Leo turned in his bed. After Jenny left them he lost his appetite and went straight back to his room.

He tried to sleep since he still had training tomorrow but with the turmoil of thoughts going through his head, he couldn’t even bat an eye.

He wondered how it was even possible that she was here, he was sure that it was at least 400 years since Arthur died. For all he knew, the magic that granted immortality didn’t exist and researching it was forbidden.

Thinking about it didn’t help him find any answers and only created more questions. He thought if he should even concern himself with it, she was not someone he knew, it was in his past life. But then why did he feel this pain in his chest?

He turned again in his bed. He has been like that ever since he remembered his past life and it was getting on his nerves. He couldn’t accept it that he was one of the beings that everyone silently feared.

He stood up, it was getting pointless and he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep anyway. Maybe some training would put his mind at ease.

He headed to the training hall and after a warm-up, he went to one of the press up benches with weights that had gravity spells in them and after setting them to 600 pounds he activated his spell and as fire and light mana empowered his body started exercising.

His upper limit without a spell was about 200 pounds but when he empowered himself that was increased by a large margin and as he practiced more it increased steadily. When he first came here his limit without empowerment was about 120 pounds and with it 300 pounds.

He continued doing his sets, he already lost count how many he did. He just continued as it helped him not to think. He even increased the weight by another 100 pounds just to help that.

Resting the bar down, he wiped his sweat and gripped it again but as he pulled it up he felt some unexpected resistance. Looking up he saw JJ who looked as if he was going to fall on him any moment.

It looked like he grabbed the bar and was pulled together with it as Leo started pulling it down. Letting the bar rest again he looked at JJ.

“Sorry, are you alright?” asked Leo.

“Yes, don’t worry about, it just you didn’t answer when I spoke to you. Why are you training so intensively at this hour anyway?” As he spoke he massaged his wrist.

“I just wanted to take my mind off things. What about you?” It was weird to see anyone up at this hour.

“Oh, right, I was studying one of the books I was given and got an idea for great material to enhance my golem form with.” Said JJ, Leo could hear that he was excited. He always wanted to learn more about what earth was made off. It was strange religion in Leo mind but it’s also true that the most of the biggest achievements of architecture and geoscience came from it.

“What’s it this time? Are you sure it won’t suddenly crumble like the last time during the fight with Mr Etan” joked Leo.

“Yes… that’s why I wanted to try it out. Thinking about it… want to help?” he asked looking at Leo.

“Sure, but where?” It seemed like it would be better than just pushing himself mindlessly.

“I got one of the illusion rooms for myself.” he said.

“We can use them like that?” Leo asked surprised. He didn’t know they let them use them privately.

“We can, well as long as there are free ones and none of the instructors needs them. Though we also need a reason for that, we can’t just go and relax there. Waste of resources or something.” Explained JJ. “Though usually, most reasons get an ok.”

“I see.” said Leo, he wondered what he could use those for. All he could think of though was more training.

They entered one of the rooms and after it activated they found themselves in what looked to be a canyon in the middle of the desert. Leo looked at JJ judging him a little. Just standing there he felt hot.

“What, we need a good atmosphere and what’s better than a rocky desert?”

Leo just shook his head. “Whatever, I want to see what you came up with though.”

“Right. Let me focus for a second.” He closed his eyes then.

Leo watched and nothing happened for a while then pure black rock slowly covered him from toes to head. It looked pitch black but at the same time, it looked as if the weak light was coming out of it. He wondered what kind of material it was made off.

“Looks cool, but what is it made of?” asked Leo.

JJ covered in golem body looked as if he was trying to say something but no sound came out. Then the stone part around his mouth came it.

“It seems that despite the small holes for airs it doesn’t let vibration out. It’s material used for protection against monsters in the building also in areas where a lot of earthquakes can happen. It’s very durable and good at damping vibrations. For now, try to hit me.”

“But I didn’t take my weapons. Should I just kick you?” Leo asked.

“It should be enough for the test. Kicks from you are like getting hit by a bear anyway. Come at any time.” He said then covered his mouth again.

“Sure.” JJ couldn’t hear him anymore. Leo strengthened himself and jumped forward. Positioning himself he kicked the golem clad JJ with full power in the chest.

The stone was brought up in the air and flew few feet crashing into canyon wall behind. Leo massaged his leg, despite his strengthening he felt pain in his feet.

JJ gathered himself and stood up, it seemed like he was saying something excitedly as he was flailing his hands around but Leo couldn’t hear anything. The blond haired boy pointed to his mouth while looking at him.

