Back on the Nephilim ship “Judgment,” Emery found himself amidst a gathering of magus participants from the three Nephilim families. However, despite the passing hour, the ship still lingered in the celestial ruins’ vicinity, and the elders had yet to arrive for the anticipated debrief.

Among the more than a thousand magus who had taken part in the expedition under the Nephilim banner, it seems only half of them survived. However, despite the loss, the atmosphere on the ship was surprisingly animated. Rather than expressing distress, they engaged in spirited conversations, comparing contributions and ranks. Emery, with his remarkable achievements, soon became the center of attention as magus started to surround him. Jai Strider took the lead, insistent that Emery share details about his points and rank.

“I think you got rank 1, aren’t you?! It’s either you or that high elf chick!” Jai speculated with enthusiasm.

“Wait, I thought she died!” Mera interjected.

“No, the supreme soul did, but not Loriel; she survived,” Jai clarified and the revelation sparked a wave of intrigue among the magus.

Jai’s enthusiasm and curiosity weren’t easily quenched. He pressed Emery for more details about his achievement, and with a slight nod of confirmation from Emery, the news spread like wildfire among the gathered magus, prompting cheers of excitement. The revelation of Emery securing the first rank added a fervor of celebration to the already charged atmosphere.

In the midst of the jubilation, Linhao, who stood nearby, wore an expression of annoyance. His own expeditions had yielded fewer points, with only 20 out of his 200 magus surviving the ordeal. The stark contrast with Jinkan’s team success seemed to amplify his frustration.

Jai, still not satisfied, continued to pry into the achievements of other top-ranked magus. Uria, the Alabaster spirit master, proudly revealed that he had achieved rank 9 with close to 7000 points. Following him was Eesho at rank 21 with 6000 plus points, and Lambert of the Proxima secured rank 55 with 5000 points. Jai himself held a respectable rank 72, and even Jinkan managed to secure a place in the top 100 at rank 95. However, these high ranks were bittersweet, as many of the top 100 had perished during the expedition, including Neo and Mahinder.

As Emery absorbed the information about his fellow magi’s accomplishments, he couldn’t help but wonder about the fate and performance of his friends amidst the challenges of the celestial expedition.

[Julian: 2420 points rank 672]

[Thrax: 2310 points rank 728]

[Klea: 2202 points rank 802]

[Chumo: 2105 points rank 882]

[Fjolnier: 2088 points rank 942]

[Ashaka: 2021 points rank 995]

Surprisingly, the achievements of the Earth magus surpassed expectations, with each of them securing a position within the top 1000 ranks despite not venturing into the deeper layers of the celestial ruins. Julian, unable to conceal his satisfaction, hinted at having made valuable trades with his points.

Before the group about to delve deeper into discussions about their accomplishments, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The silence fell as the three Nephilim elders made their entrance. Elder Estefan of the Azazel family, Elder Dolorian of the Azteban family, and Elder Serafina of the Amarhiks family commanded attention as they took their places on the podium.

Elder Estefan commenced the debrief by extending heartfelt congratulations to the gathered magus. He emphasized the exceptional achievement of the Nephilim faction, securing the highest rank and attaining the coveted first position among all Magus Alliance factions.

“Your contributions have made us proud, and the Patriarch himself has sent his appreciation,” Elder Estefan declared, prompting cheers to erupt from the assembled magus. The acknowledgment of their success resonated deeply among the Nephilim, validating their efforts and elevating their standing within the faction.

Following this, Elder Dolorian took the floor to reveal that, among the three Nephilim families, it was the Amarhiks who had amassed the most significant contributions. To the surprise of many, instead of announcing Linhao, the Amarhiks prince, it was Jinkan whose name echoed through the hall. Emery observed the Nephilim princess exchanged a glance with him—a silent gratitude—before she gracefully ascended the podium to receive the honor.

This achievement was the reason Jinkan had dedicated herself so fervently to the quest and seeing her getting what she wanted filled Emery with an unexpected sense of happiness.

As the ceremony continued, Elder Serafina took the stage, declaring, “Now, we are calling out the one person who contributed the most to the faction. Without his actions, not only would the faction not have received such honor, but many of you wouldn’t have survived the expeditions.”

Expectant gazes turned toward Emery, and even Jai playfully bumped his shoulder with a smile, expecting Emery to be the acknowledged contributor. However, the atmosphere shifted as the unexpected name was called out.

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“All thanks to our proud magus… Nael Nephilim.”

Festive cheers and applause filled the room, effectively concealing the brief moments of surprise and disappointment that registered on the faces of some magus surrounding Emery.

While the unexpected outcome might have caught others off guard, Emery maintained a sense of understanding. He recognized Nael’s significant contributions, acknowledging that the fate child was indeed one the top rank magus whose spell played a crucial role in closing the portal and ensuring the survival of many during the expedition.

As the announcement resonated through the room, a wave of discontent surfaced, especially from Thrax, who was ready to voice his protest. ‘What kind of rubbish is this!’ However, quick intervention from others prevented him from causing a scene. Eeshoo, turning toward Emery, offered an explanation while giving him pat on the shoulder “Don’t be too disappointed. The only reason you are not up there was the lack of the Nephilim name in yours.”

Emery, maintaining his composure, calmly responded, “Well, I am not doing this for the Nephilim, so I don’t really care. At least Jinkan got what she wanted, so I am sure everything will turn great for me.” With a smile Emery hint an extra reward from the Nephilim princess.

The festive atmosphere quickly dissipated, and at the conclusion of the ceremony, the three elders approached Emery together.

Elder Dolorian, gazing at him with a judgmental air, remarked, “So, this is the one… He is different indeed… sadly… a half-blood.” The two elders swiftly lost interest and moved away, but Elder Serafina remained and gives her appreciation to Emery before delivered an unexpected revelation,

“You are not returning home with us yet. The council wants to see you.”

The unexpected turn of events left Emery facing a path diverging from his friends and the rest of the Nephilim.