Immortal Athena

Chapter 12: Immortal Athena

"Noah!" Eleonora shouted her beloved's name while running up to him.

He turned around and smiled at her. Thanks to the new skill and knowledge he had received, he didn't make any clumsy movements and efficiently dispatched the man and his ghoul variation, eventually killing him.

"How do you feel?! Are you all right?!" Eleonora asked, cupping Noah's cheeks.

While she felt pride swelling in her heart due to Noah's victory, he had fought an intelligent being and was the reason the man died.

She didn't know how Noah actually felt after the man insulted her, so she needed to check on him.

He was too precious to be lost in killing.

"I didn't want to kill him," Noah said. "Because of how smart and beautiful you are, I think we'll face many more similar insults. If I were to kill everyone because of that, I wouldn't really be the protector I want to be, but a third rate killer. That's how I feel. Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing, dummy?" Eleonora caressed Noah's cheek, smiling. "I am no better. I'm a thief. I dared to steal something so valuable that I'm on the criminal record across the entire universe. You accepted me, and I accept your protector self. I love you even more now."

Noah scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, you're actually a thief. I easily forget that. No more stealing from now on."

"It won't hurt to steal every now and then. I'm naturally greedy for knowledge!" Eleonora beamed. "I may have the universe's knowledge within me, but I'm so limited that a little mischief or two is a must, handsome!"

How could he argue with her given that he didn't even know how Earth 41A was? What kind of laws dominated over there?

So far, people believed in strength more than anything else, and this belief played the biggest role in this trial.

"Fine, if you ever wanna steal something, bring me in," Noah gave up.

Eleonora's golden eyes sparkled as she jumped at Noah.

"I love you so much! Your new skill is so cold, too! I never felt safer, Noah! Daggers, a bow, and a scythe. So much versatility! That serpent might even evolve to give you more weapons! Night Elves weren't only limited to three forms, you know?! Hehe! Nocturne is part of your soul, so you should think of it like your pet and develop it."

"Really?" Noah asked.

Eleonora nodded. "My fire magic often seems to have a life of its own. It's because I developed it into fox spirits that have different behavior patterns. It's a useful and fun concept. I'll teach you a lot about it in our new home."

Noah couldn't be happier to learn more about abilities and mana.

Just then, the other couples approached them. They didn't want to fight everyone else, especially after seeing how strong Noah was.

His awakened skills were on a totally different level.

One couple was a man and a woman, while the other was two males. When Noah asked them a straightforward question about their lives and told them that he needed someone in his life, too, the other two people confessed.

"I was left heartbroken a few times… I just wanted a real friend…" he said, turning toward a man who understood what it meant to have one's love crushed.

The other lady said, "Others found me weird all the time. I'm glad I found someone who likes me for what I am."

Hearing her words, Eleonora nodded three times.

It turned out the Trial of Loyalty was exactly as Noah thought. Various people in need of companionship had been brought here and were now tested to see if they deserved what they had gained.

The Center of the Universe and the so-called trials were more mysterious than Noah imagined. This made him think about the others' halves and their true origins.

Eleonora had committed a crime and had hidden for years. Through schemes, she left a personal link to herself in one of the trials that ended up being the Trial of Loyalty, where Noah mysteriously appeared.

What about others?

"I'm just curious. You don't have to answer that," Noah said.

Eleonora cut in. "No, you must tell us!"

He rolled his eyes at her.

He hadn't revealed her origins, so how could he demand others do the same?

Alas, no morals could stop the fox witch's thirst for knowledge. She wanted to know now!

The man's best friend said, "I was a mere fiction."

"Huh?" Noah exclaimed.

The man smiled. "Yes. A female author wrote about two best friends and their poor attempts at dating others. Those best friends were so stupid, silly, and horny that their relationships were a clusterfuck. And yeah, I'm one of them. I came to exist in the trial and was given a chance to become a real living being. I will forever treasure Bart for that."

Bart was the awakened man who entered the trial to become stronger. In truth, he wanted to change something in his life, but he never expected he would get a best friend.

Noah stood still, amazed.

It was nothing short of amazing.

In this vast universe, anything seemed possible. At first, he thought awakening innate powers was a miracle, but that was nothing compared to what he had just learned.

Eleonora was also intrigued and satisfied with this answer.

The other person who had been summoned here had a less amazing story, but it was still moving.

He was a servant who loved his weird master and had an affair with her. But this master already had three husbands, which was a limit in her royal lineage, so she needed to obscure the truth. She sealed him for that reason.

The Trial of Loyalty broke the seal and snatched him away from the chambers so he could become loyal to a single woman.

"A harem… a real one," Noah whispered.

"Was it illegal in your world?" Eleonora asked.

"I think some countries allowed it," Noah replied.

"Oh, that's interesting. I'm aware of a few worlds and harem is common in every one of them. None had a partner limit, either," Eleonora commented, sounding rather casual about harem.

"You would let me have a harem?" Noah asked, curious.

Eleonora chuckled. "Suppose you picked up another summoning crystal and obtained someone much sexier than me, would you be able to let her go? Despite you trying to keep a distance, you two would be linked together and would end up together anyway. It's inevitable because most worlds promote polygamy and men are too simple."

Noah didn't have any comment.

Not only had he never been in a relationship before, he had no clue about what Eleonora was talking about.

He couldn't see himself loving anyone else since she already filled his life with happiness and warmth.

Just then, the monstrous ghoul's body evaporated, leaving behind a golden diamond shaped crystal.

Noah blinked.

Eleonora blankly stared at it.

She soon put on a casual front and said, "You defeated that ghoul alone, so it's yours, Noah. Let's strengthen our numbers."

"It doesn't have to be a summoning ability, right?" Noah said.

"I have a hunch!" Eleonora replied.

All this talk made Noah slowly walk to the crystal and awkwardly scoop it up. It was the same golden crystal he had obtained upon entering the trial, which could bless him with an ability from a higher trial.

He used it after a slight pause and branded his soul with a new ability.

[Immortal Athena's Master: Noah Night has formed a link with Immortal Athena. Due to her past and her evolution in countless wars, she has been sealed by her own people for years. Noah Night is the only one who can break the seal and summon her to his side, therefore becoming her master.]

Once again, it was quite a spoiler free description.

Noah could only learn more about this partner by summoning her, but he was shocked that he had received a second partner in this trial. Could others be the same?

Regardless, he wasn't one to keep people waiting.

He used the ability and was struck by blinding pink red light that was less harsh than the one during Eleonora's summoning.

When he opened his eyes, he didn't see a new companion, but Eleonora's face as she cupped his cheeks and made him stare at her.

Behind her was Noah's new companion, which he couldn't see yet.

Eleonora could see her, and upon noticing her, she acted on her own and grabbed Noah's attention.

From the side, the other couples chuckled and inwardly said the same thing.

'She's jealous.'

That was so like her, indeed.