Alex could get stronger with his knowledge of the game and use that strength to repay his debt.
But getting stronger took time, and his loan had a twenty-five percent interest rate.
Every day that passed made his debt bigger.
Taking shortcuts like this was smarter.
'I can recover the lost life force later anyway.'
'The items needed to recover life force might be rare, but I know where to find them. That's the benefit of having the knowledge of the game.'
"Alex, your life force is dropping too low," Calista could no longer stay silent. "You should let me—"
"No."
He cut her off immediately.
'Are you crazy? If I let you give your life force too, then I will lose my leverage.'
'I need this goodwill as proof I deserve the mushroom afterward.'
But out loud, he just smiled. "I'm the descendant of Loki. My blood is thick, and my talent is high.
"And with my high talent, I'll rank up quickly and gain more life force when I reach Halfblood rank. Losing a bit of life force here doesn't matter."
Calista opened her mouth, but no words came.
High talent? Thick blood?
How could he know those things when he had awakened only recently?
He wasn't even from a Legacy Clan.
He didn't know their society, their training methods, or their secrets.
Normally demigods like him took years to get stronger.
She felt ashamed of herself.
She had judged him before even giving him a chance. She had believed the words of others instead of her own eyes.
Just because he was Loki's descendant didn't mean he would have a twisted personality.
The mushroom finally stopped sucking his life force.
It swelled up like a balloon and plopped off his arm with a wet sound.
Alex staggered, and Sarah quickly moved to support him.
He nodded in thanks, then looked at everyone. "We can go back now."
"What do you mean?" Marcus asked.
"This mushroom is a plant-type monster. We can submit it. If we hurry, we'll get a high rank."
Marcus's eyes widened. "How do you even know that?"
Alex chuckled. "From the internet. I awakened my demigod blood a few months ago, and that gave me access to the demigod only websites. I learned a lot there."
Marcus looked stunned.
He hadn't even thought of doing that. After awakening, he had only celebrated and partied.
Alex continued, "Now we should return."
"But how do we return?" Marcus asked.
Sarah answered this time. "Through this."
She pointed above her head.
A faint number—13—their group number, appeared above her.
"If we say we want to go back to the professor and submit the hunt, the number turns into an arrow."
As she spoke, the glowing number stretched into a small arrow pointing through the trees.
They followed it.
Alex leaned on Sarah for support.
His steps were heavy.
His body was weak from the life force drain.
Calista kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye the whole way.
The arrow eventually led them into a clearing.
A wooden table stood in the middle, and two professors sat behind it.
One of them was Professor Leif, the same one who had teleported them here earlier.
Professor Leif raised his brows. "Your team defeated a monster already?"
Calista nodded.
But then Professor Leif's eyes narrowed.
He noticed Alex's hair, which had turned completely white.
Alex calmly placed the mushroom monster on the table.
The professor didn't ask anything else.
He already had a good guess what had happened.
Instead, he simply said, "We'll confirm the hunt and then return it to you."
Minutes passed.
The group stood quietly while the professors worked.
At last, Professor Leif placed the mushroom monster back on the table, pushing it toward Alex.
"Here. I've neutralized the monster. It won't suck life force anymore. You can sell it or use it for potion-making."
Alex's teammates said nothing as he picked it up.
They agreed unanimously to let him have it.
"As for your results," Professor Leif continued, "you are the first group to finish. Your internal ranking will depend on the supervising professor's report, but don't worry. Whatever the report says, all of you are guaranteed ranks one to four."
His face softened into a smile.
"Congratulations. Now, you can return to the academy."
He drew a rune in the air, and it shimmered with light.
The space above the students twisted, forming a glowing array.
One by one, Alex and the others were swallowed by the light.
The next moment, they reappeared in the academy hall where they had disappeared earlier.
Alex grinned faintly.
'I got seventy thousand credits and a high rank in monthly test. Hell yeah!'
Just then, a screen appeared before his eyes.
[Scenario completed.]
[Scenario completion rating: SSS.]
[Reward: Trait [Diligent], Stormrake Swordsmanship.]
Alex froze when the words appeared in front of him.
A large amount of information poured into his mind.
He clenched his teeth, holding back a groan from the sudden rush.
When it finally ended, he took a deep breath.
'I can't believe I got the Stormrake Swordsmanship.'
Stormrake Clan was one of the nine Legacy Clans.
Both the protagonist and her twin sister Calista were from that clan.
Stormrake swordsmanship was said to be the strongest school of swordsmanship on Midgard, and it was only taught to the clan's heirs.
Now he had it.
'The trait is good too.'
Alex's expression stayed calm, but his thoughts raced.
In this world, set to Hell Difficulty, he needed to grind like his life depended on it.
Because it did.
Unless he trained hard and used every cheat he could grab, there was no guarantee he would survive to see tomorrow.
