Thinking so, the Grim Reaper made up its mind.
It would help Neo.
"O Great Child of Monarch, you can return to Underworld three times again. But after that, you must rest for three days at the minimum."
"We will send you back now. If you wish to continue the training, we will wait for you here."
"I will do that then."
The Grim Reaper returned his soul to the world of living.
After coming back, Neo saw the increasing Exp.
He decided to raise the Exp to the limit before he rested as per the Grim Reaper's instruction.
…
Underworld
When Neo's soul left for the world of living, the three gigantic eyes hovering in the air blinked.
The darkness of the sky stretched into a thin smile.
They had seen all.
From Neo's first appearance in the Underworld, to his trickery against the Grim Reaper, and his resolve that allowed him to keep training even if he had to kill himself over and over.
Death was not simple.
Many souls went insane after touching it once.
The insanity and fear of Death could corrupt all.
Yet, Neo was standing tall after touching it twice.
He planned to meet Death many more times in the future.
He had potential to become 'his' successor.
The sky continued to smile, amused, as it waited for the future to unfold.
…
Underwater Cave
"Achoo! Achoo!"
Neo shivered from cold.
Divine Water was supposed to strength the body.
And, while he could feel his body growing stronger, he was so weak he got cold from staying inside Divine Water for a few minutes.
"I need to do something about this body— Achoo!"
Neo wiped his body with a towel and wore the clothes for a few minutes.
He sat on the edge of the Divine Water pond.
"Brrrr…"
"It's cold."
After a few minutes, he removed his clothes and re-entered the Divine Water pond.
Dying repeatedly was taking a toll on his body and soul.
But he could not stop training.
This opportunity was a blessing.
After all, it was rare to find a vial of Divine Water even after spending a fortune.
Neo was using an entire pond for himself.
And he could return after visiting Underworld.
In the entire history, there were less than five mortals who achieved the same feat.
He submerged himself into the pond and activated the skill.
There was a sense of weightlessness.
His body jerked and he arrived in Underworld.
"We shall send you back."
Just as he opened his eyes, a cloud of black smokes covered him and he woke up inside the Divine Water pond.
Neo's body was shaking intensely.
His teeth clattered and his eyes became bloodshot.
He just wanted to stop.
However, he hardened his resolve and returned to the Underworld.
Arriving in the Underworld, he noticed his complexion had turned pale white.
Just standing straight took a lot out of him.
"…"
The Grim Reaper silently watched his resolve and sent him back.
"Blergh…"
Waking inside the water cave, Neo puked blood.
He fell to his knees.
His vision was spinning, and he could not put strength into his limbs.
'Don't fall asleep… Don't fall asleep…'
He bit his tongue.
Blood trickled down from the corner of his lips.
He activated his skill again.
"You've performed splendidly, O Great Child of the Monarch. Please take this as a gift from us."
Neo felt cold bones touch his forehead.
However, he did not have the energy to lift his head and check what was touching him.
Unknown information appeared in his mind.
"We eagerly look forward to our next meeting."
The black cloud covered his vision.
Neo was back to the cave.
He titled his head and saw the pond's boundary.
It was only at an arm's length.
But the distance seemed as a big as a chasm to him.
He felt incredibly weak.
"Is this… overdose of Divine Water… or… soul corruption… from Underworld?"
Neo knew his condition was the result of one of the two.
His mind was screaming at him to let go and sleep.
However, staying inside the Divine Water pond any longer was dangerous.
If he absorbed more Divine Water, he would explode like an overcharged battery.
He tried to swim and get out of the pond.
His limbs were as heavy as rocks.
While he dragged himself away from the Divine Water, he failed to notice the blood oozing out of his eyes and mouth.
He was about to lose consciousness when he noticed the screen before his eyes.
His eyes widened.
Slowly, a subdued laugh escaped his lips.
Neo could've trained without pushing himself to the limit.
However, he did the exact opposite.
And…
[Unique Skill Exp +4]
[Unique Skill: Death (10/10)]
His hard work was recognized.
…
Neo blacked out.
He did not see the screen flashing before his eyes.
[Unique Skill has been mastered.]
[Evolution will begin.]
[Unique skill 'Death' has evolved into 'Immortal']
His injuries began to heal at a rapid pace.
At the same time, he grew thinner.
He lost the muscles and the little fat he had on him.
After his body devoured the stored energy reserves, it greedily consumed the Divine Energy in the air.
The Divine Water pond trembled.
As if commanded by someone, the pond's water began to turn into mist.
It filled the underwater cave with divine energy rich air.
Neo's body used the absorbed energy to heal and strengthen him.
He gained stronger muscles, his bones became as hard as steel and his blood gained a slight hue of gold.
[Rank: Mortal → Awakened]
Neo stopped consuming the Divine Energy and the Divine Water pond returned to its original state.
Blissfully unaware of what was happening, he embraced the sleep.
Suddenly, voices emerged from the entrance of the water caves.
"Is this the right place?"
"Yes, I saw the Divine Water pond here."
"I hope its true princess. If we can find our own Divine Water source, our country will finally have some leeway."
Two women stepped into the cave.
"It's just there—"
Amelia stopped speaking when she laid her eyes on the boy who was sleeping…
Naked, next to the pond.
...
A/N:
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Over and out, Failedwriter101.