials from various descents.


    Their attention was rapt on her, but some couldn''t help but nce at the peculiar-looking figure sitting at the front of the ss¡ªa young man with snowy white hair, none other than Nn himself.


    Right now, Nn''s attention was unflinching,pletely focused on the teacher as her teachings were of utmost importance and not avable in his memories.


    It meant it was something even the past Nn didn''t know himself.


    "The four sources of powers are none other than Divine Essence, used by us Celestial Heirs."


    "The second is Mythic Vitality, used by the animals¡ªbetter known as Spirit Familiars by the Celestial Heirs or simply beasts.."


    "Then there is the third source of energy, which is the Titanic Force, used by our greatest enemies, the Titans."


    "Andstly, there is the Terror Flux used by the Nightmare creatures..." She exined as Nn''s eyes shed with a special light.


    "So there is not only one source of energy. There are actually four," Nn thought.


    [And you''re so special that you can''t cultivate the one used by Celestial Heirs, the Divine Essence.]


    The system chimed in to mock him a little, but Nn wasn''t the least offended. Instead, a special idea formed in his head.


    ''If I can''t cultivate Divine Essence, then can''t I cultivate Titanic Force that belongs to the Titans or cultivate Terror Flux that belongs to the Nightmare creatures?''


    The idea bloomed a new light in Nn''s soul, and to him, it seemed like a usible path.


    But he didn''t let that divert his attention away and continued listening intently to the teacher''s words.


    "The Divine Essence controlled by us, Celestial Heirs, is undoubtedly the strongest among all."


    "It is a pure source of celestial energy that grants us incredible powers and abilities, allowing us Heavenly Descendants to harness our respective mythological powers."


    [It seems you''re an exception, though.] The system mocked once more, and Nn hmphed.


    ''Can you buzz off and stop mocking me at every point?'' Nn asked.


    [Why are you so angry at me as if I''m the only one looking at you mockingly right now?]


    The system retorted with a fake tone of sadness as Nn''s eyes shed, and he looked around the ss to see everyone currently staring at him, with some forcing down theirughter.


    While the teacher mentioned that Divine Essence helps them harness their mythological power, everyone knew there was an exception, and that was none other than Nn himself.


    He seems to be excluded from that as his Divine Essence actually works against him instead.


    ''Tch,'' Nn clicked his tongue at the strange stares and muffledughter before refocusing on the teacher, whose expression remained neutral.


    With Nn being inactive, the mockery and stifledughter soon calmed down, and the lecture continued.


    "The Titanic Force is the second strongest source of energy."


    "It is a raw, primal energy that enhances physical strength and durability, embodying the raw power of the Titans¡ªtheir devastatingly powerful brute power!" She exined, as Nn''s eyes shed with more interest.


    ''You said my only advantage is physical strength, right?''


    [Yes.]


    ''Then I have found the best source of power for me¡ªTitanic Force!'' Nn thought, his heart thumping louder.


    "The third strongest source of energy is the Terror Flux, used by the Nightmare creatures."


    "It is a chaotic energy that enhances the chaotic abilities of the Nightmare creatures."


    "Andstly, there is the Mythic Vitality used by the Spirit Familiars."


    "It is a unique energy that enhances the mystical and physical abilities of mythological familiars and beasts..." She exined to the ss.


    "As a Celestial Heir, you''re not only to know about the Divine Essence but also about the ones belonging to the other creatures. As the saying goes, a person who knows the strengths of his enemies and his own will win all battles.


    Therefore, we will be going through all the special powers, but the first one we will start with will be none other than the Divine Essence.


    As you might already know, Divine Essence is our main and primary source of power, and the more it is harnessed, the more powerful our basic abilities be.


    And that also means the more power we possess.


    But at particr points in our harnessing of Divine Essence, we break through special points that brings out veryrge disparity in power.


    These special points have been marked as the cultivation stages.


    The cultivation stages of us Celestial Heirs who possess Divine Essence are a total of 10!


    Their order, from lowest to highest, are:


    "Firstly, Celestial Initiate."


    This is primarily those who have a basic understanding of Divine Essence."


    "This is the stage where the majority of you in this ss are."


    "Some of you are beyond it already, while some aren''t there yet..." She called out, and Nn looked around the ss and noticed some people looking at him and stifling theirughter again.


    ''Here we go again...''


    [MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!]

 Chapter 21: Good Class Session

    "Hahaha..." Some students could no longer keep it in andughed out loud.


    But in the next instant, a resplendent golden light shed through the entire ssroom, and immediately all theughter ceased.


    Looking around, Nn noticed the horror and fear shing in the eyes of the Celestial Heirs, who were all looking at the ss teacher with respect.


    ''What did she do?'' he couldn''t help but ask the system, confused by the strange change.


    [She pressured them with her higher life rating. She didn''t do it to you because you''re the one being mocked...]


    It said to him.


    Nn nodded, even though he had no idea what a Life Rating was.


    "There will be no sort of mockery in my ss!" Her grave tone resonated throughout the entire ssroom, almost beastly, and the students unconsciously nodded in agreement.


    "Hmm-hmm. So as I was saying..." She continued, and Nn was pleasantly surprised to find her voice returning to its normal tone.


    He was starting to really like the teacher, who had intervened for him, yet he was also cautious, as he had witnessed how she had quickly switched from a lovely tone to a beastly one.


    Only the devil knows what type of creature she is...


    "Right now, the majority of you are Celestial Initiates and should therefore only possess a single ability from your descent, powered by your Divine Essence.


    It''s worth noting that some of you are a bit more exceptional that you possess two abilities instead of one, mainly because you possess two bloodlines instead of one, and therefore awaken an ability from each bloodline..." She exined as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "A Celestial Heir can possess two bloodlines!?" He asked in shock, briefly losing himself, causing his voice to be heard loudly by the ss, and all silently turned their raised eyebrows at him.


    They all knew that was possible ever since they possessed two teeth in their gums.


    "Yes, it is possible to possess two bloodlines in a single Celestial Heir." The voice rang out from none other than Instructor Tiamat, who surprisingly answered Nn''s seemingly dumb question.


    "The bloodline one possesses is mainly based on one''s birth parents."


    "Usually and normally, the parent with the most pure bloodline gets to pass their bloodline to their children."


    "If, say, your father is a Greek Descendant and your mother is an Egyptian Descendant, then you have a probability of awakening either a Greek or Egyptian descent based on whose bloodline is purer."


    "If your father''s bloodline is purer than your mother''s, then you awaken the Greek descent."


    "But if your mother''s descent is purer than your father''s, then you awaken her Egyptian descent.


    But there are cases where instead of the child taking one of the two descents of their parents, they take both in the same body.


    Those are the exceptional ones, or as the academy likes to call them... Prodigies.


    In the Celestial Initiate stage, they will possess two abilities instead of the normal person, due to their dual bloodline.


    Do you understand now?" She asked Nn, who nodded.


    Truly, he had now fully understood what she meant.


    "After the Celestial Initiate Stage, there is the next stage, called the Heavenly Disciple Stage."


    "In this stage, which is usually achieved by the absorption andprehension of the Divine Essence in your core until it undergoes a significant evolution, you will be able to awaken a second ability from your Divine Essence and gain a very deep understanding of both your abilities."


    "In this stage, there is also a minor increase in your physical strength and mana quantity in your core, making you twice as strong as you physically were in the Celestial Initiate Stage."


    "For those with dual bloodlines, they would be able to awaken a total of four abilities, making them very strongpared to the normal Celestial Heirs."


    "Since this is the stage where the majority of you are trying to cross into, I will stop there and give an in-depth exnation of how you can achieve this goal..." Instructor Tiamat said.


    Quickly, she dived into her exnation, arresting the attention of the majority of the ss.


    Since some students had already reached the stage, this created pressure on the other students to also reach it, and they all listened quietly to her exnation.


    Unfortunately for Nn, the knowledge given, though useful, was essentially useless to him.


    If he dared to break through to the Heavenly Disciple Stage, he would grow stronger, but the same for his Divine Essence, and that would be used against him even more.


    He couldn''t afford to try her exnation at all, but he still listened to at least hear her thoughts.


    The ss went on for three hours straight, yet not once did Nn feel exhausted, and thousands of questions were brimming in his mind, all of them waiting to be asked.


    But he reined himself in since some of the questions were eyebrow-raising and might cause suspicion.


    Three hourster, the bell rang, followed by Instructor Tiamat leaving the ss after assigning them work to submit three days from now.


    Nn had no book at all, so he couldn''t even write it down, but he had great intelligence and could remember the assignment.


    All he had to do was visit the Academy store to get some writing and reading materials, and he would be able toplete the assignment.


    Once the ss was over, what followed next was break time, and some students left the ss, the majority of them giving mocking nces at Nn before leaving.


    "Nn, Nn, Nn, my favorite bully toy. How long has it been, really? A month, a year, or a lifetime? How I missed your screams of agony so much."


    The voice rang out from behind Nn when the ss was close to empty.


    Gently, Nn could feel steps reverberating behind him and soon sensed presences surrounding his seat, before one of them walked to the side, cing his arm on his chair...

 Chapter 22: The Good Rule

    Slowly, Nn turned his head to the side where the figure who sat behind him was, and his face came into contact with that of a chubby young man.


    He was light-skinned, just like Mr. Murdermoon, his former boss, and his eyes were a strange color of pitch darkness, with not a single bit of white. On his face, there were slight scales at the side of his huge cheek.


    His hair was dark, just like his eyes, and currently, he had a big, evil, and mocking smile on his face, yet Nn could feel a strange emotion of relief deep in that evil smile.


    "You know, I heard that you''ve been dropped by Quinn. Honestly, I was so sad when I heard that, even though I kinda saw iting..."


    "Hahahahahaha!"


    "Hahahaahahah!"


    The remaining four young menughed out loud on hearing their boss''s mocking tone.


    "If you want to bully me again, why don''t you just get on with it right now?" Nn asked, finding all of the fake sweet-talking irritating.


    "Aww, my favorite bully toy must have missed my bullying. How inconsiderate of me..." the young man said, pressing his hand on his chest and imitating a girl, resulting in anotherugh from his goons.


    "Oh, you know the good rule, Nn. That good rule you always run under, all of the time. Have you forgotten it?" Wiro asked, looking intently at Nn and finding him furrowing his eyebrows.


    "Ahh, you really did lose some of your memories. If Quinn dered you dead, I''ll be surprised if he didn''t kick your head hard enough that you lost some screws."


    "But don''t worry, I''ll inform you. You can take it as a wee-back-to-life gift from me..."


    "Hahahahahaha!"


    "Hahahaahahah!"


    "The Good Rule of the Academy? There must be no fighting in the sses. As simple as that.


    So for now, you''re free from our grasp and my massages that you''ve missed so much.


    But don''t worry, once you step out of the ss, I''ll give you a heartfelt session of it. And guess what, you don''t even have to pay for my service. It''s always free..."


    "Hahahahahaha!"


    "Hahahaahahah!"


    "Now, now, let me not disturb your break time. That would be very uncharitable for a gentleman like me. See you soon, Nn."


    "And I hope you don''t fall into the hands of Quinn so soon."


    "Goodbye now, my favorite bully toy..." he said,ughing as his four goons also followed after him,ughing out loud.


    Present in the ss alone was Nn at his desk, nkly staring at the door where they all left.


    "At least I get to remain focused during sses..." Nn muttered out loud.


    It was the first time he had heard of the rule by himself.


    Strangely, it seemed like the previous Nn should have had the memories of the rule, yet he couldn''t find anything pertaining to that, nor did he even have the picture of this fat boy and his goons bullying him in his head.


    Also he had no idea of the energy sources and cultivation stages, something that Nn should have definitely known.


    It was like he had lost those memories truly, almost like it never happened at all...


    "Poor Nn..." Nn mused to himself. He could only wonder how a 16-year-old boy had been able to stomach such unfair treatment for years and still keep his sanity.


    "Everything... everything I will repay to them, for you," he thought with conviction before looking around the ss.


    There was none remaining, and he was the only one present.


    Nn also had an itch to go out and check out how a break time of Celestial Heirs would look or feel like by himself, but if he goes out, he wouldn''t be able to stop the countless stares and attention on him, along with theughter of mockery.


    Even Nn himself didn''t find those things to be fun at all. They could be letting down sometimes.


    So, for the next hour, he remained in the ss and silently waited for the break to pass by, resting and sparing a thought that had just taken loads of information, and simply reviewing them in his head, properly trying to understand them.


    And that was when it urred to Nn.


    "Hey, System, you there?" he called out, and the golden panel soon shed before him, a single line of words on it.


    [I''m always there Nn. Even when you''re taking a fat dump or when your keys are jingling in the shower...] it responded to Nn, whose hand unconsciously covered up his third leg while looking at the System with a betrayed expression.


    "Damn you, you pervert!!" he yelled out at it, resulting in a momentary chuckle from the System.


    [Anyway, what do you want to ask before...] it called out, directing Nn''s attention away.


    "I wanted to ask you a question. During the ss, the instructor mentioned there being four sources of energy. She said Celestial Heirs cultivate Divine Essence only, right?"


    [Yes. I heard that.]


    "Then is there a way for me to be an exception? Is there a possibility of me being able to cultivate any of the other forces instead?


    Most likely the Titan Force that boosts physical strength. If I''m able to do that, then I will be able to grow stronger as well, and not necessarily be trash..." Nn asked with hope.


    His reasoning was simple: since there was something wrong with his Divine Essence and there were three other energies apart from that, why couldn''t he just cultivate one of the other energies?


    That would make him officially have the potential of growth the same as every other Celestial Heir.


    [Aren''t you already growing strong with the System? Why do you need any of those energy sources?] The System replied back to him, shutting Nn up for a few seconds.


    The question continuously reverberated in his head.


    Why do you need any energy source if you already have the God King System!?

 Chapter 23: A Reason To Cultivate

    The sudden question shook Nn''s mind, reying in his head repeatedly.


    It was a simple question with a straightforward reasoning:


    Why would he need to cultivate if he could grow strong using the system?


    All he had done in the past few days was fulfill quests, and his strength had more than doubled in that short time.


    That meant all he needed to do to grow stronger quickly was to keeppleting quests as much and as fast as possible, and his strength would keep increasing indefinitely.


    In such a case, was there really a need to embark on the normal cultivation path?


    But that created a problem of its own.


    "How do I exin my strength to others if I onlyplete quests and increase my attribute points?" Nn pondered aloud.


    [What do you mean?] the system replied, confused.


    ''Since I cannot let others know about the system within me¡ªotherwise, I''ll definitely be dissected to pieces for them to get their hands on the power¡ªI need to have something to put out in front, something like an exnation for my growth in strength.


    There would be fewer eyes and questions if they saw that my cultivation stage was increasing,pared to if they saw me stuck as a Celestial Initiate yet capable of soloing cultivators stronger than me.


    It would be mystifying and attention-grabbing, don''t you think?" Nn asked, and to the system, his words truly had a point.


    Wouldn''t it be strange if a perceived ant suddenly could defeat lions?


    All the animals in the kingdom would definitely be rmed and would want to know why the sudden growth in strength.


    That would draw too much attention and might end up exposing the system.


    "Besides, I''m pretty sure there are some quests I won''t be able toplete without growing my own personal strength."


    "Growing strong through cultivation would only make those quests more achievable for me."


    [I can''t refute that, truly. But I''m not really sure if you can cultivate another source of energy.]


    [The physique of a Celestial Heir is different from that of a Titan, a Nightmare Creature, or a Beast, and their source of energy is attuned to their body type.]


    [So to cultivate the energy of a Titan, you would need the body type of a Titan. Something I don''t think you have, do you?] the system asked rhetorically, and Nn remained quiet.


    That was truly reasonable; he was a Celestial Heir, not a Titan, whatever those were.


    [Still, I think you would get a definite answer once youplete thest active quest¡­]


    "Toplete the first God King trial and obtain my first crown?" Nn asked. He could still remember the content of thest quest in his head as clear as day.


    "And when will I be able toplete the quest?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    [You''re not currently ready. Once you''re ready, you''ll be able to take it...] the system said cryptically, and Nn wanted to press on, but his attention was drawn to the ssroom door as he saw the students storming back into ss.


    It was clear to him that their break time was over, and just about ten minutester, another teacher entered the ss.


    A middle-aged man with green hair and green, gem-like eyes.


    In all aspects, he seemed a normal human, which was more than a relief to Nn.


    He still wasn''t good with aliens walking past him or being around him all the time. That was why he felt morefortable around those who were more human.


    It seemed the man was already familiar with the ss, and after taking a quick nce around, his eyes pausing for three seconds on Nn himself, he began his lesson on a topic that was very interesting to Nn.


    The man was discussing history, particrly about the world Nn was currently in¡ªsomething Nn had very little to no memories of.


    "Our entire ne of existence is divided into a total of nine heavens or nes. These nes are divided into three categories," the man began, and though the majority of the ss wasn''t paying much attention since they already knew this, Nn was among those who were listening intently.


    "The first is the Celestial Realm, which contains the 9th, 8th, and 7th heavens."


    "These also happen to be the highest of the heavens, and noteworthy is that the Academy is in the 8th heaven.


    "The second category is the Mortal Realm, which contains thergest number of worlds and lesser beings that we can all ce under the category of mortals."


    "They contain the 6th, 5th, and 4th nes of existence, and they are the greatest in number..." Sir Alberto exined casually, yet Nn''s mind shooked.


    ''There is a Mortal Realm!? Containing thousands of worlds. Could it be that Earth is also among those worlds!?'' Nn asked himself, hundreds of other questions appearing in his mind.


    He knew well that he had been reincarnated into a different world, but never in his imagination would he have thought there was a possibility of ever being able to go back to his previous world.


    If there was a Mortal Realm in this universe, then could there be a possibility that Nn''s world was also among those universes?


    All his life, he had thought humans were the only dominant species of the entire universe.


    While there were mentions of aliens and gods, Nn didn''t believe in aliens at all, and as for gods, he simply believed there was definitely a force behind the creation of the universe.


    That was as far as his belief took him.


    But now, he was faced with the reality.


    If Earth was really among the mortal worlds, then humanity had no idea of the possibility of the true universe.


    Whatever the truth was, Nn felt anticipation growing in his heart.


    The universe he was in was wide and wild, and it promised him a great adventure that he wouldn''t forget until the end of his life.

 Chapter 24: The Celestial Realm

    "Thest category is the Titan Realm, the home of our enemies. It is contained in the lowest nes of existence, which are none other than the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd nes."


    "It is a brutish and harsh world that almost none but the Titans themselves can survive, contributing to their incredibly powerful physical bodies."


    "Their bodies have evolved to adapt to the harsh environment, growing bigger, stronger, and tougher..."


    "So evolution is also a thing in this world too, huh?" Nn mused to himself. His attention was now piqued, and a single question was ringing in his head.


    Just who are the Titans, and why do the Celestial Heirs seem to hate them so much, tagging them as ''our greatest enemy?''


    But another question also appeared in Nn''s mind.


    If the nine nes of existence were divided into three, containing the Celestial Heirs, mortals, and Titans, then which realm did the beasts and the so-called Nightmare creatures belong to?


    Do they live with the Celestial Heirs, the Titans, or the mortals?


    It was a subject Sir Alberto didn''t touch on, unfortunately, but it was only a matter of time before Nn himself found out everything.


    "With the basic understanding of the world revealed, we will focus on the most important realm, which is the Celestial Realm."


    "As I said, the Celestial Realm upies the 7th, 8th, and 9th heavens."


    The Academy is located in the 8th realm, and it upies the entirety of that realm!" Sir Alberto exined, causing Nn''s eyes to sh in shock.


    The Academy was so big that it took up an entire realm for itself!?


    "Then there is the 9th realm, whose existence and activities are beyond your understanding."


    "You will only learn about what upies the 9th realm after you have reached a sufficient level of cultivation..." Sir Alberto said, and Nn''s eyes dulled.


    He turned to look at the ss and found they had simrly interested but disappointed expressions.


    It was clear to all that they already knew they couldn''t obtain information about the highest ne.


    "Then there is the 7th realm, which is the homeworld of us Celestial Heirs."


    "Our main focus throughout this entire session will be on making sure you understand as much as needed about the 7th realm, our homeworld."


    "As you may know, it is divided into a total of ten cities, each representing a different Mythological descent..."


    Calmly, Sir Alberto properly exined the structure of the Celestial Homeworld under Nn''s rapt attention.


    Repeatedly, Nn''s mind was getting blown away by the information.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!


    After a total of three hours of non-stop exnation, with Nn absorbing as much as he could, the bell finally rang, and Sir Alberto waved them all goodbye before leaving.


    "Huuuuuu," a loud exhale left Nn''s lips as he held his thumping head in his hands.


    "The world... The world is too vast. So vast I don''t think I will ever find the end of it..." Nn mused in a mixture of anticipation and sadness.


    The world was simply too big; he couldn''t imagine exploring every inch of it.


    The 7th realm, which was the homeworld of the Celestial Heirs, was already enough to blow him away.


    What of the three remaining worlds of the mortals


    or the three harsh worlds of the Titans?


    Or the hidden 9th realm, which couldn''t be revealed to the students until they reached a particr strength or status?


    Just what is the Academy''s importance, so much so that it is allowed to upy an entire ne of existence on its own!?


    Just what is this world hiding, and why was he even reincarnated here in the first ce...


    ''One day. One day, when I have freedom at my fingertips, strong enough to go anywhere or do anything, I will explore every inch of this world and its secrets...'' Nn swore to himself in conviction.


    But he was snapped out of it when he felt a tap on his shoulder, waking him up from his dreams.


    Looking forward, he could see who had tapped him.


    It was none other than the fat guy and his goons, who wereughing as they moved towards the exit.


    One of them stopped, pointing outside the door before turning to swipe his hands over his neck at Nn, and they all burst intoughter and left.


    It was a sign that Nn knew very well, and it meant that if he dared to leave the ssroom, he would be dead.


    But looking around him, he could see the various Celestial Heirs were all packing their bags and heading out of the ss, revealing that the ss had ended for the day.


    "Wow, howe the ss is so short?" Nn wondered to himself with furrowed eyebrows.


    [The ss was not short at all. The first session took a total of 4 hours, then you all had an hour break, and the second sssted a total of 3 hours!]


    [That is a total of 8 hours a day! How is that short?] The system asked as Nn scratched his head.


    He never even had an idea time had gone by so fast.


    It must have been because of what was being taught. It had attracted his attention so much that he had no idea time was moving by rapidly.


    ''It''s also time I get going. I need to get new books to write the assignments, and perhaps, I can take a small walk to the library and properly understand more about this world, so I don''t look like a dummy in the next ss.


    And perhaps, I could start preparing for my next quest.


    "I have so much to do..." Nn mused as he also rose up and walked out of the ss.


    He had no bag or whatever on him, and so therefore he simply stepped out of the ss just like how he hade, with everything taught ced in his brain.


    But little did he know of just how much trouble was waiting for him....

 Chapter 25: Who Is Bullying Who!?

    Immediately, Nn rose and walked out of the ss.


    There were hundreds of students, and he quickly mixed among them.


    But soon enough, he began feeling strange gazes on him as he walked through the crowd and descended from the 7th-floor skyscraper where his ss was.


    Yet, the more he descended through the floors, the more the eyes on him doubled, and it became clear to Nn that they had all probably been waiting for him to exit the ss and were now simply tagging after him.


    The previous Nn wouldn''t even know he was being seen and followed due to his weak perception.


    But Nn could clearly feel the gazes on him, but didn''t react¡ªacting like he couldn''t see or know he was being followed.


    He walked as normally as ever and soon stepped down from the structure before he began walking through the main streets of the academy.


    Now that he was in another area, and the number of students wasn''t asrge and the streets weren''t as crowded, only then could Nn feel the gazes clearly, and he narrowed it down until he counted a total of five people.


    Instantly, he could guess who their identities were.


    [Seems like you''ve gotten yourself in quite a bit of trouble, and they are all just as strong as you are]  the system said to him as Nn continued walking forward.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll handle it."


    [Main Quest Has Been Issued!]


    [Host has been targeted by a total of five individuals who have nefarious intent towards him. Host must survive the attackers and ensure their n doesn''te to fruition!]


    [Rewards:


    1.) +300 EXP


    2.) 1 Level Up Card]


    The panel blinked in and out of existence as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "I can also get quests from something like this?" he asked.


    [Yes, you can,] the system replied.


    "It seems all the trouble will be worth it, then," Nn said as he suddenly found a dark alleyway on the opposite side of the street and crossed over, disappearing within.


    Just as he expected, he heard the sound of footsteps quickening as the figures who were after him followed him into the alley.


    "Nn, Nn, Nn! We meet again, my favorite bully toy¡­"


    "Heheheh¡­"


    "Hehehehe¡­"


    "Heheheh¡­"


    The evilughter echoed through the entire alleyway,ing from none other than Wiro and his goons.


    They were all cracking their fists within their palms while slowly making their way forward towards Nn, who could be clearly seen standing under the only source of light in the area.


    They watched, with surprise, as Nn suddenly began cracking his neck and back.


    Ten meters away, Wiro suddenly stopped before he stretched his hands to the side, blocking his goons from advancing forth as his eyes narrowed at Nn.


    There was something strange in the air, and he could sense it.


    They were usually the ones who chose the alleyways, but right now, it was Nn that lured them into the alleyway.


    The previous Nn would have been begging for mercy, yet here he was, cracking his shoulders and neck bones as if preparing for a good fight.


    This was too strange for Wiro, and it made him feel a slight pang in his chest.


    "It seems you do have some brains in your head, after all¡­" Nn''s voice rang through the alleyway as he stood up straight.


    In the next instant, a strange rune appeared on Nn''s forehead, and his left eye began oozing out a crimson light.


    ''The voice'' Wiro thought in shock as he looked at Nn.


    He had been bullying Nn for three years now, and he could immediately sense the abnormally.


    The voice that spoke to him, even though it was the exact same voice as Nn''s¡ªhe was 100% sure this wasn''t Nn.


    Nn isn''t that bold and outspoken, nor did he have so much confidence in his voice. He had always been fearful, with his words nevering out straight at any single time...


    "Who are you!?" Wiro asked with furrowed eyebrows, but he was cut off by a goon that moved past his raised arms.


    "You don''t need to worry about anything, boss. He''s just trying to prove tough. Guess he got some spine after surviving Quinn''s battering."


    "I''ll bring him to his knees before you can blink boss. Hehe¡­" Thenky young man said, cracking his fist as he walked past Wiro and headed towards Nn, whose face was looking downwards, hiding his facial features.


    Yet Wiro could still see the grin that appeared on Nn''s lips, curving to his ears, and the murderous light that faintly shed in his eyes.


    "Hey, piece of trash. How do you wish to¡ª"


    "Amoy! Don''t!" Wiro screamed out, but it was already toote. Amoy''s hand moved, itching towards Nn''s shoulder and mming down with power.


    But before it could touch Nn''s shoulder, a crimson light shed by extremely quickly, and then_


    SPLLLLAAAATTT


    Blood sprayed all over the dark alleyway as a detached hand soared into the sky, spluttering out blood beforending in front of Nn''s feet.


    Amoy''s brain couldn''tprehend what was happening as he looked at his own arm and found all that was after his wrist to be missing.


    Turning to look at the side of Nn''s feet, he saw his own five fingers dancing and clicking on the ground.


    "What¡­what is going¡ªAHHHHHHHH!" He had yet toplete the sentence when the pain finally knocked into his brain, resulting in a spine-chilling scream that got cut off quickly.


    Immediately, Nn moved, his dagger spinning in his hand and then he grabbed it tightly, piercing its edges sideways to Amoy''s neck.


    PUUUUCCCHHIII


    The disturbing sound of a de digging into flesh rang out as the force of the stabb lifted Amoy off his feet and then_


    BAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNG


    The alleyway wall gave way as Amoy was smashed into it, carving a crater in it and Nn slowly drew out his dagger and kept it by his side, red blood falling down its edges and staining the ground below him.


    "That''s one down!" He whsipered and the goon''s heart pounded hard when a hand was sent flying to their feet, kicked to them by Nn who slowly stepped forth.

 Chapter 26: Celestial Heirs Power

    If there was one thing Nn knew about himself, it was that he was a tough-willed individual.


    He might have spent his entire past life as nothing but a coal miner working for an industry, but he did that not because he was afraid to go to jail, which was the second option, but due to the prospect of his father''s embezzlement being able to get canceled.


    That was exactly why he had shown up to the organization without ever being forced, every single day for 15 years without fail.


    Once he decided to do something, nothing in hell would stop him, and right now, as he walked forth with his dagger, there was only one thing Nn wanted to do: induce pain!


    The sight of the bully, whom they had yed with for three years, suddenly severing the arms of one of their own and mming him into the wall, knocking him out cold in a few seconds, was something that chilled the heart of Wiro and his remaining goons.


    It was such an unbelievable sight that even though they held the number advantage, the first thing their cells screamed to them was to run.


    It was the body''s natural reaction to an anomalous situation, and the first person to wee the idea was none other than Wiro, who quickly turned back and sprinted out of the alleyway.


    "That''s not Nn! That can''t be Nn. I have to run!" Those were the thoughts that ran through his head as the light grew closer to him.


    But in the next instant, a ruffle shed past him as he saw a figure materialize right in front of him, the dagger shing towards his face.


    Instantly, Wiro mmed his front leg upon the ground, his body shooting backward.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!


    The sound of the air getting sliced resounded as Nn, almost like he could predict Wiro''s action, already took off before he could think of leaving, arriving in front of Wiro and deciding to take him out with a single sh to the head.


    But Wiro was faster than he thought.


    Immediately, the young man had retreated back ten meters away from him, his hands trailing on his face, where the singr line of the cut that separated his face in half could be felt.


    If he had not been able to sense the attack so quickly, he was pretty sure the cut to his face would have been deep and terrible.


    "None of you will leave here alive without me carving every single pain that you have brought upon me for the past three years."


    "I''ll start by taking you all out, then I''ll slowly sever your fingers, followed by your tongues and then your eyeballs."


    "Then I''ll strip you naked and hang you on the academy front gate, so when others wake up tomorrow, they can all have a feast for their eyes."


    "Internally, you will be disgraced every time someoneys eyes on you¡ªjust exactly how I have been disgraced anytime someoneys eyes on me."


    "So I''ll advise you to fight until yourst breath to protect all of your soon-to-be lost dignity!" Nn said, and in the next instant, he sprinted off toward the students, a red vein popping on his forehead.


    Right now, he felt nothing¡ªnothing but a deep, fiery rage of anger and bloodlust.


    "DIIIIIIIEEEE!!!"


    Unlike Wiro, who could reason extra clearly and notice something wrong, the same couldn''t be said for the remaining three goons who immediately had their bodies shed with a strange peculiar light that Nn knew well.


    They were now activating their Descent Ability.


    "Tialoc Descent Ability: Rotating Water Drill!"


    "Raven Descent Ability: Ravenous w of Death!"


    "Storm of Niaverama!"


    Immediately, powerful lights oozed out from every one of the students, and in the next instant, they unleashed their attacks towards Nn, who was running towards them.


    The first attack to reach him was none other than the Ravenous w of Death, a gigantic shadow-like w that was the size of Nn''s entire body and oozed with an incredible amount of destructive and death energy.


    It covered everywhere, leaving no space to block at all.


    But Nn himself never intended to block, as his hands tightly held the Lost Dagger of Kratso, the ming red aura on it oozing out brightly, and then he shed forth vertically with all of his strength.


    BAAANG!


    A minor explosion could be heard from the collision of both techniques as Nn found himself taking sessive steps back, and before him, the w had exploded, forming a wall of shadows that covered Nn''s vision.


    VRRRRROOOOOOM!


    In the next instant, arge water drill tore through the dark smoke covering, appearing instantly in front of Nn, who ced the dagger before the edge of the drill, his legs mming hard onto the bare ground and resisting the intense pressure and powering out from the drill.


    His legs repeatedly carved gorges on the ground, but with a slight groan from Nn, the water drill was ripped apart right from the edges, splitting into two parts and mming against the opposite wall behind him.


    VRRRRROOOOOM!


    BAAAAAANG!


    Suddenly, a strange scene urred as Nn, who was busy recuperating from thest attack, felt something lift him up off his feet.


    In the next instant, he was roughly mmed onto the wall, carving a human-shaped crater within, and then hepletely stopped moving.


    "Ahhh..."


    "Ahhh..."


    "Ahhh..." The sound of heavy breathing could be heard as Wiro''s goons slowly rose from their poses and looked at Nn in the crater, clearly knocked out cold, with blood dripping down the side of his face.


    "You see that, boss? He might have gained some sort of strength or power boost, but against three of us at once, his only fate is still to be knocked out!"


    A goon said calmly, the one who had been able to create the storm that lifted Nn up and mmed him into the wall, effectively knocking him out.


    "Now, didn''t someone say he would slice off our fingers and pluck out our eyeballs? Now that the table has turned, you don''t seem to have any better suggestions, do you, boss?"


    "Hehe..."


    "Hehe..."


    "Hehe..."

 Chapter 27: Swift Takeout

    "Hehehehe..." Theughter also rang out from Wiro''s lips.


    Now that even his goons had been able to knock out Nn, he knew well there was nothing for him to worry about at all.


    Following after his goons who walked towards Nn, one of them stretched his hand towards his neck to drag him out when suddenly the sound of something being thrown in the air resounded.


    It was none other than Nn''s dagger, which soared upwards for a few meters before immediately Nn''s leg moved out of the crater and mmed onto the butt of the dagger, sending it soaring forward with speed, and then...


    PUUUUUUCHHHIII!


    The sound of something piercing through flesh resounded as the dagger locked into the neck of one of the students, the hot mes scorching at the neck muscles and tearing out the side of the young man''s neck, alerting the others behind him who quickly retreated.


    Blood spilled forth like a tap as Nn''s hand moved out of the crater, grabbing onto the hilt of his dagger and tearing it out, resulting in the young man''s hand wrapping over his throat until he fell down on his knees and mmed facedown, gurgling on his own blood.


    But Nn knew that wasn''t enough to kill him. Celestial Heirs'' bodies were incredibly resistant to normal life-threatening attacks.


    He was pretty sure the young man would survive even if he didn''t receive medical care for an entire day and was left there, but Nn didn''t want to kill him.


    What he needed was the horrific pain which the young man was currently feeling.


    Unknown to Nn, the crimson mes surrounding his dagger had an extra effect of feeding on Divine Essence resulting In pain and right now, the young man''s throat only got redder and redder, with every Divine Essence being sent into his neck to heal the injury doing nothing but to amplify his suffering even more.


    "You all have impressive First Descent Abilities. Really impressive, especially you..." Nn''s voice rang out as he pointed the dagger towards the one who had the strange storm power, but soon, the young man felt the entire world going around in a circle in the next instant, followed by an incredibly loud bang that made the entire world turnpletely ck.


    One moment, Nn was 10 meters away from them, and in the next moment, a figure was now at his feet, blood oozing out from his ears, with his eyes having rolled back to the back of his head.


    "Unfortunately, you''re still weaker than me..."


    "You bastard! DIIIIE!!!" The remainingst goon roared out in anger as he red once more with light, wanting to use his descent ability, but he soon realized he couldn''t, no matter how hard he tried.


    "Oh? You seem surprised?" Nn asked with a mocking smile as he walked towards the young man, whose body repeatedly red out with light but dimmed before he could activate his technique and could only watch in horror as Nn arrived before him.


    "Your Divine Essence is the weakest of the bunch, making you only capable of activating your technique just once before you run out."


    "You''re a piece of trash yourself, but you didn''t realize that because you were busy bullying some other piece of trash."


    "Now go to hell!"


    Nn whispered as the young man immediately punched out towards Nn''s face, but all he did was punch nothing but air as Nn ducked his head to the side, and then he kicked out with all of his power towards the young man''s ribs, causing his body to jerk back in shock.


    His head shot forward, and suddenly, the sight of a knee magnified in the young man''s vision as Nn mmed his knee into his face, jerking his head back upwards, with blood oozing out from his mouth.


    Flinging his dagger up, Nn''s hand moved, wrapping his hand around the young man''s neck and back, and in a blink, he lifted him off his feet before...


    BAAAAAAANG!


    A powerful noise was made through the alleyway as the young man was smashed onto the ground, leaving nothing but a deep crater, which soon got filled by his own blood.


    Stretching his hand to the side, Nn grabbed his own falling dagger before turning to look at thest figure who had yet to move at all since the beginning of the battle.


    The figure, of course, was none other than Wiro. His cautiousness had been able to prevent him from getting knocked out... yet.


    "Who... who are you? Nn doesn''t know how to fight like that!" Wiro said in shock as he slowly backed up.


    The truth was, among the entire group, Wiro was actually the weakest. He was only the boss because of his brain; his goons were his brawn.


    And now, with his goons gone, his power was gone, and he was now left alone, more than pathetic.


    His First Descent ability wasn''tbat-focused and more knowledge-focused, and with Nn just having gotten rid of four Celestial Heirs who hadbat-focused abilities, he knew well he was doomed, and had no chance.


    There was no helping it; he was now screwed for sure.


    But even though he knew he would soon be in a world of pain, nothing haunted him more than finding a new Nn before him.


    The person before him was bold, confident, and cunning, knowing well how to lower people''s guard and use it against them.


    And also, he was incredibly experienced inbat, easily overpowering the goons whom Wiro knew well were just as strong as him.


    That wasn''t the Nn that he knew. What could have changed in him?


    Just what the hell did Quinn do to him?


    "I don''t hate your goons much for bullying me at all. They''re the smash and you are the grab. Without your brain, they wouldn''t think of bullying me"


    "All they do is follow your orders like dogs without thinking for themselves, and I''ll say, they got exactly what they deserved."


    "But you... tell me what you deserved, and I''ll reward you ordingly..."

 Chapter 28: Wiros Past

    To Judge Himself!?


    It wasn''t the first time for Wiro that he had been asked to do such a thing.


    He could still remember the first time he had been told of it. It hadn''t been his fault at all. Yet it could also be said to be his fault.


    It was a simple reason...


    Slowly, Wiro backed away from Nn, the memories of his past haunting him like a specter in the cold darkness until his back met with the wall, and he slid down, raising his hands to look at them as if they were not his own.


    He soon clenched them tightly before once more unfurling them with a sigh.


    "You know, I was raised in the Celestial Misty City Orphanage Home down in the 7th realm. Just a minor kid with nothing but his brains and cunning. At least, that was always what I thought I possessed... heh..." Wiro began chuckling to himself in mockery as he looked at his own feet.


    "I remember,pared to the average orphanage boy, I was pretty smart. I could guess where the other pupils were going to keep their remaining food if they never finished it quite easily, and I could guess the majority of the staff''s actions just as easily too."


    "It was easy for me to read people¡ªmaybe a little too easy.


    In the orphanage, food never got passed around equally. Some gotrger portions than others, especially those hateful bunch who were just like me, but with muscles instead of brains.


    In a ce where we scrambled for as much extra food as possible, they, with theirrge muscles, could simply walk into the eatery lobby, and quickly, everyone would beg to give them half their food.


    It was all done in fear¡ªthey could crack open your skull if you refused. And the Celestial Misty staffs also didn''t seem to care, almost like they were supporting them. It was hateful, but that was how it was¡ªa dog-eat-dog world..."


    "My brilliant intelligence had always just been a tool for me to amuse myself, until I saw what power was capable of, and then I had a brilliant spark of imagination.


    I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to be like the big bad hunters¡ªthe name we called those bullies of ours, who wrestled food away from us. I wanted to be like them, but this time not with muscle, but with brain.


    Easily, I seeded with my intelligence, telling them the ces where the staff kept the food before they could even serve them at all, and at night, we''d sneak in and take some food before any staff or students even woke up.


    The sudden abundance of food, with them not having to hunt for it, made them eventually designate me as their leader. But the staff noticed the anomaly¡ªthe big bad hunters no longer using force on other children, and the strange missing ofrge amounts of food before serving time.


    Eventually, we were caught, and it didn''t take a genius for the staff to realize I was the problem.


    Their way of punishing me was really simple...


    "Judge yourself, Wiro. Judge yourself." No matter how smart I was, I couldn''t do it. Not that I didn''t know it, I just couldn''t say it, couldn''t admit it. But then, I really did judge myself and then I was told...


    "Your brain will take you nowhere, Wiro. It''s useless." Those were thest words I heard until I was thrown out of the orphanage and found myself in the academy not long after...


    "The Academy¡ªI thought I could prove them all wrong, but I guess I was just being delusional."


    "Everyone in the academy is either stronger or wiser than I am, and if not wiser than me, they''re stronger than me. My brain took me nowhere, just as they predicted. But then, there was you..."


    "You were not only weaker but even dumber, a proof to me that what they said about me was wrong. I could make you feel horror and piss your pants from simply touching you once and without me even possessing muchbat power at all."


    "You gave me the belief that being wise was just as powerful as strength."


    "So every day, I would run to the thing that reaffirmed my belief in my own superiority and correctness. Almost like a drug addict who runs back to his drugs every day."


    "You saw the relief in my eyes when I discovered you were alive, didn''t you?" Wiro suddenly asked as Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    Truly, when Nn had fought the fat boy, even though he was attacking him, Nn was able to see the young man had some relief in his eyes¡ªthe relief that Nn was alive.


    Now he understood why Wiro was relieved.


    To Wiro, Nn could be said to be a drug, and Wiro was a drug addict.


    What happens when a drug addict is told that there are no more drugs, but then after a week finds out there are now drugs?


    That was exactly what Nn was to Wiro.


    A drug that he lived on. Without Nn, Wiro was essentially just a soulless body.


    Another piece of trash like Nn himself, with only a useless brain and no brawn. Both were the same, just that one could hide his own, and the other had been exposed.


    All in all, they both were still in the same circle...


    "Judge myself? I deserve hell for what I''ve done. It''s something I know, Nn.


    But it''s useless, somehow. No matter what I do. It''s useless. There''s no purpose at all for me in the academy.


    No reason to even keep living. What''s the point of living if you will always be regarded as trash anyway?" Wiro whispered, but in the next instant, his ears perked up when he heard the sound of footsteps.


    When he raised his head up, he found Nn slowly walking off, moving out of the dark alleywayz his dagger disappearing from his hands.


    "Take your goons to the medical bay. Don''t let them die on me..." Those were thest words he heard from Nn as he watched him fade away from his sight.


    Now, all that was left was Wiro, alone with the battered bodies of his four goons around him.


    "Why?"

 Chapter 29: Levelling Up

    [Congrattions! The Host Has Sessfully Completed the Quest!]


    [Host has been rewarded with a level-up card and an additional 300 EXP!]


    The system notification red repeatedly as Nn cleaned off his wet hair with the towel in his hands.


    "Ahhh," he breathed out in relief at how light-hearted he felt as he walked toward the bedroom.


    He quickly donned some clothes, and while he was doing that, the system notification appeared again.


    [Why did you let him live, without a single bit of injury on him?] the system asked.


    Nn shrugged.


    "If I injure him like the rest, then no one will be able to take the remaining four to the hospital."


    "There''s a chance they will die if that happens, and who knows what the punishment for killing another student is? It might just mean I''ll be killed back too."


    "Their livesbined aren''t worth half of mine..." Nn replied, not putting too much thought into it.


    [That''s not what I''m talking about. I''m talking about the fact that you were ready to slice him up, then you stopped at thest second after hearing his lie of a story.]


    [Don''t tell me you fell for his intelligence like he said,] the system replied to Nn, whose eyes narrowed remembering his exchange with Wiro but soon shook it off.


    "Genuinely, I don''t know whether he is saying the truth or not. If he''s telling the truth, which I believe he was when I was before him, then even if I cut him up a million times, it would be nothing but a waste of time and energy."


    "He''s broken, and I don''t think I can fix him. So it''s better to just let him be."


    "But if he''s lying, that still doesn''t affect me."


    "He knows how strong I am now, and I''m no longer a drug he can use to remind himself of his own superiority now that I''m strong."


    "I''m now free from his bullying, and whether he lies or he''s right means nothing to me."


    "He seems smart and should at least know not to push his luck too much..." Nn replied.


    He had gotten rid of the threat of Wiro and his goons already.


    Wiro himself wasn''t a problem because he was weaker than the rest, and Nn could simply punch a hole through his head if he tried anything with him.


    And his four goons already knew how dangerous he was and would definitely steer clear of him next time.


    He had achieved his aim of what he wanted, so who cares about whatever happens to them next? It had nothing to do with him...


    "Activate System Interface..." Nn ordered, and immediately it appeared.


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Age: 16]


    [Level: 6]


    [ss:??]


    [EXP: 300/800]


    [Level Up Card: 1]


    [Does Host wish to use the Level Up card?]


    "Yes."


    [Congrattions, Host has used a level-up card and leveled up to Level 7!]


    [+10 Attribute points have been added]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 20]


    [Agility: 20]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute Points: 10]


    "Add 10 points to Strength..." Nn ordered instantly. Quickly, he felt the increase in strength as the strange liquid began flowing around him, causing him to pause within his seat, but this time, it was fleeting and he was able to regain himself pretty much quickly.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 30(+5)]


    [Agility: 20]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    [You''re not trying to regte all of them correctly this time?] the system teased him as Nn shook his head while putting on his shirt.


    "All my stats are already bnced, and strength is something I need right now. I''m pretty sure Wiro and his goons won''t be thest, so I need the strength to handle other idiots like them."


    "Once I get more quests and more attribute points, I will work towards the remainder of my attributes catching up," Nn exined to the system as he donned a new shirt and clothes.


    They were pretty rough and looked slightly worn out, but it was the only thing he could make do with.


    He knew sooner orter, he really needed to improve his living conditions, and he knew exactly where to learn of that.


    But for now, he had other headaches to worry about.


    "I need to get the books and do the given assignments."


    "I also need to visit the library to get a greater grasp on things in the academy."


    "And finally, I want toplete thest quest. How do I evenplete thest quest?" Nn couldn''t help but ask.


    The quest spoke ofpleting some trial and obtaining a crown¡ªsomething Nn had zero ideas about how to go about.


    [You''re not ready. You''ll know of it when you''re ready,] it said to him just as cryptically as it had informed him before.


    "Okay, but how ready? What level in the system before I''m ready, so at least I know to walk towards the goal faster?" Nn


    reasoned, and the system replied.


    [You''ll have to reach Level 10 at least.]


    "Hmm. Just three more levels; it would be slightly difficult with no current active quests, but I think I would still be able to pull it off," Nn mused to himself before he headed out of the room, moving towards the exit and getting out of his house.


    It was time to head to the Academy store to get himself some books...


    -----


    Walking through the academy streets, the map to the Academy store was in Nn''s head.


    Since it waste afternoon,  just close to evening, Nn noticed some idiots_celestial heirs,ing close to toy with him.


    But all they got next was a hard punch to the face that sent them flying, with some teeth knocked out of their gums.


    The scene surprised the majority of other students who waited to watch a bully scene as what they bserved instead was amon piece of trash knocking out celestial heirs with a simple punch before continuing on his way.


    By the time Nn got to the Academy store, a notification panel shed before him.

 Chapter 30: The Academy Library and Store...

    [Congrattions, you have sessfully taken care of 12 bullies with nefarious intent.]


    [Total EXP gained: 1200!]


    ---


    The system notification shed as Nn grinned widely.


    Those 12 bullies could also be referred to as twelve people who had their teeth knocked out cold by him, and the sensation of that was nothing short of heavenly to Nn.


    "You mess with the bull, you get the horns," he remembered a saying from Mr. Murdermoon in his past life as he walked into the academy store.


    The relentless surprise punch he delivered had caused quite the red mark to appear on his knuckles.


    Unlike other celestial heirs who could heal themselves of minor injuries by simply passing Divine Essence to their arms, Nn''s Divine Essence never listened to him, so he could only bear with the pain and stiffness in his hands as he walked into the store.


    Arriving before the store, he opened the ss door, finding himself in a stainless white reception area where some students could be seen walking in and out.


    Nn simply ignored their raised eyebrows as he walked to the counter where a chubby male instructor could be seen ying around with some files in his hands.


    "How can I help you?" the man''s voice resonated as he kept fiddling with the files.


    "I was just hoping to get some books for the sses," Nn responded, watching as the man put down his files and tapped on a technological-looking object in the shape of a cube.


    Immediately, a green holographic screen appeared, which the man began typing on.


    "And what''s your name?" he asked.


    "Nn...Nn Gottschald," Nn replied.


    The man began typing on the holographic screen, and quickly, the name appeared, indicating an avable status.


    However, his eyes widened when he discovered something abnormal and quickly scanned through his sses.


    "ording to my records, you''ve never taken a book from the academy store? Then how have you been taking notes all this while?" he asked in shock as he finally raised his head to Nn and blinked twice, looking at his face.


    "Oh, it''s you, Nn. Nn Gottschald. What? Finally have a change of heart? After three years?" The man teased with a slight tone of mockery as Nn grinned helplessly.


    ''Like I was given the choice of a change of heart...''


    "Yes. I have finally decided to turn a new leaf," Nn replied to the green-skinned man, who grinned wildly at him.


    In some way, the man''s smile reminded Nn of a frog, and he more than found it amusing that he was standing before a frog-man.


    "Ok then. I''ll give you your books. They''ve been piling up for three years now, but you''ll only need the ones for this year, right?"


    "Yes, sir"


    "There are also some other school materials you don''t possess. I''ll be passing everything to you."


    ''Follow me," the man said as he rose from the seat and headed to a door on the side.


    Nn followed after him.


    ---


    An hourter...


    A young man with flowy snow-white hair and slightly shabby clothes exited the ss door of the Academy store, arge bag slumped over his shoulder.


    Looking up at the sky, Nn noticed it was beginning to darken a little.


    With the bag slumped over his shoulder, he didn''t think it was possible to make it to the library like this, but the thought of being able to find books that could help with the assignments given was also something he couldn''t ignore.


    In the end, Nn struggled to make his way over.


    The Academy Library was significantly farther from the store and took him about 45 minutes to walk to.


    Thankfully, it always remained open 24/7, so Nn was able to settle down.


    Quickly, he brought out the various textbooks and notebooks that he had been given and began reviewing them as quickly as possible.


    The library itself had many floors, with some of them being restricted to lower students like him.


    However, the books that were avable to Nn were all he needed. In less than two hours, he had properly scanned through the book he needed to do the assignment given by Instructor Tiamat and quickly finished it.


    Before beginning his walk around the library, a little surprising, there were a few people that Nn couldn''t recognize still reading the books inside the library, while some came in and returned books.


    Most were especially female, and they only threw Nn some giggles before ignoring him. Nn didn''t mind it much as he walked through the shelves, picking up books whose covers he found interesting.


    Once he gathered about five of those books, he began his reading.


    There was a special and helpful feature in the library, and that was a single round table and seat for each student.


    Most noticeable was also a strange mechanism that appeared around the ss table where a person sat.


    It ensured that noise made outside of the library didn''t affect those inside, and those outside couldn''t hear the noise of those inside.


    This created afortable setting where there was nothing but a reader, the book, and his thoughts in a single space.


    Only in this ce could Nn finally feel some relief.


    Here, he felt safeness and security, him alone, and that brought him thefort he truly needed to settle his mind


    Silently and peacefully, he spent the next few hours simply absorbing as much as he could, piecing together pieces of the world with his missing memories, and gaining a deeper understanding of where he was.


    Soon, he knew well how to resolve every single bit of the problem he possessed with quite the ease, yet there were also some things that made him narrow his eyes and realize just how insecure he was in the academy right now...

 Chapter 31: Existence Of Cults

    While reading through the books, Nn had been able to grasp some key information rted to the academy and even major works of the Celestial Realm as a whole.


    He now also understood the rtion of the academy in the entire ne of existence and why it was so high-profile.


    Firstly, this world operates on a defined hierarchy.


    The Celestial Realm is a home for descendants of gods, and their main purpose of existence is to ensure bnce and prosperity throughout the entire mortal ne of existence below it.


    They have their duties, ranging from preventing natural disasters through the lower realms to fighting back against nightmarish creatures that might be causing chaos in the mortal realm.


    In essence, the Celestial Heirs were like guardians for the mortals below.


    The academy, officially known as Pantheon Descendants Academy, was an incredibly major powerhouse in the Celestial Realm due to the simple fact that it raises the various Celestial Heirs from young to adulthood and prepares them for their necessary guardian duties as Celestial Heirs.


    That was why the academy was so important.


    Without it, there would be no way for the Celestial Heirs to properly use and learn of their power, which would make them fail at their duties and protecting the mortal nes of existence below from grave dangers and possible extinctions.


    It wasn''t always there though, but Nn now understood why the academy was created.


    It was to properly teach the Celestial Heirs of their powers, slowly introduce them to their roles in the entire ne of things, while also fostering connection andmunication among different Pantheon descendants.


    More noteworthy was the fact that the academy had no other that looked like it. It was the only academy that was present and known for grooming the Celestial Heirs.


    However, there were also some issues that Nn found grave within the academy.


    On the surface, the students present might seem to get along with each other.


    But what he had learned from a book written by a now-dead student was the fact that the academy was a battleground of its own.


    In the Celestial Realm, there are a total of ten Mythological Descendants, and the majority of these descendants don''t like each other at all.


    They were like cats and dogs, or hyenas and lions. They weren''t really unified.


    The same could also be said to have spiraled into the academy.


    The students don''t all look at each other like students; they also harbor a bit of animosity and distrust amongst each other due to their varying Mythological Descents.


    This distrust, which leads to a need to protect each other from the other Mythological Descendants, had created the existence of cults within the academy.


    Each various Mythological Descent had its own cults, and the three most popr cults were stated in the book, along with the Descendants that possessed them.


    The first cult is known as the Greek God Cult, a conglomeration of those who possess the Greek Descent bloodline.


    The second cult is the Egyptian Pharaohs Cult, a conglomeration of those who possess the Egyptian Mythological Bloodline.


    The third most powerful cult is the Norse Killers Cult, a conglomeration of those who possess the Norse Mythological bloodlines.


    There were other cults, but these were the three most powerful and most fearsome among the cults.


    What was attention-grabbing was the fact that those who are present in a cult will do much better, be safer, and more secure than those who were not in a cult like Nn.


    What made Nn furrow his eyebrows was the fact that only if you have the particr bloodline of the cult would you be able to join the cult, but simply possessing the bloodline of the cult doesn''t give you automatic entry.


    Actually, getting into a cult is as difficult as ascending the heavens, and the easiest way is to get rmended.


    But Nn''s first thought had been why he would even need to join or bother himself with a cult at all.


    So far, he could just grow his strength without getting disturbed by anyone, and he didn''t think he could get himself in any more headaches and shenanigans of academy life.


    But he was proved wrong.


    If Nn dared to beat up a person who belonged to a cult, then that person might summon his entire cult, and Nn would get screwed up really quickly.


    More surprising was the fact that there were those who had annoyed cult members only for entire cults to gather on them, and they were killed.


    Even more mind-blowing was the fact that the academy wouldn''t care about random students'' deaths.


    The only reason why an academy would choose to punish for killing a student is if the killed student is a prodigy, meaning possessed two bloodlines, or if he had a special background that cannot be trifled with.


    Then whoever killed him would be dealt with, and the most grievous of punishment was death to the one who killed another student.


    Only now did Nn understand why he had been thrown into a pit and the one who killed him, Quinn, announced to the entire students that he had killed him, yet no teacher addressed this issue at all.


    The truth was the staff in the academy didn''t care whether Nn died because of a simple reason: He was trash and wasn''t worth their attention at all.


    If Nn was a prodigy with two bloodlines or had a very powerful and well-renowned background, then Quinn, who had killed him, would have also met with his own death too.


    Yet nothing like that happened, and it was due to a system that was implemented by the academy itself.


    It was a simple system, and that was the dog-eat-dogw.


    The academy believed in utmost strength and power, and you will be respected based on how much of it you possess.


    If one possessed no strength, no power, or no potential to speak of, then they could be killed by any random another, and the academy wouldn''t blink an eye, with the issue getting swept under the rug soon after.

 Chapter 32: A Narrow Miss

    That had created a situation where some students would suddenly disappear out of existence like they never existed.


    It was also one of the reasons why the cults had been created. If you''re in a cult, then even if youck potential, others wouldn''t want to mess with you because of the fact that you have a cult behind you.


    In other words, they wouldn''t see a single person with no potential; they would see a multitude of people who are ready to fight back for you fiercely, and therefore, they would choose to ignore you.


    It was one of the things that kept the peace in the academy, as those who are in different cults wouldn''t want to mess with each other because they knew that it could lead to a cult war that might result not only in their death but the death of their own people.


    So they tend to avoid violence, ensuring peace within the academy.


    But the same couldn''t be said for those who have no potential and also have no cult or backing to speak of.


    These people were essentially death targets, and Nn himself just happened to be one of those people.


    If not worse, as he was also one of the most known of these people.


    Since being in a cult isn''t written on your face, it''s a little bit difficult for others to know if you''re in a cult or not, but the same couldn''t be said for Nn.


    No cult would be willing to take a piece of trash in as it gives them no advantage at all.


    That is why right now, Nn''s life wasn''t really safe yet, even though he had grown stronger.


    If he met with a person who was in a cult and beat them up, he might be in danger of the entire cult retaliating.


    While Nn was confident of beating up to five other Celestial Heirs in the same power stage as him, he wasn''t sure what the oue would be if he had to fight up to 100 or 200 cult students who wanted to kill him.


    Right now, he wasn''t free and was too weak to join a reputable cult.


    His life was still in danger, and he was still under the control of others who were stronger and had backings behind them.


    It was a nauseating feeling for Nn, but it was also eye-opening.


    Now he understood a little about how the academy world works, and that made him increase his cautiousness.


    Looking at the far end of the library, there was a clock imnted on the wall, and currently, it stated:


    12:25


    He had been in the library for close to seven hours now, and he didn''t even realize it.


    "Guess I have to go¡­" Nn mused as he packed hispleted assignments and other books into his bag, carrying the remaining ones that he had taken from the shelves and putting them back in their respective ces.


    Done with that, he made his way to the exit and quickly moved out of the library, making his way towards his room.


    It was less than an hour before Nn was already back in his house. He put the bag on the ground and immediately headed towards his bed, heaving out a sigh of relief.


    The day had been long, but he had been able to get all he needed to do already done.


    Right now, there were only a few things he had to do, which was to quickly reach level 10, get ready for his new quest, and then he needed to¡ª


    GRUUUUUUUUUM


    Suddenly, the sound of his stomach rumbling could be heard as his eyes shed, and he looked at his stomach.


    "I really need to eat something¡­" Nn mused to himself as he looked at his own rumbling stomach.


    It was currently one in the dark of night or something, and the ss would resume very early, at 8 tomorrow morning.


    He needed his sleep, but thirty minutester, Nn jumped to his feet and headed up.


    His stomach wouldn''t stop disturbing him, so he grabbed his coat, nting it over his head, and quickly moved through the moonlit sky, approaching the cafeteria while giving as little attention to himself as possible.


    ---


    Thirty minutester, after Nn left his house¡­


    RUUUUUSTTTTLLEEE


    RUUUUSSTTTLEEEEE


    The sound of strange air suddenly began blowing around the backyard of the Greek Descent Dorm Building as shadows all began lingering before the doorstep of Nn''s small house, yet there were no figures to be seen, responsible for pulling the shadows.


    CLIIINK


    CLINKCK


    CLIINK


    GRRRRRIIIIIN


    It was the sound of chains clunking together and dragging on the ground as the figures were finally revealed.


    There were up to a dozen in number, and all of them werepletely covered up in pitch-dark robes that almost made them visibly disappear and reappear in the dim lights.


    In the arm openings in the robes, what was supposed to be arms sticking out were instead long chains brimming with dark energy, trailing on the ground behind them and creating a ominously chilling sound.


    Upon their presence, the slightest amount of breeze stopped blowing around Nn''s apartment, and the light in the area seemed to dim a little.


    An incredible amount of pressure that sent some of the nearby structures creaking from being unable to handle their power asionally rang out through the deafening silence.


    Finally, the figures appeared before Nn''s door, and one of them moved forth, his chains in his sleeves slowly rising up like snakes and wrapping against the door knobs.


    CRR..RIIIN...RK


    The sound of the lock getting twisted resounded as the door to Nn''s apartment was opened up, and then the figure stepped in while the remaining others stayed outside.


    Less than a minuteter, the robed figure came back out of Nn''s house, and his chains shut the door.


    Without saying a word, all dozen of their identities walked forward for a while before they suddenly melted onto the ground and faded away from Nn''s apartment, everything returning back to normal as if nothing had ever happened at all¡­

 Chapter 33: A Strange Encounter

    BLLEEERGGHHH


    An extra loud belch echoed through the cafeteria hall as Nn rose up from the table, wherey a gigantic tray filled with nothing but bones.


    Slowly, he adjusted his belt to better fit his bulging stomach.


    [It seems your appetite has increased and quite voraciously too. You actually ate the size of what you ate yesterday and an extra quarter, and yet you''re not syed all over the floor.]


    [That is noteworthy...] the system teased Nn, who smiled pridefully.


    "Of course, I, Nn, am the king of whales!" Nn said proudly, dering a stance by cing his clenched fist on his stomach while nting one of his legs on the seat, looking at the distance with a smart gaze.


    [What are you doing?] The system asked Nn, who smiled shamelessly.


    "I''m posing, of course. What do you think?" Nn asked as his stomach bulged out even more.


    [I think you''re embarrassing yourself in front of a prettydy at the cafeteria entrance...] the system said to him as Nn''s body went rigid.


    Slowly, he turned his head back to the cafeteria entrance only to find out there truly was a pretty girl standing there, looking at Nn just as Nn was looking at her, dumbfounded.


    "What are you doing?" the girl asked Nn, who slowly put down his legs and scratched the back of his head shamelessly.


    Right now, he felt like finding a hole and digging himself into it.


    "Damn, I should have taken a picture and shared it with NetNet. I''m pretty sure many would admire it¡­" she said while giggling evilly at him.


    She was a green-eyed girl with equally green hair, and there was a strange flower tattoo that peeked through the side of her neck,ing from within her shirt.


    Light-skinned and about 1.75 meters tall, she looked like that godly beauty from Earth.


    But Nn didn''t find the conversation appealing.


    He was officially the trash of the school.


    Why would a girl suddenly approach him and make some remarks about him without outright calling him trash at first nce?


    Anyone else would have found it heartwarming, but Nn was only suspicious, and he sought to get himself out of this situation as soon as possible.


    "I over ate a little, so I felt a need to get some energy back with a little stretching exercise¡­" he replied back to her, cracking his neck before he carefully slid around her and slowly moved out of the cafeteria.


    But in the next instant, the entire world seemed to sh before his eyes, and in the next instant¡ª


    BAAAAAANG


    Arrgh


    A slight groan escaped Nn''s lips as he felt himself m into the cafeteria entrance wall.


    An inch before him was the girl, her ruby-green eyes staring at him with a smirk.


    [Give it up, she''s at least thrice stronger than you are]


    "They''re targeting you, Nn. Be careful..." she gently whispered to him before backing off with a cunning smirk and entering back into the cafeteria.


    Nn''s eyes shed with an unusual light before he moved himself off the wall, covered up his face with his robe, and quickly made his way towards his dorm room.


    Soon he arrived before the Greek Descents dorm building.


    He carefully slid to the backyard, appearing before his dorm room.


    He took off his robes before mming down hard on the bed, a loud yawn escaping his lips.


    But his eyes belied quite the seriousness as he wondered about the strange girl and what she had said to him.


    "They''re targeting me? Of course they are targeting me. I''ve always been targeted all my life."


    "Heck, I don''t even know when Quinn wille seeking my neck once more, and the rest of my bullies."


    "The real question is, why did she want me to be careful? Did she care, or was she just bluffing? And why did she care? Or just who is she even?" he mused to himself with furrowed eyebrows.


    Suddenly, the golden notification panel appeared.


    [Side Quest Issued: A strange girl with a mysterious bloodline has shown interest in the Host. The Host must find out why and who she is.]


    [Rewards: ????]


    The system said to Nn, whose eyes shed.


    "I guess thinking about it was worth it then. I''ll find a way to get back at her tomorrow. She''s not in my memories though, so it''ll be a little hard¡­" Nn said to himself, deciding to leave the matter for tomorrow. Slowly, his eyes closed as all the exhaustion finally hit his body, and soon snoring could be heard ringing through the room.


    ---


    "Where is he?" The voice, husky and brimming with a strange malevolent power, echoed throughout the dark hall where about a dozen robed figures stood, all on their knees before a figure who sat on a humongous dark throne, a crimson light that screamed of blood and madness shining through his darkness-shrouded face.


    "He isn''t in his house. When we arrived there, my lord¡­" one of the dozen figures answered respectfully, and a silent and low hum resounded throughout the entire hall.


    "Tomorrow will be the day he dies, once and for all. And this time, I will be apanying you all¡­" the husky voice boomed through the entire dark hall before the figure faded away into the shadows, and all the shadowed beings kneeling slowly rose up before giving a bow.


    "All Hail, the Shadow Prince of Erebus!"


    ---


    The golden light pierced through the window panes, illuminating the face of a handsome young man whose eyelids fluttered as he quickly rose up from his bed.


    "HMMMMMM"


    "Ahhhhhhhh"


    A loud inhale was taken by Nn before he exhaled loudly, stretching his backbone and feeling the great energy present in his body.


    "Another good day to live¡­" Nn said with a smile before quickly rising up and heading towards the bathroom.


    Fifteen minutester, he was done dressing up for school before he grabbed his bag on the seat and quickly made his way to ss.

 Chapter 34: Levelling Up And Mystifying Visitor

    Quickly, Nn arrived in the ss, a little earlier than some of the other students, and it didn''t take long for the ss to begin.


    This time, the teacher was a differentdy, possessing long blue hair and a scaly body.


    This made Nn almost guess what type of descendant she was based on her looks, and she gave them a very detailed exnation of natural celestial phenomena in the various realms.


    The topic was nothing but captivating, greatly rewarding, and Nn took quite a number of necessary notes, further improving his understanding of the world.


    Not long after, break time came, and this time, the ss was a little surprised to see Wiro and his four goons actually didn''t disturb Nn at all.


    They even seemed to be somehow ignoring him, and Nn, since they didn''t toy with him, also simply ignored them.


    He didn''t go out for a break like the others, due to the unnecessary attention, instead focusing on reading some of the books he had obtained from the store the previous days, along with what they were taught just a few hours ago.


    The break ended with the students pouring into the ss, and ten minutester, once more, a male teacher walked in, discussing the various traditions and practices of the myriad races.


    This subject was more of a leisurely topic that had the majority of the celestial heirs conversing about their beliefs and traditions with the students.


    It was a lively ss that arrested the attention of every descendant present, and the instructor, who went by the name Sir Koriano, seemed to be quite the blossoming soul, mingling with students with a smile andugh.


    It was an enjoyable ss where Nn had the chance to learn a few things, and one of the most important was that there were actually ten strange constetions in the celestial realm.


    Each of these constetions was just like the moon, and each of them was a sign of a particr mythological descendant.


    There was a specified cycle to the constetions'' appearance, and ording to what he was told, thest constetion belonging to the Mesopotamians showed up around just a few weeks ago.


    Unfortunately, Nn had not been able to witness it.


    But, another constetion would be appearing just a few days from now, and he anticipated the sight of it.


    ording to what he heard, the constetion''s appearance gives a boost of power to those who own that constetion, making them significantly stronger by simply being out of their homes.


    It was something every celestial heir looked after, and Nn himself was no exception.


    Quickly, eight hours passed for the day, and the ss came to an end.


    All the students rose to leave, and the same could be said for Nn, who also rose to his feet and moved towards the exit, mingling among the students and quickly disappearing.


    Once more, he began feeling strange gazes surrounding him as he walked, but the next instant that he got to the main streets, Nn felt all the gazes on himpletely disappear.


    [I guess they have at least learned their lessons...] The system mused to Nn, who shrugged helplessly and moved towards the direction of his dorm room.


    It didn''t take that long for him to arrive before the Greek Descent building, but there was strangely a sort ofmotion happening at the front gate of the academy, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    He didn''t enter the gate; instead, he made a U-turn and waited on a corner.


    He didn''t know the reason for themotion, but he also didn''t care about it, as it seemed to be something that had to do with students in the main Greek Descent building.


    The disturbance continued for close to three hours straight, making Nn have to wait until the sun set before he finally rose up and snuck into his dorm room at the back of the academy.


    [You have quite some EXP. Enough for the next level up, but you haven''t use them, remember?]


    The system reminded him just when Nn was thinking of beginning the books he possessed.


    "That reminds me..."


    Truly, he had been given misceneous quests yesterday on his way to the academy store when he dealt punches to idiots who tried to bully him on his way.


    If he could remember correctly, he had amassed 1,200 EXP! Definitely, that was enough for some level up...


    "System Interface," Nn called out while cing the book he was about to read onto the wooden table.


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Level: 7]


    [Age: 16]


    [ss: ??]


    [EXP: 1500/800]


    [Does Host wish to level up?]


    "Yes..." Nn replied.


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 8!]


    [+10 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    The system notification rang out, and once more, the notification panel changed.


    [Total EXP: 700/1000]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 30]


    [Agility: 20]


    [Perception: 20]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute points: 10]


    [How does Host wish to use attribute points?] The system asked Nn, whose eyes shed.


    "Add 5 attribute points to Agility and 5 attribute points to Perception..."


    In the next instant, the strange liquid began flowing through Nn once more, with some of it passing through the back of his neck and entering his brain, making Nn take a sharp inhale, and shut his eyes closed.


    It was like his brain was thrown into a fridge of ice blocks, and his teeth clenched together, but the pain soon faded away just as quickly as it came.


    [Congrattions, Points have been sessfully added.]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 30(+5)]


    [Agility: 25]


    [Perception: 25]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute points: 0]


    "Good." Nn called out.


    "Now I just need to level up twice more, and I''ll be on my path topleting the quest."


    "I wonder what the God King Trial entails and what is meant by obtaining my first crown..." Nn mused to himself, eagerly anticipating the unknown.


    [It will be unlike any trial that has ever existed as you''ll be the first person to undergo such a trial.]


    [The first step of your journey from A God ve To A God King!]


    The system chimed in a little as Nn grinned and was about to continue reading the book when suddenly his ears twitched, and he felt the sound of hurried footsteps at his door.


    BANG


    BANG


    BANG


    Instead of a knock, it was an loud banging, as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed and he walked towards the door.


    ording to his memories, there were almost none who ever came to Nn''s door throughout his entire lifetime.


    So why now?


    Slowly he ced down his book and approached the door, opening it up with a hum, and the person who was there surprised him.


    "What the? What are you doing here, Wiro!?"


    Yes, it was Wiro, whose life Nn had spared just yesterday. But Nn''s eyes changed when he felt something was wrong with the young man.


    He looked like...


    "They''reing, Nn! They areing!!!"


    "Who areing?"


    "Your death!"

 Chapter 35: Running From Death!

    "What!?"


    Nn screamed out in shock as he looked at Wiro, who kept looking into the distance where he wasing from.


    Judging from his shaky body, Nn could almost smell the young man''s fear.


    But that was exactly what was confusing him.


    Just a day ago, he had beaten up Wiro''s goons, thereby humiliating him.


    Shouldn''t he still be angry with him? Yet here he was, seemingly warning him of something graveing his way.


    It seemed impossible and most likely a ploy to trap him yet as he looked at Wiro, he couldn''t believe this was acting, even for someone cunningly intelligent like Wiro.


    "Calm down, Wiro. Tell me all about it!" Nn said as he grabbed the boy by his shoulder, his hold tightening a bit to make him divert his attention from whatever he saw and focus on him.


    "They''re... They''re alreadying. I''ll tell you, in my own dorm room," Wiro said as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Now this was starting to get really suspicious, and putting him greatly off.


    But eventually, he just nodded.


    "Fine, I''lle to your..." He hadn''t even finished his words when suddenly his head jerked to the far side as he felt the night suddenly darkening and the darkness rapidly moving towards him silently.


    [Main Quest Issued!]


    [A malevolent force has been sensed rapidly moving towards the Host! Malevolent Scale of Power is now being scanned.]


    [Scan Complete. The Quest Has been Issued.]


    [Quest: Survive!!]


    ''What!?'' Nn screamed in his head as he received the quest.


    The system was issuing a mission for him to not die!?


    "Oh, no. They''re here..." Wiro said in horror, and in the next instant, he jerked his body away from Nn''s hand as he sprinted away from him, quickly approaching the backyard wall.


    Without waiting a single second more, Nn also dashed off, rapidly chasing after Wiro.


    He had absolutely zero understanding of what was going on, but if he didn''t trust Wiro and was afraid that the young man was simply pretending to lure him into a trap, then Nn at least trusted the system.


    If the system was willing to reward him for simply surviving, then it would probably be best if he listened and sprinted away as fast as he could.


    Instantly, without looking back, both students sprinted forth for the wall that barricaded the entire Greek Descent dorm room.


    With slight surprise, Nn watched as Wiro clung onto the walls, his hands quickly climbing up like a spider.


    Without waiting a single more second, Nn also jumped up from the ground, ascending into the air as fast as he could.


    Just when he was about to hit fall down back, close to the top of the wall, a milky white light appeared in his hand, and he dug his dagger straight into the wall, anchoring himself.


    Raising his other hand, he grabbed onto the other side of the wall, and instantly raised himself up, at the exact same time that Wiro appeared behind him.


    CRRRIIINKKK


    The sound of something scraping against the hard ground resounded, and Nn turned his gaze towards his dorm room, finding that there were now strange robed shadowy entities with strange dark chains standing behind them, right in front of his dorm room and slowly opening the door.


    Suddenly, a fierce grab was issued towards Nn as he was pulled away by Wiro, and both of them fell down, mming hard on the ground.


    --------


    "Hmmmmm"


    A slight hmm escaped the lips of the shadowy figure before Nn''s door whose face turned towards the top of the wall where Nn had disappeared from, a split second earlier.


    ------


    The pain was enough for Nn to lose his concentration as his dagger disappeared back into him.


    In his gaze held thest thing he saw¡ªthe figure of those shadowy entities with the strange chain.


    Their aura. Without being aware, goosebumps covered every inch of Nn''s body, as his heart thumped loudly in his chest.


    It was like he had came across death itself and that made his heart quake in fear.


    The aura oozing from the figures was incredibly mysterious but rming was the fact that it gave Nn a feeling of helplessness.


    It was like no matter how had he tried, his only fate would still be the kiss of death!


    "Who... who are those!?"


    "We''re not safe yet; they can still track us down..." Wiro said to Nn, having calmed down a little, yet the guy was already sprinting off into the distance.


    Nn quickly followed after him, both young men rapidly making their way forward and soon disappearingpletely from the Greek Descent area, moving deeper and deeper away.


    ---


    Two hourster...


    "Ahh...ah."


    "Ah...ah."


    "Ah...ah."


    The sound of hard breathing and loud heartbeats could be heard as Nn and Wiro appeared before a wooden house, deep within the woods.


    He and Wiro had been running for close to two hours now, and they had moved incredibly far away from school life, entering into the forest area that Nn had never seen before.


    Wiro, through a series of cuts, had finally brought him here to this small wooden cottage, which was obviously handmade.


    "Where are we?" Nn asked as he rose up from the ground, amid the white air that puffed out his nose from exhaustion.


    "My home..." Wiro replied, also forcing himself to his knees before crawling towards the house one step at a time.


    He mysteriously tapped on various ces on the door before it opened up by itself.


    "Come on in..." Wiro invited Nn, who walked after him with suspicion in his eyes as he arrived inside the small cottage, finding it to be the exact replica of his own dorm room.


    "Your house? You don''t live in the academy?" Nn asked him.


    Every student lived in their respective descent dorm room, and Wiro was telling him he lived out here in the forest area, far from the academy?


    "No. This isn''t my real home. It is my secret hideout..."


    "Why do you need a secret hideout?"

 Chapter 36: Wiro, The Strange Bully

    Wiro asked as Nn walked to the side of the single living room, where there was a small holder.


    He brought out two canned drinks, throwing one of them towards Nn, who caught it in his right hand.


    He unbottled the second one, taking everything down with a single gulp and delivering a satisfied smile once he finished the can.


    "I made it with my hands. The Academy dorm is nice and all, but this is the safest building," Wiro exined, taking a seat to the side and calming his beating heart.


    Nn could still see his hair standing on end, so he understood the fat bully had yet topletely let go of his fears, unlike Nn, who had been able to bring himself back to normal.


    And so, he decided to give him his space.


    He ced the drink he was given on a side table and headed outside the house, taking a seat before its small stairs while looking at the night sky with furrowed eyebrows.


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfullypleted the Quest!]


    The system notification panel appeared before him, but Nn wasn''t in the mood to appreciate it.


    He just had a close encounter with death, and it was clear that there were people really faster in this life.


    Dark and strong people.


    "You said that you scanned the power level of those who were chasing me, right before you delivered the quest to survive. How strong are they?" Nn couldn''t help but ask the system.


    [hey are strong enough to kill you without you being able to fight back at all. That''s why the feature gave you a survival mission.]


    [You should thank that fat bully because they are also faster than you and would have caught up to you if they had sighted you, and you would most likely be dead right now.]


    The system said to him as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "I just came into this world, and now I was incredibly close to soon leaving it. There''s no doubt about it, this is my only chance. And I almost fucked it up! How? How?" He pondered to himself, his fingers digging into his palms as his eyes shed a red light.


    Yet all dimmed when he heard the sound of the door creaking and a figure walking out,ing to sit on the stairs just a few meters beside him.


    "I have a lot of questions..." Nn said as he turned to Wiro, who nodded while opening up a can of juice.


    It was the juice that Nn had left on the table.


    "Go on..." Wiro said, taking a big gulp.


    "How do you know some people areing for me?" Nn asked with furrowed eyebrows.


    "Because I know Quinn very well. If there is anything that he isn''t, it would be a liar. I was sure he was going to kill you once I sighted you in the ss, still alive..."


    "Then why did you help me?" Nn asked, the really worrying question.


    ording to what Wiro had said, he had been pretty sure that Nn would get fucked the instant he had sighted him, and he had not even worried, even bullying him right after.


    But then, just before his death came, he appeared in the form of his door and warned him.


    That brought about the confusion. Why did Wiro, his past bully, save his life!?


    "Because you saved mine..." Wiro said with a shrug, but seeing the confused expression on Nn''s face made him delve deeper into his exnation.


    "When you spared me from your dagger, you did me a help. Not just physically but mentally. If I heard you died tomorrow morning, my memories of you would be me bullying you ceaselessly through the years, and the end of it being you sparing me."


    "Such a thing would haunt me for the rest of my life. I couldn''t let it happen, so I ran up at thest second to your dorm room, and just happened to find the Shadow Ones flying above the roofs."


    "Such arge number of them meant they were after a target, and to be safe, I guessed it was you, and sprinted after them taking shortcuts to appear first."


    "Guess my intuition was right, as it always has been..." Wiro exined lengthily as Nn''s eyes shed.


    What Wiro did should be enough to melt someone''s heart, but not Nn''s.


    He was aware of the gross harm he had suffered from Wiro and his goons all these years and wouldn''t forgive him just because of a single good act.


    But what surprised him was that the Wiro before him seemed... free.


    Almost like he had nothing bothering him at all, and it was clear he was at peace with who he was. I


    It was an upright change to the Wiro he knew and expected.


    And Nn knew it could be a sign of a good mental change in the young man.


    He didn''t understand how his simple act of leaving him alone had triggered such a change, but it was also undoubtable that it was only because of Wiro that he was still breathing right now.


    So, at least for that, he was grateful...


    "Thank you..." he whispered to Wiro, whose dark eyes shed for a while, before a small smile appeared on his face, but got wiped out when he saw Nn''s tough look.


    "Hmm-hmm," he coughed out embarrassedly, and Nn finally stopped looking at him.


    "So, can you exin to me who the Shadow Ones are? And why are they chasing me?" Nn asked, another critical question that was bothering him.


    Truth be told, he also didn''t have memories of those shadow people in his head. He had never met them before.


    So why were they chasing after his life?


    Just how many pieces of his memories were missing, or did they suddenly take a liking to him in less than three days that he had been active in the academy?


    He couldn''t say for sure...


    And now, he was starting to be aware of his most powerful enemies.


    Quinn!

 Chapter 37: Recognizing The Threat Behind The Shadow

    "How much do you know about the cults?" Wiro asked him. Nn''s eyes shed.


    "A little..."


    "How much?" Wiro repeated, this time seriously. Nn gave him a brief summary of all he knew.


    "If that''s all you know, you know nothing. But it''s at least enough to understand your predicament..." Wiro said, and by his tone, Nn could swear the young man wasn''t joking.


    He was simply stating cold, hard facts.


    "You should know Quinn. He''s taken an interest in you since you arrived at the academy, and he hates you, almost with the same passion as a yandere lover..." Wiro said with a grin, but it wasn''t funny to Nn.


    "Long story short, Quinn isn''t any normal student. He''s a prodigy, and one of the most powerful ones.


    And he isn''t just your normal rodigy either.


    He is a dark prodigy with two dark high-grade Descents, one of them being one of the most powerful dark Descents¡ªthe Descent of Erebus.


    His power is unfathomable, and his background is even more scary. I hear he hails from a powerful dark family and is their favored child."


    "This made Quinn epted into a dark cult known as The Shadow Ones, and eventually, he was made the leader, even though he''s definitely not the strongest among them. His potential made him worthy of it."


    "So you have an enemy who doesn''t just want you dead but is also a prodigy with two high-grade bloodlines, one being the most powerful dark bloodline in the celestial realm, with an untouchable background that makes the majority of students scurry away.


    "And, he''s also a cult leader of one of the top five dark cults in the entire academy."


    "You understand how shitty your luck is now, right?" Wiro said as he ignored Nn''s pale face and drank up the canned juice, delivering a satisfied moan right after.


    [I didn''t know you were so badly screwed like this. Guess you really are in deep trouble, and almost no one can help you,] the system said to him as Nn''s eyes shed.


    There was an even deeper question that was stinging his mind, and that was...


    "Why would such a heavenly prodigy have their eyes on me, a piece of trash? Why want so badly to get rid of a piece of trash?" Nn mused quietly, but Wiro was still able to hear his question as his eyebrows furrowed.


    "I''m not sure too, but my guess is that it''s because of Quinn''s power," Wiro said with furrowed eyebrows as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The Shadow Ones are a weird group, really, and the same could be said for all dark descendants."


    "The truth is, the ordinary descendants can improve their strength by simply sitting down and absorbing divine essence all day long."


    "Sooner orter, they will keep growing and growing, and keep reaching new heights, even if they never moved a single step away from where they sat."


    "But the same couldn''t be said for a dark prodigy. I heard the strong ones among them will need to fulfill certain conditions to grow."


    "Once they fulfilled those certain conditions, their power will explode forth abysmally, far greater than the ordinary descendants."


    "With Quinn''s bloodline being so high-grade, I''m sure he has some sort of conditions to grow.


    "And with how much fancy he has taken to you these long years, then I''m pretty sure, in one way or another, you''re helping Quinn fulfill his conditions and making him grow stronger."


    "I would guess that he was feeding on your fears or anger or whatever, but now that he wants to suddenly kill you so badly, I think he might have arrived at a critical juncture of his conditions or he doesn''t need you any longer."


    "So maybe to improve right now, you might have to die for his conditions to finally bepleted or he simply finds your existence no longer needed and see no worth in you remaining alive."


    "That''s the only reason why I think he would gather his entire cult just to hunt you down and make sure you''re dead."


    "If he wanted to simply kill you for staining his reputation as a liar, then he would have done it himself."


    "Calling all his cult members meant your death was a paramount thing to him."


    "But this is a just my hypothesis. I could be wrong though..." Wiro said with a shrug as Nn''s eyes shed.


    Wiro''s exnation more than made sense to Nn.


    A prodigy wouldn''t focus on trash, just like how a lion would ignore a simple ant.


    Unless there was a catch or advantage for the prodigy by focusing on the trash.


    The talk of conditions and everything made more sense to Nn.


    Quinn was most probably targeting him to fulfill some of his conditions, and he was being used by him as a tool to grow his own strength.


    Almost like... a ve!


    "Tch, bastards." Nn said with a murderous expression.


    Now he was being reminded of his past life, and that created an intense, deep fiery rage within him, but he soon cooled down.


    The enemy had their eyes on him and were looking forward to his death. To top it off, he was weak and the one on the lesser hand. Irrational thinking might just bring him closer to his death faster than ever...


    Silence reigned for a while as Nn began thinking hard, and he soon realized a few things.


    First, he was weak and couldn''t fight back against his enemies.


    Second, he couldn''t get seen by them, or he was dead.


    Third, he couldn''t return back to his dorm room, or he would be visited and then killed.


    Fourth, his life was at risk right now, and death was only a single step away from him...


    "Shit! Shit! How did I get myself in such a situation in the first ce? What should I even do? How long can I remain hidden from them?" Nn thought of all the ideas cracking in his head, yet he was visibly lost.


    There was no visible way he could resolve all his troubles at all, but soon the notification panel shed before his gaze as Nn''s eyes brightened up.


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 38: Only Way Out

    [Complete thest quest. Enter the God King trial and get your first crown. That''s your only choice] the system responded as Nn''s eyes shed.


    Truly, he had notpleted the God King Trial.


    And as the system had chimed in earlier, it might just be enough for him to resolve whatever trouble he was currently facing.


    Now he knew he wasn''t helpless and actually had a n.


    "Yes!" Nn eximed excitedly, which was noticed by Wiro, who looked on in surprise.


    "How safe is your secret hideout?" Nn asked, as Wiro''s eyes shed.


    "No one except me has been here before, and you won''t find any students this far outside in the woods."


    "It would have been 100% safe if not for you..." Wiro said with certainty, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Perfect. This should at least give me a few days."


    Of course, Nn knew he couldn''t return to his dorm room. The enemies knew the location, and therefore, it was no longer safe


    . Nowhere in the academy was safe for him, as he had no idea what powers those Shadow Ones possessed.


    He might get himself shot in the back unexpectedly, and the academy wouldn''t give a damn.


    For now, he needed to hide away, and what better way to do so than in a secret hideout far away from the academy and deep within the woods, which no one else happened to know about? It was a perfect spot.


    "You know, you can''t hide forever, though. Sooner orter, they will still track you down."


    "The Dark Descendants always have unthinkable powers in their pockets..." Wiro warned as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "I don''t n on hiding forever. A week is at most all I need..."


    "Hmph," a loud snort broke out from Wiro as his pitch-ck eyes looked at Nn incredulously.


    The boy beside him had been the academy''s trash for close to three years now and couldn''t do a damn thing.


    And now, he was iming to be able to take care of Quinn and his entire cult in at most a week?


    Who was he fooling?


    Nn could also see the expression of disbelief, but he didn''t offer to exin at all. No matter how he said it, it would only seem like the ramblings of a madman.


    Looking up at the sky, they could see it was starting to gain the shade of early morning, and Nn could guess it should be around 3 or 4 AM right now.


    "I''ll be leaving for ss tomorrow. So I need my nap," Wiro said as he flung the can away into the woods before rising up and entering back into the cottage.


    Nn remained sitting throughout, silently conversing with the system.


    "How do I begin the trial?" he asked.


    "Calm down. You can start after the fat bully leaves for his ss."


    "But for now, you can try leveling up and improving your strength as much as you can with the rewards you gained frompleting the previous quest," the system said to him as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "System Interface," he thought, and quickly the panel appeared before him.


    "Congrattions on your sessful survival."


    "Host has been rewarded with +1 level-up card and 300 EXP."


    [System Interface]


    [Name:Nn Gottschald]


    [Level:8]


    [Age:16]


    [ss:??]


    [EXP: 1000/1000]


    [Does the host wish to level up?]


    "Yes."


    [Congrattions, host has leveled up to Level 9!]


    [+10 Attribute Points obtained.]


    [Level-up card remaining: 1.]


    [Does the host wishes to use level up card?]


    "Yes."


    [Congrattions, host has leveled up to Level 10!]


    [+15 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    [Total Attribute Points: 25.]


    "Oh, the attributes increased to 15!?" Nn quickly noticed.


    [Yes. It increases after every 10 levels.]


    "Oh, that''s great!" Nn thought to himself. Now he would have an extra 5 attribute points with every future level-up.


    It seemed like nothing, but if he kept amassing them, soon they would be a pivotal reason for his wild increase in strength.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 30]


    [Agility: 25]


    [Perception: 25]


    [Intelligence: 20]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute Points: 25]


    "I wish I knew a thing or two about the trial, so I could at least understand what areas I should focus on..." Nn mused to himself, but the system remained silent.


    [I too have no idea either. None have ever taken the test before, and you''ll be the first. It''s hard to prepare for such a thing," it responded to him, and Nn finally made his choice.


    "Add 5 points to Agility, 5 points to Perception, 10 points to Intelligence, and the rest to Strength," he called out.


    "Congrattions, points have been sessfully added."


    Immediately, Nn halted into a pause, shutting his eyes close as veins wriggled all over his neck and face, but soon cleared up after 30 seconds.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 35]


    [Agility: 30]


    [Perception: 30]


    [Intelligence: 30]


    [Charm: 4]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    "Now all of my stats are bnced, with Strength taking the lead."


    [Why are you ignoring the charm?] the system suddenly asked, something it had noticed that Nn didn''t view with as much priority as his other stats.


    "Why would I want to be more charming? So I can invoke the jealousy of some bullies and make them smash my face in?" Nn asked.


    "Besides, no matter how beautiful I get, none would still look at me and find me appealing."


    "I''m still very weak, which is something I think is the criteria for anything else in this ce."


    "Upgrading charm would only lead to even more mockery and a waste of stat points for me."


    "Besides, aren''t I already handsome?" Nn exined lengthily. And truly he was right. The current Nn had a face that was crafted by perfection itself.


    It just doesn''t get noticed due to the his bad reputation that preceedes him.


    "I guess so. But the charm stat is more than just beauty."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I will tell you about it once you grow strong enough so that others don''t call you trash at first nce. Then you will see how important the charm stat truly is..."

 Chapter 39: The Systems Notes 1

    The system spoke cryptically to Nn, who could only nod in the end.


    He didn''t care much for the charm stats and didn''t find them attention-grabbing enough, which was why he wasn''t that curious about them.


    The night passed quickly, yet when Wiro opened his eyes and looked around his small secret hideout, he found nothing but his usual rough living room setting.


    This caused him to stretch his gaze toward the mirror, where the figure of Nn reclined on the wooden pirs that held the front part of the small house.


    "He was out throughout the night!?" Wiro mused in slight shock


    With a simple shrug, he headed off to his bathroom, cleaning himself up and preparing for ss."


    "Less than three hourster, the door to the house was opened, causing Nn''s eyes to slowly open as he felt footsteps walking past him, stopping for a second.


    Nn slowly rose ho his head and turned to look at him.


    "Don''t worry, your secret is safe with me..." Wiro said with a grin and a wink before quickly jogging off into the woods.


    Soon, he disappearedpletely from Nn''s sight.


    Now only Nn remained within the woods, with the noise of chirping insects and birds to keep himpany.


    "What a strange guy," He mused out loud before rising to his feet and stretching his bones.


    Having to nap without being sprawled on the ground was just a little less worse than being in hell, and Nn finally got to enter the small living room.


    One word could describe it, and that was ''messy,'' something Nn hated with a passion.


    With a quick jog around, he piled things up a bit, cleared out rubbish, and wiped off soot and dust in the living room.


    The small sofas and tables weren''t even in a perfect arrangement, but Nn didn''t touch them.


    They weren''t his to determine.


    Just a little past 9:00, he was finally done with what he ought to do, leaving him with a single thought.


    [You''re finally ready for the God King Trial?] the system asked, and Nn nodded deeply.


    He knew well that the trial was his only choice for surviving whatever wasing for him in a few days.


    Just as Wiro had said, he couldn''t really hide here forever, as that would not only stunt his growth, but he would be discovered eventually.


    Hiding would just be dying the inevitable, so therefore, he had no choice but to risk the only option that could help him wave the death g off his neck, and that was none other than taking the God King Trial.


    [It seems you''re really serious about this. Not like you have a choice anyway, but still, it''s pretty good and not peasantry-like.]


    "Oh, thank you. Now can we get to the test?" Nn asked the system, trying to weave through its abuse.


    [Ok, ok. Before we do, there are a few things I must warn you about,] it began, and Nn listened intently.


    [First is the fact that I won''t be able to help you in this test.]


    [I won''t be able to follow you in, so you will receive none of my help.]


    [There will be no level-up or quest for you to increase your strength, so you''ll have to use your own brain and your current strength toplete it.]


    [There will likely be no outside help also.] The system said, causing Nn''s eyes to furrow, but he wasn''t that much bothered and simply nodded.


    He also wasn''t expecting much help in the first ce was he the one to believe in help.


    [Secondly, what will be doing the trial won''t be your physical body but your soul itself.]


    [It will be transported into the trial ground, but you will still possess the bodily attributes of your physical body.]


    [Still, that gives two problems.]


    [The first is that you will be in a deep sleep during the entire trial for its entire duration.]


    [You will be unable to react ormunicate with the outside world, and even if your body is being sliced up, you would be unresponsive.]


    [So do you really trust that Bully boy not to do anything stupid to you during your trial?]


    [Do you believe the next time you open your eyes, whether it''s five minutester or five yearster, you will still be in this room, well and alive, with no marks or injuries?]


    [If not, then I''ll advise you to go and find a better ce where your body can remain without getting disturbed. That''s the first problem.] The system said to Nn, whose eyes shed, but he continued listening nheless.


    [The second problem is the fact that since it is your soul that will be partaking in the trial, failing the trial, which is aplishable by dying or getting trapped, would mean your soul dying or also getting trapped.]


    [What happens if your soul leaves, it will be in a semi-conscious state. Not dead, not alive.]


    [But once you die in the trial and your soul fades offpletely, what would happen?]


    [You guessed right!]


    [You will be deader than dead in real life too. So this really is a double-edged sword. There''s almost no difference in it being that your physical body is present there too.]


    [o don''t die, Nn, and don''t get trapped.]


    [Your soul can only be in your body for some time.]


    [If you get trapped for ten years and your body rots away, even if youplete the trial, you would have a bone for a body, and I don''t know how messed up that will be, but it''s probably something I would avoid.]


    [So not only do you have toplete the trial fast before your body evaporates, but you also have to avoid death within the trial, or you will face death too!]


    The system warned, and this time Nn could sense how grave its voice was.


    It was clear the system didn''t want him to die, and that melted his heart but also gave rise to a question that piqued his curiosity.


    ---

 Chapter 40: The Systems Notes 2

    "I never thought you cared so much about me. But I have a question for you," Nn suddenly called out, causing the image on the holographic panel to sh.


    [What''s that?]


    "If, let''s just say, I died in some mysterious way or another in the trial, what happens to you?" Nn asked.


    It was a question that had just urred to him when faced with the threat of death, and that was the fact that since the system was bonded with him, then what if he died?


    Would the system die with him?


    [If you die, I won''t die after you, of course.]


    [I will simply leave you and try finding a new host.]


    [But I have been looking for a new host for eons of years now, and I just found you.]


    [If you die, it would probably take me double the eons of years to find another host that fulfills the requirement, so I don''t really want to sit down doing nothing for the next eons.]


    [So, I''ll advise you not to die. Understood?]


    The system said, and Nn nodded his head, even though he didn''t really like what he heard.


    "If I die, then the system wouldn''t die and would simply look for another person," he mused.


    Nn felt a strange feeling in his heart, a feeling he couldn''t quite identify, but he soon shrugged it off.


    ''I guess it''s good for you then,'' he thought to himself as the system continued its exnation.


    [The third thing you have to take notice of is how the God King Trial would work.]


    [While none have ever partaken in it, nor have I ever seen it, there are some things which I at least know about it...]


    The system said as Nn''s eyes shed and his ears perked up.


    The thought of taking a trial none had done before was nothing more than heart-pounding, especially when there''s arge possibility of dying within the trial.


    So any little information he could glean was more than enticing to him.


    [Firstly, the God King Trial is a simple trial, really, and you only have a single goal: Obtain your crown!]


    [It wille in the form of you meeting with a long line of various mythological descents, and from them, you would have to choose a single one.]


    [Choosing that single figure, what you would be required to do next is toplete a trial made especially by them.]


    [At the end of the trial, you would find a throne waiting for you, and once you put the crown on your head, that would mean you have sessfully passed the trial.]


    [Can you guess what your reward will be?]


    The system asked as Nn''s heart sparked, eager to know the answer.


    [You will learn of it once you get the crown first, so if you want to know, don''t die, please!]


    It said as the light in his eyes rapidly dulled, but truly, Nn felt his heart beating in anticipation.


    He was now starting to get really curious about the trial.


    [That''s all I think you should know about the trial. I would advise you to be very careful in choosing what mythological god status you want.]


    [If you choose a very high god statue, that means your trial difficulty would be as high as the heavens, and if you choose a lower-ranked god, then that means your trial will be a lot less difficult.]


    [But that also means your reward will be lesserpared to choosing a difficult trial.]


    [So genuinely, I would say it is up to your decision and preferences.]


    [You risk more, you gain more. You risk less, you gain less. But nothinges at the cost of losing your life, so be wise about it. You understand?]


    "I''m not stupid," Nn replied.


    No matter how enticing the reward is, that doesn''t mean he would willingly give his life for it.


    It wouldn''t be worth it.


    [Good. While you might be a peasant, I at least expect a few kilos of brain in your skull.]


    The system didn''t forget to rub his peasantry on him as Nn''s eyes dulled even more.


    [Ok, now, let''s get into it. Find a safe ce where you can remain for an indefinite amount of time, and I can begin the ritual for you.]


    The system said as Nn''s eyes shed, and eventually, he decided to leave Wiro''s secret house.


    He couldn''t trust Wiro that easily, especially when he was weak and defenseless. Who knew what the bully could do to him?


    What if he cut off his head and Nn automatically died?


    No one would even know he was dead, and none would give a damn.


    He would have died a useless death.


    So, Nn''s only choice was to rise up on his feet and try to find a secure ce to rest his body for the duration.


    For this, he grabbed a shovel from the side of the room and walked outside the secret hideout.


    But instead of moving towards the direction of the school, Nn walked even farther backward, disappearing away from the school and Wiro''s hideout.


    After three hours of walking, he felt distanced enough.


    Then, Nn began digging up the ground until he formed a ce where he could safely lie.


    [Don''t tell me...] The system said in shock but quieted down when it saw Nn jump into the dug grave and begin covering himself up with the sand.


    Soon, he had very well buried himself smoothly, leaving small holes where air could reach him, just enough to keep him alive.


    ''Let''s begin,'' Nn called out to the system through his mind, and only now did the system realize what type of madman it bonded with.


    A madman that would choose to bury himself rather than trust anyone.


    [Ok. Then, slowly rx your body. I''ve begun the ritual, and you will appear in the trial in a few seconds from now.]


    The system called out as Nn rxed his breathing, and slowly, he felt himself dragged to a certain ce until, finally...


    THE FIRST ARC ENDS!

 Chapter 41: The First God King Trail

    "Seed And Earn Yourself A Crown! Fail And Earn Yourself Death And Eternal Obliteration!"


    The voice boomed out like the sound of angered lightning the instant Nn felt his feet step onto the cold marble floor.


    The loudness of it almost made him shift onto both knees, but he resisted, rising and looking around the room.


    Quickly, his heart sank until absolute reverence appeared on his face.


    Before him was arge hall, illuminated brightly by multi-colored lights whose source came from the thousand-meter-tall statues that covered every inch of the space.


    They ranged from animals to strange aliens, to strange nt-like creatures, to something simply iprehensible.


    Every single statue revealed such a level of power that it made him quake, just wondering how it was possible for mere statues to have such an aura.


    "Wee To The Hall Of Gods!" The loud voice boomed out once more, but Nn had solidified himself with his surroundings and simply remained where he was.


    The voice boomed through the entire hall, and its source was untraceable, but he needed not to find the source.


    "Pick A God Statue and Earn Its Crown By Passing Its Trial. You Only Have One Choice..." The voice warned gravely, as Nn''s eyes shed around the ginormous statues.


    "So, I have to pick one, huh?" He mused, and in the next instant, he took a single step forth.


    Immediately his feetnded, a strange golden light undted forth in a circr motion through the entire hall.


    Seeing no harm upon him, Nn began walking forward.


    He came across many statues, some radiating an awe-inspiring aura, some so bright with aura that Nn couldn''t even see their features, and some radiated close to no aura at all, just looking dullpared to the rest.


    Yet, Nn never chose a single one of these statues, and he knew very well the reason.


    The truth is, there were some statues here that if he decided to choose, he would be doomed.


    And the reason for that was simple.


    Every Celestial Heir was a descendant from any of these mythological gods, and if there was a defining feature about the Celestial Heirs from other creatures, it would be their ability to use Divine Essence.


    It was what made their Mythological descent even useful at all.


    But Nn couldn''t control his divine essence due to his ''special'' physique.


    If he chose a statue because it was significantly brighter or stronger, in the end, if the statue relied on Divine Essence for its descendant to use its power, then that power would still be useless to Nn since he couldn''t use his divine essence.


    In the end, he would just have a powerful ability without the power to run it.


    Then what was the point of the trouble?


    That was why right now, there was only a single statue that Nn knew well he could choose out of the countless number of statues.


    As he walked deeper and deeper into the crowd of statues, he began encountering strange ones.


    They neither oozed out with light, nor were they awe-inspiring looking.


    Yet Nn felt an invisible pressure wrapping around his chest once he walked past them, wanting to force him down to his knees, while some simply wanted nothing but to eradicate him.


    Not only that, but the smallest of them was 5000 meters in pure height, five times taller than the ones before.


    It was the simple demonstration of the word "Real Power Shuts Up!"


    When Nn was almost at the end of the statues, he finally found who he was looking for.


    An awe-inspiring statue that reveled in an absolute raging and barbaric aura.


    It was the statue of a man, exactly 10,000 meters tall, with a gigantic sword in his left hand and an axe in his right.


    A red paint covered his face and bald head, and in the next instant, a strange tattoo appeared on Nn''s forehead, followed by his left crimson eye oozing with a strange crimson light.


    Now he knew well he had found what he was looking for.


    Of course, the statue Nn wanted to choose in this trial was none other than the statue of Kratos himself, his own Mythological Descent.


    Nn''s reason was simple: not only had he received the recognition of Kratos when he wanted to re-awaken his will, but he also knew that Kratos was his first and rightful Mythological Descent.


    His body was naturally attuned to its power already, and he expected the trial to be a bit easier than if he was to choose a statue which he had absolutely no idea of.


    Not only that, but when he had first met the system, it had called him a peasant due to the fact that the Kratos bloodline, which he possessed, doesn''t even need Divine Essence to use, yet Nn was a weakling.


    It was a word Nn didn''t dwell much on with the system, but he kept it at the back of his mind, and truly he could confirm.


    Anytime he used his Lost Dagger of Kratos, Nn didn''t feel he was using his divine essence but his pure physical strength instead.


    That meant those who possess the Kratos bloodline do not even need Divine Essence at all, which was why he had chosen it.


    If he was to obtain his first God Crown, then why not choose the crown of his Kratos Descent?


    That wouldn''t just make him familiar with an already greatly familiar power but make him even stronger, and maybe an anomaly amongst those in the Kratos descendants.


    That was why right now, Nn stood before the feet of this mountain, his heart knowing well this was what he wanted, and almost like it could sense his will, the voice boomed once more through the hall.


    "Touch the god statue whose trial you wish to bind to partake in its test."


    "Sess will mean its ultimate recognition and therefore a crown, and failure would mean death and eternal obliteration."


    "Your fate is now in your hands..." The voice said before disappearingpletely.


    And without wasting more seconds, Nn''s hand stretched forth, and touched the feet of Kratos.


    An iridescent light shed immediately as he did, proceeding to cover his figure, and slowly the light dimmed, revealing no one present at the feet of the statue any longer, and the hall was once more reduced to its eternal silence.

 Chapter 42: The Kratos First Trail

    Immediately, a bright light covered Nn''s existence, blinding his senses. Before a second had passed, his eyes opened up, and he felt the ground beneath his feet solidify.


    Nn''s dagger appeared in his hand, and he instinctively jumped away from where he hadnded, his dagger pointed forward towards where he formerly stood, eyes shing in cautiousness.


    But as he quickly scanned the area, noticing no one around him, he stood upright, taking in the environment with a clear look.


    It was a vast, snowy battlefield that stretched endlessly, the remnants of war scattered across itsndscape.


    The ground was an uneven terrain, marked by craters filled with ice and shattered weapons and armor sticking out from the earth.


    Once-vibrant banners, each with different symbols,y tattered and faded on the ground.


    Nn watched as they pped weakly in the biting wind, their colors barely discernible under the thickyer of frost.


    The ce was eerily silent, save for the asional moan of the wind as it swept across the deste expanse, sometimes mming hard against Nn''s face, and turning it red.


    A thick fog, one of strange crimson and white, hung low over the distant ground, obscuring the horizon and making the battlefield seem endless.


    Around his feet were the bodies of fallen warriors, their bones littering the ground, half-submerged, their faces frozen in expressions of pain and despair.


    It was a grim reminder to Nn, who could only imagine the brutal conflict that once raged in this destion.


    The cold was biting, seemingly sapping the life from everything it touched.


    Turning his gaze above him, even the sky above him was a dull, oppressive gray, offering no respite from the bleakness below.


    "An ancient battlefield..." Nn''s voice echoed through the deste vastness as he bent to the ground, scooping a bit of snow, which poured onto the ground like sand.


    "The snow is just like beach sand. Not very helpful with movement speed..." Nn mused to himself once more.


    His eyes immediately shed as he rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the distance.


    Just now, he could see various red lights slowly brightening up in the fog thaty in the distance, apanied by the faint sound of bones cracking.


    "Wee To The First Kratos Crown Trial. The Mission is Simple. Survive The Endless Bettering of Undying Nightmare Creatures!!"


    "Endless battering?" Nn called out in surprise as he readied his dagger, noticing the red lights getting closer to him.


    ''How is someone supposed to endure an endless battering!?''


    He was given no time to arrange his thoughts when the creatures finally exited the fog and appeared in his line of vision.


    Immediately, slight fear gripped all of Nn''s existence as his hand holding the dagger shook repeatedly,pletely beyond his control.


    They ranged from malevolent creatures, shadowy and semi-transparent, with frost-covered skeletal hands that extended from their billowing tattered cloaks.


    Their hollow blue eyes burned with an eerie light that held onto Nn''s figure, gliding steadily across his body, with an unparalleled desire to suck the life force from his body.


    ording to what he learned of them during his small journey to the academy library, they weremonly referred to as Frost Wraiths.


    Then there were towering behemoths of ice and stone, their bodies a grotesque amalgamation of jagged ice and congealed snow with massive, gnarled limbs ready to crush anything in their path.


    In their hands were incredible axes adorned with soft white runes, and their eyes glowed with a malevolent white light.


    Every single step sent forth an incredibly powerful reverberation that shook Nn''s heart, showing him their immense weight and power.


    Surrounding these figures were another strange set of beings that were humanoid in shape but unnervingly emaciated, with elongated limbs and spindly fingers tipped with razor-sharp ws.


    Their skin was pale and darkened, covered in patches of ice that constantly ked away. They had no faces, only a dark void where their features should be.


    They moved with unnatural speed and silence, yet they moved not toward Nn but around him instead, their featureless void of a face stalking him like a beast to its prey.


    He noticed the ground beneath their feet growing colder and darker, oozing an unnatural amount of fear. These were the Hollow Stalkers.


    But what was really disturbing the most to Nn were thest set of creatures.


    They created bulges on the snowy ground, slithering around like snakes, and he could perceive from them a faint rumbling hiss.


    asionally, parts of their bodies exited the snowy ground, revealing to Nn serpentine creatures with scales that shimmered like frost in the moonlight, their bodies covered in spikes of pure ice.


    Their icy blue eyes faintly locked together with Nn''s, whose eyes shed with a deadly light.


    They were the Shiver Serpents.


    ''The Ice Behemoths, I understand their power. It lies in their physical strength and theirrge axes that would most likely cleave through anything. But they are slow.''


    ''These serpents possess the power to effortlessly glide through snow, and even deep into the snow, and attacking me from underneath the ground won''t be an impossibility for them.


    Even the ground itself is no longer safe, and I am open to attack from below.''


    ''The Hollow Stalkers'' power has something to do with those ghostly razor-sharp ws. They would be able to rip out chunks of flesh with those things...''


    ''But these Wraiths, I have no idea of their power at all...''


    Nn analyzed in his head, his confused eyes lingering on the semi-transparent figures who had no visible attacking features, but Nn dared not rx.


    When he counted the number of creatures, they were exactly thirty in number, and he knew well this would be one of the worst fights he ever had in his life.


    But even now, where he thought he had the situation under his control, he had not even the smallest idea of just what terror of a trial he was thrust into...

 Chapter 43: Fucked!!

    SCREEEEEECCHHHH


    ROOOOOOOOOARRR


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM


    "SHIT!"


    Nn cursed loudly as he sprinted through the icy field.


    A powerful shockwave undted from where he had been standing just five seconds ago, leaving nothing but a massive, unending crater.


    Like a specter, something appeared before Nn''s face, roughly shing forth.


    Nn quickly shed out with his dagger, the sound of a metallic collision ringing out¡ªclearly, this was only the beginning.


    CLAAANG


    CLAAANG


    CLAAAANG


    Unending shing noises resounded as Nn sprinted through the icyndscape.


    Shadow stalkers weaved in and out of existence around his figure, as Nn shed out with as much speed as he could while making sure he ran as fast as possible.


    Yet, he still couldn''t avoid various cuts that tore into his skin.


    TWUUUUUAK


    An especially loud sound was made as Nn instinctively darted away from where he stood.


    In the next instant, arge drill-like ice stalk mmed into a behemoth that was catching up to Nn, ripping a hole through its massive bulk.


    But what was even more mind-numbing was the fact that the hole in the behemoth''s stomach quickly began closing up by gathering the power from the ice below.


    Soon, it was back to full health and began chasing Nn once more.


    That was the true horror of them.


    Nn could confidently say he had killed almost ten of these creatures from both groups, yet the fact was that exactly thirty were chasing him right now.


    The creatures were undying!!


    They simply healed back, and before Nn could wipe them outpletely, he would be forced to evade another attack.


    Then the one he had just almost wiped out would simplye back to life.


    Knowing that, Nn had turned this into a chase, sprinting as fast as he could while trying to block the attacks.


    The most horrific fact was that the behemoth''s single stroke was enough to leave a gigantic crater on the ground, and Nn knew well that if it dared to m down on him, he would be more than dead.


    That was why he didn''t dare to stop at all.


    Immediately, he dashed to the side.


    He could see the head of the serpent and, intently, he sprinted before it, his dagger cleaving forth and slicing its head off.


    The serpent''s body dropped limply on the ground, yet barely five seconds passed when another head began forming, and it dove into the icy arena, rapidly chasing after Nn.


    "What the hell is this even!?"


    "The creatures can''t die! And they outnumber me and are stronger than me! How am I supposed toplete such a trial!?"


    Nn roared in his head as he dodged an ice stalk that dug a hole through his shoulder, blood spraying all over the ice.


    He dodged his face to the side as three ws appeared,ing from another Hollow Stalker that had inched close enough to him.


    RIIIIIIP


    RIIIIIIP


    Instantly, Nn shed out twice toward the stalker''s head, cleaving it in two as its upper body fell.


    Yet, turning his head backward, he could see the stalker already regenerating while chasing after him.


    The truth was, the creatures didn''t even dodge Nn''s strikes at all, almost like they knew it was useless, and therefore they simply focused on trying to damage him as much as possible.


    He was now stuck in a battle with immortal devilish creatures, with a half-broken knee, a hole in his shoulder, a blood-blinded left eye, and deep cuts that prated as deep as his skull.


    His heart was furiously pumping blood and so was adrenaline, yet it had been more than a few days since Nn felt like he had been stuck in this endless loop of suffering, and the beating of his heart was now starting to slow.


    His steps were getting heavier, his vision more blurry than ever, and his bones were slowly freezing due to the cold environment.


    Yet he had no choice, no choice but to keep fighting, unless he was willing to swallow death!


    "Tch, why!? Why did I even sign up for this!? Why am I even here at all!?" Nn wondered as he felt the soaring sound of something approaching from behind.


    He leaned to the side, the side rib of his clothes getting ripped apart along with a part of his skin as arge ice stalk shot past, tearing with it Nn''s own skin and muscles, leaving ghastly white bones that soon became covered with blood peeking out.


    "Tch," With an inability to resolve the situation, what quickly followed for Nn was self-doubt.


    There was no way he could solve this madness of a situation he was in.


    Even if he paused topletely eliminate one of these creatures, he could be gravely injured by the others, and then what?


    He eliminated one out of thirty in exchange for a grievous injury. He wouldn''t even eliminate the second one before he died.


    Then what was the point?


    He couldn''t run forever, as his body was starting to give up on him, and he couldn''t turn back in anger, as therey death behind him!


    So what should he do?


    Why had he even bothered to agree with the system toe to the trial ground? He should have just tried to talk it out with his bullies or looked for another way.


    At least, he would still be able to live a little longer than now.


    "No! No!" Nn roared out in his head as a w shed from the side.


    He shed forth, both of the creatures, knocking each other back as Nn rolled in the icy arena.


    He quickly jumped up to the ground as a serpent tore through his side, diving out from the ground, only to have its body separated into two by Nn''s dagger.


    SOOOOOAAARRRR


    BOOOOOOOOOM


    The sound of something soaring forth with speed resounded as Nn turned to the distance and saw a gigantic axe flying toward his face.


    Instinctively, he raised the dagger before him, and the axe knocked into it, sending him flying with fierce speed into the far distance.


    BAAANG


    BAAAANG


    BAAAANG


    His body repeatedly carved abyssal craters into the icy ground before finally, Nn came to a screeching halt inside a crater which quickly filled up with red blood.


    His eyes slowly lost their light, but he reaffirmed one thing in his mind...


    "No one forced me here. I had to do this... to be free."

 Chapter 44: Realization And Rage

    With the realization of his helplessness, something strange came to Nn''s heart¡ªa strange will to me others for his own inefficiencies.


    His mind began searching for someone to me for his situation.


    And it found none other than the system to me.


    But was it really the system that was at fault?


    Did it force him here? Was there anything the system wanted for him, if not for him to grow stronger¡ªsomething that aligned with his own wish for freedom?


    So why was he ming the system like a loser?


    "Tch, I''m an idiot." Nn cursed himself as he slowly tore himself out of the crater.


    Right now, he could see the nightmarish creatures had closed in on him.


    Fight and die, or keep running and eventually face your death.


    Those were the only two choices that awaited him, yet they led to the same ending.


    Death!


    "Death? Death!? How can I die here? My lucky second chance? Just to face death like before? I would have died while trying to fight against very.


    Why me? Why me?"


    With his own helplessness, what came was an understanding of why it just had to be him.


    Why couldn''t he get reincarnated as a young master of a powerful family this time?


    Why couldn''t he get reincarnated as the child of some powerful sage or something mentioned in the other reincarnated books he had read about?


    Why did he have to be reincarnated only to die now, hisst actions being fighting for his own freedom?


    Why? Why does it have to be him? Why were the gods so blind?


    What had he even done wrong in his past life to deserve this? What had he even done at all to deserve his own past life in the first ce?


    "Hahahahaha!" What followed was an intenseughter of madness from Nn¡ªa seething, ragingughter that barely revealed the hate in his heart.


    It was as clear as day. The heavens were purposely torturing him.


    And slowly, Nn grabbed a dagger from within his own pool of blood, his five fingers tightening over its hilt as he rose up right, then...


    BANG!


    The snow behind Nn''s feet immediately shot backwards as Nn shot forward with a crashing speed, approaching the nightmarish creatures, who also raced toward him with equal fervor.


    "I will die here, I know!"


    "But before I do, you all will see what lies in my heart!!!" Nn roared as he appeared before the first nightmarish creature, his dagger gripped tightly in his grasp as he shed forth with every single vestige of power within him.


    "My seething rage!!"


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!


    A violent shockwave spread forth from Nn''s sh as the air ripped apart with power, faintly blocking before the nightmarish creatures as the Hollow Stalker who took the first charge was shed into two.


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    Finally, Nn gave in to the rage in his mind as he called out like a madman.


    The entire world was starting to turn into a bloody red figure, his sanity reced by a fog of red, yet he was unrelenting as he headed after the various nightmarish creatures, cutting them, slicing them until they remained nothing.


    BOOOOOM!


    While Nn was ripping a serpent into nothingness, something unbelievably heavy mmed into his back, and immediately, Nn was forcibly smashed into the same crater that he found himself in.


    Yet, as the titan tried to lift its club up, it found it impossible as its gaze fell upon a blood-bathed figure rising from the crater.


    Immediately, Nn''s feet stood on the snow once more, incredible veins bulging all over his arms, and then he violently jerked the club from the creature''s hand, causing its entire body to lurch forward towards him.


    "DIE!"


    Nn roared out in anger as he hoisted the club, sprinting forward and smashing it onto the Behemoth''s body, tearing through from its head down to its leg, reducing it to nothing but a cloud of snow that blew away with the wind.


    "Bastards, you really can die, can''t you!?" Nnughed out loud as he ced his dagger into his own mouth and grabbed hold of the gigantic club.


    "Want my life!? Thene and die together with me!" Nn said with a sinister grin as he grabbed the club, which was almost three times taller and bigger than him.


    And then...


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    It was a violent and constant image as Nn repeatedly smashed out with the club, lifting it as if it weighed nothing.


    When it came down on the creatures, it blew thempletely into nothing, yet Nn himself wasn''t without his own injuries.


    His left leg had been torn outpletely by a serpentine creature, and stakes drained every part of his body, making him resemble a porcupine.


    There were parts of his body that were greying and seemingly absent of life, and those ces were none other than the ones touched by the Wraiths who sucked out life force with just a single touch.


    His left shoulder had cracked, barely supporting his right, which Nn used to swing around the club, violently erasing ten creatures out of existence with every smack.


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    Nn roared out repeatedly, his own body sustained by nothing but his own seething rage.


    His arms had lost their strength, his eyes had both been blinded with blood, his bnce had been thrown into disarray from missing a leg, yet he was smashing out repeatedly like a madman.


    Three hourster, Nn had eradicated every single creature before him, yet he was still mming onto the ground mindlessly, before finally, every single bit of power in his arms left him, and the club dropped to the right, fading away into snow from repeated cracks and he himself finally mmed headfirst into the snow.


    A faint, sadistic grinid on his face even as life left his crimson eyes and his daggery resting in his mouth, bit down with every bit of power he possessed, and he remained motionless...


    He had fought and won with pure, brutal rage... but at the cost of what?

 Chapter 45: The Second Trail Begins

    Beneath the towering, sky-piercing mountain, the wind howled like a beast in agony, wheezing through the destendscape with relentless fury.


    The air was thick with the scent of cold stone, which could be exined by the surrounding cracked rocks in the area.


    At the foot of this mountainy a young man with flowy white hair spread across the ground.


    His chest rose and fell rhythmically, an absolute contrast to the harsh environment around him.


    In his bloodless lips, he held the hilt of a dagger, partly covered by the asional sshes of his hair due to the wheezing wind.


    Slowly, his eyelids stirred, and then¡ª


    A bright sh of light cut through the stormy area as his eyes snapped open, staring at the gray sky.


    Suddenly, he jumped up from where hey, carving a massive gorge into the ground, with his dagger now firmly in his hands.


    Nn surveyed the area, his cold, indifferent eyes filled with a slight caution as he scanned his surroundings.


    But nothing before him was threatening to his life and so, he rose upright, sensing nothing unusual.


    The wind howled anxiously around him, but he paid little attention, stretching his gaze towards the gigantic mountain before him.


    From where he stood, Nn was unable to see its peak due to its otherworldly height and the tip being obscured by fog.


    But soon, a voice rang out loud through the area.


    "Congrattions on passing the First Trial of Kratos, and wee to the Second Trial. Your mission is simple!"


    The voice echoed as Nn turned his gaze upward and thought to himself:


    ''Climb up the mountain...''


    "You are to climb up the mountain. At the top, you will find what you''re searching for..." the voice resounded as Nn''s eyes shed.


    ''It better be,'' he thought.


    He had gone through enough hell just to arrive where his rewards ought to be and find nothing.


    That wouldn''t be funny at all.


    But something else diverted his attention as he looked down at his own body, pleasantly surprised by what he saw.


    He had expected holes and cuts, but now, with no clothes on, he could see all his injuries had faded away.


    Unconsciously, he stretched his legs, which had formerly been snatched off by jaws of an ice serpent in the previous mission.


    "So I ended up passing the first trial, huh?" Nn mused to himself, remembering his helplessness during the first trial.


    Thinking about it, he knew well that only one thing had saved him.


    Rage.


    The rage in his heart.


    The unfairness he felt towards everything in his life.


    In the end, he had taken down those who wanted his life, and thankfully, the trial had been able to piece him back to normal.


    "Perhaps it was just all an illusion..." Nn mused to himself.


    Yet, he couldn''t quite exin why, but he felt a new emotion in his heart, one he knew he could consciously explode out with.


    He couldn''t point directly at what it was, but he saw no reason to do so.


    Now before him was a mountain with an height of 2000 meters, and he had to scale it to the top.


    Whether a blessing or not, the mountain itself had protruding footholds with which Nn could climb, but instead of stowing away his dagger, he kept it by his side, deciding to ce it in his teeth.


    Quickly, he began his ascent.


    From seconds to minutes to hours, Nn kept climbing higher and higher.


    The more he climbed, the more his fingertips began to burn


    After scaling for 14 hours straight, Nn paused on his hold.


    Turning his head, blood rained down from where his hand was, dripping onto his face and sliding down his chin.


    His fingertips had been roughly sliced open, but Nn''s eyes remained strangely indifferent¡ªa trait he never possessed before the trial.


    Ignoring the blood, he looked up at the mountain, but the peak was still out of sight.


    So Nn took a deep breath before he began climbing once more.


    Slowly and steadily, he made his way forward.


    Sometimes, rain poured down heavily from the sky, drenching him in cold.


    Sometimes, heavy snow battered his fingers with incredible force.


    Yet, his lone figure could be seen, shouldering everything as he continued upward, one step at a time.


    Raising his head once more, the peak of the mountain was still unseen, but now Nn could see the fog up ahead that blocked his vision.


    Nn was spent, his heart drained of any semnce of hope. He turned down his feet, yet found he couldn''t see the ground either.


    He had climbed too far to see below him.


    Going back down now to re-prepare, as his mind was telling him, wouldn''t work. That would be double the work, and his will to climb was nearly gone.


    So Nn remained pressed against the mountain wall.


    How many days had passed since he had been stuck here, he had no idea.


    Some muscles in his body had turned numb, and his bones were frozen by the terrible weather conditions.


    *Give up, Nn. Give up...*


    *Fall down, and save yourself all of the pain...*


    The voice whispered to Nn, whose eyes remained shut as he regted his breathing.


    He remained in his position for an unknown amount of time, and suddenly, the dagger in his lips red with a bright crimson light.


    Once more, Nn''s eyes snapped open as he began lifting himself up again.


    A crimson light shed from his eyes, containing an unbelievable amount of stubbornness and will as he climbed.


    asionally, his hand slipped off the rocks, but before he could fall too far, Nn grabbed his dagger in his lips and roughly pierced it into the mountain, holding himself steady.


    He would rest for a few seconds before continuing his ascent.


    It was terrible. It was intense, crazy, painful, and hope-dashing. He felt the need to give up, and rx, but....


    He kept at it... anyway.

 Chapter 46: A Choice Too Difficult To Make 1

    Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the fog that covered Nn''s vision was just a hand''s stretch away from his head.


    Right now, his breath was so silent it couldn''t be heard at all, as an incredibly chaotic storm of frozen hail and rain battered him relentlessly.


    At such a height, every raindrop felt like daggers digging into his body, and blood rained down from Nn''s body with every drop, turning him into a fountain of crimson water.


    One thing Nn knew very well.


    This was it for him.


    His bones had frozen from the terrible cold, his fingers were numb, and the only thing he felt was the gentle warmth of the ming dagger in his lips, which provided just enough warmth to stop it from slipping off due to the intense cold and his shivering.


    "How wasteful it all was in the end, Nn. Do you finally realize it? Your battle before¡ªwasn''t it for naught?"


    "Now what?"


    "You''re at the end of the rope..." The insidious voice rang in his mind, further dulling his will to keep climbing.


    And truthfully, this time, Nn had nothing to say.


    In the end, his happiness at passing the first trial was for naught. Now he was drained and helpless.


    He had just arrived beneath the fog of the mountain, and he was more than sure the summit was definitely higher than the fog.


    And he couldn''t move a muscle anymore.


    So in the end, wasn''t everything for naught? The death he tried so desperately to avoid¡ªwasn''t it now before him once more?


    "It''s sad..." The voice escaped his snow-covered lips, white hair puffing out of his mouth, not only due to the coldness but also to intense hunger and thirst.


    It was as if his bodily needs were amplified a thousandfold, making him incredibly hungry and thirsty.


    He was cold, and death was near.


    A fall from this height wasn''t something he could survive, not even if he had every single bit of energy still present in him.


    And therefore, quietly, Nn rested his body against the mountain, feeling its coldness and numbness.


    For an unknown amount of time, he remained like that, and for an unknown amount of time, the ceaseless snow and rain never stopped beating down on him until, eventually, every raindrop couldn''t bring out more blood from him, and Nn resembled nothing but an emaciated, frail corpse, no different from the dead.


    One day, finally, after an unknown amount of time, one of his eyes¡ªthe red one¡ªopened up as Nn looked up at the fog, which was still a hand above him, and a single final decision appeared in his mind.


    "If someone asks me what I achieved in this lifetime, I will tell them, I scaled a mountain and touched the clouds..."


    He mused to himself, and with all the remaining energy left in him, Nn walked towards achieving his final wish: to touch the clouds.


    For that, he summoned every will within him as his unmovable hands groaned and grabbed the dagger before extending as far as his hands could reach.


    Then he ced both hands on the dagger and lifted himself up with thest bit of energy within him, his head piercing through the clouds, which were strangely warm.


    And when Nn opened his eyes, he was beyond shocked, as right before him was an incredibly t surface.


    The mountain didn''t extend up the fog; it stopped exactly above the fog and was t-edged, contrary to what Nn had been thinking.


    With such a realization, he didn''t know how he gathered the remaining energy, but quickly his legs got to work as he pushed himself up on the tform and dragged himself up with the dagger until he copsed tly on the surface of the mountain.


    Was it joy, happiness, or relief? Nn had no words for what he currently felt in his heart.


    In the end, the corner of his lips could only spread slightly from what he felt, but exhaustion hit him, and his eyes slowly closed up, only to snap open from the shock.


    "Make your choice!" The voice boomed out, and without understanding how, Nn jerked up to sit upright as he looked up into the distance and found a scene that absolutely shocked his senses.


    Right now before him was a long staircase, and on those stairs were small floating balls that slowly moved into the distance, millions in number.


    But two balls caught Nn''s attention¡ªtwo balls brimming with an intense dark aura that stank putridly in direct contrast to the white balls.


    His attention was diverted when, just beside him, an altar sprang forth from the ground, and at the top of it was none other than a strange red crown that gently burned with ghastly crimson mes.


    Nn had no idea, but one thing rang through his mind.


    If he wore this crown, there would be almost no one who could ever match his strength anymore.


    In all of existence.


    That was exactly what he felt oozing from the crown.


    Limitless power. A level of power that was simply untouchable and unblemished.


    And light soon loomed behind the altar as a figure appeared before Nn¡ªa figure he had sighted a couple of times now.


    With his eyes devoid of emotion, the figure looked at Nn before him, and in the next instant, he stretched his hand towards Nn, a strange force surrounding his body and forcing him to rise up to his feet.


    Now Nn could better see the strange white balls floating along the stairs and the crown that was just by his side.


    "This is the cycle of Samsara, Nn. And these souls are nothing but mortals going through their after-life journey. "


    "Those with white-colored souls will be given the opportunity of reincarnation, while those with dark-colored souls will be cursed with hell..." he said to him as Nn''s eyes turned towards the only two dark balls on the stairs.


    "Tell me, Nn, who are those two dark souls?"

 Chapter 47: A Choice Too Difficult To Make 2

    Shock!


    That was exactly what Nn felt within him.


    A shock so monumental that his aching body seemed topletely fade away into nothing as he looked at the two dark orbs.


    Slowly, his eyes turned ssy before a single line of tears dropped from his face.


    He knew well who they were.


    How couldn''t he?


    How could he forget the two people who made his life turn to hell?


    How could he forget those who abandoned him when he needed them the most?


    They were none other than his bastard of a father and his whore of a mother.


    They were the two dark orbs out of the millions of others.


    As if understanding what was in Nn''s mind, the man''s apathetic voice continued.


    "If you listened to what I said before, you''ll know what''s to befall them. The soul that goes to that realm will remain there eternally, suffering the most hellish of pains they could ever endure."


    "Compared to the torment of going through hell, what you felt before reaching here could bepared to being dipped in a bathpared to being dipped inva."


    "It is simply iparable."


    "But you have a way to save them, Nn," the man whispered as Nn''s eyes shed and he turned to look at him.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You have the opportunity to save them both, to give them a single more chance at reincarnation. In exchange for such, you would need something with an unparalleled amount of power.


    "One of those things is this crown, which is rightfully yours."


    "So there are two choices you can make, Nn."


    "Take the crown and wear it on your head, earning what you came here to do in the first ce and making all your suffering worth it, or you can sacrifice it to help the parents of your past life enter into the path of reincarnation and save them from eternal torment¡­"


    "You can only choose one, Nn, and you have all the time in the world to make your decision," the man said as he walked to the far side of the fallen mountain''s edge, turning his back to Nn with his gaze staring into the far distance.


    And Nn couldn''t help but look in front of him, where he could see the intensely powerful crown he had suffered so much to possess.


    His only way out, but just behind it were the long stairs where the two dark souls had already separated from the remaining white souls and were currently traversing a darker path.


    Nn knew this time, this was no illusion. This couldn''t be more real.


    He had no idea about anything beyond the cycle of Samsara, but he could at least be sure that those two dark souls belonged to people he once loved and cherished.


    Yet, he also hated them with the same fiery passion.


    Growing up, one could say Nn lived quite the good life and had quite the blessed childhood experience.


    Being the only child in the family, his father was a hardworking coal miner with quite a reputable standard in the organization, and his mother was a beautiful housewife focused on doing nothing but catering to his needs.


    This had continued smoothly until Nn reached the age of 8.


    The change was quick and abrupt as he found his own fathering home, all drunk, and he could see the various condoms in his mom''s bag, anytime she went to ''work''.


    It had been less than a yearter when his father was said to have embezzled funds from the organization and ran away with it, leaving only him and his mother¡ªthe only pir he thought had left.


    But that pir also soon left after dering in the coldest way possible that she had no rtion to Nn nor his father himself.


    His world hade crashing down since then on, and ever since, he had been alone until he was 25, working in eternal solitude and very.


    Instead of seeking revenge or ming them for all his troubles, Nn had simply moved on and epted his fate.


    He neither hated nor loved them, and he saw them as nothing more than people who had once stayed with him before leaving.


    But now, here they were in this new life of his, but their fate was nothing he could have imagined.


    ''They deserved it. For all the trouble they caused me in my previous life. They deserved it...'' The thoughts echoed in Nn''s head.


    And truly, nothing in him could refute that.


    They were only suffering the karma of what they did in their past lives.


    What has that got to do with him?


    They had abandoned him when he needed them the most, so why should he care if they ended up in hell or got reincarnated?


    What does it have to do with him?


    The belief kept solidifying in his heart until eventually, Nn''s hand slowly stretched towards the crown.