But someone like him — a normal person from Earth — couldn't suddenly train twenty-four hours a day.
That kind of willpower wasn't something people from modern society like him would have.
Alex, being a rational person, wasn't delusional to think otherwise.
He knew he wasn't some protagonist who could grit his teeth through endless sweat, blood, and pain without breaking.
'The trait [Diligent] will help me.'
'It'll give me mental strength.'
'I'll be able to train consistently without getting lazy. All thanks to this trait.'
It was perfect for his situation.
Alex cracked his neck and glanced at his team.
"I'll be leaving now," he said.
"Leaving? Where are you going?" Marcus asked.
"I'm going to look for a training room. I need to train."
"Already?" Marcus frowned.
Alex nodded. "We're not from Legacy Clans. We need to use every moment to catch up to them."
Marcus's eyes widened.
He realized, once again, that he wasn't taking things seriously enough.
He clenched his fists. "Then I'll come too. Can I?"
"Of course," Alex said with a small smile.
"I'll come along too," Sarah added suddenly.
Both Alex and Marcus turned toward her.
She looked directly at Alex. "I want to apologize for how I treated you earlier. So I thought I'd guide you both."
"Thanks! That'll help a lot!" Marcus said before Alex could reply.
Marcus was slowly opening up, and his nervousness was disappearing.
He turned toward Calista.
"Will you be coming too?" he asked.
Calista didn't answer at once.
She kept staring at Alex.
Her gaze was sharp, and unreadable.
"I have work to do. I'll take my leave," she spoke after a while.
The group broke apart soon after.
Alex, Marcus, and Sarah walked toward the training wing, while Calista went in a different direction.
…
Calista von Stormrake POV
Calista sat on a chair with her legs crossed.
Her cheek rested on her palm.
She looked noble, and detached from the worldly matters like a goddess.
The room she was in didn't belong to her.
It belonged to a second-year student from Stormrake Clan.
The student had been ordered by her clan to bring Calista there to have her rest until her rank was determined and she was given a dorm.
The second-year stood nearby, hands folded behind her back.
She was stronger than Calista, but Calista was an heir candidate.
That meant her word was law.
"Lady Calista, what are you thinking so hard about?" the girl, Reina, asked carefully.
Calista lifted her eyes.
"Reina, what do you think about the descendants of the Goddess of Mischief?"
Reina's face twisted immediately. "They're liars, cheaters, and selfish scum who trick others for fun. They—"
"One of my team members was her descendant." Calista's cold voice cut her off.
Reina froze.
"Were you injured, Lady Calista?" she asked quickly.
Calista gave a small nod. "My life force was reduced."
Reina sucked in a sharp breath.
"I'll contact the clan immediately. We'll request a life force increasing treasure. You'll recover in no time," she said quickly.
Life force increasing treasures were rare, and almost priceless.
They were usually only given to high-ranking demigods.
But Calista was an heir candidate, so she had access to them.
Reina continued, "I'll also report that Loki's descendant harmed you. The clan will—"
"When did I say that?"
The words were cold.
It as if a glacier storm hiding dark lightning bolts within had appeared in the room.
Reina's body stiffened.
Her skin prickled, and she could barely breathe under the pressure Calista released.
"Alex saved me. You will do nothing that harms him," Calista said coldly.
"O-okay, Lady Calista."
Calista finally withdrew her mana.
Reina gasped, drawing in air like a drowning person.
"Call the clan. Ask for two life force increasing treasures. And get me information on Alex. What he likes, what he hates, when he sleeps. I need everything," Calista ordered.
"U-understood, Lady Calista," Reina stammered.
She didn't dare question the order.
Calista had been trained as an heir candidate since childhood.
She had fought monsters, and there were even rumors she killed people who made her angry.
Reina had no intention of testing those rumors.
Alex… that must be the name of the Goddess of Mischief's descendant.
What did he do to make Lady Calista angry like this if he saved her life?
Time passed. Reports came. So did two wooden boxes.
Reina brought them inside and placed them on the table.
"These are the treasures, and this is the file on Alex."
Calista stared at the boxes for a long moment.
Her expression turned cold.
'They must've known by now that my life force was decreased.'
'Yet they didn't call me. There is not even a message from them.'
Her hand clenched on the armrest until her knuckles turned white.
But after a while, she let go. She was used to this treatment already.
She left the boxes on the table and reached for the file.
Her eyes scanned the pages quickly.
There were even a few childhood photos of Alex inside.
This was the power of Legacy Clans. Normal civilians couldn't resist their reach.
"Seven hundred million in debt?"
Her brows furrowed.
That was a crushing number for someone who was a normal civilian until a few months ago.
She looked at Reina.
"Buy his debt from the creditor."
"Huh? Lady Calista…"
Reina stopped when she saw Calista's expression.
She swallowed hard and quickly made several calls.
After some time, she lowered the phone.
