The entrance started to close.

"Neo!"

Jack was about to enter the battle and pull Neo when suddenly Neo raised his sword.

Red lightning gathered at the tip of his blade.

Its size increased until it turned into a giant orb of red lightning.

The sphere looked like a fiery red sun.

Neo swung his sword down.

The orb of lightning fell.

It hit the ground and, a beat later, exploded into a blinding blast of energy.

The space twisted from the force of the attack.

Anything that touched the explosion crumbled into nothingness.

Neo created a Coffin of Darkness to shield himself and Jack.

When he removed it, he saw a giant chasm.

A massive hole had been punched into the ground.

The Shadow monsters on the other side of the chasm roared, unable to cross the enormous gap.

They could only watch as Neo and Jack left the Window and it closed behind them.

…

Demigod Academy

A dark presence suddenly enveloped the academy.

Every person could sense it.

The presence increased and the sky started to crack.

The low-ranked demigods, unable to handle the powerful presence, started to lose consciousness.

People were dropping like flies.

Charlotte issued an alarm.

"All Mythic Demigods spread out!

"Protect those who cannot handle the pressure!"

Hundreds of new emergency missions were posted in mission halls.

"Empyrean Demigods and above, gather near the dimensional crack!

"Window #12862 is reopening!

"I repeat, this is an emergency!

"Window #12862, a dimensional crack with the potential of calamity-rank, is reopening!"

Charlotte called her phoenix.

It flew through the sky at breakneck speed and brought her near the opening of the Window.

Hundreds of Demigods gathered around the place.

She landed on the ground.

Percival, the student council president, approached her.

"Principal, we've mobilized every 2nd year and 1st year student.

"The evacuation process is going smoothly."

"What about the Window?"

"The student council and several professors are already securing the perimeter.

"Even if a battle breaks out, we'll make sure the destruction is contained."

Charlotte nodded.

A closed Window could not be opened easily.

Only a monstrously strong demigod — or a powerful monster — could do that.

'Who is opening the Window from the other side?'

If it was a monster, a huge battle was bound to break out.

Charlotte could not help but worry.

The academy would stand tall even if it was attacked by an Exalted demigod.

They would win against whatever was coming out of the Window.

However, they would incur huge losses.

'Is it that boy's doing?'

Charlotte was not able to see inside the Window after it closed.

She had no idea what was going on.

The tear in the sky spread apart in multiple directions.

It reached the ground.

The demigods waited with bated breaths.

The Window reopened and suddenly an overwhelming pressure descended.

'This is death element! Why is it coming out of a window connected to World of Shadows?!'

Percival's back was drenched in sweat.

Two figures, Neo and Jack, covered in injuries and blood walked out of the Window.

The Window closed behind them and disappeared.

However, no one relaxed.

'What is that?'

Percival frowned.

Neo was the source of the ominous presence of Death.

The presence radiating from him was strong.

Too strong.

As if…

…!?

Percival flinched when he tried to sense Neo's condition.

Neo's heart was not beating.

He was… dead.

Yet.

He was alive.

It was contradictory.

His fatal injuries were a clear sign he could not be alive.

He shouldn't have been alive.

"Ready your weapons!" Percival shouted, instinctively, when Neo looked at him.

He was afraid.

Of the abomination he was witnessing before his eyes.

"No need. The boy has reached Adept-mastery in Death element. That's all," Charlotte said.

She stared at Neo and shifted her gaze to Jack who was unconscious.

"Is he alive?"

"Yes, but he needs immediate medical attention. He forced himself beyond what his body could handle." Neo answered.

Charlotte nodded.

She looked at the professor responsible for healing injured students.

"Please, heal that kid."

Before Hila could approach Jack, another professor, Daniel, stopped her.

"But principal what if they are Shadows? We can't guarantee they haven't devoured the originals and are trying to infiltrate us."

Many voiced their agreement to the Daniel's doubt.

No one could believe two Awakened Demigods escaped a Window without any help.

Neo opened his mouth.

"Jack is a Shadow Wielder. He can't be a Shadow."

"Oh."

His words brought a sense of relief.

The professor, Hila, approached Neo and Jack.

She took Jack from Neo.

After sitting on the ground and placing Jack's head on her lap, she began to heal him.

Hila looked at Neo.

"What about you? Are you a Shadow?"

"…"

Neo looked at Charlotte.

The principal nodded and announced.

"Neo Hargraves' Shadow did not appear inside the Window. He is the original."

After the principal's confirmation and the disappearance of the Window, the people relaxed.

The fear and anxiety in their eyes was replaced by awe and admiration.

Two Awakened Demigods.

They escaped a Window, which had the potential to reach calamity-rank, alone.

And judging by the injuries of Neo and Jack, they could tell which of the two was responsible for the successful escape.

The professors gathered around Neo.

"Neo Hargraves, congratulations on escaping Window."

"You have reached Adept-mastery in Death at such young age. Your future is bright, young man. How about you join my club? I'll help you learn about your element."

"Back off, you don't even use Death element. I'll teach this kid instead."

"Neo Hargraves…."

"It's my pleasure…"

Although they did not know the full story of what happened inside the Window, all of them understood one thing.

Neo Hargraves was a monstrous genius.

While everyone was trying to talk to Neo, Charlotte coughed and leaked a bit of her pressure to warn the professors.

"Give the boy some space. He needs to be healed first."

Only then did everyone realize Neo's physical body was dead.

He was forcefully keeping himself alive after reaching Adept-mastery in Death.

But he would soon die completely.