    Yet he had no idea why, but the tears in his eyes wouldn''t stop rushing out the closer his hand got to the crown.


    And just an inch before he could feel it within his grasp, his fingers halted themselves, as Nn paused in the same emotion.


    Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours, yet he remained there, unmoving as his eyes stared nkly at the two floating orbs until eventually, Nn''s outstretched fingers slowly folded and he took his hand off the crown before backing away from it slowly, wiping away the tears in his eyes.


    "What is your choice?" The voice resounded as the man who was at the edge of the mountain appeared right in front of him in less than a blink, but Nn wasn''t in the mood to appreciate it.


    "So, what do you choose, Nn?" it asked him once more.


    "If I sacrifice the crown, does that mean failing the trial and therefore dying here?" he asked in reply.


    "No. If you sacrifice the crown, you fail the trial, but you would still wake up in the real world, in the same position and power as you were formerly in."


    "You would gain no power, and all your previous actions will be for naught."


    "Now, make your choice..."

 Chapter 48: A Crown Is Never Given But Earned

    "I sacrifice the crown," Nn said, and in the next instant, a powerful p smashed into his face, knocking out his teeth as he was sent flying, his skin roughly smashing through the mountain top beforeing to a stop, just an inch from falling of it


    BAAAAAANG


    BLEEEEERGH


    Blood spurted from his lips as he felt the crushing weight that was like a mountain stumping roughly on his chest.


    He could feel the sickening crunch of his own ribs, already weakened from the previous trials.


    "I gave you a source of unlimited power, an unrivaled energy enough to change every single fate that has ever been written down in your Life Grimoire."


    "Yet, you choose to sacrifice it, in exchange for two empty, deste souls that did nothing but cause you endless suffering through an entire lifetime..."


    "Convince me!"


    "Convince me how death shouldn''t be the price for your impudence!" the figure said, extremely loudly and with incredible rage as Nn groaned under the monumental pressure.


    Blood spurted from every part of his senses as veins burst out of his skin from the incredible pressure, and life was slowly sapped away...


    Yet, Nn, with thest vestige of energy within him, said hisst words...


    "You''re a god, aren''t you? I will never be able to understand how monumental your offer is to me, but I also didn''t expect you to ever understand how monumental my own choices are to me either." Nn replied, but all he got in exchange was a leg violently piercing into his body.


    He felt one of his ribs shatter and its top slowly scraping against his beating heart, and he knew well that death was near.


    "My choice is monumental, so monumental that not even death can erase it..." He said hisst words, closing his eyes and expecting the embrace of death, his cold body hoping it could at least be warm and offer him some form of sce.


    But it never came, no matter how much he wished for it.


    Instead, the foot was ced away from Nn, and in the next instant, he watched as the man stepped off his chest.


    He could barely see through one eye, but he still saw as the two dark souls, which were formerly heading in the direction of hell, had their direction changed and became white, joining among the remaining millions of souls that would get an opportunity to be reincarnated.


    Once more, Nn''s eyes closed, and a single line of thought appeared in his head.


    "Now I am free from my past life. Eternally free..."


    Once more, he felt the sound of footsteps approaching him, and he could''ve sworn it had no difference from that of death itself.


    But he was awakened by a bright sh of light as he opened his eyes and felt a hand approach him, lifting up his neck, and his head moved slightly towards the face of the man who now had the crown in his hands.


    "It is yours..." the man said, words that Nn couldn''t believe as he gently wore the crown on his head, and immediately, an iridescent crimson light covered each of Nn''s eyes as he slowly felt himself disappear.


    Yet instead of death, what he felt was a monumental transformation.


    Now he was starting to fade away, yet a single question remained in Nn''s mind.


    "Why? Why do I still deserve the crown?" Nn asked the man who rose upright, and in his hands was Nn''s dagger, which he slowly moved forward, opening Nn''s shining fingers and cing it within.


    "You deserve the crown, my son. For a worthy crown is never given, nor taken, but earned!"


    Those were thest words that Nn heard before he faded away immediately from the empty space, leaving nothing but the burly man standing at the top of the t mountain.


    "I have finally passed over my burden... Finally." The man whispered, an expression of mncholic relief on his face as he looked up at the dark sky whose dark clouds slowly faded away and once sunlight poke through the darkness settling in the man''s body and the entire realm behind him.


    ---


    Deep within the academy,ying somewhere among the woods, one could hear nothing but the incredibly faint beating of a heart, which sounded once a minute.


    If not for the beating heart, one would expect whoever it belonged to be deader than dead.


    But suddenly, the heart began beating faster and faster and faster until a loud:


    BAADUUMP


    BAADUUMP


    BAADUUMP


    Began ringing out clearly through the entire forest, causing every single thing in the woods to reverberate with the beating heart.


    And in the next instant,


    BUUUURRRRRRSSSTTTTT


    An incredible wave of energy soared forth into the sky with unbelievable power, shaking the entire Academy as the pir of crimson soared through the sky, reaching into the farthest depths of space and an aura of unsurpassed rage and strength spread into the distance, causing numerous figures to appear in the sky of the Academy, all looking straight at the pir of energy.


    And in the next instant,


    RIIIIIIP


    The sound of space being ripped apart from pure speed resounded through the Academy hall as close to a dozen figures appeared before the ce where the energy had spread out from, and they found nothing but an empty grave.


    With strange gazes, they looked at the grave, their eyebrows furrowed before they all immediately faded away into thin air just as quickly as they came, leaving the woods to its intense calmness once more.


    After an hour, the birds resumed their chirping, and the crickets kept sounding, but at the top of arge tree sat a figure, sitting on arge tree branch with a fruit in hand, which he bit into hungrily like a beast.


    [Wee Back, Host! and Congrattions onpleting your first God Trial and sessfully obtaining your throne.]


    [You havepleted thest quest, and you have gained additional rewards from your trials...]

 Chapter 49: Massive Growth In Strength

    The notification buzzed before Nn''s eyes, which showed intense hunger.


    His body had remained deep underground for the gods knows how many hours, and he felt incredibly hungry.


    Thankfully, there were a few fruits he could gnaw on in the woods. They weren''t sweet, but at least they satiated his hunger a little.


    [You were smart to quickly leave the area once you awakened...] The system called to his notice as Nn remembered the moment he had quickly run away from the grave and disappeared into the woods.


    Naturally, when Nn had awakened, he had seen the traces of the pir of light, and his instincts red, urging him to run away quickly.


    He had no reason why and knew not what his fate would be if the Instructors had discovered him, but Nn decided to trust his senses and move away as quickly as possible.


    He would rather keep his sudden improvement in strength a secret instead of broadcasting it to the entire world.


    Not everyone would be happy for his sess, and who knew what they would do to him in such an instance.


    In the end, he would be under the control of his powerful enemies, something he could avoid if he simply walked away as quickly as possible.


    "Activate System Interface..." Nn ordered.


    Now that his hunger and thirst had been sated a little from the fruit, it was time to assess his improvement.


    Just sitting down on this tree, he could feel like he was a new, different entity, but he wanted to see just how different it truly was.


    [Congrattions, All Host''s attributes have been doubled.]


    [Congrattions, Host has broken through by two stages, crossing through the Celestial Initiate stage and now at the Heavenly Disciple Stage!]


    [Rewards: +5000 EXP, and 2 Level Up Cards!]


    [Congrattions, Host has awakened new abilities from his Kratos Descent.]


    [Congrattions, Host has gained a new ss]


    [Congrattions on sessfully obtaining the First God King Crown andpleting thest quest.]


    [Rewards: +10,000 EXP and +4 Level Up Cards!]


    The notifications were almost endless, just buzzing before Nn''s face, whose emotionless expression slowly changed into a cocky grin.


    ''I truly died a couple of times, but I don''t regret it now.''


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Title: God''s Apostle]


    [Level: 10]


    [Age: 16]


    [EXP: 15,000/1500]


    "Does Host wish to Level Up?"


    "Of course."


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 11]


    [+15 Attribute Points gained]


    [EXP: 13,500/2000]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 12]


    [+15 Attribute Points obtained]


    [EXP: 11,500/4000]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 13!]


    [+15 Attribute Points obtained]


    [EXP: 7500/6000]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 14!]


    [+15 Attribute Points obtained]


    [EXP: 1500/9000]


    [Level Up Cards: 6]


    "Does Host wish to use Level Up cards?"


    The system asked as Nn looked at the long list of level-ups, and he ultimately decided.


    "Use just four of them..." He decided. He didn''t know how strong he really was right now, with all his stats having been said to be doubled and the abilities and the various attributes he had just obtained.


    It was good to be strong, but if he could suddenly go toe-to-toe with the instructors themselves, then that would be weird.


    And such a massive level-up chance like this wouldn''t being up in the near future.


    That was why he ultimately decided not to spend everything in one go.


    At least not now.


    [Congrattions, Host has used a Level Up card and reached Level 15!]


    [+15 Attribute Points]


    [Congrattions, Host has used a Level Up card and reached Level 16]


    [+15 Attribute Points]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 17]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 18]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions on sessfully reaching Level 18!]


    [Total Attribute Points: 120]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 40(+35)]


    [Agility: 30(+30)]


    [Perception: 30(+30)]


    [Intelligence: 30(+30)]


    [Charm: 4(+4)]


    [Attribute Points: 120]


    "Hmmm, I guess all my attribute points really doubled up. Now let''s work towards getting to the 100 Power mark..."


    Nn mused and quickly made his choice.


    "Add 30 points to Strength, add 40 points to Agility, add 30 points to Perception, and add 20 points to Intelligence!"


    Nn quicklymanded, but not a second had passed when an incredibly shrill scream, like that of a pig being ughtered, rang throughout the entire forest, causing some birds to immediately fly away.


    CRRAAACK!


    CRAAAACK!


    RIIIIIIIIP!


    The sound of bones cracking and muscles being torn apart rang throughout the area as Nn''s hand dug into the ground, and thick veins covered every inch of his body.


    With shock, Nn began growing, widening.


    A strange oil covered his body, as his skin seemed to be melting off, causing them to start peeling away from Nn''s body.


    Strange runic lines began undting forth from the second skin that appeared on his new skin, seemingly resembling some sort of tattoo.


    "Arrrrrgggghh!!!" Another roar of pain left Nn''s lips yet was forced down a secondter as Nn''s teeth ground together.


    The sound of cracking resounded as his teeth fractured into nothing, yet another pair of teeth, this time slightly golden in color, began appearing once more, only to fracture again due to the pain, and then another set of teeth appeared.


    The same could be said for every organ, and Nn swore if it wasn''t for the hell he went through during the trial, this might as well be what would have killed him.


    "Why! Why is it so painful?!!" Nn grunted out loud, and the system brought its exnation.


    [The points you allotted to your attributes are too much for your current body. You should have started small, donating 10 or so.]


    [But you poured a total of 120 attribute points all at once, of course, it would be painful, but nheless rewarding for your mental toughness.] The system said.


    In the same position for half an hour, Nn remained until he felt the pain fade away.

 Chapter 50: Rapid Evolution

    Ding!


    [Congrattions, Points have been sessfully allocated.]


    The notification panel flickered in and out of Nn''s face as the sound of bones cracking slowly rang out through the forest, its power equivalent to muffled thunder.


    Slowly, Nn rose to his feet. He hadpletely changed.


    Standing at a height of 1.9 meters, his formerly long, flowing white hair had visibly shortened, gently blowing around in the wind.


    His body was like that of a Greek god, brimming with unparalleled brute power, with every contour of his muscles pressing tightly against his shirt.


    Slight tears in the fabric on his chest revealed that the cloth, which had once seemed too baggy, was now tearing apart from the growth of his muscles.


    Though his skin was white, it was never pale; instead, it was as white as snow.


    His eyes had be sharper and more narrowed, like those of a hunter in a deep chase.


    "Ah, quite the monumental change¡­" Nn mused. Yet his voice was incredibly deep and boomed through the entire area, a slight reverberation pulsing out from Nn''s lips against the thickness of the air.


    [Wow, what a crazy change!] The System eximed in shock!


    Of course, it could see Nn as clear as day, and it was more than shocked by the difference.


    It was as if Nn had aged ten years and was now in his prime, yet the System knew Nn was still only 16 years old.


    How could he have grown so massively, and how did his voice be so deep? It wasn''t supposed to be the effect of allocating attribute points.


    CRACK!


    A faint crackling sound rang out as Nn clenched his fist, feeling the space beneath his hand quiver from his brute power, and he smiled.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 100]


    [Agility: 100]


    [Perception: 90]


    [Intelligence: 80]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    [You moved from your previous Strength of 35 to 100! More than triple your normal strength. I wonder how the other students will take this¡­]


    The System remarked as Nn grinned wickedly.


    "Time to leave¡­" he mused, and in the next instant, a colossal pit, spread out in the shape of a cobweb, appeared beneath Nn''s feet.


    Instantly, he became a specter, shooting into the distance with incredible speed.


    _____


    FLAP!


    The sound of pages flipping rang out through the air as a fat young man with pitch-dark eyes and spectacles on his face sat at a table, arge book in his hands, reading with unparalleled focus.


    His hair was pitch ck, with a light yellowish hue to his face, and he was none other than Wiro himself.


    Suddenly,


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!


    The sound of knocking could be heard on the wooden door.


    Wiro jerked up from his seat in shock, his spectacles falling from his face, but before they could touch the ground, Wiro quickly picked them up to prevent any noise and waited silently, not moving a muscle.


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!


    Once more, the sound of knocking echoed, and Wiro''s face paled.


    This was his secret hideout; there was no way anyone except him knew this ce.


    The only person who knew had died just five days ago! Yet here, here was somebody knocking.


    The fact was simple. He had been tracked down.


    Immediately, Wiro reached under his bed, grabbing an incredibly sharp spear as a n quickly formed in his head.


    ''I stab their chest and sprint off!'' he thought before calmly walking to the door, making sure his steps were clearly heard by whoever was knocking.


    His hand tightened around the spear.


    In the next instant,


    CLICK.


    The door knob turned, and Wiro screamed in his head¡­ NOW!


    BOOM!


    A muffled boom rang out as veins bulged all over Wiro''s fat arm, and he pierced forward toward the towering figure''s chest.


    But it failed miserably as Wiro watched a hand appear at the end of the spear, catching it mid-thrust.


    DING!


    It was the sound of metal shing against metal.


    "FUCK!"


    Without dwelling on his helplessness, Wiro immediately sprinted away as fast as he could, trying to escape from Nn.


    Every bit of energy was put into his legs to carry him faster, but he was shocked when he realized even though he was moving at full speed, the world around him remained stable.


    ''What''s going on¡­?'' he thought as he looked toward the ground, and his face paled.


    Right now, his feet were dangling just a few inches from the ground, and his shoulder was currently gripped by a snow-white hand, rendering him unable to move or run.


    ''I guess this is it, then. At least those bastards sent such a strong person to kill me. I feel honored¡­'' Wiro thought, giving up hope.


    But at least he wanted to see who had killed him. He roughly kicked his leg backward, making contact with the person''s stomach, causing his shoulder to be freed once more.


    Quickly, he copsed onto his back, trying to crawl away while staring daggers at his assant. But his expression changed when he saw who was standing before him.


    "You!? You!" Wiro said in shock as he pointed at Nn''s face. Yet his eyes kept looking up and down Nn''s body, his jaw dropping to the ground.


    "What are you doing?" Nn asked, and Wiro''s face paled even more.


    The voice! It was like speaking to a titan!


    "You''re¡­ you''re Nn!" Wiro screamed out as Nn raised an eyebrow before looking around the area.


    "I thought you said only I knew this ce apart from you."


    "It seems like you were expecting a different person¡­" Nn said with a snort as Wiro bottled up his shock and coughed, embarrassed.


    "I never knew it was you. I thought they finally got their hands on you. It''s been five days after all since your disappearance!"


    "Wait, how are you still even alive?"


    "where did you go?"


    "How did you grow so tall?"


    "What happened to your voice?"


    "How did your muscles get so big? They''re even tearing out of your clothes! Weren''t they daddy-sized just five days ago¡­?"

 Chapter 51: Growing Enemies

    The questions were unending from Wiro, and Nn opened his mouth just to close it again, repeating this action several times.


    After a minute of non-stop questioning, Wiro finally got tired.


    Nn simply looked at him nkly, rolled his eyes, and then entered the small cottage.


    "Hey, wait!" Wiro screamed after Nn as he rapidly chased after him and entered his house, shutting the door behind him, only to find Nn gnawing on the bones of the meat Wiro had ''taken'' from the cafeteria the previous night.


    "You! That''s thest leftover I have!" Wiro roared out like a beast as he ran towards Nn, wanting to snatch away the meat.


    He seeded, though when he looked at the ''meat,'' all he saw was a huge bone in his hand, sucked dry of every vestige of its usefulness.


    "You!" Wiro roared, his cheeks flushing with anger.


    "I''m very hungry!" Nn said, slightly embarrassed, yet his voice sounded thick and merciless, making his apology seem doubtful.


    "What''s that got to do with me? If you want to eat, go to the cafeteria!" Wiro yelled as he flung the bone away and sat on his chair, now rubbing his temples as a pounding headache set in.


    Just a second ago, he had epted death, and now he was dying from having his meat stolen in broad daylight and right before his eyes.


    But soon, he calmed down and stared at Nn, who was already fiddling around his wardrobe, searching for something.


    But Wiro didn''t even bother with him and just let Nn stuff away all he needed into his stomach.


    He couldn''t stop him anyway, so why go through the trouble?


    Only after packing away everything did Nn settle down on the bed and pat his stomach, which was still growling, but at least it was better now.


    "So, ready to tell me where the hell you''ve been these past five days?" Wiro asked as Nn settled over the chair, his interest piqued by the book on the table.


    "I told you already..." Nn answered, swiping the pages of a book, and Wiro''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Only now did he remember when Nn had told him that he would take a week to take care of Quinn and his goons, but Wiro had onlyughed at him.


    Yet looking at Nn right now, it was obvious he had truly grown.


    But still, Wiro was pretty sure Nn still couldn''t beat Quinn yet.


    "Did you hear what happened to Quinn just three days ago?" Wiro suddenly asked, and Nn paused, looking at him.


    "He died?" He guessed, and Wiro almost coughed out blood.


    "How can Quinn die!?" Wiro asked in shock. Nn shrugged.


    "That''s the only reason why I would care about him¡ªif he died!" Nn answered.


    "No, he didn''t die. He grew stronger. Not only did he break through to the Heavenly Disciple Stage, but he also awakened his two bloodline marks!"


    "Now he has four abilities, each with its own blessings."


    "Right now, he might be strong enough to be one of the top ten most powerful first years in the academy!" Wiro eximed as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed a bit.


    ''He broke through to the Heavenly Disciple Stage too, and he has two bloodlines and awakened their marks,'' Nn thought in his head.


    Having two bloodlines makes the average Celestial Heir an automatic prodigy, and now that Quinn had awakened the marks of his high-grade dark bloodlines, which meant absolute control over his four abilities, he had no doubt be a tougher foe.


    But it only excited Nn even more.


    The stronger the challenge, the better.


    There was never joy for a lion who managed to crush a feeble ant, anyway.


    But soon, his ears perked up when he caught thest part of Wiro''s words.


    "What do you mean by Quinn now being one of the top ten strongest first years? Could there be people who are even stronger than Quinn himself?" Nn asked, and Wiro looked at him as if he had just been asked the dumbest question yet.


    "You don''t know the Godly Ten?" he asked as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed before he shrugged it off.


    It seemed like something he ought to have known, and yet he didn''t. A lost part of his memories, perhaps.


    "The Godly Ten are the most powerful prodigies among the first-year students."


    "Ordinary first years like us can never hope to see them at all, as even the academy keeps their identities a secret while nurturing them in the shadows."


    "Right now, other students are specting that Quinn might have reached their power level based on how strong he is now, but it''s only a guess."


    "We can never be sure yet since none of us have seen the might of the Godly Ten."


    "Still, that means you shouldn''t mess with Quinn right now."


    "For the other students to say he might be on the same level as the Godly Ten means people like us better learn how to keep our distance."


    "Now that he has reached such a high level of strength, I''m sure he would have easily lost interest in you and would be focused on bing one of the Godly Ten."


    "Justy low for a while and this will blow over. You understand?" Wiro said to Nn, whose eyes shed with a deadly light that screamed murder and bloodlust, yet it was incredibly fickle, passing over like it never existed at all.


    "I do..." Nn said to Wiro before rising to his feet and moving for the door.


    It was clear he was now leaving.


    "Hey, you can''t go out with those torn clothes, or you''ll start attracting attention, something you should avoid right now."


    "I am fat, so my clothes should be big enough for you..." Wiro said as he headed towards his wardrobe, scattering things around before he found an extra big sweater with a hoodie for Nn.


    "That should cover you up well..." Wiro said as he flung the sweater to Nn, who caught it, inspecting it for a long while before he wore it.


    And truly, it fit him well.


    "Good luck, Nn..." Wiro said as Nn stepped out the door, but suddenly he stopped and turned his gaze back to Wiro.


    "Wiro...." Nn suddenly called out.


    "Yes?"


    "You''ll be fine..." Nn said before cing the hoodie over his face and moving away slowly, disappearing into the forest, under the lost gaze of Wiro.

 Chapter 52: Unrelenting

    Quickly, Nn moved along the woods, swiftly approaching the academy''s location.


    Soon enough, he was out of the woods and back onto the streets where the students could still be seen moving around, even though it was currently around 8 in the morning.


    Right now, five days had passed since Nn had entered the grave, and he was at least grateful for that.


    If it had taken him years to wake up, it would have been devastating, and he might have felt like he no longer belonged to the academy.


    Not that he ever truly felt that way in the first ce.


    [What will you do now?] The system suddenly asked as Nn walked through the streets.


    This time, he was pleasantly surprised to find no one looking at him.


    They couldn''t recognize him anymore at first nce; he truly looked nothing like the previous Nn. Something he appreciated a bit.


    "What do you mean?" Nn asked in return.


    [You heard what that fat bully said about Quinn. Do you still want to fight him now, or will youy low as he suggested?] the system asked as Nn''s eyes shed.


    [I won''t ce my fate in the hands of whether someone is interested in killing me or not. I will find him, and his so-called cults, and settle the hatred. The hatred of three years!] Nn mused to himself.


    Right now, he might not be the one that Quinn had bullied, but the body Nn possessed wanted nothing more than revenge.


    And Nn would enact it.


    Somehow, he felt that the previous Nn''s soul had yet to leave this body, somehow.


    And avenging all of his bullies would finally free him. If that''s what Nn needed to do to im this body as his own, then he was more than willing to exact that vengeance.


    He wouldn''t say he was a good soul, but he also wouldn''t turn a blind eye to the fact that a student was killed by his own ssmates and thrown into a pit to rot away like nothing.


    For that, even if Quinn never hunted him down, he would take the initiative and hunt them down, and everything would be resolved in one day!


    [Also, why did you tell Wiro he would be safe?]


    The system suddenly asked as Nn frowned, remembering when he had told Wiro he would be safe before leaving.


    "He''s terrified of me..." Nn answered.


    [Of course, I''m thinking he might also be getting chased by some cults too,] the system replied, but Nn only shook his head.


    "He isn''t terrified of some cults. He''s terrified of me. When I entered his house, he attacked furiously, and I grabbed him before he could run. It was understandable if he was terrified."


    "Yet, I could still sense fear in him even as we sat in the house."


    "His chest was hammering in his heart, and he was afraid, probably afraid that now that I am strong, I would kill him."


    "No one would know or care if I did, so it was understandable..." Nn mused as he walked through the streets, quickly approaching the Greek Descent dorm building.


    "I won''t kill him, nor am I angry at him anymore. He has changed truly, and he showed me that over the past few days when I was at my lowest. "


    "He could have abandoned me, and it made all sense to have abandoned me, but he didn''t."


    "That shows he''s at least worth a second chance..." Nn mused aloud.


    [You have really forgiven him, after what he had done to you for years, just because of some help he showed for a few hours?] the system asked, yet Nn nodded.


    "If I don''t give people who have clearly changed a second chance, and I keep bullying them or kill them because I''m now stronger than they are, then what makes me any different than the jerk they formerly were to me?"


    "The cycle of hate would only continue over and over, and I find no meaning in that at all..."


    "That''s why I told him he''ll be safe." Nn exined as he arrived before the Greek Descent dorm and moved past the corner of the building.


    Wanting to enter the dark alleyway, he stopped for a second, very slowly his eyes turned back and looked at the figure who was leaning against the wall of the building, looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.


    Nn simply scanned him up and down before continuing his way down the alleyway and entering his dorm room.


    [It seems they''re still after your back in the end...] the system said as Nn grinned.


    The person he had sighted was one of those people who hade to his dorm room a few days ago.


    It showed to him as clear as day, that they still had their eyes on him and were still watching him.


    It wasn''t too surprising to Nn; after all, he wished they still were, as that would save him the trouble of having to find them.


    ---


    "So, he''s still alive and didn''tmit suicide, huh?"


    The faint whisper came from the robed figure who reclined on the wall of the main building, his hollow eyes that burned with a ghostly me looking at Nn.


    He was one of the Shadow Ones, a messenger of Quinn, who had been tagged here to watch if Nn still lives.


    Since he had disappeared for thest five days, all of them thought he was dead, still Quinn had left him with the position to keep watching over Nn''s dorm room.


    They had thought he was just being paranoid, but who would have guessed that the young man didn''tmit suicide like they all thought and was still alive.


    Also looking bigger than he formerly was, but that was useless.


    Anyone who crossed with them will only face death in the end.


    It matters not who they were, at least not the trashest trash in the academy can hope to survive them.

 Chapter 53: Gaining Back Everything 1

    Arriving before his familiar door, Nn''s hand stretched forth to open it.


    Yet, when he grabbed and pulled, the knob on the door fell into his palm, and the door slowly opened by itself.


    "The doorknob was broken," Nn mused silently to himself as he stepped into the house.


    However, what met his gaze made him sigh a little.


    Right now, all of his chairs, tables, and study desks had cracked apart.


    There was a gigantic crater at the center of his room, ruining his floor, and cracks covered the walls.


    It looked as though someone had tried to demolish the building, only to leave it in a state where it wouldn''t fall to the ground, but was still utterly wrecked.


    Still, two things remained standing.


    One was his school bag, which was ced carefully.


    Loooking into the wardrobe, he found nothing but burnt pieces of his clothes, which disintegrated into thin air when he touched them.


    "They destroyed my walls, broke my furniture, burned my clothes, and tore off the knob of my door..." Nn recited out loud, as though reading from a book.


    Shutting the wardrobe, without making any visible fuss, he simply walked to his bag, whichy on the ground, and brought out a book.


    In the list of books he was given, this one was what every student received upon entrance to the academy.


    It held everything they needed to know about the academy, including the various areas and where his true room was located.


    Nn had felt his life was at peace, so he needed nothing more. But now, he couldn''t continue living like this.


    It was time to take back everything that belonged to him, and quickly, Nn scanned through his book, finding where this dorm room was allocated by the academy.


    Soon enough, he was able to find it, and as he guessed, it was in the Greek Descent building at room number 324!


    Immediately, Nn stuffed his books into his bag, slinging it over his shoulder, and in the next instant, he walked out of the door.


    Giving onest goodbye look at the house, which had sheltered his body and soul for three years now, offering what little bit offort it could give him, Nn felt the house deserved a small bow of respect.


    He gave it, before turning and walking out of the backyard.


    Arriving before the main gateway of the Greek Descent building, Nn entered the structure for the second time in three years, finding it as amazing as ever.


    But his gaze did not have the time to appreciate the design of the ce, and instantly, he walked toward the stairs, climbing up.


    Right now, Nn didn''t have his hoodie on at all, and therefore he garnered more than a few shocked gazes from the students, who all looked at him in surprise.


    They all knew the only person who wasn''t allowed to enter the Greek Descent building was none other than Nn himself, yet here he was, climbing up the stairs.


    "But... how is he so big!?" they wondered in shock.


    It didn''t take long before a small crowd gathered behind Nn, following him up the stairs.


    They didn''t make any move on him, as they were still shocked and cautious due to his transformation.


    However, they all knew who resided in Nn''s dorm room. He wasn''t someone to be trifled with, and so they tagged along.


    They wanted to know whether the scene from three years ago would repeat itself, or if the trash of the academy had truly undergone some sort of change.


    Without blinking, Nn directed not a single gaze at those who were following him, instead focusing on climbing the stairs and approaching the 324th floor.


    Immediately, he arrived at the third story of the building where the 324th dorm room was supposed to be.


    Nn could already see a couple of students standing before a dorm room in the farthest distance.


    He only had to raise his head to find the number 324 right above their heads.


    It seemed they had been alerted of Nn''s presence in the dorm room, and they had gathered themselves up.


    "Pieces of trash," Nn thought in his mind. They had heard he wasing up, yet they felt the need to gather themselves to fight with the weakest student in the academy?


    Arriving before them with his same poker expression, Nn walked up to the one who was right at the center, towering above all of them by more than two heads.


    In his beastly voice, he asked, "Which of you lives in this room?"


    The intensity of his voice made them unconsciously shift back a little.


    Yet, anky one at the side walked to Nn''s front, looking straight into his eyes with a cocky grin before replying.


    "We all live in this room, dipshit! What are you gonna do about it? Cry like a baby?" he sneered, as the othersughed out loud.


    He seemed to have realigned their feeling of supremacy, but horror was quick to settle on every single student when they watched a milky white light appear in Nn''s hand.


    PUUUUUUUCCCHIIIIIII!


    The sound of the dagger cutting through flesh resounded as Nn''s dagger ripped into the young man''s neck. Then, with it, Nn raised him up, his feet dangling in the air.


    RIIIIIIIIIIP!


    BOOOOOOOM!


    The sound of the dagger being roughly torn out of the neck resounded through the hall, blood sshing everywhere.


    The young man''s body hadn''t even hit the ground before his back arched, forming a C as Nn''s kick mmed straight into his chest.


    The sound of ribs getting shattered rang out clearly.


    BOOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful shockwave undted forth from the kick as the young man was sent smashing away into the side, bouncing down the steps that were below, with blood spraying everywhere until he disappeared from their sight.


    Not a single sound of his scream could be heard before he was gone.


    The entire world returned to absolute silence once more.

 Chapter 54: Gaining Back Everything 2

    Four seconds!


    That was all it took for a Clestail heir to be pierced in the neck and kicked away from the building, his blood sttered all over the wall in a malevolent decoration.


    All everyone saw was a bright sh of light, and then they witnessed a figure being lifted into the air by a dagger.


    Blood pouring all over the walls as he disappeared downward.


    They hadn''t even seen Nn move at all! And even Nn didn''t even look in the direction where the young man was sent flying too.


    He simply didn''t give a damn whether he lived or even died. Trying to be a leader or the most badass have it''s responsibilities and consequences and Nn simply show that to him.


    It had nothing to do with him.


    DRIP... DRIP...


    The sound of blood dripping onto the ground echoed, raining down from the bloodstained dagger. Once more, his voice boomed through the entire hallway.


    "Who lived in this room?"


    This time, it voice carried the incredible rage simmering beneath a poker expression.


    Instantly, the gathered students shifted to the side, leaving a single person standing before Nn.


    "Wait... I..." Ayu tried to speak, but all he felt was his hair being grabbed.


    The next moment, everything moved with blinding speed.


    ss shattered to pieces, and a st of cold air mmed into his body.


    Finally, the world came to a stop. When Ayu took in his surroundings, his face paled.


    He was dangling helplessly in the air from Nn''s arm, positioned just outside the window of the room.


    Beneath him, the groundy 700 meters away. His heart chilled as he looked downward.


    There was no way he would survive such a fall without breaking a few bones...


    "Please, listen to me! I swear, I didn''t want to do this. I was only following orders..." Ayu pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.


    "Ry my words to Quinn, if you ever see him again..." Nn suddenly said, cutting off Ayu, whose face turned a shade paler.


    "If he hits me hard, I hit... HARDER!" Nn whispered, his words echoing through the entire alleyway.


    A shrill scream followed, sending shivers down everyone''s spine.


    NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!


    Ayu roared, desperately trying to grab hold of Nn''s hand, but failed miserably as Nn released his grip on his hair.


    The young man plummeted from the window, hurtling downward with terrifying speed.


    VRRROOOOOM


    The incredible friction set him aze, and when hended on the ground, a loud bang was heard, followed by blood and body parts sttering in every direction.


    The students walking down below were more than surprised as they looked up at where the figure had fallen.


    Shock shed across their faces when they saw Nn''s calm expression, slowly moving away from the window...


    Turning his gaze to the people behind him, Nn said a single word.


    "Leave!"


    That one order sent all of them scurrying away like little rabbits as a burst of air exploded from Nn''s body, mming the opened door shut.


    [Now, you have to fix the window. You''re too brutish!] the system med as a grin curved on Nn''s face.


    "Opening the window wouldn''t have given the right vibe,pared to outright shattering it with his body. I''m sure my message was sent quite clearly now."


    "And I can always fix the window, with his money, of course," Nn said with a dark smile as he looked to the side and found the wallet left on the table, belonging to the guy he had just thrown down.


    [Never would I have thought you''d throw a student out of a window and then take his wallet too. You''re low-key a monster...] the systemmented as Nn opened up the wallet, finding a decent sum in it. He smiled brilliantly.


    "This should be enough to fix the broken window and get some clothes for myself since the ones I''m wearing belong to Wiro," Nn said with satisfaction.


    "I''m not a good soul, system. My soul might be darker than I look..." Nn muttered, believing in himself unflinchingly.


    Nn wasn''t really a good soul.


    Everything he did was for simple reasons. If it justified itself to him, he would act on it. If it went against his values, he wouldn''t hesitate to leave it.


    Throwing out a guy who had chased him out of his home and used his house for three years wasn''t against Nn''s principles at all. And he hadn''t even blinked before he did it.


    He wouldn''t say he was a hero or a good soul at all.


    If he had to kill a hundred people, as long as he had a reason justifiable to his ownmon sense, the only thing that would stop him was his ability.


    "Now, I have my dorm room back. After three years..." Nn whispered as he looked around the room.


    It was perfectly kept and tidy, and it seemed the students who had been staying there shared his belief in cleanliness.


    Not only was the sofa incrediblyfy, but the floor was tiled in a beautiful white, and the sses on the table were among the most beautiful designs Nn had ever seen.


    There were three other doors, and entering them, he discovered they were no less impressive. The bathroom actually had a bathtub and a shower at the side, all equally tiled like the parlor.


    The second door led to the bedroom, which had an extra-gigantic master-sized bed,rge wardrobes, and some other room furniture.


    The third door led to the kitchen, whose golden-colored cabs were all stocked with food.


    It was a revolting contrast to Nn''s previous room, which seemed like a dustbinpared to this.


    This was what had been given to him by the academy, yet denied him for three years!


    "Everything they take away from me, I''ll take back and return the pain of losing it tenfold!"


    Nn swore with conviction before he exhaled loudly, clearing away his rage, and walked into the bedroom to settle himself down.

 Chapter 55: Checking Out New Descent Abilities!

    With the little skirmish of not having a home resolved, Nn settled down in thefy chair after he arranged the room to his own taste.


    Then, he began his next moves.


    "The only few things I need to do right now to find a little bit of freedom within the academy are, first, to get rid of Quinn''s threat. Once even Quinn is no longer after me, others would surely learn not to bother me."


    "Then, I would need to get new clothes to be able to go to ss tomorrow." Nn mused as his current only outfit was stained with blood, and the clothes he found in the wardrobe in this new house of his didn''t belong to him.


    He wasn''t toofortable wearing others'' clothes, and he had nned to empty the wardrobe of those clothes once he got his new ones.


    "But before facing Quinn, I need to understand my own strength first, and his as well."


    "Right now, he is also at the Heavenly Disciple stage, just like me, and he controls four abilities to perfection."


    "He can use his Divine Essence, and I can only rely on my physical body."


    "He holds a great advantage in that, and also when I fight him, he won''t be alone but with his goons, which means it will never be a fair fight but more of one versus a couple dozen..." Nn analyzed with furrowed eyebrows.


    Right now, it seemed like he was still at a disadvantage, but Nn knew this wasn''t the current limit to his power.


    "Activate System Interface."


    Nn ordered, and instantly the tab blinked, and quickly, he chose one of them:


    [Descent Skills]


    1. Lost Dagger of Kratos


    Description: The ability to sever through anything possessing Divine Essence.


    Pantheon: Kratos.


    2. Chains of Chaos


    Description: Grants the user the ability to summon the fiery chains of the god Kratos that can bind the enemy. The chains'' strongest point lies in their ability to drain the life force and energy of anything they ensnare, weakening them while passing energy to the user, therefore increasing their power.


    Pantheon: Kratos.


    3. Crown of Kratos


    Description: This ability summons the crown of Kratos, which allows the user to channel the energy of every god that Kratos has ever in.


    Pantheon: Trimurti.


    Looking at the new abilities, Nn was more than surprised. He had gained a new ability, just as Instructor Tiamat said, whenever one enters a new level of cultivation.


    Now, Nn also possessed two normal abilities like the average Descendant, but he also had an extra ability due to his descent from Trimurti, and therefore he was given the ability of the Crown of Kratos.


    "The Chains of Kratos, I can easily understand its ability, judging from its name. But the crown? What does it mean by the ability to channel the essence of gods in by Kratos?"


    Nn wondered, and the system promptly gave a reply.


    [During Kratos''s time, he had in many gods.]


    [Wearing the crown of Kratos means being able to use the power of those gods that Kratos had in.]


    [But, right now, you have no control over the crown and therefore you simply obtain a random power from one of the gods that Kratos had in, and you can''t use all the in gods'' power at a single time.]


    [I''m guessing this will change as yourprehension increases, but for now, that''s as far as you go with the ability...]


    "So, that would mean being able to use the ability of another god. More like possessing the power of another Descendant?" Nn asked.


    [Yes, you would be able to channel their power, meaning also that you gain their abilities... temporarily and randomly... for now.]


    The system further exined, and Nn himself was already satisfied with that.


    "It is clear my power too has massively increased. At least, taking care of Quinn and his goons shouldn''t be much of a problem. Now I need to get a new pair of clothes and also fix the ss, or I won''t be able to go to ss tomorrow..." Nn thought to himself.


    Without clothes, he couldn''t go to ss, so that was what he needed to do right now, this night.


    And therefore, Nn rose up and walked to his door, while grabbing Ayu''s wallet and dipping it into his pocket. Then, he moved out, not bothering to hide himself within the hoodie.


    He wanted to walk boldly around and stop living under the influence of others.


    He wanted himself to be respected just as anyone, and bow to no one or demonstrate he was afraid of them at all.


    And contrary to what Nn expected, he was able to walk all the way from his Greek Descendant building and straight to the store, where he hired academy staff who helped him fix his ss for a nice fee.


    He even got himself a few trousers and a shirt that were perfectly his size, and as good as new, without anyone ridiculing orughing at him at all.


    It brought quite the sense of peace and aplishment to Nn, but it also puzzled him.


    The only reason why no one looked at him in disdain anymore was most likely because the news of what he had done before got passed around.


    But how was that possible if he had just done it a few minutes ago?


    How can any piece of news spread so fast through the entire academy? It was nothing but surprising, but Nn appreciated it.


    At least, he would stop getting the disdaining gaze all the time and be able to walk around without having his head suddenly tapped by bullies.


    Less than an hourter, he was back in his dorm room, and he reced the wardrobe with his new pairs of clothes.


    The clothes he wore to the ss before were all shabby and old, and were what the previous Nn had taken from other students dust bin, since he couldn''t get his hands on money to buy one.


    But now, he had his dorm room back, his respect back, and his new campus pairs of clothes.


    Right now, it seemed the heavens were finally favoring him, and so, Nn went to sleep that night on hisfy bed, a big and beautiful smile on his face.

 Chapter 56: A Good Excuse

    At the first ray of dawn, a pair of crimson and blue eyes opened, the beautiful contrast of irises illuminating the faintly dark bedroom with a captivating color of red and blue.


    Slowly, he rose from the bed, sitting up before brushing off his face.


    [Time for ss!] The system notification awakened him, and he quickly got up from the bed. Nn carefully tucked in the sheets before leaving for the bathroom.


    It was a habit of his that he had carried over from his previous life, and it stemmed from a simple belief.


    Every day in his previous life had always been bad, but at least Nn knew if he made his bed before leaving for the day, he woulde home to a well-made bed that would kiss and hug him, faintly telling him, it''ll be okay.


    So why not?


    That was his belief, and now it had persisted in his present lifetime.


    The shower was cold yet hot at the same time, and though soaking in the tub was incredibly appealing, Nn knew that would waste too much of his time.


    So he quickly used the shower, washing off the blood and impurities of his evolution from yesterday.


    Now, he felt like a newly born child, filled with an invigorating amount of energy.


    Donning his new clothes that perfectly sized up his muscr frame, he opened the door, bouncing down the stairs before joining the crowd of students who were all moving to their various sses.


    Only now did he feel like he was officially a student of the academy.


    And while he walked through the students, the majority remained silent and stopped talking.


    Nn knew they would eventually get over it. At least, for now, they weren''t mocking him anymore.


    The first session of the ss began, with Instructor Tiamat calling out the students'' improvements and also marking the assignments she had given in thest ss.


    Thankfully, herst ss was the one with Nn, and he had also been able to do the assignment.


    Such an improvement made the instructor give him quite the intense stare, which he pretended not to see. Surprisingly, Nn got a score of 65%.


    It wasn''t the best, but also not the poorest.


    Then she began assessing the students, scanning their cultivation bases and announcing to the ss those who had been able to break through, to further push the remaining students.


    And even Instructor Tiamat screamed in shock when she looked at Nn deeply and found out the undeniable truth.


    "Nn Gottschald. Cultivation stage is at the Heavenly Disciple Stage..." She announced in disbelief, and the roars of surprise that followed from the entire ss were deafening as a couple dozen gazes snapped towards Nn, who maintained his poker expression.


    Inside, however, was a contrast to what he showed outside.


    When each student was asked how they broke through to the Heavenly Disciple stage, Nn''s answer was the simplest.


    "All these years, I have been gathering energy to attack my Dantian, and finally just yesterday, I woke to find all the energy gone and my Dantian having cracked up already."


    "The energy was not only enough to break open the core but fill it and make it break through twice as I reached the Celestial Initiate stage and even the Heavenly Disciple."


    "It is just as surprising to me, but I''m not much surprised considering I''ve been gathering energy for thest three years."


    "It should at least do something substantial..."


    Nn exined his point, and truly it was jaw-dropping even to the teacher.


    Just as Nn exined, one way to break through was to gather energy and try to break open the Dantian.


    The Dantian was incredibly hard, and therefore some would have no choice but to water it down with their divine essence for months before they finally cracked a hole and therefore broke through to the next stage.


    But who would have thought, Nn had been gathering energy for the past three years, just to break through today.


    ''So that was why he is trash. He has just been gathering his energy around his Dantian, waiting for the perfect moment to break through all at once!''


    The thought ran through the minds of the students, and the same could be said for Instructor Tiamat, who found it more than admirable.


    Not many would wish to suffer for three years just to achieve sess in one night.


    Nn''s sess seemed like luck as he suddenly became strong in one night, but hearing that he had been gathering energy for the past three years where he had suffered relentless bullying and unfairness, his strength now seemed justified, and without a doubt.


    [You sessfully fooled them all...]The system said to Nn.


    Truly, this was the answer Nn had nned in his head throughout yesterday night.


    How would he exin his strength? He had found the perfect reasonable lie, but he couldn''t go ahead telling everyone that.


    But who would have thought he would be given such an opportunity by Instructor Tiamat?


    Nn knew he need not bother himself as the news of how he had broken through would soon pass through the entire academy, and the same for the reasons why he had been trash all this while.


    Now he had an exnation for his overnight sess and could avoid suspicious gazes on him.


    It was safe to say, his n really worked.


    ss continued as usual, with Instructor Tiamat soon leaving the ss and break arriving. Yet still, Nn remained in his seat, not leaving for the break.


    The break finished, and soon sses began once more, with a new teacher, and this time, he got quite useful information which he recorded down.


    ss ended, and Nn was pleasantly surprised by the change in gaze.


    Those who had disdained him for being trash were now looking at him and shaking their heads in amazement.


    Now they admired him. His crazy, intense resilience for three years.


    To allow himself to be bullied, all just for today.


    It was unbelievable of him, and Nn felt quite the gazes from even the staff members had considerably changed.


    Now they knew he was no longer trash and, if anything, incredibly smart and cunning, taking even the academy off guard.


    Three yearster and Nn finally got recognition for his resilience, for the pain he had gone through silently for three years.

 Chapter 57: Visting The Training Area Once More...

    Once ss ended, Nn headed back to his dorm room, ced his bag onto the sofa, and walked into the kitchen.


    It was filled to the brim with food, and Nn didn''t feel like wasting any by throwing it out. So, in the end, he decided to ''safekeep'' it for himself.


    Fortunately, the trash he had sent flying out the window yesterday had note back to knock at his door, nor did any of the goons backing him up yesterday show up either.


    No instructor cared about it, nor was Nn punished for his actions, even though the news likely spread throughout the academy.


    This only revealed that the trash who bullied Nn and had banned him from his dorm room was nothing more than trash himself in the academy''s eyes.


    They couldn''t even be bothered to seek justice for him.


    The only person Nn expected bacsh from was the one Anu was working for, and he could easily guess that it was none other than Quinn himself.


    If Anu was truly Quinn''sckey, then it was certain that even if they nned on overlooking his previous actions, they wouldn''t anymore.


    Right now, they were probably thinking of the best way to make him suffer.


    Still, he was more than prepared for it.


    Taking his mind off the events, he settled in the present, grabbing a small book manual from the cab in the kitchen, where he found the materials to make the best steak delicacy of all time.


    He quickly opened the fridge, grabbed the frozen meat, and got to work.


    Unsurprisingly, the technology of the Celestial Realm had almost no differencepared to what Nn was familiar with on Earth, enabling him to finish the cooking with only a burnt finger and face, which quickly healed.


    He messed up twice while cooking, earning himself a worthy mark of having cooked his first meal by himself.


    As expected of his stomach, he cooked plenty.


    Sitting down on therge sofa, he gulped down every single thing present on the table, his stomach bulging to an almost unbelievable level as he slid down the sofa and copsed on his back.


    [You''re overdoing it!]


    The system said to Nn, who could barely breathe as he remained on the floor, feeling it to be warm yet cold to his skin at the same time. He smiled brilliantly, even though he felt he was about to burst.


    The truth was, for five days now, Nn hadn''t eaten anything substantial. All he had were some fruits and the meats he ''took'' from Wiro''s house.


    Only now was he finally able to satiate those hungry cells, and he felt more alive than ever.


    He wasn''t overdoing anything.


    Rising up on all fours, Nn grabbed the te and crawled into the kitchen to put it back before crawling all the way to his bedroom.


    He took off his clothes and jumped on thefy bed, which threw him up a couple of times.


    Less than five secondster, the loudest snore in the entirety of human existence could be heard from Nn''s bedroom, bouncing wildly off the walls.


    Thankfully, the dorm walls were soundproof, preventing other students from getting distracted by the happenings of another dorm room, so no one knocked on his door.


    Like this, Nn remained in an incredibly deep sleep for close to five hours straight before his eyebrows slowly twitched, and he opened his eyes once more.


    Moving his hand to his stomach, he found it had gone back to its normal t surface, and he smiled.


    "It seems not only my strength improved. My digestive ability also went up a notch," Nn mused to himself. With sleeppletely gone from his eyes and feeling as energetic as ever, Nn decided to go waste that energy... in the training hall.


    They weren''t given any assignments anyway, and he didn''t feel like burying himself in the books, so in the end, he simply decided to go to the training room.


    He might have gained new abilities, but without familiarizing himself with them, they might as well be useless.


    With that thought, he grabbed his clothes off the stand and headed out the door. His hand reached for the knob when suddenly it paused for a few seconds as Nn''s senses faintly picked up a strange substance.


    When he opened the door in one immediate jerk, he found no one before the door, and there were about seven students entering or leaving their own dorm rooms too.


    Still, Nn''s eyes narrowed as he felt the smell lingering outside his door, tracing it to a robed figure who took the stairs at the side and disappeared.


    Nn then looked down at the step of his door, where a strange dark powder had been poured.


    It was in the shape of some strange Chinese-like symbols, and his eyes furrowed, seeing the strange brown light dimming and brightening.


    It was clear that this was no ordinary powder.


    [They''re finally acting back, huh? That powder is used to cast runic inscriptions that can be imbued with special magical effects. If they''re putting it before your door, it must mean they''re trying to inscribe a magic that can either keep you locked in there for some time or maybe a mass essible teleportation rune?]


    The system debated, but Nn didn''t care too much about it.


    In the next instant, he stamped his leg hard on it, a powerful wave of air emanating forth and sting the powder through the entire hallway.


    Mysteriously, it faded away like ashes in a storm.


    "Cheap tricks," he mused, unimpressed, before mming his door shut and heading towards the training area.


    If they wanted him, they could simplye on in. Spreading some shitty powder over his door, and running away once caught isn''t a sign or symbol that Nn appreciated.


    So in the end, he simply shrugged it off and quickly stepped out of the huge Greek Descent building, under the gaze of the students, disappearing as quickly as he appeared to them.

 Chapter 58: Familiarising With New Abilities

    The training area was the second most visited spot for the students in the academy, and the reason for that was simple.


    No one would ever be told to go to the training area. All you needed to do was be weak, and you''d find yourself in literal hell.


    In the academy, there was an ample supply of bullies who sought to enact their insecurities on other students, and there was a very high demand for weaklings.


    Unfortunately, that didn''t lead to any positive interactions at all. Once you''re weak, you''re doomed.


    The only way to avoid being weak was by attending sses, learning from the experienced teachers, and then visiting the training area to practice your abilities and find new ways to use them.


    Fortunately, the various training areas had nothing missing for the students.


    So, if you''re weaker than others, it can never be med on the academy¡ªit truly went all out in equipping the training areas with massive, efficient facilities for training.


    All you could me was either your ownck of potential or yourziness. Nothing more.


    That was why the schedule for the students in the academy was to first attend ss at 8 in the morning.


    They would close at 4 in the afternoon, then head back to their dorm rooms to leave their bags.


    Afterward, they would go to the cafeteria to eat, which would roughly take an hour.


    Once it was 5 in the evening, every single student went to their respective training area to improve their skills and practice their abilities.


    By 7, the majority of them began leaving.


    Then, they would rest up for the day or meet up with their loved ones in the dead of night.


    That was the average schedule in the academy, even though the academy only officially supporteding to school at 8 and closing at four.


    The remaining activities were an unspoken agreement among the various students.


    Nn, wanting to avoid too much attention, decided to tweak his own schedule a little.


    He would go to school at 7:30 ande back at 4 in the afternoon.


    Then, he would eat and snooze off until 8:00 in the early night.


    He would wake up and go to the training area after all of the students had just left.


    This would leave the training areapletely open for him, a promising opportunity when he reached therge gate of the training area and wasn''t stopped by the curfew.


    The majority of the students could be seen returning, and they cast strange nces at Nn, noticing he was just going in.


    But they didn''t care much and simply headed their way.


    Quickly, Nn arrived before the Greek Deities training area and entered it.


    Just like before, he met with the staff, and amongst them was the man with the monocle whom he had met a few days ago.


    The man''s eyes lit up strangely when he sighted Nn, but he made noment and simply pointed to the distance.


    Nn gave a simple nod before heading down the direction where he was pointed.


    Just like previously, it led to the Kratos training area, a ce Nn had missed a little. It was in this ce he had begun his early steps of growing stronger, and he could still remember his struggles.


    But this time, he didn''t n on going to the Kratos Pressure training room and instead decided to go around to check every training room instead.


    After half an hour, Nn knew every single area in the Kratos training area like the back of his hand.


    As expected, the Kratos training area focused on every form of training that improves physical strength.


    The majority of the facilities and rooms were used to test strength, and some were focused on improving one''s strength through extreme means.


    There were rooms where gravity increased with every passing second, and there were rooms where one was required to carry small dumbbells, which the system told him were heavier than a 500-meter-tall mountain!


    What popted the area after those were arenas where one could choose the opponent''s abilities and power levels and duel with them.


    It was one of these rooms that had caught Nn''s attention, and he had decided to check it out.


    Quickly, he walked toward the sealed ss room, and his hand reached for the door.


    But soon, he felt a hand grab onto his, also just about to open the door from the other side.


    With wrinkled eyebrows, Nn raised his head at the figure, finding him also looking at him with the same irritated eyes.


    It was a white-skinned young man of around 18 or 19, short and spiky crimson hair, with crimson eyes too match, in quite the luxurious attire, that showed an unoridnary status.


    "Fuck off!" the figure said to Nn as he tried to yank Nn''s hand off the doorknob, but before he could, Nn''s hand found its way to his shoulder and lifted the young man off his feet, flinging him to the side.


    "I had the knob first..." Nn called out with an uninterested expression, feeling the young man crash into the distance.


    He opened the doorknob and stepped in¡ªor at least he tried to, when he also felt his legs hanging in the air.


    Shock appeared on his face upon finding his body had been carried uppletely.


    Turning his head back, he sighed as he sighted the crimson-haired man looking at him with a grin.


    "Fuck off!" he repeated once more before trying to fling away Nn too.


    But unfortunately, his shoulder was also grabbed by Nn at thest second, and they both ended up throwing themselves away, mming hard on the walls of the second floor and easily rolling off, soaring downwards with speed.


    "Hehehe," a sinisterugh rang out in Nn''s ears as he felt his body grabbed while mid-air.


    He was turned over with a figure above him.


    A sinister smileid on the young man''s face as he ced Nn''s body downwards.


    In such a way, Nn would be the first to crash headfirst into the hard ground.


    Nn also knew that, so he patiently waited for thest second before he was to crash onto the ground.


    Suddenly, he wrapped his body around the young man and rolled, turning both of them upside down in the air and both their heads heading for the ground!


    "What the hell are you..?"


    BAAAAAANGGG!

 Chapter 59: Meeting With A Godly Ten

    Two heads mmed onto the cold, hard arena as Nn made sure both he and the young man crashed headfirst into the ground.


    He managed to mitigate the damage by cing his hand on the floor at thest second, while the young man, caught off guard, mmed his head first into the ground, bing stuck with his head buried deep in the battlestage.


    Nn simply rolled on the ground a couple of times before rising back up to his feet.


    He turned to look at the young man, who was upside down with his head buried deep in the ground, and he shrugged helplessly before deciding to get off the battle stage where they had crashed.


    But he had not moved much when he felt a st of air from behind.


    He turned back to the figure, only to find that the young man was no longer in the pit. Instead, what stood ten meters away from Nn was a strange purple demon.


    The demon''s body was covered in bulging veins, his strange, chaotic body straining against his clothes, and a sinister smile stretched across his face.


    The devil had crimson-colored hair, like that of blood, and his skin, which was formerly white like Nn''s, had turned a strange purple color.


    The air around him quivered with strange power.


    It was as if the person before him hadpletely transformed into another entity, yet Nn knew it was still the figure he had crashed into.


    "TELL MEEE!" The demon growled demonically, clenching his fists as he crouched on the ground, a sick, sinister smile shing toward Nn.


    "How do you want to die?!" he asked in an unnervingly deep tone, drawing a raised eyebrow from Nn.


    He had no understanding of how the young man had changed from a formerly gentle-looking person to a devilish creature, and now he was joking to kill him after they had fallen together.


    [He is not joking. And he is just as strong as you, if not even more!] The system warned gravely.


    But Nn had yet toe to terms with the words when a powerful st of air mmed onto his face, lifting him off the ground, and then...


    BOOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful shockwave erupted forth as the fistnded on his stomach, causing Nn''s back to arch upwards.


    Before he could react, he was sent soaring through the air with incredible speed, his eyes shing in shock as he tasted iron in his mouth.


    He had been injured with a single punch!


    In the next instant, the ground beneath the devil crumbled to pieces, and he appeared above Nn instantly, his devilish leg coated in bulging purple veins mming down on his head.


    BAAAAANG!


    Nn soared downward with greater speed, smashing onto the battle stage, carving out a giant crater before remaining motionless.


    BAAAAANG!


    Roughly, the demon''s legnded on the ground as he looked at the unconscious Nn before clicking his tongue in annoyance.


    In the next instant, the malevolence on his body retreated, and once more, he regained his natural gentlemanly form, his crimson eyes staring at Nn in disgust before turning his back.


    "Weakling!" he spat out as he moved to step out of the battle stage.


    RUSTLE!


    In the next instant, the air rustled behind Adrian, and he turned his head.


    His face changed massively when he felt the back of a hand rapidly magnifying before his cheek.


    BAAAAM


    Blood sttered out with speed, as he was sent spinning uncontrobly in the air.


    For ten seconds straight, he kept rolling before finally smashing into the farthest wall of the training room, digging a man-made crater that housed his motionless body.


    "Not done yet?" Nn whispered in irritation as his gaze settled on the dark hole in the crater.


    He could still sense the red eyes staring at him through the hole, with an intense murderous intent.


    In the next instant, a sh of red light burst forth from where the young man crashed into as Adrian shed forward with speed, traversing meters in a single step.


    He appeared before Nn, his punch smashing out toward his face.


    This time, Nn was more than prepared as he raised his hands and caught the fist in his palm.


    THUMP!


    In that instant, the intense power faded away when it mmed on Nn''s palm.


    Nn bent his head to look at the young man, who had an expression of shock on his face.


    Then, the entire world whirled around in a 360-degree spin as Nn lifted him off his feet using his own arm and then...


    BAAAAAAAAANG!


    The ground gave way, yet when Nn expected the young man to be smashed into it, he was able to twist himself up at thest second,nding with his feet instead.


    Quickly, he smashed out with his left fist toward Nn''s ribs, but it met with nothing as Nn slightly shifted to the side, blocking the young man''s blow.


    Then he kicked forth.


    WHISTLE!


    The air in the path of his legs rustled from the power inching toward the young man''s ribs, but it also met with nothing as the young man appeared ten meters away from Nn, who slowly put down his legs.


    "Who are you?" Adrian asked Nn with furrowed eyebrows, and Nn couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at the strange question.


    Of course, everyone knew he was Nn, the trash of the academy, yet the young man seemed to have a problem recognizing him.


    "Nn..."


    "Nn? Nn? Oh, Nn!!!, the trash of the academy?" the young man asked, as Nn snorted before turning his back and walking off.


    But he had yet to take five steps before he began feeling the ground beneath him rumbling, and he turned his head to the side, his cold, indifferent eyes staring straight into the young man''s crimson red eyes.


    "If we really start, there will be noing back." Nn warned gravely.


    He was starting to get tired of this stupid squirmish as came here to do something more important.

 Chapter 60: A Tempting Idea

    Nn''s grave voice resounded through the entire Kratos training area, and he meant every single word.


    Right now, he wanted nothing but to simply train, and there was this idiot of a young man who kept disturbing him.


    The young man was strong, truly, but if he kept interrupting, Nn would beat him up until he was a pulp for wasting his time.


    "Tch, you''re an idiot if you think I, Adrian Colossal, am scared of a threat from the puniest piece of trash in the academy," the young man scoffed as Nn turned to raise an eyebrow at him.


    "Adrian... Collosal???" Nn replied, his voice cold and t, as he studied the young man before him.


    Adrian puffed out his chest, his pride evident in his posture.


    "Yes, I am Adrian!" he dered, as if his name alone was supposed to mean something.


    He paused, noticing Nn''s expression remained unchanged.


    "I''ve never heard of you before..." Nn replied with a deadpan expression, resulting in the young man pointing a finger at his face, his lips moving up and down before he snorted.


    "Lies. You''ve never heard of the Godly Ten?" he asked in disbelief as Nn''s eyebrow furrowed.


    He had indeed heard of the Godly Ten from Wiro, but he had never heard of the name Adrian Colossal or any of the specific names among the Godly Ten.


    "Are you one of the Godly Ten?" Nn asked as the young man snorted in pride.


    "What do you think?"


    "I think you''re very weak and not worthy of the title..." Nn replied in the same deadpan tone, and the young man''s jaw dropped to the ground.


    Nn had heard from Wiro that the Godly Ten were the ten strongest prodigies among the academy''s first years.


    This strange red-haired guy just happened to be one of them?


    He might have been able to knock out Nn previously and send him crashing into the battle stage, but that was only because he caught him off guard.


    Nn didn''t think he wanted to seriously fight him.


    Besides, he expected that he himself wouldn''t be able to match the power of the Godly Ten based on how Wiro had described them.


    But he could still exchange blows with the young man.


    There was no way Nn would believe that he could match the top prodigies of the academy neers.


    He was strong, but not so arrogant as to believe he was capable of that.


    "Y-You!" The young man stammered in exasperation, his chest heaving up and down in anger, his crimson hair pping behind him even in the absence of wind.


    Adrian was starting to feel it again.


    His rage¡ªit was starting to want to burst out of him. It wanted nothing more than to tear this "trash" before him apart, but he knew well that if his rage really overtook him, Nn wouldn''t be the only one to die...


    "Haaaaa... Huuuuu... Haaaaa... Huuuuu..."


    For the next few seconds, Nn watched as the young man rhythmically breathed in and out.


    Slowly, his strange, primal transformation¡ªwhich Nn could guess was the result of his first descent skill¡ªbegan settling back into his body.


    His crimson hair dropped on his shoulder until eventually, he returned to his normal human appearance once more.


    "I am Adrian Colossal, the tenth of the Godly Ten..." he introduced himself formally this time, and Nn raised an eyebrow when he discovered Adrian didn''t seem to be joking.


    He really might be the number ten of the Godly Ten, but he was the weakest among them, and that was true.


    Adrian was thest of the Godly Ten, the weakest, so to speak, but he was still strong nheless.


    At least, he was sure that he was stronger than the trashest trash of the academy. It would be fun to y around with him, vent all his frustration on him.


    "You know me already..." Nn replied to the greeting before heading out of the battle stage, and this time Adrian didn''t follow him.


    "You want to use the training room to improve your skills, don''t you? And I too want to do that, so I won''t allow you there..." Adrian called out as Nn paused in his steps, his eyes narrowing.


    "But I have a better idea. Why don''t we use our skills on each other instead?"


    "A real opponent instead of a senseless dummy?"


    "It will be a simple spar, and you can rest assured that I won''t at least kill you..." Adrian said with a smirk as Nn raised an eyebrow at him, but his attention was diverted when the strange system notification panel appeared.


    [Main Quest Activated]


    [Spar with a Worthy Opponent]


    [Rewards: +1000 EXP!]


    This time, the system''s notification was a little strange as it informed him to just spar. It never told him to win or defeat Adrian¡ªjust to spar.


    And its reward was also a lot lower than Nn expected.


    But still, 1000 EXP was still EXP, and besides, just as Adrian himself called out, wouldn''t it be better to test out his new skills on a member of the Godly Ten than on a senseless dummy?


    It might risk exposing his new skills, but it was only a matter of time before his skills got exposed anyway, and Nn didn''t think the students hid their skills that much from each other.


    Since most students have the same descents, they end up awakening the same descent skills, and even if there are variations, they wouldn''t be that much different.


    Some students can even tell what type of descent someone has simply by the person activating their descent skills.


    It wasn''t something really secretive at all, and so Nn felt no need to ignore Adrian''s offer anymore.


    "Okay then, but you''ll be dreaming if you think you can leave me close to death... "  He added as he jumped back onto the battle stage and watched Adrian hands slowly moved towards his cloth, In a motion of wanting to take them off.


    "Heh, we''ll see about that..."

 Chapter 61: Spar With A Godly Ten

    Slowly stepping forth, Nn climbed back up onto the battle stage.


    He watched as Adrian slowly took off his shirt and jeans, leaving only his dark shorts on.


    What was revealed to Nn was a body that wouldn''t even pale to his at all¡ªdefined to the maximum level Nn had ever seen a body defined to.


    Adrian was a lot bulkier than Nn, resembling an heavyweight champion,pared to Nn, who seemed like an extreme athlete.


    CREEEAAAK


    CRAAACKK


    The sound of bones twisting and cracking forth resonated as Adrian worked all of his muscles together before shing a psychopathic smile at Nn, who simply stood there, watching him.


    Adrian was 1.8 meters tall, and Nn was 1.9 meters tall¡ªabout a head taller¡ªand that made it look like Nn was looking down on him, but Adrian didn''t seem to mind at all.


    "You seem oddly confident fighting me, a Godly Ten. Can''t even be bothered to take off your clothes?" Adrian said as he bent his body to the ground.


    Once more, an intense purple divine essence began flowing like water around him as his intense transformation began again.


    But this time, it was slightly different.


    The Adrian before Nn was a muscr figure with bulging veins that snaked out of his body and covered him like clothes.


    He possessed an exaggerated muscture. He wore a menacing grin that spread to his ears, his eyespletely crimson like his hair, giving him an ominous, almost demonic appearance.


    His skin had be a purplish-dark shade, covered in irregr jagged veins that resembled scars.


    Revolving around him was a purplish aura, radiating from his body in wisps of energy, enhancing the raw power and danger oozing from him.


    The overall atmosphere around Adrian had changed in a blink, bing intense and chaotic.


    Nn furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes shing with realization. If he had any doubt before, now he had none.


    This wasn''t a power any student in the academy could possess, and Nn''s senses were finally screaming danger.


    Adrian before him was undoubtedly a Godly Ten, just from his aura alone. At least, he definately couldn''t be some ordinary random student judging from how powerful it was.


    "Heheheh..." Once more, the strange devilishughter began ringing out from Adrian''s lips, almost reflexively, as he looked at Nn with predatory eyes.


    "Do you know what my nickname is among the Godly Ten?" he asked Nn, who had a lost expression.


    "The Devil..." hepleted as a loud snort rang through the battle stage.


    Slowly, Nn raised his hands, and a dagger appeared, twisting a few times around his fingers before resting in his palm.


    He pointed it toward Adrian.


    "You talk too much..."


    "DIIIIIEEEE!!!" A devilish roar sted out as Adrian shot forth with horrific speed, appearing before Nn.


    His body jerked backward, gathering colossal power and then...


    BAAAAANG


    A shockwave undted forth as Adrian punched toward Nn''s face with brutal strength, causing Nn''s white hair to blow back behind him, and then...


    RIIIIIIP


    The punch tore through the face, yet it did nothing but tear apart an afterimage.


    A punch coated in green squirming veins mmed onto Adrian''s cheek, sending him rolling across the tform beforeing to a stop, crouched on the ground. He had yet to rise when the air before him shook, and he instantly dodged his head to the side.


    RIIIIIP


    The sound of a dagger slicing through the air rang out as the edge of the de weaved past Adrian''s face by a simple inch.


    Yet, Nn wasn''t done as he stopped his vertical motion, twisted the dagger in his hand, and then shed to the side.


    In less than a split secondter, his dagger cleaved toward Adrian''s neck.


    His moves were cold, each with a single mission, and that was to take his opponent''s life as quickly as possible.


    But Nn felt a powerful reverberation as he was sent shooting to the side, carving a massive gorge on the ground beforeing to a stop.


    "Not even a minute, and you''re already revealing your second ability. How disappointing..." Nn called out with a disappointed expression as he looked at Adrian, or more specifically, at his hands, and discovered there were now two strange crimson-red gauntlets that covered them both, oozing with a strange blood-like aura.


    It was what had sent Nn flying to the side when he had collided with Adrian.


    "Tch," Adrian clicked his tongue at Nn''s disappointed expression as he moved, appearing instantly before Nn. In the next instant...


    BAAAAAANG


    BAAAAAANG


    BAAAAAANG


    BAAAAAANG


    Four fist phantoms appeared in the air before Nn as Adrian punched forth seemingly one time, yet four fists were now before Nn, who could only sh forth, knocking back two.


    But the remaining two mmed onto his chest and shoulder, knocking him further backward.


    It was only the beginning of the battering as Adrian began picking up speed, repeatedly knocking Nn backward, even when he shed at Adrian''s hand with his intensely sharp dagger.


    It failed to cut through the red gauntlets, and a mini-explosion would result, sending Nn crashing further backward.


    Less than a minuteter, and he was now in a clear disadvantage, getting knocked around the battle stage with cuts on his face and hands.


    "You''re not talking any longer, piece of trash..." Adrian called out to him as he repeatedly knocked Nn around the stage, yet even though he was starting to lose, Nn''s eyes were as calm and indifferent as ever.


    ''His gauntlets are his second ability, and they have three special traits.''


    ''Firstly, they increase his punching speed. If it formerly took him a second to punch, now he can punch twice in a single second with the gauntlets on.''


    ''Secondly, the power of the gauntlets increased his punching strength by double, and thirdly, every time our fists meet, there''s a mini-explosion that goes off, further knocking the opponent backward...''


    Nn analyzed with furrowed eyebrows, and in the next instant, he reacted...

 Chapter 62: Ending The Spar Quickly

    BOOOOOM!


    An explosively loud sound was heard as Nn stopped defending, allowing the punch to crash straight into his face.


    He was sent reeling twice in mid-air.


    His face sped toward the battle stage, but the instant it touched the ground, Nn revolved twice in mid-air andnded on his feet instead.


    Blood streamed down from his left nostril, so he pressed his right nostril, blowing it to the side.


    He might have suffered an injury, but he got exactly what he wanted¡ªthe ten meters of distance between him and his opponent.


    "Are you running away?" Adrian said with a grin of mockery, having noticed what Nn was up to.


    He raised an eyebrow as he saw Nn''s dagger disappear, and then Nn got into a strange stance with one of his hands clenched into a fist and ced on his bent waist, while the other was wide open, his palm facing Adrian.


    "Tch, cheap tricks..." Adrian called out with disdain as he shot forward once more, appearing before Nn and punching forth.


    In the next instant, Nn''s outstretched hand moved, and using the back of his hand, he gently pped the punch to the side.


    Adrian punched again with his left hand, and once more, Nn''s outstretched palm gently pped his fist away.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    The sound of multiple punches rang out through the battle stage, yet none of them reached Nn, who gently deflected them away, without as much as a change in his expression.


    As the relentless punches continued, confusion set in for Adrian.


    Wasn''t he punching just as fast and strong as before?


    And yet, Nn was using only a single hand to redirect his punches, pping them away as if they contained no power at all.


    "DIIIIIIEEE!"


    Finally, anger took over as Adrian stopped punching and mmed a kick toward Nn''s ribs.


    Surprisingly, Nn didn''t bother dodging, allowing the kick to inch closer to his ribs.


    But as it was about to connect, Nn''s clenched hand, which had been resting on his waist, seemed to swell up to twice its normal size.


    Incredibly powerful veins covered every inch of it, bulging underneath Nn''s clothes and then...


    BAAANG!


    BAAAAAAAAAAAAANGGGGGG!


    The sound of two explosions rang out, with one so powerful it simply overshadowed the other.


    In the next instant, a figure was sent flying off the battle stage, mming hard into the ground four times before finally reaching the end of the training room and crashing into the wall, carving a man-made hole and remaining unmoving.


    Slowly, Nn''s outstretched fist saw the veins recede, and he retracted it before rising to his feet.


    If one observed closely, they would notice slight sweat dripping down the back of Nn''s neck, revealing his own exhaustion.


    Yet his face was as indifferent as ever.


    Slowly, he turned his back and jumped down from the battle stage, heading out of the training area.


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest!]


    [You have been rewarded with 1000 EXP!]


    The system spoke to Nn as he moved out of the training area, quickly passing through the lobby after giving his usual nod to the staff.


    Then, he headed out of the building towards his dorm room.


    [How do you do that?]


    The notification panel suddenly blinked out of existence before Nn''s eyes, causing him to raise an eyebrow.


    "Do what?" Nn asked in return, confused.


    [You just knocked out one of the Godly Ten, cold, with a single punch! How do you do that!?]


    The system asked, and Nn thought back to his fight and shrugged.


    "He is stronger, and surprising for me to say, he is actually stronger than I am. He has four abilities, and he only showed two of them."


    "At least he tried showing the another one, but it was toote, and he got knocked out..." Nn mused.


    When he had been fighting Adrian, at thest moment when Nn had punched forward, he could feel the aura around Adrian change, almost as if he was channeling a new energy and was about to call forth a third ability.


    But before he could do so, Nn''s punch connected, and he was knocked out cold.


    [If he is so strong, then how did you manage to defeat him with a single punch?]


    "He is strong, but young, and I didn''t defeat him with a single punch," Nn said.


    [What do you mean?]


    "I started defeating him the instant I put away my dagger."


    "He is a prideful genius, and such a thing rattled his confidence a bit, making him hot-tempered, and his will to dominate me increased even more."


    "My easy pping away of his fists isn''t as easy as it looks."


    "In essence, I was simply redirecting his fist''s energy away from myself, and to do that, I needed to be not only physically stronger than him but also have more stamina than him."


    "When I increased his desire to win the battle, and then I made blocking his moves seem so effortless, he got aggravated."


    "Finally, he decided to stop punching and kick instead. That was what killed him and what I''ve been waiting for."


    [While you were blocking his moves, you were also gathering every bit of physical energy within you into your clenched hand.]


    [That... that was why you never used it at all. You were waiting for the perfect moment!!"]


    The system screamed out in realization, and Nn grinned.


    "Yeah, that was what I was doing. It seems like I was being overconfident, but I was only gathering energy and waiting for the time when he finally lost it."


    "Then I chose to exchange an injury for an injury."


    "He kicked at my ribs, cracking three of them, but then, I had the opportunity to use every single bit of energy for that I''d been gathering for three minutes straight on his unblocked and undefended face."


    "The power was enough to rattle his brain, and he was knocked out instantly..."


    "He is strong and might be strong enough to defeat me, but unfortunately, he is still young. Very young..."

 Chapter 63: What Do You Think Of The Night?

    [And what about you? You''re too old?]


    "Huh?"


    [Aren''t you just 16 yourself?]


    The system said to Nn, referencing to the fact that Nn was calling Adrian a very young and inexperienced person when he himself was just 16 years old, if not even younger than Adrian.


    A strange expression settled on Nn''s face.


    Truly, Nn might be upying the body of a 16-year-old, but he was 25! There was no way he was young or could be ssified as such.


    It surprised him a little that the ''all-knowing system'' didn''t even know he was a reincarnator, but Nn himself didn''t exin.


    It was always good to have a few secret cards up his sleeve, and being a reincarnator was definitely one of them, so he simply replied:


    "The godly ten, or Adrian himself, are the academy''s favorites. They are properly nurtured by the academy, protected, and well-fed."


    "This might be a good thing, and they might really grow fast, but does their mentality really grow?"


    "I, on the other hand, have needed to survive in a world where everyone wants to have nothing to do with me, and the world is satisfied with me being dead at any time."


    "No matter how you say it, you can neverpare the maturity of us both..."


    Nn gave a valid suggestion, and the system agreed with him.


    Truly, a child raised on the streets and a child raised under thefort of arge mansion would each have their own differences...


    The three years of constant harshness were probably what led to Nn being so smart.


    [Also, has anyone ever told you that you can fight pretty well?] the system asked Nn, whose eyes shed in perplexity.


    "I can?"


    [Yes, you can. You can really fight. Especially with your dagger. You''re incredibly skillful with it. At least, for a guy who gets bullied all the time]  the system said, and Nn''s eyes widened.


    He could confidently say this was the first time in his life he had been given such a goodpliment from the system itself.


    Even after hepleted the trial, the system wasn''t much concerned about it, yet it praised his dagger skills.


    That must mean they were incredibly good.


    But Nn knew well that this wasn''t his own handiwork.


    In his past life, he had never fought before¡ªnot even a single time!


    But he truly did y around with one strange art in his previous life that he found on TV, which he thought was incredibly cool.


    It was some strange Tai Chi art from some old monk that Nn used to demonstrate to himself all alone.


    Apart from that, he wouldn''t say he was any skilledbatant, and yet it seemed he was very good at fighting.


    That could only have been the handiwork of the previous Nn, and Nn himself probably only knew how to do that due to natural muscle memory that had been built up by the previous Nn.


    Since the previous Nncked Divine Essence, he must have thought that knowing how to fight well could perhaps save him, and therefore he trained his skills and body to their absolute limit to allow for easybat ability.


    Unfortunately, without Divine Essence and a weak physical body, he still couldn''t handle the might of a single punch from a Celestial Heir, and therefore his skills were, in the end, useless¡ªnever seeing the light of day.


    The same couldn''t be said for Nn, who was able toplete quests and therefore improve his physicality.


    Only now was the previous Nn''s handiwork able to truly shine.


    And it shone so much that even the proud system had no choice but topliment him.


    ''Now, I feel like I owe everything to him. I wish I could have helped him live in one way or another,'' Nn mused silently to himself, but he soon shook off the mncholy.


    The previous Nn was already dead, and nothing could bring him back.


    The only thing Nn could do was at least help him fulfill his vengeance and hopefully pray his soul would rest in peace after that.


    Getting sad over what had already urred would do nothing and might even make him fall into guilt, so he was quick to flush that out of his mind.


    "Thanks for thepliment."


    [Yes. But you''re still a peasant, though, so don''t let it get to your head. You''re nothing but a weakling!]


    The system was quick to rub it in, and Nn rolled his eyes.


    "Of course. How could I forget that?" Nn asked, resulting in a satisfied humph from the system.


    If System-sama wanted to be a grumpy oldie, who was Nn, an ordinary peasant, to dare cough out loud at it?


    [You''re being tracked!]the system suddenly said to Nn, whose eyes shed in shock.


    He stopped, looking around him, but soon his gaze settled on who it was as he watched a dark-robed figure quickly disappear into a dark alleyway at the corner of his eyes.


    "How long have I been tracked for?" Nn asked, furrowing his brows.


    He couldn''t believe someone was following him and yet he remained oblivious to it, even with his incredibly high perception.


    "About a minute now..." the system said to Nn, whose eyes slowly turned upwards, seeing that the sun hadpletely disappeared, leaving only the stars peeking through the dark night sky.


    "Hey, system?" Nn suddenly called out.


    [What?]


    "What do you think of the night?"


    [The night? The stars seem more brilliant than normal, and the clouds are less cloudy.]


    [A good night to spend with someone you love. If you have one, that is.]


    [I don''t think a peasant like you would even have one, would you?]the system mocked Nn, whose expression remained rxed.


    [You know what I''m thinking instead?] Nn asked the system instead.


    [Uh-uh?]


    "I''m thinking, the color of flowing blood would be even more beautiful under this beautiful starlight, wouldn''t it?"


    [What!?]


    The system asked, yet Nn had long gone as he faded away from where he stood, a dark sh of light speeding into the dark alleyway.

 Chapter 64: Tracking Them Down

    "Your ability is impressive, I''ll give you that," Nn said as he slowly walked forward.


    About twenty meters from him stood a dark-robed figure, with chains trailing down from his arms.


    One could see his turbid-looking eyes containing slight shock from beneath his robes as Nn stepped forth, a milky white light ring on his right, a dagger appearing in his palm.


    "Unfortunately, this is where it ends..." Nn finished.


    "Tch, in your dreams, piece of trash!" the figure shouted loud as he became a mass of shadows that rapidly moved toward Nn like a phantom, the dark chain whipping straight for Nn''s face.


    Nn''s smirk widened to his ears.


    "You all never learn, do you?"


    KABOOM


    "PUUCCCHIII"


    "Ahhhh---"


    What followed in the next instant was a fiery loud explosion, followed by a de piercing into flesh and a cut-off scream.


    Right now, a figure was tightly nailed to the wall by a dagger that pierced out from the back of his neck into the wall behind him and hung him in ce, dark blood pouring from his neck and sttering over his robes.


    "Now, now, keep it down, will ya?" Nn whispered as he arrived before the figure, his hand resting on his dagger.


    "You...you..don''t..dare..kill..me!" The robed young man forced out within the gasp of his breath as Nn''s smirk widened.


    "Don''t worry, I never said I would. All I ask is for you to lead me to where Quinn is..." Nn whispered as the young man''s eyes bulged in shock.


    "You!? You''re...bluffing!" he replied, still in shock.


    He had been sent to kidnap Nn and bring him to the base, yet his life was now in Nn''s grasp, but Nn was asking for him to actually bring him to their base!?


    Did he really mean it, or was he just bluffing?


    "Let''s get going already..." Nn said as he pulled out his dagger, and the young mannded on his knees, sputtering out blood from his lips.


    But just as Nn expected, he soon got up on his feet, almost like he didn''t have a slit on his throat.


    "Lead the way..." Nnmanded once more, and the robed figure''s eyes shed.


    Without knowing why, he felt like leading Nn to their base wasn''t the best idea, but he quickly shook it off.


    Anyone who came to their base wouldn''t return alive, and that would meanpleting the quest he had been given and getting handsomely rewarded.


    It was a win-win for him and his cult, no matter how one looked at it, and he could only snort at Nn''s ignorance.


    If only he knew...


    "Then,e with me, if you dare..." he said, saving hisst bit of pride before jumping out and scaling up the walls, quickly finding a moment on the roofs.


    [You really want to follow him?]


    The system asked Nn in shock.


    ''Just watch...'' Nn replied back before also bing a shadow that rapidly trailed after the figure, quickly catching up to him.


    ---


    "Since when was Dair sent off..." the dark voice, like the hiss of a python, resounded through the entire dark hall, where a dozen-plus figures could be seen on their knees, heads bowed to the figure sitting on the throne.


    "It''s been three hours now..." one of the kneeling figures said.


    "Time is running out. If he does note back within an hour, we will have to move without him..." the figure on the throne said, clear impatience in his tone.


    But he had yet toplete his sentence when therge door behind them was suddenly blown apart with an incredibly loud and deafening bang.


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BANG


    BLEEEEERGGHHH


    The sound of something rocking the ground,  almost like a tossed ball could be heard, but it wasn''t a ball at all as a dark-robed figure could be seen crashing into the dark hall from the direction of the exploded door.


    His body bounced on the ground uncontrobly three times before he finally smashed against the lower dais of the figure on the throne, splurting out arge amount of blood before instantly fainting.


    STEP


    STEP


    STEP


    The sound of footsteps resonated through the entire hall as everyone turned their heads toward the direction of the sound.


    A figure soon appeared before them.


    A figure with a strange red symbol on his forehead and a ming dagger in his right hand.


    "Sorry for keeping you all waiting..." his voice boomed through the hall with such frightening darkness that the entire room seemed to reverberate continuously with every sound.


    "You! It''s you!" one of the cult members said in shock as they watched Nn step into the room, instantly recognizing him after a few seconds of difficulty.


    His new self nheless surprised them, but Nn paid them no attention at all, instead turning to look at the robed figure sitting on the throne, a smirk appearing on his face....


    "I heard someone has been looking for me for a long while now. Just here toe and say hello!" Nn replied as the figure on the throne slowly raised his hand and took off the hood covering his forehead.


    Now his face was revealed, and instantly memories began flooding into Nn''s head.


    The figure before him was a young man of about neen, with a pale white face that made him look like a corpse, and on the half side of his face were dark scales inscribed with strange runic expressions.


    His hair was pure white, just like Nn''s, and his eyes were an intense blood red color.


    He could be called handsome in every meaning of the word, but one couldn''t help but feel a strange pang in their chest from looking at his face.


    In some way, it radiated cunningness and evilness, and even though he was handsome, one would never find his face to be pleasing to the eyes at all.


    Slowly, his lips parted, revealing two long fangs that poked from the upper part of his gum.


    "How long has it been, my dear Nn?"

 Chapter 65: Finally Meeting With Quinn

    His voice.


    It was so gentle, so soft, filled with so much care that it was like two brothers finally reuniting with each other after countless years.


    That was how the tone felt, and even for a minute, it rattled Nn.


    But the memories of Quinn that newly appeared in his head only made his heart tighten within him.


    "Exactly three weeks since you dug your cold fingers into my neck and snapped it off, before kicking my legs so hard that my bones shattered, leaving me alone in that pit to rot away."


    "How can you have forgotten?" Nn said with a grin as his left hand slowly moved to the side, and then a ming red chain appeared.


    It was thick and heavy, brimming with otherworldly crimson mes that visibly heated the air around it.


    CLING!


    The sound of something smashing hard into something resonated as Nn wrapped the chain around the end of his dagger.


    Slowly, he began rotating the chain, causing the dagger to spin in a circr motion around his body.


    "You seem to be doing much better than thest time I saw you though, much stronger, huh?" Quinn said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Nn.


    Ever since he could remember, Nn had always possessed a single ability, which was his rusty dagger.


    But now, not only was the dagger incredibly sharp and oozing with dangerous mes, there was also another set of heavy crimson chains burning with mes within his palm.


    It was clear that Nn had grown stronger, vastly stronger than before.


    "Have you grown strong enough to be a challenge to me though?" Quinn asked out loud with an intriguing expression.


    Nn''s whirling chains stopped with the dagger held in his hands, the chains coiling around his arms.


    "Why don''t we find out?"


    [Main Quest Issued]


    [Survive The Enroachment of the Shadow Ones...]


    [Rewards: ???]


    The notification panel appeared flickering before Nn, whose grin slowly turned into an irritated expression.


    "Survive?"


    "Kill him!!!"


    The order came from Quinn, and instantly, darkness spread through the hall as dozens of figures seemed to be nothing but shadowy entities that rapidly advanced toward Nn.


    His irritated expression slowly reced disbelief and then a dark chuckle.


    "Survive!? You want me to survive!!!? Haha, you really want me to survive???"


    Nn mumbled on and on like a madman, even as the shadowy entities rapidly closed in on him.


    "EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM WILL DIEEE!!!!!" The beastly roar boomed throughout the hall as thousands of green-colored veins wriggled out all over Nn''s body, and horrific-looking runes appeared all over his skin.


    RRRIIIIIIIIIP!


    BOOOOOOOOM!


    The ground where Nn stood caved in from a sudden power release.


    In the next instant, a gigantic line formed from some sort of shadowy de appeared where he was, cleaving the ground into two, as a robed shadowy figure appeared where Nn formerly stood with a dark sword in his hands.


    But in the next instant, his face changed when he felt a rustle from behind him, and before he could react, a chain wrapped around his neck, followed by him being whisked off his feet and thrown into the sky with a flick.


    "DIIIIIE!"


    "DIIIIIE!"


    "DIIIIIE!"


    "DIIIIIE!"


    "DIIIIIE!"


    The screams rang out from above the shadowy figure as the sound of a dagger piercing through heads and meeting with soft tissue resounded with speed.


    Quinn''s heart shook as he turned to look at the sky and saw Nn sitting on one of his own.


    His hand was a blur due to how much he was moving them, and the daggers were stabbing repeatedly into the head of his own cult member until eventually, both of them mmed onto the ground in a cloud of dust, which soon cleared, and the remaining people all took a gasp in.


    Right now, Nn stood, his dagger dripping with blood and brain matter, and below him was the dark-robed young man who now possessed nothing from his neck upwards, save for bone and dangling pieces of flesh, a ce where his head was supposed to be!


    "He... he killed him!?" They whispered in shock as they looked at the young man whose heart had already stopped beating, a sign of him being dead already.


    Nn, the meek-looking target they had yed around with for three years now, had kicked one of their own by repeatedly stabbing his head until nothing was left, and all life ceased from him.


    CRACK!


    CLINK!


    The sound of shoulder and back bones cracking resounded as the heavy chains jiggled in Nn''s hand, and he slowly turned back to them before whispering...


    "Every one of you..."


    BOOOOOOM!


    Instantly, the ground caved in from a monumental power as Nn shot off the ground, rapidly inching toward the gathered shadowy members.


    In the next second, he explodes forth from the ground appearing above them before shing downward in a circr motion.


    Two red beams immediately burst out from the dagger, ripping downwards towards the shadowy members who instantly dodged to the side, avoiding the dagger beams, but the horror only just started as Nn became a specter.


    All he needed was a simple few seconds, and one of the shadowy members would fall to the ground dead!


    "DIIIEEE!!"


    A shadowy cult member roared out as he raised his hands, and a strange pir of darkness rose up from below Nn, brimming with otherworldly power and mming hard on him, causing him to get thrown up.


    BLEEEEERGGHHH!


    Blood burst out of Nn''s lips in midair instantly.


    Yet his demonic smile only widened even more as his dagger revolved in his hand, and he cleaved downward, severing the pir into two.


    Instantly, the chains wrapping around his arms were released, and he sent them carving and piercing forth with speed.


    The cultist still didn''tprehend how his most powerful ability had been ripped apart so easily by Nn''s dagger, so he could only watch in horror as the dagger pierced through his neck, anchoring itself to his body.


    Immediately, veins bulged all over Nn''s arms as he roughly jerked the chain backward, causing the cultist to fly toward him.


    "DIIIIIEEEE!"


    "DIIIIIEEEE!"

 Chapter 66: Absolute Massacre

    The roars came from none other than the remaining shadowy members who silently appeared before Nn.


    Various attacks sted towards him, yet Nn didn''t pay them any heed.


    He jerked forward the chain with all his power, sending Osilius flying toward him.


    Nn''s hand reached the dagger stuck in the young man''s neck, and his red, fiery eyes stared into those horrified eyes...


    "DIE!!!"


    Those were thest words Osilius heard before he felt something ripping upwards from his throat.


    Quickly, it tore apart his jaw, tearing through his skull, and then the entire world went dark as Nn shed his dagger vertically upwards, slicing Osilius''s head into two halves, with blood and brain matter spurting out like water from a broken pipe.


    THUMP


    The sound of a lifeless body dropping to the ground resounded as the remaining shadowy members instantly shot away from Nn, looking in horror at the cleaved-apart head of Osilius, whose regretful eyes stared in the direction of Quinn, sitting on the throne.


    "HE... HE... HE KILLED OSILIUS!!" The remaining shadowy members called out in shock.


    In the next instant, one of them instantly faded away, trying to reach the door, but it was like Nn could read his movements.


    He also faded from where he stood, and a chain wrapped around the legs of Bron, dragging him towards Nn with speed.


    "DIE!!!"


    Bron roared out, seeing as he was being pulled forth and knowing well that only death awaited him. Instantly, he used his secret arts.


    Three dark needles, brimming with a dark aura, soared forth toward Nn''s head.


    PUCCH!


    PUCCHI!


    PUUUCHI!


    The sound of the needles digging into flesh resounded as Nn''s right eye became blinded when the three sharp needles tore into them.


    Yet Nn only pulled the chain even harder. Soon, he grabbed the neck of Bron, his chains coiling around him like a snake and wrapping around his neck tightly until the chains covered every part of his face. Then¡ª


    CRACK!


    CRACKKK!


    BURST!


    The sound of something getting crushed under intense pressure and then bursting resounded as Nn''s chains wrapped tightly around the head of Bron until, eventually, the sound of something bursting into pieces resounded.


    Bron''s floating body went limp, and Nn''s chains withdrew into his arms, causing the body to fall dead on the floor.


    GASPS


    Another gasp of shock resounded through the hall as they watched the body, now missing its head and neck, having been crushed to a pulp by the strangling hold of the fiery red chains.


    "Those chains... they''re not normal!" Quinn took notice in his head as he looked at the crimson chains held by Nn, and the battlefield was immediately filled with even greater fervor and murder.


    The shadowy members, knowing they couldn''t escape Nn''s grasp, all joined hands together and tried to bring him down.


    Yet Quinn watched with narrowed eyes as they all fell, one by one, killed in the most violent and brutal way possible.


    They either had their heads crushed to paste or sliced into pieces.


    That was how every one of them died, and twenty minutester, the only person remaining in the hall was Nn, on one knee, blood raining down on his body as if he just took a shower of it.


    On the throne sat Quinn, who still had his furrowed eyebrows raised.


    Even though his cult members'' headless corpses lingered all over the floor, he hadn''t blinked even once, and his crimson eyes seemed to shine with a special light of intense madness.


    Slowly, he rose up from his throne, and then¡ª


    CLAP


    CLAP


    CLAP


    CLAP


    The sound of pping resounded through the entire room as Quinn rose from his throne, pping his hands together at Nn, who breathed out loudly through his nose and mouth in exhaustion.


    "FANTASTIC!"


    "FANTASTIC!!!"


    Quinn said with a twistedly satisfied expression as Nn steadied his ragged breathing and rose to his feet, his remaining left eye looking around the room where the corpses of the people he had killed lingered.


    It was the first time Nn had killed in two lifetimes now, yet his eyes held no remorse.


    "Not only have you gotten stronger, you have also gotten more brutal. An interesting transformation indeed..." Quinn called out as he slowly took off his robes, stepping down from his throne.


    "I remember it as clearly as day... they would dig their knives into my skin, cutting off my tissues and ripping apart my veins."


    "I would scream and scream until my voice went hoarse, yet they would never stop."


    "I would faint, only to get awakened, again and again."


    "And when I was close to death, I would be healed by that bastard, only for the torture to begin once more,"


    Nn called out, reciting the memories in his head.


    Those memories... perhaps they had been denied until now so he couldn''t make any reckless moves, but Nn felt that the punishment for these heinous crimes should be something grander.


    Something worse than death. Only such a punishment would be worthy for these people, who were now dead before his feet, who had handled him in such a horrific way.


    It was nothing short of horrific, and that was why Nn had decided to kill them in the most horrific way one could ever die.


    The only two things he coulde up with in his mind were strangling them to death and crushing their skulls, or outright slicing their heads to ribbons, making sure they were aware of the monumental pain until thest moment when death finally imed their lives.


    "You may have gotten stronger and more brutal, Nn, but to me, you''re still nothing but a piece of trash, who I toyed with for three years to increase my cultivation level and awaken my bloodline marks."


    "If you had been like this five days ago, I would have decided to simply run away from this battle."


    "After all, just this amount of killing is enough to make them ensure the academy never lets you see the light of day again..."


    "But I will finish it here and now. To avoid any more unforeseen scenarios like this again!"

 Chapter 67: Quinn, A Vampire!?

    STEP


    STEP


    STEP


    Every single step of Quinn shook the entire hall with such ferocity that the ground beneath Nn began quaking from the power.


    A mist of red began spreading throughout the entire floor, emanating from below Quinn''s feet.


    When he took off his robes, it revealed a naked upper body, half-covered in pitch-dark scales, brimming with crimson power, and etched with strange dark runes...


    In the next instant...


    RIIIIIP!


    Something abysmal and red tore out from the back of Quinn.


    Nn wavered as Quinn rose from his feet, levitating off the ground by a few inches, beforeing to a stop, ten meters away from Nn.


    "You know, Nn. All of this power, I owe it to you."


    "To your screams of agony, and your burning will for vengeance."


    "They feed me, day and night, until eventually, it was enough for me to reach this level of power..."


    Quinn said as he clenched his fist tightly, and the air within his grasp exploded.


    "Ironic, wouldn''t it be? If you ended up dying to the power that you created for me."


    "Such a shame, wouldn''t it be?" Quinn said with a devilish smile as his lips curved to reveal elongated fangs.


    Tendrils of blood began appearing in Quinn''s palms, covering his hands tightly and then, they drilled back once more, with  his hand having morphed into a sharp ghostly w.


    Nn''s eyes narrowed as he recognized the form.


    ''He''s a vampire! At least, one of his bloodlines is...'' Nn noted to himself.


    "Every single bit of what you took from me, I''ll take it back!"


    Nn said as his chains unfurled from his hands, spinning around him with twice their original intensity.


    "You''re ignorant and blind, and soon, you''ll realize that!" Quinn said, and then...


    SCREEEEECCCH!


    An ear-piercing, inhuman screech rang out as Quinn''s red wings vibrated.


    Then, he burst forth with speed, rapidly shing towards Nn, who took a single step forward at the exact moment Quinn took off.


    Nn''s dagger shed forth with horrifying speed, tearing through the air, preparing to sh with Quinn''s red w as it shed downward.


    BAAAANG!


    A deafening explosion of me and blood rang out as Nn found himself being driven backward uncontrobly.


    Yet, regaining his gaze forward, he saw a sinister figure grinning sadistically, appearing right before his face with a sickening smile.


    "I am simply beyond anything you have ever seen..." Quinn whispered to Nn.


    Instantly, Nn''s daggers shed towards Quinn''s face, tearing through it, but meeting nothing but an afterimage as Quinn flickered to the side, dodging the dagger, and then...


    CLENCH!


    His ws wrapped around Nn''s throat and then...


    KAAABOOOOOOOOM!


    A devastating explosion rippled through the entire hall as Quinn mmed Nn into the ground, carving a meter-deep crater.


    BLEEEERRRGGHH!


    Hot blood spilled forth from Nn''s lips as he felt an incredibly painful reverberation that sent every one of his pain receptors sting at their highest frequency.


    The world shed before him, and then...


    BAAAAAAAANGGG!


    BAAAAANG!


    BAAAANG!


    Three sessive ms boomed through the hall once more as Quinn effortlessly carried him off the ground, mming him into the ground three times before vanishing from where he stood, crashing Nn''s body into the wall, carving a human-shaped crater within it.


    His wings shook a little, and then he shot forward with speed, using Nn''s body to tear a long line through the entire wall before finally throwing him out of the hall.


    After performing a 360-degree body m, Quinn reappeared before Nn, shing toward his face with speed.


    CLAAAANG!


    At thest second, Nn ced the dagger before his face, blocking the attack, but was sent flying into the distance with even more speed.


    In the next instant, Quinn appeared before him once more, this time, kicking towards his head.


    "IDIOT!" Nn called out in contempt as he suddenly wrapped his entire body around Quinn''s legs.


    With a backward motion, he altered Quinn''s momentum, slinging him towards the ground with such force that Quinn dropped and then...


    BAAAANG!


    Quinn''s face was roughly smashed into the ground by the sudden change in momentum as Nn released his legs, standing upright to his feet.


    "DIE!"


    Nn roared out like a deranged beast as he stepped forth toward Quinn''s head, which was still nailed into the ground.


    BAAAAANG!


    The floor beneath Quinn gave way as Nn''s dagger roughly pierced through it, not only slicing through it like butter but carving a cobweb-like mark all over the area.


    Slowly, Nn grabbed hold of the dagger from the ground, turning behind him, and finding Quinn floating in the air once more, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.


    Quinn couldn''t understand how his winning position had suddenly turned against him. Nor could he fathom how Nn had used his own momentum against him, smashing his face into the ground.


    His eyes narrowed as he looked at Nn, finding no injuries on him at all.


    Even after the body m on the ground and through the wall, Nn had been able to protect himself so well that he suffered absolutely zero external injuries from them.


    It was clear something was wrong, and that was due to a strangebat ability Nn had never shown before.


    "Scared?" the voice resounded an inch behind Quinn''s ears as he watched Nn''s image before him fade away, and instantly...


    RIIIIP!


    The air was sliced apart as Nn''s dagger cleaved towards Quinn''s ears, aiming to dig into his brain.


    But Quinn was horrifyingly fast, instantly fading away like a specter, and in the next instant, Nn''s ribs were forcefully struck to the side.


    A sickening st hit his ribs, sending him flying to the side and smashing against the wall.


    Instantly, Quinn raced to the wall, his ws reaching to tear Nn out of it, yet his body was sent tossing back as a hand coated with green veins appeared out of the hole in the wall, mming onto Quinn''s unprotected face and sending him flying back until he crashed into the opposite wall.


    "Tch,"

 Chapter 68: A Battle Of Descent SKills!

    "Tch," A disgruntled expression appeared on Quinn''s face as he tore himself out of the wall and stared at Nn, who was also just emerging from it.


    For the second time now, his face had been smacked by Nn, and he wasn''t finding it entertaining any longer.


    The little prey which he ought to absolute dominate and make him beg had smashed his face in twice.


    Perhaps, it was time to stop the rubbish and just finish this already in one strike.


    Who knows what could happen if he dyed even more?


    "Hecate Descent Skills!" Quinn suddenly called out, as Nn''s eyes shed and his grip on the dagger tightened.


    The battle was now moving beyond the boundary of physicality and entering the Descent skills stage.


    With narrowed eyes, Nn watched as Quinn slowly stretched his ws toward him.


    A blood aura began gathering over the palm of Quinn''s hand, tendrils of blood pulsating from his fingertips and coalescing at the center of his palm.


    "Red Sun Annihtion!" Quinn called out, and in the next instant, the gathered red ball of energy faded away from his palms.


    Nn''s eyes widened in horror as the space along the path of the ball began to ripple strangely. Thick veins coated his face in an instant.


    ROOOOAAAR!


    A powerful roar undted forth from Nn''s lips as he shed out with his dagger toward the red ball.


    BAAAAAAAANGGG


    His arms bulged with incredible veins as the red ball smashed into the edge of his dagher and was repeatedly pushed back, craving gorges on the ground until his back finally mming against the wall.


    BURST!


    Nn''s hand veins burst from the strain, and he felt intense pain in his arms, which shook uncontrobly from the power behind the attack.


    It was as if a mountain had been thrown toward his chest, and it wouldn''t stop until it tore through his heart.


    His hands bulged with even thicker veins, small red veins squirming in his eyes, and his teeth ground together as he tried to block the attack.


    But it only pressed his hand backward until it began moving slowly toward his chest.


    Only one thing awaited him if it reached his heart, and that was death!


    "FUCK OFF!!!" A roar of anger sted out of Nn''s mouth as rage red through his heart.


    He shed forth with incredible speed, tearing straight through the red ball. Its two halves mmed onto the wall behind him, causing it to be instantly blown to nothing.


    "What the hell!" Quinn''s eyes shed in shock as he watched his ability get ripped in two, but he wasn''t given much time to think about it as Nn faded away from where he stood.


    Raising his head, Quinn sighted the hulking form of Nn, who hunched back and then...


    DIIIIIIIEEEEE!


    RRIIIIIIIIP!


    The air was instantly ripped apart as Nn''s figure violently tore through the world with speed, his dagger, inching toward Quinn''s head, while being wreathed in an intense amount of mes.


    "Erebus Descent Skills!" Quinn called out as the dagger appeared an inch from his face.


    The ground underneath Nn caved in as he crashed down, carving another meter-deep hole.


    However, an irritated expressionid on his face as he rose upright again and looked around.


    At thest second, Nn noticed Quinn had quickly faded away, and his dagger met with nothing in the end.


    Looking around him, Nn noticed strange shadows suddenly covering the entire ground.


    He saw the corpse of the cultists that he had killed began turnning into shadows and then they copsed, bing shadows thatpletely covered everything.


    Nn was shocked when he felt himself getting blinded, and soon, he couldn''t see anything.


    His eyes were useless in this intense darkness, though they were wide open to their absolute limit.


    Even the scent of blood that filled the entire air faded away from his sight.


    All he could feel were the chains wrapped around his arms and the dagger within his palm.


    Then he heard the sound of shadows weaving through the world. Something was happening, an intense dreadful change, all around him and Nn''s heart slowly began skyrocketing.


    "Lost Shadow Domain..." The voice sounded far away, yet it seemed to be close by.


    After intensely listening, Nn discovered it was resonating from every direction.


    "I''m blinded..." Nn mused to himself, but his mind was making intense calctions.


    ''The first ability he showed was his strange form. His hand morphed into a w, and he grew a single wing, which helped him float and gave him incredible speed.''


    ''The second ability was that ball of red that I was able to cleave through.''


    ''This should be his third ability, a strange domain that renders almost all of my senses useless...''


    Nn analyzed with incredible precision.


    "If what Wiro and Instructor Tianmt said was correct, he should only have one more ability kept within his sleeve that he has yet to show."


    "I can still kill him!" Nn mused coldly.


    Instead of running around in the darkness, he remained motionless and began spinning his chained dagger all around him, creating some sort of domain around himself.


    "You''re a fool if you think that can work on me. I can see you as clear as day, and you can''t!"


    "I will make sure to drain you of everyst vestige of blood in your body and make sure that no one in existence ever remembers your god-forsaken name!"


    The incredibly devilish voice, inhumane and daunting, boomed through the entire area.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    Nn felt something strike into him, breaking his motion of revolving the dagger around him as he mmed onto the floor repeatedly before quicklying to a stop, quickly rolling up.


    In the next instant, he suddenly tried to move his head to the side but failed miserably.


    A groan of pain escaped Nn''s lips as he raised his hand to his cheek, only to find himself touching his own teeth, with red blood raining down his hands.


    His entire cheek had been cleaved off by something, and he couldn''t even see it at all.


    "Let Your Last Agony Begin, Nn."

 Chapter 69: An Exchange Of Descent Skills

    "Let yourst agony begin!" The malevolent cackle echoed through the etheric space as Nn''s grip tightened on the dagger.


    He rose to his feet, but quickly wobbled as something shed by his legs, ripping off a chunk of flesh. Agony spread forth through his entire being.


    In the next instant, he shed to the side with speed, but felt nothing but air. Then, another pain mmed into his head as he felt a piece of his ribs'' flesh cleaved from his body.


    "You''re nothing but a piece of trash, and you will forever be a piece of trash!"


    RIIIIIIP.


    "All your existence, you''re nothing but a tool for me to achieve my true greatness. And as for my goons that you killed, they saw you as nothing but a little something to pass as entertainment."


    RIIIIIIIIIP.


    "Everyone else you know thinks the same about you! None care for you, Nn, and the reason is simple..."


    RIIIIIP.


    "You simply don''t belong. You never do, and you never will, no matter what deceptions you try to use ore up with. You will always live under the shadows of people like me, and you will be seen as nothing but a pawn, a tool, a temporary source of amusement."


    RIIIIIIIP.


    RIIIIIIP.


    BAAANG.


    The sound of knees copsing onto the ground rang out as Nn''s legs finally gave in.


    Right now, there was not a single part of his body that wasn''t dripping with blood, and there were more than enough ces on his body missing their skin.


    He waspletely exhausted, drained of every vestige of energy, and rapidly losing blood.


    "Pathetic you are, Nn. Pathetic!" The voice whispered past his ears, followed by the sound of ws ripping the flesh from his shoulder, causing his left hand to fall limply onto the ground.


    What followed was a moment of silence as Nn''s eyes shut tightly on his knees. Right now, he seemed no different from a person with one foot in the grave, yet his right hand holding the dagger was still raised in a defensive motion.


    [You''re dying...] the system warned Nn gravely, yet he remained unmoving, his remaining functional arm pointing forward into the darkness.


    In the next instant, Nn''s ears perked up as he felt a faint wheezing. Then, suddenly, he threw his dagger upwards, rolling away from where he kneeled.


    In the next moment, a st of air shed past with speed, and Quinn''s fingers narrowly missed his shoulder.


    But Quinn''s face changed when he turned behind him, due to the strange rustling air, and he saw Nn''s leg m onto the dagger that was speeding downwards, causing it to speed towards him and then¡ª


    PUCCCHHIIII.


    The sound of the dagger digging into something soft resounded as Quinn''s right eye widened in shock.


    The dagger dug into his left eye, blocking his vision, and a groan of pain escaped his lips as he faded away into shadows.


    He was even more shocked when he felt Nn speeding towards him within the shadowy darkness, even though his eyes were tightly shut.


    "How... How can you see..." Quinn began to call out when Nn suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Reflexively, Quinn shed towards Nn''s neck, but his ws met with nothing.


    BLEEEEERGGHHH


    Instantly, he coughed out blood as an elbow mmed into his stomach, causing his body to jerk backward.


    Before Quinn could move too far, Nn appeared before him again, and his remaining right arm punched out three times with incredible speed.


    BAAANG.


    BAAANG.


    BAAANG.


    The speed of the punches was so fast that it seemed like he only punched once, yet Quinn felt the dagger dig deeper into his eye, threatening to tear through his skull.


    Hurriedly, he retreated, while trying to remove the dagger, but Nn kept at his heels, chasing him relentlessly.


    Still, Quinn was able to remove the dagger, throwing it to the side, but was shocked when Nn jumped at him, his broken left shoulder mming into hiss chest, sending him toppling to the ground.


    In the next instant, a punch mmed into Quinn''s face, sending his rising body mming onto the ground once more.


    Nn sat down on him before...


    BAAANG.


    BAAANG.


    BAAANG.


    BAAANG.


    A rain of punch, with each one so powerful that its reverberation shook the entire ground.


    Nn punch down repeatedly on his face like a deranged beast, blood sttering through the air with every punch.


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    "DIE!"


    The roars of death were unending as he smashed out with all his energy.


    Right now, Nn was once more blind and could no longer see. His dagger, once connected with Quinn, had been flung to the side.


    This was perhaps hisst chance to finish this battle, and Nn intended to end it all right there.


    Soon, Quinn''s body remained motionless as the shadows surrounding him dissipatedpletely. Nn finally regained his eyesight.


    Right now, below him was none other than the roughly bashed-in face of Quinn and a deep crater that had formed behind his head.


    Quinn was unconscious, his heart barely beating within his ribcage.


    Immediately, Nn rose up from him and slowly walked forward, grabbing the dagger that was ckened on the ground.


    Immediately after grabbing it, he walked back to Quinn, his dagger driving straight toward Quinn''s heart in the next instant, but he was once more surprised when his dagger tore through nothingness.


    Suddenly, Quinn''s unconscious body began turning pitch ck until it became nothing but ashes and faded away like dust.


    [Behind you!] The system roared as Nn immediately tried to dodge but failed miserably.


    A cold w dug through the back of his head, and he inhaled from the shock.


    A strange aura quickly infiltrated his entire system, rendering him unable to move a single muscle.


    Slowly, Nn was lifted off the floor by the ws, before instantly being flung outward, rotating twice mid-air before roughly smashing into the wall, coughing out blood as he slid to the ground.


    "Strong! He is too strong!!!" Nn screamed in his head through the pain as he felt his surroundings slowly darkening.

 Chapter 70: Nolans Special Anomaly

    Nn coughed out blood uncontrobly as his head smashed into the walls, feeling his brain seemingly having lost its hold and bouncing around in his head, bringing about an intense feeling of distraction.


    The world seemed to get darker.


    But he was quickly woken up when a wed hand violently smashed against his face, lodging it deep within the walls.


    GRAAAB!


    Slowly, a hand tore through the hole he was knocked into and grabbed at his hair, dragging him out.


    BOOOOM!


    An incredibly powerful shockwave rippled outwards with immense momentum as Nn''s body arched backward.


    Blood sshed forth like a tap, raining down on Quinn, whose evil grin widened to its absolute limit, reaching for his ears.


    "How does it feel, Nn?"


    "Truth is, whatever you do, it''s useless. I''m simply beyond anything you have ever seen..." Quinn said as Nn looked at him, his eyes shing with a strange light as he observed Quinn''s new form.


    Right now, it was like the person before him wasn''t Quinn at all, as he had undergone a significant change.


    Quinn''s body was now half solid¡ªhis right side, to be exact. It seemed just like his normal skin, with a bit of dark scales adorning his extreme left shoulder.


    But the other side of Quinn''s body¡­


    It was anything but human.


    It was dark, pitch ck like shadows! No, it wasn''t like shadows¡ªit was shadows!


    The other half of Quinn''s body, from the half of his face to the extreme left side, was nothing but gently billowing shadows that came to form his second part.


    Nothing could be seen within the thick shadow, and it seemed like an endless ck hole as Nn looked at it.


    Slowly, the shadow arm was raised and ced on Nn''s chest.


    But just like a shadow, it didn''t rest on his chest; instead, it slipped into it.


    Nn''s face quickly changed when he began feeling something wrapping around his own heart, tightening its hold.


    "You know, Nn, you''re the first person who has forced me to use all four of my abilities. And just so you know, the one I love the most is my fourth ability¡ªmy Hollow Body."


    "Half of my body that you see is real, and the other half is nothing but hollow shadow. My half-body possesses my physical form, but my second half possesses the ability to transverse the physicality of anything."


    "It''s just shadows anyway. It can''t be hurt, it can''t feel pain, it can''t be touched. It is simply supreme. And what is most special about it is that..."


    GRRRRHHHH!


    Nn''s eyes shed with red veins as blood suddenly spilled from his lips.


    "Yes, Nn. I can harden my shadow hand with just a little divine essence. And now that my shadow hand is around your heart, I can harden it and simply burst it into pieces!" Quinn whispered, and Nn''s eyes shed with shock through the pain.


    It was a bizarre ability that he had never heard of or even imagined before.


    "Tch, you bastard!" Nn suddenly screamed out, his eyes turningpletely red, with veins popping.


    "Ahhhh¡­" A moan of pleasure escaped Quinn''s lips as suddenly white aura began oozing out from Nn''s body, immediately drilling into Quinn''s shadowy form, lighting it up even more brilliantly.


    It was what made Nn so weak and helpless in the academy¡ªhis peculiar cursed ability.


    And that was the fact that others could siphon his own divine essence from his body.


    Now Quinn was siphoning his divine essence into his own body, further increasing his strength.


    Nn could see it as the shadow half of Quinn''s body expanded even more!


    "Don''t you ever wonder, Nn?" Quinn suddenly asked after absorbing all of Nn''s divine essence.


    "Don''t you want to know why I like siphoning away your divine essence every time I see you?" He asked Nn with a genuinely interested expression.


    "You probably don''t know, but the truth about your divine essence, Nn, is that it is very effective..."


    "The effectiveness of your divine essence is three times that of mine, and the same applies to all other Celestial Heirs..." Quinn whispered quietly into Nn''s ear as his jerking body halted dazedly.


    "Yes, Nn. Your divine essence is abnormal."


    "Abnormally special."


    "If an attack of mine can only tear through a single wall before exhausting itself, then if I absorb your divine essence and fire the same ability, it would be able to rip through three walls instead of just one."


    "That is how effective your divine essence is! That''s what makes it so appealing to everybody."


    "Because it boosts our strength."


    "Isn''t it ironic?"


    "Such a thing, not being able to be controlled by you?" Quinn asked with a grin, but Nn ignored that and instead asked a question that lingered in his mind.


    "Then, why? If I''m so important, then why kill me off¡­"


    "There are only two reasons why killing you off will do me good."


    "Firstly, I don''t need you anymore and have lost interest in you. You no longer increase my strength, so I see no reason to keep you alive."


    "Secondly, Nn, your ability¡ªyour abnormality."


    "I''m not the only one that know about it."


    "There are others, more powerful than I am, who have their eyes on your unique ability, and they are nning on taking it for themselves."


    "Those people can one day be a thorn in my side, and there is nothing I can do to stop them."


    "So the best thing I can do is make sure you''re dead."


    "That way you won''t be useful to me, and you won''t be useful to anyone after that too, and their n to use you will nevere to fruition¡­"


    "Now, goodbye!" Quinn said with a devilish grin as his shadowy hand immediately solidified around Nn''s heart, and he began squeezing.


    [You''ll die in five econds!]


    "Activate Crown of Kratos!!!"


    Immediately, Nn roared out as a golden light red through the space.


    Hundreds of runic lines appeared on Nn''s body as his hands grabbed tightly onto Quinn''s shadow arms, almost like they were physical hands.


    "What the¡ª" Quinn screamed in shock, noticing Nn''s strange body. He tried to back off but failed!


    The tight grip of Nn''s hands on Quinn was so strong that he ended up ripping apart his own arm just to retreat away from Nn.


    "You! Who are you?"

 Chapter 71: A Strange Entity

    [Congrattions, Host has Sessfully Activated the Kratos Crown Skill]


    [Random Defeated God Ability Is Now Being Channeled]


    [Congrattions, Host has awakened the Power Of god Baldur!]


    Golden rune-like tattoos spread out from the golden Crown on Nn''s head, covering every inch of his skin until Nn himself look like a light man.


    "DIIIIIEEEEE"


    The roar of rage boomed out as Quinn appeared before him, his ws violently shing towards Nn''s neck in with an incredibly powerful momentum.


    Yet,


    DIIIIINNNG


    It was the sound of metal knocking into each other as Nn didn''t even bother to block, yet the sharp ghostly ws couldn''t even draw a blood.


    "What the!!!?" Quinn hurriedly retreated at the strange scene, his heart almost exploding within him from the sudden fear.


    "Who...Who are you!?"


    "Your death!"


    In the next instant¡ª


    SPUUUURRRT!


    Blood spilled out like a tap as a groan of pain escaped Quinn''s lips. Looking at his own arm, he could see it had beenpletely ripped out from his shoulder, but that was only the beginning.


    RIIIIP!


    RIIIIP!


    RIIIIP!


    Three more ripping sounds rang out as Quinn''s knees smashed helplessly onto the ground.


    Now, he had no arms, his wings had been torn apart, and his right leg was also gone.


    He was utterly helpless.


    He could tell that Nn wasn''t just as fast as light; he was also as imprable as a rock.


    No attack worked against his skin, and each seemed to be repelled by some type of magic.


    Quinn couldn''t understand how Nn, whom he had bullied for three years straight and whose life he had kept within his grasp, had managed to desperately improve his strength so much.


    And now, he even possessed a light bloodline!


    How could he have a light bloodline? How could he be a prodigy?


    "You''re not saying anything now, Prodigy?" Nn sneered.


    "Quinn Vampiro, the mighty prodigy with two high-grade darkness bloodlines and their awakened marks. Nowying crumpled on the ground with no arms, his Vamorein wings ripped out, and his right leg gone."


    Nn called out as he gently ced all the ripped-out organs before Quinn, whose eyes shed in shock before his teeth ground together.


    He could do nothing but watch as everything wasid bare before his own crumbled knees.


    "You bas¡ª" The roar had yet toplete itself when a leg violently stamped onto the back of Quinn''s head, smashing his face into the ground.


    Nn pressed his head down, grinding it even deeper.


    "The mightiest prodigy, getting stomped under the feet of the trashiest trash in the academy? Stand up and fight, Quinn!"


    Nn called out as he took his leg off Quinn''s head, but Quinn''s body only curled more onto the ground, blood oozing out of every one of his orifices.


    Quinn''s wide eyes were still open, though, and now they had thousands of emotions shing through them. The most prominent ones were confusion and self-doubt.


    "I lost? I lost to the trashiest trash in the academy? How? How is this possible? No, this is a dream! This has to be a dream!" he thought, but his train of thought was quickly broken when he heard the sound of a zipper being undone.


    "Don''t tell me¡­"


    SPLASSSH!


    A hot liquid rained down Quinn''s head as Nn brought out his big daddy and sprayed all its contents on the piece of trash beneath him.


    "It seems you have yet toe to terms with reality. Hopefully, this will wake you up," Nn said, a satisfied light in his eyes as he emptied his dder all over Quinn''s head.


    When he was done, he zipped up before mming his leg on Quinn''s head, cracking a gigantic hole in the ground.


    "I have enjoyed this battle up till now. Unfortunately, all battles muste to an end. Isn''t that right, Quinn?" Nn called out as he slowly stretched his hands toward Quinn.


    In the next instant, a powerful wave of golden light coalesced in his palms, soon forming into a small sun ball.


    No words were uttered from Quinn, whose eyes had lost their light. He simply stared nkly into the distance.


    "Nost words? Fine, then goodbye¡­" Nn said as the light ball in his hand red out with even greater destructive power. He pointed his palm toward Quinn''s head.


    If he released it, Quinn''s upper body would immediately be blown to nothing but ashes. That was Nn''s n until something screamed out to him.


    [DON''T! DON''T!]


    The system''s voice rang loudly in his head, and Nn, who was just inches from releasing the ball, suddenly stopped and raised an eyebrow.


    His expression quickly changed when he saw something.


    Right now, just an inch before Nn''s neck, there was therge edge of a scythe seemingly made of darkness, stopping just short of an inch before his throat.


    Instantly, Nn shot backward with incredible speed, appearing twenty meters away while staring straight at where the scythe had been.


    Finally, the figure revealed itself.


    It was a dark-robed figure, standing at a towering height of three meters.


    The figure was standing protectively over Quinn''s crumpled body, holding a meter-long death scythe in its arms.


    "Death to anyone who brings death to the young master¡­" The voice, like iron scraping against iron, resounded as the figure''s ghostly red eyes stared at Nn.


    An incredible chill washed over Nn as an aura of death surrounded him, making him feel like life was being sucked out of him just from those eyes.


    [Back off, Nn.]


    The system spoke again as Nn shifted his stance, his dagger appearing in his hand, brimming with golden light and crimson mes.


    He quickly prepared for another battle.


    [I said, BACK OFF!!!] The system''s voice didn''t appear as a notification this time but actually screamed in Nn''s mind.


    His eyes shed in surprise.


    Never had he seen the system so agitated and angered. Nn''s hands, holding the dagger, shook slightly, but in the end, he sheathed his weapon.


    With onest look at the crumpled Quinn and the shadowy entity standing before him, Nn slowly stepped back before quickly fading away from where he stood, disappearing into the night sky...


    Now left in the hall were two figures: the shadowy entity and Quinn''s unconscious body.


    "Hmmm." A sound escaped the shadowy entity''s lips as its otherworldly scythe disappeared.


    Slowly, it turned to look at Quinn''s crumpled body and it picked him up in its arms before it also walked out of the hall, bing a specter that swiftly headed for the Academy''s hospital.

 Chapter 72: The System Explanation

    Quinkly, a figure ran through the dark alleys, scaling across buildings and jumping over their roofs.


    His speed and body seemingly became one with the darkness.


    Soon, hended before the gateway of the Greek Descent Building, ignoring the strange gazes lingering on him due to his absolutely devastated state.


    He quickly made his way to the third floor before entering his dorm room.


    Immediately, Nn stepped in, his hand gripped the wall to stop his fall. He used thest vestige of energy within him to move to the bathroom, sliding into the tub.


    An automated voice rang out once Nn entered the tub, and quickly, it filled with bubbling warm water and soap.


    In the next instant, his eyes slid shut as his head slowly submerged into the water.


    ---


    5 hourster...


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    A loud exhale rang throughout the snow-white room as a head burst out of the water, gulping down fresh air as much as his throat allowed.


    Clean water trailed down Nn''s healthy figure as he rose from the tub and took off his crumpled jeans.


    Then he stepped into the shower, doing a proper wash, before heading out of the bathroom.


    The room was just as he left it, with everything in its normal position. Therefore, Nn headed into his bedroom,nding on thefy bed.


    There were still some parts of his body that ached terribly, but at least he had recovered all of his torn skin, and even his broken bones had healed themselves, back to normal.


    It wasn''t just his strength that improved due to hisst level up; his regeneration ability also shot up a notch.


    Lying in the bed, the scenes of what had urred just a few hours before yed through his mind.


    The scene of his rage, the intense murder and massacre, the pain, and the students who died at his hands. The scene of Quinn''s horror, and how Nn almost ended him in the end.


    Everything wallowed in his head, with some of them trying to make him feel guilt, but Nn was quick to push them aside.


    He might have killed students, and with his age, one might say he had killed children, but Nn knew that was nothing but rubbish.


    The Celestial Heirs were no ordinary students.


    They would kill each other at the slightest disagreement, and how many times in the past had he been almost killed by them?


    Not to mention, they seeded in killing him just a few days ago, and that was the only reason he was even here in the first ce.


    He had repaid blood with blood, and therefore couldn''t allow the guilt to get to him.


    If they had not tried to kill him, they would all be alive right now. Or at least, they wouldn''t have died by his hand.


    What caught Nn''s greatest attention was thest scene¡ªthe scene of him retreating without bringing an end to Quinn himself.


    Quinn could be said to be the biggest thorn in his side, yet Nn had brought an end to the others while leaving the biggest thorn alone.


    "Why did you stop me?" He suddenly called out, and the system notification flickered before his gaze. Its message caused his eyes to sh.


    [Because you were just an inch from your own death too...]


    The system replied to him.


    "What do you mean by that?" Nn asked, his confusion as clear as day. It was clear he could have finished Quinn for good.


    [That shadow entity you see is a guardian¡ªQuinn''s guardian.]


    [t''s a practice of higher ns.]


    [In fear of their prodigies dying, they assign a guardian to their prodigy, and that guardian is responsible for protecting their lives or bringing death to the one who kills their prodigy.]


    [The first is moremon, but the second one is rare. If Quinn is a prodigy and hails from a powerful background, I reasoned that he would have his own guardian.]


    [But seeing how you were able to beat him up and nothing happened, I guessed that he didn''t.]


    [But I was still suspicious if Quinn''s guardian could perhaps be a death guardian.]


    [And just as I guessed, the second you were about to kill Quinn, I could see the void of space twisting weirdly, and I knew well it could only be due to a death guardian.]


    [That was why I stopped you, and now I''m afraid you have gotten yourself into even bigger trouble.]


    The system said as Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    "What do you mean?"


    [Quinn''s background is brutal and dark!]


    [The majority of guardians are for defending their young masters, but Quinn''s guardian doesn''t defend Quinn.]


    [It has only a single job, and that is to bring death to whoever brings death to Quinn.]


    [That means you would have died yourself if you had killed Quinn. The only reason why you''re alive right now is because you didn''t kill Quinn.]


    [Such a background shows that even though Quinn is a prodigy, his family didn''t think he was important enough to assign him a protector guardian.]


    [They could afford to sacrifice him, and they only gave him the death guardian most likely due to the fact that they want revenge on anyone who kills one of their own.]


    [Quinn is a brilliant prodigy, Nn, and I can only imagine what background he has if his family didn''t care enough to consider him one.]


    [You better hope this ends here, and Quinn never bothers you again. Or else, if he finds a way to make his background''s interest pique on you...]


    [Then, I''m afraid you might just be dueling with the power of an ancient devil family, with no one behind you.]


    [Your chances of survival will be slim if so...]


    The system said to Nn, who already sat on the bed from the shock.


    Only now did he realize just how close to death he truly was. And he also came to terms with a reality he hated.


    "If Quinn dies, I die too!?"

 Chapter 73: Unknown Dangers

    [Technically, yes.]


    [Unless you''re strong enough to also defeat his guardian and kill him too. Then you would sessfully aplish your mission, bringing an end to them both.]


    [But then, the death of a guardian is just enough to turn the entire family against you, as they will now consider you a grave threat.]


    [It would be weird if they didn''t view the person who can kill their prodigy and their guardian as a threat.]


    [So they''ll do two things: either make you one of theirs, or they''ll focus their power on getting you killed.]


    [No matter which way you take it, you will only make your life more difficult.]


    [Besides, you''re not even strong enough to kill the guardian...]


    The system''s words made Nn''s eyes narrow before a deep interest shed in them.


    "How strong is the Death Guardian...?"


    [Strong enough to kill you with a simple swing of his scythe, and not even your Kratos Crown will be able to stop a single attack from it.]


    [Not even if you''re twice as strong as you currently are. He would still be able to kill you in a swift stroke!]


    The system answered to Nn, who could only take a deep breath in from the shock.


    "It seems I owe someone a thank you for still being able to breathe right now..." Nn mused.


    [Oh? Go on then...]


    The system started to speak in a cocky tone.


    [No. That was the thank you.] Nn replied with an equally cocky grin, receiving a loud huff from the system.


    It was just as the system had done to him in the past, and Nn made sure to pay it back in its own coin.


    "That said, I don''t think killing Quinn would have been the best course of action. I would only get into trouble, not only with the academy but with Quinn''s background as well."


    "Besides, I''m sure he''ll never be the same after that humiliation. It would most likely hurt his prideful ego more than any nightmare."


    " That would be worse than simply killing him."


    What made Nn feel a bit of grievous danger was what Quinn had said at the end of it all when Nn had asked him why he wanted to kill him.


    Quinn had mentioned the exact same thought that Wiro had said to him¡ªthat he found no use for him anymore.


    But then he had faintly mentioned another group of people having taken note of him.


    Therefore, Quinn had to kill him, just so those that now have their gaze on him wouldn''t be able to get their hands on him.


    It was like destroying a good tool so others wouldn''t be able to use it.


    The thought of him being nothing more than a tool to others made Nn''s eyes sh in anger, but he was also cautious.


    It now seems it wasn''t only Quinn that he has to worry about. There was now a group that had their eyes on him and his strange body.


    And to top it all off, they were in the shadows, while he was in the light. They could attack anytime, and he would have no idea who or what they were. Only why they attacked him.


    And thinking of why, the reason surprised Nn too.


    He never knew that his Divine Essence had such an ability. Its purity to others was like triple the normal effectiveness of normal Divine Essence. Such a power, yet he had no ess to it at all.


    "It''s like I was born to be a natural ve to others..." Nn mused in exasperation.


    [Your God''s ve Physique really is one in a billion, Nn,] The system suddenly called out.


    [It is special, but for now, it will bring many disadvantages for you.]


    [Right now, I''m even surprised the academy has not ced a chain on your neck yet, because your ability to give others Divine Essence is incredibly useful.]


    [Imagine two groups or factions on a battlefield, with one side having exhausted their Divine Essence.]


    [If they had someone like you who can give others his Divine Essence, then you would be a limitless treasure to any cultivator.]


    [Yet here you are, walking safely around while possessing such an ability. That is just not normal]


    the system said to Nn, whose eyebrows furrowed more.


    [Not ignoring the fact that your Divine Essence is so effective, double the effect of others'' Divine Essence, that only makes you something worth dying for.]


    [Yet the academy ignored you, and I''m pretty sure it isn''t only Quinn or the academy that has a note of your special physique.]


    [It would have most likely spread through all dark cults and hidden factions based on your poprity.]


    [It''s really a miracle you don''t have a chain on your neck yet.]


    [But it is safe to reason that you can at least trust the academy for now.]


    [If they have not harmed you since all this while, they probably wouldn''t be doing so now.]


    [But there are others like Quinn and other dark cults who would want you to be with them, just so they can turn you into a Divine Essence generator tool.]


    [Right now, you might have undergone your first God King trial, but the truth is, you''re not safe yet, Nn.]


    [You need to grow more and as fast as possible.]


    [Because you''re running out of time, to be honest. You have no idea when shit wille knocking on your door and threatening to break in, and have fun with you, but whenever it happens, it will be better if you''re thoroughly prepared for it]


    [So defeating Quinn and regaining your respect and dignity isn''t a reason for you to be jumping around the school, beingzy, and pretending you''re just another student in the academy.]


    [You''re no ordinary student, and therefore, you need to work and train as hard as you can.]


    [You''re still a ve, Nn, just without yet a visible chain around you.]

 Chapter 74: Too Many Questions...

    "I understand..." Nn replied as he closed his eyes, his fist in his hands. But soon, they unfurled, and he mmed backward onto the bed.


    ''There are many things, many questions I don''t understand,'' Nn thought to himself.


    Truly, there were thousands of questions in his mind, none of which he had answers to, and they only grew more and more numerous, the stronger he got.


    The system had mentioned that the academy was ignoring him even though he was a treasure worth dying for, and that brought about the question: just why did the academy choose to ignore him?


    He might be considered trash, but an entity like the academy should be brilliant enough to realize he was a trash with an incredibly useful ability.


    Yet, they still ignored him.


    What was the reason for that?


    Were they scared of him?


    But why would they be scared of him?


    He was weak, and didn''t even have any reputable background.


    And talking about that...


    ''What even is my background? What is the background of this body?'' Nn mused as he dived into his consciousness, yet he found nothing.


    He had no idea which family the original Nn came from.


    Was it an ordinary family, or was it a powerful n?


    Did he have a mother, a father, or any siblings?


    Nn couldn''t tell at all.


    Everything was just an empty ck hole of darkness, that wouldn''t give him anything.


    And ignoring that, there were even more important questions, like why he had a cursed body.


    The system kept reminding him that the God''s ve physique was one in a billion and incredibly rare, if it even existed before.


    Yet, Nn often wondered if the God''s ve physique brought anything but harm and danger to his life.


    Was there a usefulness to it that he didn''t realize yet?


    Aside from allowing others to dominate him, Nn didn''t think the physique offered anything else.


    But another thing also piqued his curiosity sometimes.


    The system mentioned that for some reason, it couldn''t find a host who fulfilled the criteria for bonding with it.


    But Nn could bond with it!


    Why was he able to bond with the system?


    Was it due to his special God''s ve physique, or was it because he was the only reincarnator among the millions of Celestial Heirs that existed?


    One didn''t need a lot of reasoning to understand that an ordinary mortal cannot and should never be a Celestial Heir.


    If it was possible, the Celestial Heir would just leave all of the responsibilities to the ordinary mortals.