"It's done, Lady Calista."
Calista hummed softly, satisfied.
She opened one of the boxes and took out the herb inside.
She ate it, closing her eyes as its warmth spread through her body.
Her life force, slightly weakened earlier, returned to its full level.
These treasures could only be consumed a few times in a person's life, but Calista didn't hesitate.
If her life force stayed lowered, she'd be physically weakened.
It would lower of speed of getting stronger.
That was unacceptable.
When she finished, she stood.
She picked up the second box and walked toward the door.
"I'll find him," she muttered.
Reina tilted her head. "Find… Alex?"
Calista didn't answer.
She left the room, the box in her hand.
Her mind was clear.
"He said he was training. I'll look in the training area first," she whispered to herself.
…
Alex POV
Alex and Marcus sat on the dirt ground of the public training hall, gasping for air.
Their shirts clung to their backs with sweat, and their arms felt heavy like lead.
In front of them stood Sarah, not even breathing hard.
She looked fresh as if she had barely lifted a finger.
"How… huff… are you not tired yet?" Marcus asked, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.
"Because I can use runes," Sarah answered with a smug grin.
Marcus groaned loudly. "Damn it, I want to use runes too!"
Sarah folded her arms and tilted her head. "You should wait until classes start.
"The teachers will test the affinity you have talent with and help you make a Mana Affinity Rune.
"After that, you'll be able to use basic runes like me."
Alex listened quietly.
The information matched what he already knew from the game.
Just then, his smartphone buzzed.
'Is it Mom? But I already talked to her this morning.'
Alex had memories of the original Alex, the son of Loki.
Rather than saying he took over this body, it was correct to say souls of both Alex had merged.
So, the mother of the original Alex was his mother too.
He pulled out his smartphone and checked.
The message wasn't from his mother.
'My loan was bought by Stormrake Company?'
His brows furrowed. That wasn't good.
'Are they trying to warn me to stay away from their daughter? Or do they want to use my debt to control me?'
That sounded right.
Even though he had helped Calista earlier, the prejudice against Loki's descendants was too strong.
It was the reason his mother had told him to hide he was Loki's son.
If anyone found out, zealous fanatics might actually burn him on a stake.
Because it was prophesied that Loki and Loki's children would stand against the Gods during Ragnarok.
'Whatever. It's not like I plan to get close to that crazy Calista anyway.'
He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
At that exact moment, the sound of footsteps echoed through the training hall.
Calista entered, carrying a small wooden box in her hands.
The air around Marcus and Sarah instantly grew tense.
Marcus had learned already who she was: a heir candidate of the Stormrake Clan, and someone feared for her cold and ruthless personality.
Marcus cursed in his head.
He had spoken casually to her before, not knowing her identity!
Now, he didn't dare to say a word.
Sarah also kept silent.
Calista stopped in front of Alex.
Her gaze was calm, but her presence pressed down like a weight.
"I need to talk to you. In private."
Marcus and Sarah looked at Alex nervously.
They were worried Calista was signaling him out as he was the descendant of the Trickster God.
"Okay," Alex replied.
He turned to his teammates.
"You two go to the cafeteria for dinner. I'll join you later."
They nodded, though concern showed in their eyes.
Alex gave them a small wave, telling them he'd be fine.
Once they left, he faced Calista again.
"Follow me," she said.
She led him across the training hall toward a private training room at the far end.
At the door, Calista swiped a silver card across a glowing rune plate.
The doors slid open smoothly.
"You got your identity card already?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
Private training rooms were reserved for Class A students.
Normally, only those with high monthly ranks had access to them.
"It's not mine," she said simply.
'She must have borrowed it from a senior. Being from a legacy clan sure has perks.'
Of course, he was only joking in his head.
Odin Academy was strict, and lower-ranked students couldn't normally use facilities for higher-rank students.
But since Calista was bound to rank in the top four, the academy seemed to be turning a blind eye until her card was officially issued.
They stepped inside.
The private training room looked almost like something from the future.
The floor was polished metal that hummed faintly with mana.
Walls glowed with runic patterns that adjusted the air temperature and mana density.
At the center, a circular platform pulsed softly with light, used for sparring or meditation.
Equipment racks lined one side of the room, filled with enchanted weapons and training tools.
"It's quite fancy."
Calista nodded at his remark.
She walked to the middle of the room and held out the small box.
"Take it. It has a life force-increasing herb. It's for what you did today."
Alex blinked, stunned.
'Is she… returning favors like a normal person? That crazy Calista who ignores everyone?'
On second thought, it made sense.
She was prideful.
She wouldn't want to owe a favor to anyone.
Especially to him, who carried Loki's bloodline.
Alex opened his mouth to answer her, but she spoke first, "Don't refuse. I am doing this only because I don't like owing favors."
'I wasn't going to refuse though… I was trying to say thank you,' Alex thought.