22. Completing What He Started. [1]

The sweet time of rest didn't last long as it immediately turned out Neel took 4 hours to rest.

"Haa…"

Neel let out a long sigh after returning to Hestia and continued his task.

This time Neel decided to spend most of his time inside Hestia as he figured out a few things.

First, once his focus is set on the rhythm his mind and body ignore all the pain and solely focus on the given task.

Second, the harsher his surroundings the better his progress.

Third and most important, is the time difference.

This was his basic strategy.

Without further ado, he started.

Days passed and Neel stayed in Hestia for complete 9 days and only left when he thought it was necessary.

Although at first 15 folds sensitivity affected his speed, in just three days he once again recovered his former speed.

This continued and his progress was:

{Task progress: (79,877/100,000)}

"Huff… huff… shit… still 20 thousand… remains…"

He was now quite familiar with this pain and it was a regular feeling now.

"Maybe… I will have to face… the second cycle… shit."

His face distorted when he thought about letting his sensitivity increase to the 20th fold.

'Maybe I should try to push my limits… more?'

He was already pushing his limits.

No mortal can work, let alone move at 15 folds of sensitivity.

Imagine, the normal room temperature makes you feel like a desert, a normal breeze of wind feels like being in Antarctica.

He was currently taking a trial that is given by Dragons, to be precise Dragon Emperor, a being who stands on the apex of the universe, a being feared by even Primordial Gods, the resistance of a Dragon Emperor is in itself a mystery.

It was said that even if thrown at a star that was at its peak, that heat will not affect the Dragon Emperor in the slightest.

In whole universal history, there existed only 5 Dragon Emperors.

The last Dragon Emperor is the most acknowledged and even worshiped for its prowess that even made the creator kneel.

If that was the power of a Dragon Emperor then one should assume what Neel was suffering right now.

His determination was unmoved and focused.

Now to the main topic.

Neel was near, very near to his goal.

His body was going through many changes, one of them being his face was sunken. As he ate nothing and drank nothing in the desert. His lips were dry and dead skin can be seen accumulated over them. His cheeks were sunken deep, there was a rough beard, and his short hair had grown slightly and rough. However, his eyes were brimming with determination as he was close to his goal.

There was slight anticipation for the reward as well. Although his facial appearance was anywhere near humanly let alone handsome, his body was near perfection, all of his muscles were hard and shaped perfectly. His body was chiseled, chest, shoulders, back, abdominal area, calves, thighs, and everything that was related to his body below the face was perfectly shaped as if it was sculpted by a divine sculptor.

All proportions of his body were, just, perfect.

But Neel was completely oblivious of this fact as his sole goal was to complete the task assigned to him.

And just like that 6 more days in Hestia passed. And fortunately or unfortunately Neel had to face the second cycle.

He only required 800 Surya Namskar to complete the task.

However, the task was nowhere to be easy now. Not like it was easy before but now it was impossible2 Just doing one Surya Namaskar made his mind go blank. This time pain did not subdue but rather kept on increasing, but Neel did not stop and continued doing his task until completing it, which was what an ideal scenario would have been.

However, the reality was not generous enough to pity Neel.

His brain felt numb and his body gave up. Last two weeks on earth and a month in Hestia were the busiest days in his entire life.

He never felt challenged in his entire 19 years of life.

Because of this he always got bored.

The people either look at him with respect or envy.

Even, 'love' is an emotion, he was only able to understand because of Lucy, Amanda, Sam, and Nina.

He was even titled 'Always Bored Prince' because of the lazy look on his face.

He respected the director of the orphanage for taking his care but it was only on the surface. They both knew that neither of them cared about each other, as one was doing it for money and the other to understand the world in a safe environment.

He knew his parents were alive, there were letters, documents, and even photographs but did it really help him to accept it? No.

He knew he had elder siblings that he has never seen in his entire life nor does he know their names, did it help him to lighten his condition? Obviously no. in fact, it worsen his condition.

Hell, he does not even know his own full name, he had been using the director's surname all over his childhood.

It may seem as if it was not a big deal, but, from Neel's perspective, a child knows he has a family, a place called home, and two people he can call parents, people who love him, people whom he loves, a place where every story ends with 'They lived happily ever after.' exists but he cannot enter that place.

Why?

Because he was abandoned, from his birth, he was abandoned.

He felt betrayed right now.

He felt worse than death right now.

He can't even complain to his parents let alone blame them for his condition.

Does he even know where they are?

Were they even alive?

Were the people hunting them stopped their hunt? Or …

His thoughts were running havoc at this moment.

No sanity nor rationality could be seen in his thoughts.

He was even starting to blame for his birth...

"Stop thinking nonsense boy… No… Neel."

A voice boomed in Neel's mind, it stopped his train of thoughts, and the next second he found himself in a dark place.

One could say it is a galaxy but there were no stars.

It was pitch black.

Unlike the old man who suffered quite mental trauma, Neel did not see those talismans.

Neel was quite confused. He was inside a completely dark place but he was feeling the presence of someone to be precise two beings and including himself three beings.

He should not be able to see as there was no light source around, but he felt like his eyes themselves were the source of light and were able to pierce through the darkness in front of him.

Once again the same sound spoke snapping him out of his daze.

"Neel, your will is strong."

The voice spoke in acknowledgment.

"Even Primordials didn't dare to take this challenge when it was first proposed."

The voice was authoritative but at the same time warm.

Neel was not able to see the being… yet.

But he was able to feel its presence and from its presence alone Neel was able to deduce one thing.

'Strong… like crazy strong.'

"You will even surpass me. But not yet. For the instance know one thing."

The voice appreciated Neel at first but its next words made him realize something that he long wanted to but was never able to face.

"Being close to the destination yet giving up before reaching it will only remain a petty excuse. In front of absolute strength, everything bends willingly or unwillingly, and right now you are weak. Weak to the point where you can only feel our presence but not see us."

Neel responded to the being.

"I-"