    Yet, Nn himself knew he was an ordinary mortal from a mortal ne of existence, yet he was also a Celestial Heir!?


    How did that even happen?


    Why was he even given a second chance in the first ce?


    What was his purpose in this new world?


    What was he supposed to achieve or do here?


    It was like there was a force, some sort of invisible hand that was pushing him around.


    And it had not been pushing him around just here, but for two lifetimes straight.


    Nn''s luck had just been exceptionally bad, so bad it was eye-raising even to him.


    In his first life, he was given the ve contract, where he could be a ve until his death.


    In his second life, he had been cursed with a physique that made him the "trashiest" of trash in the world, making him only able to serve others and never benefit himself.


    And then he had also awakened a physique with the special word "SLAVE!" associated with it.


    Why was he so doomed with the topic of very? Just what did he do to earn this for himself?


    [It''s already 1 in the night. You sure you want to keep staring at the ceiling all night long?] The notification suddenly appeared, derailing Nn''s train of thought.


    "Yes, I should probably get to sleep..." he replied, tucking his head into the pillow, and slowly, his eyes closed themselves up.


    Yet, a resolveid in Nn''s head as his consciousness slipped away once more.


    ''One day...one day. I''ll find out who is behind all of this. And bring an end to them. I promise....''


    -----


    "He really went all out, didn''t he?" a masculine voice boomed through the darkness, where nothing but craters and blood sttered all over the area could be seen.


    Beside him, another figure could be seen. A figure with golden hair and golden scales covering her face.


    If Nn had been able to see her, he would have immediately recognized her as Instructor Tiamat, and the man was none other than the one who had directed Nn into the training area.


    Together, they both stayed in the ce, their eyes scanning the destroyed room.


    It just happened to be the exact ce where Nn had battled with Quinn and his goons...


    "Judging from the bloodstains, it is pretty clear many students died, but then, their corpses are nowhere to be found, and then there is the mark of a devouring darkness in the area."


    "That could only mean one thing..." Instructor Tiamat mused, with furrowed eyebrows.


    "They have all been devoured by a person. And if there is a single person who could devour others, it will be Quinn himself."


    "Nn must have killed the remaining Shadow Ones, but he ended up devouring them, casting their souls in eternal pain and grief, and using them to strengthen himself.''


    "He brought them a fate worse than death itself..." The man mused out loud.


    "Still, it is unbelievable how Nn had grown in the past few days. It is nothing short of a miracle."


    "And if Quinn is currently in the hospital, then Nn must be alive, or else Quinn wouldn''t be, due to that Death Guardian of his..." Instructor Tiamat mused, taking her eyes off the walls and staring at Gerald, who was also dazed from the scar on the ground filled with blood that he knew belonged to none other than Quinn.


    "The Young Master is awakening too, and it''s only a matter of time before the true glory of his lost n will be revealed once more..."


    "We all can''t wait for that day. The day when hell will descend to the Celestial Realm!"


    Instructor Tiamat concluded, and in the next instant, both of them faded away into the void of space, and a secondter, the entire building copsed, the proof of the battle swallowed up in its destruction.

 Chapter 75: A New Day

    Waking up at the first dawn of light, Nn rose to his feet, immediately heading to the bathroom to get dressed for the day.


    In less than an hour, and exactly at 7:30, he jumped out of his dorm room, locking it tightly before heading straight for ss.


    The gazes following him were as present as ever, but Nn paid them little mind.


    Surprisingly, there were actually some students who were bold enough to wish him a good morning.


    Even funnier was the fact that these students were among those who had taunted or mocked Nn in the past.


    But he didn''t let that get in the way of replying to them with the biggest smile he could muster.


    He didn''t trust them one bit, but he also wouldn''t turn his back on them if they genuinely wanted a change in their rtionship.


    He walked through the academy streets, teeming with students, and only now did he notice the air was crisper than that of Earth.


    Breathing it in made him feel energy running through his body, and even his injuries from thest night seemed to be less painful and more bearable.


    Right now, Nn felt no hatred, no disdain, or any negative emotions.


    He didn''t feel a threat to his existence as he walked through the streets with the other students.


    He felt himself bing one with everything around him.


    Now, he could admire the various buildings, the mythological arts, the statues he passed, and the genuine smiles of students who walked in twos or threes,ughing out loud with each other.


    The past him would have interpreted that as them mocking him, but now he could see it wasn''t really the case.


    They were justughing for who they were or discussing some matter that amused them.


    It was as simple as that yet the previous Nn would have goosebumps covered his body.


    He was just too self conscious, so self conscious that right now there were even some goosebumps around Nn''s arm which were slowly fade away.


    With a pep in his step, he soon arrived before the ss, entering it to find it quarter-filled with students already.


    Since it was still around 7:45 and everyone wasn''t required to be in ss until 8:00, not every student had arrived yet, and so the hall hadn''t been filled to the brim.


    That gave Nn the chance to skim through the notes he had written the previous day, trying to remember everything he had been taught.


    The more he attended ss, the more he knew about the world, and the more he felt confident and at home in this ce.


    He had felt like an alien when he first arrived at the academy, but now that feeling was beginning to fade away, thanks to the sses.


    Twenty minutes passed quickly, and finally, the Instructor stepped in, and she was none other than Instructor Tiamat herself.


    The ss murmurs stopped upon her arrival, and immediately, she began her lesson, and this time, she talked about something that piqued Nn''s interest more than a bit.


    "As you all might already know, throughout the three nes of existence, only two ces, possess the ability of rapid evolution and growth."


    "The first is the Titan Realm, where Titanous essence flows, and the other is our Celestial Realm, where divine essence flows."


    "This gives us the special advantage of being able to vastly increase our strength faster than the remaining ne of existence, which is none other than the Mortal Realm."


    "That brings up the question, why are we the only ones in the entire ne of existence given such power, while the Mortal Realm isn''t? Just what is the purpose behind our ability to possess divine essence and use it?"


    "Why are we Celestial Heirs made at all?"


    "What is our purpose in the entire ne of existence?"


    She asked them all rhetorically, piquing their curiosity as they eagerly waited for her answer.


    "We''re only Celestial Heirs for a single reason."


    "To maintain order throughout the entire ne of existence."


    [Tch, even the True Gods in their physicality could never maintain order, and you think your purpose is to maintain order? Tch,]


    Immediately, the system''s notification blinked before Nn, and from its voice, Nn could sense its irritation and mockery of Instructor Tiamat''s answer, but still, Nn decided to listen to her.


    The system might just be flexing its grumpiness once more...


    "When the issue of order is brought up, you all might wonder just what is disorder in the ne of existence?"


    "If so, what is even causing the disorder?"


    "The truth is, there is no realm in this space of existence that is not facing one disorder or another."


    "Even our Celestial Realm is facing its own numerous disorders, but they can only be handled by higher powers, and the information surrounding that isn''t what will be discussed in this ss today."


    "Instead, we will talk about the disorders which you all should be able to bring a stop to, and the majority of such disorders are present in the Mortal Realm."


    "Let me give you a few examples of the current disorders that are happening in the Mortal Realm right now..." she called out to them, and the ss went silent, eager for the answers.


    The truth was that the Celestial Heirs had little to no information about how the Mortal Realm even worked.


    The information had been denied to the neers.


    They only knew that there existed the Mortal Realm, but they had no idea how it even looked, nor did they know much about it.


    It was something that was strangely kept secret from them by the academy.


    And hearing Instructor Tiamat wanting to talk about the Mortal Realm and its disorders only piqued their curiosity even more.


    "The first and most prominent disorder that we Celestial Heirs pay the most attention to is the..." Instructor Tiamat began, quickly diving into the various disorders which the Celestial Heirs are responsible for fixing as part of their responsibility.

 Chapter 76: A Special Announcement

    "Dimensional Rifts from the Abyssal Realm."


    Shepleted as Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    "ording to thousands of years of information that we Celestial Heirs have gathered, the Nightmare creatures do not belong to this ne of existence.


    They belong to another realm,monly referred to as the Abyssal Realms.


    "Toe to our ne of existence, they use a means of transport which we all refer to as Rifts."


    "The Nightmare creatures are capable of reasoning."


    "They knew that if they opened up a rift toe to our ne and chose toe through the Celestial Realm, they would be swiftly killed by the powerful Celestial Heirs."


    "So, therefore, they choose an area where the people are much weaker. And the best ce is the mortal realm."


    "The mortals, being naturally weak, are nothing but prey to the Nightmare creatures."


    "They eat them up, or turn them into ves, and if a rift is left open for a long time, there is a probability of the Nightmare creatures being able to infest the entire world, turning it into a natural habitat for themselves."


    "Such a scenario in the past has led to great harm, that even we Celestial Heirs would find hard to take down."


    "To prevent such a thing, Celestial Heirs are sent into the various mortal realms asionally, once the presence of a rift having been opened in a particr mortal realm is heard."


    "That is the first and major responsibility of us Celestial Heirs: to maintain peace through the realms, eliminating Nightmare creatures from our world and maintaining order through the realms¡­" Instructor Tiamat said, and Nn finally realized.


    Formerly, he had wondered which ne of realms the Nightmare creatures inhabited, since there were only three realms: belonging to Celestial Heirs, Titans, and mortals. But now he finally got his answer.


    The Nightmare creatures aren''t naturally from this realm; they are from an outer realm.


    "Today, we will be focusing mainly on a Celestial Heir''s responsibility in closing various rifts, including the ways of closing rifts and in what forms a nightmarish creature can appear to you all¡­"


    Instructor Tiamat said, and quickly, three hours of continuous teaching urred, with every single student jotting down as much as they could, and even Nn himself had pages filled with notes.


    The information on every single page was something that could have onlye out of a fictional web novel book, but he knew well it was more than true.


    RIIIIIING


    The sound of ringing could be heard, but every student was dazed when they heard the announcement that followed the ringing.


    Instead of a ''Break-Time'' call, it was instead an Announcement call!


    "Yes!" Instructor Tiamat called to their attention as they all turned to her.


    "The school has asked every instructor to give you all an announcement: In exactly a week from now, you all, who have managed to break through to the Heavenly Disciple stages, will be given the chance to leave the academy¡­" Instructor Tiamat said as the students'' eyes all narrowed.


    "Leave the academy for what? The holidays are still a few months away¡­" a student asked, and Instructor Tiamat finallypleted.


    "You all, who have reached the Heavenly Disciple stage, will all be going on your first Celestial Responsibility Heir mission, in the mortal realm!" shepleted, and all the students remained dazed for a few seconds.


    They would be going on their first Celestial Responsibility mission!


    Wasn''t that something for the second years?


    "The academy believes that the more quickly you''re faced with your responsibilities, the more efficient you will be as you grow up."


    "But still, the missions are dangerous, which is why the academy has ced a requirement of being in the Heavenly Disciple stage before any of you are permitted.


    "It would be an experience worth dying for, I tell you."


    "So if you''re in the Heavenly Disciple stage, congrattions on your automatic entry. If you have yet to reach the Heavenly Disciple stage, you have an entire week to do so¡­"


    "Also, for the entirety of this week, you will only be taught a single subject, and that is Celestial Heir Responsibilities, and your only teacher would be me."


    "The same is true for every ss. So, you all can go for your break now, and once it ends, we will continue the topic¡­"


    Instructor Tiamat said to them as she took her seat in the ss instead of leaving this time, and slowly the students digested the shock before they all immediately began leaving for the ss.


    Excited murmurs could be heard from them, and even Nn too was more than excited.


    "The First Responsibility Mission, to a mortal realm?"


    It would be officially the first time that Nn had left the academy in three years.


    Even though there were holidays offered by the academy regrly, Nn never went back to his home, if he even had one, and so he remained in the academy.


    This would be the first time he would be leaving the school grounds, and for a responsibility mission too.


    He could almost not wait, and thankfully, he was at the Heavenly Disciple stage too, so he already automatically qualified.


    [Stop thinking about it. It won''t be interesting, and judging from your history of luck, you would surely die within, Hmph!] the system said to him, pouring water on Nn''s kindled heart, and his expression rapidly dropped.


    "You just like to make me sad and depressed, don''t you?"  Nn said with a grumbling expression.


    [Tch, you''re already sad and depressed. A peasant is never happy, and you''re a peasant, remember?] the system further rubbed it in, and Nn simply decided to ignore it.


    Soon, thirty minutes passed, and there was no one in the ss, save for none other than Instructor Tiamat, who was busy fiddling with herrge textbook, and Nn, who kept swerving from pages to pages, with his eyes narrowed.


    Silence filled the ss for a long time, the only thing breaking the silence being the sound of a page being swerved, but soon, a voice broke through the silence¡­

 Chapter 77: Chat With Instructor Tiamat

    "Why aren''t you going for a break like the others?" Instructor Tiamat asked.


    She could see that it was only Nn who remained in the ss with her, and judging from how bnced he was in his seat, he didn''t seem to be moving out or having ns to do so.


    And that piqued her interest.


    "I don''t go out for the breaks," Nn replied curtly.


    "And why is that?" she asked, and Nn answered.


    "I prefer to go to the cafeteria at night. So, I remain in ss during the break time, and I also don''t enjoy crowds and too many eyes on me. So, I prefer to stay in," he replied as her golden, snake-like irises focused on him for some time before she nodded.


    "The gaze on you from the students has changed in the past few days, though. I''m sure it wouldn''t be as bad as you think it is," Instructor Tiamat chided.


    She reasoned that the only reason Nn preferred to eat during the night instead of the morning was also because of the gaze.


    But she understood that the students'' attention on him had changed in recent days.


    So why was he still afraid of attracting attention? It wouldn''t be as bad as he might think.


    "Nah, I feel better remaining here and skipping through the notes. But I can leave if that''s what you want, so I¡­" Nn said as he noticed she seemed to be trying to get him out.


    And he didn''t know how serious she was, but if she really meant it, then Nn could excuse himself for her.


    "Oh, no, it''s fine. You can remain if you want. I can''t force you," she said, quickly waving it off, and Nn delivered a grateful smile before continuing to read his book.


    Silence reigned once more, and quickly an hour and thirty minutes passed.


    The students immediately began storming in one by one, and after thirty minutes of everyone having properly rxed, Instructor Tiamat continued the ss for another four hours straight.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!


    The sound of the ringing bell could be heard, denoting it was time for the students to leave.


    Quickly, Instructor Tiamat assigned them some homework before she headed out of the ss.


    Once she left, the students also began streaming out of the ss. The same could be said for Nn.


    He could even see Wiro leaving the ss, but the fat guy made nomunication with him, so Nn also didn''t say anything to him.


    He knew he was at least fine based on how carefree he was, so he didn''t think he had anything to bother with.


    Quickly, Nn also packed up his bag before heading straight for his dorm room.


    Once he arrived, he settled down, moving to the kitchen to cook something for himself.


    Then he grabbed his bag and began doing his assignment while also reviewing the notes that were given to him.


    There was so much to learn about the rifts, such as their grades, what types of nightmare creatures aremon and which are not, and the various abilities and sses of the various nightmare creatures.


    ording to Instructor Tiamat, their rtionship and mode of conduct of the nightmare creatures would be discussed tomorrow, along with further in-depth analysis into the characteristics and attack methods of the creatures.


    He was more than interested and couldn''t wait for the day.


    Moving to his bedroom, he set the bed rm to 8:00 and zoned off.


    ---


    Soon, he was alerted by the sound of the rm and quickly he rose up, moving his way to the Kratos training room.


    This time, he was the only one inside, and therefore he was more than free to y around with the various facilities.


    By the time it was 12 at night and Nn exited, his legs were involuntarily shaking and sweat soaked his entire clothes.


    He had given it his all during training and almost regretted it. But he was still able to drag himself back home with sheer will, and hended on the bed, soon snoring off.


    The first ray of morning light came, and the cycle repeated with Nn dressing up, moving to school,ing back, and resting, then going to training, overworking the hell on his body, and then back to bed.


    It continued on and on, for six days straight, with Nn not changing a single thing.


    Right now, he could feel improvement not only in his strength but even in his bnce, and he felt more familiar with his dagger.


    He had also learned as much as he could about the rifts.


    Enough for him to know everything about it like the back of his hand.


    Today was thest day when they would be given their permission report and thest words before they went out for the mission tomorrow morning.


    So, Nn woke up very early to ensure he didn''t miss anything.


    Not surprising, there were more students who were already there, showing eagerness throughout the entire academy.


    And in a few hours, Instructor Tiamat came in, but this time not without any  textbooks and even in a casual wear.


    "So, I have been informed by the school of its final decision, which is that all of you who have reached the Heavenly Disciple stage will be leaving the academy for your first Celestial Responsibility mission at exactly 7 a.m. tomorrow morning."


    "That said, I will now record the names of you all who have reached the Heavenly Disciple stage and submit it to the mission board so you can each be assigned to your respective groups and missions."


    "If you have reached the Heavenly Disciple stage, please rise ande forth one at a time from the farthest area of the ss¡­" shemanded, and immediately, a student in the far seat rose up, with Instructor Tiamat putting down his name.


    Then another name and another, until it was eventually Nn''s turn and his name was also written down.


    That was when he observed that out of the total of 30 students in the ssroom, only a total of 9 were able to break through to the Heavenly Disciple stage within the time frame.


    The others won''t be going!


    "I now have all the names. You all can leave to get your rest now."


    "For those who don''t have their names written down, there will be no ss at all for the next week, and your new event schedule will be given tomorrow morning, so you all are required to show up at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning for your mission report and also your new schedule event for those not picked..."


    "Goodbye, and you all get your rest¡­" she called out before leaving, and immediately all the students began rising up and leaving for their dorms.

 Chapter 78: It Arrives

    The dazzling rays of sunlight shone through the shiny  window panes, bringing with them an extra warmth and a pure, invigorating air into the luxurious-looking bedroom.


    Immediately, a pair of crimson and blue eyes oped up, looking straight at the peeking gold sun in the distance.


    A grin slowly curved up his face.


    "Finally," Nn said gleefully as he jumped off the bed.


    Immediately, his hands moved as he grabbed at the bed sheet dusting it before making his bed properly.


    Once he was done with his first work, he immediately walked away, skipping into the bathroom with a little pep in his step.


    Taking a refreshing morning bath, Nn grabbed his bag, and packed his belongings.


    He carefully selected and reced his book with sev pairs of clothes¡ªthose he had prepared for the mission''s duration over the past few days.


    [Seems you are really eager for this ''Responsibility'' mission of yours...] The system teased from the side, earning a grin from Nn.


    Once everything was packed and ready for him to stay under livable conditions¡ªno matter the circumstances¡ªhe jumped straight out of the room.


    It was still a 6:30 in the early morning, so he had at least thirty minutes to get to ss, which should take him fifte minutes at most. It was safe to say he was quite early, ough to have some time to spare.


    This time, Nn could see that the studts were already out, filling the tire street as they poured into their ssrooms.


    It was a rare sight to see so many studts going to their ssrooms this early.


    Still, he was more than surprised wh he got to ss and found Instructor Tiamat already sitting within, and the ss itself already half-filled!


    "Wow," he unconsciously mused, earning the chuckles of some studts who looked at him with cocky grins. It was like they were teasing him for beingte wh he clearly wasn''t.


    "Fifte minutes to go..." Instructor Tiamat announced as Nn took his seat. Like the rest of the studts, he waited patitly.


    A little murmur could be heard from the studts, which Instructor Tiamat didn''t interrupt, and Nn used that time to amuse himself by listing to others'' gossip.


    Just t minutester and five minutes before 7:00, the ss was already filled to the brim.


    Instructor Tiamat felt no need to waste any more time, so she rose up, automatically silcing the murmurs in the room.


    She gave a small weing and supportive speech, but what Nn considered really important was what she said in the d.


    "Now, we will be moving to the Academy ports."


    "Each ss under an instructor, which means the nine of you who are eligible for the mission, will be under my authority."


    "For those of you who will remain in ss, I''ll get back to you in about an hour."


    Immediately after she said that, she rose up, giving a small "follow me," and a total of nine studts quickly followed after her, including Nn himself.


    They all left the ss under the mixed expression of the studts who couldn''te with them.


    Once outside again, Nn could see they wer''t the only studts leaving the ssroom with their instructors.


    There were also other sses going out with their instructors, and some of them ev hadrger numbers than theirs.


    ording to Nn''s information, studts who can be tagged as Neers are those who have spt less than or equal to three years in the academy or failed to break through to the Heavly Disciple stages.


    Nn himself was a Neer, due to having spt three years in the academy. He would be able to sessfully reach the second year sometime in the next few months.


    Also, due to itsrge numbers, the academy has a pretty special ranking for the studts who are Neers.


    The Neers in the academy don''t all stay in a single ss like on Earth; there were about 50 sses, each with 30 or more studts, all tagged as Neers.


    That was why it was possible for Neers to meet each other and yet have no idea who the other person was, simply because they belonged to a differt ss.


    But they could all still be referred to as Neers.


    Quickly, they all moved towards a single direction, and Nn didn''t ev need to get there before his eyes narrowed suspiciously as soon as he sighted them_Gigantic ne-like technology that resembled a helicopter in size.


    But what really surprised Nn was the shape of the nes.


    Immediately, he sighted them, one thing came into his mind...


    "Is that a UFO!?" He mused out pretty loudly.


    Ev in his past life, he used to hear strange controversies about these things, yet here it was right before his eyes! How?


    "No! Those are Aethercrafts! The best flying piece of Aether technology in the tire nes of existce."


    "Unseeable, untrackable, and indefsible. You can thank the Odin Mythological Desct for its creation..." A young man with multicolored hair and eyes called out to Nn, with a grin, and a cocky smile on his face.


    "Don''t be so cocky, you Odin bastard. Your desct isn''t the only one responsible for its creation. What about the Marduk Mythological Desct?" A studt said with a cold snort.


    "Or the Varuna Mythological Desct..." Another young man also butted in from the side.


    "Ok, ok, fine! Many Mythological Descts that focus on wisdom worked together to create the Aethercraft."


    "That''s true..." The multicolored-haired young man corrected himself, earning the satisfied humphs of the other studts.


    But soon, he skipped to Nn''s side, before whispering into his ears.


    "Still, us of the Odin Mythological Descts did the majority of the work. About 90% of it was done by us..." he whispered to Nn, who could only shake his head wh he felt the piercing gazes of the other studts on him and the young man''s body.


    This is one of the things that causes war among the various Celestial Hierarchies.

 Chapter 79: Bad Vibes

    Quickly, the various studts soon arrived before the port, where stood a colossal building.


    It was in this ce that the various instructors were to register the names of the studts under their authority, and also retrieve their mission reports.


    Nn and his remaining ssmates all headed toward a random area where their names were quickly spotted.


    Instructor Tiamat obtained the files where their mission was supposed to be.


    But just as they were about to leave the desk, a person suddly approached them.


    A middle-aged ''ali'' man, with a purple coloured skin and two ttacles like those of a cockroach on the sides of his head.


    His eyes were , and he was a full three meters tall, almost scaring the life out of Nn.


    However, the other studts remained rtively calm as they knew what type of Descdant the man was and were already used to it.


    "Instructor Tiamat. We meet again!" The man greeted, arriving before Instructor Tiamat, and stretching his hand out for a handshake.


    Instructor Tiamat also reached out hers.


    But just wh they were about to shake hands, they both suddly removed their hands together, creating a swirling whirlpool of gre and gold in the air.


    Th they proceeded to both p the back of their hands before pointing at each other''s noses.


    "Hahaha, a greeting from you is always a pleasure. There are quite a few bastardscking the aura of a gtlewoman like yours..." he said loudly, as Nn''s eyes dulled a little.


    "What was that all about?" he mused aloud, and there happed to be a studt right beside him to answer his question.


    It was  other than the multi-colored guy, the Descdant of Odin.


    "That''s the special greeting of the Anamaras. Their sse of greeting is quite, um, ''unique.'' "


    "But not many people adore it, and the Anamaras don''t like normal handshakes either."


    "So it creates this weird connection with them..." Odin exined to Nn, whose eyes brighted and he pieced the rest together.


    He had heard that various Mythological Descdants had their own distinct cultures, and something normal in one culture could be tak as disrespect in another.


    An example is the handshake.


    If Instructor Tiamat had tak it like a normal handshake, the man would have be offded due to his culture.


    But Instructor Tiamat didn''t go for the normal handshake and instead wt for the strange one, ev wh she could have insisted on the ''normal'' handshake.


    That earned her the man''s pleased eyes.


    "You''re wee. Nogili. It seems you have something pretty important for me..." Instructor Tiamat said casually.


    It was clear that they must have be familiar with each other before now.


    "Not really much. I was just giv an assignmt by Sir Astaroth..." he said and Instructor Tiamat''s rxed expression faded away, reced by seriousness and focus.


    It was clear whoever this Sir Astaroth was, he earned her absolute respect ev behind his back.


    "What did the Sirmand?" she asked.


    "He asked me toe and get a person from your group. He said his name is, um," Nogili stammered, not remembering the name and embarrassingly oped his palm where he had writt it down, calling it out weirdly.


    "Yes. A person called Nn... Gotkilled!"


    "It''s Goschald!!" Nn yelled at the man immediately upon hearing the name, and the studts burst intoughter.


    Nn Gotkilled!!? What kind of bullshit name and mistake is that?


    [MUAHAHAHA] The system''s mockingughter rang in his head as Nn scoffed.


    "Apologies for my miswording. I must have gott the wording wrong..." Sir Nogili said to Nn, quite apologetically, showing he wasn''t really trying to mock hisst name, so Nn also waved it off.


    "It''s fine..."


    "Sir Astaroth asked you to fetch Nn?" Instructor Tiamat got back to business and Nogili nodded.


    "Yes, he said he has quite a special mission for him, so I should get him. And he also added, ''if it''s fine by you, of course...''" Nogilipleted, and Instructor Tiamat''s eyes narrowed, looking at Nn, who looked back at her with a perplexed expression, before she finally gave a nod.


    "Ok, you can take him..." she finally agreed, and Nn didn''t know if it was his ears, but it seemed like Instructor Tiamat didn''t want that but seemed like she had no choice instead.


    "Good. This way, Nn Gotkilled."


    "It''s Gottschald!" Nn corrected before following after the ali man, and Instructor Tiamat and the remaining studts moved outside the building, heading to their Aethercraft to immediately embark on their giv mission.


    ''Astaroth, you sly bastard! Just what are you up to this time?''


    __________


    Nn and the purple-skinned man walked through the crowds of instructors and studts until they arrived at the far east side of the ce, where an oped elevator was waiting for them already.


    The man shifted to the side, allowing Nn to ter.


    But strangely, he didn''t ter with Nn.


    Instead, hisnky hands moved to the button, and he clicked on number 9¡ªthe highest number on the keypad¡ªbefore he retracted his hands, and the elevator door closed on Nn.


    Immediately, the g beath his feet shook a little, and Nn felt himself getting whisked upward at an incredible speed.


    Just to be safe, a milky  light appeared in Nn''s hand, and his dagger appeared in his grasp.


    He somehow wasn''t getting a good vibe from all of this.


    Instructor Tiamat didn''t seem to want him to go, and the man hade to fetch him, a little too abruptly.


    And now he was getting whisked up an elevator, without the person who fetched himing with him.


    He felt like this was some type of hidd ploy and going up the elevator¡ªIt was like he was being st into hell, and just to be safe, he felt like he needed his dagger in his arms.


    Soon, the elevator''s speed slowed down until itpletely stopped, and Nn''s hand clched the dagger harder as he heard the sound of the elevator doors oping up...


    DIIIING!

 Chapter 80: A Mission With The Godly Ten!?

    The sound of the elevator oping echoed through the room, and what Nn saw was not what he expected at all.


    On trance, he immediately felt the gaze of  people on him, followed by:


    "Wait, is that a¡­"


    "MUHAHAHAHA!!"


    Theughter was incredibly deafing and came from about five of the people before him, who allughed out loud in mockery at Nn.


    His face turned red, but he scoffed before sheathing his dagger.


    Before him was an extrarge  hall, with a total of  seats, all upied except for one in the middle, which was empty.


    In front of the seats was a dais where a man could be se sitting before a raised altar.


    It was like a small ss of studts where a lesson was currtly going on, and they had mocked Nn wh they saw the dagger in his hand and his clear bodynguage that screamed of a person ready to fight for his life.


    It was like Nn wasing into a lion''s d instead of a ss, and theughter made the situation incredibly embarrassing for him.


    But Nn didn''t regret it.


    What if a danger had jumped on his face immediately after he tered? Th he would have be sorry for not bringing out his dagger earlier.


    He loved his life too much to risk that.


    "It seems like our new guy values his life very much..." The loud and cocky voice was something Nn had heard before.


    Turning his head, he saw that it belonged to  other than Adrian! The tth of the Godly T that Nn had knocked out cold in the Kratos training room.


    With disbelief, his gaze began scanning the remaining room, and his jaw almost dropped wh he saw another figure he was familiar with.


    It was  other than the gre-haired girl with gre eyes that Nn had run into wh he wt into the cafeteria¡ªthe girl who had warned him that people were watching him.


    She was currtly looking at Nn with the same smirk on her face.


    Slowly, Nn brought out his finger, before he started counting one by one.


    "¡­¡­3¡­4¡­5¡­6¡­7¡­8¡­9, and !"


    "You¡­ You all are the Godly T!!!" Nn said in disbelief.


    He didn''t ev have to have met them before. Just from their aura alone, Nn could tell it was the famous yet strange Godly T!


    The Godly T gathered in a single room, and he was called in? Just what was going on?


    "Wee, Nn Gottschald. I hope you''re not offded by the suddness of the call."


    A voice resounded from the altar, and Nn turned his gaze to the dais.


    The person was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man with strange curly gold hair and gold eyes, like those of a hawk, staring at Nn.


    On his face was a polite smile that Nn didn''t find repulsive, at first sight.


    "Not a problem, sir," He replied respectfully, as he could already guess the man''s idtity in his head.


    He was most likely the so-called Sir Astraorth.


    The man was someone that ev the formidable Tiamat turned serious upon mtioning, so Nn knew the man deserved his absolute respect.


    "That''s good to hear. Take your seat. We''ve be waiting for you for quite a while now," he invited as Nn walked forward to thest chair in the room under the intse gaze of the Godly T, and sat down calmly.


    "Now, I want you all to focus as I give you your mission report!" Sir Astaroth called out seriously to them, and Nn''s head buzzed.


    ''I will be going on a mission together with the Godly T?!''


    [Tch, what''s so special about that? Just a group of kids with no idea of true power!] The system said mockingly, not sharing Nn''s surprise at all.


    "Your mission will require a total of  people toplete, and it seems we now have the final person. Thanks to little Adrian here..." The man called out as Nn turned his gaze to Adrian, who also happed to sh him another cocky grin.


    ''Oh, I was rmded by Adrian? Now it makes more sse¡­'' Nn mused.


    It seemed that the mission required  people, and since there were only t, they needed one more person toplete it.


    In the d, Adrian had suggested they pick someone called Nn, and he firmly believed he would be able to handle the mission with them.


    That was why Nn was here at all. He was here on rmdation.


    But isn''t it weird that they needed a person to join the Godly T and they chose the weakest trash in the academy?


    How would the remaining Godly T, who wer''t aware of his new power, feel about it?


    Were they okay with the suggestion, or did they just not care?


    The second thought came to Nn after he secretly scanned his gaze through the remaining nine people and found that their expressions were simply nk.


    It was impossible to know what they thought of him, and he could only guess that maybe they just couldn''t be bothered to care at all.


    "And it will take ce in the Fifth Realm. The Mortal World of Antis!" The man proimed, and Nn''s body wt rigid.


    "Did¡­ did I just hear the word ''Antis''?!" he mused, more than shocked, and in his shock, he asked the question aloud!


    Thankfully, not many people had their eyes on him, as they were focused on the man instead.


    "The people of Antis, ording to the Celestial Code, are better left for dead due to the errors of their past ways. Isn''t that right?" A voice sounded, ringing through the hall from one of the Godly T.


    "They vtured into the secrets of Celestials, too far beyond, and failed to list to us, the Celestial Heirs, evtually sinking themselves into their doom."


    "Their matters is something we Celestial Heirs shouldn''t be bothered with at all."


    "So why are we going there to save them from anything at all? That goes against the Celestial Codes, doesn''t it?"

 Chapter 81: The Mission Report

    The curious question came from one of the figures sitting on the far side of the chair, a four seats to Nn''s right hand.


    He was a mature, light-brown-skinned young man, seemingly in his early twties, with polished dark hair and sere dark eyes.


    His mode and manner of speaking were calm and well-constructed, and with his spectacles on, he seemed like a refined schr of Earth¡ªone with seemingly great knowledge.


    The others in their seats had neutral expressions on their faces,  of them moving to refute the young man, and all their atttion was on Sir Astaroth instead.


    It seemed like it was a question they all wanted to hear the answer to, based on how serious thier atttion was on the man.


    "You make a good point, Oliver," Sir Astaroth said, and Nn took note of the name.


    "Perhaps it would do us all a favor if I were to mtion how and why the Celestial Code was created for Antis, and why we have chos to abandon the Anteans for good..." Sir Astaroth continued, and everyone remained silt, waiting for his exnation.


    Ev though everyone of them already know what it is or would be, maybe except for Nn. It would be nice to hear from a differt and higher perspective.


    Nn, too, had his ears piqued to the max, as he had close to no idea what kind of people the Anteans were or what the Celestial Code mtioned by Oliver was.


    He didn''t like the idea of going on a mission where he knew nothing, so he nned to sit still and glean as much information as possible.


    "The Realm of Antis is a thriving world, blessed by the god Poseidon due to his good rtionship with an Antean," Sir Astaroth began.


    "A prosperous realm infused with the divine essce of Poseidon, turning it into a world of unparalleled beauty, advanced civilization, and powerful magic that ev attracted the vy of some Celestial Heirs," he said with a wild grin on his face, as if remembering something from the past.


    "However, as time passed, the Anteans grew arrogant."


    "They began to see themselves as equals to the gods, challging the divine order and seeking to transcd their mortal limitations."


    "They experimted with forbidd magics, delving into the mysteries of the cosmos, and ev attempted to harness Poseidon''s essce for themselves."


    "The result?" Sir Astaroth paused, and a person from the group responded.


    "Absolute decimation of their tire realm, due to an explosion of the ergy core they tried to use to harness the essce of a true god," Oliver replied, and Sir Astaroth nodded.


    "The once-great civilization was brought to its knees, its cities reduced to ruins, and its people scattered."


    "Th the mighty Celestial Ones decreed a Celestial Code that forbade most Celestial Heirs from ever setting foot in Antis, condemning the realm to istion and abandonmt."


    "This code was forced to prevt any further tampering with the divine order and to sure that the Anteans'' ambitions would never threat the bnce again," he finished, and Nn could finally understand the gravity of the situation from his words.


    "But now, the bnce of the cosmos is swaying once more, and we have traced its sources."


    "One of the major footholds of this sway is  other than Antis itself," Sir Astaroth said, and Nn noted how the gazes of the Godly T sharped.


    They were more aware than him of the consequces of the world bnce daring to sway and the idea of its source being from Antis¡ªthat mad realm¡ªwas ough to make any Celestial Heir sit up properly.


    "ording to the information we have, we believe that the eruption of the Atnta machine that destroyed Antis created a rift in space, allowing Nightmare creatures to ter."


    "And if we know the Anteans well, it is that they are very smart, and making deals with the Nightmare creatures for them to regain their former glory and power back isn''t something impossible.


    "If the Anteans gain the power of the Nightmare creatures and return to their past glory, the destruction they would bring to the order would be nothing short of catastrophic."


    "Therefore, the academy intds to close up the rift as quickly as possible before it fully ops.


    "That is why you all are sitting before me. The elev of you are being giv a single mission by the academy!" Sir Astaroth dered, his voice filled with seriousness and unparalleled focus.


    "You elev are to vture into the realms of Antis, close up the rift that was oped by the Anta machine, and destroy any Nightmare creatures or rtions formed by the Anteans with the Nightmare creatures!"


    "Do this, and you will have sessfully helped maintain the bnce of the cosmos."


    "And any good, ev if as small as a grain of sand, shall be rewarded handsomely by the Celestial Ones."


    "What if we fail?" The question immediately rang out from Nn''s side, this time from another young man in his twties.


    He had gold hair that fell to the side of his face, with snowy  skin and dull blue eyes.


    His face and eyes were as sharp as a de, and staring at him gave one the illusion that they were looking at a sheathed sword.


    As for what would be unleashed if the sword was to be unsheathed, it was probably better for  to know.


    The young man''s question was simple and direct.


    They might hail themselves as the Godly T, but there always exists a chance of failure just as there exists a chance of sess for anyone.


    So what if they failed? Would there be some sort of backup n or...


    "If you fail this mission giv to you by the Institute, Farris..." Sir Astaroth said as he scanned through the studts, calling out to the gold-haired man by name.


    "Only a single fate awaits you all!" Sir Astaroth dered anf everyone''s eyes narrowed.


    "DEATH!" The voice boomed through the hall, causing Nn''s heart to shot up a beat.

 Chapter 82: Dangerous Sir Astaroth

    "What?!" Nm screamed out in shock, and being the only one, his voice resonated quite loudly, further aided by the silce of the hall, after Sir Astaroth''s words.


    "To repeat myself clearly once more."


    "The only fate that awaits you all if you fail this mission is death, because the barrier that surs and protects the world from Antis can only be sustained for a week once we forcefully op it up." Sir Astaroth proceeded to exin the reason, and everyone quieted down.


    "The first oping is what will allow you all to ter Antis as discreetly as possible, and it will only remain op like this for sev days."


    "If you all cannotplete the mission in sev days, th the realm doors will shut close by themselves."


    "If that happs, you will all be forever trapped in Antis, never again to see the cosmos once more."


    "And if that happs, there''s no differce betwe you and a dead Celestial Heir. So you all will be dead!"


    Sir Astaroth exined, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing that.


    It seemed the death he was talking about wasn''t as direct as he meant it to be. His death was that they would be trapped within the Lost Realm, most likely forever.


    "Can''t the academy just op another portal if the first one closes in a week?" This time the voice was feminine and soft, belonging to an oval-shaped faceddy with long purple hair that fell a her shoulders.


    The aura that sured her was like a goddess sitting among mortals, neither oozing with disdain nor love.


    "The academy can op another portal, but it will take at least 500 years for that to happ."


    "The majority of you here won''t be able to live past 300 years."


    "So yes, you would be close to death by th and be no differt from being dead. So know now that the academy cannot save you!" Sir Astaroth said as the hall quieted down a little.


    "Tch. If you''re all scared of death, th just sit down and don''t go..." An uninterested and bored voice rang out as everyone turned their gaze to the side, where a blindfolded young man could be se, with both palms ced behind the back of his head.


    "The academy isn''t forcing us, are they?" Hepleted, as he turned his head to the side of Sir Astaroth.


    "Yes, the academy is not forcing any of you to partake in this mission."


    "You all can turn away if you want, especially you, Nn. It is understandable if you do so, as this is just too abrupt for you...." Sir Astaroth said, looking firmly at Nn.


    "Call me wh we''re leaving. I need to take a pee..." The bored voice rang out wh everyone was waiting for Nn''s answer as the blindfolded young man rose from his seat and, without seeking permission from Sir Astaroth, continued to the exit.


    But Sir Astaroth didn''t seem to mind at all, only smiling casually before returning his atttion to Nn.


    Now Nn was stuck betwe two hard decisions.


    He had only found himself here because he had be rmded by a godly t, and the academy had allowed him to go on a mission with them.


    But th the mission seems too difficult and life-threating for him.


    It made sse in every way to simply back out right now.


    [Main Quest Activated!]


    [Follow the godly t and partake in the mission to save Antis, and therefore the bnce of the world.]


    [Reward: ??]


    The notification suddly shed before his face, followed by the system''s voice.


    [It will do you good if you do so. Not just to protect your image or to look tough, but for your own personal growth.]


    [Many things are to be learned from the Lost World of Antis, and this might just be your only chance to go there...]


    "I choose to go on the mission, and I have no hard feelings toward anyone if I d up trapped or dead during its duration..." He finally made his decision, his voice filled with resolve.


    "Ok th. You''ll be allowed to go on the mission too. I''m guessing the rest of you have already agreed to go on the mission already, isn''t that right?"


    Sir Astaroth said as he looked at the remaining godly t who all had smiles on their faces as they looked at Nn.


    And only now did Nn''s eyes sh


    "Could... could it be?"


    [They will all take part in the mission already. My guess is that they all asked those questions just to test you and see your decision. Pretty smart y, don''t you think?] The system broke to him, as Nn exhaled.


    The people a him were already willing to go on the mission ev though they knew there was a possibility of death.


    It was either they were ready to die, or they had an unconflicting belief in themselves that they would never fail.


    All the questions from Sir Astaroth were to water down Nn''s will and make him give up.


    This, the Godly t also knew.


    If he had giv up, they would at least eliminate a person who is weak-hearted away from their group.


    Having a person who isn''t sure in himself isn''t a headache they would love to handle in the heat of the mission.


    But it seems the young man possessed some backbone and agreed. That at least gave him the basic fundamtals to work together with them.


    "The location and geographical points have be input into your spaceship."


    "I believe following that, Oliver would be able to drive you all to the destination."


    "Isn''t that right, Oliver?" Sir Astaroth called out as he turned to the schrly-looking young man who gave a simple nod of reassurance.


    "Good, let me help you all to your Aethercraft." Sir Astaroth said, gesturing down, and they all headed for the door, where a certain blindfolded person was already waiting for them.


    Together they moved into the port, toward a particr Aethercraft amongst the multitudes.

 Chapter 83: Leaving The Academy

    Calmly and unhurriedly, the Godly T moved out, along with Nn and Sir Astaroth, arriving outside the port where there were currtly about a hundred remaining Aethercrafts.


    The majority of the studts had already left for their respective missions, exining the decrease in the number of ships.


    But instead of just taking one of the Aethercrafts, they watched as an object suddly appeared in the far distance and, in less than t seconds,nded before them all.


    Siltly and soundlessly, ev though it had approached at a mind-numbing speed, it was almost like it had simply zapped itself in and out of existce, crossing thousands of meters with a single zap!


    "A teleporting Aethercraft, huh? Seems like the Academy is really serious about this mission..." The excited and loud voice rang out from among the Godly T, belonging to  other than the girl with the gre hair and tattoos that Nn had noticed in the cafeteria once before.


    Among the Godly T, she seemed the most free and jumpy, seemingly uncaring and emanating  of the faintly serious aura that usually covered the other Godly T at all times.


    "This Aethercraft is just returning from the farthest to the lost realm of Antis. Not only has it be infused with the direction beforehand, but it has also be updated with new information and saved in the profile of the journey that lies ahead to reach the ce."


    "That should help you avoid any unforese situations."


    "You don''t have to press anything on it for it to take you to the realm and it can patitly wait for you once you arrive in the realm of Antis, for an tire month before it returns."


    "Hopefully, it returns with all of you on board..." Sir Astaroth prayed as the gate to the Aethercraft oped up, and immediately, they all began walking into it.


    Quickly, it shut back on theirplete trance.


    Thest image Nn saw was the sight of Sir Astaroth waving at them...


    Once the gate closed, Sir Astaroth witnessed the ne light up brilliantly, re-calcting itself, and slowly it rose up into the air before suddly it blinked and disappeared into the void of space, leaving not ev the tiniest remnant to remind everyone of its passing.


    "I hope you all can keep your sessful mission streak after this..." Sir Astaroth said, his voicecking any form of empathy.


    Th he turned his back on them, a grin that bothered on the corner of evilying on his normally serious face.


    _________


    "Don''t just stand there, you bastard! Let''s go check out the rooms!" The excited voice rang out in Nn''s ears as he felt a hand wrap a his shoulder and drag him away from the craft.


    The figure belonged to  other than Adrian, who dragged him forward.


    They all moved away from the trance, arriving in an incrediblyrge living room that could almost rival an tire hall in size!


    It had  sofas, an extra gigantic ss table, and everything within was spotlessly  and clean.


    A the hall were other doors, and at the far d of the hall was a single door in gre. They counted a total of elev doors in the ship, and thest one at the d of the hall was easily guessed to be the pilot room.


    That meant they all already had their own rooms, but it also surprised Nn as he thought of something.


    Suddly, he felt the prickling gaze of someone on him, and he turned his head, finding someone looking at him with a calm gaze before they took their gaze away and headed to the pilot room.


    That person was  other than Oliver, the schrly young man, and quickly he disappeared into the room.


    "I''m going to sleep. I''ll kill you if you disturb me..." The loud announcemt rang out, and it came from  other than the one with the blindfold.


    A few giggles could be heard from the girls, and ev some of the males grinned widely as they watched the young man disappear into one of the random doors.


    Quickly, the three girls in the group grabbed each other and skipped to the next few doors on the side.


    "The three are tak!" The gre-haired girl loudly announced as the girls poured into a single room, the sound of surprised ''Waah'' ringing out loudly, a momtter.


    Now with Oliver gone to the pilot room, and the sleepy blindfold guy also into another room, along with the three girls in the group.


    The others left were Nn, Adrian, Farris¡ªthe gold-haired young man with a gaze as sharp as des, and a total of three other guys.


    Guys that surprised Nn a bit.


    And the reason was simple. They all lookedpletely alike in every respect, with the only differce being the colors of their eyes.


    But not only that, they were also all uniformly tall, a .9 meters, matching ev Nn''s pretty exceptional height, and they also all looked at Nn as he stared back at them.


    For a few seconds, the four simply kept looking at each other, with Nn also staring at them with his same deadpan expression.


    "Knock it off, you big oafs!" Adrian''s voice resounded as a grin curved on all of the trio''s lips at the same time.


    "He..."


    "Seems..."


    "Interesting..."


    The voices resounded absolutely normally, yet Nn''s eyes morphed into a more strange expression.


    The truth was, it wasn''t only a single person that talked but all three of them! Yet, they talked with such synchronization that it was impossible for anyone to notice it was three talking if they didn''t look at their lips.


    Chuckles escaped their lips as they slowly moved away and walked to the room at the far side, close to the one where the blindfolded guy wt, and now it left just three rooms avable and unfilled.


    They should belong to Nn, Adrian, and Oliver, who was currtly in the pilot room.


    "Don''t mind the V''s. Theye across as annoying at first nce..."


    "The V''s?"

 Chapter 84: Familiarizing With The Godly Ten

    Nn asked as they both walked towards one of the rooms. Adrain oped one of thest three doors, and Nn decided to follow him, checking out how the other rooms looked before moving to his own.


    Inside the room before them was a singlerge bed that could easily fit five m sleeping side by side. That was just how spacious it was.


    There were two other doors on the side: one leading to the bathroom and the other to the kitch. Everything was tied in  and designed luxuriously, just like the rest of the ce.


    The shape of the Athercraft was arge living room for everyone and th a personal bedroom for each person.


    "Yeah, the V''s. We call them the V''s, not only because they are triplets but also because their names start with ''V''," Adrain called out as he walked towards a cupboard at the side.


    "Oh really?" Nn asked, moving to the kitch and breathing out in relief wh he saw the cab filled to the brim. He could rest easy knowing that the other rooms were also the same.


    "Yeah, they are. d, Von, and Vus," Adrain replied with a grin that soon spread to his very ears.


    Ev he, that had spt a long time and had embarked on various mission, boosting his familiarity with them, found the triplets nothing short of an amazing trio.


    "How do you ev recognize them? They all look so alike," Nn said, remembering how he had be gobsmacked by the three brothers seeming singrity.


    "Nah, it''s fine. You''ll know them by their personalities. They may look alike, but they are not alike at all in character. For now, you can distinguish them by the color of their eyes. d has red eyes, Von has gold eyes, and Vus has both red and gold eyes. It''s as simple as that," Adrain exined, and Nn nodded continuously.


    "What about that guy with the blindfold?" Nn asked, his interest piqued. What had attracted Nn''s atttion to him was his "I don''t give a damn" aura.


    "Oh, that''s Gojo. Don''t fall for him," Adrain said as Nn paused and raised an eyebrow at him.


    "What do you mean by that?" Nn asked.


    "Doesn''t he seem uncaring at first? As if he wouldn''t stop sleeping ev if the world a him was copsing?" Adrain said, and Nn nodded.


    "Yeah, he does."


    "Well, that''s not true. He''s the one who cares the most about everything," Adrain said, and Nn chuckled.


    "Th what about that Oliver guy? He seems smart," Nn said, and he nodded as he came out of the kitch, carrying a tray with two cups of coffee.


    "Let''s go out," he called out to him as he headed for the door.


    "Don''t worry, I know you''re not gay," he added with a grin at Nn, who rolled his eyes at the joke as he followed him to the sitting room.


    They happed to witness the girls scurrying to another room to check it out, and both took their seats.


    Nn didn''t dwell much on pleasantries and grabbed a coffee off the table.


    He could tell Adrain''s personality was pretty straightforward, so there was no need to be overly respectful a him.


    He just acted like his normal self.


    "Oliver is the brain of the group. He doesn''t just seem smart; he is smart! All of Odin''s descdants are," Adrain called out as Nn''s eyes shed while he nodded his head.


    "What about him?" Nn asked, looking to the side, where a gold-haired young man could be seing out of his room and heading towards the pilot room, with a towel in his hands and water dripping from his hair.


    It was clear he had just tak a shower.


    "That''s Farris. He''s like an ancit knight or nobleman. He believes in respect, so respect it," Adrain said, and he seemed pretty serious wh talking about Farris, unlike the others.


    "The girls are just three among the group?" Nn asked, and Adrain nodded.


    "Yeah, but be wary of Celestia and Gaia though" Adrain whispered to Nn, his eyes scanning a cautiously.


    It was like he didn''t want to let the people whom he spoke about to hear his word.


    But his expression also didn''t seem serious ough and that made it pretty hard to tell which was which.


    "I CAN STILL HEAR YOU, ADRIAN, YOU BASTARD!" The yell came from the room, and Adrain shrugged his shoulders helplessly.


    Nn found the voice more than familiar.


    "I''m guessing she''s Gaia, and that god-like girl is Celestia?" Nn asked, and Adrain nodded.


    "You have quite the good eye, too. Thest girl is Abu. She is the oldest among us and the most normal one."


    "YOU''RE COURTING DEATH, ADRIAN!" The yell came from afar again, and this time it was pretty serious. Serious ough for Adrain to shut his mouth.


    It seemed to Nn that Gaia was the most fiery among the tire group.


    "It doesn''t seem like you all ev rank each other at all," Nn observed, and Adrain nodded.


    "We don''t care about the ranking, nor the name."


    "It''s you all that came up with the ''godly t'' or whatever else you guys call it," Adrain said, and Nn nodded in realization.


    He had noticed that the rtionship among the t didn''t seem hierarchical, which should have be the case if they were all conscious of their numbers.


    But he couldn''t see that, so he guessed they just didn''t care about rankings.


    And actually, Nn loved such an association.


    It was like they were all just frids together instead of some kind of rivals.


    "It seems you also need to do a little introduction to them, too. Just say it loud; I''m sure they''re all eavesdropping on our conversation right now," Adrain said with a grin as Nn looked a the ce.


    He could swear he heard the sound of small giggles ringing through the room.


    "No need to exin yourself; we already know who you are..."

 Chapter 85: Their Suspicions

    The voice rang out from one of the rooms, and the door oped, revealing a figure¡ª other than one of the triplets.


    He had a pair of crimson-red eyes, most simr to the colour of human blood and Nn guessed he was the one called d.


    d walked out, a can of juice in his hand and a smile on his face as he approached Nn''s side and draped an arm over his shoulder.


    "You''re Nn, the famous trash of the academy. Ev the creator of the academy, whoever they are, must know you..." d said, asughter erupted from the remaining rooms.


    "Ev the godly t can only be jealous of your fame..." The feminine voice, belonging to  other than Gaia, rang out as the girls left the room they were checking and tered the third one to explore it.


    Nn could only grin in embarrassmt.


    Honestly, he never thought he was so famous¡ªfamous to the point that ev the godly t knew him.


    It was something a bit funny and embarrassing, as while the Godly t themselves are famous for something positive like strgth, and pottial.


    He was Instead famous for being a trash.


    And it was true. Nn was just too abnormal to not raise the eyebrow of anyone who heard his name and peculiarities.


    A Celestial Heir who couldn''t control his divine essce? It was no doubt atttion-piquing.


    "You seem to know the little devil a bit. How do you ev get along with a bonehead like him?"


    "He just mtioned your name out of the blue. I thought he was joking at first..." d said to him, ncing at Adrian, who rolled his eyes.


    Nn was beginning to understand how he found himself here at all.


    It waspletely random luck.


    Whether that luck was good or bad, only time would tell.


    "He didn''t tell you?" Nn replied as d shook his head.


    "I met him wh I visited the training room. He has the Kratos Bloodline too. Guess what he said to me wh I first met him..." Adrian said, as d''s ears perked up.


    "What did he say?"


    "He said I was unworthy of being one of the godly t!"


    "HAHAHA!"


    "GIGGLE!"


    "HAHAHA!"


    "HAHAHA!"


    Laughter boomed throughout the spaceship.


    It came not only from d but from his remaining brothers and ev the girls in the room behind them.


    "He said that!?" d asked, looking at Nn in disbelief.


    "Yes, he did. And do you know how we settled it?" Adrian asked, as d''s interest piqued to the maximum.


    "I''m guessing someone got knocked out right th and there..." he said, with the girls giggling ev more.


    "Yes, someone got knocked out, and it wasn''t him..." Adrian confirmed, as dughed out loud but suddly stopped.


    His ears perked up, and the sound seemed to fade away from the ship, almost like a vacuum erupted and sucked away the air.


    "What did you just say?" He asked, just to be sure he heard right.


    "I proposed a light spar, and he agreed. Five minutester, I woke up, tearing myself from the wall, and he was nowhere to be found..." Adrian said, and absolute silce resumed with d simply alternating his gaze betwe Nn and Adrian.


    "You got knocked out by him?" d asked in shock.


    "Yes, I did..." Adrian confirmed, and in the next instant, d''s two remaining brothers came into the sitting room, and ev the guy who was wearing a blindfold came out, despite saying he wanted to sleep.


    It was absolutely shocking to them that Adrian got knocked out by the trashiest trash in the academy.


    He might be the weakest amongst them, but they don''t call him the little devil for nothing.


    "It wasn''t as simple as he said it..." Nn interrupted.


    "How did the fight ev take ce?" Vus asked, and Nn looked at Adrian with a cunning smirk before replying.


    "He didn''t take the fight seriously..." Nn responded, and they all looked at Adrian, who could only remain silt.


    "I wt all out immediately, lowered his guard, and th caught him off guard."


    "He tried to use his third ability, but it was toote, and he got knocked out."


    "I knew I would be dead if he woke up, so I quickly retreated from the sce..."  Nn said with a wild grin, as the others pointed at Adrian''s face andughed ev harder at him.


    Strangely, theirughter all rhymed together, making it resemble an angelic choir, and that just made Nn grin uncontrobly.


    "You know, I still hav''t repaid you for that yet..." Adrian said as Nn smiled shamelessly.


    "Don''t worry, you don''t need to. It''s all in the past now..." Nn said, resulting in the trioughing out loud ev more.


    "But still, Adrian used his first two abilities, right? The trash of the academy shouldn''t be able to match that, should he?"


    "I heard they can make you fall by simply manipting the Divine Essce in your legs?" The guy with the blindfold said as he snatched away d''s juice can by simply stretching his hand towards it on the table, gulping it down as d rolled his eyes.


    "I heard rectly that it was all a lie, and he had just be plotting it..." The voice came from  other than the pilot room, as Oliver, the schrly-looking young man, exined all that he knew about the news report.


    It surprised ev Nn a little that the young man had ev caught on to his lie.


    "Many things don''t add up, though. And it still doesn''t exin the fact that I feel like I can still control your divine essce."


    "So, I''m guessing your answer only covers half the truth, or it''s just aplete fabrication..." Oliver said, as he came to sit before Nn, staring at him straight in the eyes.


    A faint tsion filled the air, as Oliver was too smart to believe all of Nn''s lies.


    "What are you hiding, Nn Gottschald?"

 Chapter 86: Skirmish With Gaia 1

    The pressure in the room seemed to have doubled, with the air around seemingly pausing from Oliver''s narrowed stare.


    But soon, a voice rang out and broke the tension.


    "Leave the poor boy alone. He already said his piece; it''s not up to him whether you choose to believe him or not..."


    The voice came from none other than the oldest-lookingdy, who walked over to them.


    She grabbed Oliver by the ear and pulled him off the seat, dragging him away to his room.


    "Leave me alone!" Oliver screamed as he tried to escape her grasp, but Nn watched with interest as orange-colored chains suddenly moved out of her hands and wrapped tightly around Oliver, constricting him until he couldn''t move an inch.


    She then dragged him away from the ce.


    CLINK!


    The sound of the pilot room door unlocking echoed through the room, just as a golden-haired guy walked into the room, his eyebrows furrowed.


    "At our current speed, we''ll reach the realm of Antis in exactly 12 hours. We need to discuss our ns before then."


    "How about a meeting three hours from now?" Ferris said to everyone.


    Nn watched as they shrugged their shoulders, indicating their willingness and eptance.


    They really weren''t doing anything, nor did they have anything else to do, so why not?


    Ferris walked back to his room after saying that, and the others also left for their rooms, leaving Nn alone in therge living room.


    He rested his back on the chair when a thought suddenly urred to him.


    ''That reminds me. Ipleted some quests earlier...'' He thought to himself and quickly activated the system interface.


    ---


    [System Interface]


    [Quests]


    [Congrattions, you havepleted the quest: Spar with a godly ten.]


    [Rewards: +1000 EXP gained.]


    [Congrattions, you havepleted the quest: Survive the encroachment of the shadow ones.]


    [Rewards:


    1. +2 Level Up Cards


    2. +3000 EXP!]


    ---


    STEP. STEP. STEP.


    The sound of footsteps rang out nearby, but Nn didn''t pay much attention, focused on the system''s interface before him instead.


    ---


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottscahld]


    [Age: 16]


    [Title: God''s Apostle]


    [Level: 18]


    [EXP: 5500/9000]


    [Level Up Cards: 4]


    [Does Host wish to Level Up?]The system asked Nn, who responded,


    ''No.''


    The strength he currently possessed was enough to give him a sense of security. So he found no need to increase his strength just yet.


    With a thought, the panel disappeared from Nn''s vision, but his mind soon directed him back to the footsteps he heard, couple minutes back.


    Turning his face to the side, he jerked his head back when he found a face mere inches from his...


    "What the!?" Nn shouted in shock as he looked at the figure before him. He rolled his eyes and shifted away from her.


    "What are you looking for this time..." Nn asked, and the answer he received was a burst of loud giggles ringing out directly in his ear.


    "Someone seems offended..." Gaia teased, her green hair falling over her face as she grinned at him.


    Nn furrowed his eyebrows before rxing them.


    "I''m not. So, what do you want?"


    The girl beside him was none other than the green-haired girl he''d met in the cafeteria.


    The one who had sent him mming into the wall and whispered to him that certain people had their eyes on him.


    To Nn, she was a bit too jumpy and mysterious, so he wanted to keep his distance, even though he had a system quest involving her. It was something he wouldplete, but not here, not now.


    "Arrrgggh," a sudden groan of pain left Nn''s lips as he felt a figure roughly m into his chest.


    "Get off me!" he screamed as he tried to push away the figure sitting on him, but he found his fingers interlocked with a slightly cold pair of hands.


    His hands were pinned down to the sofa, and immediately, veins bulged on Nn''s arms as he tried to push her hands back.


    But no matter how much his hands expanded, it only worsened the pressure on his arms until they mmed back down onto the sofa.


    GIGGLE!


    The giggling rang out from Gaia as she looked at Nn''s disbelieving expression.


    "You''ve grown slightly stronger thanst time..." she whispered to him, her hot breath all over his face. But soon, Nn''s shock faded, reced by an evil grin.


    "You forgot about my legs..." Nn mused. Before Gaia could make another move, Nn''s legs instantly rose up and wrapped around her waist.


    In the next instant, he rolled off the chair.


    The sudden momentum was enough to make Gaia wobble, and she fell off the seat with Nn.


    She had been on top of him before, but when they turned, he ended up being the one on top. Then...


    THUMP!


    A loud thud echoed as Gaia mmed her back onto the tiled floor, with Nn right above her. Her hold on him slipped for a moment, causing him to slip away.


    Nn quickly jumped back,nding on his butt, but in the next instant, he was sent flying backward as Gaia suddenly knocked into him, sending him rolling on the ground.


    He found himself back in the position he thought he had escaped from.


    "You''ve be more feisty than I remembered..." Gaia whispered into his ear.


    "Than you remembered?" Nn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do I know you?"


    Gaia''s eyes remained dazed for a moment as she looked into Nn''s eyes, finding not the slightest trace of a lie within them.


    With her moment of hesitation, Nn used the opportunity to quickly turn himself over, and gently kicked with all of his strength, sending her flying off him.


    He jumped to his feet, but the world shed with speed, and he felt his back m hard against the wall, with her already before him once more.


    "Arrggh"


    "Tell me again that you don''t know who I am..." The voice sounded in Nn''s ear as he turned his gaze up to look at Gaia, but was bit surprised seeing something.


    Something he had never seen on her before.

 Chapter 87: Skirmish With Gaia 2

    This time, Nn''s expression of struggle faded away as he felt the weight of Gaia''s body suddenly be a thousand times heavier, rendering him unable to move an inch.


    He was surprised by the sudden change as he looked into Gaia''s green eyes, noticing that the yfulness in them had disappeared.


    Now, they were filled with utmost seriousness and some kind of disbelief that made his heartbeat echo loudly through his body.


    "Tell me, that you don''t know me?" she repeated, and from her tone, Nn could tell she was no longer joking.


    This created a problem!


    It seemed he ought to know her¡ªor at least, the previous Nn ought to.


    Nut Nn had zero idea who she was.


    He couldn''t find anything within his memories, even after scanning through them three times.


    "I... I don''t... I lost some memories. I''m sorry," he whispered back to her. He could see how she studied his face with seriousness before a smile slowly crept up on her face.


    "You don''t seem to be lying. How did you lose your memories?" she asked.


    "Can you at least give me some breathing space?" Nn replied, and Gaia finally realized how hard she was pressing him against the wall.


    She backed off, retreating five meters away, and Nn took a deep breath as he looked at her with disbelief.


    ''Just how strong is she?'' Nn couldn''t help but ask the system.


    [Your current strength stats point is 100, right? They all should be at least 120 in stats points, with the only exceptions being Adrian and Oliver.]


    [They both should be the weakest in the group.] The system exined to Nn, who could only suck in a deep breath.


    It had to be known that the Godly Ten were also just Neers too. The average strength point of a Celestial heir should be around 30 max! Yet their stats point is like 120!


    Just how strong were they, and how could there be such a wild difference to the rest of their ssmates?"


    Now he understood why they were called the Godly Ten.


    Straightening his ruffled clothes, Nn walked towards Gaia, and while it seemed he wanted to run into her, he slipped behind her as he continued on his way, returning to his seat, andying back, preparing to doze off.


    "You! What do you think you''re doing?" Gaia, expecting her answers, was speechless when she saw him return to the seat, preparing to doze off.


    "It seems someone is challenging my wrestling skills..." Gaia called out as she slowly walked towards Nn, her hands reaching for him, only to stop in the air when she felt a ming dagger pointed at her nose.


    "Back off," Nn''s voice rang out as he opened one of his eyes, looking at her seriously and coldly.


    He didn''t find a girl wrapping around him like a snake funny or enjoyable, and it made him feel weird and unsafe¡ªespecially with someone as strong as her.


    Such closeness, and one could fall to the ground dead in a blink. He might be going on a mission with them, but he didn''t trust them being so close to him.


    "What will you do if I don''t, kill me?" Gaia said with a hmph and Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    This scene reminded him of when he had met with Adrian. The godly ten just seemed to possess a special type of stubbornness that he couldn''t quite grasp well.


    "Go away..." Nn repeated.


    "I will leave you alone after I get my answers," Gaia said, not backing down at all.


    Nn looked at her with one opened eyeball for a while before the dagger faded back into his hand.


    "I lost half my memories a couple of days ago. Don''t ask how; it''s an embarrassing story. There are many things I don''t know¡ªnot even the cultivation stages, or the Celestial realm itself, and definitely not your face. I''m a nk sheet right now," Nn said, and Gaia''s eyes narrowed in seriousness.


    She could tell Nn wasn''t joking around with her.


    "So that''s your answer. I don''t know you. I might remember if you tell me, but I''d rather not know you," Nn said as Gaiaughed out loud,ing to sit beside him.


    "Why don''t you want to know me?" she asked, her big green eyes mere inches from his one open eye.


    "Because... you''re not my type!" Nn replied with a matter-of-fact tone.


    "Ohh, then what is your type?"


    "That''s personal," he responded.


    "I want to know it!" she insisted, and Nn simply huffed in her face.


    "Hmph. You''re not my type either," Gaia said with a huff after seeing how Nn didn''t n on talking.


    But she saw his lips move.


    "I''m blessed then..."


    "What did you say?" Gaia asked, her voice high-pitched, and Nn could swear he felt the air around him seem like a vacuum of space.


    "Nothing," he replied to her, and she was about to pester him when the door opened, revealing none other than the pink-haired girl with the strange divine aura.


    She had changed from her extra-long pink gown to a more casual shirt and trousers, and in her hands was a juice box from which she took sips.


    Her unsettlingly calm eyes looked at Gaia, whose big eyeballs were inches from Nn''s head, and she rolled her eyes before taking a seat opposite them.


    "Leave him alone, Gaia," her calm voice resounded through the living room.


    "I think I want to make him my new boyfriend, Celestia. What do you think?" Gaia said as she looked at Nn, whose second eye snapped open from shock, with a grin.


    "I''m thinking about what really happened with the past five ones you had before."


    "They all suddenly disappeared one by one, not a trace of them to be found at all," Celesta replied, as Nn sat up from his seat in shock, looking from Gaia to Celestine and then back to Gaia, and then back to Celestine...


    "She did what?"

 Chapter 88: Olivers Suspicions

    Nn asked in shock as a slight grin curved on Celestia''s lips. His reaction was strangely amusing to her.


    She turned to look at Gaia, almost like seeking permission to report her actions to him and Nn only felt a chill crawling up his spine on seeing thier interaction.


    It was like two murderers wondering to themselves if they should tell the police man of their kill count or to report the heinous crimes that one of them had done since the far past.


    It was nothing but a chilling experience...


    "Don''t worry about it. You will be different..." Gaia''s voice rang out as Nn looked warily at the twodies.


    In a way, he felt like he was looking at two hungry, psychopathic beasts, which prompted him to rise and move towards the far end of the seat before continuing his nap.


    Fortunately, Gaia finally let him be, skipping to Celestia''s side, and the two girls engaged in their endless gossip, finally giving Nn some breathing space.


    Time quickly passed, and exactly three hourster, the door to every room opened as all of them walked toward the living room.


    Nn''s eyes immediately snapped open as he sat upright. It was finally time for their meeting.


    With the seats arranged in a circr format, it enabled everyone to see each other clearly as they all sat down in a circle.


    "The reason we called this meeting is simple: to review the n for the mission. I believe everyone is here because they know and ept that they will be useful during the mission, right?" Oliver spoke up first as he turned his serious gaze to Nn.


    Of course, the godly ten already knew they would be actively participating in the mission, but whether Nn would actively partake or remain on standby was still uncertain.


    Such indecision, or having to force him to participate, might lead to headaches during the mission. This was something Oliver needed to rify.


    "I will do my best to ensure the mission seeds," Nn replied curtly, seeing the gazes on him, and made his tone clear once and for all.


    "Good, then. I guess we''re all on the same page. Let''s dive in..."


    "ording to my observations, before and after we boarded the ship, I can confidently say we''re being sent to a sure death-hole by none other than Sir Astaroth," Oliver stated matter-of-factly, and everyone unconsciously turned their utmost attention to him.


    "What do you mean by that?" Abu asked, and Oliver proceeded to exin.


    "My reasoning is simple. The first suspicious thing about this mission is that we needed a total of eleven people instead of ten." Oliver said, as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "We, the godly ten, have gone on different missions now¡ªa total of nine to be exact¡ªand in every one of them, we''ve been sessful."


    "Not once has the academy ever tried to separate us or add someone to our group. We were always the godly ten, going in and out on every mission, exactly ten."


    "This is the first mission where we''ve been given an extra person to join, supposedly to make things easier. And it''s safe to say, the academy isn''t the one pushing for this mission. It''s Sir Astaroth himself..." Oliver pointed out his first observation, and while it had the other godly ten narrowing their eyes, Nn wasn''t entirely convinced.


    "Secondly, there''s the design of this Aethercraft."


    "It has exactly eleven rooms. ording to what we were told by Sir Astaroth, the decision to add one more person was ast-minute decision, a random and amusing one that we all decided not to mind."


    "But then, ording to the data I''ve picked up from the Aethercraft, this ship has been en route to Antis for exactly three days, and it''s the only one that has been sent. It contains eleven seats."


    "All the Aethercrafts we''ve normally taken always have ten rooms. This has never changed, not even once."


    "Yet here we are in an eleven-room Aethercraft."


    "This means that this Aethercraft having eleven rooms is no mistake, and that the decision to add one more person to our number wasn''t something that was made at thest minute."


    "This event has been properly nned by someone from the moment this Aethercraft began its journey, which was exactly three days ago!"


    "Sir Astaroth made adding him to our group seem like a subject of amusement, one we wouldn''t pay much attention to, but this is a n he''s been brewing since three days ago..."


    "My gut feeling is that he ns for us all to meet our end in this mission, and when the academy mes him for sending us on such a dangerous mission without any backup, he can im that he foresaw this and asked for one more person to join us. But who would have thought that even with eleven of us, the mission would still fail?"


    "Judging by the academy''s codes and Sir Astaroth''s reputation, the academy would be more than willing to forgive him for his actions, and our deaths would be nothing but a ''sad, unforeseen, and unfortunate event.''"


    "That is my most likely guess as to why he would do this to us." Oliver said calmly, and the godly ten had their eyes narrowing dangerously.


    Truly, every single thing he said made sense, and their being eleven this time is really suspicious.


    The fact that the Aethercraft just happens to have eleven rooms seems even more suspicious.


    As Oliver said, Sir Astaroth is a high-profile person in the academy.


    If he were to inform the academy that he had done all he could to ensure our survival by asking for one more person to join them


    The academy wouldn''t choose to sacrifice him after losing a couple of prodigies, and in the end, they would reluctantly ept it, allowing him to escape with just a pat on the back.


    It was something absolutely reasonable.


    "So my guess is that this mission should be deemed close to impossible toplete..."

 Chapter 89: Coming Up With A Plan

    "How are you so sure this will be a death mission, though?"


    "ording to what he said, it seems like any ordinary rift mission."


    "The fact that Sir Astaroth might be nning to doom you all doesn''t change that, does it?" Nn''s voice rang out through the silence.


    "Your question is reasonable... because you don''t know who Sir Astaroth truly is," Oliver responded, preparing to exin.


    "Sir Astaroth is someone who has gone through all our past mission sesses."


    "He knows, like the back of his hand, how strong each of us is¡ªor at least, he has a close estimate."


    "If he wants to get rid of us and sends us on a mission, he is a hundred percent sure that there will be no way we could survive it."


    "What he presented as a simple rift closing wouldn''t be as simple as he made it sound," he said matter-of-factly, and Nn''s eyes shed with understanding.


    His point made sense.


    The enemy was someone who knew their strengths well.


    If he wanted them dead, he would be very sure that the mission he assigned to them would be more than enough to bring about their demise.


    So, would the mission really be as simple as closing a runic gate? The answer was obvious.


    Closing the runic gate might be nothing but a farce to conceal the real danger thaty hidden.


    "Thankfully, we have something to our advantage, and we''re notpletely helpless," Oliver said, catching Nn''s attention.


    "Firstly, Sir Astaroth doesn''t know the true depth of our strength."


    "Whatever amount of strength he thinks we possess, it''s safe to imagine that our real strength is at least double what he estimates," Oliver exined, and suddenly, Nn felt a couple of pricking gazes on him.


    It was obvious they were now discussing their secrets, something they were confident in revealing only among themselves.


    But now, there was an extra person in the room, and it was safe to say Nn was an outsider.


    "I have counted him as one of us, from now on," Oliver said to the others, noticing their gazes fixed on Nn.


    "He will know every secret that must be known for this mission to seed."


    "Getting divided right now is thest thing we would want to do."


    "If we die, he dies too, and if he dies, our secret dies with him."


    "Besides, I''m pretty sure he''s not dumb enough to run around revealing all our secrets."


    "Isn''t that right, Nn?" Oliver asked, directing his words at Nn.


    "If you reveal our secrets to anyone, we won''t even have to do anything."


    "The Academy itself will be the one to eliminate you out of existence."


    "If you''ve spent three years being the academy''s trash, I expect you to know a few ins and outs of the Academy and be smarter than you look," Oliver said, and Nn''s eyes narrowed as he quickly came to terms with what he meant.


    The Godly Ten were a group of prodigies that the Academy itself had decided to personally nurture.


    They were like the Academy''s future secret weapons.


    If Nn dared to reveal their secrets, it would be equivalent to him revealing the secrets of one of the Academy''s hidden cards.


    In such a scenario, would the Godly Ten even need to move away from their seats?


    No!


    It would be the Academy that woulde to eliminate him, and it was absolutely reasonable, as they would definitely fight hard to keep their secret weapons concealed.


    If that meant someone like him disappearing, they had a thousand ways to ensure that.


    In short, whether he knew their secrets or not, he couldn''t reveal anything about them for fear of the Academying for his neck.


    He simply didn''t matter enough...


    "Understood? Let''s proceed with the n," Oliver continued, and the meeting went on for close to six hours straight, with Nn remaining silent throughout.


    He made no furtherments, nor did they ask him for any. It was as if his opinions didn''t matter at all, or as if he didn''t even exist.


    It was hurtful, but Nn wasn''t young.


    To him, they were like a group of rich young kids who held utmost importance to themselves, believing that the poor one among them would be useless during the mission.


    Still, it would be weird if the mightiest prodigies of the entire Academy treated the Academy''s trash like an equal.


    So Nn was fine with it.


    Besides, from the way they discussed their n, it was clear to Nn that they were very good at working together.


    The way they meticulously discussed their n made it better for Nn to leave the nning to them.


    And since he promised he would be of use in the mission, he would simply follow the n and help with what little was allowed to him.


    He didn''t mind being a side character in this mission.


    "Of course, there are always parts of the n that won''t work well, so we all need to be ready to adapt to any sort of situation, making sure it fits in as much as possible," Oliver said to the group.


    To Nn, he seemed like the brain of the entire group. He was incredibly smart and fluid with his words.


    It was the first time Nn was seeing a true Odin descendant in motion, and he was nothing short of amazed.


    "That said, this is all but a n that is put in ce, to simply set up the boundary of our actions..."


    "There is always the possibility of a change and in such a situation, you can expect somethings from the n to change a bit...." Oliver called and they all nodded their head.


    It wasn''t their first time going on quests and also wasn''t their first time creating a n.


    Irrespective of the times, there is always a possibility of a sudden change so they all had to be careful and willing to change the ns at thest second.

 Chapter 90: Arriving 1

    "We have three hours before the Aethercraft arrives at our destination. I would advise you to adjust your mental state until then," Oliver said as he rose from his seat, turning to look at Nn before he left.


    "You don''t need to worry about anything in the mission. Just follow the orders," he added before rising and leaving.


    The others also began to leave for their respective rooms.


    Nn also felt he needed some time to himself, so he rose and left for his room as well, unreactive to the gazes that followed him until he disappeared inside.


    [Are you angry?] The system asked as Nn entered the room. He shrugged it off and walked to the side of the bedroom, grabbing his backpack that he had brought with him.


    Before the day began, Nn had already prepared everything he needed, and now he felt more ready than ever.


    He sat on the edge of his bed, holding his ming crimson dagger in his right hand.


    With skill, Nn rolled the dagger within his palms, weaving through his fingers while creating sharp slicing sounds in the air.


    With precision, he flipped it to his other hand, resuming his rolling before throwing it back into his left palm.


    [Someone is no longer excited about the mission...] the system said as Nn shook his head.


    [I can''t be angered by rejection. I have spent thest three years facing it.]


    [On the contrary, I am excited yet cautious. This mission is meant for us to never return. That''s heart-chilling.]


    [But it will also be the first time I will be going on a Celestial Responsibility Mission.]


    [I will be seeing a real rift that leads to an otherworldly realm, along with multitudes of Nightmare creatures.]


    "Thinking about that makes me excited. So I look forward to everything, with the cautious heart of a skilled hunter and the anticipation of a child," Nn responded as his dagger rested in his palms.


    [Main Quest Activated!]


    [Undergo Your First Celestial Responsibility Mission and Fulfill the Required Mission Excellently!]


    [Rewards:


    - 5 Level Up Cards


    - Shop Will Finally Be Activated.


    - +10,000 EXP]


    The system notification shed, and Nn gave it a quick nce.


    He was about to turn his eyes away when he noticed the second stated reward.


    "The Shop Will Finally Be Opened!!" Nn eximed in slight shock.


    Out of the tabs he possessed, the Shop tab was the only one that had yet to be activated.


    Nn had been eagerly waiting for the day it would finally open for him. Now, he saw it as a reward if he sessfullypleted the mission.


    "Just what lies in the shop anyway?" Nn asked with interest.


    [I don''t know either.] The system replied, causing Nn''s expression to drop slightly before brightening up once more.


    Something the system itself didn''t know. Then he was sure he could find quite valuable items within.


    "I can''t wait," Nn mused as he withdrew his dagger, lying back on the bed and shutting his eyes. There were still about two hours left, so there was no rush at all.


    ---


    "I can sense it already. It disgusts my soul!" The voice rang out through the pilot room where there were two people: Oliver and Ferris.


    Ferris had his eyes fixed into the distance, his face scrunched up in disgust and irritation.


    "That means we''re getting even closer," Oliver responded, tapping a few buttons, causing the Aethercraft to immediately speed up.


    Right now, both of them could be seen in the the Aethercraft pilot room, and before them was nothing but the vast, endless space filled with stars.


    Strange stars that oozed out with dark power, swallowing through the entire space. It was nothing but spine-chilling and fear-inducing.


    And the deeper they went, the heavier the darkness became. The stars around them radiated an intense death aura, fueled by the strange aura of darkness.


    "Terror Flux..." Ferris mused under his breath.


    "I have never seen such arge amount of them congregated so closely. It''s so abundant that it destroyed some stars around it. I can only imagine how the source of it will look like," Oliver replied as the ship soared deeper and deeper.


    A total of three hours passed swiftly before Oliver tapped a few buttons on the Aethercraft, slowing its speed until it came to aplete stop.


    Right before them was something that made Ferris''s eyes twitch repeatedly. It was a gigantic golden cube¡ªsorge that its size could rival over 700 moons!


    Dark aura was seeping out of the golden cube, so much so that the golden runes on the edge were starting to dim due to the dark aura.


    "The Cage of Order..." Oliver mused.


    It was clear to both of them that this was the cage the Celestial Ones used to seal Antis away.


    But now, with the runes dimming due to the nightmarish energy oozing out from it, it was only a matter of time before the cage waspletely broken open and the Attean might be once again be able toe out of their bondage.


    At a random corner of the cage, there was a singr hole that was strangely not oozing out the dark aura.


    Oliver''s eyes narrowed at the hole, strange runes interlocking together in his eyes brimming with incredible profoundness that instantly revealed some of the secrets of the hole to him.


    He could see around the hole, there was something like a chain, which had strange lighting jems surrounding its body and this  was ced within the hole in the cage.


    An almost invisible ripple could be felt from it to which Oliver believed was the force that was responsible for keeping the hole open.


    It was clear to them that this was their entrance.


    But even they could see it was closing, and Ferris''s eyes narrowed as strangeplex runes also appeared in his eyes while he scanned the opening.


    "It will take just five days before it closes, and we remain forever trapped. Not a week," he mused.

 Chapter 91: Arriving 2

    The runic lines in Oliver''s eyes dimmed after the analysis.


    They had been told by Sir Astaroth that the door would remain open for exactly seven days, yet the truth was evident before them.


    Whatever the artifact was, its energy would only be able to remain stable for the next five days, not seven.


    This only showed how dishonest Sir Astaroth had been and how much riskier the mission had be.


    "We can always return to the base if it''s too dangerous..." Ferris called out to Oliver, whose eyebrows furrowed.


    The truth was that if the godly ten were not feeling safe about the mission, they could always turn the ship back.


    The Academy would likely just assign them another mission, hopefully, one not controlled by Sir Astaroth this time.


    It wasn''t like they didn''t have any choice.


    "The Academy''s trust in our abilities right now is unflinching and incredibly solid."


    "But it''s only as solid as our ability to fulfill every single quest that we''ve been given."


    "The second we refuse a quest or grow ''scared'' to do what was given to us, that pir will begin developing cracks," Oliver said with furrowed eyebrows.


    "This might be our most dangerous mission yet, but we will go for it and fulfill it! That''s what the godly ten do!" Oliver said, with conviction and determination, as he tapped on a button and the Aethercraft flew closer to the hole in the cage.


    Truly, he felt a pang in his chest from this mission, even though they had yet to begin. But which mission had they gone on where they hadn''t felt a pang? All they could do is what they have always done¡ªto go forward, irrespective of the fact that danger or deathy ahead!


    Not once had that failed them, and it wouldn''t fail them now either.


    ---


    "We have arrived at our destination. Everyone move to the yacht and prepare for eviction. NOW!" The automated AI voice rang within Nn''s room as he immediately rose to his feet and opened his door.


    At the exact same time, he could see all the other doors opening as well. Nn was pretty surprised when he saw that none of them had a bag with them.


    ''Don''t tell me they n to wear the same thing for the entire duration,'' he mused silently, and strangely, he could see the others also raising an eyebrow at the bag behind him, as if wondering why he was bringing one with him.


    But each group kept to themselves, and without saying a word, they headed to the opening of the Aethercraft before they all waited.


    Immediately, the pilot room also opened up, as Oliver and Ferris exited and walked forward towards the group before the yacht.


    "New orders have been given."


    "The Aethercraft will now be opening its yacht in the next ten seconds and will go into hibernation mode for the next week before returning to base!"


    "Yacht will now open in 10... 9... 8..." The countdown began as Oliver and Ferris arrived.


    "I''ll be needing your help with this..."


    "Got it!" the young man with the blindfold replied to Oliver as he stretched out his hands towards the two beside him. Quickly, all of them held hands in a circr formation.


    Nn, seeing the rest, simply followed along, grabbing the hands of Celestia and d. Immediately, a silvery-blue light emanated from Oliver, covering each of them.


    "5... 4... 3... 2... 1!" ¦Ñ-§à%??#§ñ-§Ö?-!§¼+¦Ã-%


    Instantly, the yacht to the Aethercraft was flung open, and all of them were violently sucked into space, drifting aimlessly. But soon, a voice rang out.


    " Vishna Descent Skill: Space Control!" The voice of Ferris rang out as the pull on them immediately disappeared, and they all remained floating in space.


    "That''s the ce..." Oliver said as they all immediately shed forward with speed, appearing before the hole of darkness in the heart of the cage. In the next instant, they all disappeared into it.


    ---


    Darkness covered all of Nn''s vision as he felt the hand holding onto him slip off, but he didn''t panic.


    He automatically summoned his dagger into his palm as he felt his body propelling towards somewhere with speed.


    BLOOOOOOOP


    Immediately, his body mmed into something¡ªsomething Nn knew very well.


    Quickly, he held his breath as the falling motion slowed down.


    Finally, he regained his bearings, with the darkness before him slowly fading away.


    Opening his eyes, Nn was weed by the remnants of destroyed buildings, with strange, drab nts growing over their surfaces.


    The majority of the buildings had been reduced to nothing but rubble, and the ones still standing were filled with various cracks.


    In some corners under the rubble, Nn could see strange skeletal figures that were pitch ck, but he raised an eyebrow when he saw one of the skeletal figures that had its true form on the ground.


    The figure had a strange body that Nn had never seen before. Half of its upper part had no difference from the average human''s, but below the waist, Nn saw a lower body that could only have belonged to a fish, and it was incredibly long.


    Only a single thought appeared in his head...


    "A mermaid!?"


    "Are you all okay?" The voice rang out close to Nn as he turned his gaze behind him and found the remaining godly ten.


    "Yes."


    "Yes."


    "Yes."


    They all called out, and Nn too wanted to call out, but water immediately rushed into his throat, and he wheezed uncontrobly for some time before regaining himself once more.


    Raising his head, he saw the others looking at him with strange gazes.


    "Don''t you know? You ought to use your Divine Essence to form a domain around yourself when in water?" Abu asked him as Nn smiled embarrassedly.


    He didn''t know that. And besides, there was also a major problem...


    "It''s safe to say he doesn''t have divine essence..." The one who spoke up was Gaia, but a person appeared by his side, cing his palms that were shing with a blue divine essence on him.


    Immediately, strange runic lines appeared all over Nn''s body, and he felt the sensation of water around him disappearing. Almost like a barrier of a few inches had been ced around his body, blocking the water from touching him.

 Chapter 92: Moving Forth To The Centre

    "It will onlyst for the next 24 hours, though. So be conscious of it. And it will fade away if you suffer a grievous attack," Gojo warned, and Nn nodded.


    "Can you sense the origin, Ferris?" Oliver called out to Ferris, whose hair began lighting up in a strange color.


    He closed his eyes, and in the next instant, his gaze snapped to the side as he pointed.


    "It is incredibly far away, but we will reach it if we keep going in that direction," Ferris said, and Oliver nodded.


    "The n is to first close up the rift. So irrespective of anything that happens along the way, we focus on closing up that rift first."


    "After that is done, we can deal with the rest of the Nightmarish creatures in this ce."


    "Is that clear?"


    "Yes."


    "Good. Now we move," Oliver said.


    In the next instant, the water crazily rippled, and they all instantly shot forward with speed.


    Nn watched with furrowed eyebrows as the various divine essences on their bodies morphed into strange shapes, resembling something akin to sharp-ended tails at their heads.


    With this, they used it to propel themselves forward.


    It was an incredibly clever way of using their divine essence¡ªone that Nn couldn''t replicate.


    Trying to swim seemed like a good idea, except for the fact that Nn didn''t know how to swim.


    So in the end, he could only resort to one thing.


    Immediately, he forced himself downwards, feeling the solid ground beneath his feet. Then, Nn got into a running position.


    [3... 2... 1... GO!]


    BOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    The system counted down, and Nn silently shot forward with horrific speed, bing a phantom as he rapidly gained on the godly ten.


    Without the ability to swim andcking divine essence, all Nn could do was run with the power of his physical body.


    And as expected, it didn''t fail him at all, as he soon arrived below the Godly Ten, who all turned to look down at him with grins on their faces.


    "You''re pretty smart!" Adrian called out from above as the othersughed.


    Of course, they knew Nn didn''t have divine essence, and it had piqued their curiosity as to how he would even move forward.


    He could choose to swim, but he would never match their speed as they were employing divine essence.


    Who would have thought he would simply move down to the ground and start running after them?


    It seemed ''barbaric,'' but it was definitely working as Nn soon arrived below them.


    "I wonder how long you can keep up that speed without possessing divine essence," Oliver mused with an unimpressed expression.


    [Exactly 10 days!] The system helped him reply, but Nn simply grinned and kept running at his current speed.


    He might not possess divine essence, but he had also trained his body to the stage where it wouldn''t pale inparison to divine essence. It didn''t render him any less effective than those with divine essence.


    Quickly, the group kept up with their run for the next ten hours straight before they finally saw a vestige of light in the far distance, just about seven more hours run away.


    ''All this while, we should have been running on the outer edges of Antis. I''m guessing that should be the main city...'' Oliver thought to himself as they continued moving forward towards the light, and quickly another seven hours passed before all of them skidded to a stop.


    Before them was a city, incrediblyrge with almost no end in sight. But what caught their attention was the singr, ginormous entity that stood alone at the center of the city.


    A breathtaking marvel of architecture and artistry, made of shimmering, iridescent materials that catch and refract light. The pce glows with an ethereal blue hue. Towers spiraled elegantly towards the surface, adorned with intricate carvings of mermaids and otherworldly sea creatures that he had no idea of.


    At the front of the pce stood an extra-gigantic statue of a masculine figure, holding a golden trident in his hands.


    It was a statue that Nn recognized from his past life¡ªthe image of a Greek god known as Poseidon.


    And with the pce behind it, he could faintly guess just what the pce was.


    "The Antis Pce..." Oliver called out with widened eyes.


    All they had walked in the past 17 hours were nothing but copsed buildings and dead corpses, but now before them,rge gigantic fishes pulled carriages filled with mermaids and human-looking figures with scales adorning their bodies.


    There were various noises, and it seemed no different from any other city life, if not even a little louder and more bustling than the one in their memories.


    Right now, they were all standing before arge tree nt in the sea, and its shrubs protected them from sight.


    "Can you still sense it, Ferris?" Oliver asked, shaking away the surprise in his eyes to focus back on the mission.


    "Yes. It''s just a few more meters away, at the back of the pce..." Ferris called out. He seemed to have an ability that enabled him to track Terror Flux.


    "Good. Then we simply continue on our way," Oliver said, preparing to take off.


    "Wait. Wait." Ferris suddenly called out as they all paused and turned to look at him, watching as his golden hair lighted up with powerful golden energy that illuminated everywhere and almost ruined their hiding spot.


    But before the Anteans could discover them, they all disappeared, taken away by Gojo and reappearing a few meters away.


    "What is it?" Oliver called out with furrowed eyebrows.


    "I can sense something. Something even more worse..." Ferris called out with closed eyes, but soon he snapped them open, revealing a pair of dark blue eyes that turned to look straight into the Antis Pce.


    "There''s something in the pce with an incredible amount of Terror Flux!"


    "In...In the pce!!" The thoughts rang through the mind of every one of them looking at the distance.

 Chapter 93: Paying A Visit To The Atlantis Palace

    "Huh?" Immediately, eyebrows raised at Ferrri''s word as they all turned to look at the gargantuan pce.


    It was protected by high walls, preventing them from reallyying eyes on it, but now they had to make an important choice.


    Even then, there were guards almost everywhere, surrounding the entire pce as if a raid was currently ongoing within.


    It would be slightly difficult to even try reaching the pce to Nn, but looking at the Godly ten, he believed they had way of going through.


    Now an important question arose.


    Should they head for the pce or continue to the rift to close it first?


    Besides, what could be in the pce that drew Ferris''s attention so much? It seemed to be more powerful and grave than his sensing of the rift itself.


    "How grave is it?" Oliver asked Ferris, who turned his gaze away to look at him.


    "Very bad!" Ferris called out, and Oliver made his decision.


    "We go into the pce first and resolve whatever lies within. The rift won''t go anywhere, and we''ll have more than enough time to close it..."


    "Did anyone ever stop to think¡ªif the rift is open, why did the Anteans seem settled and unworried?"


    "Shouldn''t they be more scared or have evacuated this ce by now?" Nn suddenly asked, causing them all to narrow their eyes.


    Verily, his point made sense. ording to Ferris, the rift was just behind the pce.


    If the rift is just behind the pce, it should currently be spewing out an incredible amount of nightmarish creatures, yet the Anteans were all going about their business like nothing was happening.


    That, in itself, was mystifying and an rm that something was wrong.


    "We take things one at a time," Oliver said, and Nn simply shrugged.


    "Fine."


    "Can you get us within that pce, Gojo?" Oliver asked.


    "It will take three teleportations," Gojo replied seriously, and Oliver nodded.


    "It''s not like we''re hiding from the Anteans, but it would be better if we can do this mission as discreetly as possible," Oliver said as he rose to his feet.


    Gojo stretched out his hand, which was grabbed by Oliver and then Aidan, and quickly, they all held hands once more.


    "Shiva Descent Skill: Teleportation," Gojo called out as his eyes lit up from within his blindfold, and instantly, the space where they stood exploded, and they disappeared within the explosion.


    The next instant, Nn opened his eyes and found himself standing in the sky of the Antis city close to the pce.


    His gaze turned to the ground as various Anteans turned their shocked gazes to the entities that stood in the sky.


    "Shiva Descent Skill: Teleportation!" Gojo''s voice rang out once more, and instantly, they disappeared into the void of space again, leaving behind nothing but a cracked and unstable space that had the Anteans wondering if they were all hallucinating.


    In the next instant, Nn opened his eyes. They were now just a few meters away from the magnificent pce, and once more, Gojo called out.


    "Shiva Descent Skill: Teleportation."


    In the next instant, Nn felt his feet solidify on the ground. Rising up, he could see they were all now on top of the pce, their eyes overseeing the entire Antis kingdom.


    -Enjoy!


    Immediately, Nn''s eyes moved towards a particr space that was covered in pitch darkness in the farthest distance, and from it, he could also sense the strange energy which was none other than Terror Flux.


    He could guess it was where the rift ought to be located, but still, it was pretty far away from the pce.


    "YOUR HANDS UP AND ON YOUR KNEES ON THE GROUND! NOW!!!" A roar followed by rapidly rippling waves resounded as they all turned their gaze to the side and found Anteans in armor swimming towards them with speed, their various tridents in hand.


    It was clear they had been sighted already.


    "Get us out of here," Oliver called to Gojo as they all immediately held hands and then...


    BOOM!


    The ce where they stood rippled once more as various tridents immediately mmed hard on their position, but they met with nothing but crumbled floors.


    The Anteans arrived at the scene to find nothing but their tridents having destroyed the marble floor.


    "They''re gone again..." an Antean called out.


    "They can''t be far! Spread out!" a bulky Antean merman called out to all of them as they immediately spread out, moving back into the pce.


    _____________


    The next instant, Nn felt the ground beneath his feet solidifying, and opening his eyes, he saw they were all now in a golden alleyway, with the walls filled with various images of the mermen and Anteans posing with their tridents and crowns on their heads.


    It was clear they were now in the pce.


    "A couple of guards are closing in from the north and west positions," Gojo reported as he turned his gaze to the distant walls, almost as if he could see through them.


    Nn wasn''t much surprised if he could do so. The young man was wearing a blindfold, yet it was clear to all that he could see wherever he was going.


    It wouldn''t be much of a surprise if he could see through walls too, but Nn often wondered why he always wore a blindfold, though.


    He had never seen him try to take it off, even once.


    "We need to speak with the King. Where is the throne room?" Oliver asked as Gojo''s eyes shed around the walls,and soon they locked onto a certain ce.


    Once more, he stretched out his hand, and the others grabbed onto it. In the next instant, they instantly disappeared from where they stood.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    The door to the alleyway was opened by the Antean soldiers who looked around the room, finding nothing before they immediately disappeared from it, going to search for another ce.


    Their realm had been invaded, and they needed to bring the invaders to justice for their impromptu entrance!

 Chapter 94: Meeting With The Athlantean King!

    "Perhaps it is time, my lord, that we agree to its conditions. Not for much longer can we keep this up."


    "Our destruction is imminent and I''ll say we sacrifice a little to save more. That is and has always been a good move if it''s necessary..." The voice, brimming with respect and caution, resonated through the vast hall.


    It was a grand Antean throne room, a breathtaking masterpiece brimming with ancient majesty and power.


    The walls were adorned with intricate carvings of mythical sea creatures, swirling waves, and ancient symbols, all gilded in shimmering gold.


    The ceiling was impossibly high and vaulted, with a long chain supporting a massive golden chandelier.


    The chandelier illuminated the room with beams of golden light, creating an otherworldly underwater effect.


    At the end of the throne roomy a grand golden throne, elevated on a dais of polished marble iid with pearls and corals.


    The throne itself was a marvel, crafted from solid gold and adorned with carvings of serpents and oceanic currents.


    Seated upon it was a middle-aged merman, a man of about 50 years old, white-skinned with a long white beard. His face, though handsome, showed the slight wrinkles of age.


    Despite his years, his upper body brimmed with the power of a young warrior.


    His long tail, about 2 meters long, trailed down from the throne, its golden color illuminating the throne room with its own light.


    Beside him rested his 5-meter-tall trident, propped against the throne. A small crown adorned his head, and his eyes were currently lost in thought, staring into the distance.


    Around him were five other Anteans, a mixture of mermen and Anteans, all with furrowed brows. It was one of these Anteans who had just brought a proposition before the king.


    "We have stalled for too long, your Highness. We know well that the invaders bring no goodwill, but for now, what choice do we have but to settle with them?"


    "We''re only alive right now because we''re still debating. Who knows how long their patience willst?"


    "If it disappears, I fear our mighty kingdom might truly meet its end this time. That is an irrefutable truth that everyone in this room can agree on..." he continued, but in an instant, a unique blue light red in the center of the room, behind the throne, and immediately captured their attention.


    In the next moment, the light cleared, revealing a group of 11 figures who now had their eyes on them.


    "You! How dare you enter the throne room!" a royal emissary among the five called out. Suddenly¡ª


    BANG!


    The door to the throne room burst open, and a group of Antean soldiers rushed in, their eyes locked on the 11 figures.


    "There they are!"


    "Catch them!"


    The guards roared as they hurried toward the intruders, ready to seize them before they could escape.


    But just a few meters before their hands could reach the invaders¡ª


    "Stop!"


    Themand was neither loud nor soft, yet it reverberated through the entire throne room.


    The warriors immediately halted in their steps, unmoving by even an inch, though some were mere meters from grabbing the intruders.


    Immediately, they all turned their gaze to the one who had issued the order: the figure on the throne.


    The instant they saw him, they all dropped to a knee, their heads bowed in respect.


    "Forgive our transgression, your Majesty," the leading guard called out. Silence reigned in the room once more as the king slowly stretched out his hand and waved them off.


    "Forgiven. You all may leave now," he added. With respect, the guards stood up, and without giving a single nce more to the intruders, they exited the throne room.


    The royal emissaries remained in stunned silence as the Antean king fixed his gaze on the 11 new figures in the room.


    It was clear to all that they were not Anteans, as theycked scales and tails, traitsmon to those from this realm.


    Yet, with the barrier that surrounded Antis, preventing anyone froming in or out, how had they managed to break in?


    "My respect to the Heirs of the Celestial Ones..." the King''s voice rang out as he gave a slight bow of respect.


    Gasps were drawn within the throne room as the emissaries jerked their gaze to the 11 intruders. Following in the footsteps of their king, they too gave a slight bow.


    "Our respect to the King of the Lost Realm..." Oliver replied respectfully as the king raised his head, a smile appearing on his wizened face.


    "The Lost Realm? Is that what the Celestial Ones refer to my kingdom as?" he asked, a slight mncholy in his tone.


    "We''re here for an important reason," Oliver replied, his voice filled with impatience.


    Right now, every single second counted, and they had already spent close to 18 hours trying to get here.


    That''s almost a full day gone, and they only have four days left, or they''ll be trapped here forever. Engaging in small talk was thest thing they wanted to do now.


    "I had thought the Celestial Ones had forever abandoned us, and now, when we''re at our lowest moment, close to ourplete eradication, they show up again. Fear not, we know well what you''re here for," he replied to them, and the royal emissaries furrowed their brows.


    "You''re here for the rift that has opened up here, aren''t you?" the king asked, and Nn nodded.


    "We have a few questions to ask you about it." Oliver replied.


    "My royal emissaries..." King Sammodra suddenly called out to the five people seated around him, and they all answered respectfully.


    "Yes, your Majesty!"


    "This meeting has been adjourned until tomorrow morning. You may take your leave now," the king said. -exclusive


    Visible shock could be seen on the faces of the royal emissaries, yet none of them made a single noise. They simply rose and headed out of the door.


    "Take a seat, and let''s have a proper discussion," the King beckoned to them.

 Chapter 95: The New Plan

    With an invitation from the king himself, Oliver couldn''t refuse and ended up taking the seat, and the rest of them simply soundlessly followed after his decision also sitting down before the King.


    "You all seem to be in a rush, and Ipletely understand that. So I won''t bother you with unnecessary conversation. Ask your questions, and I will answer them to the best of my ability," King Sammdora said.


    As much as he had a thousand questions to ask, he needed to get to the point.


    "Firstly, I want you to be aware that we''re here on a mission to close the rift."


    "As you might already know, it leads straight into the Abyssal realm, and the release of nightmarish creatures might just seal the fate of this realmpletely. That is the only reason why we''re here," Oliver said, making their objectives clear.


    "I understand that," the king replied. He didn''t seem to be one who was truly oblivious to the ways of the Celestial heirs.


    "Good. Then can you let us know more about this rift? And the pressing question of why this realm is still standing and not yet overrun by the nightmarish creatures? Or the reason why you have not begun evacuations yet?" Oliver asked.


    "The Rift''s presence..." King Sammdora began.


    "It has been there for close to a thousand years now..." Hepleted as they all immediately widened their eyes in shock.


    "A... A thousand years!" Ferris asked, astonished, as the king nodded.


    "When our ''little'' machine exploded exactly 1,000 years ago, it not only brought ruin upon our advanced civilization, but it also ripped open various rifts all around the ce."


    "ording to my count, over 500 rifts were opened up, but as time passed, every single one of these rifts closed up until they all disappeared¡ªsave for a single one that refuses to close up," he exined, and they all listened intently.


    "Thest rift refuses to close up, even after the rest of the rifts had already disappeared close to 300 years ago, but it hadn''t been a matter of concern as the rift remained shut tight. It had only been a matter of interest until a week ago, that is..." he continued.


    "A week ago, we noticed dark energy suddenly began oozing out of the rift that had remained dormant for the past thousand years, and in less than a few hours, it rapidly spread, covering the entire kingdom in pitch darkness," King Sammodra said, his eyes looking into the distance.


    "In the ancient records, we learned of the power of the rift and the nightmarish creatures that would spew forth, but we were wrong."


    "No nightmarish creatures spilled forth, even though we could see an army of nightmarish creatures within the rift. Only a single one came out of the rift," he exined.


    "And he came with a deal!"


    "A deal that we have been pondering for the past few days, but we have yet toe to an agreement on," the King said as Oliver''s eyes narrowed.


    "What did he propose?" Ferris asked, his hair beginning to light up brilliantly with a golden glow.


    "The corpse of a thousand Anteans and an ancient artifact of ours," he said as they all gasped in shock, and Ferris''s golden hair reached a whole different level of intensity.


    "Calm down, Ferris!" Gojo called out to Ferris, whose hands brushed against hisp, a sign of him trying to calm his nerves.


    It wasn''t Ferris who was consciously reacting¡ªit was his bloodline, self-aware enough to turn his mind into a raging ocean.


    "What did he threaten you with if you fail to agree to his deal?" Oliver asked.


    "He gave us exactly four days to make our choice, and he threatened to widen the rift and release the gathering army behind it if we refused."


    "We have no idea how to close the rift, so we have been stuck debating all this time. We can''t afford to face his wrath."


    "While I might be willing to part with the kingdom''s artifact, I can''t sacrifice a thousand of my own people."


    "But I know more than a thousand of my people will die if I refuse his request."


    "That''s what has led to the indecision, and we only have a few hours more before he fulfills his threat," King Sammodra said as Oliver rose to his feet.


    "We can close the rift. We possess the power."


    "Now, you lead us to this figure, and we''ll bring an end to him quickly, before we go up to the rift and shut it up."


    "Then there will be no danger to your people, nor will there ever be. We will also havepleted our mission here and can return back to our world."


    "What do you say?" Oliver proposed the new deal to King Sammdora, whose eyebrows furrowed.


    "There are two problems..." he called out.


    "Go ahead."


    "Can you really close the rift?" he asked, his eyes filled with suspicion.


    "ording to the mission report that we have received, this ce ought to be on the brink of getting destroyed by the nightmare creatures."


    "You don''t think we came here to be locked in an immortal battle with the unending creatures of the nightmare realm, do you?"


    "We came here to lock the rift and then kill the remaining nightmare creatures that run amok," Oliver said, and his points really made sense to King Sammdora.


    The rift could never stop spewing out creatures ording to the report, and if they were here to help, then probably the first step was closing up the rift.


    If they didn''t know how to do that, weren''t they justing for their deaths? They might be young to him, but none of them looked foolish to him.


    "Good. Then there''s a second problem."


    "And what is that?"


    "Only two people can appear before this nightmarish creature, ording to his terms. That would mean I will have to go, and just a single one of you..."

 Chapter 96: Ultimate Decision

    The second condition of King Sammodra reverberated through the throne room, as they all turned to look at each other in the eyes.


    Now it was starting to get suspicious that only one of them could apany him, but it was also faintly understandable due to the chaotic nature of the nightmarish creatures.


    The one in question might be weak, and therefore, it set a condition that only a certain number of people could meet with it.


    Nightmarish creatures that are intelligent and capable of reasoning, most usually will pale in physicality, while those blessed with power pale in intelligence.


    It was the strange buildup of nightmarish creatures that they knew.


    They are never blessed with a straight all perfect enhancement and will always have a weak point.


    Now the important question remained: who would go with King Sammodra?


    "I will go..." Oliver called out to the group, but while they always agreed with his decisions, this time they furrowed their eyebrows instead.


    "I think the best person to go is Ferris, Oliver..." Abu called out, and the group didn''t argue against that.


    They all knew well of Ferris''s power and were aware that, in such an event, he would be the most equipped to deal with unforeseen situations and the most capable of handling nightmarish creatures. It was his bloodline.


    "No, I will go!" Oliver said adamantly. "I have a n..." Hepleted, and while they all had furrowed brows, they eventually settled, seeing the small smile on Oliver''s face.


    While they weren''t confident in his strength, as Oliver didn''t major in strength but in intelligence instead, they also wouldn''t mind him leaving with King Sammodra.


    His intelligence had been enough not just to save him, but even their lives more than a couple of times already.


    "Okay, then. The decision has been made. I will be following you to meet this nightmarish creature. How long will our journey back and forth be?" Oliver asked, and the king responded.


    "He is present in a location not far from here. It''s in the pce, after all, but I would say if I go at half my full speed, we should be able to reach it in 7 hours and then return in another 7 hours. Let''s say 15 hours..." He responded as Oliver''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Fifteen hours added to their current time would mean they would have around 3 more days left toplete the mission and return. It wasn''t much time, but what choice did they have?


    "Okay then. Let''s leave..." Immediately, Oliver said, and in the next instant, King Sammodra rose from the throne, pping his hands twice. A few seconds passed, and a group entered, all in matching uniforms.


    "Escort the guests to the best guest room avable!" King Sammodra ordered, and in the next instant, he picked up his mighty trident and headed for the opposite door in the throne room, followed by Oliver, who gave a simple nod to them before following the king out.


    "This way, sirs..." The lead servant said courteously to them, and the rest of them were all led away.


    Three hourster...


    "Here is your guest room, sir. If you need anything, all you need to do is call, and we''ll be immediately avable. That said, is there something I can currently help you with?" The female servant said to Nn, who shook his head.


    "Thank you for the hospitality..." He replied as she gave a polite bow before leaving.


    Right now, Nn was in an extrarge and luxuriously designed living room. Its design wouldn''t pale even a bitpared to the one in Aethercraft, and there were three other doors in the room, which Nn could immediately guess their purpose.


    He had been informed of the n before he came in, and that was that they would all wait for now, for Oliver to return. If in 15 hours he didn''t return, they would have to continue to the rift, close it up, and then proceed to find Oliver.


    Hopefully, Oliver returns safely, but still, it wouldn''t hurt to create a backup n in case he didn''t. Too much was at stake to simply rely on a single hope.


    Therefore, Nn was currently free for the next 15 hours, with absolutely nothing to do.


    cing down his bag, he settled on the sofa before closing his eyes.


    [Don''t tell me you''re just going to sit your butt down there and do nothing.] The system notification suddenly appeared as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "You got a job for me?"


    [What the!? You''re in Antis for fuck''s sake! At least, go out and check things out!] The system roared to him as Nn''s eyebrow furrowed.


    Really, the system''s point made sense, and it would be nice to check out the realm, but then, Nn soon rxed back in his seat and shut his eyes.


    "I can''t do that. It might affect the n. Also, I''m not an Antean. I will just draw too much attention to myself."


    "They might look like humans, but it''s clear I don''t have scales, and how much would I achieve if everyone pauses to look at me with every passing moment?"


    "No Celestial Heirs have evere here in more than thousands of years, remember?" Nn said out loud.


    Going out right now would only cause endless eyebrows to raise at his figure, and that was thest thing he wanted right now.


    Who knows what trouble he will get into and how that would negatively impact the n? hosted-on-MVLeMpYr


    In the end, it wouldn''t be anything good, so it was better to just cooperate for now.


    If perhaps they were able to finish their mission and still had two days more, then they all could familiarize themselves with their surroundings for a day before they all headed back.


    But as things were developing, Nn genuinely doubted that.


    RIIIIPPLLLE


    RIIIIPPLLLE


    Suddenly, the surface of Nn''s body began rippling with a strange blue light, and his eyes narrowed before he finally remembered.

 Chapter 97: The Beautiful Song

    "The Divine Essence around my body is waning. I have to go meet with Gojo and refill..." Nn thought to himself.


    He had almost forgotten that he would only remain like this because Gojo had surrounded him with his Divine Essence, preventing the water from reaching him.


    discover-stories-MVLeMpYr


    Gojo had also informed him that it would wane away in exactly 24 hours.


    Right now, the time wasn''t up yet, but Nn could see it was already waning, and if he wanted to keep himself dry andfortable while being underwater, then he ought to meet with Gojo again.


    But Nn was a little bit reluctant.


    Going to meet Gojo and asking for Divine Essence felt like borrowing something precious from him.


    It would only result in Gojo''s mocking and made Nn feel useless, knowing he didn''t even have his own Divine Essence, an object of mockery for him.


    And besides, would Gojo really not mind that he was giving someone else his Divine Essence?


    Nn didn''t believe he was such a generous soul to lend others his Divine Essence.


    If there was one thing Nn hated the most, it was people absorbing his Divine Essence away.


    He just hated it to his bone, probably because he was never asked for permission.


    Still, it irritated Nn, and he believed the same was true for any Celestial Hier.


    "Forget it. I''ll just remain wet. Better to get used to it anyway..." Nn mused to himself as he closed his eyes once more, preparing to doze off.


    But suddenly, his eyes snapped open in shock, and he remained unmoving as if time had suddenly paused around him.


    "What''s wrong?" the system called out to him as Nn''s ears perked up and began buzzing.


    "Can you hear that?" he asked.


    [Hear what?] the system asked with a raised eyebrow, and in an instant, Nn rose to his feet as his ears buzzed even more.


    "I can hear a song..." he said to the system.


    [I can''t hear anything. And for the sake of it, my perception is three times better than yours. So you''re most likely hallucinating ...] the system called out, but Nn''s buzzing ears wouldn''t stop, and like a robot, Nn walked towards the door and opened it up, finding himself in a long corridor.


    [Hey, didn''t you say you wouldn''t go out to explore? Howe you''re outside now? Sneaky bastard! Hahaha!] the system teased Nn, but his serious expression remained as his ears kept buzzing up.


    In the next instant, Nn began walking forth.


    He didn''t know where he was going; he didn''t know what it was, but Nn could feel it.


    Something, something was calling out to him from an incredibly far distance. It was the sound of something being yed  it resonated through his entire existence, and soon, Nn''s small steps became a jog as he raced across the rooms silently.


    With his power and control of his physical body, he was able to easily sneak through doors and move silently past guards without them ever knowing until finally, he arrived outside the pce, finding himself in the backyard.


    The guards were lesser in number, and Nn was able to easily move past them until eventually, he ran into a forest.


    A forest with nts that bloomed with strange blue light, illuminating the space in an otherworldly beauty.


    Slowly, Nn could feel the voice closer now, and he began walking forward silently.


    The closer he got, the more he could hear the y, and finally, he pushed open a shining blue leaf, and what he saw shocked him.


    It was the scene of a figure sitting on a luminescent rock within a clear space in the forest.


    Long blue hair poured down the entire ground around the figure, informing Nn it was a female, but he was more focused on the thing on her shoulder.


    It was nothing more than a mysterious multicolored violin, and it was gently ying the most incredible sound that Nn had ever heard.


    [How?] the system asked Nn.


    [She is clearly ying the violin, but I can''t hear a single sound!] the system said in shock.


    [Wait, that means... Don''t tell me you were tracking that soundless thing down here...]


    ''Yes.'' Nn said silently, and in the next instant, he sat down on the bare ground, reclining against a tree, and he silently listened, not making a single motion.


    It was an incredible piece, a piece that resonated deep within Nn''s soul so much, he felt as if someone was talking to him, telling him a story.


    In the middle of the Light Star Forest, behind the Antis Pce, a figure sat on a dark rock, blue hair like a waterfall, and a violin on her shoulder.


    The light in the forest seemed to all concentrate on her figure, painting an even more incredible scene around her.


    And in the shadows, reclined a young man on a tree bark, silently listening without making a single noise, concealed by the shining leaves.


    Was it hours, was it minutes, or mere seconds? Nn had no idea, but he felt only a few seconds had passed as he listened silently until the violin eventually faded away. And silently, he remained under the cover of the leaves.


    In his head, he yed the message that was in his mind repeatedly until eventually, he got the message, and an incredible smile bloomed on his face as his eyes opened up.


    But his bodyid petrified when he sighted the figure whose face was barely inches from his.


    It was the most beautiful face Nn had ever seen in his life.


    Large almond eyes with a captivating luminous quality, framed by long darkshes, a perfectly symmetrical nose that was elegant yet subtle; full, well-defined lips with a natural rosy hue, and a wlessly whiteplexion possessing a soft and radiant glow.


    He had thought all Celestial Heirs could fit as models on earth, but the person before him seemed to make all of them look nothing but average.

 Chapter 98: Strange Mermaid

    She floated horizontally in the water, her bright eyes gazing into Nn''s dual-colored eyes, one red and the other blue.


    Her expression held nothing but coldness, making Nn unable to utter a single word, so he simply sat there, silently and unmoving at all.


    But his eyes soon trailed away from her face and looked behind her, noticing the long blue fish tail beneath her waist. He quickly realized she was a mermaid.


    "What are you?" she asked, her voice strangely contrasting with her cold expression.


    Nn was about to respond when he saw her suddenly turn her head away from his face and prepare to swim off while saying,


    "You probably can''t hear me, anyway..."


    He could feel an unfamiliar sense of despair and raised an eyebrow.


    ''Hey system, did you hear what she said?'' he asked.


    [She didn''t say anything. She just moved her lips and swam away...] the system replied.


    Nn simply looked dazedly at her fading figure before quickly rising to his feet and following her.


    Once he began walking, she paused and looked back at him, her almond-shaped eyes slowly morphing until they formed the pupils of a snake.


    SCREEEEEEECH!


    The sound of an evil screech resonated as strange dark scales appeared all over her face, followed by two fangs protruding from her mouth.


    In an instant, the indescribable beauty before him had transformed into a monstrous-looking creature, and Nn froze, unmoving.


    "Your y... It is beautiful," he said, before turning his back and beginning to walk away.


    But she remained in her position, dazed, as her fangs retracted and the dark scales disappeared.


    The words continuously reverberated through her entire existence...


    "Your y... It is beautiful."


    "Your y... It is beautiful."


    "You can... You can hear me?" she mused silently as she looked and saw Nn''s back quickly fading away among the trees.


    In the next instant, herrge tail moved, and she swam after him with speed.


    "I should return now..." Nn said to himself.


    He had no reason for being here in the first ce, and what he had witnessed was nothing but mystifying.


    But now it was time to return to the pce. Who knows what trouble his disappearance would cause if he didn''t return soon?


    And so, he began running forth until he felt the rippling of water behind him and turned his head.


    Suddenly, he felt a hand push him down onto the floor, and the weight was so powerful that Nn felt the bare form of his Divine Essence violently wane before it shatteredpletely, sending the cold water crashing into his skin once more.


    He tried struggling against the weight pinning him down and even prepared to summon his dagger but paused when he saw who it was.


    It was none other than the beautiful mermaid...


    "Can you hear my y?" she asked in her melodious voice, and Nn nodded.


    "Yes, I can. And it''s really beautiful..." he remarked, watching her look at him dazedly.


    Suddenly, Nn noticed a strange multicolored tear sliding down her face, and it dripped onto his.


    With confusion, he watched as a smile appeared on her face amid the multicolored tears that dripped down her face.


    Slowly, she backed away from him, covering her face with her hands as if trying to hide from Nn.


    [Her lips moved again, but I can''t hear her,] the system suddenly informed him, and Nn finally realized what was happening.


    "Could it be that no one can hear her, but I can?" he asked aloud.


    In the next moment, he stood up and walked over to her, gently taking her hands away from her face and wiping her tears with his fingers.


    Her skin was so soft that Nn felt a pang of fear in his heart that he might scar her with the roughness of his fingers, so he immediately retracted his hands.


    "I am Nn," he replied to her earlier question as a smile bloomed on her face.


    It confirmed to him that he could really hear her.


    He was the only one who could, ever since she had been born.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    chapter-source-MvLeMpYr


    "I am Lorelei..."


    "Lorelei. It''s a beautiful name..." Nn called out, wanting to say more, but he stopped, slowly stepping back from her.


    "I''m afraid I must return to the pce now. I was drawn here by your y, but my people will be worried about me."


    "You should return to your home too. It''s a bit cold here, and maybe dangerous as well," he said to her before turning his back and continuing his run into the distance.


    Silently, Lorelei watched him quickly disappear among the lightning-lit trees, until hepletely faded from her sight.


    "Return home?" she repeated, and in the next instant, she swam forward with speed, heading in the exact direction Nn had run¡ªtowards the pce.


    ---


    Silently, Nn broke through the thick forest, arriving at the backyard of the pce.


    Just as silently as he had moved out before, he moved back in, weaving past the gazes of the guards until he appeared in the guest room alleyway where he had been given his quarters.


    Tiptoeing, he walked forward, moving towards his room, before suddenly stopping when he saw a figure reclining beside his door, legs resting against the wall, and his gaze fixed directly on Nn.


    It was a blindfolded figure¡ªnone other than Gojo.


    "Well, well, well. Look who''s here, sneaking around the pce..." Gojo''s coy voice rang out as Nn quickly thought up a lie in his head.


    "Just needed to get a bit of fresh air. What are you doing in front of my door anyway?" he asked, watching Gojo rise up before shrugging.


    "I don''t believe your lie, but whatever. I came to check on your Divine Essence. I expect it to be waning by now, and it seems it has even been broken already. I came here to refill it..." Gojo said, and Nn was shocked.


    ''He cared about that?'' Nn wondered.

 Chapter 99: Chat With Lorelei

    Who would have thought Gojo could have cared about giving him his divine essence to protect him from getting wet, and that he had even bothered toe to his door for that?


    It was really surprising to Nn, and only now could he remember Adanian''s words:


    "He cares about every single thing, even though he acts like he doesn''t give a damn..."


    ---


    "Thank you very much, Gojo," Nn called out as Gojo pointed to his body.


    Immediately, a blue wave of divine essence appeared around Nn, and he felt the sensation of water fading away as his clothes dried up once more.


    Once Gojo did that, he rose up from his reclined position before walking past him, pausing for a few seconds beside him.


    "The group only agreed on being in the room for thest three hours. You can go wherever you want."


    "Just be back in thest three hours, and don''t cause trouble for the Anteans," he said before walking past him and disappearing down the hallway from where Nn hade.


    [He''s a pretty cool guy, really,] the system called out to Nn, who simply smiled a little before opening his door and entering his room.


    But he was more than shocked when he found someone sitting on his sofa, his bag on herp.


    "You! How did you get here?" Nn asked in shock as the figure raised its face, filled with nothing but innocence, at Nn.


    Of course, she was none other than Lorelei, and Nn looked around the room and soon found out how she had been able to arrive in the room earlier than him.


    Just behind her, the window was wide open, and he remembered vividly that he had never opened it at all upon arriving in the room. That meant someone else did, and it was safe to say it was her.


    "What''s this?" she asked with an innocent expression as she brought out something from his bag. Nn walked over to her, picking it up from her hands and turned it upright.


    "Just a clip," he replied to her, cing it back in his bag, before he picked it up from herp and closed it up.


    "How do you even find me? You''ve been following me all this while? And also, this is the pce."


    "Not just any random person is allowed in, and you will be in danger if found. Return back to your home..." Nn called out.


    He came into his home to find someone who had broken through the window and was now rifling through his stuff. He didn''t find the experience enjoyable at all.


    "Don''t worry. This is my home," she said to him, and Nn paused in his footsteps.


    "This is... your home?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, his heart rate slowly increasing as he considered the chance of something bing a reality.


    "Yes. I''m the Antean Princess," she dered casually, but Nn remained unmoving from the shock.


    "The Antis Princess... She is actually the Antis Princess!"


    Now he was feeling awkward. How should he greet the princess?


    But he soon remembered he was a Celestial heir, and that wouldn''t be necessary for him.


    "I''ve heard of who you are from the guards. You''re the child of the Celestial ones," she said, and Nn thought about it for quite some time before eventually nodding.


    "Yes, you can say that," he replied.


    "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Thest thing he was expecting was an impromptu visit from the Princess of the Anteans, the daughter of the King of Antis.


    "I... I was just... I wanted to... I just wanted to talk to you, since... you''re the only one who can hear me," she finallypleted after stammering repeatedly.


    Nn watched as she kept her face down, and he wondered if that was from embarrassment, but something piqued his interest even more.


    "Is it true that no one can hear you?" he asked her, sitting on the opposite sofa, and Lorelei raised her head up before nodding.


    "Yes, they can''t hear my voice or my y. Anything I touch can''t make a sound," she said to Nn, and the system confirmed it to him as it couldn''t hear a single thing from the discussion.


    To anyone else, it would have seemed like Nn was talking to himself, as Lorelei''s lips moved with no wordsing out.


    "Is it some type of defect or...?" Nn asked. The condition was quite a special one to him.


    "No. It''s a natural-born curse," she replied, and Nn''s eyebrow raised, and a hint of cautiousness shed in his eyes.


    The person before him was cursed!? It was almost unbelievable.


    "A curse, huh?" he mused as he remembered his own ''special'' physique. His God''s ve physique.


    Couldn''t that be called a curse too?


    "Many people don''t believe in curses. You seem to be different, though," Lorelei said to him. powered-by-MvLeMpYr


    She had witnessed Nn''s expression, and she could say it was differentpared to 99% of reactions. Most believed she was just defective and had lost her voice. But she and her father knew well it was beyond that.


    "I know a thing or two about them," he replied with a shrug, not willing to reveal too much.


    "I have a question, though..." Nn suddenly said, and Lorelei raised her head.


    "That song that you yed. It was telling a story. A story about a girl locked in a cage..." Nn said, remembering the words he heard put into the song, and Lorelei simply stared at him with her innocent eyes.


    But in her mind, she was reeling in shock and a single question lingered.


    ''How could he also know of the message hidden in the song....''


    "It mentioned the girl being all alone and in fear, and her emotions were described so vividly until the song suddenly came to an abrupt stop..." Nn said as Lorelei''s eyes narrowed.


    "That''s the end of it," she said to him.

 Chapter 100: Taken Away

    "Hmmm, that doesn''t feel right," Nn mused to himself with a furrowed brow, causing Lorelie''s heart to quake within her.


    "Why do you say it doesn''t feel right?" she asked him.


    "I''m thinking if she ended up locked up, cold, and all alone¡ªthat can''t be the end of it, right?"


    "She has to eventually leave her cage, or she has to die in the cave. Something has to happen."


    "Just being in the cave all cold and alone can''t be the end of it," Nn said with quite a bit of conviction and certainty.


    A person''s story never ends with them being in a ce cold and alone.


    Only two things can end it: either they find a way to break the cage they were held in, or they die within that cage.


    And in the majority of cases, those choices are always avable.


    Only a prisoner can bring himself out of his prison, and if he or she doesn''t wish to bring himself or herself out, then he or she will remain trapped in it forever!


    find-more-stories-on-MVLeMpYr


    The observation from Nn surprised Lorelie more than a little, for that song she yed urately described who she was.


    She had always believed that this was how she would forever remain until her life ended, and her story had alreadye to an end.


    But now, he had shown her that an ending like hers simply doesn''t make sense.


    She has to choose between two options: eventually exiting her cage or dying within it.


    It was an eye-opening moment, and Lorelie''s eyes shed before she raised her almond eyes to look at Nn, who stared back at her with caution, seeing the strange sh in those big eyes.


    "What is it?" he asked curiously as she rose up and swam to Nn.


    "Will you help me?" she asked, her eyes seemingly bing bigger.


    "Help you with what?" he asked.


    "Help me break my curse," she replied, and Nn''s expression changed a little before a deep frown settled on his face.


    "Can a curse ever be broken?" he asked dubiously.


    "I don''t know. But there is a book that does exin a thing or two about it, and I think it can help me out. Will you follow me?" she asked with those almond eyes of hers, and Nn hesitated.


    Right now, he could feel he was getting himself into an unnecessary headache. He had no reason to want to help her out at all, so why should he bother?


    "Okay, I''ll go," he replied, but his face immediately changed the second he said it, as he shed a shocked expression to Lorelie, who giggled.


    "That''s not what I¡ª" Nn wanted to protest, but he couldn''tplete his words when a hand locked into his, and in the next instant, he was dragged forward with blinding speed as they both swam out through the window, quickly disappearing into the back of the pce and vanishing among the woods.


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK


    The sound of knocking could be heard on the door a few moments after he and Lorelei left.


    "Nn, are you there?" a female voice resounded but received no reply.


    Soon, the doorknob twisted, and a figure entered the room¡ªa figure none other than Gaia.


    Her eyes shed, seeing no one in the room and hearing no sound, but she soon sighted the opened ss window and hummed slightly.


    "Guess he also moved out like the rest. Maybe I should too..." Gaia said before she half-closed the wide-open window and exited the room, locking the door shut.


    ---


    "Where... where are we going?" Nn struggled to say as he felt himself being whisked into the distance with such speed that the world was nothing but a blur.


    He had thought that he and the godly ten were fast underwater because they possessed Divine Essence and Nn had his powerful physical strength, but Nn could swear none of them could even hope to match the speed of Lorelie.


    She was simply on another level, moving with mouth-dropping speed, yet what surprised Nn the most was how easy she made it look.


    Eventually, Lorelie turned her gaze to Nn and found his face contorted in slight difort, causing her to lower her speed significantly.


    "I''m sorry," she said, embarrassed, as Nn waved her off while forcing down the queasy feeling in his stomach. He was just one second away from puking his intestines out.


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. How can you swim so fast?" Nn called out in shock, and in reply, Lorelie simply looked at her blue tail and then at Nn''s two legs.


    "Because I am an Antean. That''s all we do..." she exined as she began slowly swimming forth, and Nn kept up with her, even though he had to jog to actually keep up with her visibly normal speed.


    Less than a few seconds had passed when they moved past the forest area and appeared in a mushroom-filled world, filled with strange marine creatures that swam all around Lorelie, who visibly smiled and waved at some of them before they all left.


    "Anteans can alsomunicate with the creatures?" Nn asked with a raised eyebrow, and Lorelie nodded.


    "Most Anteans canmunicate with them, but only I and my father can listen to their words directly and understand them."


    "So you can hear them talk?" he asked as a group of sea-horse-type creatures appeared beside Lorelie, cuddling all over her.


    But they all soon turned their attention to Nn, looking at him for a long while, before they turned back to Lorelie, their lips moving before they scuttled away into the distance.


    "Why do I feel like they said something about me?" Nn mused to himself.


    "They said I should be careful around you. Your heart is not fully pure," Lorelie said, and Nn rolled his eyes.


    "And I wonder when sea-horses can now read people''s hearts..." he said, unimpressed, and Lorelie giggled at him.


    "So where are you taking me?" Nn asked. They had been on this path for close to 30 minutes now.


    "We''re almost there..." she replied.

 Chapter 101: The Secret Hideout

    She said to him and they swam for half an hour more before finally arriving at their destination.


    It was an enormous mountain, with a strange color of blue and gold.


    The mountain was so massive that standing before it gave the illusion of facing a dead end.


    But while Nn should have been intimidated, he strangely wasn''t, and Instead he found himself being taken down the memoryne once more.


    It reminded him of the extra ginormous mountain that he came across during his first God King Trail.


    Compared to that mountain, this mountain was like a kid to an adult and Nn felt a chill crawling down his spine.


    "So... this is it? A dead end?" He asked as she swam forward towards the mountain.


    Magically, her violin appeared in her hands once more, and she began ying a tune. Barely five seconds into it¡ª


    GRUUUUUMMMM


    Nn watched as the mountain began fiercely shaking. Three secondster, a part of the mountain, shaped like a door, opened up. Lorelei put away her violin before swimming back to Nn.


    "That''s... That''s pretty cool..."


    reading-here-on-NovelBin


    Once again, he was dragged forward by Lorelei as they both disappeared into the mountain, which closed behind them with another fierce


    GRUUUUM


    ---


    The pitch darkness that surrounded Nn gave him quite the chills, but he felt a bit offort from the warm hand wrapped around his.


    Barely a minute passed before light returned, and Nn felt his head burst out of the surface of the water.


    He took an incredibly sharp inhale of the air.


    Looking around the ce, he was more than surprised to find himself in a quiet hall, where rows and rows of bookshelves were arranged.


    Dim lights came from the gently lit chandeliers that dangled from chains above.


    "Howe... Howe there''s no water, even though we''re underwater?" Nn asked in shock as he turned his head to Lorelei, only to find a feminine figure standing on her feet, looking at him with a mischievous expression.


    Immediately, Nn''s eyes snapped shut as he waved her off.


    "You''re naked! Go and get some clothes on..." he said, hearing the sound of retreating steps and mischievous giggles.


    Silence lingered for a few minutes before he once again heard the sound of footsteps closing in towards him.


    "You can open your eyes now..." The voice resounded, and Nn couldn''t help but ask the system.


    ''Is she really clothed?''


    [Yes. I feel like someone is disappointed, though,] the system teased.


    ''That person must have been you,'' Nn replied as he opened his eyes, finding Lorelei now dressed in a light blue, princess-like gown.


    She stretched out her hands towards him and helped him out of the puddle of water.


    "Where is this ce?" Nn couldn''t help but ask.


    "It''s my little home. Since nobody can hear me speak or make a sound, Ie here to pass the time alone. You could call it my special secret hideout..." Lorelei said to him.


    "And what did His Majesty say about that?" Nn asked.


    The way they came was quite long, and who knows what could happen to a girl like her on the way?


    She might get hurt by something, and Nn refused to believe Antis was really so incredibly safe.


    "He didn''t refuse me. He never does..." she said to him as she walked towards a bookshelf, her fingers moving around the rows of the books, herrge almond eyes searching for something.


    "Lucky spoiled princess..." Nn remarked as he boringly checked out some books within the shelves.


    Soon, he found one that piqued his curiosity, a book with the image of a strange machine drawn on its cover.


    With interest, he picked it up and flipped through its contents, his curiosity growing as he began reading the notes carefully.


    The book spoke of the destruction of Antis, and ording to it, the catastrophe was caused by the creation of a machine.


    A machine known as Atnta-2r4t.


    "I could swear I put it somewhere around here..." Lorelei''s distant voice echoed as Nn delved deeper into the book''s contents, finding even more answers regarding why the machine was created.


    It was built to harness a profound and strange energy known as "Anti-Aether."


    Nn gasped in shock as he read about the energy. Anti-Aether was an energy, which, judging from its name, was capable of nullifying *God''s Breath*.


    ording to the book, the term *Aether* referred to *God''s Breath*, epassing all energy types, such as *Terror Flux*, *Mythical Essence*, and even the *Divine Essence* of the Celestial Heirs.


    The *Anti* in its name meant it went against something, implying that the energy the Anteans were trying to harness with the Atnta-2r4t was capable of canceling and nullifying every other energy upon its barest touch!


