*Step* *Step* *Step*
Azriel stepped out of the Cave where he fought the Primordial Frost Golem and looked at the Sky with an amused look on his face.
"Now this is quite a-"
"Quite an interesting Welcome, isn't it?"
His words were, however, interrupted by an extremely familiar voice.
Azriel's eyes moved as fast as they can and soon, they fell on a woman with an extremely alluring, hourglass figure, pale white skin, raven hair, crimson red eyes, and a nigh perfect face.
The woman wore a red-colored gown, similar to the one she wore the first time she met Azriel.
A big smile couldn't help but appear on Azriel's face.
"Teacher."
He called.
Suddenly, Luminia disappeared.
Before Azriel could react, she appeared in front of him and buried his head into her breasts.
"…"
Azriel's mind turned blank.
All his thoughts suddenly disappeared.
His hands moved on their own and he hugged her back.
"You took your damn time, you useless student."
Luminia chuckled.
A smile appeared on Azriel's face.
"I am back, Teacher."
The two of them had so much to talk to each other, so many things to share with each other, however, when they finally met, they just stayed silent, hugging each other for who knows how long.
…
After a long hug, Azriel and Luminia finally separated, but still continued to look at each other with smiles on their faces.
"Are you ready to return?"
"I am looking forward to it."
Azriel replied.
Luminia then looked at Azriel and narrowed her eyes.
"You have changed."
"Well, I have spent a long, long time inside."
Azriel answered with a reminiscing smile on his face.
"22 Years is indeed a long time."
"I have been gone for 22 years?"
A frown appeared on Azriel's face.
"Indeed."
Luminia nodded.
Azriel nodded.
So living as Azriel Origin took 12 years.
Well, 22 years was still acceptable.
Suddenly, Luminia hugged Azriel again.
"These were the longest 22 years in my life."
"…"
"I was worried."
Luminia was finally honest.
These 11 years…
They were the longest, and the hardest 22 years of her life.
It was just a trial, how long would it be?
These questions troubled her mind.
Did something happen to Azriel?
Did he…
She even thought about the worse possibility.
Just that thought alone would be enough to keep her awake for months.
She…
She was scared.
"Heh."
Suddenly, a small chuckle escaped Azriel's mouth.
Luminia frowned.
"Teacher Luminia, you are underestimating your student."
Azriel smiled.
"There is no way a mere Trial would hurt me. Trust me when I say it, teacher, I wasn't even close to getting hurt there."
Hearing those words, a smile appeared on Luminia's face.
"I was wrong.
There is no way a mere Trail could hurt my student."
Luminia repeated Azriel's words.
"Indeed Indeed.
Give me more credit, will you?"
Azriel chuckled and suddenly, his eyes widened.
"Aackk!"
He groaned in pain as Luminia tightened his hug around his neck,
"You brat. You want more credit? You? Who needed 22 years to clear a simple Trial? Hmph! Stop dreaming and you need to trai-"
Luminia wanted to say more, however, Azriel's instincts kicked in, he turned into Blood Mist and before Luminia could even activate her Mana to capture him, he turned back to his normal form, standing right in front of her.
"…"
Luminia looked at Azriel with a surprised look on her face.
"That… was actually good.
Great job, Azriel.
Your reaction speed was too fast, even faster than mine."
She complimented.
This time, her face was serious.
Of course, she wasn't actually focusing or going all out, however, she is a lot older and stronger than Azriel, she shouldn't need to go all out in order to capture him.
She really was impressed.
And at the same time, she was curious.
Just what happened in these last 22 years for Azriel to improve and change this much?
Luminia then looked at Azriel and saw him looking at her with narrowed eyes.
"What?"
She questioned.
"…"
Azriel, however, didn't reply and continued to look at her.
"What?"
She questioned again and stepped towards him.
"Nothing…"
Azriel didn't say anything and smiled,
"Shall we return now, Teacher?"
Saying that, Azriel raised his head and looked into the Sky,
"Even the World has ended its Grand Welcome."
"Well, the Red Sky is still here, isn't it?" Luminia chuckled.
Azriel chuckled as well.
"That's true, but the lightning is gone."
"If the lightning continued, the Dragons, Demons, and all the other races would cry in fear."
"Hahaha~"
Azriel laughed out loud.
Luminia chuckled.
Then, she appeared near him and picked him up.
If it was anyone other than Luminia, Azriel would have turned into Blood Mist and would have dodged, however, Luminia was different.
A few seconds later, Luminia landed in her garden where many Vampires were lying on the ground, groaning in pain and grabbing their chest.
Seeing that, Azriel frowned.
"What happened to them?"
He couldn't recognize any of the Vampires here, however, he didn't care about it.
He has been gone for 22 years, it is obvious that Ithania must have continued to recruit more troops after he was gone.
"That is because of you."
Luminia answered.
"Huh?"
Azriel's frown deepened.
"Is that a… sort of welcome?"
He asked in confusion.
"No, of course not."
Luminia chuckled.
Then, she pointed at the red sky and explained,
"Well, for some reason, thes-"
Luminia was about to answer when suddenly, she stopped and turned around.
A second later, a blue-haired woman dashed towards Azriel at an astonishing speed and jumped into his embrace.
"Azriel!"
"Oh ho? Look who it is."
Azriel smiled.
"How have you been, Bookworm?"
Ithania lifted her head that was buried in Azriel's chest and narrowed her moist eyes.
"As expected of a brute, being rude even though you are meeting me after so many years."
Seeing her like that, Azriel couldn't help but chuckle.
"I missed you, Bookworm."
"…"
Ithania looked into Azriel's eyes and didn't say anything. Tears threatened to leave her eyes, therefore, she buried her head in Azriel's chest again.
Azriel chuckled and tightened his hug around her.
*Step* *Step*
A few minutes passed by and another person walked into the garden.
Seeing the person, Azriel narrowed his eyes and questioned.
"Who is he?"
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