"I don't need credits. Pay with your patience. It will double as your training."
Neo's face hardened.
An ominous premonition crept into his heart.
"How will I pay with my patience?"
"Stay outside of my office until I leave my office."
"If you can do that, I will help you in awakening your Ti elent."
"…Are you doing this because I stopped you from closing the door?"
"I wouldn't do sothing as petty as that."
Neo was exasperated.
Did was everyone here petty?
He couldn't refuse the paynt.
It was genuine, even if it was just to fuck him over.
"How can I know you won't leave through a backdoor?"
"There is no backdoor in my office."
"…Can I check?"
Professor Daniel didn't like Neo's attitude, but he stepped aside, and allowed him to enter.
The office was small and cozy with plenty of sunlight entering through the window.
Neo used the Darkness.
He commanded it to cover the room.
The Darkness entered the gaps in the drawers and seeped into the cracks on the walls.
Neo recalled the Darkness after a few minutes.
"….There is no backdoor or a hidden door."
He frowned.
'The first ti I ca here he disappeared from the office. I'm sure of it.'
'If there is no backdoor, did he teleport outside?'
"I don't have Space elent. I can't teleport," Professor Daniel answered as if he had read his mind.
"Don't worry. I won't use any petty tricks. I will leave my office through the front door only."
Neo nodded.
He agreed to Professor Daniel's demand.
He sat on the bench outside the office.
Alia and Felix ca to find him in the evening.
"Why didn't you co to the Student Council office?" Alia questioned.
"I'm busy with the Professor…"
Neo told them about his deal with Professor Daniel.
"I see. Good luck," Alia said. "I'll explain everything to the Student Council mbers.
"They are an understanding bunch. They won't have any problem if you miss the student council work for a few days."
"Thank you for the trouble."
They left.
During the night, Neo, bored, killed himself, then revived himself as soon as he arrived in the Underworld.
He received the notification of Immortal's exp rising.
"I can continue my training at the least while I wait."
It was ten in the night when the group ca to him.
"Why are all of you here?"
"We thought we would bring you dinner.
"Then we thought it would be weird if you ate while the other person stared at you.
"One thing led to another, and all of us decided to eat together here," Jack grinned.
"How long will you guys keep this up?"
"Until your test ends."
Neo almost sighed.
He could sustain himself with the Divine Energy he was devouring.
However, there was no need to reject the kind intention of others.
"Thank you."
The dinner was more rowdy than Neo would've liked.
Still, he couldn't deny he enjoyed it.
His friends continued to bring him food for all the ti he was there.
Ti passed.
Soon, the midterms began.
Neo skipped them.
He could afford it thanks to being in the student council.
While he waited for Professor Daniel to leave, he continued to train his Immortal skill and Death and Darkness elents.
Second sester began.
New teams were made.
Jack recruited more mbers after Neo told him about whom he could invite.
Their team was famous and there was no shortage of students who wanted to join.
More ti passed.
Neo reached 150/150 exp in Immortal and beca Grade 2 Awakened.
He grew stronger and his masteries over Death and Darkness continued to improve along with his Spell masteries.
Few months later, Neo lost his position as the Ruler due to his falling grades.
He had not participated in a single activity ever since he ca to the academy.
Even if the Student Council let him pass the exams, he still received minimum grades.
Second year began.
Neo missed Alia's graduation ceremony.
He should've been kicked out of the academy by now due to the number of mandatory exams and events he skipped.
It was thanks to him being the forr Ruler and a mber of student council that he was not expelled.
.
Neo was sure Elizabeth had a hand too in stopping his expulsion.
More ti passed.
Jack, Arthur, Felix, and others ca to tell Neo to give up on the Professor Daniel's test.
They told him he was wasting his precious ti in the Academy.
Neo persisted.
Ti elent was important.
It was the power that could help him beco the strongest.
He was ready to sacrifice his academy life for it.
The new first year students started to visit the ditation hall to see the crazy Ruler who gave up on everything for no apparent reason.
Neo beca a laughing stock as ti passed.
From the Divine Ruler to a Fallen Genius.
More ti passed.
His Immortal reached 200/200 exp and he beca a Grade 1 Awakened.
Jack visited Neo one day.
He did not co at the usual ti.
He was alone.
His eyes were swollen, his gaze was blank, and he looked as if he had exhausted his tears.
He sat beside Neo.
"We should've listened to you and not accepted the mission."
As he spoke, he started to tear up and doubled over.
"Mars… Mars is dead."
Neo did not say anything.
He had expected it when he heard they were accepting the Labyrinth S-rank mission.
"We couldn't do anything. We were helpless against the Minotaur.
"That thing wouldn't die. It was Immortal."
Jack's voice cracked.
He continued to give the mission report to Neo.
"Mars decided to stay back and buy ti for us to escape."
Jack was broken.
He had surpassed Mars long ago.
Still, he had been helpless when he was needed.
He blad himself.
It wasn't Jack's fault.
It was Neo's.
If only he had been there….
If only he had given up on his own selfish needs and went with them on the mission….
Jack wiped his tears.
"W-we are holding a funeral for Mars tomorrow."
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