    Nn waspletely blown away!


    How could there be an energy apart from the four great energies that the Celestial Heirs don''t know of?


    And could there even be an energy whose nature goes against the very essence of those other energies, one so powerful that it could nullify them with a single touch?


    ording to the book, there was no definitive answer. But Nn''s thoughts were simple.


    If such an energy didn''t exist, then why would the mighty Anteans attempt to build technology capable of harnessing it?


    The creation of the Atnta-2r4t was a testament to the existence of Anti-Aether.


    But the technology failed to harness the power, and its explosion was what led to the absolute destruction of Antis, sinking it into the depths of the ocean.


    The mighty realm was locked away by the Celestial Heirs, ensuring the Anteans would never see the light of day again.


    But something felt wrong to Nn.


    In a way, he felt like the explosion of the device was the handiwork of those who never wanted the power of Anti-Aether to be harnessed.


    And he could guess who those people were...


    "The Celestial Heirs, the Titans, and the Nightmare Creatures..."


    "I''ve found it!" Lorelei''s excited voice interrupted his thoughts.

 Chapter 102: Loreleis Curse

    Lorelei''s excited voice rang out, awakening Nn from his stupor.


    She held arge book in her hands and walked toward him, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the shelves.


    The book Nn was reading fell to the ground.


    "Here it is. The book about my curse..." Lorelei said as they arrived under a wide reading table with a chandelier right above, making the ce very bright.


    Immediately, Lorelei opened the book and began skimming through the pages, with Nn viewing the notes with interest.


    ording to what he could glean, Lorelei''s curse was known as "Silent Existence," and it wasn''t something rtively unknown in Antis.


    The book mentioned that every generation of Antis would always have someone who bore this curse, and in this generation, it was Lorelei who was cursed.


    Unknown to Nn, the discovery that Lorelei possessed the curse had sent tidal waves through the entire Antis kingdom on the day it was discovered.


    In the past, those who bore the curse were usually unimportant figures to the kingdom, and the kingdom paid little attention to it.


    But Lorelei was no unimportant figure in Antis.


    She was the daughter of the mighty King Sammodra of Antis, a figure who held prominent power.


    But then she was cursed.


    It had sent an uproar everywhere, and eventually, the princess had been forgotten by most, her mention invoking not the respect she deserved but pity from the people.


    As Lorelei turned the page, Nn nced at her from the corner of his eye.


    While he expected to see an embarrassed or angered expression from what was written in the book, all he saw was a smile of positivity on her face.


    ''How can she remain so positive when she is unfairly afflicted with such a thing? She doesn''t seem to be bothered by the various words in the books at all,'' Nn mused to himself.


    The book didn''t just talk about the curse; it also hypothesized why the curse existed.


    One of the most prominent hypotheses was that whoever bore the curse was an unlucky figure who would bring nothing but death and chaos to the realm of Antis.


    It was said that the great god of Antis, Poseidon, had sent forth the curse to punish the person.


    The entire world of Antis was rife with such theories, and anyone who bore the curse for a generation was haunted and mocked by the people.


    That was until Lorelei possessed the curse.


    How could the princess of King Sammodra be the one to bring death and chaos to Antis? It just seemed like a ridiculous hypothesis.


    Still, such ideas were nheless haunting, and there were no doubt people who believed that she really might be a figure of misfortune to the realm.


    But as Nn stood before her now, he didn''t think such a hypothesis was true. How could a person like her bring death and chaos to her kingdom?


    "Here it is. The cure to the curse..." Lorelei called out as she turned to look at Nn, who had his eyebrows furrowed at the page where the cure to the curse was written.


    Just as with the ce where the hypotheses for the reasons for the curse were written, there were also countless other hypotheses for how the curse could be broken, and to Nn, they were just nonsensical.


    The majority of the ways mentioned were nothing more than hate-filled theories, such as the person who bore the curse must sacrifice their own life or the life of their entire family so that the god of Antis, Poseidon, may be appeased and thus the curse will end with whoever possesses the curse.


    Some simply wrote that there was no curse unless the person who possessed it waspletely banished from Antis, and maybe then the god Poseidon would be willing to forgive them.


    "These are just nonsense..." Nn called out to Lorelei, who smiled before she turned to the next page.


    Written on the page were wellposed and simple words.


    It stated:


    "The curse can only be broken by an anomaly, someone unlike others, who is resistant to the curse''s effects."


    "Only they can break the curse, but such a person would be as rare as Antis ever returning to its former glory.


    "But if this person is found and they break the curse, then not only will the curse be history from that day on, but it will also mark the end of Antis''s fall!"¡ª by the Fourth King of Fallen Antis. thank-you-for-using-NovelBin


    "This is the answer that was written by my great, great, great grandfather."


    "ording to the records about him, he wasmonly referred to by the people of Antis as the Mad King, and the majority of his ideas were never epted and most of the time treated as nothing more than fables and myths."


    "He was also the youngest Antis king to ever reign, dying at the age of 20," Lorelei exined to Nn about the one who had written the words, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Has there ever been anyone like me, who is resistant to the curse, before?" Nn asked, and Lorelei shook her head.


    "None has ever been resistant to the curse throughout the generations of Antis, and everyone in Antis would argue that there will never be such a person."


    "ording to what the Fourth King of Antis said, finding that person would be as rare as Antis returning to its former glory."


    "That is simply impossible..." she said with a small smile before she regained her seriousness.


    "But here you are, standing before me. Able to listen to every word that I say, and capable of tracking my y down from a distance of hundreds of miles."


    "None like you has ever existed since the fall of Antis. None."


    "And if there''s anyone who can help me out and break this curse," Lorelei said, as confusion set in for Nn.


    "But... I don''t know how to break the curse."


    [I do!]

 Chapter 103: Too Grave Consequences

    The system notification suddenly blinked before him, and Nn''s face was filled  with shock.


    Slowly, he stepped back from Lorelei.


    "I need a little time." he said to her, his voice steady but guarded, as he disappeared among the shelves under her suspicious gaze.


    ''What do you mean by you can break her curse?'' Nn asked with a raised eyebrow.


    [Breaking her curse is actually simple, Nn. Very simple.]


    [But the consequences of doing so are simply beyond your imagination!] the system replied curtly.


    "Tell me everything," Nn demanded, his tone serious, and the system began to exin.


    [First, let''s get one thing straight, she isn''t actually cursed, Nn.]


    [It''s not ''cursed'' like your own ''curse.'']


    [Her so-called curse is the result of something you read about in that book¡ªan energy called Anti-Aether.


    [It''s what causes the condition they call ''Silent Existence.'']


    [The truth is, Nn, what they refer to as a curse can simply be described as an infection.]


    [In every generation of Antis, there is a person whose physique is naturally susceptible to this infection¡ªan infection from the energy called Anti-Aether.]


    [To cure the infection, you simply need to flush out the Anti-Aether from the person''s body. It''s as simple as that,] the system exined, but Nn''s eyes narrowed, sensing that something was being left unsaid.


    ''You mentioned grave consequences. What did you mean by that?'' he pressed.


    [It seems you''re not as foolish as I thought. I expected you to be eager to help her and start asking how to remove the curse.]


    [Who would have thought you''d focus on the grave consequences I mentioned earlier...] the system said, a mix of praise and mocking in its tone.


    [When I mentioned consequences earlier, I meant significant ones.]


    [The most minor being your own death, and the entire Cosmic Order being thrown into chaos!] the system stated, causing Nn''s eyes to widen in horror and shock.


    "What do you mean?" Nn asked, his voice trembling.


    [Nn, if there is a group of ''mortals'' that the Celestial ones and the nightmarish creatures fear the most, it would be the Anteans.]


    [The truth is, the Anteans can actually be considered Celestial Heirs in their own right.]


    "What?" Nn asked in disbelief.


    [What defines a Celestial Heir?] the system queried.


    [You might say divine essence and all that, but at its core, Celestial Heirs are those who possess the bloodline of mythological gods, or more urately, blessed by the gods ]


    [How did the Anteanse to be? They were willingly blessed by an immensely powerful god, Poseidon.]


    [What''s the difference between them and Celestial Heirs?]


    [Even some Celestial Heirs don''t have the blessing of their bloodline.]


    [This puts the Anteans on the same level of influence and strength as Celestial Heirs.]


    [They are immensely ambitious, like their god, and they have the intelligence and power to back it up.]


    [One of their greatest achievements was their discovery of Anti-Aether.]


    [Anything the Anteans do usually creates headaches for both the Celestial Heirs and the nightmarish creatures alike,] the system exined, and Nn had to agree. -exclusive-content


    ''So it''s true, huh? It was the Celestial Heirs, the Titans, and the nightmare creatures that destroyed Antis?'' Nn asked.


    [I don''t know for certain, but I would say it''s likely 90% true.]


    [Can you imagine how horrifying it would be if Anti-Aether were created¡ªan energy that nullifies all others, possessed by people as mad as the Anteans? ]


    [It would only be a matter of time before the Anteans ruled over the worldpletely.]


    [It would be insane if the Titans, Celestial Heirs, and nightmare creatures didn''t band together to destroy the machine as fast as they could,] the system exined, and Nn had to agree.


    [Do you know why the Anteans are still fallen? It''s because a trace of Anti-Aether still trails after them.]


    [The curse that gues them is the result of this Anti-Aether, which is also what keeps Antis from ever growing again.]


    [Right now, the Anti-Aether left in Antis is currently present in that her body.]


    [If you absorb it away from her, Antis will be freed of its curse. And do you know what will happen after that?]


    [It will only be a matter of time before Antis regains its former glory, just as that Mad king of Antis predicted!] the system said, and Nn''s eyes shed with understanding.


    Things were beginning to piece together.


    If Antis rises again, it would cause a major uproar that could send the entire Cosmic Order into chaos.


    When the Anteans who have been locked all this while finally make their next move, it will be nothing short of devastating.


    [Let''s even say, okay, Antis learned their lesson and lost their will, so they remained in ce. What about you, who absorbs the Anti-Aether?]


    [The truth is, Nn, Anti-Aether needs to be in a body. If you absorb the Anti-Aether from her, it will be like passing the infection into yourself.]


    [Two things will happen if you pass Anti-Aether into your body right now.]


    [The first possibility is that you will be able to harness the power of Anti-Aether. Instead of controlling divine essence or any other energy, what you will be controlling is Anti-Aether!] the system said as Nn''s eyes brightened.


    ''I... I will be able to control Anti-Aether! An energy that nullifies every other energy with the simplest touch!''


    [Yes, that''s the first possibility. The second possibility is that you will blow up with a BANG!]


    [The truth is, Anti-Aether is not a stable energy at all, and it has effects that can''t be reasoned with and most likely can''t be controlled.]


    [ Right now, the Anti-Aether in her body is stopping her from making any sound. Even though she talks, only you can hear her. Anything she touches won''t make any noise because of the Anti-Aether, and Antis will never rise again because of Anti-Aether.]


    [Do you see the strange and crazy effect? Who knows what will happen to you if you absorb Anti-Aether?]


    [What crazy effect will be yours?]


    [What if you turn out like her?]


    [Or you simply explode because you couldn''t handle the power of Anti-Aether?]


    [You can absorb her Anti-Aether, Nn, but your own life, too, will be 99% forfeited or rendered useless!]

 Chapter 104: A Decision Too Hard To Make

    The system exined lengthily to Nn, whose eyes faltered as he stared, still deep in thought.


    Right now, Nn can''t control Divine Essence, and the only thing he had as source of his power was his physical strength.


    Nn was terrified.


    He knew that eventually, the disparity between him and Celestial Heirs would only widen more and more, as Celestial Heirs possessed mystical powers from their abilities, and he would only possess nothing but his physical strength.


    He had always thought the system would help him one day, the more he progressed, or he would find a solution, but what if the system can''t do anything, and he would have to be stuck like this forever?


    Soon, he would lose his advantage of his physical body, and death or very would be what waited for him then.


    He needed to desperately find a source of energy, apart from his physical strength.


    But now, there was an immensely big opportunity waiting for him.


    The ability to control a source of energy that would only be his! An ability whose power is unprecedented! How insane would that be if he could control such power!?


    The power of Anti-Aether.


    An energy that goes against God''s breath!


    And while doing so, he would free a beautiful soul from her eternal bind while also bringing about the rise of the fallen Antis once more.


    But then there was also a probability of everything going wrong!


    What if he lost his life?


    Or ended up blowing up due to his body being unable to take control of the energy?


    Or what if he also became like Lorelei, unable to make any sound or any words, and remaining mute forever!?


    Wouldn''t he have ruined his only second chance at life?


    He would have died in less than a year since his reincarnation.


    That was just too much risk. Too much risk for Nn to undergo!


    It was just too risky.


    [My honest advice, Nn.]


    [Don''t help her.]


    [The risk is too much. Right now, your future has been set in stone, and I can assure you with my life that if you continue on this path, it would only be a matter of time before you arrive at the utmost top.]


    [So just leave this ce and get back on the right path.]


    [Maybe one day, she will find a person that would be able to help her.]


    [I''m sure you can''t be the only one in the entire universe.]


    The system said to Nn, and he didn''t have to even think twice to know for himself that it was the best decision for him.


    Right now, Nn''s path to greatness had been set.


    He might not be the most powerful existence in the world, but right now, his journey was safe and going smoothly.


    Going through such a risk was just not worth it.


    So why would he go through it?


    While he felt genuine empathy towards Lorelei, it wasn''t at a level where he could sacrifice his own life for that.


    And so, therefore, Nn walked back to Lorelei, who still had her shining eyes, blinking at him, but the light in his eyes dimmed when he saw the dim in Nn''s eyes.


    "So... do you know how to break my curse?" She asked him. only-found-at-NovelBin


    "Yes, I do." Nn responded truthfully.


    He find it wrong to lie to her. So he decides to simply be as honest as he could to her.


    "So... will you help me?" Lorelei asked as her eyes locked into his, while her fingers ground on each other from her nervousness.


    "I''m sorry, Lorelei. I can''t do that. I''m really sorry." Nn replied, and while he expected her to throw up a tantrum, she only smiled, her nking hands stopping from rubbing into each other, and she exhaled loudly.


    "It''s okay if you don''t want to help me. You don''t owe me anything, and I don''t owe you anything."


    "So I guess, you really don''t have much of a reason."


    "I''ve been able to live like this my entire life. I would be able to do so, just fine."


    "So don''t worry about it too much, okay?" She said to him, seemingly worried that he might feel guilt within himself for his choice of him not wanting to help her.


    "A few hours have passed now. You would leave now, right?" She said to him as Nn nodded.


    They have spent a few hours here truly.


    Oliver and King Samdora ought to have beening back now, and he wouldn''t want to be the reason why the mission gets jeopardized, so Nn nodded.


    "Okay then. I''ll escort you out." She said as she grabbed his hand and walked forward towards the puddle of water where they formerly came from.


    Immediately, they both jumped inside it, and once more, Lorelei''s legs disappeared, and she regained her fish tail.


    She took off the gown on her body and flung it out to the floor above before she swam forward towards the exit with her fingers interlocked with Nn''s.


    On the way, Nn looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and faintly he could see her formerly smiling expression had dulled a littlepared to before.


    Right now, he could almost see the sadness that was sneaking through her eyes, and how she repeatedly blinked and blinked as if trying to stop something froming out of her eyes.


    Finally, they both arrived before the dead end, and Nn tapped on the wall in three strange rhythms before once more a loud grumbling sound was heard, and they both exited the cave wall.


    With her speed, they were able to return back to the pce in less than an hour, and Lorelei finally stopped watching as Nn went back into the pce.


    Once he was gone, she finally swam back into the forest, drips of multicolored liquid trailing behind her eyes as she swam forth back to her home with her fastest speed, the multicolored liquid which could only be tears increasing in number the farther she swarmed.

 Chapter 105: A Bigger Trouble

    [She might be heartbroken, but you did the right thing. No need to feel sad about your decision,] the system said to Nn, who stood before his ss window, his eyes gazing into the far distance where the Light Foresty.


    It was the ce where he had first met Lorelie, and now he could no longer sense her presence.


    ''I need to focus on the mission. Close the rift, and get out of here. Then everything will return to normal once more...'' Nn thought to himself as he shut the ss panes tightly before heading toward his bed.


    But he stopped when he felt the presence of a figure at his doorstep.


    KNOCK


    KNOCK


    KNOCK


    "Hey, Nn!" a voice called out, and Nn could tell it belonged to none other than Adrian.


    "What?" Nn replied as he walked toward the door and opened it, finding a fidgety Adrian at the entrance.


    "Oliver is back, and we have a little problem..." Adrian said before turning on his heel and sprinting off in a certain direction.


    Nn needed no further exnation and hurriedly sprinted after him.


    ---


    "The cracks have begun spewing forth monstrous creatures, my lord and our soldiers are being overwhelmed."


    "ording to the reports, they would only be able tost for an hour before they are brought to absolute ruin!"


    A soldier''s terrified voice rang out in the room where stood none other than the five royal emissaries, the king, and nine of the godly ten.


    BOOM


    The door to the pce was flung open by Adrian, who stormed in, followed by Nn, who calmly walked into the pce room after him.


    "It seems it was still able to pass the order before it could be killed off..." mused King Sammodra who nodded his head as Adrian and Nn came to stand before him.


    "So, how did it go?" Adrian asked Oliver, who nodded.


    "He has been killed by me. Just as predicted, it was merely an intelligent creature andcked strength."


    "He was crushed quickly, but before it couldpletely die, it was somehow able to send out a signal that caused the creatures in the rift to spew out, and now the Athpantean army is facing them but getting quickly overwhelmed," Oliver reported inly.


    "Now we act!" Ferris said, his golden hair brightening once more as all vestiges of yfulness and ease faded away.


    The air around him brightened up in a golden light, and a gigantic sword brimming with an incredible amount of holy golden energy appeared in his hands.


    "Withdraw your army from the battle right now."


    "My de sees and knows none on the battlefield."


    Those were Ferris''sst words before he burst forth with horrific speed towards the ceiling of the pce, smashing it open as he soared forward


    BURST


    In the next instant, an intense golden light red through the entire Antis, seemingly reaching the farthest reaches of space as Ferris turned into a golden human bulb of energy and in the next instant.


    RIPPLE


    An extremely loud ripple surged forth as he shot with furious speed into the distance.


    "Listen to what he says..." Gojo called out to King Samodra before he also disappeared into thin air, and the rest of the team also began rising up and disappearing into holes in the roof.


    "Send the order for withdrawal!" King Samodra called out to the soldier, who immediately rose up and stormed out of the hall.


    And now left alone in the room was none other than King Samodra, who raised his head and looked at the gigantic hole in the ceiling.


    "The power of the Celestial Ones. It''s as powerful as ever..." he mused silently to himself.


    ''Hopefully, they''re able to resolve this quickly.''


    m|vlempyr your story source


    ---


    "WHAT THE!!!?"


    They had been swimming straight with speed toward the rift for close to thirty minutes now, but what they sighted was more than enough to shock the hell out of Nn.


    Right now, in an area of a thousand meters radius before him, was an endless army.


    An endless army of nightmare creatures, and far behind them, he could see the gaping hole of a vortex where the monsters constantly spewed out from.


    "This... What the hell is this!!!" Nn whispered in shock.


    "That is a thousand-year-old rift, finally activated!" The answer came from Celestine.


    Right now, the nightmare creatures were so many and each with so many different forms that Nn couldn''t even count them all.


    Only a few were noteworthy of mention, yet Nn saw some that he hadn''t ever seen before and made his heart waver.


    The nightmares he had faced before this were like small childrenpared to the monstrous nightmare creatures that were before him.


    "Is that Ferris!!?" Nn asked in shock as he saw a golden light figure right in the center of the nightmare creatures, his gigantic golden sword gleaming with otherworldly power.


    Even though he was surrounded by literally thousands of nightmare creatures, he didn''t seem to be overwhelmed or in danger at all.


    His gigantic golden sword leaked out with otherworldly power, ripping entire nightmare creatures into nothing but bits, and the more he cleaved, the more the golden light he was oozing with increased even more.


    "Ferris is the nightmare of nightmarish creatures because his bloodline feeds off their energy."


    "He can never be overwhelmed by a rift unless he faces a creature that is so strong and manages to exhaust him until he is unable to carry his sword any longer..." Adrian said, noticing Nn''s shock.


    "He will eventually be overwhelmed if he stands here and they keep attacking. We have to find a person to close up that rift, and that would mean getting past the army of nightmare creatures..."


    "I am the fastest at closing the rift, so I will be closing it. All you have to do is open up a pathway for me..." Oliver called out to them the new n.


    "Got it!" they said in unison before they all immediately joined in on the battle as the entire world soon erupted into absolute chaos.


    It was a group of ten facing against a thousand, yet they weren''t losing!

 Chapter 106: Might Of The Godly Ten

    [I take back my words. They''re pretty strong...]


    The system notification panel buzzed before Nn''s eyes, yet he remained dazedly standing at the back as he watched the godly ten facing off against the army of nightmare creatures.


    It was such a shocking scene that had Nn simply standing alone, dazed.


    "How can they be so strong?" he mused silently to himself as he saw a golden beam of a sword that seemed to cover the entire sky sh forward with power, ripping apart hundreds of nightmare creatures in its path.


    On another part of the battlefield, a brutish roar could be heard as a gigantic animal-like creature with fur of steel, standing on its hind legs, weaved through the crowd of nightmare creatures.


    Its ws violently tore through them, while its snout bit down on their heads and ripped them from their necks.


    It was a gigantic 2.5-meter werewolf, but humanoid in appearance.


    "So Von is a werewolf?"


    Nn asked himself, realizing that the gigantic creature flickering through the battlefield with a snarl and blood pouring down its body was none other than Von, the second of the twins.


    Close to his battlefield was another figure with shing red eyes, long ws, and protruding fangs.


    He flickered around the battlefield, with nightmare creatures copsing to the ground silently, a smooth w mark on their necks.


    Sometimes, Nn would watch as he mysteriously appears behind the nightmare creatures, swiftly twisted their necks, causing them to fall limply to the ground, dead!


    "And d is a vampire..." he mused to himself before turning to look at thest figure.


    This one was so fast that Nn could only see a blur.


    read first on m v _l,e m _p _y _r


    Wherever he shed past, the nightmare creatures would simply fall to the ground dead, or sometimes be sent flying backward at high speed, exploding to bits while in the air.


    Nn could barely make out his figure, and he was none other than thest of the three guys, Venus.


    "What the hell is he even?" Nn wondered.


    [He''s a rare hybrid. Abination of werewolf and vampire. He''s one of the strongest in the group,] the system said to him.


    "In the group..." Nn thought to himself as he turned his gaze away from that side of the battlefield and looked to the other side, where a total of three figures could be seen.


    Three feminine figures whose battle scene was so intensely beautiful yet heart-chilling.


    One of the girls, d in armor, had a long purple chain flickering around her figure, which she used to bind the nightmare creatures and hang them in the air.


    In the next instant they were raised, a brilliant light arrow shed past, and the heads of hundreds of nightmare creatures soared into the air.


    Looking to the side, Nn saw who was shooting the arrows and it was none other than Celestia, enveloped in bright celestial star energy that coated her arrows and killed off the various creatures.


    Around Celestia wererge tree thorns that tore off the ground, ripping apart any nightmare creatures that came close to her.


    The source was none other than Gaia, whose tattoos lit up with incredible energy, and Nn could finally see the shapes of the tattoos as they glowed from under her cloth.


    They were in the shape of a leaf.


    A leaf surrounded by strange chains!


    Abu was responsible for trapping the nightmare creatures in her chain, Celestia for shooting off their heads with her arrows, while Gaia made sure no other nightmare creatures ambushed any og them.


    Together, they held absolute control of the other side of the battlefield.


    BOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    Suddenly, an incredibly powerful sound of an explosion rang out and Nn snapped his gaze to the far end of the battlefield, closer to the front.


    There, he saw organs and parts of nightmare creatures spewed all over the area, and standing in the air was a person with a blindfold and a cocky smile on his face.


    Stretching his hand towards the nightmare creatures on the ground, Nn watched as his fingers slowly clenched together.


    "Vishnu Descent Skill: Copsing Void!"


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    Another incrediblyrge explosion resounded through the entire battlefield as all the nightmare creatures below where Gojo pointed his hands suddenly exploded along with the space.


    Not even their organs were seen¡ªthey were instantly crushed into nothingness along with the space.


    Once more, Gojo faded away, only for another devastating explosion to sound through the entire battlefield, blood sshing all over the area.


    [He too is very powerful. His ability allows him to not only control the void but bring about its destruction.]


    [All he needed to do was destroy the void around the nightmare creatures, and such an irregrity was enough to rip apart the nightmare creatures in the area.]


    [A really interesting Descent Skills to acquire] the system said to Nn, whose eyes shed as he turned his gaze away from Gojo, instead turning to look at another edge of the battlefield, where a raging purple demon could be seen, wearing a gauntlet.


    Every punch he sent outunchedrge fist phantoms that ripped through nightmare creatures like a de, reducing them to paste with its shocking explosion power.


    The figure was none other than Adrian, but now he seemed to be using his third ability, as every punch sent outrge fist phantoms that ripped through the nightmare creatures.


    Thest person in the ce was Oliver, who was responsible for closing the rift.


    With the others keeping the nightmare creatures at bay, his only task was to steadily advance towards the rift as fast as he could, and Nn could see he was already heading to the front, and he had to say he was pretty fast too.


    It seemed in the end, his  own strength wouldn''t even be needed for the job to be done, as they all pretty much had everything under control until Nn''s eyes shed when he noticed something wrong.


    And quickly, his eyes narrowed dangerously before instantly his muscle tensed.


    "Oh no!"

 Chapter 107: Olivers Betrayal

    Read today on mvl _em _pyr.


    Nn''s eyes shed in horror as he looked at Oliver, and he instantly shot forward with speed, screaming out,


    "FERRIS!!! WATCH OUT!!!"


    The roar was so loud it reverberated through the entire battle stage, and everyone instantly turned their gaze to Ferris, including Ferris himself.


    But they all took a deep breath when they saw a de appear in Oliver''s hand as he appeared before Ferris, piercing straight toward his head.


    "What the!!!???" Ferris could only watch dumbly as Oliver''s de moved with speed toward his forehead, brimming with an incredible amount of Terror Flux.


    The shock was so much that he couldn''t even raise his de and block.


    He just stood dumbly in shock and watched as the de pierced toward his head, its sharpness undoubtedly ripping a hole through his skull.


    The same could be said of the remaining group, who also stood where they were in shock, unable to act.


    But one person wasn''t shocked.


    In the next instant, veins bulged all over Nn''s right arm as his dagger appeared in his hand.


    In the next instant, the water was blown apart as Nn flung out his dagger with horrifying speed, and it pierced forward with power.


    "You''ll be a headache for him. It''s better if you die..." A dark voice boomed out of Oliver''s lips, whose normally dark eyes had turned into a strange crimson color


    It was clear to Ferris immediately¡ªOliver had been taken over by a nightmarish creature!


    "How???" Those were hisst words as he felt the edge of the sharp de close in on his forehead.


    But just an inch away from it, a dagger shed by with speed, mming onto the edge of the dark de and sending Oliver''s hand jerking to the side.


    A long gash was made on Ferris''s head, but it was nothing lethal.


    His life had been barely saved.


    "DIEEEE!!!" The roar came from none other than Oliver, whose enraged eyes shed to the side, where the dagger hade from.


    He saw Nn running forth with speed and Instantly, he shed towards Nn, his de bing longer as it pierced forth with speed toward Nn, who had a vein popping on his face.


    "Bastard!" Nn cursed as his right hand moved to the side, his Hellish Chains appearing in his hand.


    He sent it flying forward, mming hard against Oliver''s sword, sending it to the side.


    Immediately, the chain moved around like it possessed its own consciousness, wrapping around Oliver''s neck.


    In the next instant, he was raised up into the air by Nn and then...


    BAAANGGG!!


    The loud sound rang through the entire ce as Oliver was roughly smashed into the ground by Nn''s chain.


    Instantly, Nn stretched out his hands, his dagger appearing within his palms, and he cleaved downward toward Oliver.


    But Oliver instantly escaped the chain''s bondage with a sh to the side, blocking Nn''s dagger by an inch.


    "DIEEEE!!!" The inhuman roar came from Oliver''s lips as he pierced toward Nn''s back with his sword.


    But before it could reach Nn, it was grabbed by a figure, causing blood to rain down on Nn''s back.


    The person was none other than Gojo, whose second hand stretched forth, grabbing onto Oliver''s neck and then...


    BAAAAAANGGG!!


    An even louder bang reverberated through the space as Gojo violently smashed Oliver onto the ground and pinned him against the floor.


    "Go ahead and close the rift! Now, Ferris!!!" Nn suddenly roared out toward Ferris, whose eyes finally regained their senses from their shock.


    With urgency, he ran forth towards the rift, performing different hand seals as he approached it with his fastest speed.


    Something had gone wrong, and right now, his senses were screaming to him of danger.


    "HAAHAHAHAAH! TOO LATE! THIS AMOUNT OF CORPSES IS JUST ENOUGH!"


    The sinister roar came from none other than Oliver''s lips as he stared at the rift and smirked.


    "WITH THE THOUSAND DEAD SOULS THAT LAY AROUND ME, AND MY LIFE AS A PORTAL, I CALL FORTH THE 7TH NIGHTMARE PRINCE FROM THE DARKEST DEPTHS OF THE NIGHTMARE REALM!!!"


    Oliver roared out with a shrill scream before, in the next instant, something dark rushed out of Oliver''s body.


    It was a dark nightmarish creature d in tattered robes with seemingly no physical form.


    "AAAHHHHH!!!"


    A hoarse, painful screech rang out from its lips, a sign of one in distress, yet its abyssal roar rang out.


    "HAHAHAHAH! Finally! The 7th Nightmare Prince will appear, and he will bring you all innocent souls your death!!!"


    It said with a piercingugh before it suddenly exploded into bits.


    A strange dark energy came forth from its body, and then other dark energy also began rising from the souls of those nightmare creatures that were dead, and all instantly floated toward the rift.


    In the next instant, Ferris saw clouds of white soul energy that floated toward the rift.


    But a rune had already opened up in his palm, and immediately he screamed out while mming his palm forth.


    "SEAL!!!"


    In the next instant, his palm moved forth and mmed hard toward the rift.


    But mere inches away from it, all the dark soul energy flooded into the rift.


    Just an inch from Ferris''s hand mming on the rift, something suddenly grabbed onto his palm, and in the next instant...


    BOOOOOOOOM!!


    A devastating explosion rippled out from the rift, and a body was sent tossing away like a ball, mming backward with speed.


    In the next instant, Gojo faded away into thin air, appearing on the path of the tossed body, and he caught it in his arms but his face changed.


    The momentum was enough to send him also flying away uncontrobly, but a figure finally caught up to them, grabbing both of them in his arms before putting them to the floor.


    It was none other than the figure of Venus, the hybrid of the triplets.


    His eyes shed with horror in the next instant as he slowly turned towards the portal and saw something creeping out¡ªsomething monstrous, something spine-chilling and rippling out with arge amount of death and killing aura.

 Chapter 108: The Third Nightmare Prince

    "What the hell..." Nn screamed out in shock as he turned his gaze to the figure emerging from the rift.


    Right now, a gigantic w could be seen tearing out from the hole in the rift, and slowly, another giant w appeared, and then another, and then another, until there were a total of four ws tearing through the rift.


    RIIIIPPPPPP!


    The incredibly deafening sound of the rift being forcefully ripped wider rang out through the entire battlefield area.


    The rift was torn open even further, expanding into a gaping hole.


    Finally, a rough leg veined in red tore out from the rift before the creature''s entire body followed.


    "FINALLY!!!" The voice was like a whisper, yet it boomed through the entire area with unmatched power, shaking Nn''s eardrums until he felt liquid slipping down his ears.


    His eyes widened in shock.


    His eardrums had been crushed by the creature''s simple word.


    Fiinally, the figure rose upright, and Nn finally saw its full, malevolent form, causing his jaw to drop.


    The creature was a menacing, monstrous figure, standing at a towering 3 meters in height.


    Its physique was highly muscr and imposing, with a head adorned with long, wild white hair that spiked outward and tworge red horns that curved slightly backward.


    The horns glowed with an abysmal power, giving the creature a fearsome demonic appearance.


    Its face was terrifying, with sharp, jagged teeth fully exposed in a menacing snarl. Its upper body was incredibly muscr, with well-defined pectoral and abdominal muscles, covered in ck skin with sinister red muscle fibers.


    It had four massive arms ending in sharp ws, each one seemingly capable of tearing through anything.


    Its legs, equally powerful, ended in wed feet designed to crush or sh whatever came in their path.


    A long, thick tail, covered in the same ck and red coloring, snaked behind it, infused with sharp thorns that pierced through the ground, carving ridges into it.


    The creature''s skin had a natural armor-like quality, with ck, chitinous tes providing extra protection.


    Red lines ran across its body, possibly indicating a source of power or cracks in the armor where its inner energy leaked out.


    Massive amounts of killing intent and malevolence oozed from its being, spreading through the battlefield and casting an aura of intense gloom and fear.


    Surprisingly, when it came out from the portal, it seemed like the portal had finally exhausted its energy as it slowly closed itself back until itpletely disappeared.


    Their mission to close the portal had beenpleted, but now before them stood a monstrous creature along with an army of about 500 remaining Nightmare creatures.


    Slowly, the creature turned its head to the 500 remaining creatures, and in the next instant, all of the Nightmare creatures mmed their bodies onto the ground as they fully bowed to the devil, their foreheads touching the earth.


    "We wee the 7th Prince of the Nightmare..." they called out in unison.


    "Rise!"


    "With you, I will dominate this realm and the ones around it," the creaturemanded, as the Nightmare creatures immediately gathered behind it.


    Slowly, it turned its gaze back to the others.


    At this moment, Oliver had regained himself, and his eyes were locked on the creature.


    "What the!? How did this happen? A Nightmare Prince!!!" Oliver screamed out shrilly as the others turned to him, but they had no time to remind him of what he had done before.


    Or at least, what had been done through him.


    Formerly, Oliver had tried to kill Ferris, but now they knew it was because Oliver''s mind had been taken over by the Nightmare creature, probably the one which he and King Sammodra went to meet then, and Oliver had been oblivious.


    At the critical moment, it had used Oliver''s body to try and kill Ferris, but was stopped by Nn, and then the Nightmare Guardian had sacrificed its life and the rest of the others that died to summon out this monstrosity.


    Now it all made sense to Nn.


    When the Nightmare creature had asked King Sammodra for the bodies of a thousand Anteans, it wasn''t like it needed to eat their bodies.


    In essence, the creature needed their bodies so it could use them to perform a ritual that would call out this monstrosity.


    But in the end, its n had been foiled by their arrival.


    But still, it was able to use the thousand souls of the dead bodies of the Nightmare creatures along with its own to eventually summon this monster.


    Now he understood their real foe.


    Their foe wasn''t the creatures from the Nightmare realm. It was the creature that was standing before them right now.


    Right now, their mission could be said to have be easier.


    All they needed to do was defeat the monstrosity before them, and the other 500 Nightmare creatures that remained could be easily dealt with.


    Once they did that, they would havepleted their mission here and be able to return.


    But Nn felt this wouldn''t be as easy as it seemed, and soon he got the confirmation.


    [Main Quest Activated]


    [Host hase into contact with the 7th Darkness Prince]


    [Mission Given: Survive!!!]


    "What?" Nn screamed out in shock as he looked at the creature, which had two of its arms folded while the remaining two looked at them in amusement.


    "It piques my interest a bit. I thought we from the Nightmare realm, the Celestial Heirs, and the Titans made a universal agreement..." The devil suddenly said to them as they all narrowed their eyes.


    "We made an agreement that none of us woulde and help Antis ever and watch as it fades away into oblivion." thanks for reading on m|v|l|e|m|p|y|r


    "Yet here you are again? Clearly helping the Anteans. As expected of you bastards, Celestials."


    "Your words mean nothing but fart, and you go against them faster than a fish moves away fromnd..." the malevolent creature said with an irritating snort.


    "It doesn''t matter though. I''ll end you all right here and now!!"

 Chapter 109: Overwhelmed

    The voice of the creature boomed out as it slowly unfolded its arms, and its crimson eyes shed with a bright light.


    "Tch, you overestimate yourself!" The silent whisper rang out, and in the next instant, a figure shed forward with instant speed toward Draugr, appearing before him in a blink and then...


    BAANG


    A devastating surge of ripples tore through the entire water wave as the figure punched forth towards the devil''s head.


    BOOOOOOM


    An evenrger devastating ripple resounded as the Draugr''s smile widened and it raised its hand, pping it down on the figure''s fist.


    Just when it seemed both hands would soon knock into each other...


    KAAABOOOOM


    An even louder bang could be heard as a punch, brimming with fury and red energy, mmed into the Draugr''s jaw, lifting it an inch from the surface of the water.


    KABOOOOOOOM


    Another devastating surge rippled out less than half a secondter as the figure kicked forth with its long leg, mming hard into the Draugr''s stomach and causing it to take five steps backward beforeing to a stop.


    With shock, Draugr turned his face toward the person standing before him, one hand reaching up to his jaw, feeling a sting of pain from it.


    "There''s no need to worry about him, guys..." The voice called out to the rest of the team as they all turned their gaze to Venus.


    Yes, he was none other than the third of the triplets, the one who was a hybrid.


    "He might look big, but I believe we can chip him down bit by bit. We have all the time in the world to do that," Venus called out to them as he stared nkly at the devilish figure, which slowly rose from the ground.


    "I am Draugr, the 7th Prince of Darkness, and the one that will bring an end to you all..." Draugr said with an evil smile, and in the next instant. |em|p|yr.


    BOOOOOOOOM


    A pir of dark energy filled with intense murderous aura tore out of his body, soaring into the sky, and in the next instant, it shed forward toward Venus, shing forth one of its arms at him.


    Immediately, Venus also punched downward toward the fist, and then...


    RIIIPLE


    Another devastating ripple surged through the entire ce, and Venus was more than shocked when he saw his own right fist suddenly bursting apart as searing bloode burst out from his skin and his right arm muscles exploded, exposing ghastly white bones.


    GRRRHHH


    A groan of pain escaped his lips as he retreated a couple of steps back, yet Draugr only grinned louder as he appeared before him in an instant, sending its ws smashing toward Venus''s head.


    Instantly, Venus punched his left fist toward the w, and then...


    RIIIIIPPPPLLLEEEE


    Another devastating ripple surged out once more, and this time, Venus''s left arm immediately exploded into pieces.


    "Your weakness disgusts my soul!" Draugr roared out in irritation as he fiercely smashed his two remaining arms toward Venus''s head, and just when it seemed his fate was sealed, Draugr''s arms violently crashed into the ground, carving a three-meter crater into the ground.


    His irritated gaze turned to the side, where his prey could be seen, in the hands of a figure who was wearing a blindfold.


    "All heirs of Vishnu are always as irritating as ever..." Draugr said with a snort, and in the next instant, he ignored Gojo and Venus, knowing well it would be a headache to catch Gojo.


    Instead, he soared towards the remaining nine before him.


    "We can''t run! So we can only fight! Don''t bother hiding your strength or fearing using all of your energy."


    "This will be ourst battle..." Oliver said to them, informing them to go all out as every one of them immediately released all of their energy, bringing out their weapons and preparing for the fight of their lives.


    Yet, Draugr brought nothing but his interesting smirk.


    "Yourst battle it will be..."


    Even though the system had given him a mission to survive, Nn couldn''t just turn back and run when the entire group was staying to fight.


    So in the end, he summoned his fiery chains, nting it with his dagger, and burst forward with speed towards the approaching devil.


    BOOOOOM


    BOOOOOM


    BOOOOOM


    BOOOOOM


    Instantly, a heaven-shaking battle that shook the entire Antis sea urred as Draugr and the godly ten went absolutely all out in their attacks, each group trying to defeat the other and bring an end to them.


    The godly ten went absolutely all out as Oliver said, using everything they had.


    Their coordination from fighting together all the years finally showed, and even Nn himself went absolutely all out with his strength.


    Yet...


    BLEEERRRRGGGGHHHHH


    Blood spilled out like a tap as Nn''s bloodied figure was sent flying away into the distance, smashing into a nearby rock andpletely tearing through it before he smashed into the ground, carving a gaping five-meter hole within.


    His chained dagger fell off from his hands as he copsed headfirst into the ground.


    Right now, he was missing an arm, and his crimson right eye was shut tightly, having been broken.


    All over his body, muscles and bones had been ripped apartpletely, making him resemble an emaciated and half-eaten animal, with w marks stained all over his remaining skin that managed to survive.


    "Impossible... It''s impossible." Nn mused as he raised his darkening right eye and looked at the battlefield where a figure stood, surrounded by the unconscious bodies that lingered on the ground.


    It was none other than the badly battered and devastated bodies of the godly ten!


    All of them remained unconscious on the ground, unmoving. And then, there was Draugr with nothing but a few cracks on his armor-like skin.


    Not even a single droplet of blood was on his body, and his menacing smile never once left him as he looked at the unconscious bodies of the people around him.


    Slowly, his aura withdrew into his body, and he signaled to his nightmarish creatures.


    "Bring them to my pce. I will find a use for them..."


    [Run away, Nn. Run away!!]


    The system screamed out to Nn, who was a little farther from the battlefield.


    Slowly, with his remaining one arm, he quickly crawled away from the battlefield, dragging a long trail of blood that got swept away by the water around him, preventing him from being sighted.

 Chapter 110: Broken Will

    Battered, beaten, and torn apart.


    That was the best way to describe Nn as he found himself with his back against a tree branch, his chest barely heaving up and down.


    [Congrattions on Completing the Quest: Survive]


    [You have been given the following:


    - A Level-Up Card


    - A Rejuvenating Card.]


    The system notification shed before Nn and quickly changed.


    [You''re dying, Nn. Use the Rejuvenating Card. It will prevent your death.]


    The damage Nn had suffered was simply too grievous.


    His chains, which could absorb energy, had shattered under the relentless assault of Draugr.


    The devil had specifically targeted him, beating him mercilessly for fear of his ability sucking away its Terror Flux.


    It was a miracle he was even alive right now, and his heartbeat was growing fainter.


    ''How do I use it?'' Nn thought.


    [Just wish for it.] The system replied.


    ''Activate Rejuvenating Card.''


    He thought to himself.


    [Congrattions on sessfully using the Rejuvenating Card.]


    [Rejuvenating Card left: 0]


    "GRRRRH..."


    A slight groan of pain escaped Nn''s lips as he felt a hot wave of energy flowing through his body.


    It moved through him, and quickly, he felt all his injuries closing up.


    Health and color returned to Nn''s body.


    The ripped parts of his flesh healed, his broken bones regrew, with his damaged organs repairing themselves.


    Less than an hourter, Nn was back to full health.


    He feltplete control over his body, though his eyes remained as dull as ever.


    "We lost!" Nn mused silently, his head down. NovelBin,mp|y|r hosted


    They had lost to Draugr!!


    This was the end of their mission.


    They had fought to the best of their ability, yet they had all been overwhelmed by the devil, unable to draw even a single drop of blood from him.


    It had been nothing but a devastating experience,pletely shattering any will to fight.


    Physical attacks were useless; his chains could do nothing but snap under the relentless onught, and none of the best abilities used by the others worked either.


    It had simply been brute force against them.


    Draugr had defeated all eleven of them and beaten them until they were unconscious.


    He hadn''t killed any of them, except for Nn, who he had felt a threath from.


    Now they had lost and he was supposed to be dead, and the remaining Celestial heirs were under Draugr''s custody.


    The hole in the sky would close up in two days, trapping them here forever.


    It would only be a matter of time before he himself was dead, and then death would be the only thing waiting for him.


    [This isn''t over, Nn. This is far from over.] The system said as Nn forced a mocking smile.


    ''Really?''


    [Ah, Nn. Your body contains much strength and is properly healed.]


    [Yet you look like a person just a step away from death. I know the problem.]


    [ Your will has been crushed by the enemy.] The system said to Nn, who simply kept his nk gaze.


    [But you need to understand, Nn. The enemy you faced is one you should have never encountered...not now, at least.


    [That is a Nightmare Prince!]


    [He might have been weakened significantly due to not being in his native realm, but a Prince of Nightmares is not someone you should be thinking of facing at your stage! It is simply beyond you all!] The system said to him.


    ''You don''t need to downgrade him to make me feel better,'' Nn mused.


    [No, you peasant.] The system mocked.


    [Picture this: Let''s say the Celestials are a single entity. All the powers of the Celestials gathered in one entity.]


    [Then that entity gave birth to sons. How strong would one of those sons be? Can you answer that?] The system asked as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    [That is exactly what describes the person you just faced.]


    [The truth is that the Nightmare realm, unlike the Celestial realm, has its own king and queen.]


    [Those two are so powerful that they are like the Celestials Ones at their peak.]


    [And those two have children.]


    [One of those children is the one you just faced¡ªthe 7th Nightmare Prince.]


    [He is an ancient Nightmare entity that you should never have crossed paths with.]


    [But none of you prediced the ploy that happened.]


    [None of you, not even the Celestial ones.]


    [Right now, Nn, the 7th Prince of Darkness is weak because he isn''t in his realm.]


    [The strength he possesses right now should be 0.5% of his true strength.]


    [So if you think you were just downgraded, you must have been hit in the head.]


    [The Nightmare Princes are all powerful entities of their own, and they never leave the Nightmare realm.]


    [A case like this one is rare, and my most likely guess is that this Nightmare Prince is not the real one.]


    [The person you saw is most likely just a doppelganger.]


    [The energy wave oozing from his real body should be too strong for it toe to a realm like this without tearing apart the entire world and even rming the true Celestials themselves.]


    [So don''t feel down, Nn.]


    [


    If I were you, I would feel honored to have survived when a doppelganger of a Nightmare Prince wanted me dead, yet I live!]


    The system said with a cold snort as Nn''s eyes shed before once more they dimmed.


    ''Does that even matter at all? Doppelganger or not, we''re all done.''


    ''We can never make it back to the portal in time, and in the end, we will be trapped here for life.''


    ''It''s just like Sir Astarth said: death is the punishment for our failure.''


    Nn replied and the system remained quiet before it spoke itsst.


    [You faced three years of endless bullying and that still didn''t stop you from standing up and walking back.]


    [Your faced the God King Trail and you lived to tell the tale, standing up from it and growing even stronger.]


    [But now, you want to give up from some shitty idiot who isn''t even here in his real body.]


    [You sumbed to the power of some doppelganger??]


    [And you failed and met with your death at a simple Rift closing mission.]


    [Ok then, if you''re fine with that kind of death, it''s okay I guess.]


    [I''ll Just have to wait a few more eons and hopefully I find someone better and more strong willed than you.]

 Chapter 111: Finding A Way

    The system''s angered yet mncholic voice rang out before quieting down, but Nn''s head buzzed from the words.


    Truly, he had gone through literal hell to be who he was now.


    He had faced the almost insurmountable God King Trial, endured endless bullying and rejection for three years straight, and spent his entire previous lifetime ving away.


    Yet not one of these challenges had been able to im his life or will.


    He had seeded in oveing every one of them.


    So, right now, what stopped him from turning his current issue into something that would only build him up even more?


    Why not turn it into an advantageous situation for himself?


    Why wouldn''t he be able to rise above this problem, just like how he had always done.


    "I can find a way. I can always find a way..." Nn mused to himself as he rose to his feet, a milky white light appearing in his grasp.


    "But I''m weak. Brute strength alone won''t allow me to win. I have to find another way..." Nn murmured to himself.


    Now, he was willing to face his problems head-on.


    There was just a minor issue: how exactly was he supposed to do that?


    [You still have some level-up cards...] the system butted in as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "They won''t be enough..." He knew well that he had about four or so level-up cards, but he was also aware that those alone wouldn''t be enough, not even if he put all the acquired attribute points into strength.


    They still wouldn''t be enough for him to defeat Draugr.


    And defeating Draugr was the only way he could get out of this mess he was in.


    [Your only saving grace is your level-up cards. Without them, I''m afraid there will be no other way...]


    The system''s conceading voice rang in his head.


    "What is the price for not defeating Draugr?" Nn suddenly asked the system.


    [Your sure death,] the system replied, and Nn''s gaze shed before he turned to look into the distant pce where he knew Draugr was.


    Then, he turned once more in the opposite direction and immediately took a single step forth, shooting forward with speed into the distance.


    "If death is the price for failing, might as well die while trying to ovee failure..."


    Nn mused to himself as he rapidly shed forward with speed into the distance.


    The direction was none other than the...


    __________


    An hourter, bubbles escaped Nn''s lips as he finally arrived before the gigantic


    mountain.


    [What the hell are you nning? Don''t tell me...] the system called in surprise, but Nn cut it off.


    "Yes, that''s what I nned."


    "If I''m going to die anyway, I might as well go out with the loudest bang possible and be remembered for being the one to set chaos upon all the realms!"


    "Or I will reign over the Anti-Aether and be its first controller, using it to defeat Draugr."


    "Whatever the choice is, I''m satisfied with it..." Nn said as he finally finished replicating the touches on the mountain wall, and once more, it opened up before him.


    Nn swiftly entered into it, disappearing into the darkness, and the mountain once more shut itself close.


    __________


    A loud inhale rang through the room as Nn''s head burst out of the water, and his eyes looked around him, finding the hall to be gravely silent.


    Slowly, he climbed out of the water, his body dripping with cold water.


    ''Did she leave?'' He thought when something appeared at the corner of his eyes, and shock settled all over his face.


    Right now, on the ground, very close to the distance, there was a red outline on the ground that dragged into somewhere.


    A red outline that couldn''t be anything save for blood.


    And from the smell of the blood, Nn could almost identify the scent of a familiar figure.


    Instantly, his heart thumped as he hurriedly followed after the blood trail, finding himself before a door which he instantly kicked open.


    He took a sharp gasp when he looked on the floor of the room, finding blood sttered all over.


    Faintly, he could hear the sound of tired exhaling and instantly walked to the side of the bed, where a small pool of deep red water and bloody.


    Immediately, Nn jumped into the red water, and the depth of it couldn''t almost be seen.


    Still, he could barely make out the blue fish tail that was disappearing into the dark of the depth, and quickly he swarmed towards it with incredible speed, closing in on the figure of the mermaid.


    She was Lorelei!


    He quickly picked her up in his arms before soaring back upwards.


    Ahhhh


    A loud inhale tore through the small room as Nn burst out of the water and raised the body of Lorelei into the air.


    Right now, she was unconscious, and her body temperature was incredibly cold.


    So much so that he felt a faint shiver going through his body at the slightest touch of her skin.


    Quickly, he brought her tond, walking towards the side of the room where he got a thick cloth to cover her nakedness with.


    Finally, he took a good look at the side of her neck where blood was currently gushing out.


    [She tried to kill herself?] the system asked in shock, with Nn grinding his teeth.


    [She''s still alive though, barely. She can still be saved...] The system said as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "How do I save her?"


    Exclusive content from m-vlemp _yr.


    [Now that she is dying, the Anti-Aether in her would try and speed up her death and then disperse into thin air.]


    [This is also the best time to grab hold of the Anti-Aether if you really want it.]


    [You have to stop what is speeding up her death, which means you will have to absorb the Anti-Aether energy from her body.]


    [Then you can heal her body and neck by


    passing your Divine Essence into her.]


    [It should help her at least live for another day...] the system said to Nn, who immediately got to work.


    But still, there were a lot more things to be considered.

 Chapter 112: Lorelies Confession

    "That''s a solid n. But first, how do I absorb her Anti-Aether?" Nn asked.


    [It is simple. An intense and long physical connection is required.]


    [Jf you''re a natural contractor of the Anti-Aether energy, it should be willing to leave her dying body and inhabit yours.]


    [t''s like an infection, remember? It will spread to you, so far it determines you to be a worthy host!] the system said to him as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Intense physical connection?" he muttered to himself as his eyes subconsciously moved to Loelrie''s pale lips.


    Nn felt a bit of doubt and guilt at what he was supposed to do, finding it a bit wrong without her permission.


    But the fact was that she was dying reinforcd his will.


    If Loelrie had to choose between getting kissed and dying, which would she have picked?


    The choice was obvious.


    And so, he forced down the guilt he felt in his heart and leaned forward, his lips gently making contact with hers, with his eyes soon shutting closed.


    Silence reigned until after a minute when the system notification immediately red to life.


    [WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!]


    [An incredibly dangerous and unknown energy entity is trying to infiltrate the host''s system.]


    [Entity''s danger level is being calcted...]


    [Calction done!]


    [Warning! Entity has a 90% chance of dealing devastating damage to the host!]


    [Does the host wish to allow the entity into the host''s system or not?]


    [Important System Warning: The system advises the host to refuse this entity as fast as possible!]


    The notification red as the sound of a sharp inhale rang out and Lorelie opened her eyes to find her a pair of warm lips locking with hers.


    While her senses screamed at her to push him away due to an abnormality that it had never experienced before, her mind allowed it and Nn made a decision in his mind while parting his lips.


    "Allow the energy in!"


    [Host has given permission for the energy toe in! Energy transfer will now begin!]


    The rm red, and instantly, a sharp moan escaped Lorelei''s lips as her almond eyes shed with a strange dark color.


    A secondter, and a substance rose up from within her eyes as Loelrie herself copsed to the ground.


    Yet her eyes widened in shock when she sighted the flowing object or gaseous substance in the air.


    How could she not remember it?


    That object which appears to her every time she closes her eyes, haunting her in her deepest nightmares.


    How could she not recognize it at the first instance?


    Immediately, she felt something change for her.


    Something like a long-lost connection once again returning to her.


    She couldn''t exin how, just that she felt connected back to something.


    But she paid not much attention to that as she watched the object in the air instantly soar forward with speed.


    "Nooo!!!!" Loelrie screamed, her hands reaching out, but they failed as the entity mmed into Nn''s body, quickly disappearing within.


    [Dangerous entity has been loaded into the system''s body.]


    [Entity has begun corrupting host cells.]


    [Host might begin to experience some involuntary changes in the next few minutes.]


    The system alerted him as Nn''s eyes shed, and he felt a chill in his heart, his skin hair rising at their ends.


    He didn''t know why, but he felt he was about to go through the worst hell of his life soon enough.


    "Why??"


    The voice of Lorelie, who had multicolored tears once more streaming down her face, woke him up as Nn looked at her neck and found her blood still flowing out


    Although it was very much lesspared to before, and it only confirmed to Nn that the infection really tried to speed up her death.


    Immediately, he moved his hand towards her head, a white wave of essence gathering up, and Loreliie felt an incredibly warm and soothing energy flowing into her system.


    With visible speed, all her injuries and the numbness which she felt faded away, and even her skin repaired itself, including the wounds which she had inflicted upon herself.


    But looking at Nn, she could see he was far from okay as purple veins were beginning to appear all over his neck and face, and his teeth were gritted together as if he was barely keeping something in.


    [That''s enough, Nn. She''s alive.]


    The system said to Nn, whose teeth grinded together as he transferred everyst vestige of his divine essence into Lorelie''s body, only taking off his hands when he saw her neck injury finally close up and be as crystal clear as he could formerly remember it when he saw her.


    "Why??" Lorelie asked as she tried rising, but Nn''s hand on her remained, keeping her on the ground.


    "You''ve yet to be healed. Don''t move around, and don''t leave the mountain. Things are not very peaceful outside..."


    .


    He warned before rising up to leave.


    "But wait, what about you?" she tried asking, and Nn moved out without an answer, but his hand was grabbed before he couldpletely leave, by none other than Loelrie.


    Finally, he turned to look into her almond blue eyes, which were quickly regaining their light.


    "I...I love you, Nn." She suddenly called out, all for a sudden, her eyes disying fierce conviction, and that shocked Nn beyond belief.


    And he simply stared back at her dazedly, even through the mind-numbing pain that he was feeling in his body.


    "So promise me. Promise me that you will return to me. Please..." she begged with tears, and Nn rested his hand on hers.


    "I promise, I''ll be fine, and will return to you soon."


    "Now rx, and don''t exit the mountain. Do you understand?" he said to her with a reassuring smile, but Lorelie knew he was far from okay, as she could see the veins on his face was starting to morph into something hideous.


    "Okay..." she reluctantly said as she released his hand, and Nn sprinted off, hurriedly jumping back onto the pool that led out of the exit.


    "Fast... fast!!" Nn screamed to himself like a deranged beast, water gathering into his throat, but he ignored that as he hurriedly tried to run out of the mountain Loelrie was in.


    And quickly he arrived before the blocked exite, touching it like he remembered and the mountain opened up allowing him exit.


    Instantly, he copsed on both knees, grabbing his hair and forcefully pulling them out before...

 Chapter 113: Fighting It

    ROOOOOOOAAAAARRR!!!


    A beastly, heaven-shaking roar that could be heard for miles burst out of Nn''s lips. His crimson eyes were immediately overtaken by an intense purple light and je felt his mind being torn apart.


    CRAAACKK!


    CRACKKK!


    The sound of bones shattering to pieces rang out, and Nn felt his cells rapidly disintegrating, transmitting to him a soul-wrenching pain that made his fingernails dig into the ground. m _v,l-e _mp|y|r reader


    "Level up! Level up!!!" Nn screamed out in pain as the notification panel buzzed before his eyes.


    ---


    [Level Up Cards Remaining: 5]


    [Does the Host wish to use all Level Up Cards?] The system''s automated message appeared, and Nn''s back arched painfully as his spine suddenly burst out of his skin, wriggling in the air like a salted earthworm.


    The pain reached an unimaginable level, with his spine gradually turning purple.


    "YESS!!!" He roared out in anger and pain.


    ---


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up!]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up!]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up!]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up!]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up!]


    [+15 Attribute Points Obtained]


    [Total Attribute Points: 75]


    ---


    The system announced, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Input them! Input them already!!!" he demanded.


    [I can''t do that. You would have to...]


    "I said do it! I give you the damn permission!" Nn roared back at the system, and immediately, the notification panel changed.


    ---


    [Permission to change attributes has been granted.]


    [The system will now begin attributing points to address the issue immediately.]


    ---


    "GRRRRRRHHHHH..." Another loud groan of pain escaped Nn''s lips as he felt an incredibly and immensely hot liquid passing through every inch of his cells.


    Instantly, a war began.


    A mighty war between the system''s original power, which aimed to strengthen Nn, and the Anti-Aether that had turned all of Nn''s cells into purple energy, seeking to destroy them.


    It was an endless cycle of destruction and restoration as the Anti-Aether tried to break down Nn''s body, but the system''s surging energy immediately fixed it back.


    Both forces were unrelenting in their purpose, leaving Nn to endure an unbearable, soul-wrenching pain that twisted his mind and even his soul.


    Now, death itself seemed to Nn like a viable idea.


    He simply wished he could die¡ªlike someone should just drill a de through his heart and end this madness.


    He was so weak he couldn''t summon his dagger to kill himself, and the fingers he possessed were disappearing, slowly fading away in the brutal breakdown of his cells.


    In the end, Nn finally reached his breaking point as he copsed onto the ground, on his back, looking at the dark water above him.


    His mind was nk and empty, and thest thought he possessed was a wish to die.


    ---


    ''Then will for it! For the sweet embrace of death!''


    Something suddenly whispered to him in his ears.


    Nn didn''t understand what it was, but he felt like the being beside him was a god¡ªa god that would grant him his wish for death if he agreed.


    And so, with thest vestige of energy he possessed, he voiced his final wish.


    "I do not want to die..." Nn said out loud, and a strange light flickering in his eyes as he soon heard his own words.


    ''Why? Why did I say what I don''t want... again?''


    He thought to himself, not understanding why.


    Thest time he had wanted to speak his mind and said something else was when Lorelei had asked for his help.


    Nn had wanted to say no, yet he had said yes instead, only to be whisked away by Lorelei.


    He guessed it must have been her handiwork, some type of ability she used on him.


    But now, he didn''t know why.


    Even though he so much wished for death, he still begged not to die...


    The pain had faded away by now. So perhaps it was okay to live?


    ---


    ''To live? You can''t even feel your body. All your cells are destroyed. There''s no living for you!''


    The voice once more rang behind his head, and a grin curved on Nn''s lips.


    "Finally, finally I can rest from this pain..."


    Slowly, his eyes drooped, wanting to close when suddenly, they immediately snapped open in shock in the next moment as a crazy rush of electricity filled Nn''s mind.


    Instantly, he jumped to his feet, the ground beneath his body cracking into pieces from the sudden release of power.


    ---


    BADUM!


    BADUM!


    BADUM!


    Pulses reverberated through the entire ce causing the entire wave of the ocean to pulse along with every one of Nn''s heartbeats.


    His formerly purple eyes regained their crimson color, but something was different.


    Nn''s other eyes¡ªhis blue eyes, which had always remained dull ever since he could remember¡ªbegan shining with a small dot of light, almost like a beast finally opening one of its eyes...


    Nn''s white hair, which had pulled out of his body, regenerated themselves, floating all around his head as strange tattoos appeared in his blue eyes, spreading all over the half of his face.


    ---


    [Congrattions on the Host''s Awakening!]


    [Host has sessfully been able to harness the power of Anti-Aether!!!]


    [Host has undergone a significant improvement in all physical aspects of his body due to the presence of Anti-Aether!]


    ---


    "Say no more..." Nn ordered as he slowly floated up a few inches from the ground, cracking his neck bone and back bone before he turned his head to the side to look at the Antis Pce, and a deep smile appeared on his face.


    "Am I ready?" Nn suddenly asked the system, which replied.


    [You are!]


    ---


    BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!


    Instantly, a mighty explosion rocked the entire wave as the water around Nn shifted backward with speed, the air space around him being suddenly rid of water, and then he faded away into nothing as if he never existed.


    Yet, it had been less than three seconds when the entire water pathway parted in a straight line, the water disappearing away, pushed by a terrifying backward motion as Nn raced forth with speed, inching closer and closer toward the Antis pce.

 Chapter 114: Battle Between Nolan And Draugr 1

    Less than a few hours after Draugr''s intense domination of the Celestial Heirs.


    He had immediately moved into the Antis pce and in a few blinks, Antis had turned into a ved world.


    ------


    The sounds of chains nking rang out as a group of figures could be seen on the ground outside the Antis pce, with chains bound tightly around their hands, necks, and legs.


    It was a pitiful sight, and the ved figures belonged to none other than the Antis men.


    They were all chained up tightly, and at the side of the pce, on a raised stake chained tightly with heavy dark chains,y the battered figure of King Sammodra.


    His body was like one who had gone through a room full of thorns, riddled with various marks.


    But he wasn''t the only one hung like that on stakes.


    There were a total of ten other figures, all hung on the stakes with chains surrounding their bodies.


    Of these ten figures, three had their eyes open as they struggled weakly against the chains, yet all of them failed miserably to free themselves from their bindings.


    At the front of the pce sat none other than Draugr himself, a pleased smile on his face as he looked at the scene before him.


    "How I love it so much."


    "The nking of chains on the enved ones."


    "The wails and screams of women and children."


    "The stifled tears and condemned bravery of men."


    your m,vle mpyr source


    "How sweet of a melody to my ears it is,"


    Draugr said, sounding like a person drunk on power, as he sat back down on the throne that formerly belonged to the Antis king, watching as the enved men were chained down to the ground, forced to bow on their knees.


    How long had he remained deep in that omnipresent abyss, with nothing but darkness to keep himpany?


    But now, he could feel it himself¡ªthe thrill of absolute domination.


    It had been so long since he had felt this way.


    "How does it feel, King Sammodra? Your people, enved all because of your weakness!" Draugr called out with an arrogant smirk as he turned to look at the battered king.


    The old king had strangely been able to put up quite the fight, and given him quite the bit of headache, so Draugr had decided not to end his life just yet.


    It would be too much of a mercy.


    King Sammodra made no movement, only keeping his head down, and that enough spoke volumes to Draugr, about the King''s pitiful mental bearing.


    And so he ignored hm, turning to the three Celestial Heirs who still had their eyes open.


    "You damned Celestials, always sneaking past every world, even after making a treaty never to enter into them."


    "Now you try to protect Antis!? Hahaha!" Draugr said with hatred and mockery.


    "Tell me, how does it feel for a Celestial to fail at his responsibility?" he asked, as Venus, along with Gojo and Ferris, bit their lips harder in hateful defiance.


    They had exhausted every remnant of their Divine Essence and were currently spent to the bone.


    If not, they would have gone down once more and given the bastard the fight of his life, even if they all ended up dead in the end.


    At least they would fight to the end, protecting their responsibility¡ªnot to be hung on stakes, and given a ve''s death.


    "As for the Antis men, I will sever their necks. And I will make sure you all watch."


    "Then I will see for myself how it feels for a Celestial to fail at his responsibility..." Draugr said with a sickening smile as his monstrous henchmenughed, and half of the chained Anteans were forced down to their knees, a nightmarish creatures behind each one, to bring an end to thier mortal life.


    "You bastard!" Ferris roared in anger as the chains holding him shook roughly, but he failed to break free, only increasing Draugr''s malevolentughter.


    "Hahaha. None can help you all, and none can face me!"


    "I am King, and I am unrivaled!!!" Draugr proimed loudly, his voice so loud it sent spiraling shockwaves throughout the entire distance, sending everyone reeling, their eardrums bursting into pieces.


    But suddenly...


    BAAAAANGGGGGG


    Jaws dropped to the ground as they watched the scene of Draugr, whose arms had been arrogantly spread to the side, suddenly have his head crushed into the ground by a pair of legs as a new entity appeared at the center of the stage, stepping on Draugr''s head and pressing it down hard.


    "I have returned, bastard, for a rematch!" Nn''s thick voice boomed through the stage as the force grinding Draugr''s head into the ground intensified.


    In the next instant, a powerful force entered into Nn''s legs as he was raised up into the air and sent upwards due Draugr forceful lifting his head back up.


    Nn gently revolved twice before his legsnded softly onto the ground.


    "Nn!?" The surprised voices of Ferris and Venus rang out.


    "You! You will pay for this with your life!!!" The angered roar of Draugr boomed out as he shed forward with speed, appearing right above Nn, and the two''s eyes locked onto each other.


    CLLAASP


    The sound of Draugr''s four fist folding into each other rang out, forming a massive fist that instantly mmed down onto Nn''s head.


    Nn raised his head at the massively approaching force, and in the next instant, he took three simple steps backward.


    BAAAAANGGGG!


    The ground caved in from the weight of the attack, a gigantic crater of two meters appearing on the ground as Draugr''s eyes shed in anger, finding no figure crushed below his fist, and looked up only to see Nn looking down at him.


    "Have you gotten slower?" Nn asked with a deadpan expression as he slowly raised his leg up to Draugr''s face, which underwent a massive change as he quickly shed to the side...


    Or at least he thought.


    BAAAAAANGGG


    Another powerful shockwave rippled forth as Draugr''s face was violently stomped in by Nn''s legs, crushed into the crater with his hands and face mming onto the ground, and once more.


    Nn took a couple of steps backward after looking at the crumpled Draugr who slowly rose up from the ground.


    "It seems someone has really grown stronger, huh?" He said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

 Chapter 115: Battle Between Nolan And Draugr 2

    The thick voice echoed through the silent pce ground as Draugr slowly rose from the crater he had crashed into, his hand reaching for his right nostril before blowing his left.


    SPLAAAAT


    Dark blood sshed onto the ground, and while it might have seemed like any other urrence, the three Celestial Heirs who were awake and hanging on the stake all widened their eyes in shock as they stared at the dark blood on the ground.


    It has to be known throughout their entire battle with Draugr that none of them had been able to draw even the slightest amount of blood from his body, despite fighting him with everything they had.


    They all failed terribly.


    Yet, Draugr was now bleeding from having been stepped on by Nn just twice.


    How had Nn even been able to dodge that hammering strike so easily?


    Draugr''s movements had been nothing but a blur to them, yet they witnessed the attack missing entirely and Draugr''s head getting crushed instead.


    Just what had happened to Nn?


    "You''ve gotten a lot stronger than before. In fact, you''re almost at my current level of strength."


    "What trickery you did to achieve that within a few hours is what piques my interest..." Draugr said with furrowed brows and a faint snarl, as he looked at Nn, who gazed back at him with the same indifferent expression.


    "But don''t worry. You''ll be dying soon, and that means all of your secrets will be mine."


    "I''ll make sure to torture it out of you, watch you scream in agony as you and everything you are falls into my crushing hands. And I will make you wish for¡ª"


    "Are you done?" Nn suddenly interrupted, instantly silencing Draugr, who looked at him in shock.


    "I don''t have all day. Bring out your weapon already..." Nn said with a nk stare as he shifted his hands, and his dagger appeared.


    But this time, Nn''s dagger, which had previously oozed with a crimson color, was now engulfed in a blue me¡ªan incredibly bright and eye-catching me.


    Nn''s crimson eyes also began glowing with the same blue light.


    "How did his dagger''s me change?" The thought echoed through the minds of the godly ten.


    They had fought together with Nn earlier and knew well what the color of his dagger was.


    But to see it now burning with a light blue me caught their attention.


    "Fine! If you''re so impatient to die, then be my guest!" Draugr roared out with a disgusted expression as his hands immediately morphed.


    In the next instant, he underwent a terrifying metamorphosis.


    He began bulking up and up and up, until he reached a towering height of five meters from his previous three meters.


    His ws grew longer, his skin stretched tight with even more bulging crimson veins, brimming with an incredulous amount of power.


    Two gigantic fangs, like those of a saber-toothed tiger, emerged from his mouth, and his horns, which originally curved backward, changed direction, curving outwards instead.


    "TELL MEEE!!!"


    "HOW DO YOU WISH TO DIE!!!" Draugr roared, like a deranged beast, seemingly having lost lost his Intelligence, and he faded away into non-existence.


    Less than a split secondter, Nn suddenly ducked his head toward the ground.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP


    The water in the w''s path was immediately blown apart to nothing as Draugr''s ws cut through it like a hot knife through butter.


    RIIIIIP


    A second rip was heard as he shed forth with his second hand, only for it to be dodged by Nn, who stepped away at thest possible instant.


    RIIIIIP


    RIIIIIP


    RIIIIPPPP


    Hundreds of shes covered the entire space as Draugr unleashed a horrifying w bombardmemt speed with all four arms, so much so that the water and the space around them were soon cleared away, leaving nothing but Draugr''s crisscrossing sh marks and Nn, who kept moving around like a ming flicker in between Draugr''s ws, avoiding each and every single sh with terrifying precision.


    "What the hell!!!"


    "How is that possible...?"


    Murmurs rose from the onlooking godly ten as they watched Nn weave through the domain of ws with precision.


    He was surrounded tight with those four arms, which were barely inches from him, yet he dodged every single one of them without a scratch, his expression unchanging, yet the focus in them were next level.


    "How! How did he grow so strong!!!" Draugr screamed internally as he unleashed every single bit of energy within him, yet he couldn''t see how he was gaining any ground.


    All his shes were getting dodged, and what was even more terrifying was the fact that Nn''s eyes never shook from his own eyes at all, not even for a single moment.


    The terrifying gasps and shock were so loud, the majority of those who were on the stakes ended up waking up, including King Sammodra himself.


    When they witnessed the scene of Nn easily dodging all of the shes, they were struck with disbelief.


    "How.."


    "How..."


    "How..."


    The question rang loud and clear through Draugr''s head as even his own henchmen started to grasp the shock.


    They just couldn''tprehend how their prince was failing so massively, and finally, Draugr let his anger get the better of him...


    "DIIIIIEEE!!!"


    Instantly, his two horns thrummed with a zing crimson light, which immediately ripped forth towards Nn''s chest.


    Nn''s expression changed.


    He could sense from the momentum that if those scorching rays of lightnded on him, he would be ripped through. content source NovelBinmpy r


    And so, he resolutely grabbed the dagger in his hand as blue veins covered every inch of his skin and his dagger burst out with even more powerful blue mes.


    DIIIIIEEEEEEE


    The angry, beastly roar of Nn reverberated through the entire space as he angrily shed forward with speed, and his ming blue dagger met with the red beam of scorching energy.


    KABOOOOM


    Instantly, the space was cleared if water, as Nn''s dagger cleaved through the entire beam and appeared right before Draugr''s eyes.


    "No! No! You! You possess the power of!!!" Draugr wanted to scream out, as he finally recognized the horrific power, that Nn was harnessing to fight him, but before he could say it out to everyone''s hearing, his voice was cut off as Nn appeared behind him, crouched to the ground.


    And slowly, he rose up right before his dagger faded away from his hands.


    BAAANG


    BAAANG


    The sound of somethingnding on the ground rang out as Draugr copsed on both knees, yet his eyes shed, not in any regret, but in the shock of what he saw.


    That energy!


    That energy!!!


    He thought repeatedly, his eyes shinning in ultimate horror, before he finally copsedpletely, and a loud gasp of shock could be heard as his head rolled away from his body, along with blood that spewed out massively.


    But the entire world soon witnessed a strange scene as Draugr''s body suddenly began disintegrating into ashes instead of remaining and it confirmed to the system.


    [As I guessed, this isn''t his real body...]

 Chapter 116: The Athlanteanss Shock

    Immediately, the system gave the notification, Nn moved forward with speed, appearing before the remaining 500 or so nightmarish creatures who immediately tried to run but they were all swiftly executed by Nn, their heads raining down on the ground.


    "YAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!"


    The ecstatic roars of the Anteans could be heard as Nn walked toward the stage with his dagger dripping in dark blood, and he cleaved apart the chains surrounding the other celestial heirs before walking to the Antean King and ripping out his chains too.


    Then he walked toward the bound Antean men severing their chains, freeing everyone of them.


    "You have done me a great service, young man!" King Sammodra said as he swam towards Nn, helped by his royal


    emissaries.


    "State..." King Sammodar was saying when suddenly he stopped as he turned his head to the side and looked into the distance, where a lone figure slowly swam forward.


    "I...I...Ho..." He struggled to speak as Nn also turned his gaze to the side, and everyone followed after his motion, causing the attention to focus on a figure.


    The figure of an extremely beautiful youngdy with flowing blue hair and a fish''s tail.


    "Father..." The melodious voice whispered out, yet every Antean stood rigid where they were in shock as the word continuously reverberated through their heads.


    "Father..."


    "Father..."


    "Father..."


    The simple word rang in the mind of King Sammodra repeatedly as he looked at his own daughter.


    Even though his body was absolutely battered, he swam forward with such grace and speed that he was before her in less than a few seconds, and his hands were gently ced onto her shoulders.


    "Lorelei. Is that...your voice?" King Sammodar''s voice quivered, unable to control his emotion as Lorelei nodded before she was instantly swept into the hands of King Sammodra who had tears spilled forth from his eyes, and the same could be said for every Antean.


    "Never...Never did I ever think...this day woulde."


    "he day I would hear you make a sound..." King Sammodra''s choked voice rang out, and the Anteans roared out even louder.


    Their princess, who had been cursed with never being able to make a sound, had healed from it!


    She had healed from her sickness!


    Now Antis had a rightful sessor to its throne!


    But then the question came...


    "Tell me!"


    King Sammodra said as he broke up from the hug, even though his hand remained on Lorelei''s shoulder.


    "Tell me, how did you break the curse!" King Sammodra called out to her as Lorelei slowly turned her head to the distance, her motion followed by the entire Antean crowd, and they all had their gaze settled on Nn, who slowly withdrew his dagger back into himself and smiled a little, embarrassedly.


    "He took it away. Nn..." Lorelei called out as everyone simply remained where they were, staring dazedly at Nn for a while until King Sammodar''s gaze slowly furrowed instead and a hint of rm shed in his wizened eyes.


    Of course, he knew well what was responsible for Lorelei''s curse and the reason why the Antean kingdom would remain forever lost.


    It was due to the bits of Anti-Aether that remained in the air, unchanging and unwavering.


    It was what had caused so much gloom for so long.


    But now the Anti-Aether had been taken away by Nn.


    Now it made more sense why he was suddenly so strong.


    Finally, a figure had harnessed the power of Anti-Aether¡ªthe Anteans'' greatest creation!


    "Everyone, go to your homes and reunite with your families."


    "Tell them the pain and anguish is forever over."


    "In a few moments from now, arge assembly will be called!" King Sammodra called out to the Antean men, who all bowed their heads to their king before they all left, leaving only the godly ten, Nn, King Sammodra and Lorelei herself.


    "I can''t thank you all enough for your help..." King Sammodra asked as he swam towards the godly ten and gave them a respectful bow.


    "But I also hope you all will give me a few moments with him."


    "My royal emissaries will take you to the care room, and you will be given the care you all need, all on me." King Sammodra said as Oliver gave a long stare at Nn, who shrugged helplessly and he agreed.


    And so, they were led away by the royal emissaries, leaving only Nn and Lorelei with King Sammodra, who had his eyebrows furrowed.


    "You both. Come with me..." He said to them as they headed into the pce, and the two of them followed after him.


    Quickly they advanced deeper and deeper into the pce and they came to arrive before the random wall of an alleyway and King Sammodra mmed the butt of his trident in a special rythm on the door.


    The special technology of the Atteans which is their strange need to p thier hands or object on seemingly ordinary surface only for it to tunnel into something bigger was now starting to be understood and epted by Nn.


    Now he no longer found it strange.


    "The Orders of One From Poseidon..." The voice of King Sammodra rang out as the walll suddenly sank in, strange steam oozing from the side and then it opened up revealing a smaller door with another''s weird lock that quickly got solved by King Sammodra before finally the door opened up and immediately, the order resounded.


    "Come with me..." King Sammodra said swimming into the darkness and Nn and Lorelei also followed after him.


    The entire hallway was dark and the water felt warmer to Nn, but it was only a matter of time before they appeared elsewhere.


    It was like they had stepped into apletely different area judging from the colder water temperature.


    And right before Nn was a long hall with wooden shelves lined over the wall and stretching upwards towards the dark and seemingly endless roof preventing anyone'' from ever discovering how truly high the roof went.


    In the shelves there were no book, instead scrolls filled everything to the brim.


    Yes, scrolls!


    It seemed to Nn that he had went back to the nies, but somethings carried much weight in his heart.


    Why was he led here?

 Chapter 117: King Sammodras Warning

    "There is something you must know about Anti-Aether, Nn," King Sammodra began as he swam up to the upper book shelves.


    Scrolls were being flung down from above, and his figure shed with speed and he appeared here and there, searching.


    Finally, he found exactly what he was looking for and swam back to them.


    "There is no need to hide it¡ªyour source of strength."


    "Ites because you have managed to harness the Forbidden Power known as Anti-Aether," King Sammodra said, easily deciphering Nn''s power.


    Nn saw no reason to argue or lie to him. The King was obviously knowledgeable.


    "While I am eternally grateful that my daughter and kingdom have been rid of it, I fear that only death will await you if the Celestial Ones, the Titans, or the Nightmare creatures ever discover your power."


    "They will chase you to the ends of the world if need be, stopping at nothing to eliminate you."


    "In this scroll, you will learn everything¡ªfrom why we Anteans were forced to build energy that goes against every god''s breath, to why the entire world will hunt you down if they learn you possess the forbidden power."


    King Sammodra said, handing Nn a scroll.


    "Take this scroll with you. When you''re at your best mental state, and most importantly, alone, you can open it and read about everything..."


    King Sammodra took Nn''s hand in hisrge palms and passed him the scroll, before wrapping Nn''s hands tightly around it.


    The king then released him and turned to look at Lorelei, who removed her face from her hands, a faint pink hue appearing on her cheeks that she tried to hide away.


    "My daughter has feelings for you, Nn!" King Sammodra called out to Nn, whose jaw dropped as he looked at the king, who held an otherwise serious expression on his face.


    Nn turned to look at Lorelei, who stared at her father with a slightly hurtful expression on her face.


    But she smiled as she turned to Nn and then nodded.


    [She really does...] The system butted in.


    "And while you might not know this, we Anteans never fall in love twice."


    "We only ever love once, and we call it the ''Zing.''


    "My daughter has zinged with you, and she will never find another man she will look at with loving eyes, apart from you, all her life." King Sammodra informed Nn, sharing to him something he had never heard before.


    ''The Anteans don''t marry twice? I''ve never heard of that before on Earth.''


    ''Only some animals I remember remain loyal until death...'' Nn thought.


    "But right now, I believe you both are young and have a greater future ahead of you," King Sammodra continued.


    "Now that she has been rid of the curse, and so is Antis, a new era will dawn upon Antis, and I swear by Poseidon, it will rise once more to its former glory."


    "My daughter, Lorelei, will be the key upon which the future of Antis will be built."


    "The work on her shoulders is nothing short of monumental"


    "And you yourself, the first and only person in existence to ever harness the power of Anti-Aether, also have a future ahead of you, one which you must face with great resolve and determination, along with a clear, unblemished mind."


    "Rtionships and matters of love will do you both, at this age, more harm than good."


    "So I propose that you both face the future ahead first."


    "When that is resolved and things have improved, nothing in the world will stop your love for each other."


    King Sammodra spoke at great length, and Nn began to understand where the King was going.


    The body Nn inhabited was barely 16, and Lorelei herself didn''t seem much older than 18.


    Rght now, focusing on love would do nothing but hinder them both.


    "Here..." The king suddenly brought out two objects from thin air and showed them to them both.


    One was a beautiful silvery ne, and the other was a silvery-blue earring.


    Both looked so new it was unbelievable.


    Nn watched as King Sammodra looked at the two objects with fond eyes before he passed Nn the earring and gave Gaia the ne.


    "I was ordered by my only love, Foriana, to give these to whoever zinged with her daughter."


    "It''s a gift of love from before she passed awat..." King Sammodra said, and with heavy hands, he ced the earring within Nn''s palm.


    "It isn''t just a ne or earring. It''s a teleportation device."


    "Once the Cage of Order ced around Antis is broken, then for a duration of time, either of you can summon the other to wherever he or she is no matter the location." King Sammodra exined to them.


    "They wille after you one day, Nn. You can never hide the Anti-Aether forever."


    "But by Poseidon, I ask only that you wait for some time."


    "Endure the chase, Nn! Endure! Give us Anteans a few years to return to what we once were."


    "And by Poseidon, you will find no greater ally than us in all the nes of existence..."


    "That is all I have to say to you."


    "I am afraid I must go back and recuperate from my injuries now..." King Sammodra said, and true to his words, the king wasn''t looking to be in good health after fighting Draugr.


    It was a miracle that he was still standing, and he had refused to be taken care off immediately just to have this talk with Nn.


    He had earned Nn''s unflinching respect.


    And so, King Sammodra swam away from the hall, leaving only Nn and Lorelei in the room.


    With the king gone, it was just Nn and Lorelei alone in the hall, surrounded by silence.


    Lorelei turned to look at him, and Nn was lost for words.


    This emotion of love...


    It wasn''t something he had ever been introduced to at all.


    He might be 25 in his real age, but Nn, even in his past life, had no idea what love meant at all!


    None showed and he didn''t find anyone he was interested in either.


    So right now, he was lost for words as he looked into thoserge almond eyes.

 Chapter 118: Necessary Separation

    That was why right now; he could do nothing but stare nkly into her almond eyes.


    "I¡­" He tried to speak but was surprised when he saw her sh forward with speed, her arms wrapping around him, pulling him into a hug.


    "You lived, just like you promised¡­" she said, her voice on the verge of breaking.


    For some time, Lorelei had felt nothing but intense guilt.


    She had tried to kill herself when Nn had told her he couldn''t help her.


    She knew well that he was the only one who could, and if he said no, then there was no convincing her.


    She was bound to be like this, unable tomunicate at all, unable to express her feelings, and be cast pitiful nces all her life.


    Such a life was something she couldn''t live with, and therefore she had decided to end it for good.


    But when she opened her eyes, what she had been faced with was the scene of her curse floating right before her, taken away by the only person who could help her.


    It brought her relief that she had been healed, but her soul wrenched in greater pain than her dying when she saw his struggle¡ªhow much he tried not to be overtaken by the curse, and how he had healed her uppletely.


    What use would it be if she lived cured of her curse, but then he died, just for her?


    Why does anyone deserve to die for her?


    He had promised her he would be fine, but that never took away the guilt she felt.


    But now, everything was okay, and everything went well.


    He was now before her, more alive than she had ever seen him, and the joy it brought her was the greatest she had ever felt in her entire lifetime.


    [Guess someone got a girlfriend now. I take back my previous words...]


    the system sneaked in, rubbing it on Nn, who for the first time in his life epted a hug.


    Together, they stayed in the peaceful silence of each other''s embrace before they eventually parted at the same time.


    "When will you be leaving?" she asked him, as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Right now, he knew well they had spent more than four days in here, and there should be just a few hours left before the portal closed up.


    Unless he wanted to get be in here forever, the best time to leave was¡­


    "Now," he said to her, as the light in Lorelei''s eyes dulled a little, but then it brightened up when she saw the ne in her grasp.


    "Then it''s a good thing that we have this."


    "Once the Order ages around Antis have been removed, I promise to see you in person¡­" she said to him, as he picked up the ne from her soft palms and wore it on her neck.


    "And I too wille to listen to your ys once in a while."


    "I''m guessing now there should be some sort of improvement in it¡­" he teased, as Lorelei giggled.


    "Yes, there is now. Thanks to you¡­" she said, before slowly leaning forward, her cherry-red lips pressing against Nn''s.


    [Hopefully, all the guilt you''re feeling leaves after this¡­] the system probed Nn, who epted the kiss back, and they kissed for quite a long while before eventually, they stopped, and slowly, Nn walked away from the room.


    "I will see you soon, Lorelei. I promise¡­" he said to her, and she gave a nod with a brilliant smile, but the tears at the corner of her eyes betrayed her emotions.


    For now, they had no choice but to part, so both could build upon their future.


    It was a sad parting, which they knew they had no choice but to ept.


    But each knew they would find each other again soon.


    ''I have never loved before, Lorelei.''


    ''But maybe with you, I might be willing to take the risk...'' Nn thought to himself in conviction as he disappeared from the scroll room, and just by the door was a group of ten figures who all quickly moved their gaze away from him.


    [Sneaky bastards! They need to be taught a lesson on what the damn word "privacy" means!!!] the system roared out loud in anger in Nn''s head, and Gojo broke the silence with an awkward hum.


    "We have just 19 hours left. We need to leave¡­" Oliver said to Nn, who nodded his head, and immediately, they all moved outside the pce.


    Nn branched off to pick up the bag he had brought to the ce before they all headed outside.


    Before them, a crowd of Anteans could be seen, ready to wave them off as they all disappeared into the far distance.


    King Sammorda ordered a deep bow¡ªa special gesture that was the greatest show of respect by the Anteans.


    A bow that shocked even Oliver, and a smile bloomed on his normally serious and schrly face.


    "Thank you!" King Sammorda''s voice echoed after their figures as they all quickly disappeared into the distance.


    It was the first time the group hadpleted a mission and received a nationwide thank you from the people they had saved.


    And they couldn''t help but agree that it was nothing short of a heartwarming experience.


    They all soared in the air with the aid of their divine essence, while Nn marched down below them, catching up with their speed with his legs.


    Now, the gazes that the Godly Ten used to look at him with had changed.


    For they knew without even the smallest doubt that without him, this mission would have definitely been a failure, and they would have paid for that with their lives.


    But now they all lived, and they could thank him for that.


    For 17 hours straight, they kept up with their run before, once more, they stopped before the entrance jewel of the order gate.


    This time, the door had almost closed uppletely, but thankfully, they were all still able to enter with the aid of Gojo, who miraculously widened the gap, and they all instantly appeared in the depth of space soon disappearing and re-appearing inside the Aethercraft.

 Chapter 119: Celebration After The Mission

    "Wee back!" The AI''s automated voice rang out immediately as they stepped into the Aethercraft.


    "Begin evacuation process!" Oliver ordered into the air, and immediately the AI voice rang out once more.


    "Evacuation process will now begin."


    "Destination being calcted."


    "Route checked."


    "Evacuation process to return back to the Celestial Realm will now begin!"


    The AI voice rang out as the aircraft lifted higher into the depths of space before instantly teleporting away, covering


    thousands of miles in a single sh.


    With surprise, Nn watched as the godly ten immediately ran forth with speed and they copsed into the seats in the living room, breathing heavily.


    "HAAH!"


    "HAHAHA!"


    "HAHAAHAHA!"


    "HAHAAHAHAHAH!"


    MUHHHHHAAHAHAHAAH!"


    No one knew who began the devilishughter, but soon the entire living room was filled with roaringughter.


    "That has to be..."


    "The craziest mission..."


    "We all have ever embarked upon!" The triplets said, drawing forth another bout ofughter.


    Truly, the mission was nothing but crazy.


    Who would have expected they would all be defeated by a single entity, even after the confidence they held within themselves?


    And who would have thought that death would never trulye in the end?


    Who would have thought that the ns they had so meticulously prepared would ultimately fail?


    And who would have expected Oliver to be overtaken by a nightmarish creature, with Oliver himself wearing an embarrassed smile on his face?


    "You still don''t know how he entered you, do you?" Ferris''s voice rang out as he looked at Oliver, who shook his head.


    Oliver now recalled the events of the mission and felt nothing but shame.


    He had tried to kill Ferris, a person he had considered a brother, and even tried to kill Nn too.


    But they weren''t angry, nor did they me him.


    It wasn''t Oliver who was to me, but the nightmarish creatures.


    "And no one understands here how you were able to defeat Draugr..." Ferris''s voice rang out as they all turned to look at Nn, whose eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    "Now he has to exin himself again. What should he even say?


    Nn''s lips were about to open when they were caught off guard.


    "Perhaps, there are just a few things that should remain as they are during this mission."


    "I got overtaken by a nightmarish creature and I don''t even know how, and Nn ended up defeating Draugr, which we all couldn''t even defeat. Weall also don''t know how."


    "Perhaps, we all simply ept the fact and leave it as it is."


    "Let it be a little confusion which we can always ponder and reflect upon in the future."


    " A little something we have no answer too." Oliver said, strangelying to Nn''s aid.


    His point made sense, so the godly ten felt no reason for Nn to exin himself further.


    "And I think it''s time I alsoe clean to you, Nn..." Oliver added as he turned to Nn.


    "The truth is, I hated you, Nn..." Oliver said harshly, and the others remained silent.


    "I don''t believe in people being given random opportunities."


    "I believe in working your way up to something."


    "I didn''t want you toe on this mission just based on Adrian''s luck rmendation."


    "I wanted you to be here on your own ability, which I thought youcked."


    "I felt your presence here was unworthy."


    "That exins why I didn''t try to ask for your opinions on any of the matters at all."


    "I just don''t think you were supposed to be among us at all."


    "You can call it arrogance or pride, but that''s how I felt about you, Nn." Oliver said.


    "But you have proven me wrong many times during this mission."


    "From your little observations to your act of fighting together with us against a clearly unbeatable enemy and going all out, and eventuallying back to defeat Draugr when you could have taken the chance to run away with your power.."


    "Now, you have earned my absolute respect..." Oliver said to Nn, and this time, one could see he was serious about his words.


    [In the end, the truth always remains: Respect is shown after you have demonstrated your ability]


    [That is why you must work on your ability, Nn.]


    [One day, you will reach a level of ability where you will earn the absolute respect of anyone in this ne of existence!]


    [And then your wish to be absolutely free will be realized.]


    [The horizon ahead is far, Nn! But just like you have always done, you will prevail over it.]


    [You will always find a way...] The system had its small, encouraging speech.


    "No!" Nn replied.


    "We will always find a way together..." Nn said to the system.


    While Nn might want to take all the credit, he had to give the system its due.


    Without the system, he would never have known to absorb the Anti-Aether from Lorelie, and he would never have survived at all if not for the system helping him with its points to withstand the effects of the evolution.


    And if he were to bepletely and overly humble, he would say that he himself would have been nothing without the system''s help!


    That was the truth of it!


    [Now you''re looking less and less like a peasant all day. Hehe] the system said to Nn, who could only grin.


    "I have no hard feelings within at all," Nn said to Oliver.


    "And I also have to say, I owe you one, Nn. Thank you for saving my life at thest second..." Ferris said to him.


    The truth was, he owed his life to Nn.


    If not for Nn''s quick intervention and his throwing the dagger at the sword piece from Oliver''s attack, he would have been pierced through his head and would surely have died.


    Thest person he thought would end up helping him was Nn.


    But the young man had no doubt surprised him.


    "Forget about it. I just did what anyone else in the group would have done..." Nn responded.

 Chapter 120: The Trouble Maker Comes Again

    "Since all the hard feelings have disappeared. How about a nice toast to celebrate?" Abu said as she stepped into the room, exiting with cans of juice.


    For the next three hours straight, the group did nothing but drink can juices.


    Eventually, Adrian turned into a fool who couldn''t helpughing while lying on the ground.


    The strange juice they were given was oddly effective, making Nn feel his head be heavy.


    Fortunately, he had been reserved during the small party and drank very little, allowing him to remain rtively clear-headed.


    Still, his feet wobbled as he rose from the chair and made his way to the room.


    The bed seemed more inviting to Nn as hended softly onto its surface.


    He felt his bones cracking within him, and a small, satisfied moan escaped his lips.


    "Huuu..." He exhaled loudly.


    Suddenly, he felt a small sting in his trouser as his hand reached into his pocket and he pulled out the object responsible.


    It was none other than the ring given to him by King Sammodra, a token of love from Lorlei''s mother.


    Looking at it, Nn''s buzzing head cleared a little, and he regained himself.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    The sound of knocking could be heard as Nn turned to look at the door.


    Before he could say a word, the door was immediately kicked open, and stepping in was no one other than the person who made Nn''s expression drop.


    "It''s you again!" he said, looking at the green-haired girl.


    Of course, she was none other than Gaia.


    "Disappointed?" Gaia asked as Nn nodded.


    "Yes, I am..."


    "Who were you expecting before?" Gaia said with a mocking tone as she skipped to Nn''s side,nding on his bed, and looked at him with puppy eyes.


    "It seems someone has never been harmed before..." Nn mused with furrowed eyebrows as Gaia grinned devilishly.


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Because you''re too jumpy around men."


    "If you''ve seen how much of a horror a man can be, you wouldn''t be sofortable..." Nn replied as Gaia rolled her eyes at him.


    "You''ll be surprised..." she said, as she then looked at Nn''s hand and found the earring.


    "Thinking of using an earring?" She asked him as she swiftly took the earring from his palm, and Nn ended up closing his hand to nothing.


    "Let me help you with it," she said as she skied to his left ear.


    "Don''t move your head, you idiot. I might hurt you..." she said holding Nn''s head in ce before slowly inserting the earring into his ear.


    There was no hole in Nn''s ear before, causing him to feel quite a bit of pain when the earring was put in.


    However, a cool aura quickly came in, clearing away the pain as she inserted the earring into his ear.


    Nn guessed the source of the coolness was Gaia''s hand, which was emitting a special green aura.


    "You can heal others?" he asked as Gaia giggled.


    "My thorns don''t just rip apart things. They can patch them back up too..." she said to him as Nn was reminded of the strange thorny roots Gaia used in her battles.


    It was shocking that she could use them to heal as well.


    Silence reigned for a while with Gaia healing Nn''s ear and cing the earring well.


    Before long, she suddenly asked, "You still


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed. "Do I really know you?" he asked her.


    He couldn''t imagine the former Nn knowing a godly ten personally before. I


    f he did, he shouldn''t have died


    with absolutely no oneing to his aid or even caring.


    "Yeah, you do. Pretty well..." she whispered back, and Nn once again felt her yful emotions disappearing.


    Very rarely did Gaia reveal this side of herself, but Nn had been able to notice it twice now.


    The first time was when she had asked him seriously if he really knew her, and the second time was now.


    Soon, she finished with Nn''s earring and sat down on his bed.


    It was now clear to him that there was something on her mind that was really bothering her, and it seemed she needed to tell him something.


    [ASK!] The system advised.


    "Tell me something, Gaia..." Nn called out this time seriously as he looked intensely into her green eyes.


    "Yes?"


    "What is our rtionship?"


    "What?" Gaia asked in shock as she looked at Nn and saw he was serious.


    Her initial attempt tough it off stopped immediately.


    "I can tell you aren''t just familiar to me, Gaia. To everyone on this ship, when I first saw you, they thought I was just a boy who got luckily rmended for this mission."


    "But you''re different, Gaia. You might try tough things off and seem like the jumpy girl and all, but when you look at me, I can sense something wrong in your gaze."


    "You know me, and you know me deeply."


    "That, at least, I can tell, and the some of us on this ship can too."


    "So tell me, what is it that I am forgetting?"


    "Tell me about my past."


    "Tell me why you cared in the cafeteria that day and why you warned me that there were peopleing for me."


    "Tell me..." Nn asked, all the questions he needed to know about this mysterious girl that was begging for him to remember her.


    He could see Gaia''s change in aura as she looked down at the ground for a long while before raising her head to look at Nn and taking an exceptionally deep breath.


    "Okay, I''ll tell you!"


    "Everything?" Nn asked.


    "Yes. Everything..."


    "Good, now let''s resolve this once and for all..."


    Nn said to her, but also he had something in mind which he also wanted to resolve once and for all and that was none other the quest that had been given to him by the system the first day which he had met Gaia in the cafeteria that night.

 Chapter 121: Nolans Origin 1

    Eyes glistening with focus and determination, Gaia opened her lips to say something, only for them to shut close again.


    She tried to speak once more, but her lips shut close once more.


    It caused Nn to raise an eyebrow. It seems there was still some sort of indecision in her heart.


    "You know what?" Nn said. "If you don''t want to tell me, it''spletely fine. I don''t mind."


    Gaia shook her head, breathing out loudly.


    In the next instant, a green wave of energy snaked out from her body and covered all the walls, entrapping them in a strange cocoon.


    Nn raised an eyebrow at the strange scene.


    "You don''t want the others to hear about it?" he asked.


    He believed the Godly Ten''s association was so close that they don''t even keep something from each other.


    It was clear that Gaia didn''t want anyone to overhear their conversation.


    "Yes, and for your own good. It''s a matter you should probably keep in your head too," she warned him gravely, and Nn nodded.


    "I think you''re thest free Heir of the Cursed Ones," Gaia said, holding her breath as she looked at Nn, expecting him to jerk up from his seat.


    She was met with disappointment when Nn simply looked at her ndly.


    "And, um, who are the Cursed Ones?" he asked her as she looked at him dumbly for a while.


    "I thought I told you I forgot my memories, right?" Nn replied, not liking her surprised gaze one bit.


    It was as if Gaia was looking at an insufferably ignorant barbarian.


    "You have no memories of your origin? Not even the smallest piece?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, and Nn nodded.


    "Okay, okay. This conversation might take longer than I expected. Now that you have no idea about your background, I almost feel sad about wanting to let you know, but I''m afraid this will be for your own good."


    "At least, you can take it as my personal thank you for rescuing me from my death in Antis."


    "In the Celestial Realm, there are a total of ten cities, each denoting its own mythology.".


    "There''s the Greek City, the Mesopotamian City, the Norse City, the Egyptian City, and thE others."


    "I believe you should at least know about that," Gaia said, and Nn nodded.


    "Yes, I am well aware of the cities," he replied. It was something he had learned about during history ss.


    "Now, what if I tell you that, just like the academy, the various cities also have their own powerhouses?"


    "The Greek City has about five or so powerhouses, the Norse has about two or three, the Egyptian has exactly three, and the same for the other cities..."


    "Hmm, just like in the academy?"


    "In the academy, there are many people with the Greek descent bloodline, but many factions each safeguarding its own descent."


    "Something like that, right?" Nn asked her, and Gaia nodded.


    "Exactly. Now, have you heard of the Ninth Realm?" she asked him, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    He could remember the words from Instructor Tamat, stating that they were not ready for the secrets of the Ninth Realm and would be toldter when they reached a sufficient power level.


    "Yes, I do. Not much do I know about it, though," Nn answered, and Gaia nodded.


    "That''s expected. Matters of the Ninth Realm are only known to a minor few."


    "But ording to a few years ago, a certain group was banished from the Ninth Realm."


    "Banished? Do people live there?" Nn asked, wanting to glean more information.


    "I don''t know."


    "All I know is that these people or this group were given the name Outcast from the Ninth Heavens."


    " That''s what people refer to them as."


    "So you can guess they only obtained their name from being banished in one way or another from the Ninth Realm," Gaia exined, and Nn nodded.


    "These banished people from the Ninth Realm are said to possess powers that are simply beyond the understanding of the majority of the powerhouses of the Eighth Realm."


    "The realm which the Cursed Ones descended."


    "They were said to be strong. Strong enough to make the deep rulers and powerful factions of the various mythologies of the Seventh Realm feel intense fear."


    "But fortunately or unfortunately, the Cursed Ones never wanted wealth or power, nor were they interested in hegemony or anything else."


    "That way, they could somehow live in normal peace with the ten cities'' major powers."


    "Simply existing as normal people..."


    "But then one day, or night, an event broke out."


    "An event that made these Cursed people be rejected by every powerhouse in the Celestial Realm," Gaia said as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed and, unconsciously, a pang of unease surged within him.


    "What did they do?"


    "Are you in a cult in the academy or a faction?" Gaia suddenly asked him, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed before he shook his head.


    "No, I''m not."


    "Good."


    "If you remember what I told you about factions also being the same in the Celestial Realm, you have to know not everyone in the Celestial Realm is in a faction, just like not every student in the academy is part of a cult."


    "There are also some outsiders who aren''t allowed to join factions where theyck the necessary potential or have been specially targeted byrger, more fearful cults," Gaia exined to Nn, who nodded repeatedly.


    Truly, it wasn''t every student that was in a cult.


    The cults themselves had their own requirements for joining, andck of fulfilling these requirements would lead to them being unable to join.


    And if you''re not part of a cult, life in the academy would be pretty hard."


    "As you can guess, these people who are not in a cult in any of the factions face harsh and unfair treatment by those that are in factions."


    "And that is what caused the problem..." She said to him, and Nn nodded slowly.

 Chapter 122: Nolans Origin 2

    "One day, one of the ursed ones intervened in the matters of the higher powerhouses in the city while trying to mediate between a person who was in a faction and one who wasn''t."


    "It was like seeing someone getting beaten down and stepping in to help, only to discover that the person you intervened with was part of a cult and you getting in trouble."


    "You know what I mean?" Gaia asked Nn, who nodded.


    "Yes. I do."


    "Good."


    "That''s what one of those ursed ones did. He intervened in a fight between a person in a faction and one not in a faction..."


    "And the trouble escted so much with those in factions that eventually, the ursed ones made a deration."


    "A deration that shook the entire world?"


    "Yes."


    "They ursed ones formed a cult of their own, and the only requirement is not being in a cult or having been refused by any other factions in the cities."


    "In the end, the ursed ones were willing to team up with the weaker people of the Celestial Realm, or those targeted by the Celestial Realm in some way, and promised to protect them from the wrath of the factions."


    "A heroic act, I guess..." Nn mused, quick to grasp the gist of the matter.


    It was like him was looking at those who don''t possess a faction and are going through the same unfair treatment that he suffered, and then creating his own cult which only require that anyone without a faction is free to enter his own faction.


    Of course, it would create a ripple effect through the academy and other factions, who normally preyed on those without factions.


    If he dared to protect them without a faction, he would only be inviting the ire and mercilessness of the entire factions themselves.


    "Let me guess. When this faction copsed in a few days, it was absolutely ruined?" Nn asked Gaia, who nodded.


    "Yes, but not without a fight that shook the entire world..."


    "A fight so brutal that the Ultimate Celestials, who resided in the Ninth Realm from which the ursed ones were banished, and the Celestials of the eighth realms were also forced to intervene..."


    There was so much bloodshed that day, that hundreds of factions were reduced to nothing.


    Their names were wiped out of history by none other than the ursed ones.


    "ording to the records, there has never been such a battle before in the entire Celestial Realm!" Gaia said, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Who would have thought that an underdog faction would rise and resist against the upper factions so much that many of them werepletely wiped out of existence?"


    "What happened when the Celestials intervened?" Nn couldn''t help but ask.


    "Many Celestials died!" Gaia answered, and No


    "Don''t tell me..."


    "Yes."


    "The ursed group was so powerful that, after wiping out more than half of the factions that existed, the remaining factions sought the help of the Celestials."


    "When the Celestials came, many of them were also wiped out in cold blood, before eventually, the ursed ones were finally stopped..."


    "And in the end, the Celestial Order came..."


    "With the ursed ones already banished from the Ninth Realm for reasons that no one knows, their punishment was be eternal disappearance."


    "It''s a punishment known as Oblivion!" Gaia exined as Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    "The ursed ones were erased from history."


    "Their fate or history was never to be shown again in any realm whatsoever."


    "Most interpret this as death, and some imagine they were permanently locked away somewhere where they would never see the sun..."


    "But still, the people who were under this faction weren''t cast into oblivion, even though the faction dispersed after the ursed ones were sent into Oblivion."


    "There were still some scattered people in the shadows who are part of this lost cult."


    "And ording to a secret that only the highest of the high powerhouses know, there''s a person who carries the blood of these ursed ones and was not sent into Oblivion..."


    "The only ursed one who still has his freedom!"


    "And that person''s name is Nn Gottschild!" Gaia said as Nn raised an eyebrow at her, before bursting outughing.


    "Wow..."


    "That was one hell of a funny joke! Really a good one."


    "Is that why you came here? To trick me?" Nn asked her, stillughing, but only saw Gaia looking at him dazedly.


    "Why don''t you believe you''re an ursed one..." Gaia said.


    She could tell that Nn didn''t take her words seriously at all.


    "Didn''t you say the ursed ones were from the Ninth Realm and were so powerful that they killed many factions from the 7th and 8th realms and even fought and killed the Celestials of the Ninth Realm?"


    "If they happened to have a lesser descendant, would it be the trashest trash of the academy, that everyone can make fall on the ground by simply manipting the divine essence in his body?"


    "Tell me?"


    "Shouldn''t he be a godly prodigy, unrivaled in power and potential?"


    "Unrivaled power and potential! Which part of that screamed Nn Gottschald!!?" Nn asked with a ridiculingugh as Gaia furrowed her eyebrows in suspicion.


    Really, it made sense a little.


    If Nn were really one of these ursed people, shouldn''t he be so strong and seemingly unrivaled, yet be considered trash?"


    "You''re a descendants of the ursed ones, Nn. No matter what reasoning, I am sure you''re the one..." Gaia said to Nn, who shrugged.


    "Whatever."


    "Whether I''m an ursed one or not, what does that even have to do with me?"


    "They have all been sealed away because they all wanted to be so heroic."


    "Unfortunately, I am not a hero, and I don''t want to get sealed away."


    "So I won''t be fighting any stupid legacy fight, even if I am truly an ursed one..." Nn said with a harrumph.


    "You might not want to agree with what you are."


    "But do you think others who have been haunted by your background will simply let you go scot-free?"


    "You''re very naive, Nn!"


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 123: Headaches

    "What do you mean by that?" Nn asked with a furrowed eyebrow as he turned his gaze back to Gaia, who smiled devilishly at him.


    "You said because you''ve lost your memories, and therefore any semnce of love for your background, you think you can go scot-free."


    "How naive are you?"


    "Your people killed hundreds of incredibly powerful celestial heirs, destroyed entire factions, who now all want nothing but to seek revenge against the one who killed their father or mother or their entire n."


    "What do you think will happen once they learn of the fact that you''re a descendant of the one who brought them their pain?"


    "Do you think they will simply let you go scot-free because you have decided, in your mind, that you don''t care for your background anymore?"


    "What stops your n''s enemies froming back for your head or haven''t you heard of the word "revenge" before."


    "They''ll even fight to the death to own a piece of you once they find you out!"


    Gaia said as Nn''s eyes shook, and his eyebrows twitched repeatedly.


    "Tell me something!" He said seriously as he arrived before Gaia.


    "How many people know of my ''true background?''"


    "Many!" She said to him, causing his eyes to narrow dangerously.


    "But only a single more person or two know of your background, while being in the academy!"


    "And they''ll being for your head soon."


    "Why do you think I warned you before in the first ce?" Gaia asked him with a raised eyebrow as Nn''s eyes shed.


    He had thought when she had warned him previously, she meant the fact that Quinn was after his life.


    After Nn had gotten rid of Quinn, he thought he was now safe.


    But who would have thought the warning she gave him wasn''t about Quinn at all?


    Instead, it was about the peopl seeking revenge due to his past origin problem, and it was nothing but shocking to Nn.


    He simply stared back at Gaia for a while, who also kept looking at him with her innocent expression.


    Right now, a single thought was running in Nn''s head, and that was the fact of how she had known he belonged to that background.


    And if she was the one who delivered him up to those people.


    But it seemed like a useless question, and even more hurtful if Gaia had been doing nothing but genuinely trying to help him.


    "And to repeat my earlier question. What is your position in all of this..."


    "Is your n one of those factions that ''my people'' destroyed? And all you want all this while is revenge?" Nn asked with furrowed eyebrows as Gaia regained her yful nature, but Nn found it nothing but irritating now.


    "No, my n is a former ally of your n. And you could even say my n owed yours one."


    "But I guess that''s no longer relevant anymore, though, since I have also repaid the favor by also doing you a favor and maybe even automatically saving your life and helping you cease your headaches..." Gaia said to him with a cunningly devilish smile.


    [Congrattions, Quest: Find the background of the green hair with a strange bloodline has beenpleted.


    Rewards:


    1. +2 Level Up Cards


    2. +3000 EXP]


    The system notification panel shed before Nn''s eyes, who also smiled within his heart.


    "That''s two level-up cards and 3000 EXP. It''s a worthy exchange," he thought to himself.


    "Well, if that''s all, I would be leaving. After all, I don''t want to get shown the horror of a man, after all..."


    Gaia said, winking at him as she hopped down from the side of his bed and moved out of his dorm room before snapping the door shut.


    [You now have two thing from this little conversation.]


    [One, a shitty headache thates from your shitty background.]


    [Second, additional level-up cards and EXP! Pretty good, huh?]


    The system said to Nn, whose eyes narrowed.


    He had no idea if Gaia was lying or telling the truth, but irrespective of whether she was lying or not, he would be the only one who would be harmed.


    He didn''t even know who the people he was facing were, and it seemed moving out of the academy would do nothing but bring him his death.


    At least in the academy, he knows he only had two enemies hiding in the shadows.


    [Hmm, are you thinking what I''m thinking?] The system suddenly asked him as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "What are you thinking?"


    [You remember me saying that it is weird that the academy has not put chains on your neck even though you possess such an incredibly useful ability?]


    "Yeah?" Nn asked as the system remained silent and finally, a light shed in his eyes as he pieced everything together.


    "Could it be the reason why the academy refused to touch or bother to look at my side is because of...."


    [Your Headache Inducing Background.]


    [If your background is really as Gaia described and they were banished from the higher realms, killed hundreds of factions in this lower realm, and even ended up killing Celestial Heirs,]


    [If they have a descendant, I''m not sure anyone who had no bad history with the background will want to try to put them down at all.]


    [And I don''t think the academy involves itself at all in factions'' fights.]


    [So if the academy is ignoring you, it''s probably because they are aware of your background and they might fear stepping into the muddy water of factions and your horrific background.]


    [So they simply decided to ignore you.]


    [Watching you rot away into nothingness until you eventually fade away into oblivion.]


    [That is my most likely guess as to why you''re ignored by the academy.]


    The system reasoned, and Nn couldn''t refute it.


    ''Tch, it better not be true. I already have so much headache to deal with! I don''t have the time to focus on a background with which I have zero rtion...'' Nn said with an irritated expression.


    Of course, he wasn''t the Nn that everyone knew.


    He was from Earth!


    What has he got to do with the headache of a now-dead boy, whose body he inherited?

 Chapter 124: Finally Home 1

    ''Perhaps that is the price you get to pay for reincarnating into this body...'' A strange thought suddenly lingered in Nn''s head as he snorte loudly.


    "It doesn''t matter what background I have. My n doesn''t change!" Nn dered as his dagger appeared in his hands, rolling between his fingers alongside its blue me.


    "I will continue to grow my strength, bing stronger and faster in the shortest amount of time possible.


    "Anyone who wants my life is free toe and take it!"


    "I''ll give them a battle that will shake their soul in horror at the slightest remembrance!" Nn dered with a cold harrumph as he inhaled sharply, immediately calming his fiery rage.


    Then, his dagger faded away from his grasp, and he moved on to his bed.


    "I feel like I have greater problems than that!" he mused to himself.


    He had undergone quite an extensive change, and he knew well that not everything was positive.


    "Activate syst...." Nn was saying when suddenly...


    BAAAAANGGG!


    An incredibly loud bang was heard as Nn felt his bed suddenly shift over to the wall and then...


    BOOM!


    His back mmed onto the wall, leaving cracks on the wall''s surface as the entire aircraft tumbled in its space.


    Immediately, Nn jumped to his feet once the aircraft stabilized a secondter, and instantly hurtled out of his door, only to find the godly ten already running into the control room.


    He quickly followed after them.


    Arriving with the others in the control ship, they found Oliver standing before the control panel, his hands a blur due to how fast he was typing on the controls.


    "FUCK!" He asionally screamed out while rapidly clicking away, and Nn didn''t even need to be told before he looked at the side of the control room and found the beeping radar.


    He could see a green dot, and behind the green dot, one could see strange dots that were the color of red.


    They were incredibly vast, almost forming a small crowd.


    "What are those..." the surprised voice of Celestine rang out as Gojo slowly turned his head behind them and stared at the door for a long while before an irritating smirk appeared on his face.


    "Void bees!" he said.


    "Void bees!?" Nn wondered to himself.


    He never knew there were bees that hung in the void.


    "Those destructive bastards have only a single goal: to rip apart anything floating in the void that they pass."


    "nd they do it all for damn fun."


    "It must be a tribe beehive migrating, or there wouldn''t be so many like this!"


    "Talk about bad luck!" Oliver said.


    The green light on the radar stepped toward them with horrific speed, and they all had to hold onto something to keep themselves stabilized.


    For the next three hours straight, Oliver relentlessly pushed various buttons while forcefully steering the controls, causing the aircraft''s speed to reach a whole new level, with every passing second unrelenting until eventually, Nn felt the ground beneath his feet increase its temperature monumentally, until a burning sensation arose.


    "It''s okay, Oliver. The ground is heating up, and they''re not on our trail anymore..." Ferris called out to Oliver as his hand moved an inch toward the button only to get it pped away by Oliver.


    "We can''t risk it! Let''s go like this for an hour more..." Oliver called out as they all remained in the pilot room until eventually, they sighted a strange cloud containing thousands of stars.


    It seemed like some form of cosmic barrier, and Nn''s eyebrows narrowed at the sight. He had never seen such a thing before in his life.


    "Well, thank you, Oliver!"


    "You made us all stand up on our feet until we arrived back at the damn academy!" d, one of the triplets, said to Oliver as they all headed back into the room.


    But Nn remained, watching as the aircraft tore through the cosmic barrier.


    What came before his gaze was the sight of monumental structures...


    He could already see they were now back in the academy.


    ''Fiinally...'' he thought to himself.


    He couldn''t believe he had been away from this ce for five days now, and he had to say it was no doubt worthy of it...


    Immediately, they entered it, and the rm red forth as red lights shed toward the Aethercraft from the distance.


    Oliver finally reclined the seat, the pain to his hands diminished before rising to his feet and walking past Nn while pping his shoulder.


    "We''re back, homeboy!" he said, barely concealing his joy.


    It was clear to see that even the godly ten themselves felt the academy was like home to them.


    And arriving back home, of course, brought them intense joy.


    It was something worth smiling and jubting over.


    Immediately, Nn also left the pilot room, going to his room and grabbing his backpack.


    He gave onest gaze at the room, making sure he had everything he needed back in his bag, and then he walked outside the shaft.


    Once more, the sunlight and the sight of the staffs and Aethercraft entered into his gaze.


    Quickly, they made thier way to the structure.


    They were asked a couple of questions, and Oliver was also asked some questions.


    After the womanpleted the signing, they were all given permission to leave, and Nn didn''t need to worry much about the rewards of the mission.


    He believed Sir Astaroth would always find a way to reach back to him, and he also didn''t feel much when he parted with the godly ten.


    They also knew where to find him. He was pretty ''popr'' after all.


    Left alone, Nn walked through the streets of the academy, his bags slung over his shoulder.


    Thankfully, he had brought some clothes with him, or he would have ended up returning with only a pair of rags on him.


    And he truly received quite a special gaze from the students, who were surprised at seeing him once more, knowing well it had taken them some time since they had seen himst.


    Finally, he moved past the sea of gazes and eventually found himself standing before the gargantuan Greek building.


    "Finally home!"

 Chapter 125: Finally Home 2

    CLINK!


    The sound of the doorknob twisting echoed through the alleyway filled with students leaving and entering their dorm rooms.


    Having twisted the knob, Nn pushed open the door, finding it unmoving, and then a satisfied smile appeared on his face.


    He rewound the knob in a certain special rhythm, and then it finally opened up as he stepped into the room, the door shutting close.


    What greeted his gaze was the familiar living room and he walked forth, scanning around the room.


    The doorknob was just as he had specially left it, meaning most likely no one even touched his door knob throughout his duration.


    So it was safe to say that the sanctity of his room was still kept.


    And so, he ced down the bag onto the side before immediately heading into the kitchen.


    Thest time Nn had eaten was exactly five days ago, and the only thing he had used to survive the mission were juice boxes.


    Now, he needed something good.


    Entering into the kitchen, his mouth almost watered when he saw the filled wardrobe, and without a single more second, he quickly got to work, quickly cooking up something delicious for himself.


    Forty-five minutes passed from cooking before finally, Nn finished his cooking


    "You really would end up destroying your stomach one day..." the system said to him, referencing the fact that Nn cooked so much.


    But suddenly,


    KNOCK


    KNOCK


    KNOCK


    The sound of someone knocking on the door could suddenly be heard as Nn''s eyes narrowed, and he immediately walked towards the door.


    He had barely arrived back to his dorm room in less than an hour, and there was already someone knocking at his door?


    What did he do this time?


    CLINK! Nn''s hand moved towards the knob and opened it up, only to find a familiar face looking at him.


    His eyes shed in surprise as he sighted the figure and bowed a little.


    "Instructor Tiamat!"


    Yes! The impromptu visitor was Instructor Tiamat, and ording to Nn''s memories, that had never happened before.


    "Nn, I heard that you''re back from the mission," Instructor Tiamat said as Nn opened his door wide, allowing her in.


    "I came back just now. It''s been barely an hour..." Nn said as Instructor Tiamat''s nose perked up, sensing the faint smell in the air.


    Nn excused himself, running into the kitchen.


    "Wow, he can cook? Who taught him how?"


    Instructor Tiamat wondered in shock to herself as she settled on the sofa but was more than surprised when Nn walked back into the room bringing with him arge tray of different dishes and a juice box.


    "Is this all yours, or?" Instructor Tiamat asked, not able to believe thisrge amount of food was for only one person.


    "It''s not for me only. It''s for you too," Nn said as he set the tray on the table and sat down on the opposite sofa next to Instructor Tiamat, quickly settling the dishes on the table.


    "Even if you aren''t hungry, and I doubt someone at your power level will even feel hunger, at least eat it to see just how good the cooking skills of the ''trashiest'' in the academy are," Nn said with a grin as Instructor Tiamat found her interest piqued.


    Of course, she wouldn''t normally eat impromptu food unless she was invited to a dinner party or something.


    But then, Nn''s words had piqued her interest.


    She had no idea that he could cook, and now he mentioned his cooking skills with such confidence.


    It prompted her to grab the chopsticks, and she tasted one of the foods.


    Her eyes widened in surprise, and Nn''s face beamed with pride.


    "Pretty good, isn''t it?" he asked her as Instructor Tiamat reluctantly nodded.


    "Yeah, it''s not bad," she said to him with a grin as Nn sat down and immediately dived into the food, gulping down arge amount of his share within seconds, while Instructor Tiamat was more calmpared to him.


    "It seems to me somebody didn''t eat throughout the entire duration of his mission..." Instructor Tiamat said as Nn''s speed slowed down a little.


    "Yeah, I took juice boxes though. A lot of juice boxes," he said to her.


    "No wonder."


    "The juice box also increases one''s hunger factor after a long time of only using them," she exined to him, and Nn''s eyes shed at the information.


    Even he had no idea.


    "So tell me, how was the mission given to you by Sir Astaroth?" she asked him with clear interest, and Nn shrugged before replying.


    "It was tough, but I had the best of the best Neers with me, so it was all fine in the end," Nn imed as Instructor Tiamat''s eyes shed with golden light.


    "The best of the best Neers. Are you implying the Godly Ten?" she asked him, and Nn nodded.


    "You were allowed to go on a mission with the Godly Ten?" Instructor Tiamat said with quite the surprise in her voice, and Nn decided to exin to her.


    "The mission required eleven people to perfectlyplete, so I was rmended to join by a member of the Godly Ten whom I met in the training room just a couple of days before the event."


    "It seems my memory stuck in his head, and I ended up being rmended by him."


    "That was how I joined them on the mission," Nn exined, and Instructor Tiamat nodded.


    Now she understood.


    "So how did it feel, being on a mission with the Godly Ten?"


    "How do you even view the ones who hold the respect of all, close to thousands of neers?"


    "What do you think about them?" Instructor Tiamat asked him with interest.


    "How do I feel? Hmm... I felt very surprised when I got into the room and found all ten."


    "I was shocked beyond belief, that was for sure..." Nn answered to Instructor Tiamat, whose amused gaze remained pressed on him.


    "But then, I don''t know. It''s just not so surprising to me that much anymore."


    "At least right now, it''s nothing but apleted mission to me..."

 Chapter 126: Chat With Instructor Tiamat

    Nn answered her with a shrug that drew an eyebrow raise from Instructor Tiamat.


    She had expected him to be excited and eager, narrating everything he did with the Godly Ten and trying to prove that he knew them closely or something like that, but all she got was just some shrugs from Nn.


    He didn''t carry the crazy, intense love that other Neers had for the Godly Ten.


    It had to be known that those ten were like superheroes to the neers at the academy, though they had never done anything that benefited the neers'' lives at all¡ªnot even once.


    Yet, they all ogled over them as if they were some type of gods.


    It stinks to Tiamat and she looked down upon those students that take the godly ten as some hero. Unfortunately, all student did.


    It was refreshing to see someone with a clear mind among the feverish crowd.


    "The Godly Ten themselves?"


    "Hmm, they''re all pretty cool."


    "The neers think of them as this hierarchy group, that is based on their power, but that''s just not true," Nn said as Instructor Tiamat asked.


    "Really?"


    "Yes. The Godly Ten are more like a family than anything."


    "They''re not in some position that random students can wish or aspire to join someday."


    "Not some type of hierarchy or status level."


    "They thrive on their teamwork and exceptional understanding of themselves rather than the reach of their power."


    "Not all the Godly Ten are strong, but each is almost unrivaled in the aspect they control."


    "That,bined together, made the word ''Godly Ten'' a fitting title," Nn exined to her clearly, and Instructor Tiamat found herself quite amazed.


    She didn''t really care about the Godly Ten at all.


    They were just some group of kids in the lowest echelon of power in the academy.


    There were many more things in the upper echelons that drew attention and made the Godly Ten almost irrelevant.


    But still, it surprised her to hear about Nn''s observation of them, and it kind of reminded her of the association she once had too in the past.


    She didn''t hate the observation.


    Time passed by quickly, and a lot more things were asked by Instructor Tiamat, which Nn answered without thinking of them as questions.


    He also got to ask Instructor Tiamat what their earlier mission was, and he had to admit he missed out on quite some fun.


    The original mission which Instructor Tiamat was leading, while not as dangerous as the one Nn had been sent on with the Godly Ten, was pretty amazing in its own right.


    Soon, the dishes on the table finished up, and Instructor Tiamat rose to leave, with Nn seeing her to the door.


    He watched her disappear down the hallway before he retreated back into his dorm room.


    [Quite an impromptu visit, no?] The system asked as Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    Instructor Tiamat''s visit had just been too random of an event, so much so that it was suspicious.


    Thankfully, he had been able to face her every question and make sure she didn''t leave with any suspicion towards him.


    [Seems like someone is extra worried about you...] The system said to Nn, whose eyes shed before he shrugged.


    "I was taken away from her group and forced on a mission by another person instead of her."


    "Maybe she just came to see if I was okay. I belonged to her authority after all," Nn replied, finding a good reason for Instructor Tiamat''s impromptu visit.


    [What is your n for that Sir Astaroth?] The system suddenly asked, making Nn''s eyebrows furrow before he shrugged again.


    "I''m not the only one that is offended by him, and in fact, I actually don''t have a problem with his stupid ploy."


    "He wasn''t after my neck; he was after the Godly Ten''s, and I just happened to be on the boat in the storm between them."


    "Who knows why he wanted to get rid of the Godly Ten."


    "Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with me."


    "Trying to seek revenge on a person who isn''t even targeting me? And such a high-profile person too?"


    "I already have so many problems on my neck. I don''t want to add to them again," Nn said to the system.


    [So, you''re just gonna allow this to ze over?] The system asked as Nn nodded.


    "It has nothing to do with me, so yes, I will."


    [Tch, spineless coward!] The system said to him as Nn shrugged.


    "If getting out of potentially monumental trouble is being called a spineless coward, then I would dly take that title!"


    Still, with everything resolved, he felt a need to go and rest a little to clear his brain from all of the events.


    He headed towards his bedroom,nding on his bed, his back cracking in happiness, and even Nnughed out loud.


    [What''s the problem?] The system asked him as Nn grinned widely, rolling around the bed a little.


    "Is being happy after being kissed by my bed a problem?" he asked it.


    [Whatever. And actually, that reminds me.]


    [What do you think of that girl, Lorelie? She loves you, sure, but do you love her back?]


    "Shut up! That''s my personal issue!" Nn snapped back at it as the system cackled evilly in his head before ignoring him.


    [Whatever. Not like I''m even interested in the first ce. Hmph.] It said to him as Nn nodded.


    "Better..."


    "Activate the system interface!" Nn ordered.


    His sessfulpletion of the mission had given him quite the amount of quests to be collected and quite the amount of rewards too.


    And also, it was finally time to check on the power his new body possessed.


    Just how much of an increase had he gainedpared to thest time he leveled up?


    He was able to defeat Draugr when the other Godly Ten couldn''t, so he expected there should be some pretty crazy amount of stat points boost that he should possess...

 Chapter 127: Power of Anti-Aether!

    [Congrattions, Quest: Follow the godly ten and partake in the mission to save Antis, and therefore the bnce of the world has beenpleted.]


    [Rewards: +3000 EXP!]


    [Congrattions, Quest: Undergo your first Responsibility Mission and Perform Excellently has beenpleted.]


    [Rewards: +10,000 EXP +5 Level Up cards Shop has finally been activated.]


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gotschald]


    [Age: 16]


    [Title: God''s Apostle]


    [Level: 23]


    [EXP: 18,500/9000]


    [Does Host wish to level up?]


    "Yes!" Nn dered.


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 24!]


    [+15 Attribute points have been obtained.]


    [Total EXP: 9,500/20,000]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 140]


    [Agility: 115]


    [Perception: 90]


    [Intelligence: 100]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute points Left: 15]


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed as he reviewed his attribute panel, making some calctions and figuring everything out.


    He could remember that during the event of him possessing Anti-Aether, he had used all the level-up cards he had¡ªa total of 5¡ªand had asked the system to help him input the attributes because he was losing his mind and couldn''t focus.


    Now he made the calction


    . Since he leveled up five times, he should have obtained a total of 75 attribute points.


    "So you added 40 attribute points to my strength, 20 to my intelligence, and 15 to my agility?" Nn asked the system, which gave a nod.


    [Yes. Your strength needed the greatest improvement to allow for the new growth of cells that helped you resist the effects of the energy.]


    [That''s why I poured more than half the obtained attribute points within.]


    [Your intelligence also had to increase, so you don''t run mad, and I also added attributes to that.]


    [Your agility also boosts your cells, so it didn''t hurt to pour the remaining 15 into it.]


    [It might not be your perfect rhyme stats obsession, but at least it saved your life.]


    The system said to Nn, who could only agree.


    [Truly, his life had been saved by that.]


    [Add 10 attribute points to Perception and 5 to Agility.]


    Nn ordered, feeling a minor chill throughout his body, but it quickly faded away.


    [Congrattions, Points have been sessfully added.]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 140]


    [Agility: 120]


    [Perception: 100]


    [Intelligence: 100]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute points Left: 0]


    "But this still doesn''t make sense..." Nn mused with a suspicious gaze.


    [What do you mean?]


    "I meant like you said that the godly ten should have around 120 stat points in attributes, right?"


    "Yet they all gathered together and failed to defeat Draugr."


    "But I, with an attribute stat of 140, managed to defeat him, and seemingly so easily too? It just doesn''t make sense."


    "When I fought with Draugr, I felt stronger than 140 points in strength.


    "Almost like... Almost like..."


    [Your attributes doubled?] the system asked him, and Nn nodded.


    If his 140 points in strength doubled, only then did he feel he might be able to match the power he revealed when he fought with Draugr?


    [A measly 140 points in strength couldn''t have done that.]


    [That is because you were using the energy of Anti-Aether.]


    [Nn, Anti-Aether didn''t strengthen your body at all! It never does. It only does that when you activate it!]


    [Like, try activating your Anti-Aether energy.]


    The system asked him as Nn closed his eyes for a few seconds, calming his emotions.


    In the next instant, a fiery blue aura surrounded his body, and his eyes widened, his crimson eyes being reced by ghastly blue mes, and his other blue eye revealed a small bright light, in contrast to its normal usual dim light.


    Those were the effects that happened to Nn when he used Anti-Aether.


    [Now try seeing your attributes once more.]


    The system called to him, and Nn willed for his attribute points to appear.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 140(x2)]


    [Agility: 120(x2)]


    [Perception: 100(x2)]


    [Intelligence: 100(x2)]


    [Charm: 8(x2)]


    "All of my stat points doubled?" Nn asked, and the system notification chimed.


    [See? That''s the power of Anti-Aether. It''s an energy that brings a two-fold increase in strength to your body.]


    [Once you stop using Anti-Aether, your body goes back to its normal strength.]


    The system said to Nn, who nodded before a certain special light crossed his eyes.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" Nn suddenly asked.


    [Yes! I think so. If you have even just three brain cells in your head, then no one will ever find out that you possess Anti-Aether!]


    [Because Anti-Aether is a hidden energy that can only be used if you willingly want to use it.]


    [So long as you never use it at all, nor wish for it to be activated, it will always remain concealed within you.]


    "So if I want to avoid the trouble of ever possessing Anti-Aether, the answer is so simple."


    [Never use it!]


    [Just tell yourself that you don''t have it, and increase your strength normally as you always do.]


    [No one will ever know, and the secret will simply die with you.]


    "And here I thought, possessing the Anti-Aether energy would be my biggest problem ever..."


    Nn thought to himself and somehow felt like the weight on his shoulders had automatically loosened a bit.


    Now he knew he was safe with the Anti-Aether energy.


    As long as he never used it, he would always be fine.


    And Nn didn''t think he would be stupid enough to force himself into a situation where he would have to use it.


    At least, he would understand the risk of doing so and know well that anyone who forced him would most likely be killed to conceal the truth.


    All he needed to do was be careful, and he would be fine!


    "Phew!"


    "That''s genuinely a relief..." Nn thought to himself as he settled back on the bed.


    Now he possessed a new source of energy that doubles his strength by two on activation, even though it came at a significant risk of probably getting hunted by the entire realm in all of existence.


    At least, he knew he had another secret card that he could always fall back on if things went south.


    And the energy was one that boosted Nn''s current attribute points by double, not a one-time use thing.


    All he needed to do was keep increasing his strength, and whenever he used it, he gained double that strength.


    ''It''s strange¡ªan energy that was debilitating to the Antian and treated as a curse¡ªcould have such a good effect on me. ''


    ''I think my luck might have started turning around for good.''

