Once we returned, I thanked Prometheus before running to Leo's room, where a beautiful lady was tending to his wounds.
I thought I would be aroused but suppressed the urge to allow little Noah to rise.
My teenage desires were embarrassing.
Leo spotted me and immediately lowered his head, seemingly in remorse. I let out an energetic smile, but his expression didn't change.
It seemed he blamed himself.
But I didn't want him to. It wasn't his fault. Actually, it was mine. Astaroth was after the prophetic child, and attacking the descendant of Ares was simply an added benefit.
Since that was the case, it was my fault that we were attacked.
Leo shouldn't be held responsible by any means. It was wrong.
Spotting me, the beautiful lady, who was a divine doctor, smiled gently before leaving the room, allowing me to converse with Leo.
I felt grateful for her concern.
I walked over and sat beside Leo. Patting his back, I attempted to console him.
"It wasn't your fault," I said. "It seemed they were after me. It was my fault."
Yeah, I wasn't too good at consoling others. It was one of my weakest abilities, aside from climbing trees and doing push-ups.
"You were simply trying to protect me and got caught in the crossfire," I said in a gentle tone. "Don't blame yourself."
Leo didn't respond, and simply stared at his white bedsheets.
I attempted to console him a few more times, trying to convince him to take me out again.
"Look, we can go to the arena tomo–"
However, before I could finish my sentence, Leo burst. He slammed his palms on his thighs, and the ground shook.
My eyes widened, and I gazed fearfully at the man. He seemed agitated.
"It was my fault!" he shouted in a pained voice. Tears welled up in his eyes. "I was assigned to protect you, but I failed. I don't care if they were after you. I still failed."
"Yes, but you tried," I said.
"Trying isn't enough!" Leo responded, his eyes bloodshot. He turned to me, his eyes moist. "If I had made a single mistake, you would have been captured and then tortured by them."
I nodded. I knew that. It was easy to tell how valuable I was, and that that was a curse. Getting captured would result in the downfall of Othrys.
Prometheus had ingrained that fact in my head after Astaroth's defeat.
"So, kill me," said Leo in a low voice. His voice trembled, and so did his entire body.
My eyes widened as I placed my hands on both of his arms. "What the fuck, Leo? You didn't fuck up! Why don't you understand that!? It wasn't your fucking fault!"
My voice sounded strained, but I couldn't endure Leo's comments. He wanted to die because of what happened? Was he really a powerful being?
If he was, why was his mental fortitude worse than a child's?
No, even a child wouldn't be this stupid. Who could willingly offer their lives because of a single mistake?
Visibly shaken by my words, Leo's gaze became blank.
The two of us remained silent for a few minutes before I stood up. "Think about it for a while. If you weren't there, I would have been captured. But you were there, and I wasn't."
After saying those words, I left the room.
As I shut the door behind me, I spotted the doctor that was tending to Leo's wounds. Nodding, I motioned for her to enter.
"Thank you," I said, thanking the doctor was taking care of Leo.
"No, thank you," replied the doctor. "That man was at an all-time low. Your words will definitely have an effect on him."
Nodding blankly, I left the vicinity.
My presence would only hinder Leo's treatment. Besides, I didn't think he wanted to see me, anyway.
*
I made up my mind. Having experienced such a tragedy, I couldn't be held back anymore. I was weak.
To live in comfort was my only desire. Becoming powerful was only a prerequisite to that goal. It simply served as a bridge.
However, it wasn't enough anymore. Living in comfort was still a goal, but it was not my ultimate priority anymore.
It just wan't ambitious. Having been attacked and almost captured, I realized my true weakness. It wasn't physical, but mental.
I broke down.
I broke down and sobbed in the face of danger. It was my greatest mistake that day, a mistake that couldn't be buried.
Losing my composure during battle, even if I wasn't participating, was downright wrong.
It couldn't be tolerated.
That wasn't all. Being weak would put Prometheus and Leo in danger. It had only been a day since I transmigrated, but those two, along with Jacque, were the only ones who treated me nicely.
Astaroth, Oliver, and other people who'd called me half-breeds. They could go to hell.
Foes would only become stronger, and I needed strength to face them.
That is why I approached Prometheus's room, determination vivid in my eyes. I was motivated to become powerful.
To escape my shackles and to shatter expectations.
I would become powerful.
Knocking on the door, I was greeted by soft hum before the door opened gently. I pulled it back before entering.
"Yes?" Prometheus inquired. He sat on his couch. On the coffee table in front of him, there were a few documents.
In his hand was a pen. It seemed he was signing documents.
"I have a request to make," I announced, approaching the God of Fire and Foresight. Perhaps noticing the metaphorical flame in my eyes, he turned solemn.
"Speak," he ordered, and I complied.
"I wish to become strong."
A few moments of silence descended upon the room, and Prometheus's expression softened.
"So?"
"I wish for you to train me."
Another few moments of silence descended, and Prometheus's lips curled into a smile. He placed his pen on the coffee table.
"How determined are you?" asked Prometheus. "It is going to be difficult. Thousands have quit before you."
"I am determined," I replied, bowing.
"Before you acknowledge me as your master, I shall have you tested," explained Prometheus. "You likely possess the divinity of Chaos and Void… however, I need to test your skills with mana."
I recalled my conversation with Leo about mana, and contemplated for a few seconds before nodding in compliance.
Prometheus nodded before standing up. He sighed, as if having expected this out come.
"Imitate me once I'm done," said Prometheus before closing his eyes. He spread his arms, as if asking for a hug.
Immediately, the room turned dark, and Prometheus's body was the only form of illumination.
Suddenly, a few orbs of a foreign energy manifested into the air, circling around Prometheus as if they were fond of him.
I watched in awe.
The orbs spinned around Prometheus's body before combining into a single sphere. Finally, Prometheus extended his arm.
The giant sphere of purple light shot towards a wall, shattering it on impact.
I flew backwards due to the pressure, landing on my butt.
Light returned to the room, and Prometheus's body stopped glowing. He opened his eyes and muttered some words.
A person entered the room, cursing at Prometheus before inspecting the wall.
"It'll take a few seconds," said the person in irritation, to which Prometheus nodded.
"That might happen again in a few minutes," warned Prometheus, to which the person cursed again before leaving.
Suddenly, the wall reverted to its previous state.
"What was that?"
"Low-Rank God of Time," explained Prometheus. "Now, you have to do the same. Command the mana to follow your will."
My eyes widened to the size of saucers. I had to do that? How the hell would I conjure such potent mana?
I couldn't even access mana, and he expected me to be able to shatter a wall with it?
"You do not have to shatter the wall," Prometheus shook his head. "Of course, if you can do it, it would be great."
An annoyed voice suddenly entered the room. "Not for me!"
Prometheus chuckled before turning to me. "Are you up for the challenge?"
I contemplated before nodding. I then stepped where the God of Fire and Foresight had previously stood.
Closing my eyes, I focused on… mana?
What was mana? Leo defined it as what the universe is made of. He said mana exists all around us, and is on a higher scale than divinity.
But, was that true? Was mana truly more prominent than divinity, which provided Gods with their Godhood?
I was unsure.
Mana was energy. Mana was life. Mana was death. Was mana existence?
An abstract thought.
I focused on tiny veins that ran through space, forming a web. The web was the universe, and the universe was the web. The two were intertwined to create existence.
Mana was existence.
Divinity was power.
What if one could master existence and power?
They would be powerful and wise.
A sense of invigoration suddenly arose in my body, and relaxation spread through it. I felt Prometheus's gaze on me.
He suddenly spoke.
"Worthy of the Prophetic Child."
The noise of a collision entered my ears.