“I have a class,” he answered.
“Give me your number before you leave.”
“Don’t you have it already?”
“I have your official mail, not your personal contact number.”
Neo nodded.
He exchanged contacts with her and adder her to his friends.
“See you later.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips, as if she had something to say, but stayed silent in the end.
Neo grabbed Obitus and the bag with the trident before he left.
Paimon opened her mouth when he arrived outside the gym.
“Why aren’t you angry?”
“…?”
“She treated you unjustly and didn’t apologize.
“Even at the end, she only corrected her mistakes.
“Was there a need to thank her?”
Neo stopped walking.
He pondered over Paimon’s words.
“People are flawed. Elizabeth was a tyrant who only knew how to give orders.
“She never took no for an answer.
“It’s how she was raised and she lived.”
No one could change overnight.
The change was a gradual progress.
It needed constant effort.
“She didn’t apologize.
“However, she took a step back and let me do what I wanted.
“It’s an improvement.”
Neo continued.
“I can’t say I understand emotions myself.
“But I do know that everyone is different.
“No one is perfect. Elizabeth, like everyone, has flaws.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Flaws are what make us unique. They are the stroke of colors on a finished painting. They defines us.
“Just like a stroke of color is to a painting, the flaws can add charm to a person or destroy them,” Neo explained.
“You have quite a poetic way of talking,” Paimon said.
“I’ll think of it as a praise.”
Neo chuckled.
He went to his dorm room.
After putting the bag there, he was about to leave when Paimon spoke,
“Is it okay to leave the weapon like that?”
“Yeah.”
The principal knew about the trident’s existence.
She would keep it under a strict surveillance.
“How will you use the trident?”
“Are you curious?”
“Somewhat.”
Neo shook his head at her blatant lie.
He explained nonetheless.
“I can’t use the trident with my current strength, and its Immortal Slayer trait makes it too dangerous to let others use it.
“I originally planned to destroy it.”
By the time Neo became strong enough to wield the trident, he would have better weapons than it.
The risk of keeping the trident was greater than its benefits.
“Now, though, I think I’ll try to devour it.”
“Devour it? With your current mastery?”
Paimon looked at him with a surprised expression.
“You’ll die.”
“I know. That’s why I am planning to suppress the trident’s powers before I devour it bit by bit.”
There were a lot of preparations to be done.
Neo had to prepare a chamber to seal the trident’s presence while he devoured it.
It would be dangerous if others sensed the trident and found it.
Additionally, he would be burnt to crisp if he went near trident with his current strength.
“The bag is sealing the trident.
“I need to find a method so I can bear the trident’s pressure. Since, I’d rather not be burnt to ashes while I absorb it.”
“It sounds like a difficult task.”
“It is but…”
The returns were worth it.
Devouring the Poseidon’s Trident would give him a major boost.
“Anyway, I have other things to focus on for now.”
Neo took out his smartphone to check the schedule.
“The Etiquette Class is next and Spell Casting Theory Class is after it.”
Neo did not plan to attend the Etiquette class.
It was low on his priority list.
“If I’m not wrong, nothing was taught in the first class of Spell Casting Theory.
“I can skip it.”
“Why are you skipping the classes? You told that professor you would attend them.”
“Because I think I found a way to solve the third trial.”
He continued.
“It’s a shot in the dark but it’s worth it.”
The only problem was time.
He had to hurry.
On his way, Neo made a group chat for teammates.
[You’ve create the group ‘Umbra’]
[Christian has been added.]
[Leonora has been added.]
[Mars has been added.]
>Group Chat<
Christian: What is this? A group for our team?
Me: Yes.
Mars: I was wondering when you will invite us all. Is it time for a mission?
Christian: Good afternoon, Mars. I didn’t know you were the fourth teammate.
[Leonora has muted the group.]
Mars: Nice to meet you too!
Mars: I didn’t know the other members were also OP guys like Neo!
Mars: I’m looking forward to meeting you guys!
Mars: ^-^
Me: Hilda Café in 30 minutes.
Me: We’ll do a mission briefing.
Mars: Finally!
Christian: Isn’t it too early?
Christian: We haven’t found the 5th teammate yet.
Me: Leave that to me.
Christian: Understood. I’ll meet you at the venue.
Mars: I’m on my way already!
Me: @Christian Bring Leonora too. She has muted the group. I doubt she will read the messages either.
Christian: …I’ll do my best.
>Group Chat<
Neo closed the app.
He wondered who he should choose as the fifth member.
Someone who was already strong?
Someone who would become useful in the future?
Someone who was hiding his strength and identity?
Or should he pick a random student.
“I don’t know if the other person will join my team.
“The easiest way to get the fifth member is to pick anyone at random who agrees to join.”
Neo sat on the bench inside the mission hall.
The place was filled with hundreds of first year students.
“Who should I choose….
“Hmm?”
Neo noticed someone looking at F-rank missions.
Only solo students chose F~D rank missions.
The person had to be the same.
“Why isn’t he in a team?
“No way, did he not join Arthur’s team due to the butterfly effect?”
Neo took out his phone to confirm it from Felix.
He might’ve struck diamond.
>Chat | Felix<
Me: Who are your teammates?
Felix: Why lol
Felix: Me, Arthur, Nathan, Clara and Sean
Felix: You don’t know Clara and Sean. I’ll introduce them to you later.
Felix: Nathan is the same who attacked us during the entrance ceremony. The one who used shadows.
Me: Yeah, I remember him.
Felix: What about your team?
Me: Me, Christian, Leonora, and Mars
Felix: WTF
Felix: I know about Christian and Leonora
Felix: BUT HOW DID YOU GET MARS
Felix: HE REFUSED EVERYONE
Felix: HOW DID YOU DO IT
Felix: DON’T IGNORE ME
>Chat | Felix<
Neo closed the chats with a chuckle.
The notifications continued to arrive.
He ignored them.
“I bet he is going to be livid when we meet next time.”
His actions confused Paimon.