 Chapter 128: Strongest Newcomer

    Still, Nn didn''t feel like having all his stats in disarray was a good thing, so he decided to bnce his stats perfectly before heading to sleep.


    He activated the system interface and quickly navigated to the Level Up cards section.


    He had used up many Level Up cards while trying to resist the Anti-Aether effect, but the few he had left should be enough to bnce his stats.


    [Level UP Cards: 5]


    [How does Host wish to use Level Up Cards?]


    "Use 4 Level Up Cards!"


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 25!]


    [+20 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 26!]


    [+20 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 27!]


    [+20 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to Level 28!]


    [+20 Attribute Points have been obtained.]


    [Congrattions on Host reaching level 28!]


    [Attribute Points: 80]


    "So, my attribute points increased by 5 after reaching level 25?" Nn asked.


    [Yes, they increase after every ten levels or so...] The system exined.


    "That''s nice."


    "Now, input 10 points to Strength, 30 points to Agility, 20 points to Intelligence, and 20 points to Perception!" Nn ordered.


    [Congrattions, points have been sessfully added.]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 150]


    [Agility: 150]


    [Perception: 120]


    [Intelligence: 120]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute Points left: 0]


    The panel blinked in and out of existence as Nn clenched his fists, feeling within him a good amount of strength.


    "Now there''s no doubt about it. Even without using Anti-Aether, I am the strongest neer in the entire academy..." Nn mused to himself.


    Understanding that he was now strong enough that no other neer could evene close to being a threat to him brought Nn a sense of peace he had never felt before in his life.


    It was the feeling of being absolutely free in a ce.


    There were hierarchies within the academy, and the neers were considered the lowest rank.


    Now, within this hierarchy, Nn knew he was undoubtedly the strongest, and that brought him peace.


    Who knew how many neers ended up suffering severe deaths due to bad situations they got themselves into.


    In a ce where bodies are dropping all around, being the strongest no doubt gives one a sense of absolute peace.


    And that was what Nn felt.


    Whoever my enemies are, and no matter how they target me, they can only reach me through the neers that are here.


    As long as my enemy is a neer, I can always defeat them with ease.


    "For now, I''ve achieved temporary freedom..." Nn mused to himself as he mmed down on his bed, his eyelids growing heavy.


    The myriad ups and downs in his emotions throughout the mission, and the relentless battle and bloodshed, were like a fog that hung over Nn''s brain, keeping him in a state where he felt like he was unconscious yet conscious at the same time.


    He desperately needed topletely clear his head, and the best cure for that, he found, was sleep.


    And so, Nn slept from 3:00 in the clear afternoon until the golden rays of light filtered through the window panes and illuminated his handsome, white face.


    Soundly, the morning silence and peace continued until...


    [GET THE HELL UP!]


    The roar was so loud that Nn jumped up from his bed,nding face t on the ground.


    An irritated expression appeared on his face as he rubbed his nose.


    "You!! What the hell is this about?" Nn roared back at the system, faintly angry.


    He had just been dreaming of himself having a good, exceptional life, and the system hade right in, screaming into his head at the perfect pivotal moment.


    [Nothing. I was just worried you''d bete for school...] the system said coquettishly, yet Nn could almost see the mocking grin on its face¡ªwhatever it looked like.


    "Tch," he grumbled as he lifted his head up and moved to the bathroom.


    Truth be told, it was around this time he ought to leave for ss.


    He hadn''t gone to ss for close to a week now. Who knows how many subjects he was missing?


    But he guessed there had to be a structure in ce that prevented those who went on missions from being overwhelmed with a monumental workload upon returning.


    As Nn skipped through the bathroom, quickly donning his clothes, he grabbed his bag.


    He had forgotten to put his clothes back in the wardrobe the other day, as the dirty ones he had worn had been torn apart and thrown away.


    Still, Nn emptied the clothes onto the floor, and that was when something rolled out of his bag, causing his eyes to narrow.


    It was a scroll.


    [You forgot about the Anti-Aether scroll that King Sammodra gave you?] the system asked as Nn furrowed his eyebrows before sighing.


    "I did. But I can''t go through it now. I''ll check it out when Ie back..." Nn mused to himself as he walked into his wardrobe and found a safe ce to keep the scroll.


    He knew well it contained secrets that might draw unwanted attention if anyone discovered it, so he made sure to hide it well.


    A ce where, even if his room was absolutely ransacked, they would still fail to find it.


    Done with that, he packed his books into his bag before immediately moving for the exit and shutting his door closed.


    There were already some students who were also leaving their dorm rooms and heading in the direction of their sses, and Nn quickly blended into them, heading toward his own ss.


    On the Way, Nn even saw some familiar gazes that more than surprised him.


    They were none other than his bullies that he had dealt with along with Wiro.


    And surprising enough he saw Wiro himself and it was absolutely shocking to Nn when he saw the young man''s fat had lessened considerably and he had even broken through to the Heavenly Disciple Stage.


    [He changed...]

 Chapter 129: The Announcement!

    A few momentste and Nn arrived before his ss, settling in his seat.


    After a couple of minutes, the teacher walked into the room.


    A male teacher belonging to the race of Emeraldine, he had a green body and a green tail.


    It reminded Nn of the first alien he had sighted when he came to this world¡ªthe greendy doctor who had scared the life out of him when he woke up in the hospital room.


    "ording to the information given to me, it seems the number in this ss is finallyplete."


    "Thest person we''ve been waiting being none other than Nn Gottschald," the man said as he turned to look at Nn, who gave a nod.


    Nn had also counted the students in the ssroom and discovered that they were alreadyplete.


    The nine people who went on the excursion had already arrived back, leaving him as thest person to return.


    He could guess that their mission had likely only taken about two or three days toplete, while his had taken close to seven days.


    "sses have been on hold, partly due to your absence and partly due to the fact that the exam for Neers to move to the Ascendants ss will begin exactly a week from now!" the teacher dered, and Nn''s eyes instantly narrowed.


    The exam to the next hierarchy in the academy was beginning so soon?


    [Well, there goes your advantage,] the system said to him as Nn clicked his tongue.


    He had thought he could remain the boss of the Neers as long as he stayed in the Neers hierarchy, but now the exam to move to the next level would begin so soon.


    "The exam will take ce exactly next upper week Monday, and it will test your knowledge on the various topics that have been taught, as well as yourbat skills and situational handling abilities.


    "Also, it''s important to remind you that trying to take the test while being lower than the Heavenly Disciple stage will be intensely difficult for you."


    "So unless you want to be stuck here for the next three years again, I would advise you to try and increase your cultivation base if you haven''t reached the Heavenly Disciple stage yet."


    "For those of you who have reached the Heavenly Disciple stage, it would be better for your potential and future to work hard and study as wide and deep as you can for this exam."


    "Do not get stuck here for the next three years while your peers ascend to the next ss."


    "If that happens, you will never be able to catch up to your ssmates anymore, as their strength and growth will be nothing short of monumental, while you will remain at your normal stages."


    "If you don''t want that to happen, then I will advise you to try your hardest in thising exam that will begin next upper week Monday and willst for exactly three days."


    "Your fate will be determined before the week''s end," the teacher exined to them, and all the students had their 100% attention focused on him.


    It was pretty clear to all that a neer would have to spend three years within the academy before they are ever allowed to move onto the Ascendants ss by taking a special exam.


    Completing that exam means joining the Ascendants¡ªa group of people that some students have never even seen in their lives.


    But failure? That would mean having to repeat the ss. And since its duration is for three years, one will be stuck in this ce for exactly three years!


    That would make anyone who failed the test have to spend six years in the neer ss.


    Of course, they would never be able to catch up to their mates, who will have definitely grown incredibly faster during those three years.


    To fail or repeat in the academy is to give up on one''s dreams and goals in life.


    And that is also why the pressure and heaviness in the room was nothing short of monumental.


    Even Nn himself wasn''tpletely rxed.


    He might be at the Heavenly Disciple stage and even the strongest neer, but he knew well he wascking in the written test and topics.


    He had forgotten many things due to his reincarnation into this body, and it wasn''t even like the previous Nn attended sses that much.


    He needed to lock himself up in the library and read everything, or else his strength alone wouldn''t help him pass.


    While he wasn''t exactly 100% sure, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    While he might love the feeling of supremacy in being a neer, that didn''t mean he wanted to remain in the same ce and hole for exactly six years!


    Failure was uneptable to him.


    "On ount of this, the sses throughout this week will continue covering the topics and will be a revision of the subjects that you have been taught these past three years."


    "If you''re smart, you will also be aware of the ces where the questions are most likely toe from in the teacher''s revision."


    "So I''ll advise you that, rather than locking yourself up in the library or the training room, to please attend the sses."


    "It would be better for you not to skip any ss during this week, or the way you will pay for your that is by staying for the next three years¡­"


    "The subject on cultivation and the training rooms and education that are being given to some of you is no longer effective."


    "That''s why the academy thinks it''s time for you all to ascend to the next ss.


    "When you reach the Ascendants ss, you will discover you''re but frogs in a deep well, and realizing that will be very good for your cultivation and future¡­"


    "I feel like I have spoken enough about the importance of this exam.


    "Now, let''s get into today''s revision¡­" And just like that, the ss began.

 Chapter 130: Intense Preparation

    Immediately, the Instructor announced that the exam would begin soon. He went into his topic, which just happened to be about the Celestials'' heirs'' various physiques.


    What was shocking to Nn was that what the man revealed to them was something he had taught in the first year they arrived at the academy, and the majority of the students were already more than aware of it.


    But Nn could only stare nkly at the teacher throughout the entire session.


    He knew nothing!


    Not a single thing of what was exined, and the further the ss continued, the further Nn''s heart dropped down in his chest.


    When the ss finally finished and the teacher left, what was supposed to be a simple revision of a past topic had turned Nn''s notes into pages filled with information he had no idea about.


    The break came, and Nn went through what he had been taught, bringing out his school textbook to try and find the subject, and he was truly able to find it.


    But he had no memory at all of ever being taught such a topic.


    An hour quickly passed, and soon another teacher arrived.


    A teacher who taught about the vast Mythological Descendants that exist, their mostmon skills and traditions.


    And once more, what ought to be a revision had Nn filling up his notes.


    The ss soon ended, and the teacher left along with the remaining students, but Nn remained in the ss, scanning through his textbook to try and find the topic that was taught.


    After swiping through his various textbooks, he finally found what he was looking for.


    And when he dove into the topic, Nn held his head from intense confusion.


    What the teacher had summarized was exactly what was before him, yet he also had no memory of it at all, and it all seemed so foreign to him.


    ''So now, within a week, I have to learn what was taught in exactly three years!? How in the world am I supposed to do that?''


    Nn thought to himself, and in the end, he could only pack his books into his bag and rise up from his seat, moving towards the exit.


    After spending close to an hour in the ss even after all had closed, the academy grounds were as silent as a graveyard, leaving only Nn skipping through the steps, and he soon made his way back to his dorm room.


    Arriving in his dorm, Nn went to the kitchen to cook something for himself, but instead of immediately going to have a short nap after his eating session, Nn immediately grabbed his bag and headed out.


    Forty-five minutester, he was before the gigantic library structure.


    Quickly, he disappeared into it, finding a corner where he could remain undisturbed, and he quickly brought out his book and instantly began reading.


    One hour¡­ three hours¡­ five hours¡­ seven hours¡­


    Nn remained in the library, his gaze never leaving the book in front of him.


    His hands repeatedly moved around, jotting down points.


    Thankfully for him, his intelligence was nothing short of amazing, and he was able to remain focused on the book before him, devouring all of the information like a whale in water without ever feeling even the slightest bit of headache.


    Students came in and they left, yet all met Nn never leaving his seat.


    Only when it was 1:00 in the night did Nn finally raise his head up to the clock, finding it alreadyte.


    Then he rose up and packed his bag, and with a yawn, he left to return to his dorm room.


    Arriving at his dorm, he simply ced his bag down and jumped straight into bed, closing his weary eyes.


    He woke up the next morning at the first light of dawn by the system, and just like the previous day, Nnid his bed, went to the bathroom, and quickly left for ss.


    The next revision session came, and it was just like the day before, with Nn simply looking like an idiot, jotting down note after note.


    His actions drew curious eyebrows from others.


    The things the teacher was revising were topics they already knew, and some of them didn''t evene with their bags, yet Nn was jotting down notes continuously.


    The ss ended for the day, and Nn went back home, cooked something for himself, and then returned to the library.


    Normally, he would have taken the time to go to the training room, but right now, Nn felt that wouldn''t be the best choice.


    He believed hisbat skills were enough to pass the exam, but his knowledge was so low that he even doubted he was qualified to be registered for the exam at all.


    That was why he just focused on going to ss and reading as hard as he could once he came back.


    The same thing urred for the next six days straight, with Nn never tweaking anything, and simply going ording to his rhythm.


    His presence in the library was even felt by the librarian, who waved at him every time he entered the library and whenever he exited.


    She was of Egyptian descent, looking exactly like Nn, and she was ady like Instructor Tiamat.


    But Nn was shocked by the amount of information she had in her head.


    She sometimes drilled him with questions after she asked what he read for the day, and it wasn''t every question that Nn could answer, even with his wild intelligence stats.


    She gave him some exnations as he helped her every night to her home, helping her carry her extra bags.


    He didn''t find it bothersome since the direction of her house was on the same path as his, and also he got to have a person willing to test his knowledge of various information that he learned.


    So he didn''t think he was starting to enve himself, and soon thest day came, and tomorrow was the day when the exam would begin.


    Nn slept soundly enough, giving himself time to reach a cooling point, and then his eyebrows quivered upon seeing the sun''s rays of light illuminate his face.


    [It''s time!]

 Chapter 131: The Day Comes

    The system''s notification blinked before Nn''s eyes, which shed with an extra bright light in the morning.


    He had been preparing for this day for exactly six days now, and he felt incredibly confident about the exam toe.


    Afterying his bed properly, he skipped to the bathroom, had a good bath that helped cool his hot brain, and then dressed in his best before carrying his bag.


    Since it was the day of the exam, most of the students wouldn''t find a need to bring their bags with them, but not Nn.


    He ced somest-minute revision notes inside, which he had written on an extra sheet for the exam.


    There were exnations that Nn didn''t think were important or would be asked on the exam, but he kept them within a notebook, just in case.


    With everything set, he quickly headed out of his room, joining the hundreds of studentsing out of their dorm rooms and making their way forward.


    This time, the venue of the exam wasn''t in their ss, and they all headed to a ce Nn had never been before:


    The Neer''s Hall.


    A 20-minute walk of following the other students was enough to bring him before the stadium.


    It was a strange stadium, shaped like a lion''s head roaring out loud, and the architecture surprised Nn quite a bit.


    The Celestial Heirs'' imagination, applied to their various buildings, was nothing short of mind-blowing and majestic.


    Students from different sses and all areas of the academy poured into the lion''s mouth, walking over to a stop by the side where three instructors marked down their names and sses.


    Nn also walked over, submitting his information before being allowed in like the rest.


    When he fully stepped into the hall, he found it resembled a football stadium on Earth.


    The blue sky was clearly visible, and rows upon rows of seats in a circr manner covered everywhere.


    There were already some students who had arrived earlier, and they all sat at the front, so Nn and the rest who were justing in could only sit down behind them, with Nn moving to the farthest back to take his seat.


    The various murmurs of the students were nothing but deafening, but Nn didn''t mind as he grabbed the notes from his bag and began going through them one by one.


    The stadium only became more and more filled until it was half-filled to the brim. Only then did Nn observe that no more students wereing in.


    Strangely, the cacophony of noise slowly reduced as time went by, with intense pressure settling in on the students as the minutes passed.


    They were all aware of the stakes that were held during this exam.


    Failure would mean a repeat of five years and getting left behind by their peers while also remaining stuck at the same level of cultivation with zero improvement.


    The reality was nothing but chilling to the incredibly ambitious Celestial Heirs.


    Passing wasn''t just a badge of recognition from the academy; they also had a bloodline''s respect to uphold, and that could be said to be even more monumental than anything else to them.


    Thirty minutes after thest students entered, the open space in the center of the stadium began to change as the green grass suddenly began parting and shifting to the side.


    A white light shone on the ground, and something began to rise up¡ªa strange altar in the shape of a tiger''s head.


    The pir supporting it resembled the tiger''s rising neck, and it slowly moved up until it reached about five meters into the air beforeing to a stop.


    Then, a total of three seats appeared on the stage. Less than a few minutester, three figures appeared in the sky above the stadium, causing everyone to raise their heads upward, and even Nn wasn''t excluded.


    The figures were three, all of their features covered by the intense light they were oozing.


    Nn felt his heart quaking from their presence.


    One of the figures emitted a white aura, giving off an intense feeling of purity, another was brimming with an intense dark aura that reminded Nn of the aura of Venus, while the third one was brimming with a special green aura, filled with purifying nature essence.


    Slowly, they all floated down from the sky, gentlynding on the altar before the lights dimmed, finally settling as they stood on the tform.


    Immediately, whispers could be heard from the various gathered students, and Nn was quick to pick up the information, his gaze narrowing at the three figures.


    Two of them were males, one possessing the dark aura and the other the white, while thest person was a female, with the same strange tattoos as the ones that Gaia possessed.


    She was the one oozing with the green aura.


    "So these are Ascendants, huh?" Nn mused to himself as he looked at the figures.


    ''How strong are theypared to me?'' Nn asked the system with interest.


    [You should be able to avoid getting killed by any of them if you use your Anti-Aether.] The system replied, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed before he understood.


    ''So they''re twice as strong as I am. Interesting...''


    The faces of the three Ascendant students were stoic, and no smile could be seen at all.


    Just that alone was enough to make any whisper the neers possessed instantly die down.


    Even though they were all probably just older than those in the Neers ss by three or even fewer years, the Neers and the Ascendants could never bepared in the same breath.


    They weren''t close at all in all manner ofparison.


    The Ascendants were not only stronger, but even more knowledgeable, more privilege and they definitely held more weight in the Academy than any Neer could ever do.


    Maybe apart from the godly ten.


    And talking of the godly ten, Nn noticed they were absent from the exam, even though they were also Neers just like everyone else.

 Chapter 132: Seriously!?

    A satisfied nod was given by one of the Ascendants, the one with the white aura and he rose up while the other two sat.


    "We will begin the exam immediately, and I will now exin to your understanding, the process and thews governing the exam," he dered, his voice resonating throughout the entire stadium, cutting straight to the point.


    "The exam will consist of three phases, each conducted on a different day."


    " We will be the judges for every phase ording to the guidelines provided by the academy," he said seriously.


    "The first phase of the test will be specific to each of you, conducted in a realm with clearly stated rules."


    "Upon your arrival, the rules will be given to you explicitly, and the moment you break them, you will have failed this phase of the test."


    "The points you will be given in such a case are a simple zero."


    "With that understood, let''s begin!" The figure said, and in the next instant, a strange object appeared in his hands.


    It was a cubic box, inscribed with thousands of runes, each runic line ring with strange multi-colored lights.


    In the next instant, the crimson-haired young man threw the runic box into the air.


    It floated in space before the runic lines all over it began ring out with a brilliant multi-colored light, until every student had their eyes uncontrobly glued to it. Then, in the next instant¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOOM!


    A flurry of myriad lights red throughout the entire airspace, shining brightly onto every student present in the stadium hall.


    In the next moment, a flurry of notifications shed before Nn''s eyes.


    [Warning!]


    [An object is being used to drag the host''s Divine body to an ever-changing divine realm!]


    [Probability of Realm being harmful is being scanned.]


    [Scanplete: A 50% chance of host being harmed.]


    [Does the host wish to stop this artifact''s effect?]


    The system asked Nn, whose eyes shed with interest.


    "So you can even stop the effect, huh? Cool," he thought. "But no! Don''t stop it!" Nn called out mentally.


    If the system stopped the effect, which was supposed to allow him to partake in the exam, chances were that he would be the one shooting himself in the foot.


    [Command has been received.]


    [Host will now be transported.]


    The voice rang out within Nn''s head, and in the next instant, he felt his eyelids be heavy as his head unconsciously dropped back, mming onto the seat in which he sat.


    The same could be said for the hundreds of students who also slumped back into their seats as if all had suddenly lost thier lifes.


    The only ones remaining awake were the three Ascendants.


    "Hopefully, we don''t have to wait here for the entire day..." the second Ascendant, the one with milky white hair and eyes, said as they all sat down on the pulpit and waited.


    The artifact they were using was an object that contained the test prescribed by the academy itself.


    It had been specially made so that it would perfectly test each student as required by the academy, which had imnted within it its programming.


    It would also properly record their scores, as also programmed by the academy.


    They didn''t even need to do anything at all. Just be there to make sure no outside forces interrupted the students'' exams.


    ---


    The sensation Nn felt was as if he was currently being thrown along a curved road, tossing him here and there, rolling him around uncontrobly until finally, he felt his speed slow down and then¡ª


    BAAANG!


    "Arrrgh!" A slight groan of pain escaped his lips as he felt a slight stinging pain on his back, but he quickly pushed that away as he instantly rolled away from where hended.


    About to summon his dagger, he stopped at thest minute, a simple thought in his head.


    He didn''t know the rules that surrounded this test, and who knew if using one''s Ascendant skills was something that was banned?


    He didn''t want to get eliminated in less than a second on arrival. So, Nn, in the end, didn''t pull his dagger and instead looked around him.


    The scene surprised him quite a bit.


    Right now, he was standing in an arena, the ground beneath him made of dried desert sand, and around him were high walls, making him feel as if he were thrown into a pit.


    Surrounding the ce and towering high in the area were seats, where about a million strange alien races could be seen, roaring out loud in fervor as they looked down from above.


    Nn could see the sight of many golden coins being exchanged.


    It was as if¡­as if¡­


    THUUUMP!


    THUUUMP!


    The sound of something roughly smashing into the ground, shaking the entire colosseum, resounded as the screams and fervor reached a deafening level.


    Nn looked to the front, where a dark cage was being withdrawn into the wall.


    From the darkness, he could sense something intensely powerful.


    His eyebrows rose up, and in the next instant, the entire world paused, followed by a new voice ringing out loudly through the eerie area.


    [Wee to the first trial.]


    [Your bloodline has been scanned, identified as that of Kratos, a path of war and strength. Therefore, this test has been naturally suited to you.]


    [Your mission is simple:]


    [You''re to simply survive till the end.]


    [Feel free to use anything to ensure that happens!]


    The voice rang out, and in the next instant, the world immediately resumed once more.


    Nn''s dagger instantly appeared in his hand, and he raised his head, finding that there was now a sparkling of electricity that boxed the top above his head.


    The truth was simple to Nn.


    He was absolutely trapped in this arena floor, and now there was this exceptionallyrge creature that was slowly walking out of the darkness, its formpletely exiting as Nn''s eyebrows furrowed in shock.


    "Seriously? Isn''t this a bit too much of an overkill?"

 Chapter 133: Fighting A Minotaur

    ROOOOOOOOAARRR!


    A powerful thunderous roar boomed out from the maw of the hideous creature, the shockwave mming into Nn, whose hair crazily ruffled around his head from the power contained in the roar.


    Standing over 12 feet tall, the Minotaur towered over him, its hulking frame casting an imposing shadow across the arena floor.


    Its muscr body was covered in thick, coarse fur, mottled in deep browns and cks.


    Its bare chest and arms rippled with raw, unyielding strength, veins bulging beneath its skin, giving the impression that it could crush boulders with its bare hands.


    The Minotaur''s horns were its most fearsome feature¡ªsharp, jet-ck, and spiraling outward from its skull like twin spears.


    Each horn was stained with battle scars and dried blood, a testament to the countless foes it had impaled.


    Its head resembled that of a monstrous bull, with deep, burning red eyes glowing with savage, insatiable rage.


    HUUUMPH.


    HUUUMPH.


    Its snout constantly red, releasing bursts of steam with every breath.


    In its enormous hands, it wielded an axe twice Nn''s size.


    The creature''s hooves shook the entire ground as it marched toward Nn, wielding its heavy axe with precision.


    In the next instant, the axe was brought forward, aiming directly for Nn''s head.


    BOOOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful explosion rippled through the entire arena as the axe mmed into the ground, carving a meter-deep hole.


    The Minotaur''s eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for Nn, but before it could react...


    RUUUSSTLLLLE.


    The sound of the air rustling reached the Minotaur''s ears.


    It quickly turned its head to the side, only to find nothing¡ªjust the glint of a dagger that rapidly magnified in its vision before...


    PUCCCHIIII!


    ROOOOOOOOAAARRR!


    The sound of something digging into flesh rang out, followed by a distressed roar as Nn drove his dagger into the Minotaur''s eyeball, tearing downward and roughly ripping apart half of its face.


    BOOOOOOOM!


    The air quaked from the power of the blow as Nn quickly retrieved his dagger and dashed backward, narrowly avoiding the massive paw that passed by him by mere inches.


    ROOOOOOAAAR!


    Another beastly roar surged forth as the Minotaur, ignoring the wound on its face, raised its heavy axe and cleaved downward toward Nn, who immediately shed out with his dagger.


    DIIIIING!


    BAAAAAAANG!


    The sound of metal shing echoed through the arena, followed by the ground caving in.


    Nn''s feet gave way as he was smashed into the ground, the axending just beside him.


    Ignoring the painful reverberations in his hands, Nn hurriedly climbed up the axe, which was immediately lifted by the Minotaur.


    He leaped away from it, soaring forward toward the beast''s face.


    ROOOOOAAARR!


    Immediately, another thunderous roar erupted from the Minotaur as it mmed its gigantic palm down.


    The shadow of the hand covered all of Nn''s vision, yet he only smiled as a fiery red chain-dagger appeared in his hand.


    He instantly linked it to his dagger, then swung it forward toward the Minotaur''s other eyeball.


    RIIIIIIPPP!


    ROOOOAAARR!


    Another distressed roar echoed as the Minotaur''s second eyeball was destroyed, yet its massive hand continued mming toward Nn.


    Tugging on the chain, Nn was quickly pulled forward, avoiding the swinging palm by mere inches.


    In the next moment, he kneed the Minotaur''s snout.


    Immediately, the Minotaur swung its axe toward Nn, who was still perched on its face.


    A sick smile appeared on Nn''s face as he leaped away at thest second.


    RIIIIIIPPPPPP!


    The sound of flesh being cleaved through echoed as half of the Minotaur''s face was cut off and sent flying into the air.


    Calmly, Nnnded on the ground, looking sadly at the enormous beast, which soon copsed in on itself, half of its head having been severed.


    The Minotaur had tried to kill Nn, who had been perched on its face, only to cleave its own face in half, ultimately killing itself.


    It was nothing short of a sad end to its story...


    [MUAHAHAHA!!!] The system''s mockingughter rang out, without a trace of pity for the dumb Minotaur.


    [The idiot is just big and fearsome butcks brains. Its axe is so heavy, even for itself, and its reactions are like that of a child. Dumb piece of trash. Who even ced this failure as the first trial?] The system''s disdainful and mocking tone for the now-dead creature was evident.


    But Nn''s face immediately changed as he turned to the side and saw the cage at the far end of the arena slowly opening up.


    Something far more monstrous and brimmed with an even deadlier aura could be felt within.


    "It''s done, yet..." Nn thought to himself as he readied his dagger in his palms, waiting in alert for the next creature.


    Somehow, he couldn''t hear the sound of heavy stomping like before.


    Instead, what he heard was the sound of a heavy, slithering movement across the ground.


    His mind raced, wondering just what kind of creature this could be, but before he could even make sense of it...


    VRRROOOOM!


    A pir of purple energy immediately shot forth toward Nn.


    His face changed at the suddenness of the attack, and he tried to run, but failed miserably...


    BAAANG!


    "Arrrgh!"


    A small groan of pain escaped Nn''s lips as he ced his dagger before him, barely deflecting the purple beam.


    Still, the remnants mmed into his body, scorching away his skin, and he was violently smashed into the arena wall, almost coughing out blood from the sheer force.


    BOOOOOOOM!


    Even then, Nn wasn''t given much chance to think, as he immediately disappeared from the hole in the wall, dodging a massive tail that shed into the ground, sending cracks all over the arena walls.


    "What the hell!!?" Nn wondered as he finally caught a moment to breathe.


    His head turned toward the cage, and his heart sank in fear.


    It wasn''t fear from his opponent''s power, but because Nn recognized the type of creature his new opponent was.


    An exceedingly fearsome creature that he had only heard of in his wildest myths...

 Chapter 134: Battle With A Three-Headed Hydra

    The creature was a towering serpent-like monstrosity with a writhing, scaled body that spanned nearly 50 feet in length.


    Its enormous body was covered in dark green, iridescent scales that shimmered like steel under the arena''s lights.


    Each scale seemed tough enough to deflect the harshest swords and arrows.


    At the forefront of this creature''s terror were its three heads¡ªeach mounted on a thick, muscr neck rising like towering serpents.


    Each head was unique in its ferocity, with yellow eyes glinting malevolently, staring down at Nn with primal hunger.


    Their fang-filled maws dripped with toxic, acidic saliva, hissing and snapping at the air, eager to tear him apart.


    What was worse, however, was the fact that Nn could sense something abnormal about those heads.


    He didn''t know what it was, but they gave him chills, especially the one in the center. Its eyes looked so intelligent it was as though Nn were fighting an ancient, cunning mind.


    "This won''t be easy..."


    [Main Quest Activated!]


    [Defeat the Three-Headed Hydra!]


    [Rewards: +2 Level-Up Cards.]


    "But it''ll be worth it," Nn muttered, seeing the system notification.


    The hydra''s movements were fluid and terrifyingly swift. Its snake-like form glided over the arena with deadly grace, and its eyes never left Nn''s body. In the next instant, it attacked!


    RIIIIIIIIIPPPP!


    The sound of the air being torn apart rang out as the left head fired a powerful beam of purple energy.


    But this time, Nn was already familiar with its speed and quickly burst to the side, barely dodging the beam, which chased after him but soon halted.


    SCREEEEECH!


    A powerful sonic noise came forth from the third head, mming into Nn immediately. He found himself tumbling uncontrobly across the ground.


    "Shit!" he screamed, his senses disoriented. He couldn''t even tell the difference between the sky and the ground.


    But his instincts were sharp enough to warn him of something rapidly heading his way. Nn quickly bowed his head to the ground at thest second.


    Something narrowly shot over his head, scraping a bit of his hair in its passing before it sttered against the wall.


    As Nn regained his bnce, he darted to the side.


    Unconsciously, his eyes moved toward where the strange blue liquid had sttered on the wall.


    He was shocked by what he saw.


    The wall where the liquid hadnded was emitting steam, and Nn watched as a hole burned through it, his eyes widening in fear.


    If that hadnded on his face, his fate would''ve been unknown. But most likely, it would have definitely been corroded in, and burnt up all his facial features.


    It would have been a miracle if he survived.


    "Its middle head can spit out corrosive liquid," Nn muttered to himself as he immediately rose up and quickly began running away.


    SCREEEEECH!


    A secondter, another incredibly loud sonic screech was sent toward him.


    Nn felt the dizziness returning, but this time, he was fast enough to escape it.


    Soon, another gigantic beam of purple light shot forth with speed toward Nn, destroying the walls of the arena.


    Cracks filled the smoky, burning battlefield.


    The hydra never moved from its position since the beginning of the battle, not even once.


    Yet, Nn had never stopped running either.


    And so, a stalemate urred, with Nn able to outmaneuver its attacks while the hydra relentlessly pursued him.


    But Nn knew a truth buried deep in his mind: he couldn''t run forever. He didn''t have Divine Essence like the ordinary Celestial Heirs making him quicker to be exhausted.


    Eventually, his physical strength would be exhausted, and he would be nothing more than a sitting duck.


    Due to that, Nn began analyzing the creature and the best approach to ending its life.


    "It has three heads. Two of those heads, I can sense,ck intelligence." He mused looking at the two heads which he could senseck their own control, Instead being controlled by the other two heads.


    The middle head, however, controls the other two.


    The right head spits out that destructive purple beam of energy, and the middle one spits corrosive chemicals.


    The left head, the third one, causes sonic booms that disorient my senses."


    "Additionally, it has a weakness, which is that only one head can attack at a particr time."


    "There''s also a total of three seconds before the next head activates, during which the other two heads'' abilities are unavable,"


    Nn analyzed, his eyes narrowing as he dodged another scorching beam of energy and quickly avoided a ssh of corrosive liquid.


    "I understand it. I''ll kill it!" Nn dered with determination. In the next instant, he changed his stance, and in a blur, ran with his fastest speed toward the creature.


    SCREEEEECH!


    Immediately, the hydra sted out a loud, powerful sonic scream to disorient its opponent, but Nn dodged it.


    He mmed his leg onto the floor, cracking open a crater, which he disappeared into.


    And once hended underground, he immediately shed forward with his de, cleaving apart the earth, until he instantly jumped out of the ground¡ªright below the hydra, which was caught off guard by Nn''s sudden reappearance.


    Still, the hydra didn''t hesitate for even a second as it spewed violet energy directly onto Nn, covering his entire vision.


    BOOOOOOOOM!


    The entire ground shook violently from the collision of the purple energy, but when the dust settled, the hydra''s third head narrowed as it found nothing within the crater.


    Not even a trace of flesh.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIP!


    In the next instant, the sound of a de cleaving through something rang out, followed by two loud and painful screeches.


    Nnnded back onto the ground, twenty meters away, and behind himy the severed head of the hydra.


    "With its intelligent head gone, the rest should be simple," Nn mused to himself. But his expression changed instantly, horror shing in his eyes, as he saw the hydra undergoing a new transformation.


    "What!? WHAT THE HELL?!" Nn screamed in shock as he watched the impossible.

 Chapter 135: The Hydras Terror

    With surprise and horror, Nn watched as the severed head, which was on the ground, faded away into ashes.


    Then, the stump of the Hydra''s head immediately began growing once more.


    But this time, instead of a single head, four were growing out.


    Shocked, Nn watched as a total of four heads emerged from the Hydra''s stump.


    Not only had his move of severing a single head failed miserably, but the Hydra had even added additional heads, leaving Nn dumbstruck.


    Only now did Nn remember the true myth that surrounded the hydras and stated about them in his past lives.


    And that was the Hydra''s terrific ability of being able to grow a new head once one had been caught of.


    Nn had absolutely forgotten about that and now it was toote. The previous three headed hydra had turned into a four headed hydra and its eight yellow eyes were now shing with an incredible amount of Killing intent.


    "I''m screwed!"


    SCREEECH!


    A powerful screech jolted Nn from his shock as he tried to immediately run but failed.


    The sonic wave managed to throw him off his bnce and sending him flying into the distance.


    RIIIIIIIiP!


    Instantly, the sound of the air parting resonated through the arena.


    Nn''s eyes widened in shock as a destructive energy of purple light appeared right before his chest, and then...


    BANG!


    A horrific force mmed into his chest, sending him tumbling backward at terrifying speed until...


    BOOM!


    A deep crater appeared on the arena wall as Nn''s body smashed into it, sliding down amidst sshes of red blood that covered the wall behind him.


    The Hydra''s sinister gaze locked onto the seemingly unconscious Nn, and without wasting a second, the new Hydra opened its mouth.


    Strange ming red runic lines appeared all over its neck, and then it raised its head toward the sky.


    In the next instant, Nn''s groggy and blurry vision snapped open as he felt his spine tingling from perceived danger.


    Quickly, he rose to his feet, looking up into the air, only to find a runic portal forming above his head.


    "Is that...?" Nn had yet toplete his words when arge pir of mes burst out of the portal, roughly scorching his body.


    An agonized scream escaped his lips.


    The me torrent continued for ten seconds straight, causing the ground around the area to melt as the mes engulfed the entire surroundings.


    Fifteen secondster, the smoke surrounding the attack zone disappeared, revealing a figure.


    The figure of an individual, with ckened skin, knelt on a single knee.


    Smoke radiated out from his fully burnt body, and white gas puffed out of his lips.


    He held a dangling chain in his right hand.


    Nn fiercely raised his head to look at the new Hydra heads, whose eyes shed with a sinister glint.


    It was clear to Nn what the creature''s power was, but the Hydra didn''t give him a chance to rest.


    It instantly spat out corrosive saliva, and Nn quickly jumped away from where he stood.


    Barely evading the acidic spit, the Hydra continued chasing him around with each of its destructive abilities.


    Weakened by the earlier me attack, Nn was struggling to keep up. His burns worsened the longer he dealt with the Hydra''s attacks.


    TSSSSHHH!


    The sound of his shoulder corroding rang out. Nn gritted his teeth from the pain as thoughts echoed in his head.


    "I need to end this fast!"


    But in the back of his mind, Nn felt fear creeping in.


    Severing the Hydra''s heads seemed to only call forth more.


    And if the Hydra grew five heads, who knew if he could handle it any longer?


    Now, he was afraid to even attack the Hydra at all, as it might lead to it sprouting another head.


    That would be the end of him.


    "Damn it!" Nn cursed in his head, trying to figure out how to solve this issue. Then, a thought came to him.


    Of course, he knew the Hydra couldn''t be immortal. There had to be a way to kill it.


    The most reasonable method seemed to be severing all its heads, one by one, until it was dead.


    But he had tried that already, and it had failed.


    That made Nn consider another idea.


    What if he sliced off all of the Hydra''s heads in one swift stroke?


    Would the creature be able to regrow every single head quickly? To Nn, it seemed that the Hydra''s ability to regrow its heads most likely exhausted its Mythic Vitality.


    If he severed a single head, the creature could likely regrow it and generate a new one naturally from ts abundance of Mythic Vitality.


    But what if he severed all the heads in a single stroke? Would the Hydra possess enough energy to regrow every single head? Or would it die instantly due to having no heads at all?


    The idea magnified more and more in Nn''s mind as he kept running around the arena.


    The thought of himself being overwhelmed finally prompted him to take the risk.


    If he seeded and the Hydra couldn''t regrow all of its heads, it would be defeated, and Nn would have sessfully passed this test.


    But if, on the contrary, the Hydra was able to recover all of its heads, then it would possess eight heads¡ªeach with its own unique and destructive abilities.


    If that happened, his chances of survival would be nil, and he would be eliminated from the trial.


    Whatever choice it was, Nn was willing to risk it.


    After all, if he simply kept running around like this, he would eventually be exhausted physically.


    By then, he would be nothing more than a sitting duck for the Hydra.


    "Now the question is, how do I sever every single head with a single swift stroke?"


    As he dodged a destructive beam, the sound of something jingling reached his earsa and Nn focused his attention, turning  to look at his fiery chains.


    "Time to end this..."

 Chapter 136: Risking It All

    In the next instant, Nn''s hand, gripping the chain, immediately began to roll it with swift speed.


    The crimson mes on the chain burst out with powerful intensity.


    Nn rushed forward, his legs glued to the wall as he ran along its surface, weaving through the various attacks.


    Running on the ground will make him to septible to the various attacks as it was more wider and all right above the Hydra.


    Besides there were deep craters and corrosive ground which slowed Nn down and which the creature itself was well aware.


    It could easily take advantage of that and gravely injure him and that was a risk Nn couldn''t afford.


    He needed to finish the battle in thisst burst of energy as after it he''ll be done and almost too weak to fight!


    Cracks were formed in the walls as he sped forward, dodging the venomous and destructive attacks of the Hydra whose attacks were even more destructive than usual.


    It was clear both fighters were aware the battle was nearing its end, and each went all out to defeat the other.


    Using hisst burst of physical power, Nn swiftly weaved through the attacks and appeared close to the Hydra, positioning himself behind it.


    In an instant, the Hydra mmed its tail forth, it''s nearest source of atta but Nn jumped off the wall, soaring high above the beast.


    Immediately, the Hydra''s fire head opened its mouth, charging an ominous, destructive purple beam. The Hydra''s other heads gathered all their power, trying to reduce Nn to ashes. But Nn moved faster. Veins bulged on his burnt skin, and he flung his chain forth with all his might.


    **VRROOOOOM!**


    The air exploded violently as the chain tore through with tremendous power, wrapping tightly around the Hydra''s neck. With a powerful roar, Nn pulled with all his strength.


    **SCREEEEECH!!!**


    A horrific, painful scream echoed through the arena as the Hydra''s energy was drained by the strange force from the chain. The destructive attack it had been gathering immediately weakened. Yet, the Hydra still released it, mming into Nn.


    But he pushed through, ignoring the searing pain. In an instant, his dagger appeared in his left hand as he closed in on the Hydra''s chained head.


    "NOW!!!" Nn screamed to himself, appearing before the bound Hydra.


    RIIIIIP!


    RIIIIIP!


    RIIIIIP!


    RIIIIIIP!


    The sound of the de tearing through the Hydra''s thick skin resounded throughout the arena as Nn copsed, smashing into the ground uncontrobly.


    He tumbled, rolling away from the impact.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    The four heads of the Hydra rolled away from his figure, stopping a few meters from him.


    BAAAANG!


    A louder crash resounded as the Hydra''s body finally mmed into the ground, remaining motionless.


    Burnt and exhausted, Nn slowly raised his head, breathing heavily as he stared at the Hydra''s dead body, then rose to his feet.


    [Congrattions!]


    [Main Quest: Defeat the Hydra has been sessfullypleted!]


    [Host has been awarded 2 Level-Up Cards!]


    The system notification called out to Nn, who staggered back a few steps before slumping against the wall, breathing uncontrobly.


    "Finally... I defeated a three-headed Hydra!" Nn thought to himself.


    Never in his entire existence did he think he would evere across a living Hydra.


    He had believed they were nothing more than myths.


    Yet here was one before him, all breath of life having left it, with its severed heads spilling dark blood across the area.


    He had not just seen a Hydra¡ªhe had faced it and emerged victorious!


    {Congrattions on your sessful quest, Neer!}


    {You have more than shown your capability, and your result in this test is undoubtedly a full mark!}


    A loud voice boomed throughout the area. Nn listened closely, realizing he had passed this phase of the test and that it was now time to leave.


    {But here is a bonus phase of this test. Passing it will grant an additional 25 points, along with your full mark of 100!}


    {This would raise your score to 125, instead of the usual 100 marks.}


    {Would you like to take this test? eptance and passing will reward you with an additional 25 points, and failure will cause no harm¡ªyou will simply be teleported back to the real world.}


    {Make your choice in... 10... 9... 8... 7...}


    Immediately, the loud voice continued its countdown, as if expecting him to refuse.


    But at thest second, Nn''s eyes widened in shock.


    There was an extra bonus phase to the test? Completing it would bring him an additional 25 points! The idea was tempting, no doubt.


    However, his body was battered, and he didn''t think he had a single ounce of strength left to fight.


    {5... 4... 3... 2...}


    The countdown continued swiftly, urging him to make a decision.


    "Yes!" Nn suddenly shouted, pushing himself off the cracked walls where he had crashed. His dagger steeled once more in his hand.


    {Congrattions on making your choice.}


    {The bonus phase of the test will now begin!}


    The voice resounded again.


    As Nn watched, the dead body of the Hydra and the remnants of the Minotaur began to fade away into tiny particles, leaving only the destroyed battlefield behind.


    The arena reverted to what it once was, and Nn turned his head to the side, noticing thest cage in the area was slowly opening.


    An overwhelming sense of danger struck him. Yet, despite the fear, Nn steeled his resolve.


    He knew this would undoubtedly be his final fight. He might as well see it through.


    Besides, Nn wasn''t sure how he would perform in future tests.


    Even if he performed worse than expected, the additional 25 points could cover for it.


    He didn''t want to have any regrets. He wanted to make sure he gave it his absolute best in every part of the test.


    But then, as the creature before him fully stepped out, Nn''s face drastically changed.


    Every cell in his body screamed in terror.


    He instantly recognized the being before him.


    "A... A Titan!!!"

 Chapter 137: Fighting With A Titan Champion! 1

    "Ahhhhh."


    A stale breath filled the air as a figure slowly stepped out from the darkness of the cage.


    Its eyes squinted from the sunlight as it raised a hand to its head, blocking the remaining rays.


    CLANG!


    The sound of chains nking together rang out as it finally regted its eyes to the intense light.


    Slowly, it turned to look at the massive chains that bound both arms and, worst of all, its neck.


    They trailed loosely on the ground, showing to him that they had just been severed and the creature breathed out another massive puff of smoke as it gazed at its hand, watching the chains dangling behind it.


    Slowly, it turned its gaze forward, noticing Nn.


    Its face scrunched up in displeasure before it turned its attention away from him, looking down at the arena ground where various alien races could be seen cheering loudly.


    "How strange. It feels so unreal..." It mused to itself as one of its hands moved to the chains, and immediately¡ª


    CLINK!


    The sound of the chain being loosened rang out, shattering in the creature''s hands.


    Then, the chains binding its body fell to the ground with a loud bang.


    Nn''s eyes narrowed as he felt the immense heaviness.


    The chains were so heavy that the ground itself shook from their weight.


    Nn could only wonder how the creature had been able to walk forward with those chains all over its body.


    CRACK!


    CRACK!


    The sound of bones cracking echoed as the creature stretched its body, saying,


    "I''ve been trapped in the darkness for so long, I don''t even have any idea how much time has passed."


    "But then, I suddenly wake up to find a Celestial kid standing in front of me, in an arena that seems too unreal..."


    "It must be one of the sick jokes of you Celestials. How amusing..." It mused out loud, finishing its bone-cracking stretch.


    It then rose upright, finally giving Nn a full look, from his legs to his head, before a brutal smile appeared on its face.


    "Is this some kind of ridicule? Asking me, Urago, to fight a kid who can barely stand on both feet!"


    "Well, I guess a little fun and bone-breaking wouldn''t hurt anyone..." Urago said as he slowly cracked his fists and calmly walked toward Nn, his two muscr arms folded across his chest, a grin on his face.


    But the way he walked didn''t look like he wasing to fight at all¡ªit was almost as if he was taking a casual stroll.


    Still, Nn felt his blood screaming within him, urging him to flee.


    Finally, Urago came to stand just ten meters away from Nn before stopping, and Nn finally caught sight of him properly.


    He was a being of mythic proportions, towering at a staggering 15 feet tall, with a body sculpted like a monument to war.


    His physique resembled that of a divine warrior, muscles bulging like mountains beneath skin seemingly as hard as bronze.


    On his body, as if tattooed, strange ancient runes were etched.


    Nn could see the scars that lingered on his body, reflecting countless battles he had fought.


    Urago''s flesh glowed softly, as though molten power surged beneath his skin, each rune on his body shimmering with a fiery red light that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.


    His face was chiseled and stern, even though it currently had a faint smirk.


    His eyes were immensely dark, with crimson-red veins in the whites, radiating an aura of madness and instability.


    His hair was like his eyes¡ªa dark color shifting in the air like mes in the wind.


    ---


    [Main Quest!]


    [Host hase into contact with a Titan Champion. Defeat the champion!]


    [Rewards: +3 Level Up Cards!]


    [+15,000 EXP!]


    [+50 Fragments!]


    The system''s voice echoed as Nn''s eyes narrowed at the name of the titan.


    "A Titan Champion, huh?" he mused.


    ording to what Nn knew about titans, they had the same number of cultivation stages as Celestial Heirs¡ªten in total.


    The first stage of a titan was the Titan Initiate Stage, corresponding to the Celestial Heirs'' Celestial Initiate Stage.


    The second stage of a titan was the Titan Adept Stage, which corresponded to the Heavenly Disciple Stage that Nn was currently in.


    Then the titan''s third stage was the Titan Champion Stage¡ªa level above the Celestial Heirs'' Heavenly Disciple Stage.


    This told Nn, without the titan making a move yet, that it was superior to him in terms of cultivation base.


    Therefore, Urago wouldn''t be an easy foe. But in all honesty, the titan before him didn''t seem like a foe that would be taken down easily.


    Just the confidence that he was radiating as well as the pure arrogance revealed that to Nn.


    "You''ve never seen a titan before, have you?" Urago spoke up with a grin.


    It seemed to Nn that he didn''t care much for the battle.


    It was safe to say that Urago most likely didn''t think of Nn as a worthy opponent at all. His pure arrogance shed in his eyes, and Nn could see it clearly.


    "Or else, if you had seen a titan before or witnessed them in action, you would''ve known the Celestials'' favorite words about us..." Urago said with a grin as Nn''s dagger appeared in his hands.


    "Never let a titan get close to you at all!" The titan smirked, and in the next instant, Nn burst forward with unparalleled momentum.


    The ground beneath him shook as he stepped forward, aiming the dagger at the titan''s neck with incredible speed.


    "Tch, you talk too much..." Nn muttered, the dagger appearing an inch from Urago''s glowing thick neck.


    But in the next moment, Nn''s dagger hung in the air as he felt a hand grab onto his wrist.


    He raised his face to meet the titan''s gaze and noticed a mocking look in Urago''s eyes.


    "If there''s one thing Celestialsck, it would be closebat ability, and you''re trying to fight me in closebat?"


    "Are you stupid?"

 Chapter 138: Fighting A Titan Champion! 2

    Without wasting a second more, Nn silently tried taking his arm back, but he was so shocked when he found it wouldn''t even budge an inch, even though he was using all of his physical strength.


    He didn''t bother with that as he instantly clenched his other hand into a fist and then...


    BAAAANG


    The air in the path of his fist shook heavily as Nn released a powerful strike with all his might.


    It mmed roughly into Ourak''s stomach, a powerful shockwave rippling from the point of contact.


    Yet, Nn watched in disbelief as not even the slightest expression changed in Ourak''s eyes.


    His eyes didn''t even redden at all, and Nn noticed that he didn''t even wince in pain at all. Not even a small shake.


    Instead, Ourak smiled even more brilliantly.


    [You''re underestimating a Titan, Nn,]the system, which had never for once interfered in his battles before, suddenly said in his head as Ourak cracked his neck.


    "A punch for a punch¡­"


    BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!


    The words had yet to bepleted when Nn felt his body jerk backward, a quick wave of raw brute power surging through him from his stomach, roughly disrupting the blood flow within his body. Nn''s crimson eyes instantly turned even redder.


    BLERGGHHHH!


    Blood sshed out like a wave as Ourak finally released Nn''s hand, watching him soar backward at high speed.


    He crashed into the ground repeatedly before finally lodging himself deep into the wall, 50 meters away from Ourak.


    "The power! The power!" Nn roared in shock, blood raining down his lips, which wouldn''t stop for a second.


    His body within the world was still shaking uncontrobly from the reverberating power that smashed into him, his muscles and blood vibrating intensely.


    The power of the punch to Nn was like an ordinary mortal being hit by a moving train! It was incredibly powerful.


    So powerful that he had to admit that ever since he arrived in this world, he had never received such an insanely powerful attack.


    STEP!


    STEP!


    STEP!


    The sound of footsteps rang out as Ourak slowly stepped forward toward Nn. He leaned his head forward into the crater, peeking down at Nn, but then...


    BAAANNG!


    A loud explosion of something mming into flesh rang out as Ourak was forced to take a few steps backward, clutching his face tightly.


    In the next instant, Nn appeared in front of him, his dagger revolving in his hand.


    He shed upwards towards Ourak, aiming to split him into two from below, but like a sh, Ourak stepped backward instantaneously, with the dagger grazing an inch from his nose, and then¡­


    BOOOM!


    A sidekick from Ourak smashed out, but Nn instantly dodged to the ground, narrowly avoiding the kick aimed at his head.


    In the next instant, Nn prepared to burst forth with speed, but suddenly stopped his course of motion and tilted his head to the side once more.


    BOOOM!


    A shockwave exploded forth as Ourak switched his leg with absurd speed, smashing out with his second leg towards Nn''s head, narrowly missing by a couple of inches.


    Instantly, Nn put strength beneath his feet, bouncing away from the Titan. But he still underestimated Ourak, who instantly appeared beside his ribs and then...


    BOOOOOM!


    A shockwave rang throughout the entire arena as Nn''s body was blown away like a kite without its string, rolling on the floor with speed.


    Just before he could smash into the opposite wall, a figure appeared in front of him like a mirage and then...


    BAAAANNNGG!


    Another thunderous explosion went forth as Nn''s felt a kick smack directly in front of his face, as Ourak''s leg connected firmly.


    Blood and teeth flew into the air as Nn was sent smashing towards the opposite side of the arena.


    The terror had only just begun!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    Like a ball, Nn was being kicked around the battlefield by Ourak, and the speed was so fast that Nn couldn''t even keep himself upright.


    He could only be tossed around the arena, helpless against Ourak, whose legs mmed out repeatedly, blowing Nn around like a rag doll.


    "This is why you Celestials will always fail!" Ourak''s voice boomed.


    "You pay too much attention to your stupid and useless descent abilities!"


    "Your only good use is at very long-range attacks."


    "In closebat, you''re simply too slow. Your reaction speed is too slow. Yourbat abilities are crap! Your physical body is like that of a worm!"


    "Look at you, being kicked around, unable to even react or see meing."


    "Your battle sense is so poor that even though I''ve made sure to attack in a particr rhythm, you still can''t even read my moves."


    "Or most likely, even if you can, your reaction speed is too slow to catch me."


    "You all are clumsy warriors!" Ourak dered to Nn, who could barely hear the words.


    "Tch," a disgusted snort rang out from Nn''s lips as his dagger instantly appeared in his hand.


    In the next instant, as he felt another horrid force m into his stomach, he was blown away once more.


    But this time, Nn expected the attack. He swiftly released his chains with the dagger, revolving them around his body like a cocoon.


    BAAANG!


    CLAAANG!


    Just as he expected, Ourak''s leg mmed onto the chain, and Nn used the momentum to roll to the side and quickly get back on his feet, chains ready in his hands.


    But once more, Ourak was nowhere to be found. In the next instant, Nn felt a slight rustle, and instantly...


    CLAAAANG!


    The sound was that of two metals shing, but it was actually Nn''s dagger meeting Ourak''s punch, which had been aimed toward his face.


    With a swift movement, Nn directed the force to the side, causing Ourak to slip in his stance and have his face forced forward. Nn didn''t waste the opportunity.


    Instantly, his knee smashed out towards the face that was inching forward, the air in the path of his knee blowing apart!

 Chapter 139: Forced To Use The Kratos Crown 1

    Immediately, Nn''s knee smashed forth toward Ourak''s face, but it met with nothing as a palm appeared in the path of the knee, pushing it backward to the ground.


    Yet Nn was unrelenting.


    His second leg immediately kicked forth once more toward Ourak''s face.


    Ourak''s head moved to the side, and a shockwave exploded beside his head.


    Nn mmed his leg downwards, intending to hurt Ourak''s shoulder, but in the instant the back of his foot connected with the shoulder, he was the one sent flying into the air.


    He flipped twice mid-air,nding upside down.


    Using his hands, he retreated backward before jumping back to his feet.


    In the instant he stood upright, Nn''s leg mmed to the left, as his head dodged to the right.


    PSSSTT!


    Blood sshed into the air, the source none other than Nn''s cut-open ears as Ourak''s


    punch violently pierced forward with speed.


    The shockwave ripped apart Nn''s ear.


    BOOOOOM!


    Another devastating surge boomed out as Ourak smashed forth with his knee.


    Simultaneously, Nn was forced to ce both hands in the path of the punch, barely blocking in time.


    Still, he was sent backward from the force.


    In the next instant, Ourak went on a devilish rampage.


    Various attacks sted forth from him as Nn was pushed back further and further.


    "His moves! They''re unbelievable! It''s like he needs no time or bnce to send forth the next attack," Nn thought to himself in shock as he endured the continuous battering.


    His scorched skin reddened, and he could even hear the slight crack of his arms and ribs from the endless beating.


    Yet, even though he was in pain from the barrage, Nn''s mind held utmost amazement.


    He had thought he was very good in closebat, but Ourak made him realize how miserably he paled inparison.


    The titan could weave through different attacks without even losing his bnce.


    If Nn blocked a punch, a split secondter, Ourak was already kicking forth with his leg.


    In the next instant, he was already throwing the next punch.


    And not only were his attacks incredibly precise, but they were also devastatingly powerful.


    Each of them damaged Nn''s skin, with some even piercing through his bones and causing fractures.


    "You''re pretty strong for a Celestial kid. Your endurance is barely noteworthy¡­" Ourak said with a smile as he continued to punch and kick, moving Nn backward.


    Ourak had thought he could end this match with just a few punches and kicks, but who would have expected the kid to keep up?


    Even though Nn''s body was clearly battered and it was apparent he was struggling to stand, he was still able to react in time and dodge some of Ourak''s most powerful finishing moves.


    This made Ourak realize that Nn had his full focus on the match.


    "Still, it''s not enough," Ourak thought as he suddenly threw out an even more powerful punch toward Nn''s face.


    Just when it seemed the punch would smash into Nn''s raised hands, Ourak''s hand shifted at thest second, slipping past the side of Nn''s arm, grabbing the back of his head.


    In the next instant, Nn felt a hand grab onto his hair, jerking his head downward, and his eyes were met with Ourak''s magnifying knee.


    BOOOOOOM!


    CREEAAAAKKK!


    A loud shockwave rang out, followed by the sound of bone cracking as Ourak''s knee smashed into Nn''s raised arm, breaking the bones.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    Three more sessive blows followed, and Nn found himself knocked backward, both his arms falling limply to his sides.


    They had been utterly ruined, with the bones fracturedpletely.


    In the next instant, Ourak faded away like a phantom, and Nn felt a hand grab him from behind, lifting his head up.


    "What the¡ª!?"


    BAAAAANG!


    Nn''s face was smashed roughly into the ground by Ourak, while standing upside down, mmed him into the crater.


    Blood spilled into the ground as Ourak raised Nn up by his leg.


    BOOOOOM!


    BOOOOOM!


    BOOOOOM!


    BOOOOOM!


    Craters appeared on the ground in rapid session as Ourak easily lifted Nn up like he weighed less than a feather and repeatedly smashed him into the ground.


    "Strong. He''s too strong," Nn mused as he curled into a ball, trying to withstand the mming.


    But his back was unprotected, and he could hear the cracking sound, which he had no doubt wasing from his spine.


    ''I need to get out of this fast...''


    Eventually, Ourak flung him outward with speed. Nn smashed roughly into the opposite wall, bleeding from every orifice.


    His entire body dropped limply, unable to withstand any more battering.


    Right now, Nn felt as if he weighed a thousand kilos, unable to move a single inch.


    Eventually, a hand copsed onto his face, dragging him out of the wall before he was finally raised into the air.


    "Finally spent huh?" Ourak''s taunting voice rang out as he dangled Nn in the air with a mocking smile.


    But with surprise, he watched as Nn opened one of his eyes and his lips moved.


    "I still have one more descent ability left¡­"


    ''Activate Crown of Kratos!'' Nn thought in his head.


    BOOOOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful light descended from the sky.


    Ourak felt a stinging pain in his arms and was thrown backward with speed, mming roughly onto the ground beforeing to a stop.


    Instantly, he rose upright as he looked into the light that now coated Nn''s body, preventing him from sight.


    Soon, the light cleared, and Ourak''s eyebrows furrowed.


    The first thing he noticed was the crown on Nn''s head.


    It was just impossible not to notice due to the otherworldly amount of energy that oozed out from it.


    An energy that made him feel like he wasn''t even noteworthy of mentionpared to it.


    In the next instant, he witnessed a spectacr transformation, as Nn began his change with the lights surrounding him slowly receding.


    Without needing to be told, he knew well that this battle had only just gotten even tougher.


    His opponent had grown stronger, and not just by a small amount.

 Chapter 140: Forced To Use the Kratos Crown 2

    [Congrattions, Host has used the Kratos King Crown.]


    [Random God''s Descent ability being chosen.]


    [New Descent Energy found!]


    [Congrattions. Host has awakened the Power of Helios, the God of the Sun!]


    The system notification panel message blinked before Nn''s face as he felt an energy coursing through his veins.


    It was incredibly hot, yet it did nothing to harm him.


    With a single will, Nn focused on the energy, reveling in its warmth.


    Ourak, with widened eyes, watched as his opponent¡ªwhose aura radiated an intense burning feeling¡ªslowly healed up his wounds.


    His darkened skin peeled off, reced by his normalplexion, and the cuts on his body began to fade away.


    In less than ten seconds, Nn was fully healed.


    [Congrattions, Host has used the Healing Light Ability of Helios.]


    [Host''s familiarity with the God of Light increases!]


    The system''s voice rang out as Nn opened his eyes, feeling all his wounds fade away as if they had been nothing more than an illusion.


    He had no idea how he''d managed to heal himself, but Nn sensed a strange will from within his own body, and he''d given the essence permission to act.


    The result was the healing of his injuries.


    Slowly, he raised his hand to his face, and with a simple will, scorching golden light oozed out from Nn''s palm.


    With a sickening smile, he allowed the light to spread throughout his entire body, bing a ming figure oozing with pure sr power.


    He turned to look at Ourak, who stood at a distance, caution evident on his face.


    "Shall we begin?" Nn asked as he stretched his palm forward, and then¡ª


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!


    A golden beam of energy immediately pierced forth with incredible power, piercing forth with incredible power towards Ourak in the distance.


    The titan was lifted off his feet and¡ª


    BAAAAAANG!


    The arena walls shook heavily as Ourak was mmed into the wall by the powerful beam of energy, which soon faded away.


    Yet Nn was relentless as he raised his left hand, intense golden energy appearing in it once again and then¡ª


    RIIIIIIIIIP!


    Another tearing sound rang out as the golden pir of energy soared forth with even greater speed, mming into the cracks in the wall.


    But at thest second, Nn noticed a figure silently shift away from the impact, disappearing to the side.


    Nn followed him closely, his hand beam tracking his opponent.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    The arena walls were repeatedly scorched by the concentrated sr energy as Ourak ran in a circr motion, eventually arriving before Nn, throwing out a left hook towards his face.


    This time, the air shook heavily from the sheer strength of the punch, and Nn could feel the force behind it.


    The strength had doubledpared to Ourak''s earlier strikes.


    It was clear: Ourak was not using all of his strength in theur previous fight.


    Still, Nn didn''t feel fear. Sr energy coated his right arm and then¡ª


    BAAAAANG!


    The two fists shed together with immense power, the air around them warping as if it were ame.


    In the next instant, Ourak threw a second jab towards Nn''s head, which Nn countered with another ming fist of his own.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    It was a flurry of unending punches as Ourak and Nn went all out, exchanging devastating blows that narrowly missed or battered each other''s bodies.


    Their fists collided, and the ground beneath them became enveloped in deep craters, which only grew deeper and wider as time passed.


    The air stormed around them from the intensity of their punches as Nn turned into a fiery blur, shing here and there, dodging various attacks while replying with his own punches¡ªpunches that Ourak took head-on without dodging a single one.


    His opponent''s reasoning was simple.


    Ourak could see how much power Nn''s punches carried, and he believed they weren''t at a level that could truly threaten him.


    They were powerful but not incapacitating.


    So therefore, he focused on wearing Nn down with sheer force, battering him repeatedly until Nn would no longer be able to move.


    His goal was to absorb damage in exchange for delivering even more devastating blows to his opponent.


    He had witnessed Nn heal instantly from his injuries, and he knew well that if he didn''t break Nn to a point where he couldn''t use his divine essence to heal, he would eventually be overwhelmed.


    But as the battle dragged on, sweat began dripping down Ourak''s face as he noticed Nn making sure to dodge every single punch while an amused expression remained on his face.


    It became obvious that Nn had caught onto his n and was doing everything in his power to avoid taking hits.


    Now, Ourak was the one carrying the greater burden of damage, while Nn dodged every one of his punches, using his fists to block the ones he couldn''t evade.


    "Just die already!" Ourak roared in frustration as he kicked towards Nn''s ribs.


    Nn instantly took three steps backward, the kick barely grazing his stomach as a shockwave shed outwards.


    In the same moment, Nn arrived before Ourak, throwing forth a powerful punch towards his ribs.


    BOOOOM!


    Shockwaves rippled out from the point of collision as Ourak ignored Nn''s punch, grinning brilliantly.


    "You fell for it."


    Instantly, both of Nn''s hands were grabbed by Ourak, and he jerked Nn''s body forward before¡ª


    BAAAAAANG!


    An explosive shockwave rippled outwards as Ourak''s head mmed into Nn''s.


    The faint sound of a crack echoed, and Nn was sent smashing into the deep ground, absolutely unmoving.


    A splitting headache mmed into Nn''s mind from the power of the headbutt.


    It was the first time he had ever been headbutted, and he felt as though he might die.


    But still, he looked up at Ourak, who had a grin on his face, and began to chuckle.


    "Hehe¡­"


    "Hehehehe..."


    "Hahahahaha..."


    Nn''s chuckle turned into a full, mockingugh as he began to rise.


    Ourak furrowed his brows, wondering if Nn had gone mad from the headbutt.


    But then he observed Nn looking at his body andughing even more.


    That was when Ourak''s brain told him to look at his own body and his expression drastically changed once he did.


    "You''ve lost!"

 Chapter 141: Completing The First Phase of the Test Excellently!

    The voice rang out loud, sinking into Oural''s head as the truth mmed into his brain.


    He looked at his own body and saw it enveloped in cracks, and from within those cracks, one could sense a bubbling sr energy.


    In the next instant, Nn shot to his feet as he rose up from the ground, hurriedly retreating from Ourak, whose body only cracked even more until the golden energy within him expanded.


    "NOOOOOOO!!!"


    "CURSE YOU, CELESTIAL!!"


    "CURSE YOUUU!!"


    KAABBBOOOOOOOOM!


    A devastating explosion rocked the entire area, a mushroom of sr energy, blood, and flesh billowing into the air.


    The explosion was so powerful that it sent the burning Nn off his feet, smashing him into the ground, as he was sent tumbling uncontrobly before finally mming into a wall.


    His Kratos crown instantly faded away from his head, and he dropped to the ground with a plump like a man just one more step from death!


    ---


    [Congrattions, Neer, onpleting the Bonus Quest!]


    [Your total points for this event are 125!]


    [You will now be transported out of the realm!]


    The loud voice bellowed out as Nn heaved a loud sigh of relief, his eyes slowly closing.


    Instantly, a brilliant sh of light covered his body, and in the next moment, he faded away into nothing.


    The arena, along with the cheering crowd, suddenly copsed into themselves, the entire thing fading into nothing until it became an unending depth of darkness.


    ---


    In the next instant, Nn''s eyes snapped open in shock as he took arge gulp of air.


    Immediately, he stirred awake, feeling the peaceful air m into his nostrils, and every nerve in his body started to calm down.


    Slowly, he looked around the room and stood up in shock when he witnessed something strange.


    Right now, there was nobody but Nn in the massive arena, and immediately, Nn raised his head to the top of the tform and noticed the three Ascendant students looking at him in shock.


    "He... He scored 125/100!!" The woman amongst them said in shock as they all turned to look at Nn, who rose up and grabbed his bag before clearing his throat, embarrassed.


    Only one gaze was all Nn needed to figure out that it was nighttime already.


    If he remembered correctly, he was sent into the trial grounds in the morning, and yet it was night, with everyone having left already.


    That revealed to Nn that he was probably thest person to finish the exam, and that had caused the three Ascendants to have no choice but to wait for him throughout the entire day.


    Slowly, Nn watched as one of them got down to him, hovering in the air, beforemanding,


    "Your records have been kept. You can leave now..."


    Contrary to the scolding that Nn was expecting, what he got was the order to leave, and it deeply surprised him.


    Still, he gave a nod before scurrying off quickly, away from the Neer''s Hall under the amused gazes of the Ascendants.


    "He wasted our time. A lot. 10 hours since thest person left..." One of the Ascendants took notice with a slight frown.


    "But his score is also the highest amongst all of the participants. So, I guess it was worth it in the end..." Another came to Nn''s defense, and they all shrugged it off as the tform they stood on retreated back to the ground and they also soared upwards, disappearing into the distance.


    ---


    [Congrattions, Host, you have sessfullypleted the mission: Defeat the Titan Champion.]


    [Host has been rewarded with +3 Level Up cards, +10,000 EXP, +50 Divine Fragments.]


    "Huuuu,"


    A loud exhale rang out from Nn''s lips as he opened the door and copsed onto his sofa.


    Right now, he felt incredibly exhausted, and his brain seemed to be throbbing in his head.


    It was nothing short of a monumental headache.


    Still,


    GRRRUUUUUM


    His stomach''s rumbling echoed through the walls, and Nn rubbed his belly, feeling the hunger reverberate within him.


    He had not eaten anything throughout the day, and now the hunger wanted to devour him alive.


    So he was given no choice but to force down his exhaustion and walked over to the kitchen, quickly making something for himself.


    Downing the huge te of steak, he felt the furious screams and defiant roars of hunger finally settle down, and immediately, Nn crawled back to his bedroom.


    He had promised himself the other day that he would review his notes onest time, but Nn just couldn''t do it anymore. He was too exhausted.


    He also had new rewards and level-up cards that he ought to properly set up, but his eyelids were too heavy.


    So in the end, he simply mmed into his bed, and less than five minutester, the sound of deep snoring rang throughout the room.


    ---


    [You''ve grown stronger, Nn. You''ve really grown...]


    The golden panel shed before Nn''s unconscious face before dimming as the room waspletely enveloped by the sound of deep snoring.


    ---


    The golden rays of sunlight poured through the clean window panes, bringing a brilliant color of golden energy into the dimly lit room, and also a peaceful wave of air that mmed onto Nn''s face from the slightly opened louvers.


    [WAKE UP, NOLAN!!]


    In the next instant, Nn roughly jumped into the air as his eyes snapped open abruptly, scanning the entire room in a hurry, his head still groggy, and his face buried in his palms.


    "What!? What!?" he screamed out loud.


    [I was just waking you up for school. Don''t want you to bete, you know.]


    The system spoke coyly as Nn held his head.


    Now, he was starting to have a headache from the system''s decision to wake him up early in the morning as if a bandit had broken into his house.


    Still, the truth was undeniable as Nn rose from the bed and moved towards the direction of the bathroom.


    It was time to freshen up and go for the second exam.


    Hopefully, it wouldn''t be as monumentally difficult as thest one.

 Chapter 142: The Second Phase Of The Test Begins

    The massive crowd of Neers surged forward like an ocean of people, all heading directly toward the Neers Hall.


    Among them was a white-haired figure with his bag behind him.


    He could be easily identified because he was wearing the bag, unlike the majority of others who were not.


    They all arrived before the Neers Hall, where the Instructors were already waiting.


    Quickly, the Instructors began asking for names and checking them off the list.


    When it was Nn''s turn, his eyes shed as he noticed that some names on the list were marked with the word "absent."


    Itt seemed that whoever those students were, they had chosen not to partake in this test, which surprised Nn a bit.


    However, he gave his name, and the Instructor found it in the long list of names before allowing him entry into the hall.


    It was just as Nn remembered it¡ªthere wasn''t a single difference from how it had felt yesterday.


    He made his way to his seat and brought out his small shit of notes.


    Today, Nn noticed that the students were much more silent.


    While the test had seemed so simple to Nn, because he was strong, to the other students, it was worse than hell, and that had humbled them.


    The majority of them had been thrown out of the test and weren''t even able toplete it.


    They had no idea how tough this new test would be, but still, not many were in the mood to talk, and each simply kept to themselves, save for a minority.


    At the very least, it gave Nn some peace of mind as he reviewed his notes, quickly rounding them up.


    Even after he was done reading quite a few of his notes and packed them back inside his bag, he noticed that the Ascendants were still nowhere to be found.


    And so, he used the opportunity to close his eyes and rx a little.


    But less than 10 minutes had passed when he snapped his eyes open and turned to look up at the tform, finding the three Ascendants already there.


    "Without further ado, let''s all immediately move into the next test of the day."


    "Completing this quest will add points to your previous score."


    "So, whether you did well or poorly in yourst test, you should definitely try your hardest in this one too."


    "Don''t regret failing to put in your best effort and losing out by just one more point," the Ascendant said as he slowly brought out another cube.


    It was just like the first cube that had been brought out the previous day, but instead of it being bathed in a mysterious light, this cube emitted a milky white glow.


    Quickly, the air around the cube began to brighten with brilliant light before, instantly¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOM


    Just like before, the cube exploded outward with a fury of light that sprinkled over all the students, causing them to drop their heads and settle into a deep unconsciousness.


    Once more, the notification appeared before Nn''s vision, asking if he wanted to refuse the operation of the artifact.


    But Nn turned it down, and again he felt himself getting transported to a far distance.


    Soon, Nn''s head also dropped unconscious, his eyes shutting tightly.


    But this time, someone''s gaze settled on his unconscious body.


    "Hmm, am I the only one who noticed that he takes a few seconds longer to fall unconsciouspared to the other students...?"


    ---


    Once more, the entire world revolved faster and faster, throwing Nn around until he felt everythinge to a still, and then...


    His eyes snapped open and he found himself crouched on the ground.


    The coldness of the marble floor helped him awaken his senses, and slowly, he rose to his feet, looking around the room.


    It was a foggy area, the ends of which exceeded his gaze, and the fog further obstructed his view.


    Unconsciously, Nn''s hand moved as he shrugged to warm himself.


    Only now did he notice his actions, and he realized the truth. The room was freezing cold.


    Frigid cold, even for a person like him, and it definitely raised an eyebrow.


    The cold marble beneath him rang with every one of his steps as he stared hard, trying to make out anything in the fog.


    In the next moment, the usual voice rang out.


    [Wee, Neer, to the Second Phase of the Ascension Exam.]


    [Your mission is simple: Free the Chained Faeries.]


    [Your test has been divided into three mini-phases.]


    [First phase: Reach the end of the Labyrinth in 10 minutes!]


    [Rules: You can use everything at your disposal!]


    The voice rang out as Nn immediately frowned.


    "Labyrinth?" he asked as he stepped forward and in the next instant, he stopped.


    In the next instant, his face massively changed as Nn hurriedly ducked his head downward.


    SHRRRING!


    The sound of a de violently tearing through the air resounded as Nn narrowly avoided the enormous edge of an axe that shed past his head, shocking him to the bone.


    He took a step back to where he had firmly stood.


    "It''s not just anybyrinth... it''s abyrinth filled with traps," Nn muttered, his expression darkening.


    He could see the marble beneath his feet pressing down once he stepped in it and then he felt a strange mechanism activating prompting the axe to cleave by his face.


    And the sharpness of it that Nn sensed, it wasn''t something he could ignore.


    It would most likely have been able to cut through his face muscles.


    But Nn''s eyebrows furrowed as he rised his step once more andnded his feet In the exact same ce where he had currently ced it, but this time nothin happened.


    "So once a trap is released, stepping on it the second time is safe."


    "I just need to be alert and I should be able to weave through the attack..."


    "Still, I can''t see to far into the distance. But if this is abyrinth, I expect my exit to be forward..."

 Chapter 143: Moving Through The Labyrinth

    The calctions made from simple observations were quickly made by Nn, and his eyes focused intently on the fog before him.


    He couldn''t see much due to it, but it was safe to reason that the only way was forward.


    "9 minutes left..."


    The voice rang out loud, reminding Nn that he was on a time limit.


    Without hesitation, he burst forth with speed.


    He couldn''t afford to take each step carefully, as he had no idea how far thebyrinth stretched.


    To be safe, he decided to run.


    At least if he failed, he knew he had given it his all.


    But running also meant more of the traps would be activated, and soon, the entire world became an impaling horizon.


    Needles shot out from the sides, des and axes cleaving from the walls.


    The ground asionally erupted with incredibly destructive mes, threatening to fry him into nothingness as Nn dashed forward, dagger in hand.


    With it, he shed down everything that came his way, his senses tuned to their peak, but even then, he couldn''t avoid everything.


    "5 minutes more..."


    The voice resounded, and now, Nn was thoroughly soaked in his own blood.


    Some parts of his body were pierced with needles and knives, which had impaled him.


    It was as though some corrosive liquid had been imnted in the object''s tips, as Nn felt a stinging pain once they dug into his body.


    A pain that significantly slowed his speed and made him feel sluggish.


    Still, he bit down and ran forward at his fastest speed, his dagger shing around, severing the majority of the traps while allowing the remaining ones to dig into him.


    It was a battle of resilience, where stopping meant failing, yet continuing meant getting more injured and bloodied.


    "3 minutes remaining..."


    The voice rang out, and Nn could only speed up, eliciting more sharp objects to catch up to him.


    They dug into his body, horrific pain and drowsiness mming into him, but Nn could only push forward until finally¡­


    BURST!


    It was the same feeling as bursting out of the surface of water, as Nn tore through a thin barrier.


    His knees automatically gave in the moment he stepped into the next ce.


    [Congrattions onpleting the first phase in exactly 9 minutes and 50 seconds.]


    [The second phase will now begin...]


    The voice announced loudly as Nn slowly moved his hands around his body, tearing out the various needles and sharp objects that had impaled him.


    Soon, the sound of raining metal filled the entire room.


    Once Nn had removed all the weapons from his body, he exhaled sharply.


    Now, he felt a little better.


    Soon, he would be able topletely heal from all his injuries. Only now could he feel a semnce of safety.


    And only now did he turn his attention to where he was.


    This ce was a grand chamber, but dimly lit and as silent as a grave.


    Slowly, Nn rose to his feet, cautiously looking around the dark room.


    The voice had given no mention of how he was supposed to face this trial, only weing him to it.


    But Nn didn''t remain where he was.


    He began walking forward through the dim light, his dagger in his hand as his gaze cautiously scanned the room ahead.


    STEP


    STEP


    The sound of his footsteps was deafening, and he could hear his own heartbeat due to the stillness.


    That was when Nn suddenly snapped his gaze to the side, finding a flickering shadow that quickly disappeared.


    His motion instantly stopped as his cool eyes scanned the entire room, and once more, he saw a slight rustle behind his back.


    Yet, he remained unmoving and alert, feeling the rustle fade away.


    Silence reigned in the room for a while before he finally felt the shadow again, and this time, he moved.


    ''Got you.''


    In an instant, Nn''s body turned into a phantom as he shot to the left, then quickly darted to the right, and then a single step to the side ended in an extended lunge.


    His hand crashed into something before he zoomed forward and then...


    BANG!


    The entire wall shook as Nn roughly smashed the figure into the wall, his eyes shing as he saw what type of hideous creature he had in his grasp.


    It was a figure whose entire face and body were wrapped in bandages, hiding all of its facial features except for its maw.


    In its mawy exceedingly dark, razor-sharp teeth, with ink-like spittle raining down from its mouth.


    "CACKLE!"


    "CACKLE!"


    "CACKLE!"


    In the next instant, the figure began cackling evilly, the spittle in its maw raining down harder.


    Nn''s eyes narrowed when he turned behind him and saw about a couple dozen of these strange creatures emerging from the darkness.


    "You..."


    "You will get nowhere..."


    "And your quest will be nothing but a failed attempt..."


    The voices rang out from each of the group, deafening to the ears. Somehow, Nn felt his heart thumping louder and louder within his chest.


    The words seemed to have a strange effect, making Nn feel as if he was being told the truth about his future.


    But against the pounding in his chest, a deep grin settled on Nn''s face.


    His dagger twisted in his palm, and then...


    SLASH!


    The sound of the air being sliced apart rang out as Nn''s dagger shed vertically into the head of the creature he held in his grasp.


    There was no need to talk too much.


    Once he killed one of them, the others would learn their lesson.


    But Nn''s eyes remained shocked when he shed the mummy''s head and felt his dagger cut through absolutely nothing.


    The cackling only grew louder.


    [Main Quest Activated]


    [Survive The Whispering of the Lost Mummians...]


    [Reward: ???]


    The system notification shed before Nn''s eyes.


    Still, Nn''s narrowed eyes were on the creature before him as a simple thought appeared in his head at the anomaly, and just to check if he was right, Nn wielded his dagger and then,

 Chapter 144: Weird Nolan

    RIIIIP.


    RIIIIP.


    RIIIIP.


    The sound of the dagger cutting through the air thrice rang out as Nn roughly shed apart the Mummians'' heads. Yet...


    [It''s useless. They''re metaphysical.]


    The system''s voice rang in his head as Nn snorted before releasing the Mummian whose neck he had grabbed.


    He sheathed his dagger.


    It seemed the creature could not be severed by physical attacks, but that also meant they couldn''t attack Nn.


    In essence, to Nn, they were useless.


    "You can never save them!"


    "Give up!"


    "Turn back or face your death!"


    The Mummians whispered, and Nn''s heart rate spiked as they spoke.


    Nn raised an eyebrow at the strange reaction within his chest.


    Despite everything, he didn''t feel a single trace of fear.


    His heart, though, was thumping loudly, and even the hair on his arms stood on end.


    It was a sign of fear and doubt, but Nn was more himself than ever.


    ''It''s overreacting again,'' Nn mused to himself.


    He could recall the strange condition of his body.


    Thest time he had met with Quinn, his heart had raced even though he himself felt zero fear toward the guy.


    Yet here his heart was, pounding in his chest.


    Nn guessed it was this body''s natural reaction.


    The previous Nn had been so scared of Quinn that, even after death, his body retained some uncontroble fear toward him.


    And now, the same thing was happening. Nn''s heart was racing in fear and doubt, yet he himself didn''t even feel a single difort from the Mummians'' words.


    "Tch, just don''t get in my way," Nn said with a bored snitch before he started walking forward.


    Now that he knew what this test was all about, there was no need to be so alert.


    He tucked his hands into his pockets, puffed out his chest in confidence, and kept walking forward without giving a single damn.


    The voices continued to echo in his head, telling him he would fail, that he would never achieve anything, but Nn didn''t even blink.


    He knew what the test entailed, and that was trying to break his will.


    He would be too stupid to fall for it, especially now that he already knew what their goal was.


    But unknown to Nn, the test didn''t work like that.


    The voices of the Lost Mummians contained a magical essence that would make anyone believe in their words.


    Nn was expected to struggle to ignore the whispering voice that told him he would fail, and the Lost Mummians'' voice worked on every Celestial Heir.


    It was evident from Nn''s rapidly beating heart and his hair standing on end.


    But was Nn a Celestial Heir at all?


    [How are you doing that?]


    The system notification panel suddenly shed as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "Doing what?" he asked while continuing his leisurely pace.


    There was no imminent danger anyway, so he might as well take his time, allowing his body to heal itself.


    [How can you walk through an army of Lost Mummians and not get charmed?]


    [You don''t even seem to be struggling at all...] the system said with confusion, and Nn could feel the mystery in its voice.


    "I already know they''re trying to fool me. That''s the point of this phase of the test. How can I sumb when I already know what the test wants?" Nn asked with a the same perplexed smirk as he noticed from the system.


    The system remained quiet.


    [You''re weird. Very weird.] The system responded with a suspicious tone.


    Of course, the system was aware of the power of the Lost Mummians.


    It was a power that affected everyone. The Lost Mummians tested one''s resolve and the strength of their will.


    Unless one had an unbreakable resolve, they would still struggle to resist the voice.


    Right now, Nn had an entire crowd of Lost Mummians around him, yet he wasn''t even flinching.


    One had to know, Nn was only 16!


    There was no way his will was this tough, or that he had such unshakable conviction.


    That''s why, in the end, the system could only assume one thing.


    Nn was naturally immune to the Lost Mummians'' charming voice¡ªsomething only a rare minority of Celestial Heirs could achieve.


    That could only mean Nn was a strange individual.


    With Nn not having to worry about anything at all, and with his mind able to remain absolutely calm, even while the annoying voice continued to ring out loudly...


    He was able to easily cross through the entire phase of the test, and soon he arrived before the gargantuan door at the end of the dark chamber.


    Slowly, his hands moved towards the door, and as he lightly touched it...


    In an instant, the surface where he touched rippled as though he had ced his hand on the surface of water.


    The ripples rapidly traveled up the entire doorway.


    [Congrattions onpleting the second phase of the test.]


    [The third test will now begin!]


    The voice resounded throughout the entire hall and, in the next instant...


    GRUUUUUM!


    A deep, grumbling sound was heard as the gargantuan door slowly opened itself up, and Nn stepped forth inside.


    The moment he entered, he felt a stifling pressure, causing his eyes to snap forward and his dagger finding thier way in his hands.


    Before Nn were about 10 massive obelisks tall, standing roughly 60 meters away from him.


    Behind the obelisks, Nn could see a tform suspended in the sky, and from it, he could sense the presence of several creatures.


    Without a doubt, whatever he was supposed to face in this test had something to do with freeing those creatures.


    But for now, there were the unmoving obelisks in his path, and that more than told him what he needed to do.


    He had to find a way to destroy these obelisks in order to get to the creatures.


    "I thought I wouldn''t have to fight in this test, but I''m guessing that''s impossible. I''m fine with it, though," Nn muttered.

 Chapter 145: The Obelisks Challenge

    "An invader has been determined!"


    The voice, a conglomeration of ten obelisks speaking at the exact same time, echoed loudly throughout the entire hall as Nn''s moved, his dagger revolving in his palmz with an experienced precision.


    "Elimination process of the invader will now start!" they allpleted in unison.


    In the next instant, Nn watched as they began moving. The air around them started quivering from the release of an invisible power.


    [Quest: Survive the Whispering Mammoths has been sessfullypleted!]


    [New Quest Issued.]


    [Fight through the Ten Fundamental Obelisks and free the Chained Faeries!]


    [Reward: ???]


    [Power level of invader is being determined¡­]


    [Stage Twomand will now begin!]


    The voice rang out once more as Nn winced.


    He watched the runes on the 5-meter-tall, four-sided, tapering structures rise to a pointed top.


    With caution, he observed as five out of the ten obelisks in the room uprooted themselves from the ground, fusing with the remaining five.


    Instantly, the surface of the remaining five obelisks, covered in intricate runes, began pulsing with energy¡ªenergy that Nn could easily identify.


    The first obelisk had a deep crimson color, radiating a faint red glow.


    Itt was covered in runes that pulsed with heat, moltenva leaking along its surface. At the top of it, a constantly burning me twisted and writhed, sending sparks into the air.


    The intense wave of heat surrounding the structure made the air shimmer, and Nn was able to instantly sense that it was a ming obelisk, whose power definitely had something to do with mes.


    The second obelisk had a sleek, jet-ck appearance that absorbed light, making it appear like a void in the room.


    Dipped within its center was a pulsating silver sphere that emitted an ominous hum.


    Tiny metallic objects orbited around it, and Nn''s brow furrowed as he felt something different about its surrounding air.


    It was like it could manipte the gravity around it!


    That was the only exnation for the fact that the objects orbiting it were floating in the air as if there was no gravity in the room.


    The third obelisk was translucent, made of a swirling mixture of ss-like material and storm clouds.


    Lightning crackled along its surface, and ethereal winds whipped around it, creating a stormy presence.


    At the center of it was a core that glowed with unstable bluish energy, flickering in and out.


    "That one probably has something to do with storms or lightning..." Nn mused before turning his gaze to the fourth one.


    The one that made his heart tighten with a sense of impending doom.


    It was an ancient-looking obelisk, covered in deep fractures, as though it had aged for millennia.


    A clock-like symbol constantly shifted and evolved across its surface, with gears that turned at random speeds.


    In certain ces, parts of the obelisk appeared frozen, while others moved almost too fast for Nn''s eyes to follow.


    "Don''t tell me..."


    He mused out loud, and a notification panel appeared, confirming his suspicion.


    [It can control time!]


    ''This might just get harder than I thought...'' Nn thought, his resolve hardening as his gaze moved to the final obelisk in the room.


    It was made of deep obsidian-ck stone, covered in chains that seemed to grow out from its surface, writhing around like snakes.


    These chains extended from the obelisk and tangled into the walls, floors, and up to the suspended tform where Nn knew the Chained Faeries were being held.


    Looking at its chains, he could easily guess that this obelisk was responsible for keeping the faeries imprisoned¡ªhis main target.


    Once he severed those dark chains, he should be good to go.


    But it seemed this fact was known by whoever built this ce because the obelisk was situated behind the remaining four, almost as if it was being guarded by them!


    In the next instant, Nn''s left hand shot to the side.


    A dark and heavy crimson chain shot out from his palm, mming hard on the ground but soon lifted by Nn, who wrapped the chain around the hilt of his dagger. It coiled around his right arm.


    "This can''t stop me..." Nn mused, his eyes bing cold and focused.


    BOOOOOM!


    The area where he was standing exploded, as Nn soared away from it with incredible speed.


    Instantly, he moved forward, trying to bypass the ming obelisk and reach the chained one.


    However, his danger bells rang in his head as Nn stopped for a second before shifting backward.


    In the next moment...


    BOOOOOOM!


    A powerful pir of mes mmed down on the ce where Nn had stood just a second ago, scorching the ground and reducing it to a meter deep crater.


    "What the¡ª?" Nn thought as he looked up and noticed something.


    Across the room, there were runic symbols floating in the air, in the shape of gateways.


    One of those runic gates had spewed out that pir of mes.


    Without needing to think about it twice, Nn knew that if he stepped beyond any of those ming red lines, he would be instantly devoured by a simr pir of fire.


    The runic lines had effectively reduced the space where he could move.


    "I just have to make sure not to get under them..." Nn affirmed to himself before once again bursting forward with speed.


    This time, he made sure to move away from the ming runic symbols in the air.


    He could feel himself sessfully closing in on the ming obelisk, but in the next instant, Nn''s eyes picked up the second obelisk, pulsing with strange light, and then...


    RIIIIIPPPPLLLEEE!


    A strange shockwave undted from it, covering the entire area. Once it mmed into Nn, his face changed.


    BAAAAAANG!


    The next step that Nn took caused the entire ground to shatter into pieces. But it wasn''t from Nn''s strength.


    Right now, he felt incredibly heavy, so heavy that he struggled to lift his single leg off the ground.


    The only exnation was that the gravity in the room had been increased by almost triple!

 Chapter 146: Finding A Way Out

    "SHIT!" Nn cursed to himself as he witnessed the third obelisk starting to light up.


    Quickly, it began oozing with clouds that moved up the sky, covering the entire room.


    Sparks of lightning brimmed through the area as darkness consumed the world.


    CRAAACCKKKLLEE


    A powerful sound of crackling lightning rang out beside Nn''s head.


    He turned to his left, spotting a pir of whitish light soaring towards him.


    Instantly, Nn flung his chained dagger to the side, digging its end into the wall, and he yanked on it with all his strength.


    Instantly, his body jerked towards the wall, narrowly avoiding the lightning that mmed into the spot where he had just been.


    However, Nn wasn''t unscathed; remnants of the lightning still mmed into him, enough to paralyze his muscles.


    Unable to stop himself, he mmed his face into the wall, skidding painfully against it.


    Sessfully, though, Nn saw he had escaped the binding of gravity.


    He instantly withdrew his chains before facing away from where he had stood.


    BOOOOOM


    At the ce where Nn was, a pir of me crashed down once more, narrowly dodged by Nn.


    In the new spot Nn stepped, the gravity instantly reduced on him, making his feet float in the air as all feeling of weight disappeared from his body.


    BAAAAAM


    "Arg!" A groan of pain escaped his lips as he felt a powerful bolt of lightning m into his head.


    Blood oozed from his nose, and he roughly smashed into the ground, bouncing off it a few times beforeing to a stop.


    Instantly, Nn''s head rose up, finding himself below a ming portal.


    Quickly, he scrambled away from it as another pir of me smashed down roughly into the ground.


    Once more, a deep pir of lightning crashed forward, and Nn dodged his head to the side.


    A loud crackling of lightning tore past his face, leaving a scared mark in its wake.


    "ARRGGH" a groan escaped Nn''s lips as he quickly got back on the move, running around the area.


    mes crashed, lightning chased, and gravity asionally shifted, making him as heavy as a mountain or as light as a feather.


    The constant changes greatly disoriented his bnce, causing him to get caught by the two remaining destructive obelisks'' attacks.


    Less than ten minutes had passed, but dark smoke was already rising from Nn''s body.


    His hair stood on end from being struck repeatedly by lightning.


    asionally, he dodged a ming pir by the skin of his teeth.


    Sweat poured down his face due to the intense temperature and the heat of the battle.


    It was the first time in Nn''s life that he had been faced with a battle where his opponent had no arms or legs, yet it was giving him the fight of his life.


    He had tried countless times to get past the ming obelisk to approach the shadow obelisk, but he had always failed at thest second.


    To top it off, the fourth obelisk had yet to attack. The one that controlled time!


    "I can''t keep running around. I need to find a way out..." Nn muttered to himself.


    His dagger was in his hand, but his opponent wasn''t approaching him.


    It was essentially useless, save for covering up some attacks for himself.


    It was obviously a physical battle, yet his strength wasn''t helping him at all.


    But still, after spending close to half an hour running around, Nn was able to decipher some pretty suspicious things and understand a little about how each obelisk worked.


    The first thing Nn noticed was that every obelisk pulsed with a brilliant light before unleashing their attacks at him.


    This pulse of light came from none other than the sphere embedded into their center.


    In an instant, Nn could guess how the obelisks worked!


    A fundamental rule of everything in the Celestial Realm was that it always had a source.


    The Celestial Heirs'' source of power was their divine essence.


    The Titans drew their power from their titan essence.


    The nightmare creatures derived their strength from their Terror Flux.


    Exhaust a Celestial Heir''s divine essence, and no matter how powerful they were, they would copse to the ground, unable to pose a threat.


    The same could be said for anything else.


    Right now, Nn had deduced that the same principle applied to the obelisks.


    The only reason they could unleash such devastating attacks was because of their source of power: the spheres pulsing with energy within them.


    If he ripped out those cores, they would lose their source of energy.


    Once their energy source was gone, they would be nothing more than stone pirs, unable to do any harm to him.


    But even after half an hour, Nn had not been able to get close to a single obelisk, so he couldn''t just waltz forward and take the cores away with his dagger.


    That led him to the second thing he had noticed about the obelisks.


    The first one was the me obelisk.


    It slowed down Nn at the moments he least expected it.


    The truth was that Nn found the me obelisk to be no real threat.


    The only way it could attack him was through the ming portals floating above him.


    As long as Nn didn''t stay under the portal, the me obelisk wouldn''t be able to do anything to him.


    The second obelisk, the storm obelisk, was easier to deal with.


    While the storm cast a deep darkness in the room, Nn could borrow the light from the ming runes in the air to see his way through.


    The problematic part was its lightning that chased him, but Nn had been able to sense that he could dodged the lightning, due to its loud sound that it makes as it closed in on him.


    Yet even though that was the truth, right now, he had been hit by more than 30


    bolts of lightning.


    The problem was the third obelisk¡ªthe gravity obelisk!


    It was the one Nn hated the most and the real reason he was being beaten so pathetically!

 Chapter 147: Going On The Offensive

    The Gravity Obelisk made Nn suffer the majority of the damages.


    At pivotal times in Nn''s dodging, he would suddenly find himself incredibly heavy, causing him to fail to dodge the lightning bolt that mmed into him, kicking him under a ming rune that roasted him.


    Other times, it would make him feel incredibly light, causing him to lose his sense of bnce, and once more, he would be roughly blown under a ming rune by the storm in the area, and knocked down by a thunderbolt.


    In the next instant, Nn narrowed his difficulties to the Gravity Obelisk.


    If there was one thing he needed to get rid of first, it would be that.


    He could see its core, dipped into its center, and he knew he only needed to remove the core in order to render it useless.


    "Time to go on the offensive¡­" Nn mused to himself.


    In the next instant, he ordered coldly in his head, ''Activate the Crown of Kratos.''


    BOOM!


    Instantly, a powerful wave of air shot out from Nn, bursting through the storm around the area and instantly blowing it apart.


    In the next moment, a golden crown settled on his head, and runes began appearing all over his legs, followed by the system notification.


    [Host has activated the skill: Kratos Crown]


    [Random Deity Chosen]


    [Random God Power is being channeled]


    [Host has activated the power of Hermes, the god of speed!]


    In the next instant, Nn felt a strange sensation in his legs.


    It was like they had be ten times heavier, making them incredibly solid, yet at the same time, he also felt as light as a feather.


    In one smooth movement, he took a step forward, and the space before him rippled like the surface of water.


    Instantly, he moved.


    RIIIIP!


    The sound of something loudly parting rang out as the air shook intensely.


    Yet, to Nn, everything came to a chilling crawl.


    He could see the ming gate in the air above bubbling with mes, and how the lightning bolt slowly inched toward him.


    Yet Nn simply moved his head to the side by a mere inch, dodging the bolt, and with another step, he bypassed the roaring mes.


    ''How... how is everything so slow?'' Nn wondered to himself in shock, but he wasted no time at all.


    He quickly ran toward the Gravity Obelisk.


    He could notice the thunderbolts chasing after him, increasing in number, and even the ming runes in the air poured out more fire, though Nn wasn''t directly under them anymore.


    His opponents were now frantic, a sign to Nn that his n was working.


    With the world moving in slow motion, Nn easily weaved through the hundreds of lightning bolts without breaking a sweat, and he outran the ming pirs.


    Appearing a few inches from the Gravity Obelisk, he witnessed a gigantic ming rune portal appear above the obelisk, its mes mming down with apocalyptic power.


    Even though the world hade to a stop, Nn knew well that if he dared cross that ming barrier, he would be reduced to ashes.


    But a mischievous smirk appeared on his lips as he instantly hooked his dagger with his thick chains and sent it mming forward toward the gravity core.


    He didn''t need to get too close, and his chains were resistant to mes.


    Immediately, they cleaved forward with speed, tearing through the pir of mes that blocked his path and then¡ª


    CRAAACK!


    The faint sound of a crack could be heard as Nn felt his dagger digging into something. In the next moment, he jerked the chain back toward himself.


    PSSSTTT!


    In the next instant, an object came flying together with his dagger, and Nn grasped something within his palm.


    A strange object that made Nn feel like he was grabbing an entire mountain and made his hands drop.


    It was none other than the Gravity Core.


    But suddenly, he sensed the core fade away from his hands, and instantly a notification appeared.


    [An Epic Grade Treasure has been picked up by Host!]


    [Epic Grade Treasure: Fundamental Gravity Core, will now be stored into the system''s shop!]


    [Good luck on the lucky find, Host.]


    The system said, causing Nn to snort.


    ''Lucky find!? I''m getting roasted here...''


    With Nn having removed the Gravity Core from the obelisk, he witnessed the runes on the obelisk disappearing, and instantly the strange gravity that covered the entire area faded away.


    Once that was done, Nn felt freer than a bird, and quickly, he zoomed forward with speed toward his next target¡ªwhich was none other than the Storm Obelisk.


    Almost as if the obelisks were conscious of his actions, the ming runes in the area all increased as the temperature reached a deafening level, and the bolts of lightning became twice as strong and more destructive.


    But it was all for naught to Nn.


    The world to him was still moving in slow motion.


    The bolts were strong but simply too slow, and he easily dodged them as he weaved through the area, soon arriving before the Storm Core.


    Immediately, the core red with powerful lightning, causing Nn to jerk his hand back, but in the next instant, the system notification appeared.


    [Just touch it. I''ll instantly take it away!] it said, and Nn''s hand immediately extended forward once more as he grabbed the core.


    "ARRRGGGHHH!"


    A painful groan left his lips as bolts of lightning snaked through his entire arm, yet he felt the core soon disappear from his hands.


    [An Epic Grade Treasure has been picked up by Host!]


    [Epic Grade Treasure: Fundamental Storm Core, will now be stored into the system''s shop!]


    [Good luck on the lucky find, Host.]


    The notification panel appeared once more as Nn skidded to a stop, ensuring he wasn''t under any of the ming runes in the air.


    Finally, he found himself some breathing space as he crouched slightly, with air puffing out of his mouth and nostrils.


    ''Just three more to go...''

 Chapter 148: The Time Obelisk Acts

    Immediately, Nn regained himself as his eyes scanned up at the ming rune above his head, whose reach was slowly widening.


    He could tell that it was the only destructive obelisk to him right now.


    With its ability to spew out mes from the ming vortex above his head, it posed a grave danger, and Nn aimed for it to be his next target.


    Still, something gave him chills¡ªthe time obelisk that had yet to react this entire time.


    "It has the capability to stop time. When it makes its move, it could be incredibly lethal. I need to end this fast..."* Nn mused to himself as instantly, he sped off towards the ming obelisk.


    Immediately, the runic linesced over the sky widened as a pir of me covered the entire hall, the temperature increasing by thousands of degrees.


    Yet, Nn kept his speed, dodging through the ming pirs like they were too slow.


    But that was simply not the case. It was he that was simply too fast.


    Soon, he was already before theva-like core, and his dagger instantly cleaved out.


    But Nn''s expression changed when he suddenly found himself hung in the air, unable to move an inch.


    "What the... MOVE!"


    Nn screamed to his legs as he felt all the hair on his body stand on end in the next instant.


    BOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful shockwave ripped through the entire area as Nn was roughly smashed into the ground by a ming pir that appeared right above him.


    Slowly, the smoke cleared off, and the image of a burnt ck figure could be seen, lying visibly dead in the crater!


    The time obelisk stopped pulsing, and another ming rune appeared over Nn''s head.


    In the next half a second, the entire crater shook violently as Nn burst forward with horrific speed, appearing instantly before the ming obelisk.


    Immediately, light appeared in the core of the time aura, and an invisible wave spread, but it was simply too slow for Nn.


    He instantly tore through the ming core.


    PSSSSSSSST!


    The sound of something frying rang out as Nn''s hand was burned by the oozingva from the core, but the system didn''t fail him as notifications instantly appeared, and the core disappeared.


    [An Epic Grade Treasure Has Been Picked


    Up by Host!]


    [Epic Grade Treasure: Fundamental mes Core will now be stored in the system''s shop!]


    [Good luck on the lucky find, Host.]


    Immediately, Nn tried to move again, but he found himself frozen where he stood, unable to move a single inch.


    "Tch,!" he clicked his tongue in irritation


    Right now, Nn felt himself stuck in time, unable to move.


    But soon, his irritation disappeared, followed by a smirk.


    "Tch, what am I even scared of?" he asked to none other than himself.


    Truthfully, there was nothing to be scared of. He had destroyed the me, storm, and gravity obelisks, which were the only ones capable of harming him.


    The only thing remaining was the time obelisk, and Nn was pretty sure it couldn''t hurt him.


    Its only function was to stop time.


    "All I need to do is wait until you burn out all your energy. Then I''ll simply walk forward and rip out your core. Not like there''s a time limit on this mission anyway..." Nn mused, bored, and after thirty minutes, he noticed the light in the core of the time obelisk slowly dimming. Nn felt his actions returning once more.


    Without even breaking a sweat, Nn ced both hands behind his head as he walked towards the time obelisk, a little pep in his step and a whistle on the corner of his lips.


    Once more, the time core red out with light as Nn stood in ce.


    Yet, after 30 minutes, the light dimmed once more, and Nn regained himself. He continued walking towards the time core.


    Arriving ten meters away from it, the time core red out, this time with its brightest light.


    Mn remained frozen in ce for the next two hours before the core dimmed again.


    Instantly, Nn covered the five meters in a single step before yanking away the time cpfe from the obelisk.


    The notification quickly appeared.


    [An Epic Grade Treasure Has Been Picked Up by Host!]


    [Epic Grade Treasure: Time Crystal has been stored in the system''s shop!]


    "Tch, and here I thought it would''ve been the most difficult to face..." Nn thought with an uninterested snicker.


    He finally turned to thest obelisk in the area.


    The dark obelisk was covered in ck chains that extended into the walls and above the tform.


    The obelisk had not affected him since the start of the battle, and Nn could guess that it wasn''t an attack obelisk like the others.


    Its main function seemed to be keeping whatever was above the tforms in check.


    Nevertheless, Nn was cautious as he walked towards the dark obelisk and witnessed dark, gloomy shadows beginning to emanate from its body, surrounding the entire hall.


    Immediately, Nn witnessed the entire world turn into a frigid, cold, and dark realm.


    And then he began seeing them once more¡ªwhispering shadows.


    They moved past him, shing by his ears, whispering words that made his heart pound loudly and his hair stand on end.


    It was like something was gnawing hungrily at his will, ripping apart chunks of it and making him feel demotivated.


    [Be careful. It targets the mind...]


    "Arggghh!" The system warning was followed by a groan from Nn''s lips.


    He grabbed his head and stumbled to the side, before tumbling to the other side once more.


    At first sight, he looked like a drunken man, moving erratically through the shadows, the various voices whispering louder and louder into his mind as he swayed back and forth.


    But in the next instant, a shocking scene unfolded as Nn''s dagger instantly cleaved forward and then¡ª


    RIIIIIP!


    He ripped out the core that was within the obelisk, tossing it up and down in his palm as the chaos dissipated while a cunning smile appeared on his face.


    [How? How did you...?]The system asked in shock as Nn stored the core away in the shop.


    [How did you take care of the shadow obelisk so easily?]


    "I told you before."


    "I''m not affected by anything that targets my mind."


    "I was just acting to let its guard down..." Nn replied smugly.

 Chapter 149: Rescuing The Chained Faeries

    With Nn tearing off the core of thest obelisk, he could feel the dark aura surrounding the chains instantly dimming, their power fading into the walls.


    In the next instant, Nn''s dagger red with its light as he instantly surged forward, severing every one of the chains.


    Immediately, the dark chains mmed to the ground.


    Nn''s eyes slowly turned toward the tform, and suddenly, a deep interest piqued his curiosity.


    He had just saved the chained fairies, but Nn had zero idea what they looked like.


    In the next instant, he found himself jumping high into the air,nding on the edge of the tform.


    His jaw dropped when he looked at what was before him.


    Nn had heard of their kind in his past life.


    Before him were about a hundred or so tiny humanoid creatures with elven ears and pure white hair.


    They had no differences from normal humans, aside from their size, which wasn''t even as big as Nn''s pinky.


    They were currently locked in a deep sleep, surrounded by dark chains.


    They also seemed to be encased in some kind of deep ice, and they were so beautiful and cute that Nn''s eyes softened for a second.


    Gently, he tore off the remaining chains surrounding their ice-bound figures.


    Quickly, he watched as the ice encasing them began to melt away, causing blue water to cascade off the tform like a waterfall.


    Then, a voice said to him.


    [Congrattions onpleting the second phase of the test.]


    [You have earned a marks of 92!]


    [You will now be transported back...]


    The voice echoed as Nn slowly rose, light gently enveloping his body.


    He felt himself being dragged off.


    But in thest second, Nn watched as the hundreds of fairies suddenly snapped their eyes open at the same time.


    Instantly, they locked their gaze onto his disappearing figure, and then the tiny voices echoed throughout the room.


    "Mama!?"


    ___________________


    In the next instant, Nn snapped open his eyes once more, his head ringing with thest word he had heard.


    ''Mama!?''


    ''Mama!?''


    ''Mama!?''


    "Don''t tell me they think I''m now their mama..." Nn thought with a grin, yet his smile faded when he looked up at the sky and noticed it was pitch dark, with the starlight now present everywhere.


    "I waste again..." Nn muttered to himself.


    Just like yesterday, everyone around him had already gone, and he was thest person remaining in the grand Neers Hall.


    Slowly turning his gaze, he found three pairs of eyes looking at him.


    They belonged to none other than the Ascendants.


    "I might get in trouble this time..." Nn mused to himself helplessly.


    He had beente thest time, and the Ascendants had not been too bothered.


    But now, he had also beente.


    Would they still allow that, or would they believe Nn was simply wasting their time?


    "Um, I''m..." Nn wanted to say, but the order came from above.


    "Your marks have been recorded. You can go now and prepare well for the next test..." the woman among them said to Nn, whose eyes gleamed with a thankful light.


    And he regained himself, nodding quickly before scurrying off the hall.


    "Another headache..." one of the Ascendants called out with a grin on his face.


    "The famous trash and ve of the academy, who can''t control his divine essence, suddenly passing with brilliant marks."


    "He will surely cause a headache among those prideful bastards..." the female said, giggling before they all silently flowed up into the sky and disappeared into the distance.


    On their disappearance, the tform they stood on quickly began sinking back into the ground.


    The area was once again covered by green floors, and the entire hall was reduced to silence once more.


    ___________________


    [You got lucky again...] The system''s voice rang out as Nn copsed tiredly on his sofa.


    A pounding headache was quick to settle on his head, yet he forced it down as he moved to the kitchen and cooked up something for his hungry stomach.


    ''I havepleted the first two phases of the test. Tomorrow will be thest. Once I''m done with that, I''ll finally be free...'' Nn mused to himself as he cut up the steak, frying them up before piling them on the tray and heading to his sofa.


    Quickly, he devoured everything, then headed straight to bed.


    [You have a lot ofpleted quests that you have yet to allocate their rewards. You sure you want to ignore them...?]


    The system asked, referencing his quest log.


    Nn hadpleted the quest for the previous day, where he was able to defeat the Hydra and then the Titan Champion.


    He had also earned the quest forpleting the first phase of the test, and he had alsopleted the test for resisting the whispers of the Most Mysterious One, and another one for sessfully rescuing the chained fairies.


    So many quests had beenpleted by him, yet Nn had not checked back on them.


    It was understandable to the system since Nn didn''t really have that much time, but still, it reminded him.


    "Right now, I have enough strength to livefortably, so I don''t need to level up or use any level-up cards."


    "Besides, I don''t think I''m in the best mental state right now to allocate stat points."


    "So, it will be better to put it off for tomorrow."


    "Once I''m done with the third phase of the test, and finally free, then I can calmly put the needed points into their respective areas..."


    [That''s a good point. Goodnight then...] the system said as Nn nodded, willing off the golden notification panel.


    "Tomorrow is thest day..." Nn mused to himself as his eyes looked at the ceiling for a long time, before slowly they closed up, a peace descending to his body.


    It had been barely less than a quarter of an hour, that a gentle snore rang throughout the room as Nn was ced in the semi-conscious state of sleep.

 Chapter 150: The Last Phase Of The Test

    The golden rays of sunlight pierced through the window panes, and this time, before the system could scream into Nn''s head, his two eyes snapped open, emitting beautiful rays of crimson and blue light through the entire room.


    "I hate your screams!" Nn greeted the system, whichughed evilly in his head.


    Immediately, Nn rose, did his chores, and instantly went into the bathroom.


    Less than 30 minutes had passed when he grabbed his bag and moved out.


    Today was thest test, and Nn felt his heart pumping within his chest.


    It was due to two things: anxiety and fear.


    He could finally guess what this test would be, and he knew well it wasn''t his strength.


    He was scared of failing it woefully, but he also felt anxious to quicklyplete thest test and be done with this ascension.


    The crippling tension he felt was enough to cause slight droplets of sweat to appear on his forehead.


    He inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly, clearing away any troubling thoughts.


    Thest thing he wanted now was to be confused or have his tension heightened due to his own inner and unregted emotions.


    With a steely face, Nn appeared before the Neers'' Hall, where his name scan was marked, checkingpletely the three boxes and he enter the arena.


    This time, the number of students was very low, showing that not many had decided toe early.


    Nn simply moved to the back seats, took his ce, grabbed some notes, and reviewed all he had read.


    Quickly, about an hour passed, with the Ascendants being a littlete, but it was only more advantageous to Nn, who devoured as much as he could while reminding himself of ideas he had forgotten.


    Soon, an enigmatic aura appeared throughout the arena as the Ascendants all stepped forward.


    Nn closed his book, turning his gaze towards them calmly.


    Yet, the pounding of his heart betrayed his emotions as slight sweat droplets slid down the back of his head.


    "Congrattions to those of you who have been able to show up and pass the first and second phases of the ascension test. Now, is the time for the third phase of the test."


    "Just like before, it will take ce in a different pseudo-reality realm. I hope you all prepare your minds¡­"


    The Ascendant said as he brought out another rubik''s cube, just like the ones used for the previous tests.


    Once more, he flung it towards the students, a nket of white light spilling onto them as they slowly lost consciousness.


    Quickly, the notification panel appeared before Nn, and it surprised him a little when it informed him that the probability of the realm harming him was just 20% instead of the previous 50%.


    Just like before, Nn felt himself getting dragged into a different realm as his head also dropped unconscious to the side, a few seconds after the rest of the students.


    The three Ascendants exchanged amusing looks.


    "He seems to be a little resistant to the realm''s effects."


    "He''s a weirdo."


    "He''s an anomaly."


    The thoughts rang through their minds as they all sat on the podium, waiting for the result of the test.


    Now a question ran through their heads:


    "Would they have to wait, just like they had done for the past three days, or would Nne back quickly this time?"


    __________________


    The dragging force on him was twice lesser than what it usually was. Nn felt his feet solidly grounded as he gentlynded on the floor.


    Rising to his feet, he found himself in a clean, unblemished hall, where stood a chair and nothing else.


    [Take your ce in the seat¡­]


    The AI voice resounded as Nn walked towards the cushioned chair and sat down on it.


    Immediately, as he sat down, a set of blue screens appeared in front of Nn''s face.


    His eyes furrowed before quickly regaining focus.


    [Complete the questions.]


    [A point will be deducted for every 10 minutes!]


    [Test starts in 5¡­ 4¡­ 3¡­ 2¡­ 1! Go!]


    Immediately, the order was given. Nn''s two hands moved forth, and he began tapping repeatedly on the keyboard.


    Thankfully for him, the questions asked were objective, with three different answers for him to choose from.


    Nn could only thank his stars for that.


    Quickly, he got to work, and once more, his intelligence stats showed its usefulness once more.


    Nn repeatedly remembered things he previously had forgotten, once he saw their objective answers.


    A focused light shed in his eyes as he tapped away.


    The blue panel simply kept changing the longer Nn tapped until he lost track of time.


    His eyes remained unblinking!


    There were some questions that Nn had absolutely no idea how to answer, even after recalling the list.


    They were on topics unfamiliar to him.


    Instead of dwelling on them, Nn simply skipped over them.


    He knew well that a point would be deducted the longer he took in the test, and a second wasted was not something he could afford.


    Time passed quickly until eventually, Nn''s eyes turned pitch red, and a blur of hands covered the blue screen.


    His intelligence was pushed to its max, and he felt a deep, poundjn headache in his head as a line of tear slipped down his red eyes from his unwavering focus.


    He typed and typed and typed until, eventually, there were no longer any questions to answer.


    Nn remained dazed where he sat, before finally, the blue panel showing thepleted status appeared before his eyes, and he copsed onto the seat.


    [Notification rang out throughout the hall.]


    [Congrattions, you have sessfullypleted the third phase of the test.]


    [You answered 6,500 questions in the span of 3 hours!]


    [You will now be teleported away from this realm.]


    The notification rang out in Nn''s head, who smile in his tired and sweaty state, with a weary face.


    "Finally!"


    He had finally finished the Ascension test that weighed down so heavily on his mind.


    Now he only needed to wait for the results...

 Chapter 151: The Weird Girl

    Opening his eyes, Nn was met with the brilliant sun rays emanating from the sky right above his head.


    He squinted a little at the sudden brightness before his eyes adjusted to the intense light.


    [First time you came back from the test realm so early...]" the system teased him.


    It knew well Nn had always been thest person to open his eyes in all of the previous test they all had.


    Being one of the first to wake up early in this test was definately noteworthy, and Nn rolled his eyes at the sarcasticment before looking around.


    He noticed some students still deep in slumber, no doubt still working through their exams, while some very few others were already disappearing down the hall, exiting even faster than Nn, and possibly scoring higher than him due to the exam setup that gives those who awakens higher, a better chance of scoring higher due to less deduction in thier points.


    "I guess all that intense library study you didst week helped a lot," a voice suddenly rang beside his ear.


    Nn turned to his side and saw a girl walking right past him, heading down towards the hall exit.


    With a single nce, he recognized her.


    He had met her in the library due to his frequent visits.


    Surprising to Nn was the fact that she usually arrived in the library around 4:00 AM, the same time when the rest of the Celestial Heirs went for their various training room.


    She would then leave the library at around 9:00 in the night.


    Unlike Nn, her timing seemed much more deliberate, and he could rest assured that she came to the library every day.


    Seeing each other frequently had created a simple sense of recognition between them, and their mutual acquaintance with the librarian made it easier for her to notice Nn''s struggles with theoretical concepts.


    That exined the reason for her sudden greeting.


    "It did," Nn replied as he rose from his seat and grabbed his bag before stepping down the stairs.


    Since he had also finished the exam, there was no need to wait for anything else, and all his worries had faded into thin air. Now, he felt more alive than ever.


    "Good for you," she said to him. Nn''s eyebrows furrowed as he asked, "How long have you been awake?"


    "An hour earlier," she replied. "I was wondering when you''d finish, so I decided to wait."


    Nn''s eyes shed with amazement. She had finished a 6500-question exam in just two hours.


    Even with all the studying Nn had done in the past week, it had still taken him three hours.


    But it was understandable.


    If all she ever did was read, and given her friendship with the librarian, it was likely she was far more knowledgeable than him.


    Not ignoring his own condition of not knowing anything that was taught in the past three years at all.


    "Thank you," he said to her as she slowly turned her face toward him.


    Half of her face was hidden behind her silvery white hair, but the other visible part revealed her ssy white skin and brilliant golden pupils.


    "Thank you for what?" she asked, stopping in her tracks.


    "For waiting," Nn replied.


    She could have left after finishing her exam, but she chose to wait until he hadpleted his. He didn''t know why she did that, but at the very least, he could thank her for it.


    "I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity. There''s no need for a thank you," she replied, resuming her steps. Nn followed as they both moved out of the Neer Hall.


    Soon, they arrived at the crossne. The male and female dormitories were opposite each other and ced far apart by the academy, which meant it was time for them to part ways.


    "Well, see you around," Nn said, waving as he prepared to leave. But he noticed her stop in her tracks once again, giving him a piercing look. He stopped in his steps and turned back, slightly unnerved by her gaze.


    "What?" he asked.


    "I don''t want to see you around," she said, her voice as cold as ever. Nn didn''t mind and simply shrugged.


    "I guess that''s fine too?," he replied, about to continue on his way.


    But he found it unsettling that she kept staring at him as he disappeared into the distance, so he lingered for a moment before noticing her eyes finally blink.


    "When you see me around next time, you can call me... Lily," she said, and Nn stared at her, a little dazed.


    That was thest thing he expected her to say, and the fact that she said it in the same cold voice and with those distant eyes made it even weirder.


    But he regained hisposure before responding.


    "I am..." He wanted to introduce himself, but remembering his ''special'' reputation, he awkwardly fell silent.


    "See you around, Nn," she said, turning toward the female dormitory area.


    Nn scratched the back of his head awkwardly before waving her off and continuing on to his dormitory.


    "[What a weird person]," the system suddenlymented, catching Nn''s attention. He raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you mean?"


    [The other half of her face. Did you see it?] the system asked, its tone mystifying.


    "No, I didn''t," Nn replied. The truth was, part of Lily''s hair had covered her face, and while Nn could have looked more closely to see what was hidden, he felt that would''ve been too intrusive.


    So, he had simply decided to ignore it.


    Not like he had a reason not to.


    [The other side of her face is strange. There''s a mark, an evil mark.]


    [She must''ve been through a lot too...] The system added, as Nn furrowed his brows. He stopped and turned to look back, but by then, she was long gone.


    He shrugged it off and continued on his path, soon arriving at the Greek Descent Building.

 Chapter 152: Close Call

    The closer Nn got to the Greek building, the more he felt happiness and peace settling within him.


    Arriving before the gate, he breathed in the fresh essence around the area.


    While he might be unable to consciously absorb or control his divine essence, it didn''t mean Nn couldn''t sense it.


    Breathing through it made his heart slow down, and caused a strange calm to settle on him. With a straighter back, Nn entered the building.


    He wasn''t too afraid of whether he would pass or fail the exam. Nn didn''t care much for that.


    Not because of he didn''t give a damn but because of very simple thoughts which he had in the back of his mind.


    He knew very well that he had given his blood, sweat, and tears for this exam. He had studied relentlessly and had done his absolute best in the previous tests.


    He was also aware of his previous marks. In the first test, he had received full marks plus an extra 25 points.


    In the second, he scored 90/100. If he deducted 10 points from the extra 25 he earned in the first test, it was safe to say that he had achieved full marks in both the first and second tests, earning a perfect 100.


    And he had tried his best in thest exam too.


    If passing the first and second tests with flying colors, and giving his all in the final one, wasn''t enough, then there was little more he nor anyone could do to join the Ascendant ss.


    So, he wasn''t too worried about the result.


    Based on his hard work, Nn was confident that he should at least be allowed to advance.


    The moment Nn entered the room, his eyebrows shot up in suspicion, and in the next instant¡ª


    BOOM!


    The floor beneath his feet shook as Nn jumped backward with speed.


    BOOM!


    A devastating explosion rocked the entire area as something burst out right in front of him from his own room soaring toward him.


    Without hesitation, his dagger appeared in his hand as he shed toward the iing object.


    KABOOM!


    An even louder explosion echoed as Nn''s figure was sent flying backward.


    Turning his head midair, he saw himself hurtling toward an obnoxious student.


    Nn quickly regained his footing, tapping his leg hard on the ground andunching himself into the ceiling wall instead.


    The airwaves blew wildly in front of Malik as his jaw dropped at the sight of the hulking body soaring toward him.


    He quickly tried to dodge, but his feet seemed to remain glued to the spot due to the shock.


    Just when he closed his eyes, expecting a loud collision, nothing came.


    The only sound he heard was sand pouring on his head from above him.


    When Malik finally decided to open his eyes, he saw Nn slowly descending from the slightly cracked ceiling mming both legs on the ground just beside him.


    Drop


    Drop


    Drop


    The sound of something dripping could be heard. Nn looked at his own hand and found himself staring at the ghastly sight of his pale white bones.


    Something had torn through his entire hand, ripping open a chunk of flesh from just beside his wrist down to the back of his bicep, and it was bleeding profusely.


    Yet, Nn''s eyes weren''t focused on that. Instead, they were locked onto his open dorm room.


    There weren''t many students who had arrived yet, so almost no one came out despite the loud noise.


    Nn simply gave a cursory nce at the figure of the student before walking back into his room and shutting the door behind him.


    "Tch," an annoyed click escaped his lips as he looked at the floor, where a silver rune card slowly disintegrated into ashes.


    It was this thing Nn had stepped on when he entered his dorm room, and his instincts had screamed for him to run out.


    [That''s an attack-engrained rune,] the system said as Nn''s eyes narrowed, watching the card finally turn to nothing but ash and fade away into the air.


    He had walked into his room only to find an attack waiting for him.


    That attack was definitely beyond the power of a simple Heavenly Disciple.


    If Nn had been a normal celestial heir, he probably would''ve needed to be sent to the hospital¡ªor worse, he might have lost his life to that attack.


    "I only have a single enemy in the academy right now, and that''s Quinn. Don''t tell me he''s awake and hunting for me again..." Nn mused to himself, his eyebrows furrowed.


    His former tiredness had disappeared, reced by a sharp focus as his eyes shed with caution.


    [No, it can''t be him,] the system said confidently.


    [These Runic Attack cards are usually expensive. If Quinn''s background couldn''t even get him a guardian protector, I doubt they would go through the trouble of giving him attack runes, nor do I think he would waste whatever money he does have to attack you.]


    [This has to be the handiwork of someone else. Someone willing to use both power and money to get rid of you or dangerously harm you,] the system added, causing Nn to furrow his brows further.


    "Who could it be?" Nn wondered aloud.


    [How much do you trust that girl, Gaia? The story of your background, and the people chasing after you¡ªdo you think it might be them finally attacking?] the system asked with interest, making Nn ponder.


    "Her words can''t be taken too seriously. Still, it''s pretty clear they have eyes on me now. There''s nothing I can do more than stay alert and be cautious of every move. Who knows what their next n of attack might be?" Nn mused again.


    With that, he waved off the attack on him and sighed.


    Worrying all day and getting paranoid wouldn''t get him anywhere. It was better to stick to his n, and right now, that included eating and resting for a long time.

 Chapter 153: Levelling Up

    The soft glow of moonlight spilled through the ss pane, casting a gentle, ethereal light across the room.


    It illuminated a lone figure sleeping peacefully on the bed by the window, highlighting his striking features¡ªsharp cheekbones, a strong jaw, and pale, almost wless skin.


    His white hair shimmered faintly in the moon''s glow, framing a face that seemed carved from marble.


    The silence in the room was incredibly peaceful, the gentle sound of breathing creating an otherworldly calm.


    Until, in an instant, a re of crimson and blue light burst through the room, its source from two contrasting eyes¡ªone blue, the oth


    er crimson red.


    Upon opening his eyes, the first thing Nn saw was the full moon.


    Its reflection danced in his gaze as he stared at it silently for a while. Slowly, he sank into deep thought, his eyes losing focus more and more, until something finally broke the silence...


    [Finally up!] a voice called out to him.


    Nn gave a silent hum in his head, agreeing with the words. He now felt his formerly heavy head free of burden and his body at peace.


    The injuries he had suffered in the realm were all mental, and the only way to heal them was through deep rxation.


    Having achieved that, Nn felt better than ever.


    "Activate system interface," he ordered.


    Now that he was in a good state, he could properly check hispleted quests and maybe level up too.


    ---


    [System Interface]


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest: Find the Background of the Green-Haired Girl with the Strange Bloodline.]


    [You have been given 2 Level Up cards and 3,000 EXP!]


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest: Defeat the Three-Headed Hydra.]


    [You have been rewarded with 2 Level Up cards!]


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest: Defeat the Titan Champion.]


    [ou have been rewarded with 15,000 EXP, 3 Level Up cards, and 50 Fragments!]


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest:


    Survive the Whispers of the Lost Mummians.]


    [You have been rewarded with 2 Level Up cards and 10,000 EXP!]


    [Congrattions onpleting the quest:


    Fight through the Ten Fundamental Obelisks and Free the Chained Faeries.]


    [You have been rewarded with 5 Level Up cards, +15,000 EXP, and 100 Fragments!]


    ---


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Age: 16]


    [Title: God''s Apostle]


    [Level: 28]


    [EXP: 52,500/20,000]


    ---


    [Does the host wish to level up?] the system asked.


    "Yes," Nn replied.


    [Congrattions, host has leveled up to Level 29!]


    [+20 Attributes Points has been awarded!]


    [Total EXP: 32,500/25,000]


    [Congrattions, host has leveled up to Level 30!]


    [+20 Attributes Points has been awarded!]


    [Total EXP: 7,500/30,000]


    [Level Up cards: 14!]


    ---


    [Does the host wish to use Level Up cards?] the system asked.


    Nn furrowed his eyebrows for a moment before making his decision


    .


    "Not yet."


    The truth was, Nn didn''t think he needed to go through another intense leveling up right now.


    Even though he had recently been near death from an attack a couple of hours ago, he still felt safe knowing he was in the Neer''s Area of the academy.


    The runic attack earlier might have been powerful, but it wasn''t nearly as powerful as the punch from the Titan Champion Nn faced in the test.


    It was something he could manage.


    But Nn knew of the truth that awaits all of them who sessfully crossed to the Ascendants ss.


    When they all reach he Ascendant ss, where people like him, who had just ascended, would be nothing but prey, then he would need his strength to face the Ascendants who had repeated the ss and would no doubt turn their hungry eyes on him.


    That would be the best time to level up.


    But for now, he could live safely and confidently in his current state.


    ---


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 150]


    [Agility: 150]


    [Perception: 120]


    [Intelligence: 120]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Total Attribute Points: 40]


    ---


    [How does the host wish to allocate attribute points?] the system asked.


    Nn made his decision quickly.


    "Add 30 points to Perception and 10 to Intelligence," he ordered.


    Right now, there were people hunting for his life, and they wouldn''t hesitate to fight dirty.


    If there was a way for Nn to save himself from being ambushed, it would be by sensing sneak attacks as fast as possible.


    That meant upgrading his Perception to at least the same level as his Strength and Speed.


    That''s why he quickly chose to allocate all of his attribute points to Perception, while giving a bit to Intelligence.


    The Intelligence stat was also incredibly necessary to Nn, as he believed it was why he possessed such a good memory and powerful thinking abilities.


    Upgrading Intelligence was a must, and he would never allow it tog too far behind.


    [Congrattions, points have been sessfully added!]


    ---


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 150]


    [Agility: 150]


    [Perception: 150]


    [Intelligence: 130]


    [Charm: 8


    [Total Attribute Points: 0]


    ---


    "Good! Now all my Strength, Agility, and Perception are perfectly bnced. All that''s left is the Intelligence stat..." Nn muttered to himself.


    [What about the Charm stat?!] the system suddenly interjected, disrupting his train of thought as he considered using a Level Up card to bring Intelligence up.


    "I don''t think it''s important, is it?" Nn asked back.


    [It is. If it weren''t, it wouldn''t be there!] the system shot back, making Nn raise an eyebrow.


    "Then tell me its usefulness."


    [It makes you look more manly, of course!] the system replied confidently. ]


    [Don''t you want the girls to go ''Aww!'' every time you walk past them? To be so charming that even the proudest maiden will steal a second nce? What man wouldn''t want that?]


    Nn stared nkly into the distance for a while before rolling his eyes.


    "Maybe a man who doesn''t want too many problems on his te. I already have enough trouble, and fighting off other men isn''t another one I''d like to deal with."


    "So... I think I''m fine. I might increase it someday when I get frustrated with it being too low and messing up my stats interface. Who knows."


    "But for now, the Charm stat is useless."


    [For now...]

 Chapter 154: Finally Unlocked The Shop

    The system replied, scoffing at him, but Nn''s attention was more on the slightly hidden tab by the side, with the strange image of an unlocked lock.


    Quickly, he magnified his focus on it, narrowing his eyes at the strangeness.


    [Total Fragments: 150!]


    "Hmm, what do these fragments even do?" Nn asked the system.


    [They are used to buy stuff in the shop!]


    [Just like how you buy something with money.]


    [You can purchase items in the shop with your fragments!]


    "The shop tab! So, it''s been finally unlocked!" Nn mused, his eyes brightening.


    He hadpletely forgotten that he had unlocked the shop tab after his sessful mission with the godly ten, where he was rewarded with it.


    Without wasting time, Nn gave themand, his heart pounding loudly.


    "Activate the shop tab!"


    [SHOPS!]


    [Artifacts] [Weapons] [Consumables] [Enhancements] [Stored Objects]


    What appeared before Nn was an entire list of categories under the shop tab.


    He directed his attention toward the first tab!


    [Artifacts]


    {Essence Stones: Can be used to temporarily or permanently boost Divine Essence}


    {Types: ???}


    {Host doesn''t seem capable of controlling Divine Essence, rendering this non-functional}


    [Please, get rid of your inability to enable this!]


    {Enchanted Relics:


    1. Cloak of Shadows:


    Description: A lightweight, dark cloak that allows the wearer to blend into shadows. It grants temporary invisibility when standing still or in dimly lit environments.


    Effect: Invisibility for up to 2 minutes in low light. Cooldown: 5 minutes.


    Limitations: Can only be used in dark environments; ineffective in broad daylight or brightly lit areas.


    Price: 1,000 Fragments


    2. Ring of Echoes


    Price: 850 Fragments


    Description: A simple silver ring that grants the wearer heightened auditory senses. By wearing this, the user can hear faint whispers, distant footsteps, or even conversations through walls. Ideal for reconnaissance and avoiding ambushes.


    Effect: Amplifies hearing range by 10x for up to 5 minutes. Cooldown of 10 minutes.


    Limitations: Overuse can cause disorientation or confusion due to excessive noise.


    3. Feather of Wind


    Price: 1,500 Fragments


    Description: This small, enchanted feather allows the user to increase their speed significantly for a short duration. It was crafted by wind spirits and can be activated when held in the palm.


    Effect: Increases movement speed by 50% for 1 minute. Cooldown of 10 minutes.


    Limitations: Causes fatigue after use, slowing the user by 20% for 30 seconds afterward.


    4. Amulet of Minor Protection


    Price: 900 Fragments


    Description: A bronze amulet etched with runes of protection. It creates a temporary shield around the wearer that can absorb a small amount of physical or magical damage, making it useful in tight situations.


    Effect: Absorbs up to 40% of iing damage for 10 seconds. Cooldown of 15 minutes.


    Limitations: Ineffective against high-level attacks; can only be used once in heavybat situations.


