“I’ll need to ask Professor Daniel about this.”
He took on the SS-rank mission and left for Labyrinth.
While he was trying to reach the chamber of Minotaur, he attained 249/250 exp in Immortal.
As long as he reached 250 exp, he would become a Mythic-rank demigod.
“It’s a good new. But the Exp isn’t increasing anymore.”
The Exp wouldn’t go higher than 249 no matter how many times he used the skill.
He instinctively knew what the problem.
“There is no pressure.
“I need to put heavy strain on the Immortal skill to increase the exp.”
Back when he awakened his God Blood, he had done the same with Death skill.
Neo forced himself to use Death multiples times even thought it strained his soul.
“How the hell am I supposed to put pressure on the Immortal? Die very hard and then revive?”
The list of his problems only increased.
He stopped finding monsters inside the Labyrinth.
It was as if they were purposefully avoiding him.
When he did find them, they wouldn’t give much stats.
“What is this dammit? It’s just one problem after another.”
“The Fate is trying to stop you.”
The voices of Time answered.
A few words were spoken in the voice of Professor Daniel, a few in Elizabeth’s voice, and Felix’s voice.
It was sounded as if someone was editing recorded lines and rearranging them to form new sentences and answering Neo with them.
“This damned Fate.”
He returned to Professor Daniel.
“I’ll ask him if there is a way out of the Fate’s machination.”
Neo doubted Professor Daniel could give him an answer.
However, there was no harm in trying.
He waited outside Professor Daniel’s office at designated time.
Professor Daniel did not open the door no matter how much Neo waited.
“He always opens the door at 5:03 am.
“But it’s 8 am right now.”
A dark foreboding settled in Neo’s heart.
He waited until 11 am and entered the office when the door remained close.
“Professor Daniel, I’m entering since you have been late…”
Neo’s words were struck in his throat when he saw Professor Daniel lying on the floor, unconscious.
He picked him up hurriedly.
“Why is he so light? It’s almost as if he is hollow…”
Neo shook his head and lay Professor Daniel on the sofa.
The professor woke up after a few hours.
He massaged his brows.
“Professor Daniel, are you okay—”
“Did you awaken Time element?”
He cut off Neo midsentence and asked.
Neo frowned.
He realized Professor Daniel did not want him to ask why he had fainted.
“Not yet.”
“Then give up.”
Professor Daniel coughed and continued.
“You have no talent for Time element if you can’t awaken it even after so many tries.”
“…”
“Give up. Your body can’t handle more regressions. You’ll die from Erosion.”
“I can endure—”
“Look at yourself. You have grown five years younger due to Erosion.”
Neo stopped speaking.
He couldn’t say anything in return.
“When was the last time you met your friends?”
“…”
“I knew it. You don’t want anyone you know to find you are dying a slow death of Erosion.”
Professor Daniel glared at Neo.
“Let go of your obsession, Neo.
“Accept it. You don’t have talent for Time.”
“I can’t give up.”
Professor Daniel hit the table when he heard Neo’s answer.
“The Time is eroding you! More regressions and you’ll be snapped out of existence!
“Gone, just like that!
“No one will remember you!”
Neo clenched his fists.
He knew Professor Daniel was correct.
But he had vowed…
“I would rather die than give up.”
Professor Daniel stiffened when he heard those words.
“What did you say?”
“I won’t give up.”
“You damned brat!”
He raised his fist to hit Neo.
However, when he saw Neo’s determined gaze, he lowered his hand.
He covered his face.
“Dammit.”
Professor Daniel had seen Neo regress for multiples years.
Neo suffered under the after effects of Erosion and Time slipping, yet he never complained.
Neo was not going to give up.
Professor Daniel knew.
“Three more regressions. If you still can’t awaken Time after that, I won’t help you anymore.”
“…”
Professor Daniel stood up.
“I don’t care if you don’t agree.”
He placed his palm on Neo’s back and pushed.
…
Neo’s arrived back in time.
His average date of return varied from D-180 to D-120.
He returned to the Labyrinth.
The number of monsters he encountered in the Labyrinth decreased with each regression.
“Seems like I’ll just waste time if I try to search for more monsters.
“It’s time I fought the Minotaur.”
He reached Minotaur’s chamber in the last regression.
He wanted to use more regression to strengthen himself to the limit before fighting the Minotaur.
However, Professor Daniel’s words made it clear.
With not much much time left, Neo decided to fight Minotaur.
He stood in front of the gigantic doors and used the academy issued key to open them.
The heavy doors screeched.
Neo walked towards the Minotaur.
The towering Minotaur wielded a colossal mace.
It had muscular frame, curved horns, and fierce eyes that were hungry for blood.
Minotaur, a monster from the Myths, looked more majestic than Neo’s had imagined it to be.
It looked like a battle hungry berserker incarnate.
In contrast, Neo was thin and pale.
His lips were cracked and his eyes had heavy dark circles.
He looked more malnourished than he did when he first arrived in this world.
“You killed one of my friends.”
Neo drew his sword.
“I won’t say this revenge.”
He slowly increased his pace and started to run towards the Minotaur.
“But be damned ready to die!”
Neo jumped and slashed.
The Minotaur brought down its axe.
Red lightning of Neo and blood red aura of the Minotaur erupted.
Their clashes created massive shockwaves.
The floor cracked and the pillars started to break.
Suddenly, two more hands appeared on Minotaur’s back.
It used them to deliver an uppercut.
The attack threw Neo high in the air and smashed him into the rooftop.
Before his body could fall under the effect of gravity, the Minotaur roared.
A condensed red ball of energy gathered between its horn and shot towards Neo.
Neo used Ocean’s Embrace and Darkness.
Black flames materialized around him and he tried to absorb the attack with them.
Another explosion erupted.
A giant crater was formed in the rooftop when the Minotaur stopped.
Neo fell from the sky.
The Minotaur opened its maw and tried to eat the falling Neo when suddenly a shockwave exploded with Neo at its source.
The monster staggered back.
Caution and surprise appeared within its eyes.
Neo, having unsealed his Divine Energy pool, activated his blessing to the limit.
He triggered Essence Breath Spell, Ocean’s Embrace, and wrapped his blade in thick Aura of Death and Darkness.