The next few days passed in the blink of an eye for Leo, as he spent most of his free time sharpening the two new skills he had acquired, while also preparing for the final exams looming ahead.
It was the last semblance of peace— the final stretch of routine and order— that he would experience for a very long time.
And so, he made the most of every day, training with quiet determination, fully aware that the life waiting beyond Rodova would be nothing short of chaos.
Unfortunately, Su Yang continued to avoid him during this period, maintaining the cold distance he had set between them.
News of their fallout spread quickly across campus, as given how inseparable the two had been before, their sudden estrangement became the talk of the town— but Leo paid little attention to such gossip.
In just a few more days, he would be gone from Rodova for good.
With his Black Serpents recruitment interview already scheduled for the day after graduation, Leo could feel the finish line drawing closer with every passing hour.
And for the first time in a long while, the future felt both thrilling— and terrifyingly uncertain.
—---------
(Meanwhile, on Planet Tithia)
If Ixtal was the spiritual heart of the Evil Cult— home to the divine presence of God Soron— then Tithia served as its operational brain.
It was here that the cult's elders maintained their offices, its armies trained, and the real machinery of power ground forward day after day.
And while Leo prepared to conclude his student life at Rodova, across the stars, the Twelfth Elder of the Evil Cult, Noir Ashburn— better known by his moniker, The Dead Man— finally secured an audience he had been seeking for weeks.
As Muiyan Faye's direct handler and a powerful figure in his own right, Noir had spent considerable effort trying to arrange a meeting with the First Elder— the de facto head of the Elder Council and the true wielder of executive power within the Cult.
However, with the First Elder overwhelmed by internal crises ever since the abduction of Darnell Nuna, as it was only now, after prolonged delays, that Noir was finally summoned for a formal audience.
"You have done well to keep the boy hidden so far... and I can see why you are so excited about him," the First Elder said, his tone thoughtful.
"A talent like his is exceedingly rare— even among the Dragon Candidates.
Even I was impressed by the boy's performance during the Circuits," he admitted, stroking his beard with one hand while casually brewing tea with the other.
"We have lost far too many Dragon Candidates in the past, due to internal betrayal within the guild," the Twelfth Elder, Noir, said quietly, accepting the cup of tea the First Elder handed him.
"I do not intend to repeat the same mistakes we made with Noah."
He paused, letting the words settle before continuing.
"I propose we wait— at least until he reaches the Transcendent Realm— before acknowledging him formally as the Dragon. Only then will he be strong enough to survive the chaos that follows." Noir said, as the First Elder calmly stroked his beard in response.
For a long moment, the First Elder said nothing.
Then, as if reaching a decision, he spoke carefully, his voice low and deliberate.
"Ensure that his past is erased completely... and that he is properly indoctrinated into the Cult in the coming months.
You have my full support to groom the boy as you see fit."
He paused briefly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"However, be warned— the Fourth Elder's faction is preparing a Dragon Candidate of their own in the shadows.
You are racing against time, Noir.
If the Fourth Elder's candidate seizes legitimacy before your boy is ready, the matter will be brought before the council... and we will be forced to put the title of Dragon to a vote."
"My hold over the council is weakening. The once calmer heads are now gravitating towards the fourth elder and his radical plans to set the cult on a war-path against the righteous faction.
And if the matter does go to a vote, he won't need to convince too many to have his boy selected—" The first elder warned, as Noir raised his eyebrow in alarm.
Even he understood the political undercurrents within the Elders council.
He was by far the youngest and the weakest Elder, while everyone else was more or less old monsters, with the first and fourth elders being one of the strongest.
For years, the First Elder had kept the Elders Council a place where calmed heads prevailed over the radical voices, however, with the fourth elders recent success in managing to kidnap Darnell Nuna, the tides were inevitably shifting.
The common netizens had celebrated the destruction of the Sky-God Arena as a festival, and the morale of the Evil Cult workers was at an all time high despite the excessive Universal Government crackdown.
All this, made the Fourth Elder very popular currently, and only emboldened his followers within the council.
"I'll keep your warning in mind, First Elder, thankyou for your time—" Noir said, as he put his cup down, as both him and the First Elder stood up at the same time.
"I won't interfere in your choice to send him to the Black Serpents Guild, if you feel like that is the best place for him to grow.
However, remember that you can always bring him to Tithia if things go wrong, and that although we haven't trained a dragon in the last twenty five years, we have not forgotten how to do it either—" The First Elder said, as Noir respectfully bowed to him.
"I will keep that in mind, First Elder—" Noir said, before taking his leave, as he let out a long sigh on his way back.
If possible, he wanted to bring Leo to Tithia at the earliest possible date, however, his paranoia surrounding the circumstances leading to Noah's death, did not allow him to introduce Leo to the cult just yet.
Strangely enough, he felt that the world outside was safer for Leo than the very Cult that was supposed to worship him as their savior.
And deep down, he was certain— he could not introduce Leo to the Cult just yet.
Not at least for a few more years at the least, until he became a transcendent level warrior capable of fending for himself.
However, that didn't mean today's meeting was without its victories.
For one, he had officially reported to the First Elder that Leo Skyshard was a hidden asset he was cultivating in the shadows— and received full approval to continue grooming him as the next Dragon Candidate, a decision that gave a much-needed boost to Noir's morale.
Additionally, he secured something even more valuable: the First Elder's permission to invoke his name if necessary, allowing him to mobilize the Cult's deepest assets to quietly erase any lingering traces of Leo's past that might someday surface and cause trouble.
Both of these developments were reasons for celebration, as after today, no record of Leo Skyshard's life before Rodova would exist anywhere across the universe.
From this day forward, Leo was no longer just a pawn wandering unknowingly through fate.
And was now officially a hidden son of the Cult of Ascension.