Primordial Awakening: My Bloodline Evolves Infinitely

After Leonard emerged from the forest, his eyes darted around, searching for his friends.

It didn’t take long to find them.

"Bro, this was a nightmare!" Winston complained the first chance he got. "Fighting against a Minotaur alone was too much! I barely managed to come out on top! So when I saw a horde of them charging straight at me, I ran without a second’s hesitation!"

"It wasn’t that bad, all things considered." Harley raised her chin proudly. "Although they were strong, they weren’t that fast up close. Once you caught them off guard, you could kill several easily."

The two had performed relatively well.

Meanwhile, William had found himself at a disadvantage. His gauntlets hadn’t been effective when faced with the axes of the Minotaurs and other monsters. In the end, he had been rescued by the supervisors.

"By the way, did you encounter the Boss that appeared when the Monster Wave jumped to Grade 3? I heard that we weren’t meant to face it, but there are rumors spreading about how it had been killed." Cassie asked, her slender figure trembling in fright.

"Surely it’s an exaggeration." Samantha scoffed. "Think about it. Perhaps the real reason we were discouraged from teaming up was so that, in the end, when we inevitably found ourselves alone against the Boss, we would be forced to realize our own limits when not in a proper party."

Samantha and Cassie had teamed up for the entire expedition. Even though doing so decreased their final scores, they believed it had been the right decision since both of them were just Healers.

Thoughtfully, the party nodded in unison, with the sole exception of Leonard, who was looking at them with an arched brow.

"Oh, you mean the Crimson Snake? It was one vile creature, I tell you. Still, in the end, I managed to kill it." He commented casually, not putting much emphasis on his feat.

"..."

Everybody rendered speechless. They all stared at him with wide eyes.

"You did what?!" The party yelled in surprise.

Thankfully, because most of the scholars were also engaging in chatter, nobody minded their sudden outburst.

Leonard scratched the back of his head innocently.

"I wasn’t alone. Elizabeth played a large role."

Keeping her involvement would have been impossible. Though, of course, he wasn’t about to mention Elizabeth’s conversation with her father.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! You mean to tell me that the whole time you were with Lady Elizabeth Starlight?! Alone?!" William asked, seemingly more interested in Elizabeth than the Boss.

Harley’s eyelid twitched, and she began repeatedly tapping her foot against the soil, keeping silent.

Leonard blinked slowly, then shook his head.

"We weren’t together the whole time. It just sort of happened... Not to mention, she’s not the only one I encountered. Besides her, I also met with Princess Arabella for a—"

"Pardon?!" William interjected, throwing a glance toward the elf princess. "Let me get this straight: you were alone with the two most beautiful women of the entire year in the dark forest, where whatever happened, nobody would know?!"

William’s entire viewpoint on Leonard changed in an instant. He hadn’t known that his friend was so popular with the opposite gender! He needed to ask for advice whenever he got the chance!

By now, Harley’s face was red. She had crossed her arms and stared at the ground, both of her feet tapping against the soil in pure jealousy.

"Stop letting your imagination twist reality!" Leonard grimaced. However, his friends had gotten the wrong idea, and there was no changing their minds any longer.

Just then, Elizabeth came out of the forest.

Her face was expressionless, and her eyes were as cold as ice. As usual, her appearance caused gossip to spread.

"The Ice Queen returns."

"How many monsters do you think she managed to subdue?"

"Does it matter? We all know she has gotten the highest score anyway."

Once everyone had gathered, Professor Albert stood before the scholars, his gaze sweeping across the Intermediate, Advanced, and Elite grades.

"To be honest, the performance during this Monster Wave was surprising. Some did much better, while others did much worse than expected. Regardless, this expedition has allowed you to see the reality of your limits. Now, without further ado, it’s time to announce the most impressive scholars!"

Professor Albert’s voice echoed across the plaza, the scholars gulping audibly in anticipation.

With a flick of his finger, he took out the massive remains of the Crimson Snake Boss after Leonard had stored a portion of it to feed his familiars later.

The scholars gasped. How had such a fearsome monster fallen? Perhaps the entire Elite grade had teamed up ahead of time to bring it down?

"First place goes to Scholar Leonard, second to Scholar Elizabeth. Both showed exceptional skill against the Boss. Step forward and accept your rewards!"

Leonard heaved a sigh and reluctantly stepped forward. Had he known that it would result in a public display like this, he might have held back, but alas.

Instantly, he felt dozens of gazes lock onto his back.

"Who is this guy, and how dare he be placed higher than Lady Elizabeth?" One muttered.

"Since the two are credited with the monster’s defeat, they must have teamed up. What do you think is their relationship?" Another replied.

Ignoring the noise around him, Leonard stopped before Albert.

"Congratulations..." The professor said, putting medals around their necks. "You are rewarded with 2,000 Merit Points. Additionally, President Jasmine has announced that the first three spots would automatically be accepted into the Academy Council, so expect to hear from her later."

Leonard and Elizabeth exchanged a glance before nodding.

"As for third place, it is awarded to Scholar Arabella for the most monster kills!" Albert announced, calling her over to the stage.

"So despite teaming up with others, she is still ranked third highest... She will most likely be joining the Academy Council too." Leonard concluded.

While the ceremony was still underway, Russell watched from the side, his fists clenched tightly as he stared at Leonard with hatred.

"I was supposed to stand there... Not him!" Russell gritted his teeth.

***

Soon after the ceremony ended, the scholars were dismissed.

However, they were prohibited from wandering around and were instructed to immediately head toward their places of residence and rest.

The scholars had expended too much energy during the expedition, and rest was mandatory. If anybody were caught wandering around the academy grounds without a valid reason, they would be punished.

For once, Leonard was grateful for the restriction. It meant that at least today, he wouldn’t have to worry about being swarmed by students eager to learn how he earned first place, with some accusing him of cheating his way to the top.

"Finally, I can take a break..."

He collapsed on his bed, ready to slip into a deep slumber.

Yet before his eyes could close, he heard a knock on the door.

"Ugh... It’s probably Jasmine or someone else from the Academy Council. They sure work fast..."

Leonard rose and opened the door.

His breathing hitched.

There stood Maxwell, his blond hair slicked back and tied in a ponytail, while his blue eyes remained void of emotion.

Leonard still vividly remembered how Maxwell had beheaded Gideon and how smug he had been the whole time.

"Follow me." Maxwell spoke unbothered, taking the lead.

Leonard needed a few seconds to gather his emotions before speaking.

"...Where to?"

Maxwell paused for a second.

"King Owen requests your presence."

Leonard’s eyes narrowed.

"Grandfather?"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!