A week.
That's how long we trained under Leon before I realized one thing—he had a god-level sadistic streak. The man didn't train students; he broke them and rebuilt them just to break them again.
Theo held on properly as he was sponsored by Ares. He had those strength attributes that helped with training but me.
Theo held up just fine—of course he did. Being sponsored by Ares meant his body was practically built for this kind of punishment. Every push-up, every spar, every bone-crushing session only made him stronger.
But me? I was barely hanging on.
The skills I used back in that gate—those insane, destructive ones that shouldn't have even been possible—were gone. Completely.
I could still feel the mana flowing inside me, sure, but it was just raw power without direction. Like having a loaded gun with no trigger.
I had asked Leon what the problem was, but all he said was, "All in due time." Whatever that meant. I eventually gave up on training altogether.
I only showed up to watch Theo train and get stronger. At least he wasn't the type of friend to get cocky about it.
He never flaunted his strength—just kept working like he hadn't already surpassed me by miles.
"Yo, Adrian!" Theo shouted, waving his hand as he ran across the training ground. He was at the center, sparring with Evelyn, and yet somehow still had the energy to yell like that.
I sat in the stands—the place used to be an arena, now turned into a training field for monsters like him. He dashed toward me with terrifying speed, kicking up dust in his wake. To think he's gotten this strong in just a week.
"Why are you brooding, man?" he said, grinning ear to ear. "After this, we're going to a Theme park!"
"You're training, you idiot," I said, smacking him lightly on the head.
"Ow—hey! I'm doing this to cheer you up!" he said, rubbing the spot and giving me a pout that didn't suit someone sponsored by the God of War.
"Fine, we'll go," I sighed, crossing my arms. "But finish your training first. Evelyn might say I'm distracting you."
Theo grinned, saluted mockingly, and sprinted back toward the center of the arena. Evelyn gave him that cold, teacherly stare that could freeze lava, and he immediately straightened up. I couldn't help but laugh a little.
----
Evening came, and me and Theo headed to the theme park near the guild — Heavenly Park.
The name sounded peaceful, but the rides? They were anything but. The moment we stepped in, I realized this place wasn't built for normal people. I swear, they must've redesigned this place after the awakenings, because how else do you scare people sponsored by literal gods?
Answer: you make rides with enough loops to snap your soul in half.
The whole park glowed with a divine kind of brilliance — towering rides touched the clouds, lights shimmered like auroras, and the air buzzed with excitement and a bit of fear. It honestly looked like the place itself was sponsored by a god.
"Hey, Adrian, let's try that one out," Theo said, pointing at a massive roller coaster that towered above everything else. Its name glowed in crimson letters — Legion Death.
I stared at the sign. 'It's too late to save yourself,' it read underneath in smaller writing.
I turned to him, deadpan. "So… you're suggesting we get on a ride that literally warns us we're going to die?"
Theo grinned like a maniac. "Exactly."
I sighed. "You know what? If I die again, I'm haunting you first."
And yet, despite every rational thought screaming no, I still followed him to the line — because apparently, friendship meant suffering together.
Theo, instead of being scared, was grinning like a maniac. The kind of grin that said "I've lost all sense of self-preservation."
I stared at him, genuinely concerned. "You're actually enjoying this, aren't you?"
He didn't even look at me—eyes glued to the twisting track ahead, that stupid grin never fading.
Yeah, the training Leon gave him definitely broke something inside.
Because no sane person comes out of Leon Everlance's lessons and still laughs at the idea of death loops.
BOOM!!
The sound ripped through the air like a thunderclap. Dust and debris scattered from the entrance, and the screams of startled visitors filled the park.
Theo's grin faltered for a split second, but he quickly regained it, muttering, "Looks like the fun's starting early."
I instinctively ducked behind a railing, my heart hammering. The explosion had come out of nowhere, and the air smelled of smoke and burnt metal. Something—or someone—was here, and they weren't messing around.
EVERYBODY RUN!!
A panicked voice cut through the chaos as people scattered in every direction.
From the smoking entrance, the creatures emerged. Lesser Void Terrors. Their grotesque forms loomed over the crowd—hulking, ogre-like bodies that crouched low as they moved, unnatural and terrifying. A single, gaping mouth split their torsos, and each breath seemed to echo with a scream that clawed at your sanity.
Their screeches weren't just noise—they carried a predatory resonance, sharp and lethal. One wrong note could end a life instantly. And the horrifying truth? These were merely the lesser forms. The originals were far worse.
Theo's eyes gleamed, and he cracked his knuckles. "Well, Adrian… looks like training day just got interesting."
*
*
*
Prime needs votes please. He also needs you to press the collection button!!
Prime Out!!