Ever since Zeta arrived at Shadow Garden, she displayed astonishing perseverance.
Zeta completed all the training Xi Nuo gave her at double the intensity.
Besides eating and sleeping, she was always training, training to the point of exhaustion.
She didn't resemble a young girl at all.
Zeta's eyes were filled with hatred.
Alpha noticed this, but recalling the Golden Leopard Clan's complete annihilation by The Order, she could probably guess the source of her hatred.
"Do not advise others to be kind without having experienced their suffering" was a phrase Xi Nuo often said.
Alpha understood the principle, and she didn't say much to Zeta, who was full of hatred.
Alpha just felt that this wasn't good for Zeta's physical and mental well-being.
Xi Nuo also didn't know how to improve Zeta's favorability, so he could only continue with normal training.
Zeta completed the training plan, originally scheduled for one month, in just two weeks.
It was clear she genuinely wanted to become stronger.
"Zeta, since you've completed the training plan, let's move on to practical combat training!
I will be your sparring partner, and I will control my magic power to be on par with yours!"
"Well, no more talking, let's begin!"
"Lord Shadow, then I shall offend you!"
Zeta, holding her slime sword, charged directly at Xi Nuo.
Zeta's attack was easily blocked by Xi Nuo.
"Your attacking intent is too obvious, and your killing aura is too strong!"
"Your speed is too fast, causing you to lose your balance!"
Xi Nuo suddenly relaxed his grip and dodged sideways.
Zeta, due to exerting too much force, fell directly to the ground with no enemy in front of her.
Xi Nuo did not hold back because Zeta fell.
He swung his sword towards the fallen Zeta.
Of course, his strength was well-controlled; Zeta would not be harmed, at most a minor scratch.
Zeta noticed Xi Nuo's attack and immediately rolled to dodge.
Xi Nuo pursued the rolling Zeta, slashing at her, giving her no chance to catch her breath.
After a few rolls, Zeta was struck by Xi Nuo.
She felt intense pain from her waist.
"In a real battle, your enemy won't give you any chance to breathe!"
"Get up, let's go again!"
Zeta adjusted her posture and stood up.
She felt a sharp pain in her waist; although Xi Nuo's previous sword strike hadn't caused her much damage, it still affected her.
Xi Nuo saw Zeta's problem.
With a wave of his hand, a blue-purple magic power enveloped Zeta.
Zeta felt her waist no longer hurt, and her stamina was restored.
"Round two begins!"
Zeta learned her lesson; this time, she didn't rush in, maintaining her body's balance and not unleashing her full power to attack Xi Nuo.
Xi Nuo also met her, and their swords clashed.
Xi Nuo then freed one hand and threw a punch.
Zeta didn't expect Xi Nuo to suddenly use his fist and quickly retreated to dodge.
"Your attention cannot be entirely focused on the opponent's sword; the enemy will not play fair and might launch a surprise attack at any time!"
After Xi Nuo finished speaking, he completed two and a half turns in the air at an extremely fast speed, and using the momentum of the rotation, he slashed down at Zeta from mid-air.
Zeta realized she couldn't block this attack and immediately dodged away; as Xi Nuo's attack missed, she launched a counterattack.
Xi Nuo reversed his grip on the sword, quickly retracted the blade, and blocked.
The moment he blocked, Xi Nuo suddenly extended his hand and grabbed Zeta's wrist, pulling her directly towards him, and then executed an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming Zeta to the ground.
"In battle, you must always pay attention to every movement of the enemy! Remember not to be careless!"
The two fought from day to night, and Zeta's growth was visible to the naked eye; her strength was improving step by step.
Three weeks later, Zeta was ready to graduate.
Xi Nuo handed Zeta over to Alpha.
She would follow Alpha to gather intelligence.
At this moment, Xi De contacted Xi Nuo... "Look at her, playing with her scrap metal again, not properly learning magic control to become a Magic Swordsman, just fiddling with her junk every day!"
Eta ignored the taunts of the other elf children and continued to tinker with her machines.
At this time, she felt a stinging pain in her body, and black patterns spread across her.
An experienced elder saw what was happening to Eta.
"She, she is Demon Possession! Children, quickly get away from her!"
Eta stared blankly at the Demon Possession on her body, her face filled with confusion.
Afterward, she was captured.
All the villagers she lived with hurled the most vicious insults at her and even beat her.
They said she was defiled, a person who deserved to die, who shouldn't live in this world.
Eta didn't know what she had done wrong; she had been an outcast since childhood, and being bullied by children her age was one thing, but why were these adults bullying her too?
