Neo appeared inside his dorm.
He looked at the badge in his hands.
"I'll heal myself on my own.
"But I guess I can use this thing to ask the professor help me awaken my time element."
The corpses of Christian and others would be fine for a few weeks.
Neo needed to awaken his time element.
After that, he had to learn to create a frozen time prison to make sure the corpses don't rot.
"Fuck, it would've been easier if I could put their corpses in cyro chambers.
"But I can't do that.
"The less people know about the corpses the better."
"I'll have to do it myself."
Neo massaged his brows.
Resurrection ritual was not easy to prepare.
The entire academy was within the principal's range.
He could not get the sacrifices here or she would know.
"I can only wait until the 2nd semester starts and we are given the permission to leave the academy."
As he entered the room, his body started to stop functioning.
He could not control his left hand or his mouth.
'Looks like I'm about to die.'
490th Floor, Hargraves Corporation
The butler entered the office after the knock.
He saw Henry going through some documents.
"Master, I have received the news from the spies we've put in the academy.
"The young master has returned alive."
"I guess I don't need to go there and rescue him."
Henry nodded, his eyes fixed on the documents.
"Anything else to report?"
"Yes, young master has reached Adept-mastery in Death element and he likely as strong as Top 5 students in his year."
A smile appeared on Henry's face.
Contrary to him, the butler looked anxious.
"Master, if young master continues to grow at this rate, then—"
"It's fine. We'll cross the bridge when we get there."
Henry cut off Sebastian before he could complete his words.
"I want Neo to be strong enough to fight them; instead of making sure he stays weak and hoping they spare him."
A sigh escaped Henry's lips.
He closed the document and took out a cigarette.
Arthur's Private Training Room, Seraphim Hall, Demigod Academy
The noises of blades clashing echoed.
Arthur disappeared and reappeared around the place.
He kept attacking Mars.
Mars used his fists, which were as hard as steel, to block the attacks.
Both of them were fighting without holding back.
Their bodies were covered in bruises and their gazes were filled with exhaustion.
They had been training since the moment they return.
Felix entered the room.
He noticed them training and shifted his gaze to the side.
Nathan sat at the corner. His eyes were closed as he manipulated the Darkness, training.
Felix approached Nathan.
"You should take a break."
"I'll take one after a bit."
Nathan kept his eyes closed.
A sigh escaped Felix's lips.
He sat near Nathan and opened the dinner.
"I didn't take you to be the sentimental type. But I guess I the deaths hit you hard."
Nathan opened his eyes.
He let go over his hold of the Darkness and he continued.
"I never thought geniuses like Leonora and Christian could die so easily.
"It made me realize death can come for me anytime and I'll never be able to stop it."
"So easily, huh." Felix puckered his lips. He smiled miserably. "What about Neo? He is a genius too."
"I don't think Neo died."
"He was murdered. Lucas must've—"
Felix cut off Nathan mid-sentence.
"Don't say those words to anyone else. Or you won't know what killed you."
He never trusted Lucas after he killed his friend in the ranking competition.
They could not oppose the Zeus Clan.
Watching Nathan's miserable expression, Felix felt his resolve strengthen.
Felix hated their world where….
The bloodline was everything.
The person's fate was decided before they were born.
The weak had no right.
Felix would change the accursed system.
Even if he had to kill the Gods.
Lucas' Room, Seraphim Hall, Demigod Academy
Harrison rushed into the room.
He was breathing heavily after running for a long while.
"He, huff, huff, he is alive."
Lucas put down his knife and looked out of the kitchen.
"Neo Hargraves has returned. He successfully rescued that Shadow-wielder and came back."
He wiped his hand on the apron and focused on cooking.
"Why are you so calm?! What if he reports you—"
"Harrison, that's not for you to worry about. The clan elders will handle the aftermath."
Harrison was stunned at Lucas' attitude.
Before he could argue back, Lucas added,
"Don't ask unnecessary things.
"Just do as you are told and keep your mouth shut if you don't want to get discarded like Morrigan."
Willow Mansion, Forest of All Beginnings, Underworld
Neo appeared in the garden of Paimon's mansion.
He gained the Death Elemental Vision after he reached Adept-mastery.
The thick amount of Death in the Underworld surprised him.
After looking around, he entered the mansion.
He found Paimon and Barbatos in the open hall.
The two grim reapers were sitting on sofa, sipping tea.
Paimon was smiling as usual.
Barbatos, on the other hand, seemed angry.
"Would you like some tea?" Paimon questioned.
She prepared the tea with finesse.
Her movements were graceful and precise.
"Why did you return to the Underworld, child?
"I believed you would meet the sphinx as soon as possible and try to complete the third trial."
"I'm here to fulfill the contract."
Neo's words made Paimon's smile deepen.
"It doesn't look like you are afraid of losing your God Blood.
"Don't you regret it?
"If you did not fight to protect your friend and instead escaped on your own, you would've never needed the blessing.
"In the end, you could've completed the mission without sacrificing your God Blood."
She watched Neo with interest, wanting to know his answer.
Neo opened his mouth.
"Jack was my teammate. I was the one who brought him to the Window. He was my responsibility."
"I never sacrificed my God Blood. I used it to rescue my friend."
His answer made Paimon chuckle.
She turned to Barbatos.
"See, I told you. The child has grown. He can handle the responsibilities that come with the blessing."
Barbatos continued to stare at Neo.
"O Great Child of Monarch, do you realize the cost of your sacrifice?
"We commend your bravery and brotherhood, but we cannot praise you, not when you have decided to squander Monarch's precious blood."
Barbatos was not angry with Neo.
He was proud of Neo's decisive mentality.
It showed Neo put thought into his actions before doing anything and stood by his decision even if they had consequences.
"Please close your eyes, child."
Neo followed her words.
He sensed Paimon going behind him.
She unbuttoned his collar button and tugged his shirt off his shoulder.
Suddenly, Neo felt two sharp objects burrowing into his shoulders.
He almost screamed, even though he was used to pain, and felt his soul burn.
After a few seconds, the sharp objects were removed.
Something cold and soft licked his bleeding shoulder.
The injury and pain disappeared as soon as they had arrived and Neo felt a soothing sensation surging through his body.
"Thank you for the meal, child. It's been decades since I drank Monarch's blood."
He was stunned when he saw Paimon return to her seat.
She was no longer a bag of bones, but a beauty with milk-white skin, golden hair, and blood-red eyes.
Her fangs were revealed when she smiled.
"Did I surprise you, child?"
She chuckled at his speechless reaction.
Neo spoke after a few moments,
"I don't feel much different. Did you really take my God Blood?"
"Indeed, I did. Your stats haven't changed which is why you don't feel different.
"But your Divine Energy pool has been reduced to half.
"You'll notice it if you use your Divine Energy."
He tried to manifest Aura of Death.
Red lightning flickered around his fingers and he felt a strain on his Divine Energy reserves.
'I was reduced by almost half.' Neo noted.
Thankfully, his stats were still same.
As long as he was careful to keep the battles short, he could fight at full power without any problem
Neo did not regret his actions.
He could always recover his God Blood by devouring monsters with Darkness.
To him, it was but a minor inconvenience.
"If that is all, I'll return now."
Barbatos stayed quiet.
In the end, he spoke only after Paimon elbowed him.
"May you live in peace and prosperity, O Child of Monarch."
Neo used the Immortal and arrived back into his body in the world of living.