    5. Orb of Illusions


    Price: 1,200 Fragments


    Description: A small crystal orb that allows the user to create a convincing illusion within a small radius. It can mimic surroundings, project a fake image of the user, or distort reality slightly for a brief period.


    Effect: Creates an illusion within a 10-meter radius for up to 30 seconds. Cooldown of 10 minutes.


    Limitations: The illusion is fragile and can be disrupted by intense energy or sharp senses. Only one illusion can be active at a time.


    -----


    "Wow, that''s pretty cool..." Nn muttered as he looked at the first category.


    The artifact menu contained items that were undoubtedly amazing and effective in certain situations.


    Nn was dazzled, but he also furrowed his brows at some points.


    The first thing he noticed was that the Essence Stones were practically useless for him. And he understood why.


    Right now, Nn might possess the special Kratos bloodline, but he relied on his physical strength instead of Divine Essence.


    His Kratos bloodline perfectly suited him due to its possible reliance on physical abilities instead of Divine Essence.


    Sn couldn''t control his Divine Essence, so the Essence Stones, which were supposed to replenish Divine Essence, were basically useless since he couldn''t make use of it.


    He understood the point, but he still found it a bit frustrating.


    Of course, not every Kratos descendant relies only on physical strength. Somebody like Adrian, who also has the same bloodline, uses Divine Essence, and his power was top-tier.


    "If only I could use Divine Essence inbination with my physical power. How strong would I be?"


    Not having Divine Essence was now starting to catch up to him, but still, Nn didn''t mind it much.


    That didn''t mean he was okay with it or ignored it.


    "One way or another, I''ll find a way to cure my curse and use Divine Essence like the others¡­" He promised before moving to the second thing that bothered him¡ªthe price of the items.


    They were simply too expensive for Nn.


    Right now, he possessed only 150 fragments, but even the cheapest item before him was priced at 800!


    One had to understand that he had gone through hell itself to even get those 150 fragments.


    How many quests and how many dangerous situations would he have to face to finally gather enough fragments?


    It would definitely be difficult.


    But that wasn''t all. Nn moved to the second category.


    [Weapons]


    {1. Melee Weapons}


    [Daggers of Nepthorius]


    [Effects: ???]


    [Shadow Shurikens]


    [Effects: ???]


    ___


    ___


    ___


    The list of melee weapons seemed endless, but like the first area, Nn noticed that they were just as expensive as hell, with the cheapest priced at 300 fragments and the most expensive at 15,000 fragments.


    There were other tabs such as [Ranged Weapons] [Divine Tier Weapons] [Special Weapons], but most of these weapons simply had the word *inessible* because they required special bloodlines to use.


    The only weapon that Nn found essible was the Kratos Gauntlet¡ªand it was priced at a whopping 5,000 fragments!


    Even Nn felt his heart sink at the price.


    There were other categories that contained items like Armors, Essence Infusions, Skill Augmentation potions, Healing Potions, and Boost Pills that enhanced stats temporarily.


    While they were all fascinating, most of them were locked due to his inability to control Divine Essence, and the others were simply too expensive for him to purchase right now.


    So expensive, in fact, that any hope of acquiring one soon seemed to disappear into thin air.

 Chapter 155: A Power Beyond 1

    [You don''t expect everything to be within arm''s reach, do you?] the system taunted, as Nn''s brows furrowed while he stared at the shop panel before him.


    His mouth almost watered when he saw some incredibly powerful weapons and armor, whose effects were almost beyond hisprehension.


    But just as quickly as the incredulous excitement washed over him, so did the despair.


    Yet, Nn had something different in mind.


    "So, once I possess enough fragments, I can buy all of this. Even if I''m a weakling, if I possess that Shadow Cloak and the Stealth Dagger of Hecate, I should still be able to cleave through most of my enemies as silently as a shadow in the night!"


    "The shop holds so much potential. So many ways to get myself out of trouble."


    "If I get injured, I can use a healing potion."


    "If an enemy''s attack is too powerful, I can simply buy a Mythical-grade armor to boost my defense."


    "If my attacks aren''t working, I can try out multiple weapons until I find the one that works."


    "With this shop, I am simply god-like!"


    Nn mused to himself, his eyes shining brightly.


    Hundreds of ideas were running through his mind now¡ªideas of what he could be.


    "The only thing that might impede me is the number of fragments I possess."


    "How powerful would I be if I could buy everything in this shop?" Nn wondered aloud, though the question was rhetorical.


    [How powerful would you be? If right now, as you are, you suddenly came across an uncountable number of fragments and bought everything in this shop, you''d barely be as strong as that Death Guardian you met the other day,] the system replied, causing Nn''s eyebrows to furrow further.


    That didn''t sound right to him.


    The Death Guardian seemed strong, but not to a level that made Nn feel hopeless.


    He was still willing to fight the guardian if the system hadn''t told him to retreat.


    When Nn imagined himself facing his future self, wielding everything the shop had to offer, he couldn''t even see a flicker of hope for the Death Guardian.


    He expected such a future self of his to be to be far stronger than any creature he could currently remember in his memories.


    There was no question about it but the system was saying otherwise.


    "What do you mean by that? It seemed weak," Nn asked the system.


    [Nn, don''t be fooled,] the system warned.


    [I can see now that you''ve unlocked the shop, the idea of doing nothing but trying to get fragments and unlock everything it contains seems more appealing to you than going out, training hard, andpleting various quests.]


    [ can see your focus slowly shifting from the hunger for strength to the hunger for fragments.]


    [But, in all honesty, you''ll be shooting yourself in the leg if you think that way.]


    [Forgetting the fact that you can''t even use 10% of all this equipment, even if you bought everything,] the system continued.


    [Some of them work at full strength only if you possess the appropriate bloodlines.]


    [Like that Knife of Hecate.]


    [Unless you have Hecate''s descendant bloodline, like Quinn, you''ll only be able to use about 20% of its full strength.]


    [That applies to the majority of the equipment as well.]


    [The most powerful ones always have a condition, which the current you have yet to fulfill.]


    [Without meeting these conditions, the power you will bring from these objects will palepared to what it''s supposed to be.]


    The system exined to Nn, whose expression slowly dropped.


    "Well, here I thought I would from now able to walk the path of absolute strength and domination. Hopeless me!" Nn called out with a saddened expression.


    [You''re not hopeless. If you truly want to use the power of every single object to its absolute limit,] the system said, piquing Nn''s curiosity.


    "And what would I need?" he asked.


    [You''ll need fragments. A fearsome number of fragments.]


    [A billion would do, but finding a billion fragments will be as difficult as going through hell and returning to tell the tale.]


    The system''s words caused Nn''s hope to diminish slightly.


    He had thought he could easily acquire fragments by simply asking the system, but now it seemed the fragments wouldn''t be so easily attainable.


    While the system was no doubt a stingy and grumpy oldie. Nn was sure if he bootliked enough the system shouldn''t wicked him too much.


    But that now seemed impossible as even the system was telling him that finding them would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.


    [And once you get the fragments, you''ll need to possess every descendant bloodline that exists.]


    [Every Greek descent bloodline, every Norse descent bloodline, every Egyptian bloodline, every Mesopotamian bloodline.]


    [If you possess all of the bloodlines, then you should be able to use any artifact within the shop to its absolute limit.]


    [And when you''re truly capable of that, then I can tell you how strong you will be¡­]


    Nn''s ears perked up.


    "And how strong would I be?" he asked eagerly.


    [As strong as a god. Unbeatable and untouchable, even by the Celestial Ones you adore and fear so much. Even the Nightmare Kings and Queens will bow to you in absolute subservience.]


    [In short, you will be so strong, none in this ne of existence will be able to challenge you.]


    [At that moment, you will have achieved the absolute freedom you have always longed for!]


    [That is the true pinnacle of power!] The system dered grandiosely as Nn''s eyes slowly lost themselves to daydreams.


    What would happen if one day he truly possessed enough power to unlock every single object in the shop and wield every descendant bloodline in the world?


    Wouldn''t he truly be absolute and unchallengeable?


    Wouldn''t he have achieved the peace and freedom he had always wanted in his past life?


    How fulfilled would he be? How aplished!


    The feeling of such power would be something worth dying for.


    But Nn knew it wouldn''t be easy¡ªif not entirely impossible.

 Chapter 156: A Power Beyond 2

    "How is it even possible to gain every decent bloodline? Isn''t that outrageous?" Nn asked the system with a raised eyebrow.


    Gain every single descent in the world!


    Was that even possible?


    Besides, even if that was possible, would the world allow such a person to exist?


    A person who possesses all Egyptian bloodlines, all Greek bloodlines, and the remaining 8 descent bloodlines that exist.


    That would be hundreds of bloodlines, all contained in one person!


    Would the proud Celestial ones, and the Nightmare creatures in the Abyssal realms, sit idly by and allow such a creature to exist without finding a way to quickly curb its menace?


    It just sounded unreal.


    [If you keep walking this path that you''re currently walking, you will be such a person!] The system said, and Nn sat up from his bed.


    "Huh?"


    [Tell me something.]


    [When you entered the Hall of Gods in your first God King Trial, how many god statues did you see?] the system suddenly asked, drawing Nn''s mind back to when he had undergone that trial and the countless statues he had seen.


    ''They filled the entire hall, almost countless.''


    "They were pretty much. Too many to number even" Nn replied, not exactly sure how many, but he knew there were far too many to count.


    [You have the potential to fuse with every single one of those god statues. Which means you have the potential to possess all of their powers!] the system said, and Nn''s head buzzed.


    "So, you mean that God King Trial I went through won''t be thest? I would still be able to visit that hall once more?" Nn asked in shock.


    He had thought the God King Trial, during which he had chosen Kratos, was hisst opportunity, and he wouldn''t be able to choose any more gods or undergo any other awakening.


    But the system seemed to be suggesting something different.


    [Yes.]


    [hat''s the power of Trimurti.]


    [If you''re ever be a worthy follower, you should at least possess the power of almost all other god statues.]


    The system exined, and Nn''s eyes brightened.


    "So, I really have the potential to possess every single bloodline in that hall!" Nn said to himself.


    He could hardly imagine it.


    The power of having hundreds of bloodlines and hundreds of descent skills...


    Who would be able to stop him then?


    But that thought also brought a worry to Nn.


    The Athlenatans, an entire race of people, had been half-destroyed because they could harness energy that went against every other Celestial energy.


    What would they do to a person who had the ability to control every descent ability in existence?


    Would they allow such an anomaly to exist?


    Wouldn''t they try to eliminate him, just to prevent an eventual disaster or fear of his power?


    "But¡ª" Nn was about to speak, but the system cut him off.


    [Would the world allow your existence, right?] the system said, almost as if it could read Nn''s mind, and he nodded.


    "Yes. Would the world allow me to exist?"


    "Thinking of it reasonably and fairly..."


    "If I were a Celestial one, there''s no way I would allow a single person to possess so much power and potential," Nn said seriously, and he meant it.


    The celestial ones'' responsibility was to maintain order throughout the entire ne of existence.


    If there was a person with such power, wouldn''t their ability to control order through the entire ne of existence be affected if that person decided to move against them?


    Wouldn''t he be too powerful to stop and control?


    Wouldn''t there be too much risk in allowing such a person to grow?


    [Nn, perhaps it''s time you learned some important lessons, just so you don''t point your fingers at me in the future...] the system said as Nn listened closely.


    [Firstly, Nn, understand that everything in the world has its price, and power is not an exception.]


    [This God King System¡­ its end path is to give you a monumental amount of power. A power close to supreme and beyond. That is what the God King System aims to achieve.]


    [But let''s face it, Nn... The path of the God King System is a path of blood and death.]


    [The celestial ones will never allow an anomaly that can control hundreds of bloodlines to exist.]


    [Even those who possess just two bloodlines are under the scrutiny of the academy, which is undoubtedly operated by the celestial ones.]


    [While the academy unts the title ''Godly Ten'' on those kids you followed into that mission...]


    [The truth is deeper than you think, Nn.]


    [You think the academy cares for them just because they have two bloodlines, and also willing to spend so much on them just fr that fact?]


    "I think so..."


    [Then you think wrong!] the system shot back.


    [It''s all a ploy, Nn!]


    "A ploy?" Nn asked with a suspicious look. It was the first time Nn was hearing this, and it was quite eye-opening.


    [Let me ask you a few questions, Nn,] the system said, and he paid close attention.


    [Firstly, who owns this academy?] the system asked, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    He wasn''t really sure who owned the academy.


    "Um, maybe the..."


    [It''s the Celestial ones, Nn!]


    [Now tell me, Nn, who is the most powerful group in this ne of existence, or at least who holds the most power?] the system asked, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed a little more.


    "Um..."


    [It''s also the Celestial ones, Nn. They''re the heroes of this ne of existence.]


    [he nightmare creatures aren''t loved by the mortal realm, nor are the Titans.]


    [The only ones who are loved are the celestial ones, as they are believed to bring order to this ne.]


    [In truth, Nn, if you possess such power, the ones you will need to be most conscious of are your own people.]


    [The greatest danger to the celestial ones isn''t the Titans or the nightmare creatures.]


    [It is the Celestial heirs!]


    "The celestial heirs? How are the celestial heirs the most dangerous to the celestial ones? Aren''t the celestial heirs the same as the celestial ones?" Nn asked, with a dubious expression.


    Somehow, he couldn''t quite understand what the system was implying.

 Chapter 157: Celestial Ones Dilemma

    [Of course, it''s the Celestial Heirs.]


    [The one who is most dangerous to a lion is none other than its own cubs.]


    [Who are the Celestial Ones?]


    [ They are all Celestial Heirs who have reached an entirely new level of cultivation, so much so that they termed themselves Celestial Ones.]


    [And the only one capable of being a Celestial One is who?] The system asked, and Nn''s eyes brightened.


    "A Celestial Heir!"


    [Exactly! Only Celestial Heirs can grow to the stage of the Celestial Ones. And so the one who the Celestial Ones must be most conscious of is none other than their own self.]


    [They had to make sure no anomaly exists and that the growth of any Celestial Heir is as normal and follows the path which they want and which they have created]


    [And majority of the time, Nn, that path is the path that will give higher power to the Celestial Ones themselves.]


    [Your God King path is a path that goes against every single rule in existence!]


    [Right now, the radar of the Celestial Ones isn''t on you yet, but eventually, as you grow stronger, it will turn to you, and then you will have two choices!] The system said to him as Nn''s eyes furrowed.


    [Firstly, you be a pawn of the Celestial Ones.]


    [If you agree to be their pawn, then they won''t be scared of your potential.]


    [You will only be like a dog, getting stronger and stronger and gaining more muscles.]


    [In the end, your power will make them feel more protected and they won''t mind, and that is the only condition where you''ll be allowed to grow as much as you want.]


    [But in the end, what would you be?]


    "A pawn..." Nn whispered.


    [Exactly, you will be nothing more than a pawn.]


    [No matter how much you''re loved, there will always be the chance of you getting eliminated one day.]


    [Once you exceed your usefulness, or once the Celestial Ones begin to feel threatened.]


    [This is usually the mostmon end for the majority of powerful prodigies, and it''s not surprising]


    [A dog that keeps getting bigger and bigger, no matter how much and how good he protects his masters.]


    [Eventually, if its master begins feeling fearful of its increasing might, there will be a doubt in his mind of whether the dog will be the end of it one day, and once that thought appears, what happens?]


    [It gets eliminated instantly!]


    [So being a pawn for the Celestial Ones is only a temporary solution.]


    [Unless you truly stop growing your strength in order to make them feel safe about you.


    [Still, it''s a viable path for some protection. A cowardic one!]


    [The second way is the way of the God King system.]


    [This way you keep growing stronger and stronger, aiming for the peak of the God King system''s capability.]


    [This path goes against the path of not only the Celestial Ones but even the nightmarish creatures and the titans themselves!]


    [In the end, you will be this realm''smon enemy.]


    [The Celestial Ones will hunt you down because you go against their created and establish ns.]


    [The Titans will feel fear, knowing well you''re a ''Celestial Heir'' and naturally their enemy, so they too will do anything to stop your growth.]


    [The Nightmare creatures are invaders of this realm, and knowing well you''re a child of this ne of existence, they too will do anything to end you so you won''t be a major blockade on their n to dominate this ne]


    [In the end, all you will have is enemies, left and right, willing to give their lives to end yours!]


    The system''s truth mmed into Nn''s heart, sinking it deeper into his stomach.


    [But actually, Nn, there''s a bright side to this...]


    The system suddenly called out as Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Oh yeah? And what is that?"


    [You possess Anti-Aether, don''t you?] The system asked, and Nn nodded with furrowed eyebrows.


    [Good! That means you''re already a natural enemy of the Celestial Ones, the Nightmare Creatures, and the Titans!]


    "Huh?"


    [None of them will allow you to leave once they see you possess Anti-Aether anyway.]


    [So right now, even if you don''t have the God King system, you''re already a natural enemy to everyone. You don''t need to get too afraid and regretful of the system.]


    [You already screwed yourself when you went to Antis and took that energy away from that girl. Hehe.] The system said, as Nn''s expression dropped straight to zero.


    And ctually, the system was somehow right.


    If anyone except for the Anteans knew he had Anti-Aether, they would immediately try to end him!


    That makes him already a natural enemy to everyone in the first ce.


    "Somehow I feel like someone is trying to shift the me away to something else." Nn retorted with narrowed eyes.


    [Shifting or not, I only speak the truth.]


    [Still, all this is nothing but a gossip for the future. Who knows what may happen?]


    [I''m just saying it so tomorrow, when you''re running and hiding away from everything in this ne of existence, you wouldn''t point your fingers at me and say why didn''t I inform you earlier...] The system finally gave the reason why it had decided to open up to Nn about the real workings of the world.


    In truth, the system had been nothing but afraid.


    A day woulde when Nn would stick out his ming finger on it, and hold it responsible for all of his woes and ruined life.


    Toavoid such a thing, the system had decided toe as clean as possible and as early as required.


    "Tch," Nn clicked his tongue in irritation as he mmed back on his bed, his eyes furrowed.


    "Right now, I''m still only a Celestial Heir at the heavenly disciple stage. No one worthy has their eyes on me yet, so I''m pretty okay now."


    "All I need to do is make sure I never ce myself in a situation where I will need to reveal the Anti-Aether, and just make my moves low-key, being no different from an ordinary student."


    "If I do this, and don''t attract too much gaze on myself, I''ll get all I want one day, and find my freedom..." Nn mused to himself, and slowly, he closed his eyes forcefully, sending himself into a slumber to forget the memories.

 Chapter 158: Re-affirming Will

    The next day came, and the sun seemed even brighter than usual, giving the majority of the students some hope amidst the stifling pressure that surrounded the various dormitories.


    One could almost notice that every student in the dorm room was unusually quiet, and the tempo of their beating hearts seemed to be faster than normal.


    All of it was due to the significance of this day. Today would be the day their destiny would be written.


    Those who would be able to ascend to the heavens in a single step, dazzling the world with their potential¡ªwhich could only increase even more in the future¡ªwould be separated from those who would be considered not even worth mentioning at all in the future.


    ---


    The golden sunlight filtered through the slightly widened panes, illuminating the face of a figure lying in bed, albeit with two of his eyes wide opened.


    Nn had not understood why, but he had been unable to sleep throughout the entire night after he had woken up.


    No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn''t get his mind off the system''s words, and even right now, as he touched his chest, he could finally hear the slightly increased tempo.


    SIGGHH


    A faint sigh escaped his lips as he slept on the bed, unmoving while his contrasting eyes looked at the ming hot sun in the distance.


    The system made noments at all, allowing him to continue his train of thought.


    After ten minutes of dazed staring, Nn''s palm shifted to the side as his dagger appeared in his hand.


    It was as sharp and enigmatic-looking as before, with the crimson mes on it gently burning.


    Slowly, Nn rotated the de in his hands, causing a whooshing sound from the air getting sliced within his palms, as the de revolving speed quickly began rising.


    The scene took him back to the first time when he had arrived at the academy.


    The dagger had been a rusty de whose edge couldn''t even be seen due to the rust on it, and Nn''s body had been so weak that his hands bent to the ground from simply holding the dagger.


    Yet right now, here was the dagger, gleaming with a deadly light and crimson mes burning from it.


    As if it weighed less than a feather, it ran around like a blur between Nn''s fingers and palm before ultimately stopping, a mini-st of air blowing forth through the entire room from the sudden stop.


    ''I have really grown since I arrived in this world. That''s something I can''t refute.''


    ''In my past life, there was zero growth at all. My future had been bleak, with the same thing urring over and over again and destined to remain that way until the day I die.''


    ''But here, I can feel my growth. Almost every day, I grow stronger. It''s been less than three months or so, and I have achieved this in such a short duration.''


    "The growth is as clear as this burning sun.'' Nn thought silently staring at the golden bulb of light in the distance.


    ''And as long as I see improvement in myself, then no matter how dangerous this world gets, no matter how tough the battle is, I would still have preferred itpared to my former lifetime.''


    ''t would still be the best thing that ever happened to me,'' Nn reaffirmed to himself.


    Ever since Nn had arrived in this world, there was barely anything that had given him reason to even think about his life.


    His real life, which he lived on Earth. But now, the issues he faced made Nn think about it.


    His past life had been worse than this.


    Back then, his fate had been sealed, and he knew that well.


    He had no father, no mother, no friends that really deeply cared for him, no one that respected him at all, no recognition, no substantial aplishment, no lover.


    He had been a handsome young man on Earth, but Nn couldn''t even get himself a lover.


    Itwasn''t due to inability; it was due to fear!


    If he died early, which he knew he would, there would be a possibility that thepany might just direct his bleak life of very to his offspring, just like how he too had inherited his life of very from his father.


    Nn couldn''t imagine someone having to bear through the pain that had killed him, just because he was the one who gave birth to them.


    He had nned for his father''s bloodline to end with him.


    But then there was this world.


    He might not have a loving father or mother. He didn''t even have the memories of that at all. But Nn knew he was growing.


    He had grown stronger, he had gained the recognition of people.


    He now had someone who deeply cared for him, someone who would remain loyal to him until eternity.


    He had people who respected him for who he was.


    No matter how bleak this life appears to be, the truth was, it could never be as bleak as the one which he had lived.


    He had gone through literal hell to make this life any sort of difficult at all.


    "So, either a life of very, or a life where I be the enemy of an eternal ne, or a world where I eventually aplish my goal.''


    ''Whatever it is, I will know I have lived a pretty good life too. It would have all been worth it in the end. No matter how bad it is. It would all be worth it. I know''


    Nn reaffirmed himself, and the second he did that, he felt his formerly quickened heart immediately slow down to its tempo, and his hands, which were formerly oddly shaking, instantly returned back to normal.


    Peace descended on him, one that could beparable to that of a person who had the weight of a mountain caried off his shoulders.


    And immediately, Nn kept his dagger before jumping off his bed.


    "Time to see the results," he said with a beaming smile before quickly preparing himself, and soon, he was out of his dorm room, skipping to the Neer Hall, eyes focused and will reaffirmed once more.


    And perhaps even greater than before.

 Chapter 159: Advice From An Ascendants

    Stifling silence and murmurs filled the hall, creating a weird and absolute contrast throughout the area.


    Some of the students were simply silent in their seats, rocking back and forth, while others discussed hushly among themselves.


    Yet through everything, Nn could see the slight worry stered on their faces.


    It was clear all they were doing was trying to alleviate the monumental pressure that weighed on their minds.


    Some did so by talking to others, a little bolderpared to those who handled their anxiety by rocking back and forth and remaining silent.


    Contrary to the crowd, Nn was as calm as the surface of a pond hiding a stalking alligator.


    There was no sweat, no rocking back and forth, no talking. He simply sat and waited.


    And when the entire world is doing something and you''re not, one is doomed to attract some attention, which Nn did.


    But could the Celestial Heirs be bothered?


    Perhaps they thought he was simply giving up on ascending, unlike them. That was most definitely a reasonable choice.


    After all, why else would one remain so calm while waiting for the result that changed their lifespletely.


    Time passed by very quickly, with the Ascendants seemingly taking their time to appear.


    This only caused even more monumental pressure on the poor Neers.


    But just around four hourster, when their minds had almost reached a breaking point, the aura was felt in the air.


    Everyone turned up their gazes, spotting the same three Ascendants slowly dropping down from the sky until theynded on the tform.


    Instantly, the hushed murmurs stopped, and absolute silence descended onto the tform.


    Even the sound of breathing seemed to have been lowered by the students who were all waiting for the judgment.


    "Finally, the day arrives when the result of your past three days of hard work will be given to you," the sage-like Ascendant with the white hair and eyes spoke out as she walked forward to the edge of the podium, addressing them all.


    "Whether you''re someone who has tried his absolute best or someone who thinks he could have done more but was unable to do so due to certain circumstances, I want you all to hear this."


    "If you end up failing, it isn''t the end of your journey to bing a powerful or recognized Celestial Heir in the future..." Azathoth announced, his eyes scanning through the thousands of students before him.


    He knew well of the monumental pressure on their shoulders, and the result, as he knew it, was nothing short of devastating.


    To prevent stupid retaliatory behaviors, he felt he needed to have a word with them all, instead of just shoving the result in their faces and leaving like the academy had instructed.


    "If you pass the test, you will only join an even higher and more intenselypetitive hierarchy, where you''ll need to work thrice as hard as you have currently in this Neer ce."


    "The pressure that willy on your shoulders will be intense, but it will also be the crucible that will lead to your monumental changes.


    "Some of you will still end up dead or dropped out once you reach the Ascendant ss."


    "So do not think your passing means you are ascending to the heavens in the first step."


    "For some of you, it will be worse than descending into the deepest depths of hell!" he called out to them, and mixed emotions appeared in the crowd.


    They had all thought being able to move from the Neer ss to the Ascendant ss should be some sort of badge of honor, but it seemed like that wasn''t necessarily the truth.


    There was more to the Ascendant ss than it appeared, and it seemed they still had to work their butts off to a level which had never been worked before to seed in it.


    And death itself was still a possibility.


    "For those who have failed, it is also not the end of the road for you. I always love to say, true failure is simply a sign of unpreparedness."


    "As negative as it sounds, it is a good thing..."


    "You all are like lion cubs, all being raised in a living zoo. But then, there wille a time when you''ll all have to ascend and be released back into the jungle.


    "In the jungle, you will grow and achieve your full potential, but not everyone is ready to live in the jungle. Not everyone can survive the pressure."


    "This test can be seen as a blessing from the academy itself."


    "If you have failed this test, that means most likely, you would never have been able to survive in the jungle in the first ce. And failure to survive will only lead to your own death or an absolute crush of your will."


    "In the end, failure is that sweet mother that protects you from harm and disappointment."


    "Even though it might look scary due to its monstrous name and reputation..."


    "For those who think that because you have failed you can never make it."


    "Noteworthy of mention is the fact that there are a total of five Celestial Ones who have failed their Neer test, at least three times!"


    "Yet now as I speak to you, they''re on an untouchable pedestal, the lives of billionsying in their palms," Azathoth called out to them, his words profound and true, shocking the Neers.


    Almost everyone knew that anyone who fails the Neer test is doomed to an ordinary future, their chance of bing noteworthy is close to zero.


    But now, they were being told there were Celestial Ones, who just like them, had been Neers and had failed the Neer test a total of three times, yet still were able to achieve such a high level of power.


    It seemed fictional, but looking at the Ascendants, he didn''t seem like the one to tell them a lie to make them happy.


    "In the end, you will always have two choices."


    "Either you allow this announcement of your failure to bring an end to you, or you will strive even harder than before, and when the next Ascendantes, you will rise to the top like a phoenix in one step.


    "Hope you all learned a thing or two from that..." Azathoth said as he stepped back from the podium, and the second Ascendant stepped forth, with a small golden scroll in his hands.

 Chapter 160: The Ranking Requirements

    The words from Azathoth weren''t useless. Nn could visibly sense that the majority of students had their formerly intense beating and fearful hearts lowering a little.


    The words had seemingly pped them back to reality.


    Failing the Ascendant test truly wasn''t the end. It was still possible to be sessful.


    There have been five Celestial ones who went through failure and became something great.


    In the end, whether they became something noteworthy or not was still up to them, not some Ascendant test.


    That was an absolute truth.


    Often, those who ended up passing were just like how the Ascendants had exined¡ªlike animal cubs released into a jungle.


    The chances of death had only increased even more.


    Who knew how many Neers would lose their lives in the Ascendant hierarchy a few weeks from now?


    Who knew who might drop out, and how many would have their lives changed forever?


    So, was passing really ascending to the highest heaven in a single steps like every one of them thought it was?


    Perhaps they had overrated things a bit.


    But still, it would be good if they could all pass the test and move to the Ascendant ss.


    Yet, if they didn''t, that was fine too. At least it wasn''t the end of it all.


    With such a thought in their heads, their hot bodies calmed down, and instead, they seemingly calmly waited for their judgment.


    "Before the names of those who have passed are read out, I want you all to understand how the scores have been calcted," the Ascendant announced.


    "Just like you all know, you took a total of three tests, and each of these tests is marked to a maximum of 100 points, except for very few cases which I doubt any of you would have met."


    "Still, it is safe to say every test has a maximum mark of 100, and since you all have taken a total of three tests, that means the total points are 300."


    "To pass the Ascendants test, you must have at least 50 in every single one of the tests."


    "And after going through the entire three tests, you must have at least 150 out of 300 points."


    "This is the minimum requirement to be admitted into the Ascendants ss."


    "If you''re below this by just a single more point, it is an automatic failure..." The Ascendant called out in an emotionless voice.


    Some of the students had their eyebrows furrowed.


    [You passed!]


    The system said to Nn, who slumped back on the seat and exhaled loudly.


    Of course, he knew well he had passed.


    In the first test, Nn had scored 125, and in the second test, he had scored 90 or 91.


    Those two tests were already more than the minimum threshold required, so he had passed already, no matter what the score of thest test was.


    "Also, it is important to note that some of you won''t be able to see your names on this scroll, irrespective of whether you performed well or not..."


    The Ascendant suddenly said, as Nn silently opened up his eyes and sat up along with the remaining students.


    "ording to what you all have been told, there are a total of three tests which will span for three days."


    "This ought to have been mentioned by your teachers, and was also mentioned by me too, on the first day, isn''t that right?" The Ascendant called out, and they all nodded.


    "So when the academy had decided this test would spread to three days, then why did some of you only appear once and didn''te the remaining two days?Ore for two days and didn''te for thest day?"


    The Ascendant asked, shaking his head mncholily.


    "For those of you who have failed to attend one of the three phases of the test, your name won''t appear on this list, and that is an automatic failure."


    "The basic requirement to be in the ranking is to be present throughout the entire duration of the tests."


    "The academy will ept no reasons whatsoever from any student for their refusal to show up in any phase of the test and thereby being given an automatic failure!"


    The Ascendant called out, his voice hard and filled with no mercy at all, and truly Nn''s acute observation noticed the crowd where some students clenched their fists tightly.


    It was easy to note that they''re the ones being addressed.


    ''But why would anyone show up one day and not the other though?'' Nn thought to himself.


    It had not crossed his mind, not even once at all, to not show up on a day.


    Even though Nn knew well he had passed the first two tests perfectly, he still showed up for thest test even when he knew he sucked in it.


    It had not been a reason for him to not attend thest one, and it seemed such a thinking process had saved his life.


    Assuming he had thought because he had passed the two tests, he shouldn''t show up for thest, he could have been screwed right now.


    "Now for those of you who have been able to attend the test, you will now be shown your score."


    "All you need to do is find your name, and if you reach the 150 mark or above, you would be considered to have passed."


    "Your name would be in green also."


    "And if it is below 150, then your name would be in red, which denotes your failure..." He called out, and in the next instant, he threw up the scroll in his hands.


    Instantly, light cascaded through the area as the tiny scroll rapidly grew until it became a huge holographic disy where names slowly appeared one by one.


    It started from the lowest mark, which was a simple 10/300, and slowly, it began going up more and more...


    What followed was absolute silence as Nn''s jaw slowly dropped to the ground at the devastating marks.


    Right now even though about 20 minutes has passed, all Nn saw were names...in red!

 Chapter 161: The Failure and The Defeated

    They were failing, and they were failing massively.


    An hour had already passed, and yet Nn could still see that all the names were still in red.


    But what was surprising was the fact that as Nn looked around, he couldn''t quite pinpoint who had really failed.


    All of the neers were silent, and some whose names Nn recognized and knew had failed were simply quiet, staring at the panel.


    It was mystifying to Nn.


    He had expected a little tantrum, maybe some of them breaking down in tears, clenching their teeth, or fists trembling with frustration.


    Yet, contrary to what he had anticipated, everyone was eerily calm, their eyes fixed on the ranking tab.


    It revealed to Nn the mental state of the Celestial Heirs were tougher than that of regr students on earth.


    Two hours passed, and to Nn, it felt like every name would remain red.


    A slight fear gripped his heart until, eventually, a new score appeared: a perfectly nailed 150/300!


    This time, Nn heard a scream of joy.


    He turned to the side and spotted a small, red-skinnedboy bouncing up and down in his seat.


    It was easy to tell that he had passed, and Nn couldn''t help but click his tongue at the boy''s luck.


    He had been saved by just a single point, while nearly 700 students who scored 149 had failed to pass the test.


    Itwas clear the boy had quite the stroke of  good luck.


    From the young man upwards, names began appearing in green, indicating they were above the 150-mark, and tears of joy filled the hall.


    Nn''s eyes remained glued to the screen, and he was surprised by some of the names he saw.


    The first name he recognized was Lily, the library girl.


    She had scored around 190, and when Nn turned slightly, he saw her calmly sitting in her seat.


    Though he couldn''t see her facial expression since she was facing forward, he was surprised at herposure.


    It was like the calmness of someone who knew they wouldn''t fail.


    Another familiar name was Wiro, who had scored 159. The bully had managed to pass, albeit narrowly.


    As more names were uploaded, after about two hours, the pace at which they appeared slowed considerably.


    It was clear that the list was nearing its end. Nn''s eyebrows furrowed as his heart slowly increased it''s thumping. The truth was, he had yet to spot his own name and that gave him quite the chills.


    Finally, thest name appeared, and everyone turned their gaze to a particr person seated at the front.


    The figure was none other than someone Nn was very familiar with.


    Just as he stared at the figure, he felt those cold, piercing eyes lock back onto him¡ªeyes that seemed to hold a dangerously burning me within.


    The person was none other than Quinn!


    It seemed Quinn had recovered quickly from his injuries and had even managed to participated in the test eve though Nn didn''t sightehim through the entire three day duration.


    At the moment, he was apparently the highest-ranking student.


    The intensity of Quinn''s stare was so ring that most of the students couldn''t help but nce back and forth between Quinn and Nn.


    Even the Ascendants at the front cast curious nces between the two.


    ''Failure¡­'' Quinn''s lips moved.


    Though no sound came out, everyone in the room seemed to hear what he had said as they watched him sh a mocking smile at Nn.


    That was when it struck them: Nn''s name really hadn''t appeared on the list.


    Could it have been that Nn failed so massively that his score couldn''t even be bothered to he recorded by the academy!?


    They were expecting to see a defeated expression from Nn, but to their shock, his lips also parted into a grin of mockery as he turned his gaze back to the rankings.


    His reaction stunned everyone.


    They thought the names had finished being uploaded, but to their absolute shock, when they looked back at the rankings, they saw a new name above Quinn''s.


    The name was simple, not particrly special, yet it sent a loud gasp throughout the hall.


    1st ¨C NOLAN GOTSCHALD!


    It was like someone loudly read the names out throughout the room, but what shocked everyone the most was the score.


    Mark: 285/300!


    He had surpassed Quinn''s score by a wide margin of 50 points.


    Incredulity filled the room as every pair of eyes turned to Nn. The same was true for Quinn, who stared at him in disbelief.


    But Nn didn''t return his gaze.


    Instead, he looked back at the Ascendants on the tform, maintaining a silence that spoke louder than any words ever could.


    Quinn''s hand clenched into blood-red ws, digging into his own palms and drawing blood.


    ''Defeated!''


    It was the word that rang through the minds of every student in the hall. Yet, it was nothing short of extraordinary yo everyone still.


    The academy''s weakest student had surpassed every single one of them in the Ascendants'' test. It was an astonishing development and like a tight p on the face of those who ahd formerly bullied Nn and called him trash in the past.


    Just how had he done it? Only a few months ago, nearly everyone had beenughing at him, mocking him as worthless.


    How had he changed his status so drastically within a mere couple of weeks?


    Some began to wonder if there was something backing him.


    Or perhaps the rankings had been forged, and the academy had tweaked the results in Nn''s favor?


    But that hypothesis didn''t make sense.


    If Nn had any credible background, he wouldn''t have been deemed trash and so badly bullied in the first ce.


    It was impossible for the academy to tweak his name to first due to some hidden background, and the chance of the rankings being wrong was close to impossible.since it came from the academy itself.


    A mistake of cing the trashest trash of the academy at the top of the Ascendants ranking was too much of a mistake.


    So how?


    How had the weakest and most despised student in the academy be the top scorer, just 15 points away from a perfect score?

 Chapter 162: Setting Forth An Uproar

    The answer was mystifying not only to the neers but even to the three Ascendants who sat up at the podium.


    While they were less surprised since they had already seen the scores before now and knew the scores of at least the top ten in the ranking list, it still shocked them nheless.


    Even they, as Ascendants, had heard the tales of the "Anomaly" of the academy.


    One who was unable to control his Divine Sense, yet who others could drainehis Divine Essence and use it for themselves.


    Nn''s "fame" wasn''t limited to just the neers; even the Ascendants knew of his inability. It was shocking and baffling to everyone.


    Most of the Ascendants students had probably forgotten about him, but there was still a faint awareness of the possibility that lingered in their minds.


    And now, they had no choice but to turn their attention back to the anomaly.


    Just how had he been able to do it?


    At this moment, the ranking that was disyed in the neers'' hall was also being shown in the skies above the Ascendants'' area of the academy.


    They could all see the names of those who would be joining them for the year.


    Unlike the list of names in the neers'' hall, where the Godly Ten were excluded, this list in the Ascendants'' space included the Godly ten and Quinn''s name wasn''t second ranked.


    That was why the uproar over there was even louder than in the neers'' hall when Nn''s name appeared at the absolute number one spot, followed by the names of the well-known Godly Ten.


    Every neer was speechless, every Ascendant was speechless, and even the teachers were shocked, all turning to look at their devices, noticing the ranking¡ªespecially the name in the first position.


    "Nn Gotschald? That name sounds familiar..."


    "Wait, isn''t that the so-called ''trash'' of the academy¡­?"


    These words rang out loudly throughout the academy, with some teachers finding it amusing, while others furrowed their brows in suspicion.


    How did he do it?


    ___________________


    Nn, the one responsible for setting off the uproar, was currently sitting in his seat, his eyes nk, while wearing a poker face.


    One couldn''t see the slightest bit of joy on his face for passing the test, nor could anyone spot any surprise.


    It was clear to everyone that he had earned the mark with no reliance on luck.


    He wasn''t even surprised at the score, almost as if he had already known that''s what he would get.


    Disappointed gazes filled the hall from the students who were expecting some sort of emotional reaction that they could use to satisfy their curiosity and unworded hypothesis, but they got nothing from Nn.


    Without dying any further, the female Ascendant among the three walked forward, clearing her throat,manding everyone''s attention.


    "By now, I''m sure each of you is well aware of your ranking and whether or not you''ll be moving up to the Ascendant sses," she began, her voice steady and firm.


    "Today is the fourth day of the week, and a minor holiday has been granted to all."


    "It willst for a total of eight days starting tomorrow."


    "After exactly eight days, those of you who have passed this test will be visited by your instructors, who will lead you to the Ascendants'' area of the academy."


    "They will guide you to your new quarters and help you settle into the expectations and routines of the Ascendants area of the cademy."


    "For this reason, I advise each of you, soon-to-be Ascendants, to prepare everything you need."


    "Take time to explore this area of your academy, say your goodbyes to your friends and favorite instructors, as it will most likely be thest time you''ll see them."


    "Congrattions to all who passed the test."


    "And to those who didn''t¡ªyou still have two more chances to set things right. Don''t let this failure drag you down into the depths of despair."


    "Hopefully, I never see any of your amateurish faces again. Hehe¡­" the crimson-haired Ascendant added with a grin.


    And in the next three of them floated up into the air.


    Red, white and green beams of light shot through the air above the ce, and in an instant, they disappeared into the distance, followed by the podiums which they stood on lowering to the ground.


    Slowly, the students began to rise to their feet, loud murmurs filling the hall as they happily discussed the results.


    Some, however, moved out in silence.


    The distinction between those who had failed and those who had passed was as clear as day.


    Since the Ascendants had left, Nn saw no reason to remain in the hall any longer. He rose to his feet and joined the students making their way out.


    But something else had returned¡ªthe intense gazes.


    Almost everyone stared at him as he walked by.


    The only difference now was that the mockery he was so ustomed to had vanished.


    Still, a gaze was a gaze, and Nn didn''t like the attention, not one bit.


    His legs quickened their pace, and instead of heading back to the dorms like everyone else, he took a different route, cutting away from the crowd and heading in a random direction within the academy grounds¡ªsomewhere he had never gone before.


    If he stayed with the crowd, the eyes would never leave him, and he hated that feeling.


    That was why he took the detour.


    Soon, he was alone, his footsteps echoing through the empty area.


    The ce was still within the neers'' section of the academy, so Nn wasn''t worried about crossing any boundaries.


    The farther he walked, the more he felt the breeze around him grow stronger and more refreshing.


    Before long, Nn found himself at the edge of a ce he had never been before.


    It was shaped like a bridge''s end, and as he reached its wall that came up to his waist, he gazed down and saw something breathtaking.


    In front of himy an incredibly vast and wild body of water that spread far Into the distance.


    "Finally, It''s Finished..."

 Chapter 163: True Freedom

    The whisper escaped Nn''s lips as he took an intensely deep inhale before exhaling loudly, both of his hands ced on the edge of the bridge.


    The air gently blew across the ce, causing his white hair to flutter softly behind him, as if gravity had lost its effect in the area.


    A small smile of peace bloomed on Nn''s lips.


    It wasn''t just because he had finallypleted the Ascendant test, but also because he had managed to finish first.


    All his efforts in the test, all the pain and hard work¡ªit had all been worth it in the end.


    Only now did Nn feel the sensation of being on top of the world.


    For the first time, he felt pride, and it lifted the corner of his lips.


    [Why, though?]


    The system suddenly asked him, drawing his attention to the golden-colored notification panel.


    "Why what?" he asked.


    [Why did you participate in this test in the first ce?]


    [You''ve always said all you want is freedom. It seems to me that if you had stayed in the Neer''s area and failed this test, you would''ve achieved that freedom you always desired.]


    [You would''ve essentially been the strongest neer and at least attained some level of freedom for yourself.]


    [You''d get all the chances in the world to be the new untouchable bully in the Neer''s area of the academy.]


    [So much freedom and power.]


    [Yet, you gave that all up and fought so hard in the test, doing literally everything you could just to get into the Ascendant hierarchy of the academy.]


    [You left behind all the peace and security, Nn, to move on to a higher level where you''re not necessarily the best, even among the average students.]


    [That doesn''t seem like a reasonable choice for a person with your aims.]


    The system exined at length, and a small grin appeared at the corner of Nn''s lips.


    The system''s question was reasonable, without a doubt.


    But Nn''s thoughts now differed from the ones he had when he first arrived at the academy.


    "I might really be the strongest here in the Neer''s area."


    "And as you say, I could have be the next most powerful bully, getting myself the freedom and everything thates with being the strongest."


    "The aim I''ve chosen, the aim for freedom¡ªtaking the Ascension test, where I wouldnd in another hierarchy and most likely be a bottom feeder¡ªseems like a truly stupid decision."


    "But my reasoning is simple."


    "It''s what you told me."


    "Unless I am the absolute strongest, I''ll never achieve true freedom."


    "Staying in the Neer''s area and refusing to move up, just because I wanted to keep my freedom in this lower area, would only give me a temporary feeling of freedom."


    "It''s fake and delusional because I would always know that right here, just a few buildings away, there are people who could kill me with a single finger."


    "Any day, a battle between them could break out, and I could lose my life."


    "Nothing but a Neer student who got unlucky enough to be in the wrong ce at the wrong time."


    "The academy wouldn''t care whether I lived or died, and I wouldn''t be able to protect myself."


    "In the end, death would still be a possibility."


    "Every day, I would live in fear of that reality, watching the skies to make sure no danger was nearby, being careful with the type of people I interacted with."


    "Is that really freedom?" Nn asked in return, and the system hummed.


    "Besides, I have enemies."


    "Enemies that are strong."


    "The second I stop growing, they''ll catch up to me, and it will only be a matter of time before I''m killed."


    "Or even worst, ved!"


    "Look at Quinn. I might have defeated him, but that doesn''t mean I''m not wary of him."


    "What would have happened if Quinn had moved on to the Ascendant hierarchy and I had stayed in the Neer hierarchy?"


    "He would continue to grow stronger while I remained stagnant."


    "How difficult would it be for an Ascendant to kill a Neer?"


    "They''re more than three times stronger than any neer, and not just are they strong."


    "They are also assigned better value by the Academy than any Neer is assigned."


    "The only reason why we Neers are safe from their wrath is most likely because we don''t rte to them at all nor do we anger them."


    "We give them no reason to attack us..."


    "If Quinn was allowed to grow to that level, it would only be a matter of time before he came back for a rematch."


    "And that day, I would be the one losing my life."


    "Every day, I would live in fear of my enemiesing back to find me."


    "I still don''t know all the enemies from my past¡ªhow strong they are, who they are, or where they are."


    "Stopping my growth will only lead to my eventual death."


    "So, there''s no freedom for me."


    "And there will never be for me unless I keep growing stronger and stronger, until eventually, I reach the peak."


    "I won''t just stop at being an Ascendant."


    "Soon, I''ll be the strongest Ascendant, and then I''ll cross to the next stage and be the strongest in that too, and I''ll keep going, never stopping until I reach the stage of the Celestial Ones."


    "When I reach their stage, I''ll continue until I be the strongest Celestial One."


    "And when I''ve achieved that, I''ll ascend to the god stage, until I be the strongest god in this ne of existence."


    "By then, the number of people who could eliminate me could be counted on a single hand."


    "Perhaps then, I would have achieved true freedom."


    [The journey is still far. Very far¡­]


    The system replied to Nn, who nodded calmly, looking at the distant flowing water, watching it m against the rocks that protruded in certain areas.


    "But one day, I''ll reach that journey. I''ll stand at the peak, and then, I''ll smile and embrace the sky."

 Chapter 164: The Strange Visitor

    The sun, situated right in the middle of the sky, slowly wavered as it moved downward, inching toward the horizon.


    Its light gradually faded, casting a fiery orange hue across the edge of the sky.


    Slowly, it began to disappear, and eventually, it took its orange ink with it.


    The curved moon appeared in the sky after, with stars shining their light over the academy.


    In a particr area of the academy, the sky itself was painted in a multitude of colors, resembling a sea of light dancing in the dark night clouds.


    But its source actually came from arge body of water on the ground, radiating with the glow of thousands of lights, their powerful illumination reflecting in the sky.


    At the top of the water, reclining over a bridge wall, stood a young man with dancing white hair.


    Clear blue and crimson eyes gazed at the glowing surface of the water, an expression of absolute calm on his face.


    The figure was none other than Nn himself.


    Throughout the entire day, Nn had been stuck here, unable to tear himself away.


    As time passed, he noticed the sea beneath him slowly changing its color.


    Eventually, Nn began to see lines of light crisscrossing the water''s surface.


    His interest was piqued by the strangeness, and as he waited and watched, more lines appeared until beneath himy a gently flowing stream of water, radiating with hundreds of lights.


    Its beauty captivated him, and Nn found himself unable to take his eyes off the water.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?"


    A voice rang out from around him, and Nn''s lips parted.


    "Yes. This is the most beautiful river I''ve ever seen," Nn replied, still dazed.


    But soon, his eyes quickly regained their calm as he turned his head to the side, finding the person who had asked him the question.


    It was a tall figure, around a head taller than Nn, who stood at 1.9 meters.


    The man wore light white robes and trousers with a soft material that made it p together with the wind.


    Like Nn, his hand rested on the wall, and his long blue hair danced in the air behind him.


    Slowly, the man turned his head toward Nn, and Nn''s jaw nearly dropped to the ground¡ªfor one simple reason.


    The man''s devastating handsomeness.


    The figure before him had exceedingly clear white skin, much like his, with a clear, angr face.


    Judging by his stature, one could guess he was probably around 25 years old.


    His face was smoother than ss, and his blue eyes glowed like gentle light beams shining upon Nn''s face.


    His lips were an intense red, redder than anything Nn had ever seen.


    The small smile on his face could be called almost called the most captivating thing Nn had ever witnessed.


    Yet, despite his overwhelming beauty, the man radiated no feminine aura at all.


    Instead, a bold and confident presence resided within him and oozed gently out of him.


    Even with his striking appearance, no one would mistake him for someone soft or delicate.


    He seemed like a person crafted by perfection itself.


    The dazed expression lingered on Nn''s face as he unconsciously stared for close to ten seconds before regaining hisposure, closing his lips.


    Judging by the man''s face, Nn guessed he was probably around 27 or so, and it was more than clear that he was no Neer.


    "You are very lucky, Nn," the man said, turning his gaze back to the glowing sea.


    "This river is called the Waves of Asteralyxia. It only lights up like this once every six months."


    "I''m sure you''ve never been here before, yet you happened to arrive on the day it shines its light."


    "Fate or luck, I wonder what is?" he asked with a small grin, as Nn turned to look back at the river.


    He had no idea this only happened once every six months. One could truly call his presence here nothing but pure luck!


    "Luck wouldn''t be something I''d say I''m particrly blessed with," Nn whispered softly under his breath.


    The man turned his gaze to him, clearly hearing the words, even though they were as quiet as a whisper.


    "You underestimate your own luck, Nn."


    "If you knew how blessed you are, you wouldn''t think I speak without understanding," the man replied.


    Nn furrowed his eyebrows at him, but suddenly, he noticed something strange.


    And mmediately he raised his palms as he moved his hand toward his left eye.


    Nn''s eyes had two distinct colors.


    His right eye was red, a sign of his Kratos descent.


    The other was blue, a dull and lifeless shade that made his eyes look as though they were dead.


    The only time it had ever lit up was when Nn used his Anti-Aether ability.


    Yet, as Nn moved his palm to his face, he felt a single dot of light shining on his palm, and its source was none other than his own left eye.


    Right now, Nn''s blue eye, which always carried a lifeless color, was shining with an incredibly bright blue light.


    One that held no difference at all to the blue eyes of the man standing before him.


    Immediately, Nn stepped backward¡ªevery step taking him ten meters away.


    His dagger instantly appeared in his hands as he pointed it at the man with a cautious smile, taking a defensive stance.


    "Who are you?" He asked with a serious expression.


    His body was reacting in a strange way, and the only person in front of him was the figure standing near him with the same glowing blue eyes.


    And strangely enough, Nn felt a sense of familiarity. It was as if he had seen this man before, somewhere.


    Yet, Nn had no memory of him at all.


    "Nn Gottschald..." The man called out, a smile appearing on his face.


    A truly heartwarming smile, and then he asked.


    "Do you know what the word Nn mean? Or what the word Gosschald mean?"


    A frown tugged at Nn''s brow.


    He had zero idea at all, and immediately his dagger immediately burst out with more crimson mes as he noticed the man stand upright.

 Chapter 165: Meaning Of Nolan Gottschald

    Slowly, he rose and stepped forward towards Nn, whose hands clenched tighter around the hilt of his dagger, preparing for the fight of his life.


    But the man had both of his hands in his pockets, his face filled with an unbothered calmness.


    "Do you have any idea what the origin of your name is, Nn Gottschald?" the figure asked once more, stopping about fifteen meters away from him.


    "Your name..." he began again as Nn''s ears perked up, though he kept his guard up.


    "Your name was given to you by us, and by them."


    "Shared in half!" The man said, and Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    The person before him seemed no older than twenty-seven or so.


    Yet, he was referring to himself as one of the people who had named Nn?


    "Your first name is the one given to you by your own people. Nn!" he continued, turning his gaze away from Nn and reclining against the wall, staring at the distant moon in the sky.


    "The name Nn means ''noble.''"


    "I like to think it means ''strength,'' and some of your people will argue that it signifies ''leadership.''"


    "Whatever way they framed it, I guess it wouldn''t be wrong to say it''s a name meant for someone of exceptional birth and status, don''t you agree?" he asked, turning his head back to Nn, who remained with his guard up, dagger pointed at the stranger.


    "Will it save you?" the man asked suddenly.


    Nn''s grip tightened on the dagger.


    "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.


    "Your dagger. Will it save you?" The man repeated with a mocking smirk, his gaze fixed on Nn''s glowing weapon.


    ''How strong is he?'' Nn wondered, seeking the answer from the system, only to be left stunned by the response.


    [I don''t know.]


    ''What!?''


    "Put your dagger away. I won''t hurt you," the man said, his voice so soothing that Nn found himself lowering the dagger before he even realized what he was doing.


    The weapon disappeared back into him almost against Nn''s will.


    If even the system, which had easily deciphered everyone else''s power levels before now couldn''t gauge this man''s strength, then surely the dagger wouldn''t save Nn from death.


    And strangely, Nn found himself wanting to listen to him.


    "You seem to know a lot about me," Nn said, holding the man''s gaze for a long while before finally breaking eye contact.


    "What''s the meaning of ''Nn''?" he suddenly asked, almost in a whisper.


    It was a strange question, one Nn wasn''t expecting, but he had just been told the answer minutes ago.


    "It means ''nobility''," he answered, and the man spoke again.


    "Then what does ''Gottschald'' mean?" he asked.


    Nn remained silent.


    His silence was answer enough.


    "''Gottschald'' means ''God''s ve,''" the man said, the word "ve" echoing in Nn''s mind.


    His breathing grew shallow, and his heart seemed to weigh heavier in his chest¡ªa reaction not missed by the stranger.


    "Your people didn''t give you that name, Nn."


    "So, can you guess who did?" the man asked.


    Nn''s brow furrowed as he thought deeply before a bizarre answer surfaced in his mind.


    "You know, don''t you?" the man asked with a smile.


    "The Celestial One?" Nn answered, and he watched as the man''s smile twisted into one of irritation.


    "Calling them that is giving them too much praise. Call them the Bastard Ones!" he said, his tone dead seriou and Nn could tell he wasn''t joking.


    Just as quickly as the anger hade, it dissipated, and the man straightened himself, once again looking up at the sky in the far distance.


    "Took them long enough," he mused, clicking his tongue.


    Nn turned to look in the same direction but saw nothing.


    "Our meeting today is short, Nn. But you learned something, didn''t you?" the man said as he stretched his back and began walking away from him.


    In the next instant, Nn witnessed a brilliant blue light ring in front of the man.


    A glowing vortex formed in the air, and calmly, he walked into it, stopping at thest second to give Nn a side nce.


    "We gave you the name Nn, never Gottschald," he said onest time before disappearing into the vortex.


    The blue aura dissipated into nothing, and the world returned to normal once more.


    [Leave.]


    [Leave now!] the system urged him hastily, and without a shred of doubt, Nn bolted from where he stood, racing back to where he hade from.


    Less than five minutes after Nn had left, an incredibly powerful wave of energy sted across the area as five figures, dressed in pure white garments, appeared where the portal had once been.


    Their gazes scanned the entire area.


    "He escaped..." one of the figures said.


    "More like he simply wandered into the academy, ignoring all of the runic infiltration devices, and left just as easily as he came."


    "The Judgers need to be informed of his awakening."


    "His capability for destruction is nearly unmatched."


    "Who knows what chaos he could cause if allowed to roam freely in this realm," another suggested.


    In the next instant, the space around the area rippled like the surface of disturbed water, and the five figures faded into thin air.


    Silence filled the air once more, everything floating in a calm stillness.


    Yet, a ripple soon disturbed the surface of the water, and slowly, a head emerged.


    It was the head tip of a golden snake adorned with brilliantly ring golden scales.


    It rose up for about five seconds, it''s golden pupils looking at the bridge where Nn, the Mysterious handsome man and the Academy Staffs had remained before dipping back into the water, leaving everything calm once again.


    -----


    "We gave you the name Nn, never Gottschald!"


    "We gave you the name Nn, never Gottschald!"


    "We gave you the name Nn, never Gottschald!"


    The words reyed in Nn''s mind as he looked out of the window, staring at the half-moon decorated by stars in the sky.


    The interaction with the figure kept repeating in his head, over and over again, like a broken record ying the same part endlessly.


    [Don''t think too much about it...] the system said, almost as if it could read his mind.


    Nn stayed quiet for a while, thinking about the man''s words.


    He had said that Nn''s first name meant nobility, yet the name ''Gottschald'' meant ''God''s ve.''


    How contrasting was that?


    And then he had learned that the first name, which meant nobility, had been given by ''his'' people, but the other name, which meant ''ve,'' had been given by the Celestial Ones themselves.


    Nn couldn''t understand how that was even possible. Weren''t names given by one''s parents?


    He also noticed how his normally dull blue eyes had lit up when the figure appeared before him.


    "Activate System Interface..."


    Nn ordered, and a notification panel appeared before him.


    He moved to a tab that he didn''t check very often.


    ---


    [Descents]


    [First Descent: Greek Pantheon]


    [Pantheon Type: Kratos]


    [Second Descent: King Pantheon]


    [Pantheon Type: Trimurti]


    [Third Descent: ??????]


    [Pantheon Type: Unknown]


    ---


    "My right eye is ming red, and it fits the perfect description of someone from the Kratos descent," Nn murmured.


    "My dull blue eyes... no doubt, they belong to a different bloodline. Could it be the one that has yet to awaken?" he mused, furrowing his brows.


    "Why didn''t it awaken like the one tied to my Kratos bloodline?" Nn couldn''t help but ask himself.


    Somehow, he felt that right now, he wasn''t at his full potential.


    He felt like he was only a shadow of his true self and power.


    That feeling had increased tenfold when he met that man, the ''perfection'' of a man.


    "What did you mean when you said you couldn''t sense his strength?" Nn suddenly asked the system.


    He remembered how it had told him it didn''t know the man''s strength, a fact that had shocked him speechless even now, hours after the encounter.


    [I don''t know. Don''t ask!]


    the system responded, its tone showing a reluctance to delve deeper into the topic.


    Nn sighed and turned away.


    ''I need answers. I know...'' he thought silently to himself, his gaze unfocused.


    Somehow, Nn felt like he had been thrown into the middle of a vast, loud ocean, tossed around in a storm, unable to regain control.


    ''I need answers...'' he repeated quietly, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him.


    Yet through everything, Nn also felt doubt.


    The truth was he wasn''t Nn Gotschald. He wasn''t the real person. He was a Reincarnator who simply took the body.


    He was never the real person. He had no n or whatever the background or origin that this body was.


    Nothing about this world had nothing to do with him.


    He was afraid of bracing up that which he knew well wasn''t his load to bear.


    He didn''t want to live his second lifetime fighting a battle that was truly never his to fought.


    Living for the person whose body he simply possessed.


    Somehow he felt fear from wanting to go too deep within the origin of this body.


    He felt in way all that would end up within would be nothing more than ceaseless headaches for him.

 Chapter 166: The Night Chase And Battle

    Little by little, he was falling deeper into the abyss.


    Somehow, he could feel that the depth of this body''s origin was something beyond his own imagination.


    And somehow, he was being dragged into it, slowly but surely.


    He had no choice but to open his eyes and watch as he was pulled down further and further into it.


    His choice in the matter was beginning to wane, bringing forth a sense of helplessness.


    So much helplessness that instead of resting, Nn rose from his bed, grabbed his hoodie, and put it on before exiting his room.


    He just needed a walk to clear things off.


    As he stepped out, his eyes shed as he saw a hooded figure appear around the corner.


    It was cruelly midnight now, and with the test that just took ce, most of the students would be in their dorm rooms, resting their exhausted heads.


    Yet, what was this person doing, and to Nn his movements seemed rush.


    Without wasting another second, Nn sprinted after him.


    As he reached the edge of the hallway, he could see the hooded figure climb the steps to the second hallway below


    He was quick to realiz that unless someone was sprinting for a short while, they wouldn''t reach that ce so fast.


    Quickly, he guessed who the person was and pushed himself to catch up.


    Just as he had guessed, the figure immediately began running, and Nn felt reinforced to chase after him.


    The figure was incredibly fast, weaving through hallways with such speed that his footsteps made no sound at all.


    Nn didn''t know how he was able to do that, but it was safe to say the figure was skilled in the art of spying.


    Determined, he pushed his own speed, matching and then doubling the pace of the figure he was chasing.


    Under the curved moonlight of the sky, two figures could be seen jumping through the high ceilings of the academy structures, cearly in a hot chase.


    One was like a ghost in the stillness of the night, fading away with such speed and silence that it seemed he had be one with the wind.


    The other, the white-haired figure before him, moved like a rocket, each step propelling him high into the air as he quickly closed the distance.


    Suddenly, the shadowed figure jumped down from the rooftop, disappearing into the dark alleyway below, and immediately, Nn leaped after him.


    The darkness eroded his senses, but instantly, his eyes shed as he automatically shifted his neck behind him.


    SHRRRIIIIIING


    The sound of a de ripping through the air rang out as a dark, shadowy edge of a katana shed by the tip of Nn''s jaw, drawing a small line underneath.


    Nn''s two legs mmed into the ground immediately, and he backflipped twice in the air, his legs sliding backward beforeing to a stop.


    Slowly, Nn rose up, his right hand moving under his jaw as he wiped away the blood.


    A thin red line of blood marred his palm, but instantly the small de wound closed up.


    "Your sword is sharp," Nnmented as he finally turned to the figure.


    The figure waspletely dressed in a long, dark robe that covered the entirety of his body, and even his hands were cloaked in dark gloves.


    Where his face should have been was a mask in the shape of a demon, designed with red horns at the sides.


    But looking closely at the side of the mask, Nn noticed two stered runic carvings.


    They looked almost identical to the ones that had been in his house, the same ones that had exploded within just a few days.


    The person before him was most definitely the one who had been trying to get rid of him silently with those exploding cards.


    Even if he wasn''t the mastermind, Nn could guess this person might have information about those chasing after his life.


    "I have no words to discuss with you," Nn began as he shifted his hands to the side.


    Instantly, his dagger appeared within his palm, revolving in a circr motion beforeing to a stop.


    Nn lowered his body to the ground, veins appearing all over his legs, pumping up to twice their previous size.


    "And I swear by what I care most about in this ursed world. You''ll die here today if you refuse to give me a good reason..."


    ''A good reason for wanting to snatch off my life''


    He called out, and in the next instant, he shot forward with speed, covering the entire 10-meter distance in a single leap.


    Immediately, a powerful storm of air mmed onto the face of the shadowed figure.


    The katana was immediately grabbed and shed forth towards Nn, whose dagger inched toward the figure''s neck.


    BAAAAANG


    A loud explosion reverberated as mes and shadows shed, sending both figures backward.


    Yet, a figure soon tore through the smoke of mes and shadow, dagger tearing through the air like a knife through butter, shing heavily towards the figure''s head.


    The figure immediately shed down with his katana, managing to block the attack.


    Immediately, Nn''s hand became a blur, shing forth from every single angle.


    The dagger and katana crisscrossed, each reverberation sending sparks flying around the narrow alleyway and de lines staining the walls.


    Yet, Nn''s eyes shed as the battle continued.


    The figure before him had been able to urately block every strike, catching up easily to every single one of his attacks.


    His moves were fluid and gentle, weaving here and there, as effortless as a swan floating on a river, and not once did it fail.


    Every opening that Nn had attacked was expertly blocked, and his face quickly retained a serious expression as his shing speed increased.


    Soon, powerful kicks were reverberating through the entire hallway.


    BOOOOOOOM


    An especially loud sound was made, followed by a circr shockwave as Nn rolled in the air, mming down his leg heavily onto the figure''s head.


    Yhe figure sent out his katana, shing forth towards Nn''s leg.


    RIIIIIPPPP


    The sound of skin being sliced open rang out as red blood sttered into the air, the result of the sword digging into Nn''s flesh and almost severing his legs.


    Yet, the shadowed figure was also immediately sent mming on both knees onto the ground, carving a meter-deep crater within the earth.


    Immediately, Nn kicked his second leg toward the figure''s head, but instantly, a red light appeared on the runic carvings that surrounded the figure''s mask, shooting forward towards Nn''s palm.


    The leg and card mmed into each other.


    BOOOOOM


    A heavy explosion reverberated and he felt as if he just rammed his leg into a wall, sending him flying backward.


    Yet, at thest second, his left hand moved to the side, his chain appearing within his grasp.


    He smashed it into the end of his dagger before immediatelyunching the dagger through the cloud of smoke.


    BAAANG


    SHATTTTERRRR


    The sound of something shattering into pieces rang out as Nn roughly crashed into the ground, bouncing a couple of times beforeing to a stop.


    Blood quickly sttered all over the floor, a result of his ripped open skin.


    Yet, Nn paid it no attention as he jerked back his chains.


    Immediately, he grabbed onto the hilt of his dagger, which now had an embedded object at its edge.


    It was none other than a pierced demon mask.


    Immediately, the smoke finally cleared away, and Nn finally sighted the person behind the figure.


    And he was given quite the shock.


    The person before him was a light brown-skinned, big-eyed figure with quite an attractive facial structure.


    But what gave Nn the biggest shock was that the figure before him was a...female!


    Around the age of 19 or 20.


    "You''re no Neer!" Nn called out as his hand began rolling around his chains.


    Slowly, it picked up speed until a fiery circle formed around Nn due to how fast his chain was spinning. Once more, he bent his head to the ground.


    Yet, there was a difference this time.


    His eyes!


    They were cold! Almost lifeless-looking.


    Exactly like the eyes of a dead figure, and his face held absolutely no emotion at all.


    Like a green snake through the grass, veins started sneaking up on Nn''s arms until they covered the entirety of his body, causing his size to bulk up to twice his normal size.


    Even his neck could be seen,pletely covered in these green veins, as blood pumped through his entire body.


    His heart pounded with such loud reverberation that it could be loudly heard through the entire alleyway.


    Right now he seemed no different from a predator ready to hunt down its prey.


    -------


    Immediately, Lillith''s eyes narrowed as he looked dead straight at Nn particrly his eyes.


    From it she could sense a killing intent whose rage would be nothing but world ending if fully revealed, yet it was concealed within a deep veil of calmness and utmost focus.


    The eyes of the person before him was that of the one who had made up his mind about killing her.


    It was the first time through her many years as an assassin that any of her opponent has ever been able to show this to her.


    Most of them have been swiftly executed before they could do anything.


    But this one, somehow he felt he was different.

 Chapter 167: Losing Her...

    All was not feeling right for Nn.


    The person before him¡ªhe had no idea who she was, nor her status within the academy.


    But she was strong, strong enough to make him, the strongest neer, feel challenged by her presence.


    He had watched her moves, how she reacted to his blows, and he could tell she was a seasoned killer.


    The way she silently moved through the darkness, the way she carried out her sneak attacks, and the way her sword aimed for his life, even as it tried its best to block his dagger¡ªhe could tell she was a worthy enemy.


    But that only confused him more.


    If she wasn''t a Neer, which was pretty obvious to him, then was she an Ascendant?


    But still, that brought its own headache.


    Why would an Ascendant be sent to the front door of his dorm room, he a simple Neer, just to nt runic explosion cards when they could have easily killed him without going through the trouble?


    He could tell the person before him was a cold killer, but he felt no killing intent from her.


    She wanted him dead, but not directly by her sword.


    Unstead, she nted runic cards within his room that would indirectly bring an end to him once triggered.


    He didn''t understand why anyone would go through that kind of trouble.


    Or perhaps they want his death to be like naturally Induced due to a weird explosion or just what?


    Still, Nn shoved all the questions away as he prepared to burst forth with speed, when a voice rang out loudly in his ear as thedy lowered her katana.


    "It seems we have underestimated your growth a lot, Heir of the ursed."


    "You deserve death, but it won''t be in my hands."


    "So for now, your life is spared. Enjoy it well, while it..." Lilith was saying, but cracks instantly spread across the alleyway¡ªthe source none other than the ground where Nn stood¡ªand immediately, Nn faded away like a phantom.


    "SHRRRRRINGGG!"


    The sound of a de tearing through the air resounded, followed by an incredibly powerful wave of energy bursting up I to the sky of the alleyway, causing quite a few heads to turn from the surrounding buildings.


    But just as therge wave of light came, it disappeared, and everything was left calm once more.


    Now in the dark alleyway, only a single figure stood, and a single sound continuously echoed.


    "DROP... DROP... DROP..."


    It was the sound of red blood dripping down, and its source came from none other than the figure standing alone in the darkness.


    On the face, a smooth and deep diagonal line was carved, red blood trailing down and gently sttering on the floor as he remained motionless.


    The figure was none other than Nn himself.


    Silently and alone, he stood, his eyes closed.


    Slowly, they opened up, and his lips parted, spreading into an incredibly wide grin.


    "I guess I underestimated her a little. She really is an Ascendant..." he mused as the dagger in his hand slowly faded away.


    Quickly, the long diagonal wound on Nn''s face began closing up, his skin patching together like two mas attracted to each other until it fully closed.


    The result was clear.


    When Nn attacked at thest second, the person he fought exploded with an incredible amount of power,ing from none other than the second runic card on the side of her neck.


    As he shed her, he felt as though he was shing nothing but a fading shadow.


    Yet, when her shadow sword had cleaved past his face, it had carved a long line, leaving him in defeat as the assassin escaped.


    In short, he had failed.


    He might have underestimated his opponent¡ªshe was an Ascendant, one skilled at killing.


    [The light from her runic card activation is quite bright.]


    [I would advise you to leave here if you don''t want attention,] the system warned in his head as Nn prepared to take off.


    But his eyes caught something on the side.


    It was none other than the dark demon mask which he had torn off from the assassin''s face during their battle.


    Nn picked it up before jumping up and fading into the distance.


    ---


    "The Onis, huh?"


    The voice echoed through the small bedroom where a figure slept, a mask in hand.


    It was a broken mask, but from it, Nn had been able to learn one more thing about the girl¡ªand that was whichever cult or n she belonged to.


    It had been scripted at the other side of the mask, in a ce where almost none would be able to see, just two simple words:


    "The Oni..."


    Nn had no idea what that meant, but now he had some things he knew for sure.


    The first was just as he had guessed: His enemies weren''t the Neers¡ªthey were the Ascendants themselves.


    The person who had been nting runic cards on his dorm room these past few days was an Ascendant!


    And also, the words the girl had told him before she left:


    ---


    "It seems we have underestimated your growth a lot, Heir of the ursed."


    ---


    It confirmed to Nn finally¡ªthe only reason they were chasing after his life and hunting him.


    It was just as Gaia had said. It was due to his background. He was the heir of the banished ursed n.


    They knew him well, just as the girl had said, but they were only attacking him now because he was growing stronger.


    They must have all thought the Neer hierarchy would be enough to end him, and true to their thoughts, it had.


    The real Nn had died at the hands of Quinn.


    But now there was a new Nn¡ªone whose growth was making them restless.


    [Chaos will be waiting for you when you reach that Ascendant hierarchy.] The system said as Nn''s fist tightened up.


    "Tch"


    -------


    Days passed rapidly, and it had to be the best¡ªor worst¡ªdays for some of the Neers.


    For those who knew that, in just a few days, they would be moving up to the Ascendant hierarchy, they felt nothing but joy.


    Soon, they would be leaving this ce for a higher level, where their growth would be nothing short of monumental.


    There were no sses at all for the entire duration.


    Just as the Ascendants had said, the students woke up whenever they wanted, ate whenever they wanted, and yed around as they pleased.


    No instructor was around to monitor them, and they didn''t have to rush to ss since all sessions were off.


    It was like the perfect holiday away from all sorts of school life.


    However, for those who knew they would be repeating the ss, the holiday was nothing short of a headache.


    Knowing well that after this short break, they would be back to square one, repeating everything they had learned for the past three years, all over again for the next three.


    It was nothing short of a disastrous development.


    But time was fast, and soon, it was just one day before the transfer of Neers to the Ascendant hierarchy would begin.


    ---


    STEP. STEP. STEP.


    The sound of calm and unhurried footsteps echoed, as soles pressed against the ground, moving up the flight of stairs.


    From far away, one could already hear the faint reverberation of walls and the muffled sound of something being mmed together.


    Finally, the footsteps paused as they arrived before a door.


    A hand moved towards the doorknobrge and no doubt belonging to an adult¡ªgrabbing the knob and gently twisting it before stepping inside.


    SWWOOSH.


    Immediately, the figure was faced with the sight of a body¡ªa dummy¡ªswinging through the air and mming towards his face.


    Yet, it mysteriously stopped mid-air at thest second as the figure raised his hand, signaling for the motion to stop.


    The dummy remained suspended in the air unmoving.


    Gently, he waved his hand again, and the dummy shifted to the side, falling with a loud bang.


    The sound of banging ceased, and dark pupils scanned the room. His eyes finally settled in on the center of the area.


    There stood a masculine figure with a naked upper body, and blood dripped down his left wrist like rainfall, forming a puddle on the ground.


    In his right hand was a dagger, radiating a brilliant crimson light, while his arm¡ªbursting with veins¡ªheld it firmly.


    Blood trailed down the edge of the dagger, dripping onto the floor.


    His white hair clung to his head, stained in deep crimson¡ªno doubt his own blood.


    "Ahhhhh..." The sound of an exhale rang out loudly as turbid white hair escaped the blood drenched figure''s lips and slowly he raised up his head.


    The right side of the eye was crimson red and right now it was burning with a crimson me.


    The other side of the eyes was a dull blue, and the calm in them was nothing short of chilling.


    "How many more days left?" His thick voice boomed through the entire hall, and it was no different from the one of an adept depressed smoker who has never said a word in years.


    "Just a night more..." The calm voice rang out and it was from none other than Sir Gerrald.


    The one who had directed Nn to the Kratos training room when he had first arrived here.

 Chapter 168: Days Past

    "Hmmm," a slight hum escaped Nn''s lips as his fingers moved forth towards the holographic panel.


    He was about to click on the panel and order a new set of battle dummies when he heard the sound of a throat clearing.


    Slowly, he turned to look at Instructor Gerard, who had risen upright.


    "Your body is falling apart, you know that, right?" Gerard asked, his voice calm yet firm.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed, and he nced down at his own body.


    Various cuts decorated his skin¡ªwounds left behind by the training dummies.


    "You''ve been going relentlessly for the past seven days. Don''t you think it''s time to rest a little?"


    "Give your body the time it needs to recover before the transfer tomorrow."


    "Believe me, you''ll need your strength on the first day of entering the Ascendant hierarchy..." Instructor Gerard advised.


    Nn''s hand hovered over the holographic panel, hesitating when he saw a golden notification appear.


    [Listen to him. Your body is exhausted, Nn. Too exhausted. There are internal injuries you might not fully sense.]


    [If you keep pushing, you''ll be incredibly weak when entering the Ascendant ss.]


    [All of your enemies lie in wait within that ce.]


    [Arriving while being less than fifty percent of your true power would be a foolish risk, wouldn''t it?] the system added.


    Nn thought deeply in silence for a few seconds before finally withdrawing his hand from the holographic panel.


    "Good!" Instructor Gerard called out from behind before adding, "The bathroom is just over there."


    "Clean up those bloodstains before heading out, or you''ll give the new students a scare."


    He then disappeared from view.


    Nn walked towards the bathroom at the side.


    --------


    The sound of water sshing echoed off the tiled space, the floor stained with dried blood forming a small pool.


    Slowly, the crimson hue in Nn''s hair washed away, revealing its snowy white color.


    The water soothed his injuries, the result of the most intense and relentless training session he had ever gone through.


    After his fight with the assassin the other night, he had been unable to sleep, no matter how hard he tried.


    Rather than waste that time, Nn had decided to do something productive: improve hisbat skills.


    The training room was the only ce where he wouldn''t be interrupted, so he had spent the past week training non-stop.


    Thankfully, it was thest ce any student would think to visit right now, allowing him to have it all to himself.


    He had asked Instructor Gerard to notify him when it was time to move up to the next ss.


    This had been an intense decision, even for Nn, but it was something he felt he needed to do.


    Minutester, Nn exited the bathroom, pulling on his hoodie and trousers before quickly heading out of the Kratos Training Hall.


    The entire lobby was quiet, and the only figure in sight was that of Instructor Gerard, who didn''t raise his head as Nn walked by and exited the area.


    Once Nn disappearedpletely, Gerard lifted his head from the book he was reading, staring after Nn''s retreating figure.


    "It''sing. It''sing fast, and it seems he''s no longer unaware..." Gerard muttered to himself.


    ---------


    As Nn exited the training area of the academy, he was surprised by the unusuallyrge number of students walking to and fro.


    The further he walked, the more he realized that many of these students were unfamiliar to him.


    "Don''t tell me..." Nn thought.


    [Yes. The newest Neers have already arrived,] the systempleted his thought.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed, but he shrugged it off.


    Pulling his hoodie tighter, he attempted to cover his face to avoid too much attention.


    Still, it seemed he couldn''t escape notice as he soon arrived at a junction where a small group of three guys were sitting.


    The ce was a shortcut Nn liked to take whenever he returned from training, a path that saved him nearly three times the time it would take to walk the usual route to his Greek-Descent dorm building.


    But now, as Nn tried to pass, he noticed the guys were blocking the way, sitting casually without a care in the world.


    There was a small path to the side, just enough for Nn to squeeze through.


    He didn''t mind the tight space, so he quickly moved forward, attempting to pass.


    But just as he was about to, one of the guys lifted his leg, cing it against the wall and blocking Nn''s path.


    Irritated, Nn turned his head to the side, only to see the group snickering among themselves.


    The one who had raised his leg smirked and said,


    "You can still pass underneath."


    Laughter erupted from the group, their mocking voices echoing as Nn stared at the guy''s mockinf eyes for a few moments before snorting.


    [They''re the newest Neers, and yet they''re already picking on the older ones? How arrogant,] the system echoed what was on Nn''s mind.


    His eyes turned cold. Frigid cold.


    Without a word, Nn lifted his leg and then¡ª


    BAAAAANG!


    CREEAAAAAK!


    The sound of something roughly smashing into something else resounded, followed by bones shattering as Nn kicked the leg before him.


    The force not only crushed the young man''s leg but lifted him off his feet, sending him rolling into the distance amidst a chilling scream of agony.


    "You failure! Know your ce!" one of the other guys shouted.


    Dark tattoos appeared all over his hands as he immediatelyunched a fist towards Nn''s face.


    The air around his fist shook slightly, a strange force swirling as the young man''s hand twisted unnaturally, gathering even more momentum and power as it inched closer to Nn''s face.


    Yet...


    BAAAAAAANG


    The fist never reached Nn''s face.


    Instead, a powerful kick mmed into the young man''s face, as his cheek rippled like the surface of a water, and sending him crashing to the ground, blood and teeth scattering into the distance.


    Nn looked at the young man on the floor and realized something that didn''t make him too surprised.


    He had been knocked out t and cold.


    Now, only a single boy remained, sitting on the raised tform, frozen in shock as he stared at Nn, too slow to react.


    One icy re from Nn''s crimson eyes was all it took.


    The terrified young man bolted, screaming for help as he ran into the distance.


    "Tch, idiots..." Nn muttered with a bored expression, pulling up his hoodie to cover his face before walking away from the scene as if nothing had happened.


    "Even neers, who''ve barely spent five days here, are already forming small gangs and bullying other students."


    "Just how rotten is the ce they alle from?" Nn mused to himself.


    The academy itself was naturally a dog-eat-dog world, but it seemed like many of the pupils were just as twisted.


    Why would any neer begin bullying students of the academy within their first week of arrival? Could that really be attributed to the academy?


    Nn had always assumed that the actions of the students were due to the academy''s invisible yet ever presentw of survival of the fittest.


    But now, it seemed like the problem went beyond just the academy''s influence.


    The Celestial heirs themselves appeared to have some screws loose in their heads, drawn to violence as if by instinct.


    "Hopefully, they learned their lesson. Idiots like that won''tst long if they run into the Old Neers, who are probably looking for targets to vent their frustrations on..." Nn thought to himself.


    He could have spared the boys'' egos and scared them off with just a nce, but this time, he felt it was better to handle the situation with a little more force.


    It would teach them a proper lesson¡ªone they wouldn''t soon forget.


    In less than two minutes of walking, Nn finally arrived in front of the Greek dorm building.


    It was bustling with students, both known and unknown.


    [Why do I feel like your room is already taken?] The system asked as Nn''s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    Unconsciously, his footsteps quickened as he hurried toward his room.


    Once Nn arrived in front of his door, he was more than shocked and a vein popped on his forehead when he saw immediately that the door was half-open.


    But he also noticed that the dorm room of his neighbors also had Neers that he had never seen beforeing out, revealing to him that he wasn''t the only one whose room was taken.


    Entering into the room, Nn came in contact with a figure on all fours, and  with an especiallyrge brush in his hands with which he scurbbed the floor.


    Nn''s presence didn''t even seem to be able to awaken him from his dead focus as he continued scrubbing the hell out of the white tile that was already more than clean to Nn.


    "Hm-hmmm"


    A slight warming of the throat was all it took from Nn to catch the young man''s attention and he was revealed a face that surprised him a little.


    The person before him, he wasn''t humanoid and Nn had never seen his race before among all of the students.

 Chapter 169: The Weird Alien and Hard Choice

    The face in front of him was adorned with a set of six crystal-clear dark eyes, all staring back at him.


    They were a strange pair of eyes, with strange runic lines dancing within them.


    These eyes were situated on the left and right sides of the figure''s face, opened up on the cheeks themselves.


    Apart from the six eyes, which were wide open, there was another straight line on top of the figure''s head, currently closed.


    Nn guessed that it was probably another eye of some sort.


    The sight of those six eyes staring back at him was a little chilling, even for Nn.


    "You?" The ''guy'' spoke as he rose to his feet.


    He was about up to Nn''s chest, with long blue hair that reached down his back.


    At first nce, he appeared like a girl, but the fact that he was in the academy''s male dormitory made Nn aware that he couldn''t be a female.


    More of a feminine boy, or something like that.


    "Are you the one living here previously?" the guy asked as he slowly walked toward Nn, wrapping up his sleeves.


    Nn noticed an angered expression appearing on his face, and even the six eyes narrowed dangerously at him.


    But Nn wasn''t scared at all. The person before him was still a Neer. He could send him flying with a single kick.


    Still, Nn''s curiosity was piqued, wondering why this guy was suddenly angry, and he found it amusing to indulge in his own entertainment.


    "Yes?"


    "Oh...oh...oh. You''re in big trouble, you filthy bastard!" The figure shouted and rushed toward Nn, raising his hand and repeatedly banging on Nn''s chest.


    However, Nn didn''t move a single step backward.


    The guy continued his relentless punches and battle cry before eventually stopping and dropping to both knees, breathing heavily.


    ''How weak is he, seriously?''


    He asked himself.


    He hadn''t even reacted once and endured all the blows¡ªif they could even be called that¡ªand yet the ''girl-boy'' was gasping for air as if he had just been through the greatest battle of his life.


    "You... you filthy creature. How could you make me go through so much pain!" he shouted, struggling to catch his breath.


    "Under your bed, and sofa¡ªthere are cobwebs!"


    "Look at the ground, there are strands of dirt! Filthiness! You all reek of filthiness!" he spat in anger, and Nn looked at him dumbly.


    Was that why he was visibly annoyed with him? Because of filth?


    And Nn himself was anything but filthy.


    How could having some cobwebs and dirt be termed as one being filthy?


    "Tch, bastards."


    "They just had to put I, Norgomedev, in a filthy room, with a filthy iron-bodied mongrel like you."


    "Damn this bastard of an academy."


    "Get away from my sight. I don''t want to see you..." he said, waving his hand at Nn before dropping back to the ground and continuing his scrubbing.


    Only now did Nn finally understand what he wanted.


    It seemed the academy had allowed Neers who had just arrived to stay in the rooms of those Neers who had yet to move to their own ces.


    Nn guessed that all the students who would soon be Ascendants would have no choice but to share their rooms with the new arrivals.


    That realization saved the poor young man in front of him from a relentless beating.


    Nn simply ignored the strange girly-eyed alien and walked into his room.


    Upon arriving, he couldn''t help but notice something different.


    It was... clean!


    So clean that it was sparkling white, and Nn''s jaw dropped.


    He had always considered himself a neat individual and always took good care of the room he lived in.


    Yet,paring the cleanliness of his room now to how it had been previously was likeparing a dustbin to a holy worship ce.


    Iparable.


    He looked to the side and found his bag properly ced on the study table, and the same could be said of the rest of his books.


    Walking toward the wardrobe, Nn found all of his clothes hung properly on hangers, and even his dirty clothes were now sparkling and well-ced within the wardrobe.


    "Don''t tell me he even washed my clothes because he couldn''t stand their dirtiness?" Nn thought dumbly to himself.


    But his mind buzzed when he looked deeper into the wardrobe, searching for something only to be unable to find it.


    "Where?"


    "Where is the scroll!!!?" Nn screamed out loud in shock.


    He had made sure to keep the scroll, given to him by the Antean king, hidden and safe, because it was a scroll none but him must see.


    Yet right now, the ce where he had confidently hidden it was empty, cleaner than Nn could remember it.


    That meant only one person could have taken it.


    STEP


    STEP


    STEP


    The sound of footsteps rang out as Nn removed his head from the wardrobe, finding the guy''s shadow approaching.


    "Hey! Where''s the scroll!?" Nn asked loudly.


    The footsteps stopped and grew louder until the guy appeared before him.


    "You mean that weird scroll? It''s up above your head..." He said, pointing at Nn''s head.


    Nn turned his head upward and saw a small shelf close to the ceiling, with the scroll barely visible.


    Immediately, Nn jumped up, soaring to the ceiling, and grabbed the scroll before staring hard at it.


    "Did you open it?" he asked the guy with a calm tone, yet Nn''s mind was calcting.


    King Sammodra had told him no one must see the content of the scroll, or he would be putting himself in danger, and his life would most likely end.


    Yet, there was now this six-eyed guy who had touched it.


    Who knows if he had seen the contents or not? Whatever it is, Nn might have to take some drastic actions if his secret had been revealed.


    "When I saw where it was hidden, in the cupboard instead of the table, I knew it was something probably special."


    "I tried opening it, but it wouldn''t even budge at all. Useless thing..." the boy said with an uninterested expression before walking out of the room with his bucket and mop.


    "Can''t be opened?" Nn mused to himself as he looked at the scroll in his hand.


    Grabbing it, Nn tried to twist off the cover, but veins bulged dangerously on his arm as he desperately tried to wriggle the cover away, yet the scroll wouldn''t budge at all.


    It was just as the guy had said¡ªthe scroll wasn''t moving.


    "What the hell?" Nn wondered in shock, as his dagger appeared in his hand.


    But before he could use it, he was stopped by the system''s notification.


    [Don''t bother. Your power right now isn''t enough to twist open the lid. The only thing that can help you open it is your Anti-Aether energy.]


    [So, unless you employ your Anti-Aether energy, you won''t be able to open that scroll.]


    [The six-eyed boy is too weak to possess the strength to open it, so he couldn''t have seen the contents.]


    [Well, unless he has Anti-Aether energy like you, and he''s just lying.] The system said and Nn knitted his eyebrows furrowed before calming down.


    He had doubted the boy''s im and thought he might have read it.


    But with the system telling him that only someone with exceptional strength, which even Nn currentlycked, or someone with Anti-Aether energy could open it, he no longer doubted.


    The boy was too weak. He couldn''t have been strong enough, and Nn was the only one with Anti-Aether energy in the world, so there was no way.


    That meant his secret was still safe.


    "Phew," Nn exhaled loudly as he copsed into his seat.


    For a second, he had really been scared.


    [What would you have done to him if he had read it?]


    [You seemed to me like you were ready to kill an innocent person just to protect your little secret.]


    The system teased Nn, though it also seemed genuinely curious.


    When Nn had asked the boy if he had read the scroll, the system could sense all his muscles tense up, as if Nn was ready for battle.


    It was a sign that the system took as Nn being prepared to kill the boy.


    But was Nn really that determined?


    Would he kill an innocent boy who just happened to figure out his secret? Was he that cold and heartless?


    To the system''s question, Nn remained silent, but the system wouldn''t let it go.


    [What would you have done, Nn, if the boy had learned your Anti-Aether secret?]


    [Would you have killed an innocent boy just to keep your secret safe?]


    The system pestered on, and Nn turned his eyes towards it.


    ''Do you really want to know what I would have done?'' He asked the system whose silence was enough for a reply.


    ''I would have done...what needed to be done, to protect my life!''


    [Even if it means an innocent boy getting killed?]


    ''Even if it means an innocent boy getting hurt.'' He repeated.

 Chapter 170: Chat With Norgomedev 1

    [Hmmm]


    To Nn''s reply, the system only gave a simple response before quieting down once more.


    Since his scroll was still safe, and he had learned that the scroll couldn''t even be opened except with Anti-Aether, Nn felt reassured.


    Therefore, he rose up and prepared.


    Tomorrow would be the day they would all be leaving for the Ascendant Hierarchy area and he needed to prepare himself before morning came.


    There wasn''t much to prepare for though.


    Aside from his clothes and his bag, he didn''t have anything else that was his.


    The room he lived in belonged to the academy, so he couldn''t take it with him, and the same could be said for the majority of his tools.


    His books, which he had taken from the library, could be considered his secondary possessions, but those also belonged to the academy, and to the neers, to be specific.


    They would be of no use in the Ascendant area since they would all be given new books and taught new lessons.


    So Nn didn''t think he needed to bring them with him.


    That left him with just his bag and clothes, and in less than a few seconds, Nn packed all his clothes into the bag.


    He had about five trousers and three shirt and a hoodi, excluding the one he was currently wearing.


    Not really much, so everything fit perfectly into the bag.


    Done with that, he ced the bag beside the bed so he could easily reach for it the next day, and he made sure to pack the scroll as well.


    The scroll was currently one of Nn''s most important possessions,.if not the most important.


    He should have already read it, as it had been quite a while since it had been given to him by King Sammodra.


    However, he hadn''t checked it yet, since the Ascendant test began shortly after, and he couldn''t find the time or the clear-headed space to properlyprehend the vital information said to be inside.


    But he was aware that he would be able to properly go through it once he got to the Ascendant Hierarchy and bnced his life again.


    That would be the best time to review and properly digest the content.


    For now, he could set it aside.


    With his belongings arranged, and him being fully prepared for tomorrow, Nn felt at ease.


    He didn''t want to leave his room anymore, so he simply went to the bed andid down, staring nkly at the sky.


    It was currently sunset, and fiery orange hues spread across the entire lower atmosphere in the distance.


    Quietly, time passed as he remained unmoving, his mind drifting here and there, but he entertained none of the thoughts, simply allowing them to weave around in his head.


    "Phew! Finally done!"


    The loud exhale rang out as Nn heard the sound of footsteps inching closer and closer, followed by the door to the room opening, and the footsteps stepping in.


    He knew who it was already, so he didn''t bother turning his gaze.


    He could hear the sound of hands scattering clothes and opening wardrobes, but he didn''t react to it.


    To Nn, this was no longer his room¡ªit was now the young man''s.


    All he needed was to stay for the night, and then he would be gone by morning.


    The ruffling went on for quite some time, until silence returned to the room due to Norgomodev stepping out, and a couple of hours passed before the footsteps were once again heard inside.


    Norgomodev stepped in once more and was quite surprised to see the iron-bodied mongrel still on the bed, in the same position as he had left him.


    Nn''s gaze hadn''t left the window, which he was staring at dazedly, and now the stars were beginning to appear in the sky.


    It seemed like he was deep in thought, yet his clear eyes revealed that he was still present.


    It was a bizarre sight to Norgomodev.


    But it had nothing to do with him, so he quietly walked toward the bathroom to take a clean shower, ensuring his already sparkling body remained free of any filth.


    He just couldn''t risk having even the tiniest dust on him.


    A quick shower was taken, and Norgomodev dressed well before exiting the bathroom and returning to the room.


    It was now nighttime, and while he wanted to go out sightseeing, he feared getting dust on himself.


    Besides, it was night, and not very safe. So he dismissed the idea.


    Better safe than sorry was his Patriarch''s Most believed wordings.


    That left him alone with the iron-bodied mongrel, who was still viewing the window.


    Creeping silence filled the room, and while Nn was more than fine with it¡ªhe even enjoyed it¡ªthe same couldn''t be said for Norgomodev, and therefore, he attempted to break the silence.


    "Hey, you okay?" he asked Nn as he sat on the chair beside the study table.


    "Why?" Nn''s thick voice rang through the room, his eyes still gazing at the window.


    "Just noticed you''ve been staring at that window for quite a while now."


    "Makes me wonder if there''s something about it that I can''t see, or maybe you just have something on your mind¡­" Norgomodev answered.


    "Yes, I''m fine¡­" Nn replied, and silence reigned once more.


    "I''m Norgomodev, by the way¡­" Norgomodev called out after the silence became stifling.


    Nn finally tore his gaze from the moonlit sky and turned it toward the young man.


    "I''ll be gone by tomorrow morning. You''ll never meet me again, and I''ll never meet you again, so there''s no need for any sort of familiarity," Nn answered.


    He could understand where Norgomodev was going, but Nn felt it was needless and useless.


    He was a neer who had just gotten into the academy, while Nn was heading to the Ascendant Hierarchy in a few hours from now.


    There was no need for any sort of familiarity between them¡ªthey probably wouldn''t meet for the next three years.


    In fact, it was more likely that they would never meet again at all so why bother?

 Chapter 171: Chat With Norgomedev 2

    "Don''t worry. I''m not trying to get familiar with you."


    "I don''t get familiar with filthy people. I''m just bored to death," Norgomodev said as Nn''s forehead creased slightly.


    He asked the six-eyed young man,


    "What''s with you and filth?"


    It seemed to Nn that the girly guy was just obsessed with cleanliness at a level that even made Nn feel it was weird.


    "You obviously don''t know what race I am, do you?" Norgomodev asked, and Nn had to agree.


    He truly had no idea about a race with six eyes.


    "I am an Hexaive, and if there''s one thing we''re known for, it''s our ability to spot even the smallest speck of dirt or disruption in the natural aura surrounding an area."


    "Even the tiniest bit of dirt to me is more hated than the sight of a dying person," Norgomodev replied.


    Nn hummed in though finally understanding.


    It seemed the young man''s obsession wasn''t due to pride or ego but more of a racial fixation.


    "Okay."


    "Just be careful throwing the word ''filthy'' around others here."


    "You might get swollen lips for that..." Nn advised.


    While he might be willing to ignore the fact that he had been called filthy more than twice or thrice now, not many others would be able to take things lying down.


    If Norgomodev had tried that with the older neers, he''d probably end up with nothing but swollen lips.


    "It''s fine. I can defend myself," Norgomodev said, as Nn looked him up and down.


    "More like you could save yourself some trouble by being more careful with how you use your words¡­"


    The young man had tried everything to beat Nn up before, yet Nn didn''t move back a single inch¡ªeven though he wasn''t trying to block or defend himself.


    And here he was, iming he could defend himself?


    How?


    With those weightless fist of his?


    "You don''t believe me?" Norgomodev asked, and Nn simply looked at him nkly, though his eyebrow raised when he noticed two of Norgomodev''s eyes beginning to light up.


    What was weird was that one of the eyes was glowing with a crackling blue energy, while the other had a ming red hue.


    Slowly, both eyes began brightening until the power oozing from them was enough to make Nn''s spine tingle.


    But soon, the light in them began to dim, and the lightning and me aura slowly disappeared, until Norgomodev''s eyes regained their dark color.


    "So, do you see now that I can defend myself?" Norgomodev asked.


    Nn hummed a little before nodding.


    The young man wasn''t as weak as he seemed.


    He might be weak physically, but his special power probably belonged to those eyes of his.


    "You''ll be fine for a while," Nn replied, but his interest was piqued.


    "Howe I''ve never seen anyone from your race before?"


    "I''m pretty sure there''s no neer with six eyes, or at least I''ve never met one," Nn asked, and Norgomodev shrugged.


    "Most of my race nevere to the academy."


    "We''re an isted race."


    "I''m only here because I wanted to see the bigger world and meet the many other races that exist."


    "In short, you were bored," Nn summarized, and Norgomodev nodded helplessly.


    "Must be strange for an isted race. You''re an anomaly, aren''t you?" Nn asked, and Norgomodev had to agree.


    He truly was an abnormal person in his race.


    He had always found the ways of his people incredibly boring.


    Sitting in a secluded valley for more than thousands of years, which was their natural lifespan, was something Norgomodev couldn''t imagine.


    Such a boring, lonely and empty llife.


    What was even stranger was the fact that he was the only one who felt that way.


    The majority of his n members were already used to it.


    That was why, eventually, Norgomodev had chosen to leave his n and explore the outside world.


    He had gone through hell, performing incredibly difficult tasks to get permission from the patriarch.


    But he had seeded against all odds and was finally allowed to leave.


    However, he had to return in just two years.


    That was the agreement.


    Still, one could say he was quite an anomaly, and Nn was right.


    "What race are you?" Norgomodev suddenly asked.


    Nn''s lips parted, and he was about to say a word when he changed it at thest second.


    "I''m a Kratorian," he answered.


    "Oh, no wonder you have such a hard body."


    "I''ve been told that those belonging to the Kratos Descent are rage-filled barbarians¡ªbrawn but no brains?" Norgomodev asked, and a grin forming on Nn''s lips.


    "You''re in for some surprises here at the academy," Nn said aloud, causing Norgomodev to gaze at him quietly for a while.


    ording to what his n had told him, the Kratos Descendants race wasn''t something he should worry about, as long as he was able to keep his distance from them in battle.


    He should be able to overwhelm them with his eye powers.


    They were like Titans¡ªstrong, but not very intelligent, and should be easily dealt with.


    But now, looking at Nn, who imed to be a Kratorian, it didn''t seem like he was a person with only brawn and no brains.


    "So, what are your powers? Your punches and kicks?" Norgomodev asked with a curious expression, and Nn nodded.


    "You could say that¡­"


    "As expected. You really are barbarians."


    "The first ability I awakened is my Lightning Eye, something most of my n can only awaken by the time they open their fourth or fifth eye.


    It''s one of the strongest eyes and almost unbeatable!" Norgomodev imed with a cocky, prideful tone.


    "That''s interesting," Nn replied, raising an eyebrow.


    "Of course it is¡­" Norgomodev replied with a huff, as Nn rolled his eyes.


    ''Naive little brat.''


    "My second awakening gave me my second eye ability¡ªthe ming Red Eyes. It''s also one of the top ten strongest eyes in the entire n," Norgomodev continued.


    "Less fast and a little less destructive than the Lightning Eye, but it''s quite effective for causing mass destruction and horrific pain,"


    Norgomodev added, and soon going on and on about his eye''s powers.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he listened attentively.


    He was starting to understand something about the special race of Hexives.

 Chapter 172: An Help And A Lesson

    The first thing Nn noticed was that the person before him belonged to a race where their power was majorly controlled by their eyes.


    And the first thing Nn observed was that Norgomodev possessed a total of six eyes.


    He wasn''t really too sure, but he guessed that the slit on his forehead was also an eye.


    However, he was willing to discount that one as it was the only eye that was shut.


    Based on what he''d learned from Norgomodev and what he''d been able to observe for himself, one of Norgomodev''s eyes emitted lightning, and the other spat out mes.


    These were just two of eyes Norgomodev had been able to awaken.


    If the young man before him were to reach his full potential, he could control a total of six elements!


    One had to understand that a single element was usually specific to a bloodline, and a person who controlled a me bloodline would find it nearly impossible to control lightning at the same time, unless they were a prodigy.


    Even then, they would only be able to control exactly two elements.


    Yet, here was a boy who could potentially possess six at full potential.


    This revealed to Nn just how special the Hexives races eally were.


    Beyond their ability to control six elements due to their eyes, it was also clear that the Hexives had better sensory abilities than normal celestial heirs, and their eyes seemed ultra-sensitive to dirt.


    That was an added advantage to their specialty.


    It was something truly impressive.


    "You know, there are also a few members of my n reportedly in the academy."


    "Hmm, really?" Nn asked.


    he didn''t really know if that''s true or not since he had yet to go out to the higher level of the academy.


    ''f you say you haven''t met a person like me before, you''ll most likely meet them in the upper parts of the academy."


    "Just know, if there''s something we hate the most, it would be getting dirty and lying!"


    "So please, don''t lie to one of my race."


    "We can sense it as easily as breathing, and definitely don''t get filthy with us."


    "We can kill for that!" Norgomodev said.


    Nn stared at him for a while before nodding his head.


    The boy had actually done him a favor.


    At least if he ever had a roommate in the Ascension area or met a person like Norgomodev, he would be able to avoid getting on their bad side on the first day of meeting.


    The boy had helped him a bit.


    "You''ve done me a favor, Norgomodev."


    "Let me repay the favor and tell you something..." Nn suddenly called out to the boy, whose ears perked up as he looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, brimming with naivety.


    "And what is that?" Norgomodev asked and Nn''s eyes turned serious.


    "Firstly, you''ll do better here keeping your powers a secret known only to you."


    "Stop unting your powers for others to see..." Nn warned seriously, but his words only brought confusion to Norgomodev.


    "And why is that?" he asked.


    "Because one moment, you can beughing with the new ''friends'' you''ve just made, and in the next, their de will be an inch from your neck¡ªstopped in time, if you''re lucky, by your shaky arms."


    "If they knew your strengths and weaknesses, just like I now know that your right and left eyes at the foremost part can shoot out beams of lightning and me, then the difficulty of driving that de through your neck reduces by 90%."


    "At least now, I know that I simply need to avoid your gaze to bring you to your death. It''s easier than before when I don''t even know what your powers are."


    "So, don''t go around shing your cool powers to everyone."


    Nn exined lengthily, but the young man still couldn''t grasp his point. It was something Nn could immediately sense on seeing how Norgomodev was looking at him nkly.


    "Imagine it like a wealthy man with five star coins, in a world where everyone else has only three and are willing to kill to gain one more."


    "And then you, who got five due to some lucky situation, start shing your five coins around for others to see."


    "What do you think will be of you?"


    "There''s no trust here. You''re all alone."


    "Letting others know your weaknesses will make you the first to fall."


    That was all Nn said before he turned his gaze away from the boy and looked towards the window.


    Slowly, his eyelids quivered, and Nn drifted into a slumbering state.


    Through the night for about three hours, Norgomodev simply stared at Nn, whose expression remained calm as he breathed in and out.


    Norgomodev''s eyes soon shed, and a grin appeared on his face.


    "So, you can''t even sleep fully because of my presence."


    "Is it that bad?"


    Norgomodev said to himself, and Nn, who was clearly in deep sleep, opened one of his eyes and grinned at him.


    "I wouldn''t doubt it if someone told me you were nted here just to drill a hole through my skull while I was sleeping."


    "So, no, I don''t trust you at all, Norgomodev."


    "Not even after I told you the secret of my power?" Norgomodev asked, and Nn chuckled.


    "Not even after I know for sure that you''re no threat to me at all, because you''re naive and very innocent. You''re too dumb to be an assassin."


    "Still, I can''t sleep with both eyes closed..."


    "You don''t even trust your own judgment. You have serious trust issues. You know that, right?" Norgomodev asked.


    Nn dazedly looked at him for a while before turning his gaze away and settling into his nap.


    Norgomodev eventually left the room, and Nn could hear the sound of him lying on the sofa and propping his head with a pillow.


    It was clear the young man had gone to sleep.


    [Don''t you think what he said is true, though?]

 Chapter 173: Serious Trust Issues

    The system notification suddenly appeared before Nn''s closed eyes.


    "What do you mean?"


    [The fact that he said you have trust issues. I think he''s right, don''t you?]


    [Like, I mean, you chose to bury yourself underground when you wanted to undergo your first tribtion instead of believing in anyone or even the academy itself to keep you safe.]


    [You literally buried yourself, Nn. That''s some serious trust issues.]


    [So, why do you even have such deep trust issues?]


    The system asked, and Nn remained silent for a while before responding.


    "It''s just who I am¡­"


    [It''s fine if you don''t want to talk about it, but that''s a lie.]


    "Why do you think so?"


    [Because everyone is born with the ability to trust.]


    [Kids at birth trust anything¡ªthey even trust the mes, and that''s why they put their hands in them.]


    [They only stop trusting fire because they''ve been burned.]


    [The only reason you''ve lost trust in almost everything but yourself is because you''ve been burned before.]


    [And you''ve been burned quite badly, Nn.]


    [I wonder who burned you so badly.] The system''s words hit home, and Nn had to admit it was right.


    The reason why Nn trusted no one in the academy was because of the lesson he had learned from the previous Nn.


    He had been bullied to by his own ssmates, beaten to death, and thrown into a pit to rot.


    And yet, no one cared whether he lived or died¡ªnot even the academy.


    How could Nn ce his trust in anything, knowing full well that the body he now inhabited was that of someone who had been killed by his own ssmates and discarded by the academy?


    But it was more than just that.


    Nn had never struggled with trust issues only because of the academy¡ªhe had seen hell in his previous world too.


    He had been turned into a ve for the rest of his life.


    Where was the trust in that?


    Thepany he worked for was corrupt to the core, his father was a rotten man, and his mother couldn''t be said to be too far from that.


    He had trusted them all, and yet, how had they repaid him?


    Even now, although Nn harbored no prejudice toward them, he hadn''t forgotten the sting of their betrayal, if it could even call it that at all.


    Perhaps that was how the world worked.


    He couldn''t erase that from his memory.


    "There''s no trust in this world, system. Not even in this one. The word ''trust'' doesn''t exist..." Nn said.


    If there was any sort of qualification to say that, perhaps he he could be part of those qualified.


    He, who had lived for two lifetimes, should be able to understand better than most.


    [That''s a ridiculous thing to say, don''t you think?]


    [I mean, how can there be no trust in the world?] The system asked, but Nn only smiled before falling into an unresponsive slumber.


    [If there''s no trust in the world, don''t you want to put it back into the world?]


    [Don''t you want to give the world what itcks? If the worldcks trust, then give it.]


    The system''s words floated through Nn''s subconscious.


    "You misunderstand me, system."


    [What?]


    "Why should I bother myself with giving trust to the world?"


    "It''s rotten to the bone already. Why should I ever bother myself with the task of fixing it?" Nn said with a snort.


    [Maybe you''ll find a reason soon.]


    "I won''t," Nn shut it down before closing his eyes, forcing himself into sleep.


    "You''re awake while I''m sleeping, right?" Nn suddenly asked the system.


    [Yeah.]


    "Good. Then keep an eye on that boy."


    [You really don''t trust him, do you? I mean, what can he even do?]


    [I mean his eyes are impressive, but It''d be a miracle if his light beams could even pierce through your iron skin...] The system teased.


    "Just keep an eye on him. Wake me up if he stands up from that sofa.]


    [No matter what happens, wake me up once he moves. Do you understand?" Nn asked.


    [So, you trust me, huh?] The system quipped with a teasing tone.


    "If I die, you''ll wait for millions of eons before you find another host like me."


    "I don''t know how istion feels, but I''m pretty sure it can''t be fun even for someone like you."


    "So, you wouldn''t want to return to your endless years of slumber just because some naive boy drilled a hole through my skull with his light beam, and you were too ''tired or simply feel'' like not waking up, you would you?" Nn asked.


    [Tch, and here I was starting to feel good about myself.]


    [Snore off, go away.]The system muttered, seemingly offended, but Nn only rolled his eyes before slowly sumbing to the sleep that had been pulling at him.


    He finally fell into a deep slumber.


    His body wasn''t in the best state due to his relentless training, and thus when he slept, it was as if he were a dead man, save for the soft snores ringing from his mouth.


    Hispletely rxed state allowed his body to recover.


    His torn muscles mended themselves, growing even stronger due to the constant strain from training over the past week.


    The small cuts on his body also slowly mended.


    ---


    Hours passed quickly, the only sound in the rooming from the two boys'' gentle snores.


    Surprisingly, Norgomodev''s snore was as loud as an elephant''s, booming throughout the room.


    The poor boy even fell from the sofa at a time in the night yet continued snoring away.


    Night passed, and soon the early morning light shone on Nn''s pale face.


    [WAKE UP!!!]


    The system''s sudden shout jolted Nn from his bed, causing him tond face-first on the ground, his butt poking into the sky.


    "Will this happen every time from now on?" Nn couldn''t help but grumble as he slowly rose, rubbing his red face.


    Then his eyes snapped open.


    "Finally!" he eximed, skipping to the bathroom.


    Today was the day they would be going to the Ascendants'' area of the academy.

 Chapter 174: Heading Out

    "You up!?"


    As Nn wiped the water from his hair with a white towel, the voice of Norgomodev called out from behind. He tossed the towel aside without a second thought.


    He was already prepared for the morning.


    With one swift motion, he yanked up his bag, slinging it effortlessly onto his back, then turned to look at Norgomodev, who stood by the side.


    "Yes. Goodbye," Nn said simply, before stepping past him.


    "Goodbye..." Norgomodev''s whisper was barely audible as the door closed firmly behind him, shutting off the room.


    Exhaling loudly, Nn wasn''t too surprised to find others like him also stepping out of their doors.


    Compared to him, however, they carriedrge travel bags filled with their belongings.


    "Well, if it isn''t the new prodigy of the academy, Nn Gottschald," one of the students, a young alien with purple skin and bright, stony-purple eyes, called out to him, followed by the giggling of the others standing at their doorsteps.


    "How you doing?" another asked as they all walked forward, and Nn followed after them down the steps.


    "Great. And you?"


    "Who wouldn''t be doing more than great with today being the day we finally get to move to the Ascendant ss?" another student chimed in, a big smile on his face, his excitement palpable.


    One didn''t need to be told how good the mood was, and his point made sense to Nn.


    Which Neer wouldn''t be happy today after they had sessfully passed the first step?


    "I heard that we''re all supposed to meet at the Neer''s Hall. There''s still an hour left before we''re scheduled, so we''ll be fine."


    ''Hmm,'' a silent hum escaped Nn''s lips upon hearing that.


    He hadn''t been aware of that and had assumed they''d go straight to the ssroom and be led to the Ascendants'' area along with the remaining students.


    Who would have thought it would be the opposite, and everyone would gather at the Neer''s Hall instead?


    He guessed it was due to his absence the past week.


    They had probably given the announcement, and he had missed it.


    Thankfully, he knew now.


    With little chatter among the students, Nn followed them until they all reached the Neer''s Hall.


    Just as before, the staff were there, recording their names.


    Nn gave his as well. The scene was probably a way to ensure no one tried to slip in illegally.


    Any student attempting to do so would be identified and kicked out.


    Nn easily made his way inside and headed towards his usual seat.


    The number of students this time was incredibly lowpared to normal, but still, quite a few had managed to pass to the next stage.


    He hadn''t been seated for too long when he felt someone''s gaze lingering on him.


    Turning his head, he saw a figure skipping towards him.


    "Forgot your buddy, huh, Nn?" The figure asked as he copsed onto the seat beside Nn, a big smile on his face, while giving Nn a light punch on the shoulder.


    "Ow?" Nn muttered, rolling his eyes at the figure.


    "You''re not my buddy," he said to the person, who adjusted his sses beforeughing out loud.


    The person was none other than Wiro, and he seemed to be in a particrly good mood today.


    Nn didn''t need to be told the reason why.


    "Ah, Nn."


    "No need to be so headstrong. Look at me and you!" Wiro called out, and Nn directed his gaze at him.


    "We''re both Ascendants, Nn!"


    "Hmm-hmm. Technically, we''re still Neers because we haven''t reached the¡ª"


    "Who asked you, kid?" a voice rang out from the side but was quickly shut down by Wiro.


    Nn turned to look at the poor green-haired guy who was sitting in the third seat.


    On sighting him, one word came to Nn''s mind: ''Lizard boy.''


    The guy looked exactly like a lizard, even having a tail that draped across hisp, his skin textured with scales.


    Except, he was some strange green lizard, with greenish scales covering parts of his face.


    "Sorry," the guy mumbled apologetically, turning his head away from them, and Wiro huffed before refocusing on Nn.


    "Ignore the Norse guy. We''re already Ascendants, Nn."


    "So, what do you say we put the past behind us?"


    "All the terrible things I did in the Neer''s area¡ªI''ve decided to turn over a new leaf."


    "A good and smart move for me, isn''t it?" Wiro asked, grinning while Nn nced him over before rolling his eyes.


    ''Turn a new leaf, my ass,'' he thought.


    "Where are your goons?" Nn suddenly asked, noticing the absence of the usual trio that always followed Wiro around.


    The ones who had helped him bully Nn these past years.


    "They all failed the test."


    "Couldn''t make it through the three trials and were automatically kicked out," Wiro replied, to which Nn gave a half-hearted "oh" before turning away.


    He wasn''t too surprised at their failure.


    If anything surprised him, it would be Wiro''s ability to pass.


    Nn had expected him to fail as well.


    Not like he cared at all, he just didn''t think the jerks possessed what was necessary for them to move up the Ascendants ss.


    And they all almost proved him right, except for Wiro and that was probably because he changed somehow after hisst meeting with Nn.


    "You''ve grown bigger since thest time I saw you," Wiro suddenlymented, ncing at Nn, who raised an eyebrow and looked down at himself.


    True to Wiro''s observation, Nn had bulked up a bit more.


    "And you''ve lost a lot of weight too..."


    "Yes, I have. Even I know that," Wiro said with a triumphant expression, as if he had been waiting for Nn to mention it.


    "For thest few years, I always thought the training room was useless because my strongest ability is based on intelligence."


    But then, I decided to give it a try just once¡ªjust so I wouldn''t have the shit scared out of my ass the next time I see you."


    "Hehe"

 Chapter 175: They Arrive

    "Since then, I''ve fallen in love with the pain and even shed a few pounds in the training room."


    "That''s how I even managed to break through to the Heavenly Disciple stage."


    "Unbelievable, isn''t it? I guess I owe you some thanks after all." He said to Nn, who whispered back, "Whatever."


    But soon, Nn''s eyes furrowed in irritation as he directed his gaze toward the academy entrance, noticing a figure¡ªa figure that had the entire crowd parting away from him.


    It was none other than Nn''s most hated enemy at the moment, Quinn Vampiro.


    The dark-scaled guy''s face was emotionless, but he stopped upon entering the Neer Hall as his gaze instantly met Nn''s from further back.


    Quinn shed a sickening, evil smile, revealing his blood-red fangs, before walking toward his seat at the absolute front.


    [He has grown stronger.]


    The system notification shed to Nn, whose forehead tightened with veins of frustration.


    But they soon receded.


    ''Whatever,'' Nn thought.


    "Seems like you and Quinn still haven''t buried the hatchet yet?" Wiro asked, noticing the tense exchange between them. Nn raised an eyebrow at him.


    "Bury the hatchet?" Nn repeated.


    "Yeah. It meansing to a truce on your..."


    "I understand your idiom, Wiro. What I don''t understand is why you''d think we would ever bury our hatchet."


    "Our hatchet will never be buried," Nn said tly.


    "I guess so," Wiro shrugged. "Unless, of course, one of your heads gets buried with the hatchet, right?" he added, to which Nn merely hummed in response.


    The conflict between him and Quinn would never end unless both or one of them died¡ªand even then, Nn would still aim to kill him.


    The only reason Quinn was still alive was because Nn wasn''t strong enough to fight the death guardian protecting him.


    Once he reached a sufficient level of strength, he would bring an end to Quinn and rip apart his guardian in pieces.


    Only then would their hatchet be buried.


    "I''ll just warn you to be careful, though. Right now, it seems like you have the upper hand, and Quinn has the lower hand."


    "But when you both get to the Ascendant area of the academy, things might change drastically," Wiro whispered, and Nn''s furrowed gaze turned toward him.


    "What do you mean?" Nn asked, somehow sensing that Wiro had an unusually deep knowledge of how the academy worked¡ªdeeper than him or anyone Nn knew.


    That was the reason he could tolerate Wiro''s presence around him sometimes.


    "Do you remember that I told you Quinn is a prodigy of a powerful dark bloodline?" Wiro whispered, and Nn nodded.


    "What you might not know is that Quinn isn''t the only prodigy from his family in the academy."


    "Actually, Quinn''s family¡ªthe Vampiro n¡ªis a family with deep heritage within the academy itself."


    "They''ve had various geniuses learning from this ce for years."


    "Right now, in the Neers area, the only Vampiro is Quinn himself. But that won''t be the case once we all enter the Ascendant hierarchy."


    "There, it will be like Quinn arriving within his own castle."


    "Many of his n members are Ascendants in the academy, and once Quinn enters that hierarchy, he will have the support of his brothers and sisters who will undoubtedly look out for him."


    "Even if they don''t like him, they would still fight for him because he''s one of their own."


    "But what about you, Nn?"


    "Who do you have in the Ascendants area that will support you if Quinn decides to use the power of his n members against you?"


    "I''ve also heard that thepetition and deaths in the Ascendants area are even more intense than what we''ve faced here in the Neers area."


    "Neers like us will spend the first few yearsying low and avoiding the gazes of the older Ascendants, or we''ll be screwed."


    "You''ve already gotten yourself in trouble with one of the most powerful pirs of the Ascendant hierarchy due to your skirmish with Quinn."


    "So, do you understand why you need to be careful?" Wiro asked, and Nn''s eyes gleamed with an otherworldly brightness before he frowned.


    ''Tch, howe I didn''t consider that before?'' He thought, irritated by his own oversight.


    "So, for now, I''d advise you to avoid confrontation with Quinn."


    "He''ll have more power in the Ascendant hierarchy than you will."


    "Better to focus on improving your strength."


    "And if you want to be perfectly safe, I''d suggest joining a faction¡ªone that could protect you from the wrath of Quinn''s n."


    "Now that you''ve ranked first among all the Neer students, at least a few factions won''t mind taking you in as one of their own, so you''ll be fine," Wiro suggested, offering a reasonable solution.


    Nn hummed in acknowledgment but turned silent.


    "Also, someone told me to¡ª" Wiro started, but suddenly both of them, along with the multitude of students, snapped their gazes upwards to the roof of the stadium.


    There, they saw three figures descending from the sky.


    But the students instantly recognized that these figures weren''t Ascendants.


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    BAAANG!


    What followed were the consecutive sounds of knees dropping to the ground.


    Nn didn''t understand why the sudden knee reaction buy he soon felt a hand grabbed onto his hands and slid him down to the ground as Nn''s finally got down on a knee like the rest.


    His eyes turned to Wiro who was responsible, but he saw his head bowed, respect an reverance shing in his eyes and turning to the rest of the crowd, they were also in the same position with the same reverance.


    Even the prideful Quinn was like that.


    "We the Neers pay respect the Mighty Protectors of the Celestial Academy!!"


    The greetings boomed throughout the entire area exactly at the same time and Nn''s eyes finally widened in shock as he realized who the figures were.


    They were the Protectors!


    The Authority State above even the Instructors themselves.


    They were one of the higher powers of the Academy itself!!

 Chapter 176: Unending Mountain Range

    "Rise!"


    The voice seemed like nothing more than a whisper, yet everyone in the hall felt it reverberating within their heads.


    Immediately, they all rose to their feet as Nn finally took the chance to properly identify the facial features of the Protectors.


    There were a total of two women and one man, all appearing to be around the age of 40, though Nn knew well that their real age was likely twice that.


    ording to what he had read in the library, the Protectors had been in the academy for close to centuries now.


    There was no way they were as young as they appeared to be.


    Even though they were all d in the same white robes that covered most of their bodies, their faces were distinctive.


    The first female had purple skin and a visibly bald head.


    What drew the most attention to her were the strange tattoos that covered her scalp and her snake-like eyes.


    The second female looked more humanoid, with pitch-ck hair and eyes.


    She appeared slightly older, with no visible emotion in her dark eyes.


    The man, who had called them to rise, was a handsome figure with gray hair and an elderly smile on his face.


    Compared to the other two Protectors, his aura felt the most inviting and safe to Nn.


    "Congrattions to all of you who stand before me," the man said. "You''re about to move on to the next hierarchy of our mighty Celestial Academy.


    "Just like the Neer hierarchy, where you are all from, the Ascendant hierarchy is a ce to learn and increase your strength, so as to fulfill your purpose of creation.


    "It is not the highest peak of existence, nor a ce for rxation."


    "Instead, it''s a phase of serious building up for your future.


    "For those of youmitted to being noteworthy and focused on performing your celestial duties perfectly but whock either the knowledge or the power to do so, I can assure you that within the Ascendant hierarchy, you will be able to obtain what you desire¡ªboth power and knowledge."


    Without further ado, the man raised his hand, and something appeared within his grasp.


    It was a golden handkerchief, gently hovering in the air.


    Before the students'' eyes, the handkerchief morphed, bing a mat that grewrger andrger until it almost covered the entire airspace above them.


    In the next instant, the purple-skinned female stretched out her hands towards them, and Nn''s face changed as he felt the gravity around him disappearpletely.


    "What the...?"


    Before he could react, he was whisked up into the air, along with hundreds of Neers.


    Instantly, they allnded on the wide mat, which was big enough to contain all the students standing side by side.


    There was still enough space that, if they all slept next to each other, it would still cover themfortably.


    Nn found himself among the first row of students, mere meters away from the three Protectors who stood at the utmost top of the mat.


    After everyone was settled on the floating mat, the purple-skinned woman raised her hands and gently pressed the air in front of her.


    A purple aura quickly emanated from her arms, forming a dome that covered the entire area, enveloping them like a cocoon.


    Once it did, the dome became invisible, allowing them to see the area once more.


    It was almost as if the purple dome didn''t exist, but Nn knew it did.


    He could no longer feel the wind rustling his hair, something he guessed was the reason the dome had been erected¡ªto protect them from the powerful air currents in the sky.


    "We''ll be moving forth now," the man said.


    Immediately, the mat began moving forward, soaring into the distance and gradually picking up speed.


    Nn had expected some type of imbnce from the students, but he noticed that everyone was able to stand upright, as if their legs had been glued to the mat, which shouldn''t have been possible.


    "A flying mat, huh?" Nn mused to himself with furrowed brows.


    "Why do I feel like I''ve heard this before somewhere?"


    He soon shrugged it off, focusing on the area around him.


    Since he was at the front of the mat, just behind the Protectors, one could argue he had the best view among the remaining students, and Nn wasn''t about to let that go to waste.


    The first thing he tried to do was identify his way back to the Neer area.


    He attempted to memorize the path, but he guessed it was mostly straightforward since they had been moving in a straight line, flying above an unending forest below.


    As much as the students wanted to whisper and murmur amongst themselves, the ce waspletely silent, with none daring to make a sound.


    Nn didn''t have anything to say in the first ce, so he found the silence quitefortable.


    Hours passed by quickly as the mat moved forward at an incredibly fast pace.


    Yet, nothing but the unending forest range stretched beneath them.


    "Hmmm," a slight murmur escaped Nn''s lips.


    In the silence, it was a bit loud and attention-grabbing, but Nn was in his own world and didn''t mind the gazes.


    "Why do I feel like..." Nn mused quietly to himself.


    "Like what?" A voice rang out in front of him.


    It came from none other than the bald purple-skinned woman.


    Nn was taken aback by her question but answered, understanding the situation at hand.


    "It''s like we''ve passed through this ce three times now," he said.


    Nn called out to the purple figure, and immediately, he brought about the lowering of the other students'' heads, who all looked at the vast green forest beneath them with furrowed eyebrows.


    However, there wasn''t much they could say.


    To them, they had all been passing through an unending forest range, and Nn saying they had been passing through the same ce three times seemed, somehow, crazy.


    But they also weren''t sure, and instead, grew suspicious.


    If Nn was correct, why were the Protectors making them pass the same ce a total of three times?


    Just what was happening?


    "Your observation is correct, young Kratorian," the purple woman called out to him as she looked at the ground where they were traveling.


    "Below is not a forest range, but a massive illusion array that turns the world below into an illusion."


    "It''s a pretty powerful illusion array, enough to deceive the majority of you," she said to them, in an umon Jamaican ent.


    Nn rxed a little, confirming to himself that he was right about the fact that they had passed through here before, and the reason was due to the array below, which was nothing but a massive illusion.


    But that also brought about its own questioning.


    Just what was below them that needed such an extensive illusion array to cover?


    Since the area below was not a forest range, what exactly was beneath them? Another set of buildings? Researchbs belonging to the academy? Why did the academy need to put an illusion array below?


    The questions were stifling to Nn, but his facial expression didn''t change.


    Right now, Nn could feel two gazes on him¡ªthe gaze of the grey-haired man and the purple-skinned woman who had answered the question.


    Anyone who heard the purple-skinned woman''s exnation had the same thought, especially the students standing beside Nn.


    And without a doubt, they all wanted to ask why the academy was using an illusion array.


    Yet none of them spoke up.


    The reason was simple: fear.


    The presence of an illusion array to block off their view meant that the academy most likely didn''t want others, especially the neers, to learn what was going on below.


    If they wanted to, they wouldn''t need to use an illusion array.


    That meant whatever was below wasn''t their business, and if they dared ask, who knew how the Protectors would respond?


    Irking the Protectors was nothing short of death, so they all kept quiet, waiting for Nn to ask the question.


    But Nn didn''t open his mouth anymore and simply turned his gaze away from the forest area.


    "He''s a pretty smart young man¡­"


    Thought the grey-haired man whose thoughts reverberated through the mind of the remaining two other protectors.


    "He''s weird."


    Another thought came out and it was from the third woman with pitch ck hair and eyes that feel down her white robe.


    "To notice the illusion array, one will either have a special eyes that allow them to notice abnormalities."


    "An Heavenly Disciple Stage Awakener wouldn''t know that even if they have the best eye bloodline."


    "The only thing left is him having focused in the illusion array for so long that he is able to identify very minute simrities in an area from another area."


    "How many of the students here are focusing on the forest at all. It''s such a boring thing yet here he is."


    "That''s why I say he is Weird."


    The dark haired protector exined herself to the lthers who agreed.


    It was really abnormal.


    "Good, I will say. Only the abnormal ones make it to the end..."

 Chapter 177: The Ascendants Area

    Silently, the flying mat soared into the far distance, and silence reigned for as long as they remained therein.


    But soon, everything changed when they arrived in an area where they broke through an unending mountain range.


    What urred after that was the sky suddenly darkening all around them, followed by the entire world bing a light-filled arena of glowing astral light.


    Yes!


    What was supposed to be an afternoon instantly turned into a bright, astral-night sky.


    GASPS


    Gasps of shock could be heard amongst the students, who looked at the entire area with absolutely gobsmacked expressions, and even Nn was no different.


    It was like they had all moved into an entirely different world¡ªa world of endless stars and astral light.


    "This is the Astral Serenity Jungle..." The voice of the grey-haired Protector rang out as everyone listened.


    "This ce used to be an endless deserted area of nothing but golden hot sands."


    "But one day, a figure was born here, and its birth was so mighty that it changed the entire desertnd into a glowing Astral world."


    He called out, and Nn could see reverence shing in the eyes of the Protectors themselves.


    But his head was buzzing chaotically at the moment.


    ''The birth of something can cause an entire world to undergo a metamorphosis, just from something as simple as birth?''


    ''Is he bluffing?''


    Nn thought to himself, looking at the Protectors, but judging from their expressions, he didn''t think they were lying.


    "If one day, you all are able to see this ce or traverse it alone again, I must warn you of the dangers hiding within this area..." the man continued as he turned to them.


    "The birth of a beast caused this entire ce to change from a desert into this. And what you all must know is the fact that this beast still resides here."


    "I have no idea where, but I''m sure the beast never leaves."


    "If there is something it hates the most, it would be an unnecessary loud sound, such as an explosion."


    "So in this area, you must not fight or make too much noise at all. It is a ce that must be passed with absolute respect and reverence."


    "Anyone who dares to make even the tiniest attack in this area will be tempting fate itself, and his or her death will not be avenged by the academy."


    "That''s the rule of the Astral Serenity Jungle: No noise!"


    He warned in a serious tone before facing back to the front and the mat silently wove through the ind, moving further and further ahead.


    ''Even the Protectors seem wary...'' Nn noticed, and the warning was carefully kept in his mind.


    He didn''t want to die because he made noise in some random ce.


    But something else piqued his interest.


    ''I wonder what type of beast it is?''


    '' Maybe a cat or a serpent?''


    Nn mused to himself, a strange thought forming in his head¡ªthe possibility of making the beast his familiar.


    ---


    Another two hours passed quickly in the strange Astral world, and once more, they appeared before what seemed to be some sort of strange astral-like cocoon.


    Immediately, they arrived about 100 meters away, witnessing the scene of the astral dome quickly parting to the sides.


    Arge circr vortex appeared, and they all quickly disappeared into it.


    What followed was the sensation of the world flipping upside down and time seemingly stopping, but it was so fleeting that in less than a second, Nn felt the world return to him once more.


    Opening his eyes, he took in the sight before him, and immediately his jaw dropped to the ground.


    "What? What is this?"


    The shocked question rang out, and Nn wasn''t the only one whose jaw dropped.


    Almost everyone around him had the same reaction to the sight before them. It was an unbelievable scene.


    "Wee to the Ascendants'' Hierarchy of the Academy..." The Protectors loudly announced as the mount slowed down its speed and gently moved forward.


    Unlike the Neers'' area of the academy, where Nn could see brick-like buildings, the world before him was a realm of ss.


    The sky above was an astral world illuminated by thousands of stars¡ªstars that were never the same, and ones that Nn had never seen before.


    Some of the stars formed majestic constetions of their own, representing various mythologies.


    Nn noticed constetions that resembled the heads of various creatures, almost like celestial figures: a roaring lion, a soaring unicorn, a winged hippopotamus, a powerful bear-like creature, and a humanoid goddess-like figure with nine wings.


    There were various assortments of such constetions, and Nn felt his lips part in awe.


    Some were inanimate objects, such as a scepter, a crown, a ming red staff, and a dangling chain.


    It was like some sort of grand painting cast across the entire sky.


    Even more spectacr than the sky was the ground itself.


    There were buildings made entirely of ss, and what caught Nn''s attention the most were the various pyramid structures.


    Yes!


    Large pyramid structures that reminded him of the Egyptian pyramids on Earth.


    But instead of being golden and made of bricks, these pyramids were made of ss, refracting the light falling from the various constetions shining upon them.


    On the streets, various students¡ªvisibly older than them¡ªwere moving around with mind-bending speed.


    Rhey were like phantoms, shing around here and there, and Nn was gobsmacked when he realized something.


    ''That''s their normal walking speed!?''


    Yet it seemed to him like they were running.


    A single one of their steps covered hundreds of meters, making them look like dragonflies shing around.


    Some of the Ascendants turned their heads upwards when they saw them floating above, but they didn''t pay much attention and simply continued with their business.


    It seemed that their arrival wasn''t too surprising.


    ---


    "The Anscendabts hierarchy, like any civilized and organized hierarchy, of course, possesses its own various rules that must be obeyed to live properly in this ce."


    "That is why the first ce you will be going is the Neer Preparation Hall," the man called out to them as they all soared down towards a massive ss-like structure.


    "The Ascents area of the academy is quite vast, so you will definitely need your maps, your new books, and this time, you will be using the Academy''s uniforms."


    "There are also a couple of other items, such as a runic telmunication device to bettermunicate with others."


    "It will also give you ess to most of the events urring in the academy."


    "That device is where your maps are safely stored, as well as where you''ll receive new orders and announcements," he exined as the mat lowered to the ground, stopping a few inches above the ss ground.


    The students all jumped down.