The young girl completely failed to understand why.
Finally, she was handed over to the Holy Church.
The Order locked her in a cage and transported her to the Holy Church for research.
During the transportation, Eta heard the whispers of a demon.
"Do you desire power? Do you wish for freedom?"
"I want power! I want freedom!"
Eta prayed.
"Then let it be as you wish!"
Xi De appeared, directly shattering the cage and instantly killing The Order's soldiers.
Xi Nuo arrived at that moment.
Xi Nuo opened his hand and pointed it at her.
Blue-purple magic power appeared, and her Demon Possession visibly improved.
Xi Nuo told Eta about The Order's evil deeds, the origin of Demon Possession, and the mission of Shadow Garden.
"Are you willing to join Shadow Garden and fight The Order with us?"
Xi Nuo extended his hand.
"I am willing!"
Eta took Xi Nuo's hand.
"Welcome to Shadow Garden, I am Phantom! The one who saved you is Shadow, he had to leave for something important!"
"From today onwards, you must abandon everything from your past; your new name is Eta!"
"I understand!"
Xi Nuo brought Eta back to Shadow Garden.
Eta's talent for combat was not good, but to enable Eta to protect herself, Xi Nuo still gave her combat training.
Eta took two months to complete the same training course.
Once Eta had the ability to protect herself, Xi Nuo began to teach her other things.
For example, the mechanical principles of cameras.
The power principles of steam trains.
Xi Nuo basically taught Eta all the knowledge he could think of.
Eta immediately picked up a notebook and diligently recorded the knowledge Xi Nuo taught her every day.
Afterward, Eta began to construct a simple telegraph machine.
Under Xi Nuo's guidance, Eta avoided many detours and successfully researched the telegraph machine in one month.
It could be used for remote telegraph communication.
Xi Nuo also personally taught Eta to develop the bicycle.
Although the bicycle was not as fast as a Magic Swordsman, its advantage lay in convenience and effortlessness.
Using the bicycle, Eta began researching how to make it fully automated.
Seeing Eta diligently researching, Xi Nuo did not interfere much.
Time flew by; unconsciously, Shadow Garden had been established for almost a year.
On this day, Xi Nuo completed his daily training and returned to Shadow Garden.
At the door, he noticed that the Seven Shadows had gathered inside the house, all hidden.
Xi Nuo pretended not to notice and pushed open the door.
"Bang!"
The party popper made a sound.
"Happy birthday, Phantom!" Alpha said.
"Happy birthday, Lord Phantom!"
The Seven Shadows shouted in unison.
Xi Nuo had almost forgotten it was his birthday today.
On the table was a large cake, a birthday cake handmade by the Seven Shadows together.
"Thank you all!"
Xi Nuo hadn't expected them to celebrate his birthday.
Everyone happily enjoyed a reunion dinner together.
"Oh, by the way, most of you haven't met Shadow, right? I'll call him over so you can meet him!"
"He is, after all, the founder of Shadow Garden! If you ever encounter danger and happen to run into him, remember to ask him for help! His strength is exceptionally powerful!"
At this moment, Xi De, through his magic perception, sensed that Xi Nuo was looking for him.
As Lord Shadow's benefactor, Xi Nuo would certainly be available at his beck and call.
Xi De pushed open the door to the Shadow Garden base.
He was dressed in dark attire, wearing a black cloak, and had an innocent-looking face.
"He is Phantom, also known as Xi De; he and I are twins! Today is also his birthday!"
Some of the Seven Shadows had met Shadow, some had not.
"Hello everyone!" Xi De greeted them indifferently.
"Greetings, Lord Shadow!" Alpha said.
"Greetings, Lord Shadow!"
The Seven Shadows followed Alpha in shouting.
"This is my welcome gift!"
Magic power emanated from Xi De's hand, enhancing everyone's strength slightly.
Xi Nuo also knew this technique, but it would affect his own strength, so Xi Nuo rarely used it.
Xi De simply ate a meal with everyone and then left.
Most people didn't have any particular feelings about Xi De, only that he was very powerful.
"A powerful leader!"
This was everyone's impression of Xi De.
And in everyone's eyes, Xi Nuo was "a powerful and beloved leader!"
Xi De also didn't want to get involved in daily trivialities, so he left directly.
For him, becoming an Eminence in Shadow was the most important thing.
Except for Alpha, everyone here was a child; Xi Nuo had already taken good care of them, so Xi De could just be a hands-off boss.
Unless absolutely necessary, he was too lazy to show up.