[Author Note: I've noticed the auto correct has been changing the rank of Spells to Terror. To avoid confusion, I'll say it here.
The highest rank of Spell is [Tremor]. There is no Terror rank. It is a typo.]
...
"Neo…"
Kane's nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.
The guilt weighed heavily upon him.
Neo clicked his tongue.
"Fine. How about this? If you are feeling guilty, teach your sword techniques."
"H-huh? But it's my Trait."
"You are wrong. Your Trait allows you to put your Intent into pure Divine Energy. The techniques are your own. If I can learn the technique to put my Intent into Divine Energy, I can use your techniques too."
It was easier said than done, of course.
Putting Intent into Divine Energy was the next form of Aura Attacks after Aura Blades.
Neo knew it was not going to be easy.
After all, creating the Concept of Elents was done by fusing one's [Intent] into their [Core].
This was needed to reach Expert mastery in any elent.
Now, he had to do sothing similar—fuse his [Intent] into pure Divine Energy.
"I will help you if I can, but how?" Kane questioned.
"It's similar to Incantations," Neo answered. "Do you know how Incantations work?"
Kane shook his head.
It was expected.
Right now, Incantations were just a budding technique.
They had been created decades ago, but there was not much information about them.
"Incantation is, simply put, asking the Elentals to help us."
"The Elentals are alive?" Kane frowned.
"Maybe they are, maybe not," Neo turned his head and stared at the ceiling. "Are robots alive?"
"No?"
Kane didn't understand what Neo was trying to explain, but he listened.
Everyone knew Neo's capabilities.
Not only was he strong, but he was smart too.
Kane still found it absurd a child like Neo could handle the city's administration all alone without breaking a sweat at that.
'If he is explaining this to , then it must be important,' thought Kane.
"So robots aren't alive according to you. What about humans?"
"They are alive."
"How can you tell that?"
"Well, we eat, move, breathe."
"A robot can be programd to do that too."
"…"
Kane beca silent after listening to Neo's words.
"Elentals are similar. They are alive, but not at the sa ti."
Neo continued to explain,
"When we use Incantations, we are essentially saying, 'Dear Elental, I need you to do this. Please listen to and help .'"
There was more nuance behind it, of course.
One had to put their [Intent] into their words to communicate with the Elentals.
The Elentals didn't understand the human tongue, after all.
"I see."
Neo didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Kane's dazed expression.
"I bet you didn't even realize you were calling out the nas of your techniques because they are Incantations."
"…"
Kane's expression stiffened, and he looked away.
"I've been curious about this. Since you didn't know you were using Incantations, why did you call out the nas of your attacks?"
"…an."
"Mhm? I couldn't hear it."
Neo had, of course, heard it. He just wanted to tease Kane and lighten the mood.
"I'm an ani fan. It felt natural to call out the technique nas."
The noise of stifled laughter ca from the other side of the door.
Neo and Kane stared at the entrance of the room.
They couldn't sense anyone outside.
But the noise made it clear soone was there.
"Stop hiding," Neo said.
There was no movent.
"I see. Maybe you want to visit your dreams at night since you are doing this."
"No, don't do that again!"
The door was slamd open, and three people almost fell inside.
Calista, the woman with the lie detection Trait.
Alexander, the city defense team leader.
Edmund, the city police head and the one who was responsible for erasing their presence earlier.
"You won't do that again, right?" Calista grabbed Neo's hand, her face red from sha and her eyes on the verge of tears.
Kane would've normally laughed.
But his face was burning from sha too.
Alexander and Edmund made no intention of hiding their smirks as they stared at him.
An ominous premonition crept into Kane's heart when he saw Alexander's smug expression.
"No, please no," Kane said.
"It's alright." Alexander grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "I'll make sure everyone knows about this by tomorrow. Your fan club especially."
Kane's face beca a sight to behold.
Neo smiled when he watched their antics.
Even though they tried to hide it, he could see their puffy eyes and tear-stained faces.
They'd been worried to death when Neo ca bloodied with his arm missing.
Edmund had nearly put a bullet into Kane's head.
They only stopped after Neo forcefully intervened.
The atmosphere in the room beca normal after a few minutes.