    "You all go in. Therein lies the next step," the grey-haired man said as they turned toward the ss structure.


    Two instructors were just exiting the building and beckoned them inside.


    Quickly, they followed the instructors, but Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    He turned behind him onest time, scanning the horizon, only to find nothing.


    The three protwctors, along with therge mat that covered the entire area, had vanished instantly.


    What was shocking was that not even the lightest gust of wind had been created. It seemed like they had simply faded into thin air.


    "Their power is as mysterious as ever..." Nn mumbled silently to himself, but he refocused as he looked down at the ground where he was walking.


    Everything beneath his feet was ss.


    He grew even more shocked when he pressed his leg down and realized something unbelievable.


    The ss beneath his feet was harder than the ground he was used to in the Neer''s area.


    As he grew stronger, Nn had noticed the ground in the Neer''s area had started to feel like butter.


    With enough power, he could sendbcracks spreading throughout the entire region.


    But when he exerted strength beneath his feet on the ss, not a single sound was made. Nn even felt a tinge of pain in his legs instead.


    "It''s unbelievable." Nn mused, trying to apply more strength as he walked forward until he arrived before the instructors.


    He exhaled miserably.


    [Don''t bother. The hardness of everything here is about ten times greater than in the Neer''s area. And that applies to the thickness of the air as well.] Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelBin


    Th system said as Nn paused his action and they appeared all arrived before the Instructors who led them straight into the building.


    And soon all the Neers entered into the structure causing the peace of the Ascendants Area to return once more.


    Yet, at the top of a structure 100 meters away from the Structures where the Neers had gone into.


    There stood a singr young man, and anotherdy.


    The man sat atop the structure, where the intensity of the air would be powerful enough to carry an entire Neer structure away from the ground, yet he say there visibly unbothered, white hair pping around in the wind.

 Chapter 178: His New Dorm Room

    "They''ve arrived..." The voice whispered from behind, belonging to none other than the purple-haireddy.


    d in a short white top and purple jeans, her short purple hair gently blew around in the air.


    On her back, one could see a gigantic hammer hung, various dull purple runes littering its surface.


    "He finally has..." The voice replied, as a small smile bloomed on the young man''s face.


    "We should report that to the key holder, shouldn''t we?" thedy reminded, and the young man shook his head.


    "Give him some time and simply watch his moves. It''s not like Niagara would find anything worth noting about him."


    "He''s a man of belief and record, not origin." He replied, as he slowly rose to his feet, standing at the edge of the skyscraper.


    "So, for now, we simply keep watch and ignore all." Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    Those were hisst words before he suddenly fell forward calmly, disappearing from the thousand-meter-high ss structure and rapidly soaring downward.


    The purple-haired girl simply looked at the ce where the young man had fallen from, a slight crease forming on her brow before she once again regained her ultra-calm expression and walked towards the stairs that led down the building.


    ---


    "Finally," Nn mused silently to himself as he looked at the ss structure before him, a small runic card in his hand and a bag slung over his shoulder.


    But on his other shoulder, another bag was hung over¡ªa mixed color of white and blue, and seemingly packed due to its bulky size.


    Before him was a gigantic ss structure close to a thousand meters in height.


    ording to the map on his runic device, this ought to be the dorm room for the newest Ascendants.


    Nn had been searching for close to two hours already, and only now did he finally find it.


    Even with the aid of the map, things were still pretty hard to locate.


    There were just too many buildings, and they were too high, making them difficult to distinguish from afar.


    With a loud inhale, Nn stepped forward, quickly making his way towards the building.


    Walking past therge revolving ss doors, he arrived before a lobby. Looking upward, he found there was no ceiling at all.


    Instead, it was rows and rows of circr walls that depicted other floors, with students walking around here and there.


    Some of the students were visibly older than him, informing Nn they were either previous Ascendants who had repeated the ss or maybe the normal Ascendants.


    Just because the Neers hadpleted their examination didn''t mean the same thing applied to the Ascendants.


    Looking across from him, Nn could see rows of elevators, and he walked towards one of them.


    Upon entering, the elevator door closed, and Nn noticed a slot where a line could be seen.


    His eyes furrowed as he turned to look at his runic card, finding it familiar with the slot, and he swiped it on the slot.


    Immediately, the voice rang out.


    "Qualification essed and Completed."


    "Moving up to the 9th floor!"


    Not waiting a second more, the elevator immediately whisked Nn up, and after a little more than ten seconds, it stopped before opening once more.


    "DING!"


    "Please head to Room Number 999!" The elevator voice rang out as Nn stepped out and looked around the area.


    There were other students walking around the balcony, and from this angle, Nn could stare down to see the students who were on the first floor.


    The 9th floor of the building was one of the highest floors in the structure, making him able to easily view those who were below.


    ''I like it,'' Nn mused silently to himself.


    And it was only due to one reason. If something bad were to ur one day, he would at least be prepared for it and would have seen it from here.


    That time frame of 10 seconds was enough for him to think of a thousand ways to escape the building.


    Once he was done with the assessment, he looked around, noticing the room doors, and quickly he began walking forward.


    There were a lot of room doors, but since he had been told his was Room 999, he expected it to be thest.


    And so, he simply kept walking forward until he arrived at thest door.


    There, just as he guessed, was the ss door.


    Even though it was a ss door, Nn still couldn''t see the insides of it, but he shrugged it off as he moved his hand to the door knob, only to stop when he noticed there was no door knob.


    At the side of the door was the same slot, and Nn hummed.


    They had been told when they were given the runic card that they must protect it with their lives, if possible.


    It had sounded stupid to Nn, but now he knew why.


    If any other person had ess to his runic card, they would essentially be able to ess his room, and indirectly, his belongings¡ªincluding his life.


    It was something he really ought to protect with his life.


    Swiping the card on the door, Nn expected the AI voice to ring out before allowing him entry, but he was shocked when nothing happened.


    "ess denied due to changed coding."


    "Please knock to allow entrance!"


    ''What?'' Nn mused silently as he saw the information and swiped again, only to receive the same message.


    ''Hmmm, don''t tell me...''


    [There''s someone inside already! KNOCK, BONEHEAD!] The system said to him.


    It had grown tired of Nn''s barbarian attitude.


    ''They never mentioned we would be sharing rooms with others, did they?'' Nn defended feeling slight irritation.


    He would love to have had the entire room to himself.


    He just didn''t find it pleasing to share a room with another person, but there wasn''t much choice.


    So, therefore, he raised his hand, preparing to knock, but stopped at thest second.


    It was the sound of the ss door opening, followed by an intensely cold wave of aura pouring out through the entrance.


    Instinctively, Nn''s hands folded over themselves as his body shivered.


    It was cold¡ªintensely cold!


    But Nn ignored the chill as he heard the soft sound of footsteps.


    Turning his head towards the ss door, he saw a figure poking their head through the entrance, and Nn unconsciously took two steps back.


    "My roommate is a... girl!?"


    Shit!


    [Lucky you!]


    The system quipped gleefully in his mind.


    Nn cursed under his breath, but the system only chimed louder.


    However, he had no time to retort as his shock deepened when he saw the girl''s face¡ªsix glowing blue eyes staring nkly at him.


    ''And it just had to be a Hexive too..''


    With those six eyes fixated on him, Nn didn''t know what to say. He mustered the courage and tried to break the awkward silence.


    "Hi...?" He began hesitantly. "I''m guessing this is room 999, which, ording to my runic card here, is my new room?"


    He spoke politely, though a bit awkwardly, while showing his runic card.


    But all he received in return was a scan¡ªfrom his face down to his legs.


    Then, without a word, the Hexive girl retreated back into the room, leaving the ss door open behind her.


    "This won''t end well," Nn thought as he slipped his card back into his pocket and cautiously stepped inside.


    The moment he entered, his jaw nearly dropped.


    The room was filled with an intensely cold, white mist, and the temperature was unbearably freezing.


    "Why the hell is it so cold in here!?" Nn thought angrily, his teeth chattering.


    Unable to bear it any longer, he summoned his dagger, igniting small mes around it to create a bubble of warmth.


    As he walked further in, he noticed he was in the living room¡ªand it was huge!


    It was at least twice the size of Nn''s previous living space.


    In the center was arge, circr sofa, pure white in color, and a ss table that was also a sparkling white.


    But what truly caught Nn''s attention was the TV¡ªmassive, easily twice the size of any he had ever seen on Earth.


    "Well, that''s not too surprising," Nn mused to himself.


    The Celestial Heirs weren''t barbarians; they were no doubt more advanced in technology than humans on Earth in every way.


    The room itself had a few sleek designs, and one thing Nn noticed immediately was how spotlessly clean everything was¡ªthere wasn''t even a speck of dust.


    "Just like Norgomdoev said. Hexives really hate dirt around them!"


    And unconsciously Nn turned to look at the floor where he had walked from and he noticed his own dirty footprint.


    "I have to clean that up..." He thought to himself as he threw his bag on the sofa.


    Before That, Nn himself was covered in dirt from all the travels.


    He had to get rid of that first.


    Looking around the ce there was still a couple of door and Nn''s hope brightened.


    "Maybe we only get to share the same Living room, not the same bedroom..."

 Chapter 179: Settling In

    There were a total of four doors on the side, and Nn quickly skipped towards them, his heart beating in his chest.


    Arriving before one of the doors, he twisted open the knob and peeked inside. Nn''s face brightened when he saw the contents.


    The room was none other than the kitchen, filled to the brim with various foodstuffs.


    Dishes and tes were all perfectly cleaned up, and Nn''s eyes sparkled from the cleanliness and fullness. Continue your journey with m|v-l''-NovelBin


    Now this was what a kitchen really should look like.


    Even the one in the Neers'' area, which he had prided himself on, failed topare to this one.


    With a satisfied nod, Nn shut the door and moved toward the second knob.


    Opening it up, he found a sparkling white bathroom, with a ss jacuzzi at the far side of the room.


    There was also a mini-room with hangers, which was probably the dressing room.


    It was far bigger than his former bathroom.


    He opened the next door after that and was surprised to see another bathroom, looking almost identical to the first one.


    "So, the students share different bathrooms, huh? I guess that''s cool for privacy," Nn thought to himself, but his eyes narrowed when he looked at the bathroom.


    This one was dusty, and seemingly unused, almost as if no one had stepped foot in it since its creation.


    "I guess I know which one is mine now..." he mused, and the system giggled in his head.


    Since there were two bathrooms¡ªone unkept and the other sparkling clean¡ªand knowing his luck, it was safe to say the unkept one was definitely his.


    "I''ll have to clean that up too..." Nn muttered as he turned to the next door and sighed.


    The door before him was the one thedy had walked into, and Nn didn''t need to open it to know it was the bedroom.


    "So, we end up sharing the same bedroom in the end. Tsk, I got too hopeful..." Nn thought to himself as his hand inched towards the door knob, then retreated.


    He walked back to his own bathroom.


    Folding his hoodie''s sleeves, Nn quickly got to work, cleaning up the dusty bathroom and scrubbing the floor thoroughly.


    He had seen how well-kept the room of the Hexgaliev was, so he also decided stepped up his cleaning game.


    He didn''t want to be seen as a dirty person and one could say he had fallen into the ''peer pressure'' group.


    Hours passed in a blink as Nn finally exited the bathroom.


    He was now donning a much lighter shirt and trousers, and his hair clung to his head, showing he had just finished his shower.


    Now, he felt more than alive.


    He had cleaned up all his dirty footprints and even scrubbed the dirt off his body. Now, all that was left was to keep his bag in the bedroom.


    Stepping fully out, Nn arrived in the living room and noticed the TV was currently switched on, ying some kind of drama movie.


    Sitting on thefy sofa was none other than his roommate.


    Standing behind her, he could only see her long white hair and a big bowl of what he immediately interpreted as popcorn on herp.


    Her attention waspletely absorbed in the movie, and Nn didn''t disturb her.


    Instead, he reached for his bag on the other end of the sofa and finally walked towards the bedroom.


    He had wanted to put his bag inside for a while now, but for some reason he had been reluctant to open the bedroom door.


    But now, that feeling had disappeared. He twisted the knob and entered.


    Immediately, the bag slipped from his grasp as Nn''s jaw dropped.


    Right before him, through the gigantic window pane that practically formed a wall, he could see the entire academy.


    The view was nothing short of breathtaking.


    "A good ce to dream..." Nn mused silently, but he quickly snapped out of it and looked around the room.


    To the left side was an entire wall filled with wardrobes, and Nn walked toward it.


    Arriving at the center, he looked to his right and saw a white card stered on one of the wardrobe doors with a simple word written on it: Luna.


    "I guess that''s her wardrobe..." Nn mused.


    He didn''t bother touching it and instead moved to the far end of the wardrobe.


    Opening it up, Nn coughed as he covered his nose and stepped back. The wardrobe was filled with dust and absolutely empty.


    "What the heck?" Nn muttered as he stared at the dirty space before him.


    "I''ll have to clean this up too..." he thought silently to himself.


    He couldn''t throw his clothes into such a dirty space, so he had no choice but to grab a bucket and towel from the bathroom and clean the wardrobe.


    It took him almost an hour before he finally finished and stepped back into the bedroom once more.


    Now, the small wardrobe space was perfectly clean. Nn unzipped his bag and began cing his clothes inside.


    Opening his new bag, he found a couple of new books and some strange tools, including his new uniform¡ªa total of three pairs.


    Unlike in the Neers'' area, where they could wear their normal clothes, in the Ascendants'' area they were required to wear special uniforms.


    They were cool to look at, but Nn was too tired to check everything out one by one. He ced everything in the wardrobe and hung the two bags on the side before shutting the wardrobe door tightly.


    "Phew..." He exhaled loudly before turning his gaze to the left side of the bedroom.


    There were a total of two beds.


    The beds were huge and wide, big enough tofortably fit 5 full-grown men sleeping side by side. That was how massive they were.


    The beds were ced far apart from each other, around 15 meters of space between them.


    Nn felt that the beds were probably supposed to be closer, but they must have been moved apart by someone.


    He didn''t mind it in the least though.


    Arriving before one of the beds, he was about to jump onto it when his eyes moved to the pillow, and he instantly stopped.


    On the pillow were the words "Luna."


    In the end, he could only turn to look at the bed the side, and thankfully this time, it wasn''t dirty. It seemed the materials used for the bed had kept it clean.


    Nn quickly skipped toward it andnded on the bed.


    CREAK.


    The sound of the bones creaking resonated through the entire room, causing a slight uncontroble chuckle to escape Nn''s lips.


    The days'' journey had drained every bit of his energy, even managing to suck away the joy he felt from finally bing an Ascendant.


    It was just too exhausting.


    Nny on the bed, and almost immediately, his eyelids grew heavier. But just before they could closepletely, something made them snap wide open.


    [Congrattions, Hidden Quest: "Reach the Ascendant Area of the Academy" has been sessfullypleted.]


    [The host has been given new rewards!]


    The system''s notifications echoed repeatedly before Nn''s eyes, and he was quite surprised.


    He didn''t remember the system giving him a quest to reach the Ascendant area of the academy.


    It had been Nn''s personal decision, yet here it was, rewarding him for it.


    Now he understood the meaning behind the "Hidden" part of the quest.


    [Wanna check it out?]


    The system asked him as Nn exhaled loudly, shifting to his side to stare through the ss window, where the entire academy could be seen.


    "Don''t you ever get exhausted?" He asked the system.


    Every time he interacted with the system, it was always ultra-lively. Never once dull. That wasn''t something you saw every day.


    In fact, Nn was starting to wonder if it ever got tired at all.


    What kind of battery does the system even run on to stay active all the time?


    [I can never be tired. I am a creation of God King Trimurti.] The system responded in a smug tone, and Nn rolled his eyes.


    "I''ll check it out tomorrow. Right now, I''m exhausted..." Nn muttered before finally drifting into a deep sleep.


    ----------


    A few hourster, as he slept, the doorknob to the bedroom was gently twisted and quietly opened up.


    An outpour of intensely cold white air poured into the room through the gaps of the opened door and following that, the snow-white figure stepped into the room.


    It was none other than Nn''s roommate, the Hexives.


    Her six eyes immediately turned to look at the ce where Nn was asleep, and they stared nkly for a while before they turned away from him, and straight to the wardrobe instead.


    With a small focus, Luna''s eyes pierced through the wooden wardrobe and looked at the inside where she found the well-cleaned spaces as well as the new clothes and books.


    "He forced himself to clean up his bathroom, and also cleaned up his wardrobe, and also wiped away his dirty footsteps, and a shower to remove the dust from him all before he could go to sleep even though he was already exhausted."


    "Maybe I can allow him live a little longer..."

 Chapter 180: The Strange Luna

    The early morning came quickly, the night gone in a blink, and slowly, a pair of blue-red eyes opened up.


    The first thing he saw was the wide structure tops through the ss frame, and raising his hand to his eyes, he tried to block the golden rays of sunlight that threatened to blind him.


    Not long after, his eyes finally regted themselves to the new light, and Nn sat up from his bed.


    "It''s morning..." he thought, cracking his bones before jumping up to his feet.


    [Happy someone didn''t give you a proper wake-up?]


    The system notification panel appeared, teasing Nn, who rolled his eyes.


    "Your early morning greetings are anything but a proper wake-up," he replied.


    GRUUUUUUUM


    Immediately, the sound of something rumbling loudly echoed, and Nn touched his stomach, soothing it as he tried to calm his hungry stomach worms.


    "I''ll try getting something to eat first..." he mused, rising and heading out of the bedroom.


    On his arrival, Nn felt the intensely cold temperature once more. Sitting on the sofa with a te in hand was none other than his roommate. Her eyes were locked onto her runic device, which she was tapping on, and she didn''t raise her head when he entered the room. She seemed so engrossed in whatever she was doing that Nn didn''t want to bother her, so he simply walked forward and went into the kitchen.


    An hour passed before he exited, arge tray in his hands, filled with various assortments of dishes. Calmly, he settled them on the table before sitting down at the side of the sofa, a few meters away from thedy.


    Without saying anything, he dove in, every bite into his mouth causing his stomach to growl in satisfaction.


    [Won''t you invite her to breakfast?]


    The system spoke to Nn, who turned to look at the girl.


    She was still scrolling through her runic device, and her te, now empty, had been ced to the side.


    Almost as if she could sense his gaze, she raised her head. Her six eyes stared at Nn, who stared back dazedly before regaining himself.


    "Do you mind joining me?" Nn asked curtly, with the best smile he could put on.


    All he got was her staring at him for a while before she rose to her feet and took her te into the kitchen.


    [I guess that''s a no?]


    The system said as Nn rolled his eyes at it before continuing his meal. He wasn''t the slightest bit offended, but he was starting to notice something abnormal about the Hexgalive.


    Firstly, her six eyes. They were different from the normal eyes. Unlike Norgomdoev eyes, which were a normal pitch-ck color, her eyes weren''t ck. They were white, freezing white, that chilled Nn''s bones anytime he stared into them. Her eyes radiated a great amount of cold, almost like her element had something to do with ice.


    And what was even more abnormal was the fact that strange white steam oozed out from her body whenever she walked. Even right now, as Nn looked at the sofa she previously sat on, he could see a cold white air emanating from the chair. The misty trail seemed to follow straight into the kitchen.


    "Her body is releasing arge amount of cold, and it''s so powerful that the entire air around her turns into cold, steamy air anytime she passes by?" Nn thought.


    "Just what is wrong with her? Is this too much elemental power, or a sickness?"


    Nn wondered to himself as he heard the sound of the door opening. Turning to look, he saw no one, and behind him, the sound of the door opening rang out once more. Nn barely saw her disappear into the bedroom.


    He ought to have been surprised by the insane speed, but he wasn''t, and that could be attributed to the fact that he had seen how the Ascendants moved before now. They all shed around like dragonflies.


    "Soon," he thought in his head before diving back into his meal.


    There was no ss for the day as it was the weekend. ss would resume in the new week, and today was Saturday. One could say he had two days all alone for himself. He wasn''t nning on squandering that time, so Nn quickly finished his meal and then headed into the bath, freshening up quickly.


    Once he did that, he got back into the bedroom. Luna sat on the bed, cross-legged, her eyes closed in a strange pose. Nn recognized the stance; it was that of someone cultivating. ording to what he had learned from the Neer ss, there was an energy called the Divine Essence in the air, and the Celestial Heirs absorb that energy to power their abilities. One of the ways to absorb such power was through meditation, and the pose Luna was in was precisely for that.


    He didn''t pay too much attention to it and simply walked to the wardrobe. He had thrown everything he obtained yesterday into the wardrobe without bothering to check any of it, but now he had the time.


    On opening the wardrobe, his eyes first saw the books, and Nn quickly began arranging them, cing them in the wide, open wooden space. There were a total of five textbooks and a few notebooks. A few cubic artifacts were also there, which Nn had no idea how they worked or even what they did. After minutes of tinkering with them, he could only ce them down in the end.


    He opened the pages of the books and scrolled through them, but he didn''t understand the majority of the topics. They dealt with powers far beyond hisprehension, with strange runic symbols all over the pages, which made them even harder to understand. In the end, Nn simply shut them close and ced them carefully on the bookshelves.


    Hours passed, and soon Nn was done with the arrangement. All of the books were properly ced on the shelf, and his school uniform had been neatly hung on the hangers, along with his other clothes.


    He had also tinkered around with his runic device, given to him by the academy, but it was unlike anything Nn had imagined. Apart from the map, which showed him as a green dot along with a few thousand meters around him and various building names, the other features on the runic device were simply application categories, most of which were empty. There was a message tab, a call tab, and some other strange tabs that he didn''t quite understand, like "Ascendant''s Mission Task" and "Ascendant''s Rules."


    Other than that, there wasn''t much to see, but Nn guessed it would only be this way for now. Soon, he''d be able to put his runic device to good use¡ªhe just needed more time to familiarize himself with things here.


    Speaking of familiarization, it urred to Nn that he should go out and explore a bit. Through the window panes, he could already see various students moving around. The neers were distinguishable because, unlike the Ascendants, who wore their academy uniforms, the neers were still dressed in their regr clothes. They moved in twos and threes, while the Ascendants ignored them, simply going about their own business.


    Everything radiated a peaceful aura, and Nn felt the itch to go outside, too.


    "Let me check things out a bit," Nn mused to himself as he rose from his seat by the window, preparing to head outside. But suddenly...


    WHEEZE...


    WHEEZE...


    The sound of heavy wheezing filled the air, and Nn turned to look at the figure lying on the bed. His expression quickly changed. Your next chapter is on m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    The Luna who had calmly sat on the bed just a few hours ago was now lying there, her chest heaving up and down rapidly, and her hands, ced on her stomach, were covered in icy blue scales. The air around her had turned into an intensely cold atmosphere, and even her bedsheet was coated with frost.


    "What the...?"


    "Hey, are you okay?" Nn said, hurrying to her side.


    Luna''s six eyes were tightly closed, and even though she tried to hide it, Nn could tell she was in severe pain. He could see the frost covering her usually red lips and her rapidly heaving chest.


    Nn wasn''t a doctor, and he didn''t know what to do, but he knew something was seriously wrong. Unable to think of anything else, he called out to the system in his head.


    ''What''s really wrong with her?''


    He had been suspicious for a while that the cold aura surrounding Luna everywhere she went wasn''t normal. He''d figured it might be some sort of abnormal illness, and now his suspicion was confirmed.


    But an even more important question remained:


    ''What should I do?''


    "Call the Instructors or take her to the hospital!?" Nn mused to himself finding the two best solutions but a ssh of cold water was mmed into his face as the system notification blinked in front of him....


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 181: Saving Luna

    [Don''t bother. She won''tst much longer outside this room...]


    The system said to Nn almost as of it could predict the future.


    While he didn''t understand why the it said that, he didn''t think it was the good time to begin his questioning.


    "What else can I do to save her?" He asked, voicing the most important question.


    He was starting to notice that Luna''s heaving chest was beginning to slow down, but it wasn''t a sign that things were improving.


    Frost was forming on every inch of the bed sheets, and puffs of white mist were escaping from Luna''s nose with every breath.


    The lowered breathing was a sign of the situation getting worse!


    [I don''t know,]


    The system replied, almost indifferently, before quieting down.


    Nn was left with the unnaturally cold body on the bed.


    ''I got this. I got this.''


    He muttered to himself, regting his own rising breaths and calming down his rapidly pumping heart


    After a moment, his eyes regained rity and focus, the same one he had anytime he was in abat state.


    Strengthening his resolve, he stretched his hands forward, touching Luna''s forehead.


    He could instantly feel her body flinch as if she had never been touched before, but he ignored that and instead closed his eyes, trying to feel everything going on within her.


    His heightened perception kicked in, and he quickly understood the problem. It was just as simple as he had guessed.


    Cold!


    Luna was facing a terrible cold, and it came from none other than the flowing divine essence within her body.


    It was intensely cold and was spreading outward toward her organs, unable to be contained by her veins, and slowly freezing them over.


    Almost like... almost like...


    "Her Elemental Essence is too powerful, and It''s quantity is simply too much!" Nn eximed and his eyes snapped open.


    With the problem understood, the next step was trying to remove the excess Divine Essence from her body.


    The only way Divine Essence is removed from the body is through the casting of an art, except for Nn, who was an anomaly and could have his Divine Essence extracted at will.


    But Luna was unconscious.


    How could she cast any art in this state? If she could, she wouldn''t be in such a dire condition.


    "Shit!" Nn cursed.


    He was at a loss for ideas.


    [I have a solution!] The system suddenly chirped, snapping Nn''s attention back.


    "And what is that?" he asked, skeptical.


    [Hug her.]


    Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "WHAT!?"


    Nn screamed in shock.


    [Hug her, and revolve your Anti-Aether energy around your body.]


    [If there''s one thing Anti-Aether is good at, it''s canceling out all types of energy.]


    [f you hug her and activate your Anti-Aether energy, you''ll be like a burning me, melting away the coldness in her body and devouring the excess Divine Essence.]


    [If you''re serious about saving her life, I''m afraid that''s your only choice. I don''t see any reason why you would want to do that though so...]


    The system''s words echoed in Nn''s mind.


    Revolve his Anti-Aether energy?


    He had promised never to reveal it to anyone, and while Luna was deeply unconscious and shouldn''t be able to sense anything, Nn still hesitated.


    He had vowed to never activate his Anti-Aether again, but now...


    CREEEAAK.


    The sound of ice cracking from the frost covering his hands snapped Nn back to reality.


    He realized just how grave the situation had be and made his choice.


    Jumping off the bed, he moved toward the ss window, tapping the side button.


    Immediately, a veil descended over the window, darkening the room.


    Resolute, Nn sat on the bed and gently pulled Luna''s cold body onto hisp, hugging her close to himself.


    CLAAANK.


    CLAAANK.


    CLANK.


    It had barely been three seconds when Nn''s teeth began to chatter uncontrobly.


    ''Cold! It''s so cold!'' he roared inwardly in disbelief.


    He could only imagine the kind of pain Luna herself was going through.


    But he wasted no time and silently awakened the power that was sealed deep within his core.


    Immediately, a blue iridescent light shed into the room as Nn''s dull blue eyes began to glow.


    He had activated his Anti-Aether.


    Like a burning me, blue energy radiated from Nn''s body, illuminating the room in a gentle blue light.


    The cold temperature in the room began to decrease, and Nn''s teeth stopped chattering.


    He noticed the frost covering Luna''s hands was slowly receding back into her body.


    Quietly, he remained in the same hugging position, his Anti-Aether energy burning away the cold within Luna.


    But Nn wasn''t without his own struggles.


    The cold from Luna''s body was being transferred into his own veins, and while it was eventually canceled by the Anti-Aether, it still caused a sharp pain to run through him.


    Veins soon bulged on his forehead from the stinging sensation.


    But his pain tolerance was nothing to scoff at, and he endured it all.


    After a while, he noticed Luna''s chest had returned to its normal rhythm, and her body had regained its natural color.


    Her formerly pale, white skin was now flush with life, and a healthy glow returned to her cheeks.


    [She''s healed... for now,]


    Te system informed him.


    Nn instantly de-activated his Anti-Ather, and carefullyid Luna back on the bed but quickly noticed that there were still chunks of icy frost on the bed sheets.


    They hadn''t yet melted.


    Laying her back here might trigger another reaction, so Nn carried her to his own bed instead.


    Unlike her bed, his was incredibly warm and soothing for her.


    Now, Nn felt his work was done.


    Luna had yet to wake and was still in a deep sleep, but her condition had definitely stabilized.


    There should be no further problems for now.


    "I guess it''s time for me to go check things out," Nn mused as he rose to his feet and headed toward the door.


    Giving onest nce at the sleeping Luna, he unlocked the door and quietly left the room, stepping into the elevator.


    Barely a minute after Nn left, six pairs of white eyes opened in the room, shing with various emotions.

 Chapter 182: Checking Things Out

    The streets of the Ascendans area were wide, at least twice as wide as the ones in the Neer area, yet it got almost filled to the brim with students.


    All of the Neers had decided to leave thefort of their new dorm rooms and explore the area.


    In therge group, almost indistinguishable, was a hooded figure with both hands in his pockets, blending in with the crowd.


    The person was none other than Nn.


    With his runic device in hand, Nn tried to to familiarize himself with areas he knew he would be visiting in a few days.


    That would help him avoid a lot of headaches that would be incurred if he got lost, and might cause him go hete.


    One of those ces Nn decided to check out was none other than his own ssroom.


    In the Ascendants area of the academy, the various buildings that were essible to the students had all been divided into a total of five regions, ording to Nn''s map.


    The first was the Dorm Building Area, where all of the Ascendants'' dorm rooms were located.


    This was the ce Nn had just left from.


    There were close to seven gigantic structures in the Dorm Buildings area, and the number of students that were Ascendants was nothing short of mind-numbing to Nn.


    Formerly as a Neer, he had thought the Neers would have a numerical advantage over the Ascendants, but that wasn''t true at all.


    Based on the dorm buildings that Nn saw, the number of Ascendants was likely twice times the number of Neers. It was a crazy amountpared to what he formerly believed.


    After the Dorm area came the Teaching Halls of the Ascendant''s area of the academy, whose front gate Nn was currently standing before.


    There were various sky-reaching buildings in this area, each one towering over the next.


    The smallest building stood at a full 2000 meters!


    It made Nn wonder just how many steps it would take to reach the top or how long the elevators would take.


    What could they be teaching at the top that required such heights?


    It was like the person who built the academy had a sadistic love for tall buildings.


    Nn slowly stepped forward, wanting to check out the buildings, but as he arrived before therge gate, just 3 meters away from it, a strange dome suddenly appeared in his path, covering the entire gate area.


    "Hmmm."


    Humming slightly as he witnessed the Ascendants easily bypassing the dome as if it never existed.


    It was like they couldn''t even see it.


    All they did was give Nn a simple nce before shing away like phantoms,.choosing to ignore him like normal.


    With curious eyes, Nn moved towards the dome and slowly stretched out his hands, but he noticed how hard the dome was.


    It was incredibly solid, and Nn had a feeling that no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn''t be able to break it.


    "So this is it, huh?" Nn mused to himself as he turned to look at the map on his runic device and saw that the ce he was in was marked with a red icon.


    All of the buildings were in red, and atop the map was the simple word: "Off-limits!"


    Now Nn understood why there was a dome preventing him from entering when others could so easily pass through.


    It was because this ce was off-limits to the Newest Ascendants of the academy, a category he belonged in.


    But it was the Teaching Hall, and not supposed to be off-limits.


    The only reason he could guess was that the Neers had yet to be full Ascendants, and so they were not allowed to check the sses.


    It would probably be open to them once Monday arrived and they were all required to attend their sses.


    That understood, he turned back, finding no reason to remain there.


    While he didn''t get what he wanted, he at least knew the location of the halls as well as the time it would take him from his dorm room to the Teaching Area.


    It was an estimated time of 1 hour and 30 minutes if Nn walked leisurely, without any haste or speed.


    "If sses begin at 8, then if I leave home at 7, I should be able to make it, with a bit of hurry," Nn mused to himself.


    Now that he had checked the Teaching area, the next ce worth checking out was the third most important hall for all Ascendants¡ªthe Special Cultivation Area of the Ascendants.


    Immediately, Nn resumed his walking, sightseeing through the various buildings, and at the corner of his eyes, he memorized the various shady shortcuts that he could pick up.


    The majority of which were darkened alleyways, and Nn took note of them.


    He didn''t like walking the normal path that everyone used and instead tried to find shortcuts in everything.


    That was just how he was and the reason why he kept an eye out for such ces.


    But he was quick to realize that the shortcuts were not safe.


    In some of the alleyways, Nn''s nose twitched as he picked up a faint smell that was easily ignored by anyone passing by.


    It was a smell that Nn was used to.


    The smell of¡­ blood!


    Some of the alleyways reeked of a faint smell of blood, even though when Nn looked at them, he couldn''t see any blood stain on the walls of ground.


    He guessed they must have been thoroughly cleaned up, but still, the blood scent was there.


    That showed him the alleyways, though good shortcuts, were not the safest ce for a new Ascendant like him.


    Thest thing he would want was to get himself in trouble by entering Into something that had absolutely nothing to do with him, and therefore, getting himself into unnecessary trouble.


    The thought lingered, and Nn continued on his way before, and after exactly two hours of walking, he finally arrived before the building.

 Chapter 183: Special Areas In The Academy

    The ce before Nn, unlike the previous areas consisting of high-rise skyscrapers, was actually arge ss gate, through which Nn could see various pyramid-like structures.


    Yes!


    The ce before Nn was the very ce where he had seen those pyramids from the sky upon his arrival at the Ascendant area.


    The pyramids were made of strange material that refracted the light around them, turning them into some sort of bulbs that sshed light around the area.


    At the top of the ss gates, Nn could see a few words inscribed:


    "Special Cultivation Area!"


    Just like before, as Nn walked towards the gate, the strange dome-like energy appeared once more, blocking his path.


    He could only stand outside and see through the ss.


    From there, he could see various Ascendants entering and exiting the pyramids.


    If there was one thing Nn sensed different about them, it was that each of them was oozing an uncontroble, powerful Divine Essence.


    They weren''t doing it consciously; it was as though the energy flowed from them effortlessly.


    Only now was he finally able to feel the true power of the Ascendants.


    As they walked past him, he felt his heart rate spike up quickly, his body getting into a defensivebat ready state.


    Without wasting a few more seconds, Nn turned back and left the ce.


    He didn''t know why the Divine Essence of those exiting the pyramids was so chaotic, but he figured it wouldn''t do him any good to get in trouble with any of them.


    Each of the Celestial Heirs seemed to be holding back the urge to fight, and Nn didn''t want to be the first Neer caught fighting an Ascendant in front of the dorm buildings.


    He turned back and left, but he didn''t go far when he heard the words:


    "Hold on, friend!"


    The voice rang out from afar, causing Nn to turn his head.


    He found a figure shing toward him with speed, soon arriving before him.


    He was anky young man, around the age of 22, who seemed to be somewhat out of breath, causing Nn to snort inwardly.


    No Celestial Heir would be out of breath by simply running a few meters, which meant the person before him was probably faking it!


    Judging from his crooked smile, he was likely no good.


    "How are you doing, friend? Neer, aye?" the young man asked, and Nn gave a nod.


    "Good, good. It seems I guessed right."


    "You wouldn''t happen to have your runic card on you right now, would you?"


    The figure asked, and Nn''s eyebrows furrowed at the question.


    But before he could respond, a third voice rang out from afar.


    "Don''t bother with them now, Nicko. They all haven''t been given their points yet. They still have two days before they''re allotted."


    The voice belonged to another young man with fiery orange hair, and Nicko''s eyes scrunched up with a surprised "Oh" before his nose wrinkled, and he turned to look at Nn.


    "It seems I no longer need your help... for now. Have a great day!" thenky guy, apparently named Nicko, said as he shed away from Nn, joining his friends who pped him on the shoulder.


    Nn listened in on their conversation with his heightened perception.


    "Fuck me, I actually thought he possessed some points with him."


    "Would''ve finally been able to go to the Second Pyramid and cultivate a bit more," Nicko said, causing his friends to snicker at him.


    "Your itchy hands can''t wait to go on a stealing spree, huh, Nicko? As expected of a Loki Descendant! Hahaha!"


    Eventually, they both disappeared until Nn couldn''t hear a single word from them anymore, but he understood what had just happened.


    [He wanted to rob you of your points. Whatever it is, I''m guessing it''s pretty important for them.]


    The system chimed in, and Nn scoffed before walking away.


    It seems the Ascendants were crooks too, not that he expected anything different from them.


    All Celestial Heirs seemed to have no good souls, naturally.


    No matter how much Nn himself needed points, the thought of robbing others, especially those who had just started and would obviously need their points badly, never appealed to him.


    "Whatever the Special Cultivation Area is, I''m sure the Ascendants go there to improve their strength."


    ''That''s the only reasonable exnation for the wild aurasing from their bodies."


    "This is probably the most special area for the students in the entire academy, but it seems it would require some points to be allowed entry."


    " It''s obviously not free for all," Nn mused, piecing together all the clues he had gathered from the Special Cultivation Area, and he soon walked away from it.


    Having checked the dorm rooms area, the Teaching Hall, and the Special Cultivation Area, there were only two ces left for Nn to check out: the Training Grounds and the Quest Area.


    Fortunately for Nn, the Quest Area was located right beside the Special Cultivation Area, and he simply changed direction, walking forward.


    Quickly, in about 20 minutes, he stood before the Quest Hall.


    Unlike the rest of the area, the Quest Hall had just three buildings throughout its entire grounds.


    One of the buildings was incredibly high, reaching up to 2500 meters, while the other two were smaller, standing at around 1000 meters each.


    Nn didn''t bother walking towards them, knowing he would be prevented from entering anyway.


    He could see clearly on his map that it was an off-limits area.


    Still, he was able to witness Ascendants moving in and out of the various buildings, and when they exited, they heldrge golden scrolls in their hands.


    Also, he noticed that most of them were d in various armors and had sheathed weapons by their sides, almost like they were preparing for a...quest.


    "So this is the ce where they''re given quests."


    "Judging from the number of Ascendants going in and out, the quests don''t seem to be mandated by the academy, meaning they must be doing this for something... something like money or..."


    Nn mused with furrowed eyebrows, and the systempleted his thought.


    [Points.]

 Chapter 184: Surprised Meeting

    It spoke to Nn, who couldn''t help but give a faint nod.


    [Most likely.]


    "Those two side buildings seem like some sort of marketce where they can get the weapons and armor needed for their quests," Nn muttered.


    "I''m guessing it''s some kind of shop."


    "They all must need points to ess the shops and also go to the special cultivation area where they can increase their strength."


    "The point is an important tool¡ªthe currency of the Ancient''s area."


    "And the only way to get points is most likely throughpleting quests!"


    [Can you sense the connection?] The system suddenly said and Nn''s eyes furrowed before quickly brightening up.


    Now he was starting to understand how the academy worked.


    Everything was interconnected!


    The reason for the Celestial Heirs'' creation, ording to what he had heard from Instructor Tiamat, was to fulfill their responsibilities, which included maintaining order throughout the nes of existence.


    The only way that could be done was if the Celestial Heirs were deployed toplete quests.


    But Nn had a reasoning: of course, even though the Celestial Heirs knew their mission was to maintain order, they most likely wouldn''t bother with the hassle if there was nothing for them to gain in return.


    After all, Celestial Heirs were not robots.


    On Earth, even though it was understood that a man''s role was to take care of his people and fulfill his responsibilities toward everyone he loves, how many men actually kept such a promise?


    Nn figured the same applied to the Celestial Heirs.


    However, the academy seemed to have predicted this and established a system to tackle it.


    The Celestial Heirs wouldn''t willingly go out of their way toplete quests.


    They might refuse or be reluctant, as they saw no reason or benefit in involving themselves.


    Instead, the academy had implemented a smart system of power.


    If the Celestial Heirs wanted to grow stronger, which was the only way to survive in this cruel world, they would need to increase their cultivation stage.


    One of the ways to do that was by visiting the special cultivation rooms, but that was where the catchy.


    To ess the special cultivation rooms, they would all need points in their possession, or they would be barred from entry.


    To earn points, they had toplete quests.


    That was the only way to get points, and hence, improve their strength.


    So while the average Celestial Heir might see no reason to go to some distant gxy and help strangers, they would certainly want to improve their strength, which required points.


    Therefore, they would go on these quests and give a 101% effort to ensure the mission waspleted.


    In this way, the higher forces could make sure their duty of protecting the nes of existence was well upheld, and the Celestial Heirs would have no choice but toply if they wanted to grow stronger.


    It was an incredibly beautiful and smart system, keeping everyone under control, and Nn was amazed at the Ancients.


    [You see, those Celestials are smart bastards. Probably why the academy was created in the first ce. Hmph.]


    The system scoffed, not holding Nn''s amazement.


    Instead, it felt disdain for the academy''s cheap maniptions.


    Nn didn''t bother arguing back with it, and he simply remained silent before walking away from the area.


    Now, there was only one more ce to check: the training area.


    ---


    Only an hour of walking and Nn finally arrived before the training area.


    Looking up at the sky, he noticed it was starting to darken once more, even though it should only be mid-afternoon.


    [The night is longer than the day here...]


    The systemmented, and Nn raised an eyebrow before shrugging.


    He had heard of such a thing back on Earth but hadn''t paid much attention to it. At least he was aware of the possibility.


    Even though it was starting to get dark, things were still rtively bright around the area.


    The stars in the sky were incredibly bright, making it seem like dusk, and the Ascedants and neers were still moving around.


    That meant the darkness was not an issue for Nn.


    If anything, he found it somewhat helpful, allowing him to avoid gazes and sneak past people easily.


    The training area was an abnormal zone with various buildings, all numbered.


    When Nn arrived at the gate this time, he wasn''t stopped by a dome and was allowed entry, going in along with multitudes of Ascedants.


    Just like the neers'' area, there were various buildings, each tagged.


    It didn''t take long for Nn to arrive before one of thergest buildings in the area, and at the top of it were incredibly bold words:


    "GREEK DESCENTS TRAINING HALL!"


    Arriving before it, Nn went in along with the remaining Ascendants and soon stood in the lobby, where the instructors were seated.


    But he was pleasantly surprised  when he spotted a familiar figure among the instructors in the lobby.


    It was none other than the man with dark hair and eyes, and immediately as Nn entered, the man also turned his gaze to him, a small smile making its way onto his face.


    Nn walked toward him.


    "Instructor Gerrard. What a pleasant surprise..." Nn called out to the man.


    And truly, it was Instructor Gerrard, the one who had been present in the training area in the neers'' section and had directed Nn to the Kratos training room the first time he had arrived.


    The man was here once more, and it surprised Nn very much.


    Wasn''t he a staff member of the neers'' training hall?


    What was he doing here?


    "I was transferred here. Don''t be surprised. It''s not only the students that get transferred to higher hierarchies." The man said with a chuckle, almost like he could read his mind and Nn finally understood.


    He made a reasonable point.


    Who is to say only the students get promotion?


    "The Kratos training room, right?" Instructor Gerrard asked, and Nn nodded.


    "True. That''s the elevator..." The instructor said, pointing to the side where an elevator could be seen.


    He could see studentsing in and out of the elevator with every passing second, and they were all Ascendants.


    "But I must warn you, Nn, of something..."

 Chapter 185: Instructor Gerards Warning

    "Yes?" Nn asked the man, who fidgeted slightly¡ªsomething abnormal for Sir Gerard, a man Nn knew to be perpetually calm, no matter the circumstances.


    "The Kratos Training Area isn''t something your current self can handle."


    "The training equipment there is far too advanced for you¡ªnot that I''m underestimating you," Sir Gerard said, watching as Nn nodded halfheartedly.


    ''Of course, that is underestimating me,'' Nn thought.


    "And besides, there are a few Ascendants in the training area, and you know what kind of people the Kratorians are, don''t you?" Gerard added, his eyes searching Nn''s for understanding.


    Nn caught the implication and calmly nodded.


    "Don''t worry, Instructor Gerard. I''m just going for some familiarity."


    "I won''t touch anything, and I won''t get into trouble," Nn replied, shrugging off  Instructor Gerard''s concerns as he headed toward the elevator.


    He stepped inside, and without needing to press a button, the elevator instantly began to ascend, whisking Nn away before Instructor Gerard''s eyes.


    A deep sigh escaped Instructor Gerard''s lips as he shook his head. "It seems he inherited his n''s stubbornness," Instructor Gerard muttered. "Hopefully, he doesn''t get into too much trouble," he added, returning to his small book and immersing himself once again.


    ---


    DING!


    The elevator doors opened, and Nn stepped out, taking in the new sights with a nk, uninterested gaze.


    Before himy an enormous hall, filled with various training equipment and numerous Ascendants.


    Most of them were men, and if there was one thing they all had inmon, it was their impressively muscr frames.


    As Nn entered, attention naturally turned toward him. They threw cursory nces at his clothing, their brows furrowing.


    It was clear to them that he was a New Ascendant, but they had to admit his bravery.


    Nn, unbothered by the stares, looked each person in the eyes before turning his attention to the various facilities, scanning them as if he were an inspection officer conducting an inspection.


    Seeing that he minded his own business, the others returned to theirs, deciding to ignore him.


    After all, if he hade here, that meant he was a Kratorian, like them.


    He was a family.


    There was no need to make him go through unnecessary trouble.


    If he had been from another descent, things might have gone very differently.


    Nn didn''t do anything to attract attention.


    There were smaller training rooms in the area, each outfitted with high-tech equipment designed to test and improve strength andbat abilities.


    Nn himself felt an itch to try one of them out but suppressed the urge, continuing his exploration instead.


    There were over thirty training rooms in the Kratos Training Area, each equipped with its own specialized equipment and unique objectives.


    A single nce was enough for Nn to realize that this training area was far more advanced than the one in the Neer Area.


    He had to admit, it was impressive.


    At the far end of the hall, there were a few additional rooms, but he couldn''t check them out.


    A dome of energy blocked ess, and each time he touched it, the AI voice would ring out:


    "Power level insufficient." "Risk of death: 100%!"


    "I wonder what''s behind those doors..." Nn mused aloud. He took a step back when he saw one of the doors open, and a person stepped out.


    It was ady with luscious dark hair, striking dark and purple irises, and a surprising height of 1.9 meters¡ªjust as tall as Nn.


    Her gaze fell on him, scanning him up and down. She seemed surprised by what he was wearing but soon smiled at him.


    "You want to know what''s behind those doors, don''t you?" thedy asked, pointing to the room she had just exited.


    Nn nodded.


    "It''s your death," she replied with a grin, poking yfully at his nose before walking past him.


    [Talk of underestimation. It seems you need to work on your intimidating factor, Nn,] the system chimed in, rubbing it on him.


    Truly Nn was 16, and even with his impressive physique.


    One could still see it on his face that he was a kid.


    Nn rolled his eyes at thement, then turned back and walked toward the other rooms.


    He spent nearly an hour exploring the area, checking out everything essible to him.


    When he was done, he headed back toward the elevator.


    Like clockwork, the Ascendants didn''t bother him, even as he walked past them again.


    He entered the elevator and disappeared from sight. The others grinned at one another before returning to their own training.


    Nn didn''t notice their grins, and soon, he was outside the lobby, casually walking toward the exit after waving to Instructor Gerard.


    The older man had a surprised expression on his face as he watched Nn leave the building with the same calm attitude he always carried.


    "Seems like someone got lucky today..." Gerard mused with a smile before returning to his book.


    If there was one training area notorious for its violence andck of hospitality, it was the Kratos Training Area.


    The Kratorians were a violent race, so Gerard wasn''t surprised.


    Still, seeing Nn walk out unscathed with his hands casually tucked into his pockets was certainly unexpected. Gerard chalked it up to luck.


    ---


    Having checked out everything there was to see, Nn began to feel a bit of exhaustion and hunger creeping in.


    Deciding to call it a day, he headed home, his pace quickening slightly.


    It didn''t take him more than an hour to reach his destination, and a few minutester, he stood in front of the ss door, his runic card in hand.


    Swiping it, Nn received a pleasant surprise...


    The door actually opened up for him.


    When Nn had done so previously he had noticed that the door was unresponsive to his one runic card due to a feature which forces him to knock to open the door.


    Somehow it seemed the feature wasn''t working well today and actually allowed Nn in and he grinned happily at the development as he pumped his chest out and entered like the man of his house.


    Arriving in the living room, there was a figure sitting down on the sofa, a bowl of popcorn in her hands once more and the TV was switched on.

 Chapter 186: Token Of Appreciation

    Luna was up, and looking at her, Nn could tell she seemed more than okay.


    He didn''t disturb her or mention what had happened before and simply walked to the bathroom.


    Right now, he needed a fresh shower to wipe away all the sweat and remove the dust from himself.


    ---------


    It''s been barely ten minutester, Nn exited the bathroom, dressed in a light shirt with his hair dripping with water.


    He felt life returning to him once more and happily skipped to the kitchen.


    Preparing to grab something for himself, he was surprised when his nose perked up as he turned to the fridge.


    Opening it, he was shocked to see there was actually a well-made dish, ced in a tray and properly covered.


    On the cover, there were simple words:


    From Luna...


    [An!] The system cooed teasingly as Nn rolled his eyes.


    Somehow, Luna had cooked for him.


    It was unbelievable to Nn.


    [Guess you didn''t just melt the cold from her body.]


    [You also managed to melt the cold from her heart!] the system said to Nn, who snorted but proceeded to bring out the food from the fridge.


    Since she had cooked for him, there was no need to ignore it and let it go to waste.


    Quickly, Nn ced the dish in the warmer and heated it up.


    Once it was ready, he brought it out, grabbing cutlery and preparing to move out when suddenly, he stopped.


    "Hey, system?" Nn called in his mind.


    [Yes?] the system responded, not knowing the reason for the sudden stop.


    "Help me scan the food for any harmful substances," Nn said, and the system went silent.


    "Hey, you there?" Nn called out again.


    [Are you serious right now, Nn!?] The system asked, sounding exasperated.


    "What?"


    [You saved her life, and as a token of appreciation, she decided to save you some energy and cook for you.]


    [And now, you''re worried there''s a possibility the food could be poisoned!?]


    [It''s a token of appreciation, Nn! How in the devil-forsaken world could it be poisoned!?] The system screamed at him in disbelief, and Nn simply shrugged.


    "Being careful never hurts anyone. Just do your thing," Nn said, and the system finally agreed, performing a proper scan.


    The results were unsurprising.


    [It''s not poisoned, Nn. Seriously though, you need to work on your trust issues.]


    "Good!" Nn replied before exiting the kitchen.


    When he arrived back in the living room, Luna was no longer there, and the TV had been switched off.


    She had probably gone to sleep.


    He didn''t think much of it as he settled himself on the sofa and immediately dug in.


    "Is this just too good, or are my cooking skills just that bad?" Nn thought to himself as he tasted the food, his eyes almost rolling to the back of his head.


    It was incredibly sweet and tasty, and it made him question just what he had been cooking for himself all this time.


    It was like a person who had been used to eating stale bread all their life being given bread that had just been freshly baked.


    The difference was as vast as the distance between earth and heaven.


    With great fervor, Nn stuffed everything down in literal seconds, cursing when there wasn''t more.


    "I wish there was more. She really is a good cook..." Nn unconsciously muttered aloud, his spine going cold the moment he saw Luna walk past him.


    She paused for a few seconds and stared at him nkly, prompting Nn to quickly look away.


    "I mean, it''s manageable. Yes. Manageable. Almost as good as my cooking..." Nn quickly corrected himself as Luna''s six eyes stared at him just as they always did¡ªndly.


    She said nothing before walking away and disappearing into her room.


    Only if Nn could see the light pink that coated her normally white face in thatst second.


    [n. Guess someone''s enjoying food that just happened to be poisoned a few minutes ago. Hmph]


    The system teased, reminding him of his earlier mistrust, and Nn rolled his eyes.


    He stood by his point until the end.


    "Being extra careful never hurts," he replied to the system before rising and heading to the kitchen.


    Thankfully for Nn, there was a dishwashing gadget where he only needed to ce the te, and it would automatically get cleaned.


    In literal seconds, Nn was cing the te in its space and walking out of the kitchen.


    "Everything is so peaceful and heavenly," Nn said to himself. "This has to be heaven!"


    Everything truly was peaceful and easy. So peaceful, Nn almost couldn''t believe it.


    Of course, everything would probably change soon, and trouble woulde knocking at his door, but at least for now, he could enjoy the moment.


    Waltzing into the bedroom, Nn jumped onto his bouncy bed, getting thrown up a few times before finally settling down.


    His spine made a faint, thankful whisper for where he had ced them.


    "Good. Now I''m in the perfect mental state."


    "Activate the system interface," Nnmanded, and instantly, the golden notification panel shed before his eyes.


    [Congrattions onpleting the hidden quest: Reach the Ascendant area of the academy!]


    [Rewards:


    +2 Level Up cards


    +5000 EXP!


    +50 Fragments!]


    [System Interface]


    [Name: Nn Gottschald]


    [Age: 16]


    [Title: God''s Apostle]


    [Level: 30]


    [EXP: 12,500/30,000]


    [Level Up cards: 16]


    "Does the host wish to level up?" The system asked, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    Formerly, Nn''s strength had been enough to make him one of the strongest students of the Neer''s area, but now he wasn''t so sure if it would be enough to save him from the wrath of the Ascendants.


    He had already lost to an Ascendant in the Neer''s area¡ªthe assassin that hadid a trap for him.


    Now, hs knew while everything was peaceful, his enemies definitely had their eyes on him.


    Perhaps it was time he prepared himself ordingly.


    Being stronger right now jn case of any sneak attack.


    And if his enemies were really serious at getting back at him, then there was probably no best time than right now when he is still weaker than almost every Ascedant.

 Chapter 187: Levelling Up

    "Yes!"


    [How many Level Up cards does the Host intend to use?] The system asked, and Nn sat up properly on his bed, sitting cross-legged.


    It was time to improve his strength.


    [Use 6 Level Up cards!]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 31!]


    [+20 attribute points have been obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 32!]


    [+20 attribute points have been obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 33!]


    [+20 attribute points have been obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 34!]


    [+20 attribute points have been obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 35!]


    [+25 attribute points have been obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 36!]


    [+25 attribute points have been obtained]


    "The allocated attribute points moved up from 20 to 25?" Nn observed, gleeful.


    His previously allocated attribute points were only 20 per level up, but now, at level 35, they had increased by an extra 5 points.


    It might seem small, but Nn knew well that this was a massive improvement. The extra 5 attribute points, if piled up enough, would be incredibly beneficial.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 150]


    [Agility: 150]


    [Perception: 150]


    [Intelligence: 130]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Total Attribute Points: 130]


    [How does the Host wish to allocate the Level Up points?] The system asked.


    Nn furrowed his eyebrows but quickly made his choice.


    "Add 50 points to Strength, 50 points to Agility, 20 points to Intelligence, and 10 points to Perception."


    He ordered, and in the next instant, he grabbed onto his knees as his body started to react.


    Green veins squirmed out of his skin, their color shifting to a molten gold, as ifva was coursing through them.


    He clenched his teeth and braced himself, forcing his body to remain still through the intense difort.


    It felt like an eternity, but when the pain finally left, Nn copsed, exhausted, onto his bed.


    [Congrattions, your points have been sessfully added!] the system chimed in.


    Nn opened his eyes, looking at his updated attributes.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 200]


    [Agility: 200]


    [Perception: 160]


    [Intelligence: 150]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    "Hm, nice¡­" Nn muttered to himself.


    [Hmmm, are you sure about that though]


    The system suddenly asked and Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you mean?"


    [Your stats aren''t bnced. Your perception is low, and you know how fast the Ascendants are.]


    [With low perception, it''s a significant risk.]


    [I don''t doubt that someone could put a de to your neck before you even sense it if you have too low perception.]


    [The same goes for your intelligence.] The system pointed out.


    Nn thought about it and found it reasonable.


    One thing about the Ascendants was their extraordinary speed.


    And Nn knew well increasing his perception also add to his quick reaction time.


    If Nn faced an opponent with speed, which he no doubt would, his lower perception would put him at a disadvantage.


    "Okay, then let me fix that..."


    He still has a few Level up cards left.


    "Use 4 Level Up cards!" Nn ordered aloud.


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 37!]


    [+25 Attribute Points obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 38!]


    [+25 Attribute Points obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 39!]


    [+25 Attribute Points obtained]


    [Congrattions, Host has leveled up to level 40!]


    [+25 Attribute Points obtained]


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 200]


    [Agility: 200]


    [Perception: 160]


    [Intelligence: 150]


    [Charm: 8]


    [Attribute Points: 100]


    [How does the Host wish to allocate the attribute points?] the system asked.


    "Add 40 points to Perception, 50 points to Intelligence, and 10 points to Charm," Nn ordered.


    Once again, another hot wave passed through his body, but this time, it was far less painful than before.


    His veins wriggled, glowing briefly before settling down.


    [Attributes]


    [Strength: 200]


    [Agility: 200]


    [Perception: 200]


    [Intelligence: 200]


    [Charm: 18]


    [Attribute Points: 0]


    "Now, all my stats are perfect¡­" Nn noted with satisfaction.


    He was now as fast as he was strong, and his perception and intelligence were just as good.


    He felt bnced¡ªwell-rounded¡ªand, for the first time, truly confident in his abilities.


    The feeling of strength¡ªof progress¡ªit was addictive.


    [And you also pitied the Charm stat too...] The system butted in rubbing the only w in his attributes on his face.


    Looking at his runic device, Nn noted it was still only 6:00 in the evening.


    He wasn''t feeling tired yet, but there wasn''t much else to do either.


    He couldn''t read the books he had, and he didn''t feel like going out since he had just returned.


    In the end, he stood up from his seat and walked toward the window where he could see the entire academy.


    Students walked in groups of twos and threes, and with his improved perception, Nn could even eavesdrop on some conversations.


    He chuckled at their naivety, while also picking up on the Ascendants'' movements.


    He was so engrossed in his thoughts and sneaking on other''s gossip that he didn''t notice when the door opened, and Luna walked into the room.


    She wasn''t surprised to see him, and she simply sat down on her bed, pressing her runic device.


    For hours, Nn remained in his sightseeing position until it was around 9:00 at night.


    The stars shone brightly in the sky, but suddenly, a powerful wave of air sted Nn''s face as the ss window slid open, causing his white hair to flutter in the sudden breeze.


    Turning his head to the side, Nn saw Luna retracting her hand from the button.


    "It''s better with the breeze," she said softly.


    He nodded before turning his attention back outside.


    She was right¡ªthe cool air was refreshing.


    Only now did he notice that the Divine essence present in the air was almost twice as dense as in the Neers'' area.


    Perhaps that exins why the Ascendants cam all rapidly bolster thier strength. It was an extra-advantage of being an Ascendant.


    "What do you think?" Luna suddenly asked from the side referencing to the movement outside that they both could see.

 Chapter 188: Lunas Secrets

    The question rang out as Nn turned to look at Luna, who stood by his side, gazing into the distance like him.


    Once more, he stared outside.


    The students were going about their activities as they normally would, and there was no chaos at all.


    There were evenughter and giggling among some of the Ascendants, and they didn''t seem to fight or hate each other.


    All in all, things were pretty peaceful.


    "Peaceful!" Nn replied, and a small smile, one of mncholy, rested on Luna''s lips, her right hand hugging her left.


    "It seems like that at first sight, doesn''t it?"


    "I had the same thought when I arrived here about five or so years ago," she whispered and Nn silently listened to her.


    "But now, you don''t think the same?" he whispered back softly, and Luna shook her head.


    "Things aren''t as peaceful as they appear here. If it can even be called peaceful at all," she said quietly.


    "The only way to achieve true peace is to never try to grow stronger than you currently are..."


    Her voice appeared even more silent than it normally would, and Nn noticed her body slowly starting to ooze with that cold aura again.


    "Did they hurt you?" He suddenly asked as she turned her gaze to him.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Your cold body. It''s an illness, right? It doesn''t seem to me like you were born with it..." Nn replied as he looked into her eyes.


    Somehow, Nn could sense that Luna wasn''t always like this.


    He had seen a Hexive before, and they were nothing like her now.


    So, what had changed her?


    It was safe to guess that someone had probably inflicted her with the sickness.


    "I guess," Luna said, confirming his thoughts but not really willing to share too much about it.


    "You don''t seem to be put off by my six eyes for a neer. I wonder why?" she suddenly asked, and Nn looked at her six eyes before grinning.


    "My room got taken by a Hexive before I came here," he said, and she raised her eyebrows.


    One had to know that Hexives were rare, yet Nn had now seen two.


    Somehow, it seemed like fate itself had nned to bring him and Hexives together.


    "Did he tell you that we prefer neatness"


    "Is that why you cleaned up everything the other day when you arrived?" Luna asked.


    She knew well that normal Celestial Heirs were anything but cleaningness conscious, and Nn seemed like some sort of exception, making her able to stand his presence.


    But still, it surprised her that there was a Celestial Heir who valued natural cleanliness so much.


    Now that she heard he had already met a Hexive before, things made more sense.


    "Yes, he mentioned it, and I also personally saw it firsthand," He replied as Luna smiled.


    "I can imagine that..."


    "You seem more tolerant of dirt than he was, though," he added, and Luna giggled.


    "He will get used to it soon, the longer he stays here," she said, and Nn smiled before they both turned away and looked into the distance.


    "You don''t go to sses, do you?" he suddenly asked her, and Luna shook her head.


    "Is it because of your cold, or other personal issues?" he asked.


    He had noticed that somehow, Luna never left the room.


    Nn didn''t know why, but he could swear he had a feeling that all she did every day was stay in that room and never go outside.


    He was curious about her schedule and surprised that she could manage it.


    "You will be required to attend sses for the first year."


    "After that, you''re on your own."


    "Most of the other Ascendants simply go on quests, gain points, and experience, which improve their strength and maybe allow them to move up into a higher Ascendant ss."


    "That''s pretty much what everyone here does," she exined.


    "I, too, was a part of the group, well, until I got the cold and a few other issues that prompted me to finally give it up," she said, and Nn nodded.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered softly, raising an eyebrow.


    "For what?"


    "For the pain you go through. It''s so much pain, I can''t even begin to imagine..." Nn said seriously.


    He wasn''t trying to overpraise her or trying to appear like a good person or anything, but Nn genuinely knew she was enduring much.


    Having gone through his own pain, he understood the feeling.


    Just sitting beside her had made his lips start freezing over.


    He couldn''t imagine her having to endure this every single day.


    "You don''t need to worry much. What happened before usually doesn''t happen."


    "It gets triggered when a new element appears around me. That''s why that happened and it only happens once too."


    "It won''t ur again," she exined, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    "Don''t feel sorry for anything. You didn''t do that purposefully," she said before he could respond, and Nn remained silent.


    Now he understood a little more about Luna.


    It seemed the condition where she was so cold that he had to use his Anti-Aether to heal her wasn''t normal.


    It was because of Nn''s presence that her body had reacted in such a way.


    Now it made more sense why she never tried to leave her room and always stayed inside.


    Any type of contact with people seemed to agitate the cold in her body. Discover stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin


    He didn''t know what type of illness that was, but it was debilitating nheless.


    It was something that prevented her from meeting new people at all. Afflicting her with seemingly eternal loneliness.


    "I have a question for you, though," Luna said as Nn turned to her.


    "What''s that?"


    "When my cold got worse, how did you recede it."


    "Normally I would remain in that state for around three days before I can open my eyes at all."


    "But somehow, I opened my eyes in less than a few hourster, feeling the coldness having beenpletely eliminated and I also found myself on your bed."


    "How did you do it?"

 Chapter 189: A Sweet Lie

    "I simply melted away your coldness," Nn said to her with a simple shrug, but he underestimated how curious Luna really was.


    "I know that. What I''m at lost is how you managed to melt away the coldness?" she asked.


    Nn turned to her before grinning wildly.


    "A simple hug?" he said, and Luna raised an eyebrow at the answer.


    Nnughed out loud.


    "You can''t be serious," she said, watching himugh.


    There was no way her coldness was melted away by something as simple as a hug.


    "Have you been hugged before? After your cold started?" Nn asked this time, seriously.


    Luna furrowed her brow before slowly shaking her head.


    She hadn''t even another person not had a person touched her since her illness had begun.


    She had been kept isted here ever since.


    "Then how do you know a simple hug wouldn''t help with your cold?" Nn asked her smugly, and Luna shook her head.


    "You''re lying. An ordinary hug couldn''t have done that," she said, this time with more seriousness.


    Nn''s attention piqued, and he remembered what Norgomodev had once said to him.


    ---


    "Don''t lie to us; we can easily sense it¡­"


    ---


    It seemed the Hexves had a way to sense if someone was lying, so Nn stopped with the lie and decided to be sincere.


    "You''re right. A simple hug really can''t take away your coldness. If anything, it would affect the hugger with a dose of cold too."


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    "But my hug is an exception. I can take away your pain, if it gets too unbearable for you¡­" he said, and Luna''s eyes widened in shock.


    She could tell that what Nn said wasn''t a lie. He meant every single word.


    A faint pink blush appeared on her face as she turned her head to the side.


    "You have a sweet tongue for someone your age," she said as she looked back at him, her blush having faded.


    "And you can really cook well, too," heplimented, causing her to roll her eyes.


    "A boy with a sweet tongue and a girl who can cook well. Quite thebination, don''t you think?" Luna teased, and Nn''s smile dropped as he felt a chill crawl down his spine.


    "What?" he asked, and Luna burst outughing.


    "I''m just messing with you. Don''t even dare dream of it!" she said, and Nn let out a sigh of relief as the chill in his spine began to fade.


    For a second, he had been scared of what that might have resulted in.


    [I didn''t know you were loyal too. Strange for someone with such trust issues like yours.]


    [Can''t cheat on your little fish girlfriend, huh? What was her name again, Lorelei?]


    The system teased Nn, who rolled his eyes.


    ''I just don''t have time for that right now, just as King Sammodra said...'' Nn replied to the system in his head.


    "Thank you for what you did back then," Luna suddenly said, staring into his eyes. Nn shrugged it off.


    "It''s fine. You already paid me back," he said, and she nodded before slowly stepping away from the ss panes and heading to her bed.


    Nn remained by the window for a few more hours before eventually checking the time on his runic card.


    He found out it was already 11:00 p.m.


    "Now I can finally go to sleep," he muttered.


    Walking to his bed, he stopped when he felt the intense, misty aura that covered Luna''s bed.


    She was starting to ooze with cold again, and while it wasn''t as intense as before, it was still chilling enough that Nn felt his skin prickling from the cold.


    How Luna had even managed to survive this long was nothing short of amazing.


    [Her days are near...] the system suddenly said to Nn, who was about to sleep but instantly paused, sitting down on the bed.


    ''What did you just say?'' Nn asked in shock.


    [I''m saying she''s closing in on her death.]


    [When you hugged her before, I infiltrated her system and now understand the cause of her illness.]


    [It''s a curse of sorts that turns all of her Divine Essence into chilling cold energy and magnifies it.]


    [All her cells are being frozen one by one, and some of her organs are already frozen and beginning to fail.]


    [She''s only alive right now due to her powerful cultivation base. But how long can that sustain her?]


    [What''s noteworthy is the monumental pain she endures, Nn. To be serious, It''s like thorns digging into every muscle every single minute, gnawing relentlessly through it]


    [Like a meat covered covered Larvas that repeatedly chews through it. Can you imagine the pain?]


    [While the relentless assault has caused her mental toughness and resistance to pain to increase, the pain is still there and it only keeps worsening and will only keep worsening. Never the other way around]


    [One day, her pain threshold will break, and she''ll die from the intense agony.]


    [Or, she''ll be an ice statue once her organs freezepletely, leading to her death.]


    [Still it is as cleat as day that her days are numbered, Nn.]


    [There''s no surviving for her at all. She''s just dying the inevitable.]


    The system''s words were grim, and Nn turned to look at Luna, who remained in the same position.


    Dhe seemed at peace, but the intensely cold air told a different story.


    She was going through unspeakable pain, enduring it every day and every night.


    He wondered if she ever slept in peace at all.


    Nn had barely known her for two days, and while she had given him nothing but cold shoulders, he still felt pity for her.


    Seeing her reminded him of the previous Nn, whose body he had inherited.


    He, too, had been bullied daily, dying slowly and abandoned by the world, with no one to save him.


    In the end, he had died, left in a pit to rot.


    The same fate seemed is happening to Luna.

 Chapter 190: An Endless Circle

    Silence returned to the room as the window automatically shut itself when the time struck midnight, causing the room to be dimmer.


    [You''re still awake?]


    the system asked Nn, whose eyes slowly opened, a tired look appearing in them.


    Nn couldn''t sleep.


    He didn''t know why, but he just couldn''t force himself to sleep, no matter how hard he tried.


    The reason was simple: it was because of Luna.


    Now could he sleep peacefully, knowing there was someone going through monumental pain right beside him, slowly inching toward her death?


    The death of the previous Nn reyed constantly in his head, keeping him from sleeping peacefully.


    [What''s on your mind?]


    the system asked and Nn decided to open up to it.


    ''I can''t sleep¡­ because of her,'' he replied.


    [You mean Luna? Why?]


    The system was confused.


    Why would a strange girl he barely knew be the reason for his sleeplessness?


    [Wait, is it because of her illness and the fact that she''s slowly dying?] the system suddenly asked, and Nn nodded.


    ''Yes.''


    [Don''t be ridiculous, Nn. People die all the time!]


    [And she''s unimportant. If she weren''t, the academy would''ve found a way to help cure her illness.]


    [I''m pretty sure one of those Celestial Protectors or whatever would be able to help her.]


    [There''s no way there''s no one capable of curing her curse.]


    [But no none is willing to help her because she doesn''t matter.]


    [The only person to me for that is her.]


    [Why are you stressing over it? It''s not like you''re the one that cursed her, are you?]


    [Don''t give yourself headaches over nobodies. Just go to sleep.]


    The system''s response waspletely unremorseful.


    It couldn''t be bothered by the death of some random girl. What did it have to do with him?


    What it even found even more ridiculous was that Nn cared at all.


    But unbeknownst to the system, its words echoed endlessly in Nn''s mind.


    ---


    [No one is willing to help her because she doesn''t matter.]


    [No one is willing to help her because she doesn''t matter.]


    ---


    ''Just like how no one was willing to help the previous Nn either, because he didn''t matter, huh?''


    The academy could have intervened for the previous Nn, stopped the relentless bullying.


    The instructors could have stood up for him, ordered people not to torment him.


    Maybe then, he wouldn''t have been bullied to death by Quinn and his goons.


    The previous Nn had every reason to give up and end his pathetic life.


    Yet, he had fought every day, trying to survive, sharpening hisbat skills so that maybe one day he could stand up to the bullying.


    He had trained hard. He had worked hard. But still nobody cared.


    All because he didn''t matter. In the end, he had been left to die.


    Now, here was someone beside him who was also trying her best to live on and survive.


    But the academy didn''t care about her either.


    The system was right!


    There was no way the academy wouldn''t have a cure for her.


    But they had ignored her, just like they had ignored the previous Nn too.


    ''Now I''m starting to realize a few things about this world.''


    ''It''s like an endless cycle of people going about their lives, not caring at all for others.''


    ''No one cared for me in my previous life, and that''s why I got myself into eternal very until death.''


    ''There were people who could have stood up for me.''


    ''hepany wouldn''t have died or been too affected if I didn''t be a coal miner.''


    ''But nobody cared.''


    ''Thepany boss could have told me to stop, and all my debts would''ve been covered.''


    ''But they couldn''t care less, and I was condemned to very.''


    ''But even as Iy dying in my previous life, I felt a sense of purpose when I saved the poor beggar''s life.''


    ''His paralyzed son was healed, and his daughter was able to give birth bringing another soul into life that day.''


    ''No one but me cared about him.''


    ''Why should they?''


    ''He was just some random old beggar, but in the end, because I cared, he became a grandfather, and he got to live a better life¡ªall because I cared!''


    ''The previous Nn wouldn''t have died if the academy had cared, or if anyone had stood up for him.''


    ''But no one did, and he died.''


    ''It''s like an endless uncaring cycle, where people are losing their lives all because someone couldn''t be bothered to spend just a fraction of time on the well-being of another person.''


    ''But I have the power.''


    ''I have the power to influence this cycle. I have the power to care! That is who I am.''


    ''Iam Nn Gottschald.''


    ''I will care, no matter what the academy thinks or tries to impose on its students.''


    ''I will live this life by who I am, and I''ve decided to live it with no regrets!'' Nn determined in his mind, and with intense resolve, he rose from his bed.


    [Hey! Nn! Where are you going?] the system screamed out, but Nn ignored it as he got up and walked toward Luna''s bed.


    Arriving before her, two of her six eyes opened, and she stared at him with a curious nce.


    "What is wrong?" she asked.


    From her tone, Nn could swear she hadn''t been sleeping because it wasn''t the voice of someone in deep sleep.


    It urred to him that Luna probably wasn''t really sleeping.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t surprising. How could someone sleep with so much pain?


    "Do you mind a hug?" he suddenly asked her and Luna remaining four eyes opened up and she gave Nn an eyebrow raise.


    "I only allowed you to touch me previously because I was unconscious, and needed help."


    "Now I no longer need your help, so don''t even think about it!!!" she warned seriously but Nn only looked deeply into her eyes before whispering.


    "You still need help, and I promised to help you take your pain away if it gets too ufortable right?"

 Chapter 191: Lunas Pain

    "But I can handle it. I''m not freezing to death. It''s fine," Luna replied, but when she received the same stare from Nn, her serious expression faded away.


    "Just for a night..." Nn whispered.


    Reluctantly, she turned her gaze away from him, facing the other side.


    [Uf you activate your Anti-Ather, she might know! You can''t risk it!] The system warned Nn in his mind.


    ''Anti-Ather is a rare energy, only those old ghosts will know. She''ll simply think I have an ability with blue mes,'' Nn responded internally.


    Of course, he had assessed the risk, but he was also aware that not everyone was capable of easily identifying Anti-Ather.


    One had to know it was a source of energy that wasn''t destroyed before it could be harnessed at all.


    Except for the real Celestial ones, the probability of anyone finding out that his source of energy wasn''t Divine Essence but Anti-Atherwas close to nil.


    Nn was only afraid that repeated appearances might trigger suspicion, and sooner orter, people would figure it out.


    But the same couldn''t be said for her.


    There was no way she would know. Nn was pretty sure of that.


    [Fine! Just that whatever troublees from this irrational decision of yours will be dealt with yourself!!!] The system snapped before fading away.


    It hated Nn''s decision, finding it nothing but a headache-inducing and useless risk.


    Why even bother at all?


    Laying on Luna''s bed, Nn, for a moment, felt all his bones freeze within him.


    It was terrifyingly cold, so cold it was unbelievable, and the sound of his teeth mming together uncontrobly rang out through the small room.


    A giggle escaped Luna''s lips as she turned her gaze to look at Nn, finding his jaws shivering uncontrobly.


    "So, you want to return to your warm and cozy bed now?" she teased, but was surprised when she saw Nn forcibly stop his ttering jaw.


    Suddenly, he seemed to grow taller, wrapping his body weight around her.


    It was neither too tight nor too loose, and Nn made sure not to difort her with too much touching.


    He could sense she was extraordinarily sensitive to touch, and that was perfectly okay for a girl.


    He wasn''t oblivious to her cues.


    Quickly minutes passed by


    "Nothing is happening, save for the fact that you''re a slight bit warmer."


    "I bet you''ll turn as cold as ice soon enough of you don''t leave my side..." Luna muttered as Nn turned to look down at her.


    Luna was about 1.7 meters tall, and for Nn, who was 1.9, she looked pretty short, like a younger sisterpared to him.


    "Just close your eyes and the magic happens..." Nn replied with a mystifying expression.


    Luna rolled her six eyes before settlingfortably around his arm and returning to sleep.


    As she rxed back in, Nn began revolving his Anti-Ather energy slowly around his body.


    Gradually, it started speeding up until a low glow appeared around him, turning him into a ming blue figure.


    Quickly, the mist all around Luna''s bed was being absorbed into the mes.


    The coldness of the bed began to fade, reced by a warm sensation.


    Luna''s eyes opened in shock as she looked around, finding the white mist that usually lingered around her body disappearing quickly, and the frost retreating.


    It was like she was being ced near a me, but Luna knew the coldness still lingered in her bones, even after she had once dipped herself into pure hotva.


    That still hadn''t stopped the chill. Not even being in mes could stop her cold.


    Yet here it was, the cold getting sucked away quickly.


    She turned to see where all the cold was moving, finding Nn gently ame as if he was on fire.


    The blue mes weren''t harming her.


    Instead, they felt incredibly warm, and she unconsciously snuggled closer to Nn.


    She only realized what she had done a momentter, snapping two of her eyes to look at him and praying he didn''t see that, only to find him smiling smugly at her. Find adventures on mvl


    "Try not to get addicted," Nn whispered to Luna, who huffed cutely like a girl whose ice cream had been dyed.


    "Maybe in your dreams," she shot back, but Nn looked at her smugly for a while before Luna finally turned her gaze away from him and closed her eyes.


    Silently, a few minutes passed by with the room getting warmer and warmer.


    For the first time in close to two years, Luna felt warmth return to her life.


    It was a feeling she had lost ever since she''d been afflicted with her illness.


    Even if she put her hand in mes, she wouldn''t feel the heat, only pain.


    The illness didn''t just freeze her body; it also ensured she never felt warmth at all.


    She had thought she would eventually get over it, but she never really did.


    Every day, she could still feel the cold deep in her bones, and she begged for the day she would feel the slightest trace of warmth again.


    But each day, that hope grew more distant as every attempt yielded nothing, and she felt her essence draining away.


    Eventually, she lost hope, bing irritable and cold to everyone around her.


    She isted herself, knowing well no one wanted to help¡ªand that she didn''t need anyone''s help anyway.


    But loneliness was real.


    Even she herself felt it, though she tried her best to fight it, telling herself she was tough.


    Luna was so deep in thought that she didn''t notice the tears slipping from her eyes.


    Dhe only became aware when Nn''s fingers brushed them away.


    "It''s only for a night, remember? Don''t spend it crying or you''ll extinguish my mes," he said, wiping her tears.


    Luna huffed, but soon, a small smile settled on her lips.


    "I have a question though..." she suddenly called out to Nn, who turned his gaze down to look at her.


    "And what is that?"

 Chapter 192: Healing Luna

    "Why?"


    "Why bother helping me?"


    She suddenly asked as Nn looked at her silently for a while before he whispered back.


    "Do you really want to know why?" he asked, and Luna nodded weakly.


    "It''s because... I''m a pervert!" He said, and Luna raised an eyebrow.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, yes. A pervert for girls with soft, milky white skin," Nnpleted, and Luna giggled at his devilish expression.


    "If your hands move to the wrong ces, I will slice them off..." She warned with the same devilish look, and Nn shook his head.


    "Don''t worry. I''m very good at my craft, and my first rule is that it must be taken slowly."


    "So for today, you''ll be free from my perverted hands..." He replied to her as she rolled her eyes at him, choosing to ignore him.


    "Thank you either way," she said, this time seriously, but Nn simply shrugged it off.


    "Just fulfilling my perverted tendencies. Don''t sweat it," he said to her, and Luna didn''t reply.


    She knew he just couldn''t be helped, but it warmed her cold heart still.


    The hours passed by, and luckily for Luna, since Nn wasn''t actively using his Anti-Ather energy, he could easily keep this up for the next three days before it ran out and he needed to wait for his Anti-Ather to refill.


    Experience new tales on mvl


    But that wouldn''t be needed, and for hours Luna felt the cold leaving her body until eventually, she felt warm enough that the entire world became ultra-cozy.


    She snuggled deeper and deeper into Nn, and finally, after just 40 minutes, Luna''s consciousness faded away as the pain disappearedpletely, allowing her a chance to rest.


    It was Luna''s first sleep in exactly two years!!!


    Nn felt her snoring, something he was sure he had never heard before. He knew well that she was in a deep sleep.


    Only then did he re out more Anti-Ather energy, which he slowly passed into Luna''s body, and gradually, he began burning away the frost.


    He could sense that some bones in Luna''s body, especially her spine and neck, had beenpletely frozen.


    The same could be said for some of her inner organs, like her kidneys and intestines.


    They were all covered in a thickyer of frost, and some of her veins had been frozen in ice, preventing the proper flow of blood around her body.


    "So much frost..." Nn mused in cautious shock, and his Anti-Ather energy got to work.


    He passed the energy into Luna, cing it near the frosty areas.


    His Anti-Ather energy was like a whale returned back to the ocean. Instantly, all the cold was sucked away forcefully, and almost as if the cold was conscious, Nn witnessed it try to flee from his Anti-Ather energy, but it failed miserably given no choice but to get roughly absorbed into the blue me.


    The intensity of the me increased, and it moved to the next frosty area, burning that one away as well.


    Nn''s eyes narrowed as he observed a peculiarity.


    Instead of his Anti-Ather me dying after clearing the cold, Nn watched it grow bigger, and soon it turned into a strange ming white color, only increasing in size with every bit of frost it devoured.


    With rity, Nn sensed Luna''s clogged veins bing unclogged, allowing blood to resume flowing in ces it hadn''t for years.


    Her formerly frozen spine had its cold wiped outpletely.


    Small sparks of light appeared in her spine and neck, and he noticed a set of strange runic lines ring with dim light as everything returned to how it once was.


    While it took mere seconds to describe, what Nn was doing actually took hours.


    He had to maintain maximum concentration to avoid the mes burning Luna''s organs, which would wake her up in a disastrous manner, and he also wasn''t without his own pain.


    The returning Anti-Ather aslo chilled Nn''s body but he only needed to clench his teeth hard for five minutes before it settled down


    By the time Nn could sense it was morning, 30% of the areas in Luna''s body that had been previously clogged in ice had been cleared perfectly, leaving just about 70% of the blocked parts of her body.


    "I can heal her..." Nn thought to himself.


    He had witnessed himself unfreezing the once frosty energy from her.


    All he needed was about five days of passing his Anti-Ather energy into Luna, and he would soon burn away all the frozen organs, returning her to the condition she was in before she got the illness.


    Even though it was morning, Luna didn''t stir awake at all, and she appeared to be in the same deep sleep.


    Nn lowered the intensity of his Anti-Ather energy just in case she woke up. He also took back the Anti-Ather energy that was burning within her.


    Immediately after taking it back, Nn received a surprising notification from the system.


    [Your Anti-Ather energy seems to be changing, Nn.]


    The system called out to him.


    ''Huh?''


    [I said your Anti-Ather energy is changing.]


    [Before, it was like a nk sheet of paper that would simply boost your physical strength when used.]


    [But now, some of your Anti-Ather energy is radiating with the power of frost, just like Luna''s frost.]


    [It''s... it''s almost like your Anti-Ather energy is adding a new attribute to itself,] the system spoke with great and surprising interest, but at the same time, it wasn''t quite sure.


    [Just give me a few more hours to understand what''s happening.]


    [I think something great is happening to your Anti-Ather energy, Nn,] the system said before growing quiet.


    Nn narrowed his eyes for a while but didn''t think too deeply about it.


    What the system told him reminded him that he had yet to check the scroll he had been given by King Sammodra.


    They contained all the information he needed to know about Anti-Ather, and Nn had pushed it aside, till now.


    It would probably benefit him more to read it before the Ascendats'' ss started.


    Suddenly, Nn felt Luna slowly stir in his arms, and he shut his eyes close pretending to be in sleep as well.


    Not long after, Luna''s six eyes slowly opened up.

 Chapter 193: Lunas Resolve

    Immediately, Luna''s eyes opened.


    She froze for a split second, and then, like a robot, she rose from the bed, twisting her neck from side to side.


    Her expression quickly changed to shock.


    But there was no time to celebrate as her hands moved toward her spine.


    She touched it and found the skin warm, almost as if it had just been massaged by the best hands in the world.


    "How?" she asked in surprise.


    For nearly a year now, she had lost feeling in both her spine and the back of her neck, and she didn''t need anyone to tell her it was because they had been frozen by deepyers of frost.


    Yet, right now, she could move her neck and feel her own touch on her back!


    It was impossible!


    But even more impossible was the fact that she slept!


    She actually slept! It''s been two years now since she had slept!


    That could only mean one thing.


    Her frozen parts were thawing, and only one person could have done that.


    Turning her head to the bed, she found Nn, seemingly in deep sleep.


    Explore stories on mvl


    Silently, she approached his side. Al


    As she gazed at his peaceful face, a flood of emotions filled Luna''s heart.


    She leaned closer to Nn, but suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and Luna jerked back like a startled cat, falling to the foot of the bed in less than a split second.


    A powerful burst of air mmed into Nn''s hair from her sudden movement, causing his white locks to flutter behind him.


    Slowly, he sat up from the bed, raising an eyebrow at Luna.


    He didn''t understand why she had jumped back so fast.


    Touching his forehead, he wondered if maybe he''d grown a pair of horns overnight.


    Luna looked at him, seeing his confused expression, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    It seemed Nn didn''t know.


    Her heart had been so touched by his act that she had almost wanted to give him a forehead kiss, but she had nearly been caught.


    "What?" Nn asked as Luna jumped off the bed, quickly appearing before him.


    "I was just checking to see if you were truly awake or just pretending, and you startled me!" she said with acute precision, but the system notification soon shed before his eyes.


    [NO! That''s a lie! She wanted to Kiss you!] the system said to him, and Nn looked dubiously at the golden notification before he hummed.


    ''Hmph, that won''t work on me. You''re just trying to make me jealous, not wanting me to help her¡­'' Nn replied, a ''got ya'' expression on his face as the system went silent before it responded.


    [Poor me¡­]


    Then it faded from Nn''s sight.


    "Go brush, and by the way, your lips are covered in frost," Luna said, and  watched as Nn skipped away from her side, exiting the bedroom.


    But this time, he could sense a change in her.


    ''Why does she seem much more lively than yesterday¡­?''


    Yes!


    He could see a slight difference in Luna''s steps, and she seemed a bit more energetic than usual.


    She radiated a lively, energetic vibe,pared to the former Luna, who always moved slowly and regally, like a queen.


    ''A good difference nheless¡­'' he thought as he rose from the bed and tried to walk, but Nn was speechless when the world suddenly started spinning.


    ''Am I?'' he asked himself in shock moving around erratically like a drunkard.


    [You''re exhausted.]


    [Get back to your bed before you lose consciousness.] the system ordered, and Nn struggled to reach the bed.


    In thest moment, his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he mmed onto the bed, his consciousness slipping away.


    The reason was simple.


    Throughout the night, Nn had kept himself awake, his concentration pushed to the absolute maximum.


    Now that he had finished what he needed to do, all the sleep he had missed suddenly came rushing back, causing him to instantly pass out from exhaustion.


    Two hourster, the door to the bedroom opened.


    "Hey, I made something for¡ª" Luna began to say, but when she turned to the bed, she couldn''t find him.


    Looking at Nn''s own bed, she spotted him sleeping soundly like a baby.


    "Hmph, trying to deceive me again. Not this time¡­" Luna muttered as she appeared before Nn.


    Her hands came down with power, aiming to give him a scare, but stopped at thest second.


    A powerful st of air blew against Nn''s face, sending his white hair flying messily.


    But Nn''s eyes remained closed, his body unmoving.


    "He really is asleep, huh? I wonder if he even sleeps at night," Lunaughed, but soon her smile faded, reced by guilt.


    ''Am I being a headache to someone¡­again?'' she thought to herself, her expression downcast.


    But she soon noticed Nn stirring to the side.


    His lips moved silently for a while before he snuggled deeper into himself, a small smile forming on the side of his face.


    Somehow, it reminded Luna of the night before, and her downcast expression faded away, followed by a deep red appearing on her cheeks.


    ''I almost forgot, he''s a pervert,'' she mused, gently grabbing the nket and covering Nn with it.


    She stared at his face for a long while.


    Although he was tall and had the body of a man, she could still see the baby-like expression of a small boy on his face.


    It was clear to her in an instant that Nn was still young. Very young.


    In the end, he was just a boy, and her feelings, once filled with love and tenderness, shifted to a different kind of affection.


    ''I will love him, like a sister¡­'' she thought, cing the nketpletely over him and quietly exiting the room.


    From that day on, the rtionship between Luna and Nn changed.


    Luna herself transformed from being cold and distant, bing more open.


    With her body getting better and healthier everyday, she regained her lively aura, while Nn finally began to confront his own emotional state.


    He was able to get rid of the guilt feeling of being capable of help yet not helping, and Luna learned to open up to her feelings, epting Nn as her younger brother.


    This way, both roommates were able to maintain a vestige of good harmony to each other.


    Something that was exceptionally rare in the rest of the dorm rooms.

 Chapter 194: The Harsh Announcemet

    Time passed fairly quickly, and before anyone knew it, it was already time for the neers to officially raise their sses.


    That day, Nn woke up earlier than usual, around 5:00 in the morning.


    What woke him up was none other than Luna, who alerted him of the notification that had been sent to his runic device.


    Reading it, Nn saw that the academy had issued an announcement stating that all neers were required to arrive at the school by 8:00 in the morning, or they would face severe penalties.


    Nn didn''t know what "severe penalty" really meant, but he also wasn''t interested in finding out.


    Under Luna''s persistent urging, he reluctantly got out of bed.


    He had nned to get ready at 6:00, but he had no choice but to rise and dress earlier than intended.


    By exactly 6:30 in the morning, Nn had finished dressing.


    He stood before the ss wall in his room, where he could see the reflection of a handsome young man with wellbed snowy white hair.


    His appearance was striking, more than above average in terms of looks.


    He was dressed in a blue shirt, made from high-quality fabric that felt as thick as stone yet light as a feather¡ªsomething Nn had never experienced before.


    The shirt reached his wrists, its cuffs held by perfectly fitted buttons.


    There was a simple one-star emblem on the shirt, marking him as part of the "New Ascendant" hierarchy.


    His trousers were sharp and well-fitted, matching the color of his shirt.


    "The Ascendant uniform isactually superb,'' Nn thought, even though he wasn''t usually fond of uniforms.


    Afterward, he grabbed his backpack, which he had already packed two days before and slung it over his shoulder before moving toward the bedroom door.


    To his surprise, he found a steaming tray filled with various assortments of food waiting for him.


    Opposite it sat Luna, who beckoned him over.


    "First days at school are tough, so I''d advise you to fill your stomach before you go," Luna said.


    "Don''t worry, you still have thirty minutes left."


    Nn, having no reason to refuse, quickly joined her.


    Normally, he didn''t n on having breakfast before leaving, preferring to cook once he returned from the academy just like how he usually did in the Neer''s area.


    But Luna had gone out of her way to prepare breakfast for him and he didn''t mind twisting his habit for a day for that.


    Over the past two days, she had been extraordinarily kind to him.


    In twenty minutes, Nn was done and stood up from his seat, ready to leave.


    But Luna stopped him, stepping forward to adjust his shirt cor and zipping up his shirt properly.


    "Dress well. You''re an Ascendant, not a hoodlum!" Luna chided and Nn rolled his eyes at her authoritative tone.


    "You know, Nn, you never know who might be watching."


    " If you''re lucky enough, an instructor might pick you as a personal intern. That would be very good for you and save you a lot of trouble."


    "And that actually reminds me, try not to get into any trouble with the Ascendants."


    "If you annoy one, you''ll be fighting twenty of them soon enough, and you''ll likely pay for it with your points and a few broken bones."


    "If things go to far, then most probably with your life."


    "So don''t get into trouble, okay?" she said, concerned.


    Nn nodded half-heartedly but stopped as he noticed her insistence.


    "Promise?" she asked with a sweet smile, and Nn nodded oncr more.


    "I''ll try my best." He said.


    Of course, Nn himself didn''t like trouble but usually, it was never a choice.


    "Good. ss finishes at 4:00 in the evening. You''ll have me worried if you''re not back by 5:00," Luna said.


    Nn nodded obediently, like a good little brother. He knew she wouldn''t leave him alone if he didn''t. Find more adventures on mvl


    "Okay, bye now..." Luna said, stepping aside to allow him to head for the exit.


    The ss door opened automatically for Nn, but before he could leave, Luna called out again.


    "Nn?"


    "Yes?" Nn responded.


    "Smile a little. It makes you look more handsome," Luna said.


    Nn couldn''t help but smile at that, causing Luna to giggle as he disappeared down the hallway.


    The ss door closed behind him.


    "I hope everything goes well..." Luna whispered to herself, unconsciously cing her hands on her chest.


    She soon forced herself to calm her beating heart. ''He''ll be fine. I just know it.''


    But no matter how much she tried to assure herself, she was still worried about Nn.


    ---


    Stepping out of the dorm building, Nn checked his runic card, finding that it was exactly 7:00.


    He had an hour to get to ss, and since he had familiarized himself with the direction a few days ago, he quickly began walking.


    Of course, Nn wasn''t the only student heading to ss.


    Hundreds of students were walking along the road, and unlike him, some had already managed to make friends, gathering in groups and chatting as they walked.


    Nn nced at his runic device, which disyed a map showing the way to his destination.


    Though it looked close on the map, he knew it was farther than it appeared, so he quickened his pace to avoid beingte.


    Ignoring any conversations happening around him, he focused on reaching ss as quickly as possible.


    In this manner, Nn surpassed the majority of the students and soon arrived before therge gates of the Ascendant Teaching Halls.


    As he predicted, the barrier that had previously blocked the gates was now gone, and he immediately stepped inside.


    Instantly, a powerful wave of Divine Essence hit him, bringing a brilliant smile to his face.


    He couldn''t use Divine Essence yet, but it certainly made the air in the academy feel lighter and easier to breathepared to Earth.


    It was definitely better.


    With a quick look at his map, Nn located his ssroom building among the multitudes of high-rising building in seconds and made his way to the door.

 Chapter 195: First Day Of Ascendants Class

    When Nn opened the ssroom door, he found a spotless white hall where about a hundred seats were arranged.


    Some of the seats were already upied, revealing that he wasn''t the earliest to arrive.


    There were about 20 students already present, though none of them looked familiar to Nn.


    Without making any noise, he quietly took a random seat in the third row.


    The ss itself had ten rows each containing ten seats to form an extra hundred.


    It was more than thrice the size of Nn''s Neer''s ss.


    N loved his position because, it wasn''t the front row that would attract attention to him, but it also wasn''t too far back to miss the teacher''s words¡ªit was perfect for him.


    After settling infortably, Nn nced at his runic device and saw that the time was 7:52 AM.


    That meant it had taken him exactly 52 minutes to reach the ss, after walking at a brisk pace.


    BUZZZZZZ


    Suddenly, the sound of runic cards buzzing echoed through the ssroom.


    He checked his own runic device and found a notification.


    {Eight minutes remaining. Any students who fail to arrive by the deadline will have their New Ascendant rewards halved!}


    [Hehe! Expect the rush!]


    The system chimed in its usual sarcastic tone.


    Just as it said that, the ssroom door was flung open, and students began pouring in like a wave of water through an opener dam.


    They hurried, rushing to find seats, and the chaos continued until exactly 8:00 AM, when their runic devices buzzed again.


    "A total of 798 students have failed to arrive on time. Their Ascendant points have been reduced by half. All have been notified."


    "Damn it!" someone cursed from a group of students who had walked into ss just seconds after the notification was sent


    They stared at their runic devices with defeated expressions.


    Experience more on §Þ??


    Nn, however, was thinking deeply. The system, as usual, was aligned with his thoughts.


    [Do you understand now?] the system asked, and Nn''s brow furrowed.


    ''With the runic device, the academy can track the location of everyone who possesses it."


    "or at least they''ll know whether we are in the right ce or not!'' Nn realized.


    It wasmon sense that the academy couldn''t have Instructors have their eyes on every student, and he hadn''t noticed any cameras around.


    Yet, the students who werete had their points deducted instantly.


    Nn deduced that the only way the academy tracked them was through the runic cards they all carried.


    They had been told that their runic cards were their most important possession and must never be lost, not even for a second.


    Now, Nn understood part of why.


    At exactly 8:30 AM, the instructor walked into the ssroom.


    She was ady around 25 years old, with long pink hair and matching pink irises.


    She was stunning, with a refined beauty, but the feature that caught Nn''s attention the most was the single pink horn protruding from the center of her forehead.


    Her light pink scales on her cheeks confirmed her identity.


    She was a Zekkan, a rare race in the academy.


    Nn had only encountered a few Zekkans before, but he was surprised to see a pink one in front of him.


    ording to what he heard, they were a prideful and prodigious race.


    "I am Dorothia Zekkan, and you may refer to me as Instructor Dorothia," she announced.


    "From today on, I will be the ss teacher for this group, responsible for keeping track of your activities and reporting to the academy."


    "Believe it or not, this will have a significant impact on your future sess!" she warned, her words immediately causing the room to turn serious.


    It was clear to everyone that she wasn''t an ordinary teacher.


    Nnpared her to his previous ss instructor, Timat.


    She held the same stern authority, demanding respect from her students.


    ss teachers, like Dorothia, had more influence over their students than regr instructors, and their words carried immense weight.


    "I would first like to congratte those of you who managed to make it to ss on time today."


    "Not only have you secured your full rewards, but you have also earned an additional 100 experience points for your obedience and punctuality."


    "Now, I will exin the rewards you will receive and what these experience points mean, along with some other important details that you must be aware of."


    "That will be the only thing we are doing today," she concluded, her voice firm and to the point.


    Nn found her approach made sense.


    A proper orientation to begin the first day of school seemed appropriate.


    As she exined, the New Ascendants listened carefully, absorbing every word.


    For the next seven hours, Instructor Dorothia continued the session, and even through the long time grame, she managed to hold the ss''s attention throughout.


    When she finally finished, Nn felt his mind had been blown.


    The Ascendant Area was vastly different from the Neer''s Area.


    From the depth of preparation to the structure, everything was on apletely different level.


    "I hope you all now have a good understanding of the Ascendant Area," Dorothia said as she wrapped up.


    "That will be all for today."


    "Make sure you all prepare well as the real work will begin tomorrow."


    The students, still dazed from the flood of information, watched as the instructor left the room unable to conjure a word.


    Nn checked his runic device and saw that it was already 3:00 PM.


    At the top of his runic card, two new pieces of information appeared:


    [EXPERIENCE POINTS: 100]


    [POINTS: 200 (full)]


    Right now, Nn had learned to ce those two things on a pedestal which were just a little below his own arrival.


    There was a realization and that was the fact that he could move through the Ascendant ss and even be a two star Ascendant in less than a few days from now!


    Things were massively differentpared to what he was used to an expected.

 Chapter 196: Wild Differences

    In the Neer''s area of the ss and the Ascendans area of the ss, there were a few things to be noted.


    When Nn had moved to the Neer''s ss, they were required to wait for a total of three years before they could take the exam and be allowed into the Ascendants ss.


    One could say the Neers had an academic session of three years before they were promoted.


    But the same couldn''t be said for the Ascendants.


    The Ascendants didn''t have a specific timeframe for how long they could stay in ss.


    Instead, they were offered promotions based on their experience value.


    There were a total of three types of Ascendants based on their experience value.


    One-star Ascendants, like Nn, were easily recognizable by their single star.


    They were the lowest of the low among the Ascendants.


    The second level of Ascendants were the two-stars, who had acquired experience points of 10,000!


    They were at a much higher level than the one-stars, and that came with benefits of more points and more authority than the regr one-stars.


    Then there were the ultimate Ascendants with three stars¡ªpeople who had umted a total of 100,000 experience points!


    ording to what Nn had heard, they were exceptionally rare and held absolute authority over all the other Ascendants.


    Their hierarchy was on the same level as the instructors themselves.


    In the end, Nn realized the one thing that was really important in the Ascendants ss: experience points!


    Only with experience points could they move higher and higher.


    Right now, Nn had 100 experience points, something he had obtained luckily by arriving early.


    To move up and be a two-star Ascendant, he needed to amass a total of 10,000 points, or he would forever be stuck as a first-star Ascendant.


    What troubled Nn was the fact that experience points could only be obtained through performing incredible feats in ss, such as the one he was randomly awarded for arriving early.


    But those experience points were incredibly random, and there was no telling when they would be awarded again.


    It could take hundreds of years to amass 10,000 points if one relief on those.


    The best and most secure way to get experience points was bypleting quests.


    Each quest not only gave a certain amount of points to spend but also awarded experience points.


    The more difficult the mission, the better the experience points awarded.


    However, ording to what he had learned from Instructor Dorothia, they would all be required to reach the next stage of cultivation before they would have a 50% chance of surviving even the simplest mission on the quest board.


    None of them were at the required stage, nor were they even close.


    Even if they were, their chances of surviving would be 50-50.


    Essentially, they would be gambling with their lives.


    Read new chapters at §Þ??


    So Nn understood.


    For now, they wouldn''t be going anywhere or gaining experience points anytime soon.


    Now he understood why Luna had said they would be required toe to ss for a year before being on their own.


    It was also why Luna was able to stay at home and not attend sses and yet be fine.


    It was because she had agreed to stay in the same position, no longer willing to move up the Ascendant rankings.


    And since she wasn''t required to attend sses, one could say she was as free as a bird.


    The second noteworthy thing about what Instructor Dorothia had told him was about points.


    Just as Nn had guessed, the points were a form of currency in the Ascendants Hierarchy.


    They could be used to buy various cultivation manuals, which helped boost divine essence absorption, or to pay for a cultivation room¡ªa special chamber where divine essence was ten times more abundant than in any other ce in the academy.


    The more concentrated the divine essence in the chambers, the more points it allowed for a person to gain entry.


    They could also be used to buy weapons and artifacts.


    With enough points, one could even call on an instructor to exin a certain topic or technique, even if it was beyond their level.


    But the points required for that would be excessively high.


    Still, Nn knew if he had a billion points, he would be a god in this ce!


    It was vastly unlike the Neer''s area, where everything was essentially free for the students.


    Here, one needed to harvest points.


    Luckily for them, a total of 100 points were given to each student every three months by the academy.


    The only other way to obtain points was bypleting quests or stealing them!


    Yes!


    Unlike experience values, one could steal another''s points, and Nn couldn''t imagine the chaos that would soon break loose once the higher Ascendants began siphoning away the points of the lower Ascendants.


    Things would soon settle into chaos, and he was well aware of it.


    That was why the ss was silent, and none of the students rose from their seats even after the teacher had left.


    They understood the gravity of the matter and would definitely have to think up ways to protect their pointd, not only from the higher Ascendants but even from themselves.


    One star Ascendants like them.


    There were people who, because they arrivedte, had their points halved, causing them to obtain 50 instead of 100 points.


    These students would no doubt be eyeing those who had their full points like predators waiting to strike, and the thought of stealing from a weaker person was something the psycho-celestial heirs were all fine with.


    Nn knew that at least.


    Just like yesterday, the sun was starting to appear over the horizon, even though it was just past 3:00.


    Soon, the night returned once more, the countless constetions brightly illuminating the sky.


    Eventually, some students began leaving the ssroom, and Nn too rose to leave.


    He had promised a certain person to arrive back home before 5:00.

 Chapter 197: The Strange Avoidance And Mark

    When Nn exited the ss, he saw the students pouring out of their various ssrooms.


    Unlike in the morning, things were quieter than usual.


    Nn''s eyes shed as he walked toward the school exit gates.


    He noticed two-star Ascendants walking among the one-star Ascendants.


    He didn''t need to be told what was happening, but everything had nothing to do with him.


    Smartly, Nn weaved through the students, using precision to avoid any gaze that lingered on him for too long.


    He made sure to evade the predatory stares.


    It hadn''t been up to five minutes when he exited the gate, finally freeing himself from the clutch of the two-star Ascendants.


    He inhaled deeply, feeling a sense of relief.


    [What? You''re scared of those jerks?] the system mocked, seeing Nn exhale after avoiding trouble.


    "No, I''m not. I just think battling for points is a waste of time. Besides, I have to get back home early," Nn replied, quickly making his way to his dorm room.


    Since all the new Ascendants had just finished their sses and were still tucked away in their teaching halls area, the streets were much quieter than usual, with only a few people passing by¡ªmostly two-star Ascendants.


    A few eyes followed Nn as he calmly walked by, but no one made a move on him.


    They simply stared hard at him for a while before hurrying off.


    While Nn was pleased by this, he soon noticed something unusual.


    The Ascendants who had initially approached him with clear nefarious intent suddenly stopped when they were about ten meters away from him.


    They froze for a moment, then turned back and left him alone.


    And that has happened a total of three times now_ Ascendant giving him a hard stare, thier eyes shing all of a sudden and then quickly departing from him.


    [Something''s wrong. It''s like they''re afraid of you. But why would they be scared of you?]


    [ You''re just a one-star Ascendant like everyone else,] the system remarked.


    Nn''s eyes shed with a strange light, yet he acted like he was oblivious to everything happening around him.


    When he reached his dorm building, he saw a few Ascendantsughing and talking in the hallway.


    As soon as they saw Nn, three of them immediately walked toward him, seemingly blocking his path.


    One of them tried grabbing his shoulder, only to stop suddenly.


    The Ascendant stared at Nn''s shoulder in shock.


    Then, all three of them quickly moved out of his way, ignoring him as if he wasn''t even there.


    [There''s something on your shoulder,] the system immediately noted to Nn, who immediately turned to look at his right shoulder.


    His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the strange dark symbol etched onto it.


    "What the...? How did that get there?" Nn muttered in shock as he examined the symbol seemingly made from drawn with dark dust.


    It was shaped like a circle, with a total of three eyes drawn in its middle.


    What surprised Nn the most was that he knew the symbol wasn''t part of his uniform design and also wasn''t there when he had left the ssroom earlier.


    Someone must have touched him long enough to draw the symbol on him, yet Nn had no idea when or how it happened.


    With his high perception, he should''ve sensed it.


    Instinctively, Nn reached up to brush the mark off, but he was immediately stopped by the system''s notification.


    [Don''t dust it off. Take it to your room and ask Luna, she might know something,] the system advised, and Nn''s eyes brightened.


    Somehow, he also felt that the stamp had to do with some ult practice, but he couldn''t figure out what it meant.


    If there was anyone who could help, it would be Luna.


    She had spent more years in the Ascendants'' area than him and had more experience.


    She would definitely know something.


    Nn resisted the urge to brush off the stamp and continued walking.


    Just like before, the other Ascendants ignored him, their eyes shing with some hidden understanding when they spotted him.


    Nn acted oblivious, eventually arriving at the elevator.


    He swiped his runic card, and the doors opened with a ding.


    Soon, he was being whisked up to his dorm.


    Momentster, Nn arrived at the familiar ss door of his room.


    He raised his runic card and slid it into the reader.


    The door opened, and Nn stepped inside.


    The instant he entered, he felt someone''s presence.


    Bright eyes turned toward him as Luna stood in front of him with a beaming smile.


    "You''re back!" Luna called out.


    "And you''re pretty early too. 4:09. Understandable since it''s your first day in ss," she said with a shrug as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "But you mentioned that the first day would be hectic,and so I should make sure to fill up, didn''t you?" Nn asked, recalling what Luna had told him before.


    She rolled her eyes yfully and took Nn''s bag off his back before he could  even blink.


    "Go take a shower. You''re sweating so much. Almost got in trouble, huh?" she teased with a wink.


    Nn remembered what the system had told him and tried to ask her.


    "Hey, Luna. I wanted to ask you about¡ª"


    "Shower first!" she interrupted, her tone authoritative before disappearing into the room and shutting the door behind her.


    Nn sighed.


    Reflexively, he smiled to himself, though it was more of a resigned smile than a cheerful one.


    "I''m being bullied so unfairly¡­" he mused before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower.


    When he finished showering and returned to the living room, he found Luna waiting for him with a big tray of food.


    Nn didn''t need an invitation before he sat opposite her and started eating.


    As usual, Luna''s cooking tasted amazing, and after nearly 5 minutes of silent eating, Nn finally felt it was the right time to ask her.


    "Hey, Luna?"


    "Yes?"


    "I want to ask you something¡­"

 Chapter 198: Further Plans

    "What is that?" Luna asked her hand moving to grab the remote off the table.


    "Have you seen this symbol before?" Nn asked, grabbing his shirt from the sofa.


    He tried to show the shoulder to Luan, but to his surprise, when he looked down at his own shoulder, he found an unbelievable truth.


    The symbol was gone!


    The clear mark, which seemed like some sort of stamp on his shoulder, had vanished.


    It was now spotless, as blue as his uniform.


    "But how?" Nn whispered, noticing Luna''s raised eyebrow.


    "Never mind..." he muttered, tossing the shirt aside. But he could feel her gaze still on him.


    "You seemed serious. What is this symbol? Describe it to me," she asked with interest.


    Nn told her everything he remembered about the symbol to the best of his ability.


    After Lun listened, all she said was,


    "Hmmm."


    It was clear to Nn that she had no idea what the symbol was, and he didn''t press the issue any further.


    He guessed if the symbol had any meaning, she would have recognized it.


    Luan turned her attention to the TV, and as usual, she gotpletely absorbed in the movie ying on the screen.


    Nn finished his meal and tried to engage with her, sitting and watching the movie together.


    But soon enough, he found his eyelids getting heavy.


    He didn''t find the movie very captivating. It was just dull to him, aplete contrast to Luna, who seemed so engrossed.


    In the end, Nn left her, taking his dishes to the sink and washing them.


    Then, he moved into the bedroom andy down on his bed, his thoughts drifting to the events of the day.


    He nced at his runic card, seeing that his experience points were still perfectly intact.


    "From tomorrow on, I''ll begin my training."


    ''Most students will be heading to the special cultivation rooms, at least those who managed to keep their points from the hungry two-star ascendants. That''s the best and fastest way to improve their strength."


    "But the cultivation chambers won''t do anything for me. I can''t control divine essence anyway. It''ll be useless until I get rid of the curse..." Nn reasoned, his eyebrows furrowing.


    ''How do I even get rid of the curse?'' he wondered, though he wasn''t asking anyone in particr.


    Nn was frustrated at being unable to use his divine essence, unlike the others, especially after learning how effective his own essence could be.


    Just what kind of power awaited him if he could control it? The limitless possibilities.


    "Hey, system, do you know any way to unseal my divine essence and break my curse?" Nn asked hopefully.


    [No! Don''t ask me...] the system replied harshly, and Nn huffed, ignoring its attitude.


    "If I can''t visit the special cultivation rooms, then the only ce to improve my strength is the Karatos training room."


    "The tools are more advanced, so I should see some monumental growth if I give it my all."


    "For now, that''s the only option I have."


    "Once I gain more knowledge of the academy and improve my strength, I''ll focus on earning more experience points."


    "Even my points are useless, as there''s nothing I can use them to buy..." Nn mused.


    He remained in the same position for a while, simply staring at the white design of the ceiling.


    His thoughts drifted back to the strange symbol, and Nn felt his curiosity piqued once more.


    He was sure the mark had been there, yet it mysteriously vanished when he tried to show it to Luna.


    Besides, he had noticed that other ascendants started avoiding him once they saw the mark on his shoulder, scurrying away in clear fear.


    It was obvious that whoever had marked him belonged to a group the majority of ascendants didn''t want to mess with.


    [Someone''s going to be in trouble soon,] the system teased, but Nn shook his head calmly.


    "No! If anything, this is a blessing in disguise. With that mark on me, it keeps most of the ascendants off my back. That''ll give me plenty of time to keep growing my strength."


    "Eventually, they''ll reveal themselves to me, and I''ll be more prepared than ever."


    "This isn''t so bad..." Nn mused, trying to turn his situation to his advantage.


    Now that he had been marked, at least he knew the group after him was powerful.


    He was being targeted, which made him even more alert, knowing they wouldn''t dy their attack for long.


    Whenever they came for him, he''d be ready.


    His train of thought derailed when the door opened, and a figure stepped in.


    It was none other than Luan, and Nn noticed that the white mist that usually covered her had greatly receded.


    Luna also noticed Nn''s intense gaze on her.


    "What?" she asked.


    "Your cold aura... it''s reducing?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.


    He knew he was helping her, but he wasn''t really healing her. He was just unfrosting her frozen organs¡ªnot truly breaking the curse or illness, whatever it was.


    "I''m getting better..." Luma said with a grin, and Nn raised an eyebrow at that before shrugging it off.


    "It''s 9:00. Go to sleep already," Luma told him as she skipped to his side, burying herself within his mattress.


    The girl who had fought so hard the first day he wanted to sleep by her side had eventually gotten rid of her shyness about wanting to sleep next to him.


    She nestled herself deeper into him, and Nn soon turned into a blue, ming figure, with the mes gently dancing over his skin, lulling her to sleep.


    "Hey, Luan?" Nn suddenly called out.


    "Yes?"


    "I''ll be resuming training tomorrow after school. It''ll take at least five hours, so I''ll be back around 9:00. Not 4 anymore."


    Nn informed her, and Luna nodded.


    "That''s fine. Guess you''ll have to eat a lot before you leave, then. If you''re not back by 10:00, I''lle searching for you," she said, and Nn rolled his eyes

 Chapter 199: They Move

    "What? You don''t like it?" Luan asked, noticing Nn''s eye-roll.


    He shook his head slightly.


    "Just don''t worry too much about me," he said to her. Life was smooth for him now, bit he knew well it couldn''t always be that.


    When that timees, he''d prefer to fight his troubles alone, and so therefore, it would be better if Luna never worried about him at all.


    His troubles were his to handle and not anyone''s.


    Soon after, Luan''s eyes began to close, and she drifted off to sleep within minutes.


    Nn watched her long blue hair for some time before eventually sumbing to sleep himself.


    There were many things weighing on his mind, but not much that he could handle.


    The only thing he could do was strive to improve his strength.


    For onest time, he tried to sense deeply into Luna''s body, wanting to see how much of her organs were still frozen.


    For the past few days, he had relentlessly poured his Anti-Aether into her, slowly thawing her frozen organs.


    It seemed to be working perfectly as Upon checking her again, he could sense that only about 60% of her organs were still frozen.


    He had managed to defrost 40% of her organs in less than three days.


    Now that he had to attend sses, he couldn''t spend the entire night defrosting her organs as he would be unable to bear the extraordinary exhaustion it would bring.


    That was why Nn only passed his Anti-Aether energy into her for about an hour, defrosting another 10% before retrieving the Anti-Aether back into his body.


    He noticed that the energy had changed to white after passing into him.


    Nn''s curiosity was piqued, but his system had yet to provide any credible information about it.


    For now, he could only leave it alone and observe the color change.


    Fortunately, the white Anti-Aether wasn''t affecting the rest of his Anti-Aether energy, remaining separate.


    He wasn''t too bothered by it.


    If it turned out to be negative, he could easily expel it without any harmful effects.


    It wasn''t something to be rmed about.


    With ns for his new hierarchy having been made, Nn tried drifting to sleep, more than satisfied.


    Two hours passed quickly, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


    The sound of soft snores echoed through the dimly lit room, but suddenly, one of the snores stopped.


    A brilliant sh of light erupted in the room.


    Six eyes were glowing in the darkness.


    Lun''s six eyes, which had once been icy white, were now starting to thaw.


    Three of her eyes now glowed with different colors, while the remaining three were still white.


    It was a clear sign that she was recovering from her illness, and at an incredibly fast pace to booth.


    Her eyes narrowed as she looked toward the closed window just a few feet from her.


    Like a snake, she slid down from the bed and moved silently toward the window.


    With a simple tap on the device at its side, it opened up and Luna peered through it.


    The entire academy grounds were dark, with almost no students in sight.


    However, about 100 meters away, Lune noticed flickering shadows shing through the alleyways.


    "The Dark Eyes... talk of karma," Luan mused quietly.


    Her six eyes grew colder and colder before she tapped the device again, closing the window.


    She walked towards the wardrobe and grabbed a pitch-ck robe that seemed to absorb all traces of light.


    After putting it on, she turned to look at Nn, who was still peacefully asleep.


    "Just repaying your kindness..." she whispered softly before moving out of the bedroom door, which quietly shut behind her.


    Not a single sound was made, and the air didn''t even ripple as she slipped away.


    It was as if she were a phantom, moving through the world in a pocket of space that existed outside reality.


    ---


    The academy grounds, while home to thousands of students, were usually eerily silent once night fell.


    Most students preferred to stay in their dorms rather than roam around in the darkness, except for a few who were racially more active than night and even then, they would choose to be in buildings than wandering aimlessly between buildings.


    Through the stillness of the night, three robed figures moved with inhuman speed and silence.


    Ghey flickered through the darkness like phantoms, rapidly advancing toward one particr building¡ªNn''s dorm.


    Leaping from one rooftop to another, the trio of figuresnded soundlessly on top of a building.


    They were cloaked in deep red robes that covered their entire bodies, and their faces were hidden behind masks that revealed only the lower half of their faces.


    On the iron masks was a special symbol, one that Nn would have instantly recognized as the same one that had been mysteriously stamped on the shoulder of his uniform before it faded away.


    About 30 meters from Nn''s dorm building, the figures paused on top of another equally highrise building.


    One of them brought out a rune card, his wed red fingers quickly skimming through its surface.


    After finding what he was looking for, he pressed the card to his ear.


    "Is the target secured?" A husky voice asked from the other side.


    "We have eyes on the target right now," the masked figure replied.


    "Make sure you abduct him. Go in and out without a soul discovering you. Don''t let the mission fail!" The voicemanded with absolute authority.


    "Yes, Two-Eyed One. None stand between us and the target. The mission is as good as done!" the figure responded confidently.


    But suddenly, all three of them stiffened, their bones turning rigid as they felt an encroaching coldness.


    Instantly, they snapped their gazes to the side.


    A figure satzily against the skyscraper wall, d in picth ck robes which covered the upper part of her face.


    Her legs swung wildly around her and the trio could see a faint grin on the milky white face.


    "Are you really sure about that?"

 Chapter 200: Forced To Back Off

    VROOOOOOOOM!


    A powerful st of air burst through the top of the building as the three dark-robed figures all turned at once in absolute shock, staring grimly at the figure sitting calmly, a small grin tugging at the corner of her lips.


    What had shocked the three of them the most was the fact that they hadn''t been able to sense how she had arrived behind them.


    The fact that she had been sitting on the wall, casually swinging her leg around without alerting them at all, was an absolute, terrifying shocker to them.


    "Who are you?"


    The figure holding the runic device called out cautiously, but a louder voice rang out from none other than the runic device itself.


    "You have been discovered by someone!?" The voice thundered, sounding angry.


    Just a second ago, they had been talking about how discreet the mission had been, yet now there was mention of a figure appearing.


    "I''m sorry, Two-Eyed One, we have no¡ª"


    "Enough of your sorry excuses. I order a swift elimination of the target!" The voice from the devicemanded angrily, but then¡ª


    Giggle


    A faint giggle echoed through the top of the building.


    All eyes turned to the robed sitting casually, her head bowed, with only the grin on her rosy lips visible.


    Absolute silence covered the scene. Then in a husky voice, the figure in the runic device spoke once more.


    "Is that... is that... the Death Giggle!?" The voice from the runic device resounded in absolute shock, shaky as if the person on the other end was trembling in fear.


    The reply came quickly.


    "It''s been a long time, Magih."


    "YOU! YOU! LUNA!!!"


    ---


    In a ce covered in pitch-ck darkness, with nothing visible except arge desk and a chair behind it, a fat red-robed figure with razor-sharp ws sat, with one w tapping on the table and the the other hand holding the runic device.


    His devilish, wed legs rested on the table folded on top of each other.


    But in the next instant, he jumped up from his seat in shock, a powerful wave of energy bursting forth from him, reducing the desk and everything on it to nothing but ashes.


    "You! You! LUNA!!!" The figure roared in shock.


    "How is this possible!? You should never be able to leave!" The figure screamed, his absolute fear unable to be concealed.


    ---


    "What should we do now, sir?" the one holding the runic device asked, with narrowed eyes.


    She didn''t know why the Two-Eyed One was reacting with such shock to thedy''s voice.


    As much as she wanted to deny it, she had heard fear in his voice.


    But that was impossible!


    The Two-Eyed One was an all-powerful being! There was no way he could know the meaning of fear.


    "RETREAT!! RETREAT RIGHT NOW! THE MISSION IS FORFEIT! RUN!!!"


    The voice from the device roared, and the trio instantly turned their gaze back to the seated figure.


    But all they saw was the gleaming edge of a white scythe, mere inches from their faces, and then¡ª


    RIIIIIPPPPPP


    The sound of space being sliced apart rang out as a white light shed through the world with inhuman speed


    The light cleared off faster than a shooting star, and the three red robed figures stood rigid.


    Slowly, a hand moved out from the dark robes and took the runic device from the hand of the figure who had been holding it.


    Immediately, the runic device was removed, the trio suddenly mmed down straight into the ground as if they had lost control of their muscles.


    But when they hit the ground¡ª


    SPLLLLAAAATTT


    Brain matter and blood sshed through the area like a wave, blood oozing uncontrobly from their heads.


    The trio''s faces had been shed in an unnervingly smooth half, blood pouring from the wounds.


    One swift move of the scythe, and three heads were cleanly severed!!!


    ---


    "HELLO! HELLO! HAVE YOU ESCAPED!?"


    The panicked voice of Magih rang out from the other end of the runic device, but a wave of white smoky air flooded the screen as she opened her lips.


    "Not everyone can be as lucky as you, Magih¡­" The whisper echoed through the silence, sending a chill down Magih''s spine.


    "You... You have killed¡­" Magih''s voice trembled, but after a deep breath and a few moments of silence, he spoke again.


    "We''ve left you alone already, Luna! What do you want from us this time?" Magih''s voice was low and quiet, causing Luna''s grin to widen.


    "Get your bloody hands off a boy named Nn Gottschald, and maybe you''ll get to keep your head for a few more days¡­"


    Her voice was so gentle, devoid of malice or intent to harm, yet sweat dripped down Magih''s face as his hand shook uncontrobly while holding the runic device.


    "Fine! Fine! Keep the boy if you want! We no longer care!"


    "But I must warn you, Magih, those who want his life are not people you can trifle¡­" Magih whispered through the runic device, but soon the call was disconnected, and the only thing he heardst was the sound of something being crushed.


    Magih stared nkly at the runic device for a while.


    Eventually, his hands shook so much that he couldn''t hold it any longer, and it slipped from his grip, falling lifelessly to the ground  with a ''PLAT'' sound and Magih himself copsed into his seat, eliciting a groan from the sit which struggled to keep his heavy weight at bay.


    "LUNA! LUNA IS BACK!"


    Magih whispered dazedly, his mind ye to fullyprehend the gravity of the situation.


    That terrifying name¡ªthe tales he had heard about it¡ªand the one person he had witnessed only once in his life yet had given him the greatest terror of his life had returned.


    It was impossible but the truth was as clear as day!


    "I need to call everyone back!" he muttered, picking up the runic device with his trembling hands, but he failed and in the end he could only leave it to the ground as he began to type a message.


    It read:


    HIGHEST SUMMON ORDER: EVERY DARK EYED ONE ARE TO FORFEIT ALL MISSION AND RETURN BACK TO TEMPLE!!

 Chapter 201: Second Day At School

    The beaming golden rays of light shimmering through the window were what awoke Nn.


    His eyes squinted a little, not used to the sudden increase of light in the dim room.


    Just beside the window, he saw the one responsible¡ªa young girl with a devilish expression on her face.


    "Awake yet?" Luna asked, smiling, as Nn groaned from his sleeping position.


    "Reduce the light a bit¡­" he tried to say, but quieted when Luna opened the ss window even wider.


    Nn could only roll his eyes at her.


    "It''s past 6:00 already. You''ll bete for ss if you don''t hurry," she said before leaving the bedroom.


    Nn groaned again but got up, heading straight to the bathroom.


    He wasn''t sure if there would be any punishment for beingte, but he doubted they''d receive any rewards, especially after being given some the previous day.


    Still, it wasn''t a good reason to be tardy, so with a slight rush, he prepared himself, grabbed his bag from the floor, and immediately left the room.


    At the table, Luna sat with a dish already set out.


    Nn raised an eyebrow.


    He had expected her to do it once, but didn''t think it would be a regr thing.


    "Someone seems surprised and...displeased?" Luna teased as Nn walked toward her.


    "I expected it just once. I don''t want to feel like I''m troubling you to do this every day¡­" Nn expressed honestly, and Luna shook her head.


    "You can''t trouble me. If I do it, it''s my choice. It''s you that shouldn''t get too ''addicted,''" she said, using his own words against him.


    Nn simply chuckled before quickly diving into the meal.


    Since he would be starting training soon and wouldn''t return home until around 9:00 p.m., he didn''t have much time to grab anything for himself and the food was more than a great option.


    In literal seconds, Nn was done, and he headed out of the room.


    ---


    Outside the dorm building, hundreds of other students were also moving about.


    It seemed that everyone had learned their lesson from the previous day''s event at the academy, with the majority hoping the same rewards would be repeated¡ªbut Nn doubted that.


    When they arrived at ss, they were early enough that the instructor wasn''t there yet.


    A few minutester, she entered, and much to the students'' disappointment, she said nothing special.


    ss began as usual.


    Another long session of exnations followed, this time focusing on how to break through to the next stage of cultivation: the Sacred Vessel Stage.


    The ss piqued everyone''s attention, except for Nn.


    Without ess to Divine Essence, the normal path of breaking through by amassing divine energy was essentially useless to him.


    But that didn''t mean he wasn''t paying attention. He was just as focused as the rest of the ss, memorizing every bit of information given to them.


    Who knows when he will need it or have his life saved by it. No information was useless.


    The ss continued for nearly three hours straight before the bell for break rang. The instructor left after giving them an assignment.


    From what Nn had heard, there was a cafeteria on the academy grounds where New Ascendants could spend their break, along with other leisure areas.


    But Nn wasn''t in the mood for that. He preferred to stay in ss instead.


    The majority of students immediately left after the teacher''s exit, leaving in twos and threes to gossip about the previous day''s event.


    Soon, silence returned to the ssroom, and Nn opened his notebook, trying to make sense of what had been taught.


    But soon, he felt an intense gaze on him¡ªone that seemed to want to pierce through his clothes and look into his very core.


    Nn''s muscles automatically tensed and then they shook intensely, releasing a powerful fluctuation of energy that instantly tore apart the invasive wave.


    The pressure faded as quickly as it came, and Nn''s brows furrowed as he turned his head.


    While most students had left, there was one person remaining behind Nn.


    A young man with oiled and coily pitch-ck hair and a strikingly handsome face.


    His aura was refined, almost too good for someone who should be a New Ascendant.


    There was a small smile tugging at his lips as he looked back at him.


    But what drew Nn in were his eyes.


    They were like burning furnaces, giving the illusion that pure moltenva was bubbling within them.


    The young man raised his hand and waved at Nn, but Nn only looked at him for a moment before slowly turning his head back.


    His mouth moved as he muttered enough for the person behind him to hear


    "Don''t try that again."


    The young man had just tried to deep his perception into Nn''s body and he found that too invasive on his privacy without any sort of issues prompting the action.


    [Don''t you do that to Luna all night?]


    The system replied as Nn shook his head.


    Chapter Stay:


    ''Its not the same...''


    He had asionally checked Luna''s body with his perception but that was because he wanted to cure her of her illness.


    While he didn''t ask for her permission, he did it for a reasonable cause, different from what was done to him.


    Silence returned after his words, and Nn focused back on his notes.


    However, there was a sound of a desk shifting, and he noticed the young man walking past him toward the exit.


    Beside Nn''s notebook, a card appeared on the table.


    It was a ming red card with a special inscription.


    The sound of the door shutting echoed through the room as Nn moved his gaze, picking up the card.


    On the front of the card was a ming sun symbol. On the back, there were a few words:


    "Surya Kilovesky¡ªOne of yours."


    That was all.


    "What does that even mean?" Nn wondered.


    At first, he thought the figure was inviting him to some sort of cult, given the ming sun symbol, but he wasn''t sure anymore.


    Nn didn''t give it much more thought. He simply tucked the card into his pocket.


    He would give it attention next time¡ªif it was worthy of it.

 Chapter 202: Once More heading Out

    An hourter, the sound of the bell rang, and the students quickly moved back into the ssroom.


    "An hour for break, huh? It''s just like the Neer''s area too..." Nn noted to himself as he looked at his device.


    Thirty minutester, another instructor entered the ss.


    This time, he spoke about the importance of the Quest Hall, exining how they could all take on quests, the various hierarchies of quests, and the power levels required for each tier.


    He also detailed the different types of quests and how to receive rewards, as well as how toplete the quests under Celestial terms.


    It was a lot of information, but what caught Nn''s attention the most was the announcement that in two weeks, they would all be required to take a solo test from the quest hall.


    The idea of undertaking a solo mission unnerved many of the students, but despite their fear, they were just as excited.


    Nn too felt a spark of excitement.


    Finally, there would be some action, and he could stretch his muscles while also getting to see more of the outside world.


    He wouldn''t deny his anticipation for the test.


    Once the clock struck 4:00, the bell rang, and the teacher promptly left the ss.


    Without wasting a minute, Nn packed all of his books into his bag, zipped it tight, stood up, and left the ssroom.


    There was a ce he had nned to visit for the day, and he needed to get there as quickly as possible so he could have more time to train.


    As Nn moved out of the ssroom, a few Two-Star Ascendants exited with him, but none made any moves toward him, and Nn ignored them all, heading straight for the training room.


    After a 45-minute walk, he stood before a gargantuan building.


    Entering, he looked toward the rear where Instructor Gerrard should have been, but he couldn''t find him.


    Nn headed toward the elevator, and a ding rang out a secondter.


    When he stepped out of the elevator, Nn found no other Ascendants in the Kratos training room.


    It was understandable since ss had just ended for most, and it gave Nn thefort of training in peace.


    The first ce he had decided to check out was the Battle Gravity Room.


    It was a wide, white room where one would be required to battle a robotic opponent while enduring an increasing gravitational force.


    The longer one took to defeat the robot, the more the pressure would increase, forcing them to either defeat the opponent quickly or suffer the consequences of the gravity crushing them to the ground and slowing their movements.


    Nn had been intrigued by the idea and had saved the location for himself, nning to return here next time.


    Arriving before the training room, Nn stepped in, and immediately the AI voice rang out, followed by a blue screen appearing before his face.


    "New user detected."


    "Strength being scanned."


    "Strength has been scanned, and a value of ''1'' has been chosen."


    "Please choose your opponent''s strength level."


    The AI continued, and another set of panels appeared with options:


    {1.0}


    {1.25}


    {1.5}


    {1.75}


    {2.0}


    -----


    {3.0} Chapter Experience:


    "Hmmm," a thoughtful hum escaped Nn''s lips as he looked at the values, trying toprehend them, when something promptly came to his head.


    [Your strength has been identified and represented by a single digit of 1.]


    [Now, you have to choose your opponent''s strength level.]


    [If you choose 1, that means he will have equal strength to you. If you choose 3, he will have triple your strength.]


    [Make your choice.]


    "Oh, I get it now," Nn mused, and immediately made his choice, tapping on the holographic.


    {You have sessfully chosen an opponent with a strength factor of double your own strength.}


    {Opponent creation has begun.}


    [Pretty cocky, aren''t you?]


    [Do you really think you can take on someone with double your physical strength?]


    The system asked mockingly.


    It was well aware that Nn''s mainsource of strength was his won physical body.


    If he met with someone who possess twice his own physical durability, the Nn was cursed to lose but Nn didn''t respond to the taunt.


    He began removing his clothes until all that was left was his shorts.


    Soon, the sound of bone-cracking echoed through the room, followed by a figure slowly stepping out of the space in the wall.


    "Well, there''s only one way to find out," Nn mused as he sighed at the sight of his opponent.


    Surprisingly, it was a person¡ªwell, almost.


    A young man, exactly Nn''s height, with twice Nn''s body weight, making him appear unusually bulky.


    However, Nn''s eyes quickly narrowed as he realized something.


    It was actually a robot, cleverly disguised in human skin.


