Finally, the day of Lilly's awakening came….

"You are really gonna let this chance go, Max." The floating figure once again said at the dining table.

It had been bugging Max for the whole time. But the blank look on Max's face continued to remain as if he didn't care about anything.

He would just keep looking at the screen of his phone for the whole day and lay down on his bed.

"I am done."

Max stood up and took his bag before leaving. There was no response from his parents.

…

Max had once again become a loner in the school. The target of bullies too.

The floating figure looked at Max getting beaten from above with a frown on his face.

"Something is wrong….it feels a bit off...what could it be?" It muttered as it observed the scene below.

….

Higher Realm, Unknown Location

"Hahaha!!!!"

Hephaestus laughed in excitement as he looked at the screen.

Vali on the other hand looks at him with a frown on his face.

"What are you looking like that for?" Hephaestus asked with a smile

"Have you gone crazy old gramps? That guy is done for…" Vali replied pointing at the screen.

"Look at him carefully. Where do you find a defeated person in him?" Hephaestus asked with a smile.

Vali looked at the screen and his eyes slowly became wide.

'He isn't just getting beaten up. But he is clearly moving his body and reducing the damage. Is he practicing some kind of technique?'

….

Max returned to his home and after a few hours, his sister awakened. His parents celebrated the night with great enthusiasm.

And the next morning, they were gone.

The servant told him that they left due to some urgent work and had taken Lilly with them.

"Wasn't that fast?" The floating figure had got accustomed to talking to itself.

….

Max turned around and a fierce gleam flashed past his eyes.

He went towards his room and took out his bag and packed his stuff. He then went towards his parent's room and took out a black bank card before leaving quietly..

"What are you planning to do?" The floating figure asked.

But Max ignored it.

He took the transportation and moved out of the city. He knew that Rolv would attack soon and the way things were going in the worst direction, Max didn't know if he would be lucky enough to survive this time. Besides, this time he wouldn't be able to lift the hammer from which Sera came. He didn't plan on following his past anymore.

After reaching the city and getting a room to stay, Max went on to open an account for himself and transferred all the money from the Black card to his own.

And 5 years had passed….

Max had spent this time living a life worse than a beggar. All of his stuff was stolen after a month. For some reason, trouble always seemed to be looking for him.

These past 5 years have been nothing but hell for Max.

He had traveled around the continent, wandering from one place to another.

Max laid on a sidewalk in the Food District of Ishtar city. His current appearance was no different than that of a beggar. With a cigarette in his hands, Max released the puffs of smoke.

"I don't understand what where you trying to achieve all these past years." The floating figure looked at Max. It had lost all its motivation. This was the most boring time he had in the trial. He just wanted Max to die or pass and end his miseries.

"Who knows?" Max replied.

The floating figure looked at Max for a while before speaking with a frown, "When did you figure it out?"

"Hm...so I wasn't wrong?" Max asked as a smile appeared for the first time on his face in the past 5 years.

"Bastard! Tsk..Tsk...when was it?" The floating figure asked.

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Max asked.

"Because it's time." The floating figure replied.

"Ah! I see…"

"Tobe honest, I don't know...but I decided to not believe it from the time when Mark said those words to me before the day of the Awakening ceremony." Max replied.

"Why? I don't believe that there wasn't anything wrong with that situation? How could you figure it out?"

"Mark won't do it. I know him very well. I have spent more time with him than I actually remember spending with my own family." Max said with a light smile which had various emotions in it.

"Huh? Is that it? This world is too real for you to think of that? What if you were wrong?"

"Then it would have been that. I would have wasted my entire life. Doing something funny. But….at least I would be able to continue living on...don't you think...this world is too cruel to live...Living without any hope isn't possible…" Max replied.

"I see...and remembered it too..this world was indeed cruel…."

Max looked at the floating figure but space had already started to distort and darkness was descending.

He didn't know that the floating figure was an evil spirit formed from the remnants of the people who died in the Trial. It wasn't wrong to say that it had once faced the cruelty of this world too and had perished.

Max closed his eyes and tears slid down his eyes. He couldn't help it. He had always been walking on a thin line for these past years. Everything was too real and he had almost believed it at one point of time. If not for Mark….

Max couldn't help but believe that his parents were capable of that behavior. It clearly showed how much brittle their relationship had become.

His friend and best buddy, Mark was the one who gave him hope in despair.

why?

Because Max still didn't forget that day….

…..

"Hey, Max…"

Max turned around and saw Mark looking at him.

"Yo! What are you doing here? You should stay at home and prepare for the entrance exam of the Magic Academy of Capital." Max said with a smile.

"I am not attending it."

"What!! Why? You awakened with such affinity. I am sure you will get accepted." Max replied with a frown.

"Nah! It won't be fun. I will apply to the same Academy as you." Mark replied with a smile.

"Huh? Didn't you wanna be Mage? Why will I be accepted into a Magic Academy?"

"Who said I need to go to Magic Academy to become a Mage? I will train myself." Mark said with a puffed out chest.

"Yes!! Yes!! I get it. But I don't need you to annoy me for another few years… just go on to Capital. Besides, you becoming a great Mage soon will be helpful to me and don't worry I am fine….."