In a split second, Theo acted. Teleporting beside Lilith, he scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against him, and leaped away just as the serpent's jaws snapped shut where they had stood moments before.
Landing safely a few meters away, they watched as the serpent recoiled, preparing for another strike.
However, Abyssal Eternal Bloom reacted quickly, her eyes blazing with anger. Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the serpent's body as it tried to lunge at her. The creature thrashed and hissed, but the vines tightened, binding it completely. The Abyssal Eternal Bloom’s expression grew fiercer as she continued to exert pressure, the vines constricting until the serpent could no longer move.
With a final, violent shudder, the serpent stilled, its crystalline body cracking and shattering into fragments.
As the serpent disintegrated, a faint, glowing essence emerged, floating towards Theo. As it sank into him, a familiar notification appeared before him, surprising him:
<<<<
[You've collected 466 Ring Essence points.]
>>>>
It was the first time Theo had received Ring Essence points from killing a beast. Although it was his guardian beast who had killed it, he knew the reward was rightfully his too.
‘What could be the reason that I am able to absorb the Ring Essence from killing these monsters? Is it because they are from the Abyssal Realm?’ Theo pondered, deciding to set aside this subject for later experimentation.
He turned his attention to the more immediate concern. His gaze fell on Lilith, who was still in his embrace, her expression softened into a contented smile as their eyes met.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
“Umm…” Lilith nodded with a soft smile.
Theo set the girl down gently, keeping his arm around her to ensure she was steady on her feet. "Why didn’t you use your teleportation skill?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Lilith sighed, her gaze drifting off into the shadowy depths of the forest. "I tried, but the last time I pushed beyond the limits of the guardian bond, it damaged my energy channels. It'll take a long time to heal completely," she confessed.
Theo’s heart ached, feeling her pain as if it had happened to him. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
Lilith's expression turned serious. "It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself. These things happen."
Abyssal Eternal Bloom moved closer, her eyes still glowing with a faint anger from the recent battle. "We should return for now. The dangers ahead are beyond my current strength," she advised.
Theo glanced at her, then back at Lilith. "If she says so, then we should really go back," he agreed.
Although he desired to explore the Abyssal Realm further, it seemed there were stronger enemies ahead. Moreover, Lilith wasn’t in proper condition, so it was better to retreat and come back later when they were ready.
Together, they retraced their way back to the Arcane Gate and returned to the Demonic Farm.
Back at the farm, Lilith broached a new subject. "Have you thought about a name for her?" she asked, her gaze settling on the Abyssal Eternal Bloom.
Theo looked at his guardian beast, realizing he had never considered it necessary. "It didn’t cross my mind before," he admitted.
The Guardian Beast’s expression turned slightly sour at his oversight. She was now more human-like, understanding emotions better than she did when she only cared about food as a gold-grade beast.
Catching the hint of her displeasure, Theo quickly amended his approach. "But I think she deserves a good name, just like all of us," he added thoughtfully.
Lilith suggested with a smile, "She's like a flower in her own right. How about we call her Bloom?"
Testing the name, the guardian beast murmured softly, "Bloom... Bloom... Bloom..." Each repetition brought a brighter smile to her face.
"She likes it," Theo whispered.
With Bloom's new name warmly received, Theo then turned his attention to the farm's vacant lands, planning to plant seeds.
However, a thought struck him, and he turned back to Bloom. "Do you know how to grow crops?"
Bloom nodded confidently. "I can if Master wishes it," she replied.
As if summoned by her words, various tools from the Obsidian Shed began to levitate, flying out to till the soil and sow seeds with precision.
Theo watched with a satisfied look as Bloom took responsibility for the task. He then warned her, "Just make sure to harvest them on time when they mature... or they might bring chaos to the farm."
Bloom responded with a dismissive shake of her head. "They won't cause trouble in my presence," she stated firmly.
Her assured words made Theo wonder just how much authority Bloom held over the other plants in the Demonic farm. He remembered how she had once controlled the entire farm to fight him, acting like a sovereign. Even now, she spoke as if she was their ruler.
Several days passed in the Demonic Farm with Lilith and Bloom, and it was finally the day for Theo to return to the Academy, marking the end of his expedition.
As he stepped out of the portal, he hoped to reunite with Lorian and Violet before returning to the Academy. Instead, as he began descending the mountain, a portal triggered by the blue ribbon on the 30th day of the expedition suddenly activated, enveloping him and whisking him away.
Back at Phoenixwing Academy, the first-year students were summoned to the ground of the Gathering Pavilion. Elder Jasper was going to make an announcement related to the first-year expedition results. Even some of the upper-year students were present, including a few from the inner court, who were rarely seen in the outer court.
Rumors and speculations about the first-year expedition were rampant, making it the topic of heated discussions. The expedition had involved members of royalty, causing controversy to spread.
“It appears Prince Julian has triumphed over Section A in the expedition, even facing off against Princess Elara and Violet Thunderheart.”
“But at what cost? It was a shameless tactic! Prince Julian set traps for all the first-year classes to secure his victory. He’s lost the trust of other sections—he betrayed them after taking down Class 1-A.”
“Does that even bother him? He doesn’t care as long as he achieves his goals. Now, he’ll be remembered for usurping the glory from the arrogant Class 1-A.”
“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions yet. Prince Julian has been in a foul mood since returning from the expedition. We still don’t know for sure if Class 1-B won or if it was Class 1-A… Besides, there’s talk that two students from Class 1-A are missing.”
Elder Jasper raised a hand, calling for silence. The crowd quickly fell quiet, all eyes turning to him.
"Students," Elder Jasper began, his voice carrying across the pavilion. "Today, we gather to announce the results of the first-year expedition. This year, we witnessed exceptional performances and some surprising outcomes. Among the first years, several of you have shown great potential."
He paused, letting his words sink in, the students nervously curious about the results.
"Class 1-C and Class 1-D secured third and fourth positions, being the first to disqualify in the expedition. It was expected, considering the decisions and paths they chose," Elder Jasper continued. "Before I announce the winner, we must address the speculation and rumors that have spread across the academy over the past week regarding the expedition's results.
"Class 1-B employed an out-of-the-box approach, enlisting the support of students from 1-C and 1-D to set a cunning trap against Class 1-A. Ganging up on Class 1-A, despite their smaller numbers, and yet Class 1-C and 1-D still came in third and fourth positions. This served as a harsh lesson for all the students who trusted their opponents. While such tactics might be effective in a war, this was a class expedition, and these tactics stripped them of the respect a warrior deserves. The glory one gains from losing a fair fight has been taken from every student in these three classes of first year. I condemn this approach with harsh words."
His cold words caused the addressed students to look down in shame, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Even the upper-year students felt the sting of the criticism, recognizing the shamelessness of the tactic their juniors used. However, the center of it all, Prince Julian, was nowhere to be seen, perhaps anticipating the backlash.