    The technology was so convincing that for a few seconds, Nn had thought it was a real Celestial Heir standing before him.


    Its eyes pulsed with a red light, and it was d in some sort of war armor with a glowing gem pulsing at its chest.


    {The intensity of the current gravity has been identified and set to a factor of 1.}


    {Gravity will increase every five minutes.}


    {Please choose the intensity by selecting from the following options:}


    {0.1}


    {0.25}


    {0.5}


    {0.75}


    {1.0}


    Nn didn''t need an exnation and immediately made his choice.


    {You have chosen for the gravity in the room to increase by a factor of two every five minutes.}


    {Please remember, you only need to say the word ''Stop'' to cancel all orders given.}


    [Match will now begin in 10... 9... 8... 7...]


    As the countdown began, Nn got into a defensive pose, raising both hands to the sides of his head and preparing himself for the challenge.


    He didn''t n on using his Abilities yet and wanted to feel the power of one who possessed twice his physical strength with no weapon whatsoever.


    {3... 2... 1.}


    {Match will now begin.}


    [You''re courting death, Nn.]

 Chapter 203: Training Battle 1

    VROOOOOOM!


    The air exploded forth the instant the notification panel disappeared.


    Nn saw the shadow of a robotic fist shing towards his face. In the next second


    _


    BAAANG!


    The ground beneath his feet gave way as his head shot to the side, a revolving shockwave exploding forth by the side of his head.


    His gaze shed with shock, and just in time, the robot retracted its hands.


    Another shockwave sted toward Nn''s head.


    BOOOM!


    Once more, the air quivered, but the blow met with nothing as Nn dodged to the side again, barely avoiding the punch.


    With terrifying precision and incredible fluidity, a knee shot forward toward Nn''s stomach, aiming to st a hole within.


    Nn instantly matched the move with his own right knee.


    BAAAAAANG!


    BAAAAAANG!


    The sound of a powerful collision rang out as his leg was violently thrown behind him.


    He mmed face-first into the ground, sliding backward until he eventually skidded to a stop, tearing his face away from the ruined ground.


    "[Idiot!]" the system chastised him.


    Nn felt the powerful air wave mming toward his face again.


    Im that instant¡ª


    BAAAAAAAM!


    The robot''s leg violently crashed into the wall behind him as Nn rolled away from under its legs, backflipping into the air.


    "[Hmm, I take back my words...]" the system said in surprise.


    For a second, it had thought Nn had lowered his guard, but it was proven wrong as Nn dodged the blow by rolling away at thest second.


    Immediately, the robot removed its leg from the wall and rapidly marched toward Nn.


    It was incredibly fast, and soon a flurry of punches rang throughout the training room. Nn''s head shed here and there, dodging every attack.


    But it wasn''t without consequences.


    A few sh marks could be seen along the side of his face, causing blood to trail down. Several areas on his skin were red, signs of hard impacts.


    But apart from those, Nn was still in pretty good shape.


    "It''s weaker than I thought," Nn muttered to himself, dodging to the ground as a heavy kick whipped past his head, mere inches from blowing it off.


    In an instant, the robot switched its motion, mming forth with its next leg, but Nn quickly moved his head down even more.


    Then, pouring strength into his toes, he shot backward.


    The robot closed in, and another fistfight began.


    But none of the strikes managed to deal significant damage to Nn, who urately dodged everything, only suffering bruises from the powerful and sharp waves of air that followed each attack.


    It wasn''t long befor a kick  was sent heading toward his head and Nn moved his head to the side once more but then.


    BAAAAAAAM!!!


    He failed to dodge, and the heel of the robot''s foot mmed into his face head-on.


    His cheeks jiggled from the force, and Nn was instantly thrown backward with speed, mming into the ground once before finally smashing into the wall, skidding down it.


    "What the hell! I dodged it!" Nn muttered in shock.


    "[Yeah, but gravity increases every five minutes, remember?]" the system reminded him.


    But Nn wasn''t given much time to remember.


    He barely moved to the side before the robot mmed into the space where he had just been.


    Before he could escape further, a hand grabbed onto Nn''s head, tightening its hold.


    BOOOOM!


    BOOOOM!


    BOOOOM!


    The walls shook as Nn was mmed into the wall three times.


    Blood sttered out of his mouth as a rough punchnded on his stomach, causing veins to bulge in his eyes, and more blood poured from his lips.


    The robot didn''t try punching his stomach again; instead, its fist magnified toward Nn''s face.


    At thest second, the robot moved its hand away from his face, then¡ª


    BAAAANG!


    A powerful punch mmed into Nn''s face, his head digging into the wall as cracks shaped like spider webs appeared across the entire wall.


    But quickly, the process mysteriously repeated itself.


    The robotunched another punch, but this time it failed as a CLINNNG sound was heard.


    It was the sound of the robot''s fist meeting a weapon.


    Nn''s knuckles had gripped a dagger, stopping the punch just before it reached his face.


    "[Pity it''s stronger than you, idiot,]" the system remarked.


    Secondster, another deep set of cracks reappeared on the wall as Nn''s face was smashed in by yet another punch.


    It was the third m of the day.


    {The use of an ability has been detected.}


    [The opponent will now be activating its weapon mechanisms...]


    The AI''s voice rang out as Nn watched the robot prepare for another punch aimed at his face.


    This time, it failed as Nn instinctively leaped out from the wall.


    Somehow, he felt an incredibly great danger from that punch, and he consciously moved away faster than normal.


    KABOOOOM!


    When the punch mmed into the wall, the explosion was twice as powerful as previous ones.


    Nn''s heart shook within him.


    Looking at the wall where the robot had struck, he saw spider web-like cracks covering the entire wall, and an actual hole had formed in the incredibly hard ss surface.


    "SHIT!" Nn screamed in his head as the robot slowly turned to look at him. He instinctively moved his gaze toward its fist.


    Right now, there was a crimson energy covering his entire fist, and he finally understood what the AI meant by activating weapon protocols.


    [I hope you can still keep using your fists...]


    the system said as Nn stretched his hand to the side, a long chain appearing.


    He quickly linked it to his dagger.


    SWOORR


    SWOOORR


    SWWOORRR!


    The sound of the chained dagger spinning quickly filled thebat room as a confident grin appeared on Nn''s face once more.


    Right now, he felt a sense of familiarity¡ªa deep, intense familiarity with the dagger.


    It gave him the feeling that, with it, he could take on the entire world.


    "Watch and learn, system!" Nn called out. In an instant, he whipped the chain upward and then downward to the side.


    Immediately, the chained dagger sted forth into the distance, shing toward the robot.


    The robot which had been steadily advancing toward Nn, stopped to look at the dagger shing forth, its crimson mes zing with deadly intent...

 Chapter 204: Training Battle 2

    Immediately, the robot stood and instantly dodged its head sideways, but still failed to avoid the daggerpletely, causing some metal to chip off its head.


    Still, it continued running forth with its fists speeding towards Nn, who shifted the chains downward.


    Instantly, a piercing sound rang out as the robot stopped and swiftly punched behind it.


    BOOOOOM


    Immediately, fist and dagger shed together, sending both of them flying backwards.


    The robot was unfortunately sent flying toward Nn, who threw a punch towards the back of the robot''s head, but was surprised when a hole suddenly appeared on the robot''s neck at thest second.


    VROOOOM


    A powerful wave of gas erupted, pushing the robot''s head to the side, narrowly avoiding Nn''s fist.


    In the next moment, Nn felt a powerful air wave approaching his jaw and swiftly dodged, barely avoiding the kick.


    In that same instant, he pulled heavily on the chain, sending his dagger rushing toward him just as the robot mercilessly punched towards his face.


    But Nn didn''t make a single move, as the punch came just a few inches from his face.


    Yet at thest second, the dagger flew past, blocking the punch, and the shockwave pushed Nn and the system backwards.


    "Hehe¡­"


    An unconscious chuckle escaped Nn''s lips as he took three steps backward, cracks appearing beneath his feet and he passed the momentum into the ground.


    He could barely see the robot shing and speeding toward him once more.


    Ihis time, it was actually floating horizontally in a cloud of smoke beneath its feet.


    Nn jumped, mming his leg into the cracked ground.


    Immediately, arge chunk of ss was sent flying off the ground and Nn spun, mming his kick toward the chunk of ss, sending it flying toward the robot.


    BOOOOOOOOOOM


    SHATTER


    The sound of the ss exploding rang out, sending shards throughout the entire area as the robot mmed a punch on the ss, shattering it into pieces.


    Immediately it appeared before Nn but git confused when when it found nothing.


    Nn has mysteriously disappeared.


    In the next instant...


    SHRIIIIIIIING


    The sound of a dagger cutting through the air resounded as Nn instantly appeared above the robot, his dagger digging deep into the robot''s head, and the force was powerful enough that the dagger tore out of the robot''s head, nailing it into the ground.


    Clouds of smoke and electricity covered the area, but quickly settled down, revealing the figure of Nn who had his chain wrapped around one hand and his dagger rolling between his fingers.


    [Hmph, cheap tricks!] The system said with a dissatisfied huff, and Nn grinned mockingly back.


    "It''s called Battle IQ!"


    [What Battle IQ? You distracted the robot with the ss block on the ground while sneakily gathering energy in your legs and then took off instantly.]


    [When the opponent was focused on severing the ss, you appeared behind it and nailed it down.]


    [All cheap tricks and nning, any idiot can do that.] the system evaluated what had actually happened, but Nn only shook his head.


    Slowly, he stepped back from the ce where he stood and walked towards a ce where the ss was still cracked.


    He jumped up and counted, "One, two..."


    When Nn mmed his leg into the ground this time, the ss on the floor only trembled but didn''t rise up like before.


    "You understand now?" Nn asked the system, which remained silent but quickly the golden notification panel. flickered once more.


    [Hmmm, so when you blocked the robot''s punch with your dagger, you were pushed back by the force and you passed it to the ground.]


    [But while passing it to the ground, you weakened the chunks of ss below, and when you jumped up and mmed your leg into the ground, it lifted up, aided by the power of the force that had already weakened the ss] the system reflected.


    [That wouldn''t have happened normally.]


    [Also, you moved so fast instantly nailing down the robot just after it core through the word of ss.]


    [That means you must have released some of that energy from the collision in your feet and used it to explode out more to catch the robot by surprise and deliver the finishing blow.]


    The system finished its analysis, and Nn grinned.


    "In other words, every action was toward bringing about the end of the robot."


    "None of it was wasted, not even the opponent''s own momentum and energy."


    "Every single one of its own moves was properly analyzed to bring about the end result¡ªall that while being in a hot battle."


    "That''s not a cheap trick; it''s abination of perception, intelligence, and belief that your precision wille through."


    "Controlling the battle with your mind, and never wavering in your judgment."


    "So that''s what every average idiot can do hmm?" Nn asked with a smug tone, before the AI Voice rang out once more.


    "Congrattions onpleting the challenge. Please choose whether to continue or proceed to the next few floors..." The AI''s holographic image appeared, and Nn quickly moved, tapping on the image.


    It had just been about 9 minutes and he had more than a few hours left for training.


    Once more, the voice rang out.


    "You have chosen to move on. A new opponent with a strength factor of 2.5 is being generated."


    "Are you sure you don''t want to reconsider?"


    "This stage has an impossible level of difficulty."


    The AI voice rang out as Nn cracked his bones in preparation, before standing and readying his dagger.


    "Let''s begin," he ordered.


    "New opponent is now being generated... Match starts in 10...9...8...5..."


    "Have any words of ''encouragement'' for me, system?" Nn asked with a smirk as his dagger once more began spinning around him.


    [I''ll reserve myment until the end of the fight,]he system replied, trying to maintain its mantle of pride, and Nn grinned teasingly.


    "You''re always wee to underestimate..."


    "The match has begun!"

 Chapter 205: Close Call

    "AHHH."


    "AHHH."


    "AHHH."


    The sound of heavy breathing echoed through the room, its source none other than a figure kneeling on the bare ssy ground, which was covered in hundreds of cracks, and filled with craters almost decimating the surfacepletely.


    Long, deep gashes marked every inch of his body, and around him were various robotic parts, scattered across the floor.


    Just a few meters to the sidey a robotic figure, its upper part reduced to nothing but a pile of mush, crackling with faint blue electricity.


    It seemed the robot had been violently blown apart by arge amount of intense, raw energy, and Nn remained on the ground, breathing uncontrobly, his dagger clutched tightly in his grasp.


    He was injured, covered in blood and most of all incredibly exhausted.


    Soon the AI voice rang out.


    [The match has ended!]


    [Congrattions to the user for defeating an opponent of strength figure Digit 3!]


    [User''s body is in critical condition. Training module will be disabled until the user finds a way to increase their stats.]


    [Shutting down interface...]


    The voice faded, and soon the lights in the room dimmed as the blue holographic interface in front of Nn disappeared into thin air.


    But he hardly paid attention to it.


    All he could think about was thest move that had led to the robot''s defeat, allowing him to win against an opponent with almost triple his own physical strength.


    But it also came at its own significant risk.


    [You almost got yourself blown apart.]


    The system''s golden notification panel appeared in front of Nn, who forced himself to rise onto one knee.


    Then, with much agony, he pushed himself upright, his hand gripping the wall at his side to steady himself.


    [Majority of your bones are either cracked or close to it! You got too reckless!]


    "Don''t fret. They''ll heal..." Nn replied, his eyes drifting to the other side of the room where a smaller door was located.


    He made his way forward.


    When he arrived, he realized it was a bathroom, and immediately, he stepped inside, washing away the bloodstains that covered his entire body.


    The cold water seemed to almost wash away the pain from his wounds, and soon Nn exited, smelling less of blood and machine.


    He quickly began putting on his clothes again, thankful he had taken them off before the fight.


    He was pretty sure he would have ruined one of his uniforms otherwise.


    Dressed, Nn stood upright and moved outside.


    It was already dark when he stepped into the night, and as he checked his runic device, he saw it was 9:45.


    "Time moves pretty fast now," he muttered, raising an eyebrow.


    He immediately started jogging toward his dorm room, soon turning into a phantom that vanished into the distance.


    He still remembered Luna saying she would begin searching for him once it hit 10:00.


    Though Nn didn''t know how serious she was, he didn''t want to risk Lunaing outside, as being out at night, or to say with people worsened her health, capable of undoing his efforts over the past few days.


    That was why he decided to speed up and reach his dorm room before it got toote.


    When Nn swiped his card on the ss door, the time disyed exactly 10:00, and he stepped inside.


    As soon as he entered, he spotted someoneing out of the bedroom, wearing a long robe with arge hood.


    "You''re back!" Luna called out, but then she narrowed her eyes, scanning Nn''s body.


    It was as if she could see right through him, gasping a little when she saw the various wounds on him.


    "What happened? Did someone do this to you?" she asked, her tone filled with worry.


    Nn nodded. "Yes, someone did. The robot in the training room..." He replied, walking toward her.


    "You git me worried. Go take a proper bath, you reek of metal and blood!" Luna said, wrinkling her nose in mock disgust.


    With an embarrassed smile, Nn rolled his eyes and disappeared into the bathroom.


    A few minutester, he emerged with a towel draped around his neck, now dressed in much lighter clothes for the night.


    Sitting on the sofa with the TV on was Luna, watching her favorite show, and on the tabley an array of dishes.


    Luna had already ced away her dark robes and was now in her night pajamas as Nn quickly devoured the food prepared for him.


    "You do know there''s a possibility of dying in those robot training rooms, right?" Luna suddenly asked after Nn finished his meal, her voice now hard and cold.


    "I realized that today. But I also realized I can say ''stop'' before that happens," he replied, and her eyes narrowed at his face before scanning his body again, still littered with scars.


    "You went too far and you failed to think far."


    "What would have happened if you''d been ambushed just after exiting the room? Right now, you have less than 20% of your true strength."


    "You''d be nothing but a sitting duck for anyone wanting to harm you." She pressed, and Nn had to admit she was right.


    He might have gone too far today.


    Though he had nned the training, he hadn''t expected to injure himself this badly or end up with scars covering his body.


    It had all happened when he got lost in the excitement of training.


    If he had to face a two-star ascendant right after exiting the training room, he''d be in a dangerous situation, fighting with only 30% of his strength¡ªsomething that wouldn''t be enough against the immensely strong two-star ascendants.


    "I''ll be more careful next time," he said seriously, and Luna nodded in agreement.


    Nn rose from his seat and carried his dishes to the kitchen before heading to the bedroom.


    The day will begin again at 7 and right now it was already past 11 and closing to 12.


    He needed his rest to better prepare himself for tomorrow.

 Chapter 206: The Systems Change Of Heart

    "Do they hurt..." The voice whispered behind Nn''s ear, resonating through the dimly lit room where two figuresy covered under a heavy mattress.


    A cozy warmth radiated through the space, its source none other than one of the figures gently flickering with blue mes.


    Nn looked down at Luna, whose fingers slowly trailed beside some of the wounds on his body.


    He shook his head.


    "They don''t hurt much..." he began, but suddenly winced as a stinging pain surged through him, its source none other than from Luna dipping her fingers too close to the wound on his chest.


    "You lie..." She whispered, her gaze soft but knowing. Nn rolled his eyes but chose to remain silent, shifting back to sleep.


    Yet, he quickly snapped his eyes open again when he felt Luna press her hand firmly against his chest.


    Then, something began to flow through his body. It felt like the purest essence, present in all worlds, as his wounds started to rapidly heal.


    But just as the sensation came, it was interrupted as Nn forcefully moved Luna''s hand away.


    "I''ll heal, Luna. Don''t waste your Divine Essence," he said, his tone now serious.


    Luna looked at his deeply for a while and she  finally obliged.


    While Nn never knew she had the power to heal, he at least knew well that her Divine Essence was limited.


    He didn''t think it was wise for her to use it on something like this.


    She had been recovering well in recent days, and using her Divine Essence for anything unforeseen might worsen her condition.


    That was why he didn''t want her to heal him. Perhaps, she would be free to use her Divine Essence anyhow she likes when she was fully healed, but now he would love her to not make any reckless moves that might ruin everything.


    [You know Nn, she would be a valuablepanion to have if she manages to heal up perfect,] the system suddenly chimed in.


    ''What do you mean?''


    [She''s an Hexive with six eyes, meaning she has control over six elements, and now just as you have learned, one of those element include the rare Life element that can heal wounds.]


    [Imagine having someone like that by your side in a battle.]


    [Not only could she fight by your side, but she could also bring you back from the brink of defeat if you''re injured.]


    [She''s worth keeping close.]


    Nn hesitated.


    [Didn''t you say before that you wouldn''t mind her dying and that she was just a random girl who deserved to die?] he reminded the system, recalling its earlier cold judgment.


    [Circumstances change,] the system replied.


    [And right now, she offers more advantages than disadvantages. Why can''t my thoughts about her evolve?]


    [You need to learn to adapt, Nn. It''s an important skill.]


    Nn scoffed.


    [You''re a shameless oldie, but I have to admit, your advice tends to work in my favor.] Though the system''s choices didn''t always align with his own, Nn understood that it wasn''t purely self-serving.


    It genuinely wanted to help him, even if it seemed shameless at times. That was why, despite its faults, he respected it and gave it credit where due.


    Though, of course, Nn didn''t always follow its suggestions.


    The system had made mistakes before, like when it had urged him to abandon Luna.


    Had he done that, this opportunity wouldn''t have been possible.


    He could now see the system''s point: Luna was capable of great potential.


    She was starting to regain control of her powers, and one of her six eyes possessed the rare ability to heal.


    Even if she was still weak now, one day, if she fully overcame her condition, she would grow much stronger and her six eyes definitely had the potential of such, and she would soon be a valuable ally¡ªsomeone who could fight for him and also heal him.


    The Luna who had been nothing but a burden at the beginning was now evolving into a usefulpanion.


    "I guess my choice in the beginning wasn''t wrong after all," Nn mused with a smile as he slowly drifted into unconsciousness, after passing a small portion of his own energy to Luna to help burn off her frozen organs.


    His Anti-Aether energy could continue to work within her without his constant intervention.


    He''d been able to share his energy and still go to sleep, leaving the system to keep watch.


    Before morning, the system would wake him, and he would retrieve his Anti-Aether energy along with all the cold from her frozen organ.


    Silence remained in the room and gentle snoring filled the space,ing from Nn, whose wounds were now rapidly closing up.


    Six eyes from across observed each and every wound healing swiftly, their gaze flickering with both interest and suspicion.


    As the days passed, Luna had started to notice things about Nn¡ªthings that were strange.


    After conducting her own research as to why the Dark Eyes group wanted him dead, she had discovered something surprising.


    Nn wasn''t just any neer.


    He was the first of the Newest Ascendants that were currently in the academy, a title that came with considerable weight.


    His past intrigued her and even she had heard the rumors about him.


    He was the odd anomaly, a student who couldn''t control his Divine Essence and others could.


    Even as Luna trued to control Nn''s essence, she could see she could control it, something that should be impossible but she didn''t.


    That confirmed to her she really was right and he truly was that odd anomaly.


    But deeper truths were beginning to settle within Luna, especially as she noticed the mes within her burning away the injuries inside her body.


    These mes¡ªthey were different.


    Normally, when Divine Essence was passed into someone, it would transform to match the receiver''s essence.


    Yet, no matter how much Luna tried to control the energy within her¡ªNn''s energy¡ªshe couldn''t.


    It remained foreign, beyond her control.


    It was like...it was like.


    ''These mes aren''t formed from Divine Essence.''


    ''They are something else.''


    ''Something... different.''

 Chapter 207: A Week Later

    The light seeping through the ss windows woke Nn from his bed, and this time, he managed to wake himself up earlier than usual.


    [Finally, time for the mission.]


    The system called out to him as he sat up from his bed, stretching his stiff muscles.


    The faint sound that erupted from his joints was like the crackling of thunder, echoing through the room.


    The golden rays of sunlight illuminated his perfectly chiseled body, brimming with strength and vitality.


    It had been a week since Nn resumed his sses, and, luckily for him, there had been no real incidents throughout the entire two-week duration.


    No one had attacked him, and the mysterious symbol ced on his shoulder seemed to be just an unlucky coincidence, as nothing further happened.


    He had kept to his routine for days, alternating between sses and the training room.


    Each session, hested twice as long as any other Ascendant, returning to his dorm at night only to rest.


    As a result, not only had his body''s strength and endurance massively increased, but hisbat skills and confidence had grown as well.


    And just as the system said, today was a special day as it was the day when all the new Ascendants would embark on their first mission.


    Nn was more eager than ever.


    The past two weeks of monotony had worn him down.


    He needed something to break the routine, and this mission was exactly what he''d been waiting for.


    He nced at Luna''s bed. It was unmade, but she wasn''t there.


    The second piece of great news was that Luna had finally been cured of her frozen illness.


    With Nn''s help in unfreezing her organs, Luna herself had managed to remove the true source of the illness.


    Now, she no longer radiated that intense cold from her body, and she asionally ventured out of the room¡ªthough she always returned quickly.


    It was a big changepared to before.


    Since she had healed, Nn saw no reason for her to keep staying in his bed, and it seemed Luna understood that.


    She had eventually moved back to her own.


    Opening the door, Noan stepped out of the bedroom and turned his gaze toward the kitchen.


    He could already sense someone inside.


    Without wasting any time, he moved to the bathroom and quickly began preparing for the day.


    Thirty minutester, a figure dressed in a neat, ironed blue uniform stepped out of the bathroom, a bag slung over his back.


    Sitting on the opposite sofa was another figure dressed in the same uniform, though a dark robe was draped over her shoulders.


    It was none other than Luna.


    Her attire surprised Nn a bit as he noticed the uniform she was wearing.


    "You''re finally nning to resume schooling?" Nn asked.


    He could guess it was the only reason she would put on the Ascendant uniform.


    "Yes, I am, starting from today," Luna replied with a beaming smile, making her look like a young girl excited for candy.


    Nn rolled his eyes before moving to the table opposite her and taking his seat.


    His food was already set on the te, and he quickly began eating.


    Many things had changed over the past two weeks, but one thing that hadn''t changed was Luna''s schedule of waking him up and cooking for him before he left for ss.


    She had never missed a single day. Like clockwork, she did it every morning.


    He felt a bit awkward about it and had told her many times to stop, but Luna only giggles at him.


    And when he woke up the next day, the food would be there.


    Looking at Luna''s eyes now, Nn noticed how bright they were.


    All six of them glowed intensely, their colors deeply shining.


    Of her six eyes, four emitted a special light, while the remaining two were a normal dark like the ones of Norgomodev.


    One of her six eyes was green.


    He guessed it was probably the one that gave her the ability to heal.


    The element was likely nature or something simr, like Gaia.


    The second eye was pitch ck, giving Nn the eerie feeling of staring into the emptiness of space.


    Looking too long made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.


    He had no idea what element this eye represented.


    The third eye was white, dotted with small specks of grey. Like the first one, he also had no clue what it could do.


    Herst eye, however, was a full purple.


    Nn could only guess at the abilities tied to each eye.


    Of course, he wasn''t foolish enough to ask directly, so he simply observed them now and then.


    "You''ll be leaving for your Ascendant mission soon, won''t you?" Luna asked suddenly.


    He nodded. He had told her about it a week ago.


    "And it''s a solo mission, right? No help from the instructors, just you?" Luna pressed. He nodded again.


    "Yes, just me."


    "Have you ever gone on a solo mission before? Or any mission at all?" she asked, her curiosity apparent.


    Nn paused for a moment before replying.


    "I haven''t gone on a solo mission before, but I have been part of a group mission."


    "It was a sess, though there were quite a few skirmishes along the way¡­" Nn replied, and Luna nodded.


    Eventually, they both finished eating, and he rose to leave.


    But before he could, Luna stopped him.


    "I have something to give you for your mission¡­"


    Something for me?" Nn asked, raising an eyebrow as Luna walked toward him from the room and handed him a small ring.


    "What is this?"


    "It''s called a Spatial Ring," she said. "All you have to do is pass your Divine Essence into it, and it will be yours."


    Nn took the ring but hot a little lost. He didn''t have Divine Essence.


    He wanted to say he didn''t have Divine Essence to her but was stopped by the golden panel in front of him.

 Chapter 208: First Time Meeting With A Mythic Beast

    [You''ll blow your cover. Try your Anti-Aether,] the system barked before he could make an excuse.


    Nnplied, channeling his Anti-Aether energy into the ring.


    Immediately, it red with a strange blue light, and Nn felt something open up to him.


    It was a peculiar little space, about the size of a small cupboard.


    Inside, he could see a few cards¡ªthe same cards that had been troubling him during his stay in the Neer''s area.


    The Runic Cards.


    "What are these?" he asked.


    Luna''s eyes shed with a special light.


    She had been well aware of Nn''s inability to use Divine Essence, and she had wanted to know if that was true.


    But now, it seemed that wasn''t a hundred percent true or a lie.


    The Nn before her could use Divine Essence.


    ''No wonder he''s growing stronger,'' she thought. ''He must have ovee his anomaly.


    But what is that strange me of his? It''s not powered by Divine Essence...


    Just what else is abnormal about him?''


    Even though she had quite the long train O thoughts, she still replied quickly to Nn''s question.


    "The cards are one-time protection cards with a timer. Majority of them will simply envelop you in a thick barrier that could help block attack."


    "But if the attack is strong enough, it can tear through the bubble and still harm you but at least, the power of the strikes would have been reduced if not fully exhausted..."


    "You can activate them by simply pouring your Divine Essence into them."


    "They''ll be useful in certain situations."


    "And also, you haven''t chosen your quest yet, right?" she asked.


    "If my knowledge isn''t outdated, the quests you''ll be given will vary greatly."


    "They have different levels of rewards, experience points, and risks associated with them."


    "Since you all have some freedom in choosing, many will aim for the high-reward quests."


    "But those quests also have a direct corrtion with their level of difficulty."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if 60% of the people going for the higher-tier quests never return," Luna said matter-of-factly.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Yes, dying here ismon and a very great possibility."


    "The Academy know well how to cover it up and make truce with your family, so don''t think you''re covered and can''t die because of your background."


    "If you fuck up, you die..."


    "So do yourself a favor and choose a quest that is moderate, something between average and above-average difficulty."


    "You''ll still receive points and experience from the Academy if you pass the test."


    "And most Newcm Ascendants don''t know that the reward given by the Academy forpleting the quest will be far more valuable than what you''ll obtain from the quest itself."


    "Dying or getting critically injured on the quest is not worth it for neers like you."


    "Just take a simple test and pass."


    "That''s what the Academy wants, and that''s what you should do."


    "Do you understand?" Luna asked.


    Nn nodded.


    What Luna revealed to him was something very few would know, and one could say it gave Nn an advantage.


    [Or maybe she''s just worried about you getting hurt. Girls are always like that,] the system chimed in.


    "Thank you for the ring," Nn said to her.


    Luna shook her head.


    "Don''t feel indebted. Those protection cards are something I acquired two years ago, but I couldn''t use them."


    "Right now, they''re too weak to block attacks at my level."


    "So, I''m just giving you something I never finished using when I was your size."


    "They''re not useful to me anymore, so I might as well give them away instead of letting them go to waste."


    "At least you''ll owe me one when one of these saves you from getting your hand bitten off by a beast during your quest," Luna said, smirking.


    Nn chuckled.


    "Thanks. And for the record, I won''t let my hand get bitten off by any beast," he added with confidence.


    Luna smiled. "Hopefully."


    Both of them exited the dorm room together and entered the elevator at the same time, quickly reaching the ground floor.


    Once outside the building, their paths diverged.


    Luna headed in a direction unfamiliar to Nn, and he continued on his usual path, waving her goodbye.


    The little discussion with her had caused him to bete by a few minutes, so he jogged to catch up and arrived just in time¡ª7:58¡ªat the ssroom door.


    Opening it, he found the ssroom almost full, which was unusual.


    It seemed like he wasn''t the only one excited for the test.


    Nn took his seat, and ten minutester, the door opened once more, revealing none other than Instructor Doriath, their ss teacher.


    She didn''t say much, only gave a brief speech, her gaze sweeping across the ss to ensure they were exactly 100 in number, before instructing them to follow her.


    When they moved out, they weren''t the only ones leaving the area.


    Other students, along with their ss instructors, were also heading out.


    After a brisk jog, they arrived at the Quest Hall.


    This time, Nn wasn''t blocked by any barrier, and they were all able to move into the tall building standing in the center.


    Inside, they were greeted by a lobby filled with two-star cadets moving in and out.


    Instructor Doriath moved toward one of the staff members present.


    "Doriath, long time no see!" the person at the desk called out cheerfully.


    The voice belonged to a woman, and as Nn took in her appearance, one word immediately popped into his mind.


    "A fox?!"


    The person before him looked exactly like a fox.


    She had white foxy hair and arge, bushy tail flicking to the side where she sat.


    Her expression was weing and yful, a stark contrast to Instructor Doriath''s usual hard and stoic demeanor.


    It seemed the two were old friends and got along easily though, weirdly enough.


    ''It''s strange¡­ I''ve never seen a race like hers before,'' Nn thought, staring a little more intently at the woman.


    He had seen many races in the Academy and had read about most of them, but somehow, he had nevere across a race that looked like a humanoid fox.


    [She''s a Kitsune. Like a fox that grows so strong, they evolve into a humanoid form.]


    [They''re incredibly rare, as they''re not Celestial Heirs,] the system exined.


    [She''s a Mythic Beast, controlling Mythic Vitality¡­]

 Chapter 209 Choosing A Mission 1

    Chapter 209 Choosing A Mission 1


    The system''s exnation brought quite the shock to Nn, who stared dazedly at the figure before him.


    It was the first time he had ever seen a Beast before, a true mythic beast, and to see one who was in its humanoid form only heightened his shock.


    "A Kitsune, huh? Cool..." He mused silently but the golden panel shed before his gaze.


    [They really are cool, but are you getting my main point?] the system asked and Nn narrowe, thinking deeply for a while, but in the end, nothing came to mind.


    ''What do you mean?''


    [I mean that right now, in front of you, is a seemingly human figure, yet she''s a Mythic Beast.]


    [So, there''s a possibility that not everyone walking on two legs is necessarily a Celestial Heir.]


    [They might be Beasts who have transformed into humanoid beings.]


    [All Beasts are dangerous and cunning and won''t mind killing a Celestial Heir. So you have to watch out and take note.]


    [That''s what I meant.]


    [So when you next meet another humanoid Beast, you won''t be fooled nor surprised when they finally reveal their true colors.]


    The system exined lengthily, and he finally understood.


    The system was simply telling him to be cautious. Not every creature that walked on two legs was necessarily a Celestial Heir.


    They might be Beasts disguised in human form, and he hadn''t heard of a ce where Beasts were overly friendly to Celestial Heirs.


    There were cases of pet beasts, but those were incredibly rare.


    Imagine a person getting lured away by arge serpentine beast that had turned into a beautifuldy.


    Definitely it would be a night to remember.


    That was what the system had been warning him about, and he made sure to tuck the information away in a corner of his mind.


    "What grade would you like for them, or will you allow them to choose for themselves?" Kitsune asked Instructor Doriath, who furrowed her brows in response.


    ording to the notification she had received from the academy, each of the new students was free to choose a quest of the lowest grade, which was E or F grade quests.


    Some of the other instructors were all choosing E grade quests for their students, showing their confidence, but it was also harderpared to the F-grade.


    Eventually, Doriath made her choice for them.


    "Lead them into the F-grade quest hall, but allow them to choose any quest scroll they want..." she said, resulting in a grin from Kitsune.


    "Always as cautious and as caring as ever. Only your stoic looks deceive one..." she teased, and in the next instant, Nn watched as Kitsuni suddenly erupted into smoke.


    In the next moment, he snapped his gaze to the side and found her now standing there in front of the students, her hairy tail flickering around.


    "Follow me, y''all..." she said to the students, and the students immediately followed after.


    Nn joined them, but couldn''t help but notice that Instructor Doriath was not following them.


    They didn''t need to take the elevator at all before arriving in front of a gigantic bronze-colored gate.


    Kitsune brought out her runic card, this one being gold in color, unlike the student''s card which was simply silver, and she swiped it on the door itself, almost like scratching it against its surface.


    In the next instant...


    GRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM


    The entire area shook intensely as the door slowly opened itself, and they all stepped in.


    Taking in the surroundings, Nn was immediately reminded of hisst encounter with King Smmaordra.


    The library, which was filledpletely with scrolls, was now the same sight before him.


    Scrolls covered everywhere, all over the tall bookshelves, and Kitsune spoke up.


    "Every scroll you see here contains a certain quest."


    "Fear not, the quests are the lowest grade of quests in the entire quest hall, so they shouldn''t be too dangerous for you all."


    "All you have to do is gently ce a finger on one of the scrolls, and immediately, the information about what is required will appear in your mind."


    "If you think you''re up for the task, then carefully pick up the scroll, and you will have finished choosing your quest for the day."


    "If you think you can''tplete the quest or you don''t like the quest given, then simply remove your finger and head to the next scroll."


    "Now move on, you have just 30 minutes to pick a scroll..." she said this as the students quickly spread out, cing their fingers on the various scrolls scattered around the area.


    But Kitsune soon raised an eyebrow as she felt a single student still standing behind her.


    He was a young man with snow-white hair, quietly staring at the long shelves. He continued scanning them, tilting his head as he examined each one, until his gaze finally met hers.


    "Go pick up a scroll..." she said to him, and he simply turned his back to her and headed toward one of the shelves.


    "Hmm." A little hum escaped Kitsune''s lips as she took her gaze away from him and turned to look at the remaining students who were frantically picking up scrolls and putting them down.


    It was like they were looking for something, and she could immediately tell what they wanted.


    It was what she didn''t mention but also didn''t need to.


    Even though the scrolls were all F-grade, within them, they all had different experience points and rewards that would be bestowed upon sessfulpletion.


    The majority of them were probably looking for the one scroll with the highest number of points, and hence the most rewarding.


    It was most definitely why they were all so frantic to find a scroll.


    But quickly, she raised an eyebrow again when she felt a figure appear behind her once more.


    Turning to look, it was none other than the white-haired student she had sighted before.


    Right now, he simply stood with a dull expression, looking at everyone, and looking at his right hand, Kitsune found a scroll within his palm.


    "Did he already choose a scroll that fast?" she wondered, raising an eyebrow. Her curiosity piqued, she started walking toward him.

 Chapter 210 Choosing A Mission 2

    Chapter 210 Choosing A Mission 2


    Nn had looked at the remaining students and noticed a single thing¡ªan anomaly.


    They were carrying scrolls and readily dropping them back.


    He didn''t understand the rush, but he could guess the reason.


    When he arrived before the scrolls and touched one, he had been able to see the content of the scroll, and also the experience points and other details attached to it.


    Touching another scroll, he noticed the same thing with only a minor difference of just one point between the two scrolls.


    Turning to look at the rest, Nn knew that if he had to make a good decision, he would need at least an hour to check all the scrolls around and find the best one among them in terms of points that will be bestowed.


    By all ounts, there were nearly hundreds of thousands of scrolls. How could anyone choose the best one in just 30 minutes?


    Besides, as he had already learned, the value in the scroll itself wasn''t that important.


    So, in the end, he simply picked one randomly from the bunch and walked back to his spot.


    "You already made your choice?" a voice suddenly rang beside his ears.


    Nn turned to face the foxdy as she approached him.


    "Yes, I have," he replied, but in the next instant, he felt his hand fold into itself.


    Looking at his palms, tthe scroll he formerly carried had disappeared.


    Turning to look before him, he saw the scroll now in the hands of the foxdy.


    How did she collect it so fast? Nn asked himself dumbly.


    [She took it from you before your blood couldplete a single revolution.]


    [Just as quickly, she can take your life too...] the system warned, sending a chill down Nn''s spine as he looked at thedy.


    She furrowed her brows at the scroll before handing it back to him.


    "Why didn''t you think carefully before choosing one?" she asked, tossing the scroll at him.


    Nn caught it effortlessly.


    "I''ve been told I have good luck, so I simply left it to that..." he replied as she rolled her eyes.


    "The scroll you picked wants you to retrieve an artifact that an entire world is fighting for?"


    "I pray that''s good luck for you..." she said to him.


    Nn eyes shed and he quickly dived his consciousness into the scroll in his hands.


    Instantly, the information flooded into his mind.


    ---


    Quest: The world of Alteria is currently at war for an artifact of immense power.


    The war will do nothing but extinguish their, and the artifact that is being fought over is beyond their control and will cause nothing but their destruction.


    Mission: Retrieve the artifact from the inhabitants of Alteria and return it, thereby stopping the war and restoring order to the world.


    Quest Grade: F


    Experience Points: 1000 (upon sessful missionpletion)


    Reward Points: 250 (upon sessful missionpletion)


    ---


    ""Hmmm," Nn murmured thoughtfully as he examined the information.


    The quest was easily understandable.


    A world was fighting among themselves over an artifact, and he had to retrieve the artifact to stop the war and save the world from destruction.


    All he needed was to arrive in that world, yank away the artifact, and return.


    Yet, somehow, he felt it wouldn''t be as easy as thought.


    Quickly going through the list of worlds he had been taught about in the past few days, he searched for the world of Alteria but found none.


    The world wasn''t familiar to him, which either meant it wasn''t worth his attention or it was a world he hadn''t encountered before.


    Thetter seemed more likely.


    "Ten minutes more..." Kitsune called out after a while.


    Some of the students began moving back to their spots with mission scrolls in their hands, though some were still frantically checking the scrolls and running around the area.


    Nn couldn''t help but look at them as if they were fools.


    And truly, they were fools.


    If only they knew what he knew, perhaps they would be able to at least save themselves from lookingpletely ridiculous to Kitsune.


    "Last minute!" Kitsune called out again. Finally, thest person returned to the group with a scroll in his hands.


    "Now that you''ve all taken a scroll, it''s time to get back..." she said to them before heading outside the door, and immediately, the students all followed.


    Once they arrived outside, therge gate shut down behind them, and they soon arrived before Instructor Doriath, who scanned each and every one of them, making sure they had a scroll in their hands.


    "Thank you for the help, Kitsune..." Instructor Doriath called out to the foxdy, who shrugged it off, saying,


    "Don''t sweat it, Doriath. You just owe me an ''all-on-you'' outing for the help..." she said cunningly, and Doriath rolled her eyes before turning back.


    "Almost like I already know... cunning fox!" she said to her before moving away, with the students following after behind her.


    However, as Nn moved, he noticed something unusual.


    Turning his gaze behind him, he saw the foxdy staring at him with dreamy eyes, her hand ced over her lips as if trying to stifle herughter.


    "I don''t trust her..." Nn mused silently.


    [You''d be an idiot to trust a Kitsune in the first ce.]


    [They might be physically weaker than the average beast, but they are unparalleled when ites to cunningness.]


    the system said, and Nn shrugged it off before turning his gaze to the front. Since this would be thest time he''d be seeing her anyway, there was no need to fret much.


    Soon, they arrived outside the hall and moved on to the second hall in the quest area.


    It was none other than the shop hall, and he could guess why they were being taken to the area.


    They had been told of everything they needed to know about the quests during the past week.


    And now it was time to get things they needed for the mission.

 Chapter 211: Ill Send Your Bloody Face To Hell, You Bastard!!!

    There were a total of three halls present in the Quest area.


    The main hall, where quests were assigned, nked by two side halls where students could prepare for various quests.


    One of the Side Halls was the Shops Hall. Following Instructor Doriath, they all poured into the hall.


    Immediately after they entered, they were faced with a lobby filled with rows of staff members at the far end, attending to various two-star ascendants.


    Nn found it strange that none of the students who entered the shops hall ever returned with anything in their hands.


    That brought his gaze to their finger, and he saw each of them wearing spatial rings.


    ''It really is a cool way to store stuff,'' Nn mused, rubbing the small ring on his hand.


    The one he had was given by Luna giving him an extra advantage. He had also make sure to pack some few ersonal stuff of his within for the quest too.


    "Right now, the points you all possess are at a maximum of 500, so for now, you''ll only have ess to the shop area where the lowest grade of equipment is stored,"


    Instructor Doriath''s voice broke his thoughts as she led them to one of the staff members.


    After exchanging a few words with the staff, Nn caught the name of the other instructor.


    Her name was Instructor Fiona.


    She looked very young, around the age of 25, and she led them away, entering an elevator.


    Within, zhe stretched out her hand and tapped on the number 2.


    Immediately, they were all whisked upward, and the elevator opened just ten secondster.


    When they stepped out, the students were surprised by what they saw.


    It was anotherrge hall, but this time it seemed more like a corridor with various doors, each with inscriptions written on them.


    The ones Nn quickly identified were:


    "Weapon Hall,"


    "Armor Hall,"


    "Runic Card Hall."


    "These are the only equipment avable to you all for now," Instructor Fiona exined.


    "Each weapon and armor possesses added advantages, which you''ll learn by simply cing a finger on them."


    "If you possess enough points, simply picking them up and holding them tightly in your hands will be enough to initiate the transaction."


    "Once you buy it, you can no longer return it, so please be careful."


    "Make sure not to hold it firmly if you''re not willing to go through with the purchase."


    "If you don''t have enough points for whatever you choose, then the transaction will be thwarted, and you won''t be able to carry the artifact out of this ce."


    "While you''re free to walk around and examine each of the artifacts know that the eyes of a Judge linger over this entire hall, watching everything."


    "If you''re caught stealing, the punishment will be severe¡ªyour points will instantly be deducted, your experience halved, and whatever you stole will be taken away from you."


    "So please, save yourself the headache and don''t think you''re smarter than a Judge."


    "That said, You all have an hour to make your choices. Get going now¡­" she called out to them as the students began moving into the various halls.


    Remaining behind were two people: Instructor Fiona and Nn.


    Nn didn''t think he needed anything else.


    He already had his dagger and chain in hand, and he believed those were enough for him to ake on anything thrown at him.


    If there was anything he would consider buying, it would be protection cards, just to be safe, but he had already been given plenty of those by Luna, so there wasn''t any need.


    Still, a question kept lingering in Nn''s mind.


    ''Is there truly the gaze of a Judge watching over us? Can you sense it, system?'' He asked.


    He had heard what Instructor Fiona said, and he wanted to confirm with the system if it was true.


    [I don''t know. Don''t ask me. But I don''t think they''re stupid enough to put so many resources here without any sort of security.]


    [Look, there aren''t any runic cameras.]


    [And that prettydy didn''t think it was necessary to watch out for you, nor does she seem worried that you might try to steal something.]


    [So, definitely, there have to be some sort of security measures in ce here¡­] the system reasoned.


    Nn turned his head, looking around the walls.


    Just as the system said, he couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary.


    Silently, he waited beside Instructor Fiona.


    Thedy didn''t question his decision to stay behind, likely understanding the reason.


    It was not umon for students to have all their points stolen from them in this ce.


    Quietly, they both waited, and after exactly 45 minutes, the students began pouring out of the halls.


    Fifteen minutester, all the students were out.


    There were no rms, so it seemed none of them had tried to steal from the hall.


    Instructor Fiona didn''t bother asking each of them what their choices were.


    She simply directed them back to Instructor Doriath, who thanked her before they all exited the Shops Hall.


    Having visited two of the halls, there was only one left: the Transportation Hall.


    "As you might already know, the Academy offers free transportation to the venue of your various missions¡­"


    "Once your mission arepleted, you''ll be automatically teleported back to this ce."


    Instructor Doriath lectured as they entered the building and were quickly led to the staff members, who collected their quest scrolls and guided them away.


    Nn passed his quest scroll to one of the staff members, a bearded man.


    The man stared at it for a long while before calling for one of the two-star ascendants standing nearby.


    Nn followed after the man.


    Together, they walked into an elevator and rose up for quite a while before finally stepping out.


    When they stepped out, Nn was faced with arge room where a singr, gigantic green circle was on the ground, oozing with eerie green lights.


    "Is that a¡­?"


    [Runic Teleporter.]


    The systempleted as he stepped into the room, moving closer to the teleporter.


    "Stand on it..." the two-star ascendant said to him, before walking to the side where a group of buttons could be seen, and Nm quietly waited.


    It was his first time on a teleporter, and he couldn''t help the excitement that made his heart pound as he waited.


    But two minutester, the young man was still pressing the buttons, causing Nn to furrow his brows.


    He didn''t think it was strange, maybe it just took time for the teleporter to be activated.


    Three minutes¡­ five minutes¡­ ten minutes passed.


    Nn waited, and by this time, he was starting to feel suspicious.


    "Hey, is everything okay?" He asked.


    Perhaps the teleporter was broken?


    "Hey?" Nn called out once more, but he stopped when he felt a dark barrier cover the entire teleporter space and the tform began vibrating.


    Finally¡­ Nn thought to himself.


    But his expression quickly changed when the system''s notification panel shed rapidly before his eyes.


    [Malicious intent detected!]


    [Malicious intent detected!]


    [Host is being transferred to a Bizarre World Force!]


    [Danger! Danger!]


    The notification blinked repeatedly, and Nn''s eyes shed.


    Without needing to be told, his feet aggressively pushed into the ground as he tried to immediately jump away from the teleporter


    But he failed as the void of space around him seemingly paused, and tendrils of darkness came out of the teleporter, wrapping tightly around Nn''s leg, forcibly dragging him in.


    His face smashed first onto the ground as he struggled with all of his strength, his muscles bulging up, yet still failed to escape.


    [It''s a trap!] the system roared angrily in his head as Nn was quickly pulled into the teleporter, its green energy now emanating a dark aura.


    He struggled fiercely until he suddenly halted and turned to face the one who had led him into the trap.


    He could see the young man stepping forward toward him, a mocking grin on his face as he stared down at him with scorn.


    "You fell perfectly into the trap, Nn Gottschald!" the young man said, his crimson hair ring all around him as he arrived before Nn, who struggled with all his power to stop the force from dragging himpletely.


    "I feel pity for you. Because, it''s not your fault at all."


    "But I can''t feel mercy for you. Only if you had remained mediocre¡­ Perhaps you could have avoided this fate of yours¡­" the young man said, and Nn''s eyes shed with anger.


    ''Shit! I''ve been set up!''


    "I''ll find you, you bastard!"


    "And I''ll send you to hell the next time I see your bloody face!" He threatened through clenched teeth as he felt the teleporter pull tighter and slowly drag him deeper.


    His entire upper body was quickly swallowed.


    "Send me to hell!?"


    "You wish to send me to hell!?"


    "That is only if you survive living in hell in the first ce!"


    "HAHAHAHAHA!"


    "HAHAHAHAHA!"


    "HAHAHAHAHA!"


    All Nn could hear was the deadly evilughter before he waspletely sucked into the teleporter.


    Once he was gone, the young man raised his hand to the teleporter, dark energy moving out of the tform and entering into his palms.


    Soon, the dark energy cleared uppletely, leaving behind only the normal green energy that the teleporter had been radiating before.


    His mission has beenpleted with n staffs alerted.


    "The World of Deathstone!"


    "No one can return from the only hell in the Mortal Realm, and you won''t be the first!"


    The young man whispered before stepping out of the room, his evil and dark aura quickly dissipating as the teleporter soon shut down, leaving the room in silence once more.

 Chapter 212: Getting Unlucky

    BAAAAAAAM


    The sound of a hard crash resounded as a figure plummeted from the sky, crashing into the barren, rocky ground and creating a 3-meter-deep hole.


    Silence settled over the area, but it didn''tst long. A fiery blue light suddenly illuminated the surroundings as a figure erupted from the crater, crashing to the ground nearby.


    The figure was none other than Nn, except now, his eyes were fiery blue, and he held a shing crimson dagger.


    [Your efforts were futile and that''s expected.]


    [Unless you''re at the Cultivation Level of an Instructor, your chances of breaking through an already opened wormhole are nil,] the system said to Nn, who spat out angrily.


    "That should have told me not to try and break free?"


    In Nn''s heart, a rising me of rage burned within.


    He had been set up, transferred away from the Quest World to another world he knew nothing about.


    He had no idea that a teleporter''s destination could be changed at thest second, nor that the one supposed to send him was an enemy.


    It had all been too perfect, and now he was in a world where his enemies were probably confident he wouldn''t be able to return from.


    ''Damn! How could I have fallen for that?!''He asked, bewildered, but eventually, he took his mind off it¡ªor rather, he was forced to¡ªas he stared at his surroundings instead.


    [Well, talk about bad luck...] the system remarked.


    Nn instantly shifted his hands to the side, and immediately, his fiery chains appeared.


    He chained them together with his dagger, revolving it around him while staring intently at the ''things'' before him.


    The ground beneath was hard and barren, with crumbled mountains scattered around.


    In some areas, Nn could see hot, steamingva erupting from the ground, flowing like a small river.


    But what took Nn''s concentration were the figures tightly surrounding him in a circle.


    They were humanoid in their face and upper body, but instead of hands, they had pincers.


    Below their waists were appendages that curved up and ended in a sharp sting.


    At one nce, a single word came to Nn''s mind: "Half-human, half-scorpion?"


    There were twelve of them, their twelve crimson eyes ring at him.


    Their mouths opened wide, revealing sharp, homodont teeth like those of crocodiles, as they circled around Nn, their massive pincers opening and closing.


    It was like they were having some sort of party, and Nn just happened to unluckily crash in their middle.


    [Mission Issued: Survive the Assault of the Larvae Scorpion Halflings]


    [Rewards: ???]


    The notification shed before Nn''s eyes, and in the next instant...


    SCREEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHH


    SCREEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHH


    SCREEEEEEEEEECCCCCHHH


    The sound of an incredibly powerful screech resounded through the area as the scorpions attacked.


    CRUUUSSSSHHH


    CRUUUSSSSHHH


    The powerful snap of pincers echoed as five of them lunged at Nn''s neck, head, chest, and back, intent on decapitating and killing him instantly.


    Nn''s body was cleaved apart, crushed into pieces¡ªbut it was merely an afterimage.


    CRAAAAAAACKKK


    The sound of something being crushed resounded as Nn reappeared outside the circle, his hair pping madly from the sudden burst of speed.


    His ming dagger lunged for the head of one of the creatures, but it turned at thest second, smashing its pincers into the dagger.


    The hard chitin cracked as the dagger left a web of fractures across the pincer, almost knocking it off.


    However, Nn himself was given the greatest shock as an immense force traveled through his hand, forcing him to let go of the dagger.


    BAAAAAAAM


    BAAAAAAAM


    BAAAAAAAM


    He crashed into the ground three times, each impact sending shockwaves through the barrennd before he smashed into a half-crumbled mountain, which then copsed, burying him within.


    But in the next instant, a figure appeared in front of the rocks as Nm also burst out from beneath.


    Arge pincer was mere inches from cleaving his face, but he slid across the ground, jerking his chain and causing the dagger to return to his grasp.


    Without a shred of doubt, Nn turned his back, and in the next instant¡ª


    BOOOOM


    A deep crater formed as Nn faded into thin air and soon a streak of light could be seen moving straight into the distance.


    Nn had made his decision: to run.


    Without looking back, he raced into the distance. The sound of crashing echoed behind him, but he didn''t turn around.


    Even though he had barely exchanged a move, Nn knew he was no match.


    They were simply too strong.


    He had been able to avoid their deadly attack, proving he was faster than them.


    But when he sneak-attacked them, they had still been able to block, and only a crack had appeared on their exoskeleton.


    The force of their counterattack had sent Nn flying uncontrobly for fifty meters.


    He assessed that he would need to strike their most vulnerable part¡ªlikely the neck¡ªfive times before killing one.


    But if their pincers even grazed his skin, the affected part would be crushed.


    Nn was confident in his reaction speed, but he wouldn''t delude himself into thinking he could fight ten of those scorpions without taking a single hit.


    Besides, Nn could sense that more scorpions were hiding in theva.


    The noise of their battle would undoubtedly wake more of them, and who knew how many were inside?


    So in the end, he had simply decided to run for his life!


    Three hourster, the scorpions were still hot on his tail.


    He had no idea where he was heading, and running around unfamiliar terrain was no doubt risky, but there wasn''t much choice.


    Eventually, as he ran, the barren ground gave way to patches of grass, and it didn''t take long for him to climb a steep rise and arrive at the top.


    Looking below, he could see the scorpions still on the ground, but they didn''t climb the hill with him.


    They bared their pincers at him, screeched loudly, then reluctantly turned back and left him alone.


    "Finally," he breathed loudly as he copsed on his back on top of the hill, the soft grass cushioning his fall.


    His chest heaved up and down as he caught his breath.


    Now that he could see the sky, he realized it was a mixture of red and blue, divided by a fine line.


    The ce where he hade from was covered by a heavy red cloud, but just at the hill where he was resting, there was a clear dividing line.


    Beyond the hill, to his back, the sky was all blue¡ªa blue that Nn was familiar with.


    He exhaled loudly at the prospect of escaping but quickly regted his breathing and rose upright, trying to get a grip on his surroundings.


    Before him was arge forest area filled with tall pine trees, with spaces in between that allowed Nn to see through the forest itself.


    It wasn''t eerily quiet.


    There was a gentle breeze fluttering through the area, apanied by the faint sounds of chirping birds and insects.


    "It''s not a dead forest, at least," Nn mused.


    ording to what they had been taught in preparation for the uing sect survival, any ce that was eerily quiet and still could be a clear sign of danger.


    Most likely, a dangerous beast or entity had upied the area.


    But the ce before him had birds and a breeze blowing.


    At least it revealed that everything was fine.


    [Congrattions, Host has sessfullypleted the quest and survived the Larvae Scorpion Halflings.]


    [Host has received new rewards.]


    The system notification resounded, but just as quickly, another notification appeared.


    [You''re standing on a hill, making you wide open and easily sighted from afar, Nn. Get away from here.]


    The system called his attention to the danger, and Nn quickly scurried away.


    Faced with the choice of returning to the mountainous ground where he had been chased, Nn chose to move toward the living forest instead.


    The barren ground was wide open and not suitable for hiding at all.


    The same couldn''t be said for the forest filled with trees.


    In the forest, he could live¡ªmaybe in a sufficiently high treetop¡ªand there was food from the creatures living within.


    It was the best bet for now, so he quickly entered the forest, venturing through the trees.


    Eventually, he found one withrge branches that blocked the view from below and then he climbed up the tree and rested silently on one of the branches.


    The leaves shielded him from sight, both below and above, and only now could he take a deep breath and rest his tired legs while trying to recover his energy.


    For now, he was safe.


    Silence reigned in the forest, the only thing you heard being the chirping of birds and soft Humm of the winds, and Nn''s white hair gently fluttered in his head as his formerly rapidly beating chest calmed down and he regained his cool once more.


    [What''s your n?]


    The system instantly got down to business the instant he regained his bearing as Nn sat up cing his back in the branch.


    "I don''t have one, but I do know how I fucked up..."

 Chapter 213: Analysis of a Grave Mistake

    "Fiirstly, I got too rxed."


    "When I moved to the Ascendant area of the academy, I was very conscious of getting attacked, and I tried noticing every tiny anomaly¡­"


    "But as time passed by, I rxed more and more after noticing that no attack came at all."


    "I calmed down, and that way, I didn''t suspect anything as I got teleported away."


    "The guy who moved me spent close to 5 minutes trying to tweak the teleporter machine."


    "That should have given me enough time to suspect something was wrong and try to stop him, but I was preupied with the thought of getting into a teleporter for the first time."


    "By the time I rxed, even activating the Kratos Crown couldn''t save me from getting whisked away."


    "That''s how I first screwed up," Nn mused, his eyes cold.


    He had truly rxed too much, almost forgetting he had enemies, and those enemies were smart enough to take advantage of hiscency.


    It might have been Nn''s loss, but now he knew that his enemies were willing to spend entire weeks simply watching him before making their move.


    They weren''t in a hurry, and they had intelligence.


    [You could say this is a good thing.]


    [At least now you know for sure there are people in the academy who have eyes on you.]


    "Yes."


    "And if they sent me here, then they must be pretty sure this ce is good enough to send me to my death."


    "ording to what that bastard said, even after I threatened to send him to hell when I returned, he didn''t seem bothered at all."


    "His confidence muste from the belief that I would surely die here."


    "For now, they all think I''m either dead already or, at the very least, that I''ll never be able to leave this ce, which should equal death itself."


    [Jokes on them though, because you''re still breathing¡­]


    The system said, and Nn nodded.


    "That''s right, but for how long?"


    [What do you mean?]


    "I''m stranded here on a godforsaken world that my enemies know I can''t survive."


    "When I got here, I was chased down by weird scorpions that I had never seen or heard of before, and I was forced to run for my life."


    "One thing is sure: those scorpions are beyond the Heavenly Disciple Stage in Celestial Heir cultivation."


    "If I were topare them, I''d say they''re at the Sacred Vessel Stage at least, or else they wouldn''t have been able to block my attacks at all."


    "The presence of Sacred Vessel Stage beasts upon my arrival means this world is probably far more dangerous."


    "Who knows if those scorpions were nothing but ants."


    "I''m only alive right now because of my speed and the fact that they didn''t want to cross over to this side of the world."


    "That also begs the question: why didn''t they want to cross over to this side of the world?"


    "The only reason, ording to what I''ve heard, is because they''re afraid."


    "In a world dominated by beasts, each beast takes control of an area, and once that area is imed, the other beasts won''t try to invade it."


    "The scorpions only screeched at me when I arrived at the top of the hill, and then they turned back. They weren''t tired."


    "It''s most likely because this hill area also possesses its own beast, which the scorpions consider a threat and wouldn''t want to mess with."


    "So right now, I''m still not safe."


    "There are beasts here too, which the scorpions that chased me wouldn''t dare challenge."


    "I''m alive now, System, but for how long?" Nn exined at length.


    When Nn heard they would be going on a quest, he hadn''t simply been training.


    He had also locked himself in the library, trying to read every resource possible about worlds and beasts that were said to dominate the majority of them.


    He had learned about beast behaviors, including territoriality, which was why he didn''t delude himself into thinking he was safe just because he was on a tree.


    He had read far and wide and knew well how dangerous his situation was.


    [Seems like you''re doomed then,] the system whispered, but Nn shook his head.


    "No, I''m not."


    "If there''s a n I have to form right now, it will be to leave this world and go to the world where I was asked to perform the quest."


    "ording to quest protocol, after a quest is performed and deemedpleted, the Celestial Heir would be sensed by the teleportation energy ced on that world and be teleported back to the academy."


    "Right now, the academy can''t help me because I''m not even sure if this world is teleportation-marked."


    "But even if it is, I don''t know if there''s any quest here on this world."


    "Withoutpleting a quest, I won''t be sensed at all¡­"


    "So, first, I have to find a way to get back to the World of Alteria, thenplete the quest I''ve been given."


    "Once I do that, I''ll be able to return home, to the academy."


    [But that''s ridiculous! How are you supposed to find a teleporter that''ll take you back to the world of Alteria?]


    [And even if there''s such a teleporter, why don''t you just head directly to the academy?]


    [Why go through Alteria again?]


    "A teleporter that leads straight back to the academy would be impossible."


    "The Celestial World is a ce that can only be essed by things created by the Celestials themselves."


    "That''s done to protect the academy from the maws of Titans and Nightmare creatures."


    "Those two races are smart enough to form a teleporter and would no doubt try to create one that leads to the academy, if not because it''s impossible to do so¡­"


    "The only way to reach the academy is bypleting the quest and being taken naturally by the teleportation energy imnted by the Celestials into the world itself."


    "Without that, I''m afraid everything will be for naught."


    "So I have to reach Alteria if I ever dream of returning."


    "There might not be a teleporter that reaches the academy, but I''m sure there should be a way to travel to another lesser mortal world like Alteria¡­"


    [And where do you intend to find that?]


    [You can''t make nor do you know anything about a teleporter, and you also don''t have the Void Ability that allows one to traverse between worlds.]


    [Assuming you''re that Gojo guy, I''d say there''s hope for you as long as you spend around ten years here cultivating your ability non-stop.]


    [ut you''re not, and you don''t have a Void Ability.]


    [How will you aplish your n?]


    The system asked as Nn''s eyes narrowed, and he searched his mind.


    Four hours passed with Nn simply staring at the bark of the tree.


    Thousands of ideas were running through his head, but just as quickly, they were discarded and rejected by him.


    In the end, he sighed and copsed onto his back.


    "I don''t know¡­" he whispered to no one in particr, gazing at the blue sky whose clouds were starting to dim.


    It had been afternoon, but now night was swiftly closing in.


    [I have a way to help you¡­]


    The system suddenly said, and immediately, Nn shot up from the tree. His eyes opened wide, and his ears perked up like a cat''s.


    Finally, the system wasing to his aid, just like it always had.


    "And what is that?" Nn asked, hopefully.


    [Find a race. An intelligent race, and beg them to help you¡­]


    It said, and Nn''s happy expression dropped drastically.


    "You''re bluffing, right?"


    He asked, but the system remained silent.


    However, that silence spoke volumes.


    "Like, what the¡ª? How am I supposed to find a race here?"


    "How do I even know there''s an intelligent race here at all? One advanced enough to have built a teleporter???" Nn asked, raising an eyebrow.


    [My reasoning is simple.]


    [If this world''s forces are strong enough to birth those scorpions, which are at the Sacred Vessel Stage, then it should also be powerful enough to birth creatures capable of intelligence.]


    "There has to be an intelligent race like the Celestial Heirs on this."


    [It can''t all just be wild beasts wanting to swallow you at first sight.]


    [And besides, you have yet to even move around at all.]


    [If you have any hope of ever leaving here, I suggest you explore this world and try to find an intelligent beastial race that possesses teleporters or a strong enough Void Ability to transport you to Alteria.]


    [That''s your only hope...]


    The system said nkly, and Nn also simply stared dumbly at it.


    "Okay, fine."


    "Let''s say I do find an intelligent race that''s humanoid like me, doesn''t find me detestable at first nce, and is advanced enough to have a teleporter or strong enough to possess Void Abilities that can whisk them between worlds."


    "Why in the world would they want to help me?"

 Chapter 214: A Viable Way Out

    As stupid as it sounded, Nn had to believe the system''s suggestion to be possible.


    There truly might be a race in this world that is advanced enough, and possesses enough power, to help him return to Alteria. But he could guess such a race would be an incredibly powerful and renowned entity to have the ability to travel between worlds.


    Still, that left the most important question: why in the world would they want to help someone like him?


    If they possessed the power to travel between worlds, then he could assume they were probably stronger than he was.


    Why shouldn''t they just drill their swords into his head at first sighting?


    [That''s simple. Give them a reason!]


    "What?"


    [You don''t understand. Picture it like this: the race you need help from is Quinn, the barbarian guy who''s been kicking your ass since you were¡ª]


    "I KNOW!" Nn barked out aloud.


    [Good. And you are you, of course.]


    [Let me ask you, didn''t you want to kill Quinn thest time you faced him?]


    ''I did...'' Nn mused with narrowed eyes.


    [But did you? He''s still alive and kicking now.]


    "The only reason he''s alive at all is because of that shadow bastard of his. If not for him, he''d already be dead!" Nn said with a huff, but his eyes soon shed as he understood the system''s words.


    [You get it now, don''t you? Even though you had made up your mind to kill Quinn regardless of anything, the Shadow Guardian stopped you at thest second.]


    [It was a reason Quinn possessed to make sure you didn''t kill him.]


    [So all you have to do for the alien race to help you is have a good enough reason, so much so that even if they wanted to kill you, they wouldn''t be able to and would have no choice but to obey your will.]


    "You could have just said, I should marry their queen, instead of giving your wild-ass example," Nn said with a snort, as the system chuckled in his head before replying.


    [Don''t mind me. I just thought rubbing it in that girly face of yours might do you some good in this situation.] It said before going silent, but now Nn had an idea in his head.


    The system''s n now seemed reasonable and truly his only choice.


    All he needed to do was find a race with the power to take him to Alteria, befriend them, and make them trust him enough to help him.


    It was a feasible n.


    But first, there were a couple of things he needed to do, the first of which was finding the race he needed.


    [This ce truly is hell for a Celestial Heir,] the system said as Nn''s eyebrows narrowed.


    "What do you mean?"


    [There''s no Divine Essence here,] the system replied, and Nn''s eyes widened in shock.


    Immediately, he spread his senses, and less than three seconds passed before Nn shut his eyes open.


    "There really is no Divine Essence! How in the world...?"


    [Assuming you''re a Celestial Heir. After exchanging moves with those scorpions, your Divine Essence would have run out.]


    [And with there being no Divine Essence in the air, you won''t be able to recover your strength nor heal your injuries.]


    [And swiftly so, you would have been reduced to nothing more than an ordinary mortal. Then you will just start praying you don''te across a second beast, or your fate will be sealed.]


    [Perhaps that''s why that guy said to you, "you would have to survive hell first." This truly is hell for a Celestial Heir.]


    [Unfortunately, though, you don''t use Divine Essence in the first ce. So that''s not a disadvantage for you,] the system said as Nn grinned.


    "First time not possessing Divine Essence is actually a good thing¡­" He said with a cocky and proud grin, but that was wiped off when he saw something suddenly sh in the encroaching darkness right above his head, disappearing into the distance and then...


    BAAAAAANG!


    An incredibly strong wave of energy mmed into the ground, resulting in a mushroom cloud of energy lifting into the sky.


    The shockwave that followed was nothing short of maddening as Nn instantly wrapped his hand around the humongous tree he was standing on, yet it was bent to the ground with incredible force.


    The air became a sharp de that ripped apart his skin, drawing blood.


    Around him, Nn saw various beasts flying past him, unable to quickly grab onto something, crashing into the opposite trees and being blown to pieces.


    The instantaneous chaos was shocking, but itsted only a few minutes.


    After just five minutes, the shockwave disappeared, but when Nn opened his eyes and looked at the surroundings, he noticed the entire forest had almost been cleared.


    All of the trees had bent to the ground, unable to rise again, making him more than uneasy.


    But that also made him see the burning me column in the distance.


    [Your chance,] the system said, and immediately, Nn shot into the distance with speed.


    He had no idea what crashed into the ground, but no doubt it was something powerful, and if anything, perhaps something that could help.


    It was dangerous, and he might truly be running to his death, but Nn was still willing to risk it.


    He couldn''t stay in the forest anymore since all the trees had been toppled, and he was 100% sure there would be some beasts that didn''t die.


    Then Nn would be more than clear to all the beast since the tress have been toppled, and he would surely be hunted down by them.


    The best thing he could do was leave the forest area, but he didn''t want to go back to the rocky ground, so he might as well risk it and see what caused such an incredibly powerful explosion.


    It took Nn a total of two hours of running non-stop before he finally arrived at the area where the crash had happened.


    But he was more than shocked when he saw what really crashed into the ground, and all his hairs rose and his heart began pounding madly.


    "Is this¡­ is this!!?"

 Chapter 215: Proclaimed

    [Just a flying beast with a 10% Draconic bloodline...] The system said, watering down his hopes, but Nn was nheless shocked.


    The creature before him was a hundred times bigger than he is, coveredpletely in pitch ck scales.


    Its tail was about 200 meters long, ending in sharp, bony spikes. It was like Nn was standing beside a small mountain, and he felt crippling fear.


    Such a creature would be able to devour a hundred of him with absolutely no problem at all.


    "But..." Nn said, his eyebrows creasing, and in the end, he decided to walk forward toward the creature.


    Even though it was most likely dangerous, he could sense something was wrong, and when he arrived at the head of the Draconic beast, he felt slight puffs of white air leaving itsrge nostrils.


    its eyes were barely open, but there were no signs of it watching him.


    Touching its nose and closing his eyes, Nn remained silent for some time before, eventually, he slowly removed his hand from the creature''s nostril and stepped back a few paces.


    [It''s dead.] The system said as Nn hummed a bit.


    such a huge and majestic creature had unfortunately lost its life.


    [But I can sense a vibrant life energy.]


    [Open its mouth!] The system added as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you trying to get me killed? You want me to open those maws?" Nn asked.


    [Open its mouth, Nn...] The system persisted even more, and eventually, Nn obliged as he walked towards the dragon''s mouth.


    The heat emanating forth made Nn feel like burnt meat as he felt his own skin sizzling already, but he ignored that.


    He grabbed the sides of the creature''s jaws.


    With all of his strength, Nn pulled, and incredible veins bulged all over his skin.


    He erged twice his previous size, and only after minutes of absolutely flexing his muscles to the maximum and using all his strength was Nn finally able to pull the mouth of the beast open.


    And when the dragon''s jaw opened, Nn was deeply shocked.


    Inside the dragon''s tongue was a humanoid figure with strange yet exceptionally long green hair, snuggled between the dragon''s huge fangs, seemingly in deep slumber.


    Without wasting any time, Nn carefully drew the figure into his arms and dragged it out. Sweeping the hair to the side, he came across the beautiful face of a very small girl around the age of 5 or 7. She was incredibly small, but there wasn''t the faintest wound on her body.


    Without wasting any more time, Nn simply threw her behind his back, and then he raced into the distance.


    The dragon was dead, but inside its mouth, he had found a green-haired girl who was still alive.


    Nn had no idea what killed the dragon, but judging from how it fell, one could say it was being chased for its life, and he didn''t want whoever was chasing it and managed to kill it to catch him in the area.


    So, he decided to run away.


    He had no idea where he was going, but he didn''t have to walk too far when he found another green forest filled with remnants of rocks, and quickly Nn turned towards it, disappearing from the venue...


    ---


    10 minutes after Nn''s disappearance.


    BOOOOOOOM!!!


    The entire void of space copsed as a total of five beings, radiating an incredible amount of energy, slowly floated down from the sky before they allnded beside the corpse of the dragon.


    Weirdly enough, the dragon was starting to turn to ashes and quickly fading into thin air, and after 30 seconds, its corpse disappeared into ashes, leaving nothing left on the ground except the bashed crater.


    "On the day when the Night and Day intersect and the Origin Energy wanes, Princess Scyhelleria of the Mighty Draconic Kingdom faces her death, along with that of her mighty steed, bing nothing but ashes in the wind..." One of the figures proimed loudly, and in an instant, the void of space shattered into ss once more, and the figures became dark light beams that instantly raced into the distance, disappearing from the area.


    When dragons die, they be nothing but ashes.


    Now that the dragon has died, and having hidden the princess in its maw, the princess too had already died since when the dragon faded into thin air, there was nothing left on the ground.


    In the end, the judgment of certain death had finally been passed!


    ---


    The breeze was stinging, filled with an intense coldness, and one could see remnants of snow flying around the area, showing the sign that snow was about to fall.


    But in this cold and wild breeze, a figure could be seen, walking forward toward a group of cracked mountains, half-naked, and with skin filled with scars that drew blood.


    Behind his back, one could see another figure. A figure with long green hair.


    Nn felt his spine chill from the incredible wave of coldness that filled the air, but nheless, he walked forward, finding a ce he could rest.


    He had tried clinging to the top of a tree like he had done before, but the branches of the trees here were very weak, and besides, they offered little to no protection from the biting, chilling wind.


    That was why he opted to move to the mountainous area of the forest, and as he stood before it, he found what he was looking for.


    A cave!


    It was the best ce Nn felt he could use, and quickly he found a well-hidden cave at the farther side of the area and entered into it, finding anotherrger rock which he used to block up the entrance, reducing the inside of the cave to darkness.


    But the darkness didn''t persist at all as a blue me soon parked up, giving a bit of illumination to the darkness...


    "Huuuu, finally..." Nn heaved loudly as he copsed on his butt, after sliding down the wall.

 Chapter 216: Human Or Beast?

    The sound of chilling winds and falling snow could be heard from within the cave.


    It was like the howling of beasts, and asionally, one could hear the snarls of creatures as they walked through the snow, in the dark night sky, looking for prey to hunt while also trying to avoid bing the prey.


    All of this, Nn heard as he sat down within the cave, burning with gently blue mes that gave off some illumination while seated before the girl.


    She appeared to be in an exceptionally deep slumber, and he could feel her body was slightly cold to the touch. He didn''t know how deep of a slumber she was in, nor did he try to wake her up.


    He simply left her be, but remained by her side.


    He had checked her body for any sign of injuries, but he found nothing. However, he had also seen many strange features that night reveal to him that the person before him was definitely not a Celestial Heir.


    Firstly, there were some green scales that covered the girl''s body. Scales that looked like those of a dragon, shining with a bit of light. The most prominent feature was the small horns that stuck out of the side of her head, making them look like small bumps.


    He had already asked the system if anything was wrong with her, but he had been told that she was suffering from nothing and in the best condition.


    So, Nn had eventually let her be.


    From within his spatial ring, he had brought out arge hoodie of his, which he spread on the floor to stop the harsh stony ground from hurting her soft skin.


    He also covered her body with another shirt.


    That was the most he could do to make sure she was okay.


    He had no idea who she was, or what she even was.


    But he knew she was just a kid and deserved care.


    [You''re strange...] the system suddenly mentioned as Nn raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you mean?"


    [You act beyond your years. Look at you, Nn, you''re acting like a man. Like a father, but you''re just a boy. How do you know to care like this?]


    [You''re a victim of bullying; your heart should be cold. But your heart is anything but cold. It''s weird, Nn.]


    [And also, your actions are stupid and hateful, and absolutely against my principles.]


    [Like when you decided to help that Luna girl. I saw it as nothing but an unnecessary headache. But you helped, and in the end, you secured an ally for yourself.]


    [Right now, you''re protecting this small girl. And truthfully speaking, Nn, she''s a burden, let''s face it.]


    [You''re here on this god-forsaken world, where surviving is already hard for you alone. But right now, there''s a girl with you again. If you don''t leave her, your chances of survival will only greatly lessen even more, as she''ll no doubt drag you down.]


    [The smart choice in such a scenario would be to leave her...] the system said, and Nn smiled.


    "So that''s your entire point. I should leave her... to her death?" Nn asked, easily figuring where the system was going.


    [You''re not leaving her to her death, Nn. You''re leaving her to fate.]


    [If she''s destined to die, then she will die. If she''s destined to live, then she''ll live.]


    [It doesn''t have anything to do with you.]


    The system said, but he simply snorted at the idea.


    That was just bullshit.


    If he left her alone in his cave, she would die. There''s no fate about it.


    but if he stayed with her, then there''s a minuscule chance of her surviving. There was also no fate about that too.


    Fate was nothing but an excuse to make the most selfish decisions.


    [Ahhhhhh, I can see you''ve made your choice again.]


    [A stupid choice like always. Well, it''s up to you...] the system said before quieting down.


    It knew it couldn''t change Nn''s mind, so there was no point in even trying at all.


    Silence passed, and eventually, he decided to let off some steam and rx too.


    He moved to the corner of the wall and shut his eyes, but still, his brain was working, only at a lesser frequency.


    ''I''ve found a person, but I don''t know if she''s an intelligent species or not. But I guess she shouldn''t be just a brainless beast.]


    ''Perhaps from her, I''ll be able to get some information. She should no doubt have people, and judging by how the dragon carried her to the ground, it''s safe to say she''s being chased for life, and the dragon was trying to keep her safe.''


    ''If such a powerful beast can be nothing but herpanion, then she must have quite the powerful background.''


    ''Once she''s awake, I''ll try cajoling some questions out of her about this world.''


    ''If I can get all the information about this world and a mind map of it, then all my trouble of saving her won''t be for naught.''


    Nn mused to himself.


    Of course, he wasn''t some good guy. He helped her because he knew that from her, he should be able to obtain some good answers.


    If he could get the answers from her and get himself a mind-map, then that means he wouldn''t need to hurry through this entirend, wandering aimlessly.


    Who knew how many years it would take for him to find another intelligent race?


    That was why Nn was willing to care for her. It was because there was something in it for him too. It was the nice rule of life.


    With that, he quieted down his brain and tried going deeper into slumber, but he also kept himself alert and didn''tpletely drift off.


    Time quickly passed, and soon, his eyes shot open as he rose to his feet and listened quietly.


    Now, he could no longer hear the sound of the wind howling, and even the falling snow had quieted down a lot.


    Judging by the hours he had spent, it should be safe to say it was currently morning now.

 Chapter 217: A Weird Girl

    Rising up to his feet, Nn walked towards the barricaded entrance, but not without his dagger ready in his hands.


    Cautiously, he used one hand to punch open the barrier, and the instant the rock fell, he shed forward with all of his energy.


    VROOOOOOOOM!


    The sound of the air being sliced into two rang out powerfully, but Nn''s dagger attack met with nothing but air¡ªthere was nothing in front of him.


    With a cautious eye, he scanned the surroundings and was slightly shocked.


    Right now, the world before him was a world of pure white snow, with the pine trees having been covered by snow. Even the rocks nearby had been totally covered, and in the air, small gentle kes of snow could be seen raining down to the ground from the sky in twos and threes.


    It was an incredibly beautiful sight, even though the forest no doubt held its own dangers.


    [A beautiful morning it is...] the system said to Nn, who couldn''t help but nod.


    The sight of snow gave him a nostalgic feeling of being back on Earth, and the memory of that day. But he soon shook his head off, gaining back his concentration.


    Turning behind him, the cave was now illuminated, and the darkness banished by the golden sunlight that shone on the face of the girl.


    Nn could feel a bit of twitching from her, and he headed back to the cave, kneeling beside her.


    Calmly, he watched as her eyelids fluttered, her fingers twitching slightly, and then she opened her eyes.


    They were forest green eyes, with an enchanting depth, like the lushes of an emerald forest, faintly shimmering with a crystalline rity.


    At the side of her irises, specks of gold and subtle hints of jade color could be seen, making her eyes sparkle as if they held a world within them.


    The eyelids blinked for a while before slowly settling on Nn''s face, looking nkly at him for a moment before her gaze slowly drifted outside where the world of white snow could be seen, along with the golden light that illuminated the remaining kes of snow, retaining an otherworldly yet calming sight.


    Slowly, the girl rose up to her feet, but she suddenly dashed outside the cave with the speed of a cockroach being chased for its life.


    Immediately, she reached the foot of the cave. She gently stretched out her legs to feel the snow.


    Her feet hurriedly retreated from the coldness of the snow, but they soon stepped back on it, and after a few seconds of hesitation, she fully stepped outside.


    The sun illuminated her figure, mostly covered by her long green hair.


    Nn rose up to his feet, standing a few feet behind her when he noticed she wasn''t trying to run.


    but he soon noticed her suddenly opening her mouth, drawing in her hands behind her, and then she shut her eyes with her upper lip leaning forward.


    The pose was like that of a person screaming into the distance, except no words came out of her lips.


    No sound was made.


    He watched with furrowed eyebrows when the girl stopped, then raised her hand to her throat, touching it nkly for some time before, once more, she got into the screaming pose, but no sound came out again.


    Then she touched her mouth, and a frown covered her face.


    "You''ve lost your voice?" Nn asked, easily sensing what she was trying to do.


    The girl was probably trying to call on something but couldn''t, and then she touched her throat with a frown, meaning that even she was surprised she couldn''t speak.


    That must mean she had lost her voice already.


    [Well, there goes her only advantage...] the system said mockingly, but Nn didn''t pay attention to that as he studied the girl, who kept looking at the distance, faint worry in her eyes.


    "If you''re trying to call on that big dragon of yours, then you don''t have to. It''s already dead..." Nn probed, and he saw the girl turn her attention to him, her green eyes lit in shock and disbelief, but eventually, the shock on her face faded away, and she turned her gaze to the side.


    Even though her facial expression returned back to normal, Nn felt a strange coldness radiating from her eyes.


    A deadly and incredibly chilling coldness.


    [Well, at least she can hear you...] the system said to him, drawing his mind from it, and he watched as the girl slowly moved back into the cave and then sat down, with her back on the wall, nkly looking outside.


    The scene was awkward for Nn, who didn''t know what to do.


    He didn''t have much knowledge about kids, but he did know that she had just lost herpanion and would probably need some time to recuperate from that.


    But Nn also knew he had to leave this ce and explore outside.


    He also wanted his answers from her, but she couldn''t speak, so how was it even possible for her to answer?


    Unless she could write¡ªsomething Nn wasn''t sure she was capable of doing.


    "Hey, can you hear me?" he said as he walked to her side and sat down before her.


    Her eyes were nk, and she made no move to look at him even after he sat before her, only staring into the distance nkly.


    "Hey?"


    "Hey, you okay?" Nn asked but still got no reply, and he couldn''t help but wave his hand in front of her face.


    Only then was he able to grab her attention as those golden-green eyes turned to look at him.


    "I''m sorry for your loss, and I know you''re sad."


    ''At least I expect you to be, even though you''re not crying at all and you seem as cold as ice...''


    "But we have to move out, and I need some information from you to better help us in this situation of ours..."


    [I have a feeling this would be a good exchange where one will look and is an idiot]

 Chapter 218: No Answers...

    The system''s mockingughter continued ringing in his head as Nn slumped onto the bare hard ground, his chest heaving up and down.


    [Told you, idiot! She''s a bloody useless mute,] the system said in mockery as Nn stared at the sky of the cave.


    For thest two hours, he had done everything he could possibly do to make the girl before him at least make a simple utterance, but all he got was... nothing.


    She just kept staring at him nkly, like a robot.


    He had tried to coerce her into writing something down, but all he did was for naught. The girl made no move at all.


    It was like she could no longer hear at all, and even made Nn doubt a little if she was actually alive or a spirit that no one could see.


    Still, the answer was simple.


    ''It''s useless. I still have no information at all about this world, and my so-called only ticket refuses to talk. This is disappointing...'' Nn mused silently to himself.


    Now he was back to where he began, except for the fact that he now had an extra person whose survival he would have to worry about.


    Suddenly,


    GRUUUUUUUUUM


    The sound of a stomach growling intensely rang out as Nn sighed and held his stomach.


    "Now, I''m hungry too..." he muttered, but his eyes quickly focused as a singr thought appeared in his head.


    ''You can''t be hungry...''


    Immediately, he sat up in shock, and his eyes looked to the side where the girl could be seen sitting and looking nkly at him.


    Now, her staring position had changed so that it was now at Nn.


    "Is that your stomach?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, but as usual, he got no verbal reply. Still,


    GRRUUUUUUUUUM


    The sound of the stomach growling loudly rang out once more, and this time, Nn could immediately see it was from the girl''s stomach.


    "So that really is you. I guess you can at least be hungry..." Nn said grumpily, but he knew well that he would have to go out and at least try checking his surroundings.


    This was the perfect time.


    "See, little girl, I don''t know if you''re deaf or mute, or if you''re just pretending to be, but we both can at least agree we''re in quite the fucked-up situation right now."


    "We''re both stranded in this godforsaken world with no idea where the way back home is, or any idea of how to even get back home."


    Stares nkly


    "But one thing is sure, and that is the fact that you, little girl, are hungry, and I too need to check the surroundings, and see if this cave is a safe ce where we can live, and also see if I get lucky enough and find something that is useful¡ªmaybe some map of the world carved in a random tree."


    "Some type of miracle from the celestial ones..." Nn said in exasperation, resulting in mockingughter from the system.


    "So right now, I am the only one who can help you find food by going out and hunting for you, but you offer no sort of advantage, something I''m fine with for now..."


    ''Hopefully, you''ll talk after getting your stomach fully filled...'' Nn silently prayed too.


    "So you have toe outside with me, and I will try getting some food for you while I also take some time to explore the surroundings.


    If you sit down here alone, anything might happen, and I doubt you can protect yourself at all.


    So as risky as it is, you have to follow me out and we both should scavenge. Do you understand?" Nn asked after his long lecture to try and make her understand, and once more, he was given quite the dose of shock when he saw her rise up on her feet and walk outside, stopping just at the mouth of the cave.


    ''What the? That can''t be a coincidence, is it?'' Nn thought.


    He had been trying to reach her since but she made no reply at all, and now she just stood up after his speech and went outside.


    Could it be that she heard him and just wasn''t speaking, or not interested in giving a reply?


    But quickly, Nn had to push that aside.


    Right now, he needed to know where he was and also find food for the girl.


    He wasn''t about to abandon the only intelligent creature he had found here, that even looked like him.


    He had no idea how long he wouldst here, and loneliness-induced insanity was something Nn believed in.


    So for now, he would keep her by his side while praying that one day, when she grows up to a certain level, she would be able to make somemunication back, and then tell him about this world.


    At least if he had yet to find another intelligent soul.


    With that train of thought, Nn headed out, and obediently, the green-haired girl followed after him as they soon disappeared into the forest before them.


    ---


    With cautiousness, he weaved through the snow-filled forest, eyes and perception spread out as far as he could cover, and he moved one step at a time like a predator stalking its prey.


    Surprisingly, the small girl wasn''t a letdown at all, as when he walked, Nn barely felt the faintest sound of footsteps ringing out from her legs, and she never moved past five centimeters behind him.


    That was one more less thing he had to worry about, and it didn''t take too long before Nn felt a tantalizing aroma close by and quickly sneaked towards it.


    Barely two minutes passed and he found the source of the smell.


    It was a small group of trees,pletely covered in snow, but with a little shake from Nn, the snow all rained to the ground.


    What was revealed to them was a small garden of trees filledpletely with apple-sized fruits bouncing off their branches.


    A fruit tree with two types of apple-like fruits.


    Green apple-like fruit and red apple-like fruit.


    "Wait, are these?" Nn asked as he gently plucked off a fruit, but surprise clouded his face when he looked to the side and found the green-haired girl to be... gone!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 219 The Fairy-Unfairy Feast

    "What the?"


    Nn sat in shock as his eyes rapidly shed through the area, but they quickly settled, only to widen to their absolute limit.


    He found the girl on a tree branch, her hand plucking away one of the green fruits.


    Immediately, it headed towards her mouth, and he rushed forward.


    "DON''T!" he screamed out as he arrived before her in a sh and snatched away the fruit at thest second.


    The tiny girl bared her teeth at Nn in shock, but Nn didn''t pay her any mind. Instead, he looked at the fruit in his hands.


    Right before her, he bent to the ground, and his dagger appeared.


    SLASH


    The sound of the fruit getting shed rang out, and the juices sshed onto the ground.


    What followed was an absolutely shocking scene.


    Immediately, the snow the fruitnded on began sizzling, and steam rose into the air, followed by the snow itself turning into crumbled, inky ckness that faded into thin air like ashes.


    In an instant, the ice from the green apple had burned away the snow on the ground and turned it to a burnt mass of ashes.


    "Just as I thought..." Nn said with furrowed eyebrows, and then he threw the fruit away before he grabbed the red apple instead.


    Once more, he sliced it apart with his dagger, and the juices dripped onto the ground. But this time, no sizzling sound was made, and the floor simply turned a color of green.


    Immediately, Nn threw the rest of the green fruit in his mouth, feeling arge burst of sweetness clouding his senses.


    Only then did he pluck about ten more green fruits from the branches, cing them before the girl.


    "This is the Fairy-Unfairy Apple tree," Nn exined. "It''s a poisonous and also sweet fruit that grows in two bunches: red and green. If you bite the red, you''ll be fine, as that is the Fairy fruit. But if you bite the green, it''s poison that will burn off your organs. So, it''s the Unfairy fruit."


    "Do you understand now? Not everything you see can be eaten, so definitely receive my permission first before you eat anything. Got it?" Nn asked her. She stared deeply at the green fruit in his hand for a long time before finally taking a small bite.


    Immediately, her eyes widened in realization, and like a monster, she began gobbling down fruit after fruit.


    Nn watched dazedly, and soon his jaw dropped to the ground.


    He watched as she grabbed a total of about five apple fruits and stuffed them into her cheeks all at once.


    One had to know that just one of the apple fruits was the size of his clenched fist, and the small girl, with her tiny lips, somehow shoved five within her cheeks with seemingly no problem at all.


    Only after she stuffed down seven in her cheeks did her throat finally expand, and Nn watched nkly as the fruits were all crushed at once. Then, her throat expandedrgely, and she forced everything down into her stomach, small traces of juices staining her green dress.


    It was like she could sense his gaze on her. Raising her head, she sighted Nn, who was looking at her like a monster with his jaw dropped. Once more, she stared back nkly at him.


    "What the hell? How can that tiny mouth of yours carry so much?" Nn asked as he grabbed one of the apples and tried to throw it into his mouth.


    But no matter what he tried, Nn couldn''t cause it to go between his teeth unless he tried to tear one into his own cheeks.


    In the end, he could only take a simple bite at once, and the girl took her attention away from him as she carried the remaining apple fruits, popped it into her mouth all at once, and then gulped it down once more.


    GRUUUUUUUUM


    The sound of her stomach roaring out loudly rang out, revealing she had yet to be satisfied. Nn, though scared, had no choice but to start gathering up the red apple fruits, particrly choosing the biggest to feed her hunger.


    Dazedly, he stood there, watching as she devoured many fruits into her mouth at the same time before her throat expanded and she forced down everything at once.


    The scene repeated a couple more times before, finally, Nn saw her stomach bulge up from under her dress, and then she stopped eating. She spit out the remaining fruits before reclining on a tree branch nearby.


    [She ate a total of 350 apple fruits the size of your clenched fist!!!?] the system said.


    Nn simply looked dazedly before he shook himself up.


    ''Now I at least know her eating prowess is out of this world, and those tiny lips of hers are nothing but a facade. She can widen her cheeks to contain about three of my heads and crush it down all at once. Even her throat can expand.''


    ''It''s like she''s built for eating...'' Nn thought to himself, but now that the girl had eaten, that was one more of his problems resolved.


    Immediately, he packed up about 600 more of those apple fruits and stuffed everything inside his storage ring.


    Now, he at least had enough food for her tost the second day.


    "So, I have no reason to worry at all. Now, all I need is to get a clear aerial view of this area. For that, I''ll need a high ce..." Nn mused silently, and his gaze stretched around the area. Quickly, he found just what he was looking for.


    An especially tall tree whose top dwarfed every other tree in the area.


    ''That ce will do just nicely. Once I see the entire area, then I can decide on my next move...'' Nn thought and he turned his attention to the girl who had a satisfied expression on her face, her hand robbing her huge belly.

 Chapter 220 Nolans Determination

    It was clear she was more than satisfied with the feast, and Nn was even a little skeptical about how she was supposed to walk after such a long meal.


    "Hey, I''m sure you''re more than okay now, and your hunger has been well taken care of." Nn began as he got on his knees and looked into her bright eyes.


    Formerly, her gaze had been dead, but now he could see her eyes had a bit of direction to them. They looked more filled with life,pared to their soulless state from before.


    "Now that you''re well filled, it''s time for me to do what I also have in mind, which is to find a trace of intelligent life on this."


    "So, for my n, we need to get onto that tree. You see that tall tree?" Nn said as he pointed to the distant tree.


    Surprisingly, she also turned her gaze, following his finger, and she sighted the tree he was pointing to.


    "Good. That''s the ce we''re going, and I can''t leave you here alone. So, we have to go now..." Nn said, rising to his feet.


    A small smile appeared on his face when the girl actually rose to her feet, but his smile quickly dropped when she crumbled back to the ground like a spaghetti string, her huge stomach jiggling beneath her dress.


    [HAHAHAHA!]


    [You stuffed her up to the point where she can no longer walk, and then you say you want her to walk a distance of 100 kilometers. Have you gone fully nuts now?]


    [MUAHAHAHA!] the system''s mockingughter rang out, and Nn felt his eyebrows quivering a little.


    Truly, he had messed up. He shouldn''t have let her eat so much until she was unable to stand. Now he needed her to walk, but it was clear she was too exhausted from feasting to do so.


    In the end, there was only one choice.


    In a blink, Nn grabbed onto her pinky finger, and in the next instant¡ª


    GASSSPSS


    A small gasp escaped the girl''s lips as the world suddenly zoomed in, and in the next moment, she found her hands holding on tightly to what she was ced on, which was none other than Nn''s head.


    In the end, he had made up his mind to ce her on his neck.


    Even though she had filled up her stomach space to the absolute limit, she still weighed less than a flower to Nn, and so he didn''t feel like he was carrying anything.


    [Jokes on you, system,] Nn said with a grin of mockery as he burst forward with speed, moving like a swift arrow through the forest and rapidly heading towards the tall tree.


    [Hmph. I''ll see how long you can keep this up. In the end, you''ll have to abandon her, and I see thating real soon...]


    The system replied before quieting down, and Nn only shrugged before quickly making his way forward.


    ---


    What should have taken him just 5 minutes ended up taking 25 minutes before he finally arrived at the tree.4


    The reason was due to his cautiousness. Not sure what was lurking around, Nn had decided to grow more careful. He would be in quite a pinch if he had to fight a beast while also having her on his neck. That was the risk he knew well he was taking.


    But still, he was able to avoid the gaze of many predators, special thanks to the fact that he didn''t possess Divine Essence that would have attracted the attention of every lurking beast due to his anomaly.


    Quickly, he arrived at the top of the tree.


    Above his head, he could see someone taking in a deep breath, and he looked upwards, finding the girl taking a deep inhale of the wild breeze atop the tree.


    Taking a breath himself, Nn had to agree, it really was worth it.


    It seemed the 25 minutes was enough for the girl to get back her metabolism as she crawled off Nn''s neck, sitting down on a tree branch, her back rxing on it while rubbing her stomach with the same satisfied expression.


    Nn simply looked at the weird girl for a long while before he chuckled and then turned his gaze to the distance.


    Looking around the area, he was quickly disappointed when he saw nothing but an endless forest.


    As far as Nn''s perception could take him, all he saw was the deep green forest, and he sensed no sign of anything unusual.


    The birds were flying across the trees, and asional distant roars of incredibly powerful beasts echoed through the vast in of green.


    [It would take you three months of relentless running day and night before you get out of the forest.]


    [And if you remain adamant and try taking the girl, it would take you around 8 months minimum,] the system said, and Nn''s expression dropped.


    It wasn''t because it would take him three months; it was because, even after three months, he wasn''t really sure of his direction. It could either be three months of getting even farther from civilization or three months of getting closer to one.


    "SHIT!" Nn cursed in anger.


    Right now, he should have been working onpleting an important quest, yet here he was stranded on a world, with no idea of left or right, all because of this stupid feud that the body he possessed had.


    He was essentially suffering another person''s burden right now.


    The sight of the distance could also be observed by the tree girl, who was quick to notice Nn''s downcast expression.


    With a gaze filled with slight interest, she watched as Nn retreated back to her, crashing down close to her while muttering,


    "I''m lost in this god-forsaken world..."


    And then he went silent, closing his eyes and remaining unresponsive.


    For a second, her eyes shed with a hint of pity, and she stared into the distance, her gaze narrowing and skipping through many areas before resting in a particr spot in the distant forest.


    But then, her eyes soon went back to normal, and she continued rubbing her huge tummy.


    "So, what do you n on doing now?" the system said to Nn, who stared nkly into the distance.


    In the end, what should he do?


    Begin another aimless journey of wandering around uselessly?


    He had no idea where he was even going, and from this distance, he could already sense powerful auras that were strong enough to probably crush him in a single move.


    There was no way he would delude himself into thinking he could cross this vast forest without battling beasts, and many of these beasts were no doubt stronger than he was.


    In the end, he would have to sneak around everywhere just to avoid their gazes.


    And if he had to do that with a helpless five-year-old girl in his hands, the chances of him never reaching outside the forest, or doing so but having no choice but to have left the girl behind, were high.


    Both choices were something Nn couldn''t swallow.


    He would never be able to forgive himself for leaving a helpless little girl behind in such a dangerous forest, and he would probably die from the guilt one day.


    Even if he crossed through the forest and somehow found an intelligent race, who knew if they would wee him at all? Why wouldn''t they just kill him at first sight? Who knew if they were advanced enough to throw him outside their world entirely?


    How long would it take for him to even achieve that? Who knew if there was just another endless swarm of ocean just beyond the forest itself, and he would have spent no less than three only to arrive before an endless expanse of water?


    Then what would he do?


    He would have no choice but to return to the forest and try finding another way out. There was North, South, East, and West, and he had no idea which was the best to follow.


    In the end, Nn was lost. The n of finding an intelligent race was now starting to look like a stupid n that, even if it worked, wouldn''t be worth the suffering.


    "If I go out to try and find an intelligent race, I will either lose my life or lose her life. A life will be lost for sure. And that''s not something I can sit with."


    "Besides, there''s not even a 1% guarantee that I''ll find an intelligent race in the first ce."


    "All there is, is a higher possibility that I could spend years traveling and still find nothing..."


    "Irrespective of what it is, it''s not a decision I would be proud of, no matter the oue..." Nn thought reasonably, and soon he rose to his feet and stared into the cloudy sky before he moved to open his eyes and look at the girl, who had already lumbered off into sleep.


    She slept so beautifully that Nn felt his gaze softening, and soon they lit up in determination.


    "I won''t go on anymore!"


    "WHAT!!!?"

 Chapter 221 Hidden Mission Quest

    The system screamed out in shock as it stared in disbelief at Nn, whose eyes brimmed with quiet conviction and determination, yet with a bit of helplessness buried deeply by that same conviction and determination.


    "I''ll stop looking for a way out of this world..." Nn replied once more.


    [If you stop now, you''ll be an idiot.]


    [hen the ploys of your enemies would be a sess.]


    [Then you will be a loser.]


    [Are you satisfied with that?]


    [What about your freedom?]


    [Your dreams of bing strong and free?]


    [You''ll leave all that, just for this small stumble on your path?] the system said to Nn, whose eyes shed.


    "I know I will lose it all. But there''s no path forth for me. I''m not strong enough to travel between worlds, and there''s no sign of civilization at all."


    "And there''s also her to consider. I won''t be able to move on unless I leave her, which I also can''t do. She''s young and needs to be taken care of."


    [Then I have a n. If you''re worried about her, what say you raise her as your own, train her, build her into a warrior?]


    [She was carried into the mouth of a draconic creature.]


    [There''s no way she''s a weakling or an ordinary mortal.]


    [She might be weak now, but I believe she has great potential. So, raise her until she''s good enough to be on her own.]


    [[Then, you can choose to leave her to her fate, knowing she can now defend herself, and you will continue on your journey.]


    [Your strength during that time frame, as long as you keeppleting your quests, will no doubt improve.]


    [So there''s a chance when that timees, you should be able to easily traverse through this entire world and find a race that can help, or you yourself will possess enough power to phase through worlds.]


    [It will take time, though, years to be exact...] the system replied back to Nn, who nodded firmly, his eyes shing.


    ''I can take this experience as some sort of little vacation from the tumultuous world of cultivation.''


    ''Being a father, while also increasing my strength, until she''s capable of standing on her own feet too.''


    ''That''s what I''ll do. Better than heading to the unknown and risking both our lives on what would most likely be a fruitless search...''


    Nn thought, and he made up his mind.


    For now, he had the cave, which offered protection and could serve as a little home for both of them. There was snow he could use for water, and a couple of fruit trees in the area. He just needed to do some simple work to turn this ce into his territory.


    [HIDDEN MISSION QUEST ACTIVATED!]


    [QUEST: A territory-dominated world has been discovered. Host must carve his own territory and earn the recognition of the origin world.]


    [Rewards:???]


    "A system quest to build a territory..." Nn mused in shock as he looked at the panel. He had never thought the system would offer such a quest, and it seemed only now were they both on the same page.


    ''I guess I have a solid n now,'' Nn mused, and he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.


    Turning his gaze to the side, he found her deeply asleep in slumber, and quietly, he picked her up and threw her on his back.


    ''I can''t imagine what life you''ve been through, nor do I even have any idea what type of creature you are.''


    ''But I do promise I''ll make you fine and give you the life you deserve...'' Nn mused, and in the next instant, he jumped on top of the trees, quickly making his way forward into the distance.


    Now that he had his thoughts together, only now did he realize instead of running on the snow-covered ground, he could actually jump on the pine trees.


    They were like stic, and anytime he stepped on them and exerted slight strength, they sent him higher and farther into the air.


    This considerably boosted his speed and helped him avoid the predatory gaze of beasts below. This made his journey, which had taken around an hour of walking, turn into a 10-minute race. Stay connected via empire


    Arriving before his cave area, he could only see the open space and quietly entered into it. Gentlyying down the sleeping green-skinned girl, he decided to move out of the cave and quickly did a sweep of the area before making his decision, as he stood before the cave entrance.


    The cave area was just a few meters before the pine forest, and unbelievably enough, just behind it, Nn found a frozen stream path just a couple of meters away.


    With there being water so close by, and the forest in front as a source of food, Nn quickly made his decision.


    "I have decided on this ce being my territory."


    Quickly, he got to work, and the first thing he did was turn his attention to the stream.


    A little release of his Anti-Aether energy was enough to cause the frozen snowy stream to be unfrozen, and soon the sound of water flowing echoed through the area.


    Once the water began flowing, Nn walked towards it, dipped his hands into it, and brought it out. The sound of water sshing back into the stream rang out, and he took a sip from the water in his hands.


    A few seconds followed before his eyes widened and genuine shock shed in his eyes.


    "This isn''t just water! It''s...it''s..."


    [Harmonious Aqua!!!?]


    The system guessed in pure shock, and Nn nodded.


    There were many types of liquid in the ne of existence, and some liquids were regarded as heavenly treasures.


    One of these liquids was Harmonious Aqua, a water imbued with a world''s divine energy, making it the purest form of water.


    But not only that¡ªdrinking from Harmonious Aqua could cause a significant boost to cultivation stages and rid the body of impurities that hindered muscle growth and cell development.


    Not only that, but if a violent or troubled person drank it, it could help them calm down considerably!


    For Nn, living in a forest dominated by wild beasts, the liquid was perfect for him.


    Not only would the Harmonious Aqua help him improve his cultivation base, it would also help him wash away his impurities, therefore increasing his strength. It was perfect for him.


    Besides, any beasts that tried getting into the territory would have to cross through the stream, and the Harmonious Aqua would be more than alluring for them.


    Once they tasted it, their ferocity would disappear. It was a very good thing for a person to possess in a ce dominated by wild beasts.


    [And if your ''daughter'' drinks this and uses this regrly, you can expect rapid growth. [You''re very lucky,] the system teased.


    Nn rolled his eyes, but he had to agree. This would be perfect for the green girl.


    "The issue of water has been handled, now I just need to zero in on areas where the tree fruits are present and see if I can form a small map of the area, to stay alert of other beast territories so I don''t mistakenly antagonize them," Nn mused in deep thought.


    In the next instant, he got on the move, quickly disappearing into the forest.


    Five hourster, a young man with disheveled hair and broken branches stuck in it exited the pine forest, looking haggard.


    The figure was none other than Nn, and even though he had a few bruises on his face and body, one could see the big smile on his face.


    In his handsy a small wooden te with a couple of lines andbels drawn on it.


    Right now, Nn had sessfully mapped a 3000-meter radius around him. But to do that, he had ventured through various beast territories, and he had been sent running around the ce.


    There were a couple of times where he had nearly lost his life, but he was able to avoid getting killed by activating his Anti-Aether energy. Since this ce was deep within the forest and theck of Divine Essence revealed there were probably no Celestial Heirs around, Nn felt free to use his Anti-Aether energy to save himself from trouble without worrying about being discovered.


    But he also didn''t want to get used to having his strength doubled, so he only did that when it was absolutely necessary.


    Soon he arrived before his cave area, and his eyes narrowed.


    Right now, he felt like the cave he was sleeping in was actually a miniature fraction of the cave system truly in the area.


    [What do you say about carving an entire apartment within the mountain itself? Combining various caves together to create something more livable?] the system suggested, and Nn nodded.


    It was a truly good idea, and just as his hand reached forward to roll away the stone, he watched as the stone covering the cave was rolled away.


    But the person who exited the cave where he had left the little girl shocked Nn to his bones, and unconsciously, he retreated five steps backward, his wooden te dropping from his hands.

 Chapter 222 Fast Growth

    The person before him was a girl, long green hair that poured down like a waterfall. Minute green scales covered part of her face.


    She was currently yawning loudly and stretching, but what really surprised Nn was the fact that the girl, who was between the ages of 5-6 years old, had now grown both in height and size to a girl of around the age of 10-12!


    She was formerly just around a meter tall, but right now she was a full 1.5 meters tall, making Nn doubt his eyes and unconsciously drop his nk that held the map.


    As he dropped the map, the girl finally finished her yawning and stared at Nn, only to find him looking at her in shock as Nn opened his mouth, words trying to escape, but he was unable to say anything, just pointing fingers.


    After a few seconds of being dazed, Nn regained himself and screamed in shock.


    "How did you grow so fast!?"


    The girl, on hearing what he said, turned to look at herself, and Nn noticed her eyebrows furrowing. She didn''t pay much attention to that before the embarrassing sound was made.


    GRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!


    Nn was finally shocked speechless as he stared at her stomach and noticed it rolling underneath her dress, which had now be very tiny for her.


    She stared at him, a bit of shyness to her face, something Nn had not seen before until now, and his mind reeled.


    ''She''s already hungry once more? But it''s been merely 7 hours since herst feast. How could she be hungry at all?''


    He couldn''t deny her food, so in the end, he brought out a total of 7 apple fruits, which she instantly threw into her mouth. This time, it seemed not only did she grow, but even her mouth''s ability to take in more food at once had grown as she took the 7 fruits into her cheeks, staring at Nn who passed her three more.


    She collected it and threw it into her cheeks, and only then did it get filled up. Finally, she crushed them all at once, and Nn noticed her throat widening to an inhumane level. In a single gulp, everything disappeared, going straight into her stomach.


    She eyed Nn up and down, and it was clear to him that she wanted more, but before that, there was something Nn wanted to do.


    For more than a day now, she had yet to bathe, and it was something Nn had pushed off since he had no idea where to find water for her. But now, that was no longer the case, so he had to do something about her dirtiness.


    "Follow me. I have something to show you," Nn said, walking past her, and for some time, a bit of hesitation appeared in her eyes, but eventually, she followed after Nn silently.


    Soon, they both arrived before a flowing stream where water could be seen. Enjoy new stories from empire


    "I found this¡­" Nn was saying but stopped when he felt a figure sh past him, quickly running forward towards the flowing stream.


    She got down on her knees, dipping her head into the water, and then...


    GUUULP! GUUULP!


    The sound of incredibly loud gulping could be heard soon as Nn watched bubbles rise all over the water.


    [You forgot that she didn''t drink water for more than a day too, and probably more than that, for as long as she was present in that dragon''s mouth.] The system reminded Nn, who nodded.


    He had truly forgotten to take that into consideration, mainly because he believed that the fruits she ate contained enough water to saturate her body. But that still didn''t stop her need for water.


    ''I''m fine with you drinking, but that isn''t what I called you for...'' Nn thought to himself as he walked towards her. Then, he slowly stretched out his leg and kicked her...


    GASSSSSPPPS!


    A loud gasp tore through the area, followed by loud sshing as the girl was kicked into the water by Nn.


    GUGGGLLEEE...


    GUUGGGGGLEE...


    The sound of gurgling, as if a person was drowning, ran


    g out as the water kept sshing all around. The system notification appeared.


    [I don''t think she can swim? Won''t you help her before she drowns?] It asked Nn, who sat down beside theke and simply stared with an uninterested expression.


    ''Don''t worry. She''ll get the hang of it soon¡­'' he replied, and after 30 minutes of the girl struggling to stop herself from drowning, she finally got control of things and, like a fish, she swam towards Nn, arriving beside him and coughing out her lungs.


    "Now you''re properly cleaned," he said with a satisfied smile.


    The girl turned to him, and like an animal, her mouth opened wide, screeching at Nn, but no words came out, making her ferocious expression not at all intimidating to him.


    Instead, he found it more cute.


    A cloth was soon sent flying towards her face, covering her furious expression, as Nn rose to his feet and headed back toward the direction of his cave.


    "Put those on instead. Your clothes are getting too small for you..." he said, as the girl dragged the cloth away from her face, flinging it into the far distance, and baring her teeth even harder at Nn. But all she saw was his disappearing shadow, and eventually, she calmed her screeching as she looked at the side where the cloth she had flungnded.


    It was a huge shirt with a covering at its top, and trousers.


    Her eyes turned to look at her clothes, and she saw that they were truly now very tiny.


    They barely covered her developing parts at all, and a pink blush covered her face as she crossed her hand over her chest and part in embarrassment.


    But turning to look around, there was no one already, and she hmphed in faint anger before reluctantly walking towards the cloth that had been given to her by Nn and quickly putting them on.


    Then she looked at the wet dress on the ground, which was the one she was formerly wearing, and soon noticed a faint glowing gem in its side pocket.


    It had fallen down from her pocket, and she quickly picked it up before running after Nn''s figure.

 Chapter 223 A 100 Setting Suns Later

    Discover hidden stories at empire


    Time passed quickly as the sun rose and settled, then rose again and then settled, over and over, time and time again.


    RUSTLE, RUSTLE.


    The sound of leaves rustling could be heard, followed by heavy steps mming onto the ground, and soon, something burst out of the tree leaves.


    It was none other than a tiger-like beast, but with the tail of a crocodile, rapidly running away.


    In its eyes, one could sense dire distress, and around its body were scarred marks that were drenched in blood, dripping all over and raining to the ground.


    It ran with speed, constantly looking back to the ce where it fled away from in fear, but quickly, it snapped its gaze to the side, and then horror appeared on its face, as the sight of a magnifying beastly w shed past its face and then¡ª


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!


    The sound of flesh getting cut open resounded through the area as the tiger kept running forward, but soon, it copsed onto the floor amidst blood that oozed out like a fountain.


    Finally, it came to rest, and if one could see the tiger now, they would notice its face had been smoothly cleaved off by something, leaving a trail of ///-shaped lines all over it.


    In the next instant, something jumped down from the sky andnded with a fierce thud.


    It was a young man, with long, snowy white hair that covered his shoulders and eyes, staring at the beast which was quickly drowning in its own blood.


    "Hmmm," Nn hummed as he scanned the body of the tiger-like beast before rising to his feet and pping.


    "You did good once more, girl, but do you have to hurt the poor beast so badly? Now it looks so ruined I''m feeling pity for it and hesitating whether to cook it up or not..." Nn said with a saddened expression as he turned to his front and watched a person slowly walk forth.


    It was ady, around the height of 1.76 meters, with an otherworldly charm that could captivate entire kingdoms.


    But much of her feminine features were covered by the baggy hoodie and trousers she was wearing. Still, it didn''t hide her gigantic beastly ws that werepletely covered in green scales and currently dripping with red blood.


    The girl appeared before Nn, rolling her eyes at him as she swiped her hands to the side, throwing off the blood covering her ws, which then changed into soft and plump white hands designed with beautiful green scales.


    It was a fundamental change to the sight Nn had previously seen.


    The figure, of course, was none other than the green girl he had saved, and right now she looked just around Nn''s age and even slightly more matured, around the age of 18-20,pared to Nn, who looked like an 18-year-old boy.


    Even though he was unnaturally tall and muscr, his face still contained baby fat, making it easy for one to identify him as a simple boy.


    The small girl had grown incredibly rapidly, and now she had been able to increase her strength to the point where she could easily defeat Sacred Vessel Stage beasts, the level of beasts that Nn had run away from on his arrival into this world.


    "Since you hunted it down this time without my help, we will be sharing it on a 70-30 basis. I take 70 and you take 30. A nice offer. What do you say?" Nn said with an evil smile that got wiped out when he felt the fangs bared at him.


    Even though no sound was made, he still felt a chill that made him reconsider.


    "Okay, fine. We''ll do it 80-20. The 80 will be for you, and I''ll take 20. Are you satisfied now?" Nn said, and only then did she stop her screeching as she hmped arrogantly before walking away from him.


    [As stingy as ever...] the system said, and Nn couldn''t argue that.


    If there was a thing he had learned from having raised her and being with her for so long, it was that she was incredibly stingy with her things.


    But it was understandable to Nn, as her appetite was also unbelievable.


    ''Her race is clearly that of a mythic beast. I wonder what type of beast she is, though...'' Nn thought to himself with a curious expression, quickly picking up the dead tiger and slinging it over his shoulder.


    Time had passed quickly, and he had been able to sessfully settle down in the forest and carve a territory for himself.


    Creating a territory for oneself had been incredibly hard for Nn, as he had been repeatedly attacked by the beasts, who tried to take away his territory from him, with the Harmonious Aqua he possessed making the battle even more worth it to them.


    But Nn had fought with all he had and eventually, he had killed enough beasts to scare the rest away before finally being able to get the territory for himself.


    With his territory secured, he had fulfilled the quest, and had also been able to raise up the young girl until she became ady.


    Of course, he made sure to record the time mainly by the passing of the sun, and right


    now, Nn had counted a total of 100 setting suns.


    That should be around 3 months or so that he had been living here, but if there was something Nn noticed, it would be the fact that the days seemed shorter than normal herepared to the Celestial Academy.


    Time passed incredibly fast, with the nightsting longer than the day.


    He had no idea what amount of time it would have been in the academy, but... he could feel he was running out of time.


    Not like he cared anymore.


    It has just been three months, but Nn felt those three months were the best time of his life.


    Free from any headaches and back-biting, and for once he got a feel of freedom.


    Unfortunately, it was but a concept destined only for a minute few...

 Chapter 224 Her Unknown Thoughts...

    Less than 30 minutester, they both arrived before their home. It was arge igloo made of rocks instead of snow.


    This was what Nn finally epted as the ce they should live.


    Immediately after arriving, Nn carried the dead croc-tiger to the harmonious aqua and quickly skinned it properly before making his way back to the house.


    Less than an hourter, a nice smell permeated the entire area, causing a figure to exit the cave,ing to sit before the tiger meat that was ced on the stake.


    Immediately, her hands morphed into ws, and she quickly made lines on the beast.


    One of the tiger''s legs was yanked off by her hands, and then she used her ws to divide the ripped leg into two before passing half to Nn, who had a wry smile on his face.


    Then she carried the entire tiger meat and opened her mouth wide before forcing the meat down.


    It was an absolute shock to Nn, who witnessed her stuffing down an entire tiger, more than thrice bigger than himself, with a single gulp.


    Her throat bulged up, and Nn watched the meat travel down and enter her stomach.


    But once it entered, it was as if the meat suddenly disappeared, as the bulge vanished.


    GUUUUUUUUUUUUUULP


    A loud gulp rang through the entire area, and she copsed onto the ground beside him, rubbing her stomach with a satisfied expression on her face.


    "Just how deep of a well is that small tummy of yours?" Nn couldn''t help but ask as he gently ced his own share of the meat onto a te.


    Then, like a master chef, he carefully began dissecting, studding small bits into his mouth and making sure to feel and appreciate the taste.


    Now was the time for the girl to stare dumbly at Nn, watching as he took bite-sized pieces of everything while making strange humming sounds.


    After 30 minutes, Nn finished up, and only then did he copse on his back, his stomach bulging.


    "Now that''s how you feast, like a regr human being. Not like an animal..." he said to her, who scoffed at him, turning her face to the other side.


    Nn chuckled.


    The breeze around the area seemed to turn even cooler, blowing the hair of both of them around their heads.


    He simply stared at the blue sky, watching the clouds sway, and then he turned his head to the side, only to find her eyes looking into the sky, seemingly in deep thought.


    She was looking up just like him, but her gaze appeared lost as if in deep thought.


    Nn''s eyebrows furrowed at that.


    It wasn''t the first time she had been lost in thought like this.


    Dhe had been doing the same for the past two weeks now, just standing or lying with her gaze being lost, as if thinking of something.


    He had tried to find out what she was thinking by asking, but he never did get any reply, and he doubted now would bring a different answer.


    Eventually, he could only probe.


    "Are you still thinking about that dragon of yours?" he asked as she regained focus, staring back at him before turning back to look at the sky.


    She gave no reply, as usual.


    But suddenly, Nn noticed something strange: a faint ripple I''m the air and in the next instant¡ª


    CLAAAAANG!


    BAAAAANG!


    The sound of two metallic substances crashing into each other rang out as a w phased out of thin air and mmed powerfully toward the girl''s pretty face.


    Her eyes widened in shock, but at thest second, a dagger appeared in the path of the w, blocking the blow in the nick of time amidst a powerful gale blowing in the area.


    The tug of strength endured for 10 seconds, long enough for her to quickly disappear from where she was lying.


    Nn''s dagger was forcefully nailed to the ground, showing his loss in the exchange of power.


    But he reacted quickly as he suddenly tightened his hold on the dagger, pushing himself up into the air, and mmed his leg down behind the w.


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM


    Another fiery explosion resounded, as the crater on the ground mysteriously gave way, as if something was pushed nto it.


    Nn instantly kicked forth with his right leg into the air, feeling another connection.


    The snow at the base of where he kicked separated and drifted back, and Nn dragged out his dagger, rolling twice in mid-air before his eyes narrowed into the distance.


    "An invisible opponent?" he asked in surprise.


    Right now before him, Nn could only see a singr w floating in the air and swaying around, but he could swear that when he kicked at the air, he felt he connected with a body, forming the conclusion that he was fighting with an invisible opponent.


    "But there''s no doubt about it, the figure possesses a body, or I wouldn''t have been able to kick at it..."


    VROOOOOOOOOOM


    The sound of the air parting once more resounded as Nn''s expression instantly changed.


    He quickly turned behind him, shing out with his dagger.


    BOOOOOOOOM


    Another fiery explosion resounded as another w suddenly appeared behind Nn, its target aiming for his chest but getting blocked by his dagger at thest second.


    But still, the momentum of the attack was enough for him to be sent flying back uncontrobly, and once more he felt the air behind him exploding outwards as another w sted toward him from behind.


    It was from the one he had previously exchanged moves with, but it never reached him as a w coated in green scales appeared in the path of the w, colliding with it heavily and sending the w flying backward.


    Nn stopped himself at thest second, before rising to his feet, standing behind him was none other than the girl who had her green ws out and scales all over her face.


    Around them stood a total of four ws in the air, all circling them tightly, and Nn''s eyes narrowed.


    "Not only are they invisible, but even their cultivation is at the Sacred Vessel Stage."


    -------


    [Mission Quest Issued: Host hase in contact with invisible Alconains, who harbor a killing intent towards the one raised by host.]


    [Host is required to ensure the Alconains fail at their mission.]


    [Rewards: ???]


    The system notification blinked before Nn, whose eyebrows furrowed, and in the next instant, he decided.


    "There''s no need to hold back your power. They want us dead..." He said aloud for the girl behind him to hear, and in the next moment¡ª


    CLAAAAAANG!


    The sound of chains falling to the ground resonated through the area as Nn summoned his fairy chains, rolling them in his left arm while holding the dagger in his right hand.


    A few seconds of silence passed, as the breeze gently rustled, yet the pressure in the air only further thickened, and in the next instant¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    All hell broke loose as Nn faded away from where he stood, appearing right in the middle of the air, and in the next moment¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    An abyssal tear appeared in the ground, tearing through for a couple of miles as Nn''s chain firmly struck the earth.


    Spinning his dagger in his hands, he shed to the side, a w sting and mming toward him, the power shaking him away, and quickly another w shed out from the side toward Nn''s head.


    But it met with nothing but shadows as Nn ducked, barely dodging the ws, which also grazed a strand of his hair.


    Quickly reacting, he spun, his leg sweeping across.


    BAAANG!


    The sound of the floor giving out resounded, a minute crack spreading into the ground, and in the next instant, a dagger shed by with speed, followed by green blood spraying into the air.


    ROOOOOOOAR!


    A distressed roar rang out as a w instantly appeared before Nn, who jumped backward, dodging the sh to his chest, and he skidded to a stop.


    His dagger ready in his hands, his eyes narrowed at the figure before him.


    He could feel that he had been able to sh open one of the opponents, and he quickly listened as the invisible enemy slowly became visible.


    His heart shook from the sight of them. Enjoy new chapters from empire


    The figure before him was a full 2-meter-tall being,pletely covered in dark scales.


    Its skin was hard and rough, like that of crocodiles, but its belly was white and seemingly made of flesh.


    The foe before him currently had a dagger line running through its stomach, the ce where Nn had shed.


    Sighting the figure, a single word came to Nn''s mind:


    A standing crocodile? That was the perfect description for the figure before him.


    A standing humanoid crocodile.


    And truly that was what it was.


    "Our target is not you, it is the girl. So stand aside and we might consider letting you leave here alive."


    The crocodile beast man spoke out to Nn who scoffed.

 Chapter 225 Tough Battle 1

    "Stupid you are..." Nn replied, as the end of his dagger slowly connected to the chain, which began spinning around him, quickly picking up speed.


    He bent to the ground, getting into a stance to burst forth with speed.


    "Not only is the person you''re seemingly after one of my own, but you''re also standing on my territory without my wee."


    "And then you say this has nothing to do with me?"


    "Then you can me not us but your arrogance for your death..." the visible Alconian replied before giving outmands.


    "Eddie, Willie. You take on the girl. Sirei and I will handle the arrogant bastard."


    "If you can capture her alive, then do so. The reward will be better. If not, just kill her," Goriath said as Nn watched wed hands quickly advancing to the side, trying to move past him.


    He only snorted in mockery.


    ''As if I''ll allow you...''


    In the next instant, he also shed to the side, his chain cleaving forth with speed toward one of the invisible figures whose ws were reaching for the girl.


    But his eyes widened as he saw Goriath sh in front of him at the same moment, kicking forward with powerful legs.


    In the end, Nn freed his second hand from the chains, cleaving his first dagger toward the approaching w while also punching out toward the leg that was heading for him.


    "Alco Kick!"


    The faint spell echoed as the leg heading for Nn''s fist suddenly lit up with a brilliant red light. Find exclusive stories on empire


    It collided with Nn''s fist just as his dagger shed heavily with the second w.


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM


    A fiery explosion rocked the entire forest area as the three figures were sent flying backward from the source of the explosion.


    Nn''s leg dragged hard on the ground, tearing through it, but he couldn''t stop his momentum.


    In the next moment, he mmed his back into a tree, uttering a low groan.


    ''They''re strong, and they can use magical skills too. I guess I underestimated you all a little...'' Nn thought to himself, but quickly, his gaze turned to the side where another exchange was going on.


    It was the battle of the girl with the other two invisible Alconians.


    He wanted to help, but his path was blocked by the two crocodile Alconians who had appeared before him.


    Now they had sessfully separated both of them and were ganging up in two-on-one battles.


    "I have to admit to your abilities. You can still stand after taking my Alco Kick with nothing but your bare fist and only sustaining a minor bloody injury," one of the Alconians said, arriving before Nn, whose eyes stared at his fist.


    Only now did he see his own ghastly white bones and smoky steam emanating from his hand.


    ''I didn''t even notice that...'' Nn thought to himself, but his eyes narrowed when he heard a low grunt from behind him.


    Its source came from the girl who was being forced into quite a difficult position.


    While she could take on a beast at the Sacred Vessel stage¡ªthe same stage as her opponent¡ªit was a bit hard to face two at the same time.


    Especially ones that had intelligence, could coordinate their moves well, and possessed clear experience regarding battle.


    Even the  her was ced in a pinch, and while she was still defending properly and had no wounds on her, Nn knew she couldn''tst long.


    In the end, he determined to finish things quickly to avoid any unforeseen situations and regret.


    "Activate the Crown of Kratos..."


    Nn ordered, and in the next instant, a powerful wave of energy surrounded his figure as an object materialized right in front of his gaze,ing to rest on top of his forehead.


    [Host has activated the Crown of Kratos.]


    [Host has been blessed with the divine energy of Helios, the god of the sun.]


    The system said, and following that, an incredible amount of heat burst forth from his body, golden energy spreading forth like light beams.


    Hundreds of runic lines, all glowing gold, appeared all over his neck and skin.


    The ming red fire burning on the dagger faded away, reced by radiant golden light, the same as his chains.


    The two Alconians retreated a few meters in shock, staring at Nn, who hadpletely changed.


    From an ordinary mortal, he now looked like the son of a divine being.


    "This power?"


    "What is this power?"


    "What race do you belong to?"


    The flurry of questions came, but all they got in reply was Nn fading away like a phantom and reappearing before one of them.


    "What the¡ª" "DIE!"


    The invisible Alconian roared out as heshed out with both ws.


    "ming Alco ws!"


    DIIIIIIIIING


    A metallic noise echoed through the area as Nn thrust his wide-ded dagger, sting the ws to the side, and then¡ª


    BOOOOOOOOM


    The air parted as his piercing motion instantly transitioned to a powerful kick.


    Blood sshed out from thin air, and a body quickly appeared to the world before getting sent hurtling into the distance.


    ''So, they turn visible after a damaging attack, and when they want to strike. That''s why the ws can be seen...'' Nn thought to himself, watching the Alconian bounce repeatedly on the ground before mming into a tree, which broke apart, burying him in the dirt.


    Now, there was just a single person before Nn, and he turned his golden eyes to him.


    "You''re not from around here..." the Alconian said with enough wariness in his tone, but all he got in response was Nn fading away like a phantom, followed by a powerful burst of air by the side as Nn''s dagger reached straight for his ribs.


    CLAAAAANG


    The sound of heavy metallic shing resonated as the figure sent out its w, mming hard into Nn''s dagger and stopping it in its tracks.


    Both of them tensed their muscles to the max, as they tried to hold off each other''s attacks.


    But Nn only grinned evilky as he used his second hand to detach the chain from the dagger''s hilt, and in the next instant, he sent it whipping forward towards his opponent''s head.

 Chapter 226 Tough Battle 2

    LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHH


    The sound of the heavy chainsshing hard against the skin resonated through the area, sending forth a spine-chilling sound as blood sshed into the air, and Goriath was sent spinning into the distance.


    Following keenly after him, Nn threw his chain forward.


    It forcibly jerked in a mysterious manner, causing the chain to move around like a snake and wrap around his neck.


    In the next instant, his legs anchored to the ground as the runic lines covering them burst forth with more light.


    VROOOOOOOOM


    VROOOOOOOOM


    VROOOOOOOOM


    A mini-storm rose into the air as Nn dashed forward with speed, his long fiery chains drawing across the body of the figure who could only watch numbly as the chains tightly bound him before unwinding suddenly.


    SPUUUUURRRTTTTTT


    Blood burst out like a wave as the chains tightened their hold, golden light bursting out from them and the crocodile man copsed to his knees, blood spilling out from every orifice, and his eyes deadened from the pain.


    Goriath tried to struggle against the chain''s hold, but failed miserably as he felt his energy quickly dissipating as if being drained by something.


    "Impossible..." he thought, feeling all of his strength ebb away.


    Before he could fully break through, a dagger tore out of his chest,ing from the other side.


    All signs of resistance instantly faded away from him.


    Blood slowly dripped out as Goriath tried to turn his head, but failed as Nn dragged his dagger upwards, severing flesh and skin, until hepletely tore off the entire shoulder.


    Goriath''s lifeless body fell to the ground, intestines and blood spilling out before he too copsed into his own pool of blood.


    Deader than dead.


    ---


    "WATCH OUT!!!"


    A sudden scream suddenly resounded through the area, incredibly loud and filled with a crazy amount of energy that sent powerful shockwaves rippling through the area.


    Reflexively, Nn disappeared from where he stood.


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP


    The sound of the air being ripped apart rang out as an object shed by Nn''s neck in the shape of a card, red blood spraying through the air, before it exploded, sending another powerful wave of energy through the area.


    Twenty meters away, Nn''s figure reappeared, crouched on the ground as his hands reached for his own neck.


    He didn''t even need to touch it before he felt cold blood running down his neck¡ª a deep line had been carved through his neck, almostpletely severing his head.


    ''I... I almost died!?''


    ''How?'' Nn thought in shock as his eyes slowly moved to the side where he saw one of the Alconians, the one buried under the dirt, now standing with a strange device in his hands.


    "He dodged the Phantom Death Card!!"


    "Damn it, that''s the only one I have left."


    "I have to get out of here..."


    The figure said and immediately it quickly disappeared among the leaves, going invisible, and separating from the scene, but not long after...


    ---


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."


    A blood-curdling scream resounded through the entire area, before quickly falling silent.


    Automatically, the battle between the girl and the remaining two crocodile men instantly stopped, and they all couldn''t help but look in the direction where one could see the rustling of leaves, and soon a figure exited.


    It was a figure covered in blood, with a dagger by his side, which dripped as blood slowly rained down.


    Your next read awaits at empire


    And immediately, their spines went cold.


    The figure was none other than Nn, and with his body filled with blood, one could easily guess the fate of the one who had run away.


    "The one amongst you two who answers my question most satisfactorily will be spared..." Nn called out, stepping outpletely as he looked at the remaining two who stared petrified at him.


    But that led to their downfall, as a w suddenly tore out from both of their chests, ghostly green, and immediately...


    RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP


    The sound of something forcefully jerked out rang out as the two bodies, filled with regret and shock in their eyes, mmed down face-t on the ground.


    With a slight open mouth, Nn looked at the green girl covered in blood, whose huge ws were currently holding onto two organs that were beating hard in her grasp as if they were alive.


    It was none other than the green girl, and she had ripped out the hearts of the ones whom Nn wanted to question.


    What made Nn surprised wasn''t the fact that he had just lost an opportunity to learn more about this world¡ªsince he could sense they were intelligent races¡ªbut how cold-blooded the girl before him was to have ripped out two hearts.


    Even right now her gaze was cold and nk, only thawing after seeing Nn''s shocked face, and both hearts soon dropped onto the ground.


    ''I have always made sure to never go too violent in front of her, yet how did she grow so cold-blooded and callous?'' Nn thought as his lips moved.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Did you get hurt anywhere?" Nn asked, concerned, deactivating his Crown of Kratos and keeping his dagger away while approaching her.


    Taking her hands into his, Nn checked her body with narrowed eyebrows looking for injuries, but he found not a single one, and his rapidly beating chest automatically calmed a lot.


    ''Thank God she''s safe...'' he thought to himself.


    "Now go wash your hands in the river, and get rid of that blood on you."


    "Come on, go on..." Nn said as he cajoled her to leave the area, and this time she obliged, quickly disappearing into the distance.


    ---


    Once she disappeared, Nn''s eyes narrowed as he carried the corpses on the ground one by one, quickly disappearing away from his settlement, heading into the forest.


    Once he got sufficiently far away, he dumped their bodies on the ground and started searching them.


    After properly ransacking them for everything they possessed, his dagger appeared as he cleaved open the ground, and threw all four bodies within, before covering it back and quickly leaving the area.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!