The four joked and talked.
Neo was exasperated since they were treating him like an old man on his deathbed.
Just then, Liliana appeared at the door and knocked.
"Co inside," Neo said.
Alexander frowned when he saw his sister.
She never appeared before Neo, too bashful, unless it was sothing serious.
"A letter from the Awakener's Association has co," Liliana said.
She passed the letter to Calista, who tore it open and read it.
Calista's face contorted.
"What is it?" Neo questioned, despite having an idea. 'It took them six months. They were quite late.'
"The Awakener Association wants to et you. They've heard about your exploits and are sending Myths to congratulate you."
"I see."
Calista wasn't finished.
She continued, Your journey continues at m v|l-e'-
"Awakener Apollo, Athena, and Nyx will be reaching our city in a few days."
Neo nodded.
While outwardly calm, his thoughts churned at high speed.
'Athena. Anomaly #33's mory showed that the novel –
Son of Zeus: The Lightning Thief
– was written by her.'
'She is the author of the novel that gave all the information about the future.'
"Bloody bastards."
Calista's voice snapped Neo out of his thoughts.
"They didn't help us while we were suffering, and they co now. To form a connection with the Mayor because he is strong."
She knew – everyone knew – Anomaly #33 had been helping them.
But the sa wasn't true for the Awakener Association.
In their eyes, the citizens of Arzew were being tortured under the monster's regi.
Yet they never helped, leaving the city to its own devices.
Kane, Alexander, Edmund, and the ever-positive Liliana felt the sa.
They had grave expressions.
The day passed without much incident after the letter's arrival.
The statue monsters attacked again at night.
Neo wanted to deal with them.
But Kane and others weren't having it.
They were ready to bind him to the bed if that was what it took to force Neo to rest.
The next morning ca.
Neo left his residence after having the breakfast.
As he walked through the bustling streets, warm smiles and cheerful greetings t him at every turn. Shopkeepers offered their finest treats, and families beckoned him warmly, their invitations to breakfast filled with gratitude and admiration.
"Mayor! Would you like these tarts…"
"Sir Mayor, I've prepared sothing…"
Their gestures ward Neo's heart.
Neo could see the worries in their eyes as they peeked at his missing arm.
He walked towards his office, coming across the library at 13th Street Avenue on the way.
He noticed people around the library being nervous.
The air around it felt tense, with nervous whispers and uneasy glances exchanged among the people nearby.
The library was built on Neo's orders in mory of Anomaly #33.
So citizens had supported the library's creation, while others were against it.
Anomaly #33 protected them, true.
But being under soone else's control for years was not good mory, even if it was done to help them.
The citizens, although didn't support the library's creation, didn't create much trouble when Neo personally asked them to let him build the library.
Stubborn as they were, they felt indebted to him and thus agreed.
After taking a short tour of the city, Neo entered the mayor's office building.
He was imdiately greeted by Calista, who was tapping the floor with her right foot, her glare directed at him.
Liliana stood behind Calista. Her head was lowered, too shy to et Neo's eyes, but still wanting to stop Neo from entering the office.
"Why are you here?" Calista spoke.
"Because this is my office."
"I see." Calista smiled. "Guards. Please escort Sir Mayor out. He is banned from working for a month."
The guards ca at her order.
They looked at Neo with apologetic expressions.
"At least tell why I'm being thrown out?"
"Look at your arm!"
"But it's not really a problem—"
Calista snapped at him.
"You think we don't know you sneak out every night to train!? This is why you—"
Neo nodded and nodded and nodded, listening to the lecture for another half hour.
He regretted asking the question.
Leaving the mayor's office building, he sighed.
"They are treating like a kid."
Physically, Neo looked like a teenager.
He had tried to tell them he was older than he looked, and they had nodded back then.
But seeing Calista's reaction today, it was clear they thought he was lying about his age.
Neo smiled.
He could tell Calista was angry on his behalf.
It wasn't a bad feeling.
While he was touring the city on his break, three powerful presences entered his senses.
"They are here."
Neo tipped the coffee and left, walking towards the city gates.
He sensed Kane and Alexander eting Apollo and others at the entrance.
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