The Ancient Genes

Two more days had passed….

"Weak!"

Max said as he sent everyone flying. Only thrice was left standing there with warriness in its eyes.

"Grr!"

Thrice growled as purple light gathered in its mouth and in front of Max's surprised gaze, it shot a purple beam.

Max raised his hand and darkness began to leak out, the purple beam struck his hand but there didn't seem to be any effect at all as it quietly disappeared in his palm.

"Good job!" Max finally praised him while others shot him an envious look.

"Let's take a 30 minutes break…..before the last round." Everyone groaned feeling that it still wasn't over.

Max had spent these two days adjusting himself to this newfound strength of his, training the gang and also battling on with Andriel.

It looked like she really meant every single word she had spoken to Max.

Suddenly, a hand extended from behind passing onto a bottle of water….

Max looked at Andriel and then at the bottle suspiciously…..

"Thanks…" 

There didn't seem to be any problems at all and he decided to drink it…

"I drank from the same bottle just now….its an indirect kiss now…" Andriel said with a smile.

Max looked at her a bit surprised. It was hard to believe that such a childish thing was coming from her.

"You don't seem surprised?"

"Why would I? I am already past that point to be surprised by such trivial stuff…." Max replied. She had already kissed him, why would an indirect kiss surprise him.

"You are thinking that we have already kissed, so an indirect kiss is a trivial thing, right?"

Max looked at her doubting if she was an esper or not.

"You are missing an important point here though….don't you think you have already started to accept me….."

"How can I ignore you here? You are thinking a bit too much...."

Max said as he moved and avoided Andriel's hands which were coming for him for a surprise attack. He has already faced a dozen and the experience had started to build now.

"Well then, I am off to see Mom…" Max waved his hand and walked off.

Andriel revealed a smile as she saw him walking off…. 

…

"Splash!"

"Hmmn…" Max frowned as he heard the splashes. His ears were strong, he could distinguish the sounds. Someone was definitely in the lake by the waterfall.

He turned around and didn't sense the presence of the gang on the site of the training ground.

'I clearly told them that there would be another round in 30 minutes and instead of maintaining their bodies warm for battle, they are cooling off and having fun…'

A vein popped up on Max's forehead as he walked ahead and planning to beat the sh*t out of everyone.

"You people really have got guts. Let me see-"

Max shut his mouth when the one to enter his sight wasn't a four legged creature or a little girl.

It was Leviathan standing there with water up to her thighs. The fact that she was naked meant that she must have been out here for a bath.

"Ah!"

As if realisation had struck her, she immediately went on her knees pulling herself in the water while bringing her hands to cover her chest.

Max immediately turned around as well. The next moment, his face turned dark as he suddenly sensed the presence of the gang at the training ground.

It wasn't possible for them to hide without manipulating the spirit energy here. There was no reason for Sera to do that….even if she had that ability was a doubt within itself….

That only left Leviathan and Andriel….

''Andiel…..'' Max muttered not knowing what was she up to…..

"What is this?" Max suddenly heard Andriel's voice and looked in the direction of the voice only to see her sitting above the rocks on the waterfall.

"You!!! You said that you will inform everyone to keep out of here…." Leviathan glared at Andriel.

Max finally understood the situation a bit.

"Oh my? I seem to have forgotten about it…." Andriel replied with a silly smile.

There was no way she was forgetting that….

"Anyways, what are you so embarrassed about? Aren't you a few hundred-year-old spirit? He isn't even 20 yet…..besides, you are his mother's companion….a motherly figure….if it was me, I wouldn't even mind scrubbing his back for him…"

'No…No...you still wouldn't mind…." Max felt that things would go out of the hand if he stayed here. He decided to slowly slip out of her to safety.

"Obviously, it's another thing if you are having lewd thoughts about someone so young….look, even he is being considerate of you and living the place…"

Max stiffened as Andriel caught him, but he still didn't stop.

"Splash!"

"W-Who said I-I am having L-L-Lewd thoughts…" Leviathan got up onto his feet. Her face red and her eyes seemed to be spinning.

Andriel smiled as her evil scheme succeeded. She knew about Leviathan very well, even though she was old. In terms of her race, Behemoth, she might be the same age as Max or even younger than him. From the very first day, she had seen her trying to act like an adult which was surprising. But it made sense when she thought about it. She was Max's mother's spirit. She had to be a reliable existence for her contractor's son.

But that wasn't important now, Leviathan had hampered her plans by revealing the knowledge about life force to Max….this was her revenge...besides it was very fun teasing her...

"Great then….why don't you prove it to me by bringing that bottle from his hand…."

"Ah!" Leviathan released a squeak.

"You can't? I knew it…"

"Who said I can't? I will do it…." 

Max stood there caught into this mess. He could hear the sound of her coming out of the water.

Slowly, Leviathan approached Max. Her face red and her steps uneven, she finally stood behind Max. Max could clearly sense her uneasiness. 

He glared at Andriel but didn't do anything afraid of crushing Leviathan's pride. He was afraid if Andriel demanded him to turn around, it was the end for Leviathan.

Leviathan slowly reached out with her trembling hands and grabbed the bottle.

Max finally sighed. It ended without anymore, problems. Now, it was time to get out of here as soon as possible..

But…Leviathan's words stopped him…

"Huh? T-This is m-mine…."

Max noticed Andriel's lips curling up.

"Oh! Was it? Sorry, I mistook it for mine. I will fill it up for you, I gave it to Max to drink….I wanted to get him to give me an indirect kiss...but it seems it went to you..."

'Andriel!!!!!' Max screamed in his mind. She really wasn't living any path for Leviathan to retreat.

After these past few days, even Max had understood that Leviathan wasn't even at Max's level of maturity. But still, she was still a diligent person trying her best to act like an adult….even Max had decided to turn a blind eye and act like he didn't see through her true self….but now…

Max sighed as he turned around and caught Leviathan by her waist. Her face red and her eyes rolling, she had fainted.

"You really took it too far…." Max said as he looked at Andriel who just gave him a silly smile and tried to act cute.

….

Sixth day from the incident…..

Max finally opened his eyes in the real world.

The nurse who was by his side immediately sprang up onto his feet and went out of the room.

A few minutes later, an old man with glasses entered the room followed by Lisa's grandfather.

A few more minutes passed and another figure entered the room. It was Max's grandfather.

"Thank God, you finally woke up…"

Max looked at Lisa's grandfather who had a worried look on his face.

"Can I take him with me?" He asked the old man who was checking Max.

"Calm down, let me give him a proper check first…." 

"I don't want to waste a single minute, hurry up….you were the one who said that bringing him to Lisa might improve her condition…"

"Yes, I did…..but first he needs to be in condition to visit her…"

Max frowned listening to their conversation.

Did something happen to Lisa?