Awakened: Evolving to Godhood

Elliot, Grace, and Lucy didn't ponder over the mark for too long, though. First off, he wasn't sure whether he would be able to get all the materials or not. Second, according to his information, Elliot needed to learn alchemy and become proficient at it before refining the mark by using the ingredients. So yes, mass-producing the magical mark was a pipe dream, and it won't come true unless he learns alchemy and gets many such alchemical under his wing.

"What's your plan now?" Lucy asked while looking at Elliot. A few hair bangs were covering his head. His clothes were in a mess. He looked like a caveman but also a handsome mess, handsome enough to attract Lucy's gaze. Although he hadn't taken a bath, he still smelled nice. It was probably because the scent of the spiritual fruits had infused with his clothes.

"Help the sleeping princess wake up from her slumber and complete the trial."

It's been too long, Elliot thought. As he was too strong, he believed that completing the trial and reaching the housing complex of the soul race wouldn't take him more than a few hours. Facts proved him wrong. It's already been days, but the good news was that he could finally attain his goal in peace.

Elliot turned toward Lucy and asked, "What about you?"

While giving him a somewhat bashful look, she said, "Do you mind if I come along?"

Lucy wanted to confirm what she really felt for Elliot. Was it love or something else? Did she just wish to stick around him because he was different than the other guys she had met before? Was she attracted to his badass attitude and arrogance? Well, the only way to find out was to spend more time together with him. Actually, she was already in her twenties and still hadn't had any intimate experience. Girls her age were already married, but she was still a single dog. She wanted a husband, too. So, instead of focusing on her training, she wanted to improve her social life, and since Elliot made her heart race like crazy, she was in the mind that he could very well be her potential spouse.

"I don't mind."

Elliot had no intention of pushing away what was coming towards him. If Lucy really likes him enough to want to become his bride, then he wouldn't hesitate about marrying her. Polygamy was not only legal but also widely practiced by both men and women. Yes, it wasn't strange to see a female with string supernatural cells having a harem of hundreds of men. And many powerful men with massive influence had four or more wives. It's all because of political marriages. Also, when a man, who possesses powerful supernatural cells, impregnates ordinary or magical women, there's a high chance that the baby would be a magician than otherwise.

"What you want to do is up to you," Elliot added.

Although he believed that no matter how close Lucy sticks to him, he would be able to control himself. In the end, he was still a man. If she stays close to him, he would inevitably cultivate desires for her and then would want to hold her, kiss her, and do even more personal stuff.

Lucy could tell that, but she knew Elliot wouldn't do anything of that sort. She just needed to stay at an appropriate distance for him. And when she makes sure what she feels for him, it wouldn't be too late to throw herself into his arms.

The two were looking into each other, blinking not even once. The stare-off was so intense that the only onlooker felt as if she was eating dog food or drinking a jar of vinegar.

"Ahem," Grace cleared her throat, "Is this how humans do romance?"

Her remark caused Lucy to feel shy and Elliot to laugh.

After that, Elliot placed the horrifying nightmare on the cool, slightly cold ground. He took out the remnant of souls and put them on its body one after another. Each time a crystal touched its body, it would burst into countless speckles of blue light that would sprinkle all over its surface. Eventually, the shiny sprinkles would vanish, unconsciously absorbed by his slumbering soul. Slowly and steady, the energy from the remnants of a soul nourished the injured soul of the little creature. A couple of minutes later, all the cracks on its soul vanished. Even then, a lot of soul energy was left. All of which was used to make its soul become even stronger. And now it was better than ever.

[Congratulations! The horrifying nightmare has recovered.]

[Congratulations! It has evolved to become a high-rank spirit elite!]

"I know you're awake, so open up your eyes already."

It refused to wake up, leaving Elliot no choice but to startle it with words said in a know-it-all manner.

"Master, am I in heaven?"

"Does this look like heaven to you?"

"Ouch!"

"Wake up to reality already."

Its beady eyes opened up, and the first thing that came out of its mouth was so ridiculous that Elliot was left with no choice but to pinch it back to reality. It shouted out in pain and realized that it was alive and well. And that it had grown stronger. It looked little and weak, someone like a pushover, true. Yet, it knew that it could defeat two of its previous self in a matter of moments. Somehow it had grown stronger. It was definitely the working of its master that was molesting it by pinching it left and right! What a sadistic pervert!

"You shouldn't treat a sick patient like that," Lucy said, taking Elliot's naughty crab-like fingers off the little one. She wasn't an ungrateful brat. The horrifying nightmare had fallen into such a weak state because of saving their life, and Lucy knew that. So, to repay her debt, she intervened this time to help him out.

"Who are you? His mother?"

Although Elliot rebuked like a rascal, he didn't go out of his way to trouble him.

"Thank you, master."

Ignoring the fact that the mistress of his lord had come to its aid, the horrifying nightmare respectfully bowed down to its master. The little spirit beast was genuinely grateful. It barely managed to enter the elite spirit level after living for more than a thousand years. Yet, its master had helped it evolve by three small stages. Thus, it couldn't help but repeatedly express its gratitude.

"It's fine."

One must know that Elliot likes to hear others praising him.

"You had earned it."

But he didn't want to be praised for giving others what they deserved.

"Master is too good to us spirits," Grace said from the side.

Elliot waved his hand, "Just doing what anyone else would do."

He had a sweet smile on his face. Obviously, he was happy to be liked by his underlings.

"Let's resurface."

After the heart-numbing but a slightly happy reunion, it was time to get out of this cave and return to do business in the real world.

"Okay."

Elliot stood up. Then, he picked up the two beats. He placed grace on his left shoulder and Mr. Horrifying Nightmare on his left shoulder.

After that, he ran out of the cave and made his way out of the hole. Lucy followed after them.

"Master, it seems like you've become even stronger."

Elliot was moving too fast, and there was a quality change in his attitude. He had become far more majestic than before. It was something impossible to impersonate unless one had ridden over great power or stomped all over a glorious kingdom.

"Little guy, a lot had happened while you were sleeping. But since you had missed it, you're better off not knowing about it." Elliot said. Not only did he have no intention of telling others how great he was, but Elliot also thought that the little one wouldn't believe what he had done. His feats were beyond legendary. Unless someone sees it with their own eyes, it wasn't hard for them to think of his accomplishments as an exaggerated rumor.

Elliot didn't want to talk about it, but the same couldn't be said for the rest.

"Let me tell you about the glorious deeds of our master."

Grace said with eyes sparkling in fervent excitement.

"Please do tell."

The horrifying nightmare was curious about what had happened. Grace started to recount how Elliot defeated the serpentine devils before having a face-off with one of the strongest beasts she had ever come across in her life. As Grace was an entire evolutionary realm above him, It believed her words. But only somewhat. Because what Elliot did was too unbelievable, and the little one wasn't able to believe that.

"Why do you have such an expression on your face? Do you not believe me? Or do you think that our master is not capable of such deeds?" Grace saw the expression of disbelief on its face snd she was instantly bothered.

"No, I never said that. Not to mention, I never doubted our master. If it's him, then I am ready to believe anything, no matter how unthinkable or amazing it be."

Thirty minutes later, once they finished roaming around the forest to get tokens and kill beasts to complete the trial's goals, they came across Oliver and the four guardians of the nightmare forest.