The spies that were targeting Athena, were planted by none other than Lilith. This was something Athena had already expected. The plot of trying to assassinate other suitable candidates for the succession, by a close relative, for one's own benefits, was not something new.
'Azrakan, dispose them quickly inside the forest and gather in my tent as soon as possible.' Athena with anger on his face, ordered Azrakan.
'What do you plan on doing about this Athena?' Black questioned Athena.
'I am thinking about that myself.' Athena responded with no emotions whatsoever.
The spies were being interrogated at one of the caves which was about five miles apart from where the tents were placed.
Athena, disgusted with the recent discovery, decided to circulate his qi instead of wasting his time on something so trivial. After about fifteen minutes, Azrakan, covered with blood and small parts of flesh, arrived at Athena's abode.
Athena, having sensed Azrakan's arrival, stopped his qi circulation,
'Azrakan, call out all of your subordinates.' A small echo of Athena's voice void of any expressions, was heard throughout the entire abode.
The moment Azrakan heard Athena's order, he called all his subordinates beside him.
'From this moment on, I shall personally form a contract to all of you present here. The method I am about to use would be a bit unfamiliar, but do not resist even a bit or you might just fall inside an endless abyss of darkness.'
Athena, after training his body and his mind for almost two months now, had unlocked a few of his memories of his previous lives. The method he was about to use was something he had learned while his time in Mystara.
It was a world filled with mana and hence was filled with mages of different types. Among which Diablo (Mc's name in that life), had studied black magic for almost two decades and had reached the peak, the tenth circle where no being in that world had ever stepped their foot on.
During his time there, Diablo had created a space which was similar to abyss where he had spent countless hours after every death he had received. It was named 'The Void'.
Inside the void, any undead who was contracted with Diablo would heal all its wounds and as the void was filled with pure death energy, it led to the undead to become stronger the longer they stayed inside it.
But, as Athena did not have a circle when he was at Pandemonium, it was impossible for him to recreate it at that moment. But during his stay at the cave of slumbers, just out of curiosity Athena tried to form a magic circle inside his body.
Normally, it was not possible for someone to create a magic circle along with a qi center, as the paths leading the mana and qi would sometimes get interlinked with each other, causing qi to flow backwards ultimately leading to one's death.
But the technique that Black had taught Athena was different. Without interfering in the mana flow, the qi inside Athena's body was as smooth as oil flowing from a small hole. And so, Athena decided to form a circle inside his body with the knowledge of his previous life.
And he succeeded in doing so. Now, along with a body enhancement technique and a qi cultivation technique, Athena had now gained a new source of power.
Furthermore, the magic circle itself was not an ordinary one. With an addition of every circle, Athena would now gain strength equivalent to the power of two magic circles combined.
During his stay at the caves of slumber, Athena had already reached the third circle and was about to cross the bottleneck just when the time to leave for the capital arrived.
'Finally, I have completed forming my fourth magic circle around my heart. Now I can form contracts with everyone present here.' Athena, with a strong gust of wind and an unknown power surrounding him, murmured to himself.
After, the sudden gist of wind disappeared and so did the unknown aura Athena was emitting, a large gate with pure death energy leaking out of it, appeared besides him.
'Everyone, step out one at a time and receive a drop of my blood, so that the contract shat meet its requirements.'
Athena ordered everyone after cutting the tip of his thumb, with a small pocket knife.
The undead had to drink his blood in order for the contract to be established. Azrakan, excited to receive a blessing from his master, decided to step out first. He received Athena's blood and went back to his respective place.
One by one, everyone started receiving Athena's blood. After a couple of minutes, every soldier of the death sword group had received Athena's blood. Athena stopped the blood flow from the small knife cut using his qi circulation.
The room had now become serine. Athena, on the other hand was chanting a spell using an unknown ancient language which he had learnt during his respective life.
"Ku irefaz Vraim aza kakkeya-Pas twikfaz Lesuk aikor vilangaya-Yan litethofaz Tlav asi temya."
After the chant was complete, Azrakan, along with the rest of the death sword soldiers, started glowing with a bright light shining from within them. It was strangely familiar to the light Athena emitted during the body reconstruction he had went through after the Walpurgis.
Athena's room was now filled with strange light. It was so bright that the tent itself was emitting light that was equivalent to a shooting star passing nearby.
After a couple of minutes, every member of the death sword group started shredding their skins. It was as if they had become a living being again.
The floor of Athena's abode was filled with murky undead skin all around the place. The soldiers of the death sword group were now had the skin they had when they were alive.
Every member of the death sword group was now able to talk and use all their senses which were erased after they had become undead.
'Athena, just what is this magic you just performed? This is the first time I have seen undead look so much alive.' Black questioned Athena with his eyes wide open form the miracle he had just witnessed.
The physical appearance was not the only thing that had changed among these undead. Each and every one of the undead except Azrakan had now gained the strength they had when they were still alive.
Azrakan was now at the incept demigod stage whereas the rest of the members were all at least at the master demonic prince stage.
The entire abode was now filled with the voices of the death sword members. Everyone was excited about getting their previous senses back.
*WE THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS> THE DEATH SWORD GROUP SHALL NOW LIVE AND DIE FOR PRINCE ATHENA*
A large scream filled with loyalty and admiration echoed throughout the forest.
'Everyone, from now on, I shall proudly announce you lot as my first and last guardian group the Death sword group. You all are my immortal soldiers. Unless I die, no one can stop you from living.' Athena announced his first ever official guardian group with his voice full of wisdom.
And just like that, the group that protected Athena throughout his gruesome future was formed.