JJ looked at him for a second then the black stone around his mouth came off. “Sorry, I got excited a little. But hear it! Despite the fact that I was thrown into the air I didn’t feel anything! Well, there was some shock but no pain.”

“All good but what about mobility?” asked Leo.

“Hmm. Want to spar a little to test it out?” proposed JJ.

“I guess that’s alright.” said Leo positioning himself with his left leg forward with both arms in front of him and slightly bending his back. It was form he was taught by Mr Etan while training the way he moved in battle.

“Good, come when you are ready.” said JJ.

Leo didn’t wait long strengthening himself and increasing his physical defense he jumped forward even faster than before and brought his left leg to attack with a kick to JJ’s head.

JJ brought his right hand up and stopped the leg from reaching him. The force of the kick still pushed him a few feet but he looked alright. In exchange now that Leo body was more durable hitting the big rock didn’t hurt as much.

Leo moved in again and as he got close JJ tried to punch him with his right fist but Leo ducked under the giant arm and counterattacked with a quick jab to his chin.

It didn’t seem to do much though and Leo's hand was now caught by his enemy left hand. He could just activate his absorption field but that would be pointless with what they tried to test.

In exchange, he decided to attack and punched his opponent stomach repeatedly. It seemed to cause some effect as JJ got annoyed and struck at him with his other fist.

Leo ducked under it barely and performed a kick to his enemy right side which caused JJ to release his grip and fell over.

Leo not giving him a rest jump at him and performed a kick at his head stopping only a few millimeters before his attack connected.

JJ took off the stone from his mouth “Whew, you are strong.” He said as Leo moved his leg away.

“You seemed slower than usual.” said Leo. JJ turned off his spell in the meantime.

“Yeah, this material is quite dense, maybe I should lower the amount of it or maybe use only a layer of it.” he started speaking out his ideas.

“I’m sure you will come up with something. You are smart when it comes to rocks.” said Leo.

“Do you want to say that I’m not smart with other things than rocks?” he complained with a pouting face.

“No, just that you are really enthusiastic about them.” Corrected himself Leo.

“I guess that’s right.” He smiled at Leo “That’s how I was since I learned the way of Humbro in my past life.”

Hearing that Leo's face fell down.

“Is something wrong? Did you get hurt in the fight?” asked JJ.

“Not really… It’s just. Forget it, it’s not important.” dismissed Leo.

“I don’t think so, we are teammates and friends aren’t we? We can at least talk maybe I will be able to give you advice.” said JJ.

“Friends?” said Leo surprised. He never thought about things like that since coming here. He was thinking more in lines of always being outcast and being alone since remembering his past life.

“Are we not?” said JJ. “Sorry then, maybe I was too pushy.” There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“No!” shouted Leo. “It’s just that… that after coming here I didn’t think of such things. After all, aren’t we some kind of monsters… I mean reincarnated are demons! That’s what Olympius says… That’s how it was even 400 years ago.” Said Leo.

JJ looked at him silently for a second. Then he smiled kindly and asked. “Do I look to you like a demon?”

“No!” shouted Leo again. “But that’s what everyone says and no one would listen to us or give us a chance to explain ourselves if we were outside.”

“But aren’t we here, being given a chance? And who cares what some guy 800 years ago keeps saying till now. I mean sure he sounds great and people call him the son of god or something but we know better don’t we?”

“But wouldn’t that made him the bad guy?” asked Leo.

“Maybe he is, maybe he has other reasons. I doubt we will get a chance to ask him anyway. What I want to say is that it’s pointless to worry about being outcast and feared by the general populace. We have each other, don’t we? Everyone who is here with the same circumstances as us is a friend and as long as we know that we are not monsters shouldn’t it be enough. Who cares about those people outside with too much prejudice?” said JJ.

Leo looked at him a little surprised. What he said was right and while the problems he had shouldn’t be discarded he should worry about them endlessly and take them as facts. Everyone here was the same and he could depend on them. He smiled and looked at JJ.

“Yeah, you are right.” said Leo.

“See, I’m smart even when it doesn’t concern rocks.” He said slapping Leo's backs and laughing.

“Can I ask you something else though?” asked Leo seriously.

“Ask ahead. I will answer if I can.” said JJ.

“If you met someone you knew from your past life how would you react?”

“Well, that depends who they were to me. But if they were my friends I would probably want to be friends again? Wait did you meet someone like that here?” asked JJ little surprised.

“Yes, well... when I was Arthur she was my…” Leo hesitated.

“Lover?”

He nodded little bashfully.

“I don’t know how to help with that, as a monk I never have been in a relationship… wait but you didn’t tell her that you were Arthur like me just now. Using past tense?” asked JJ.

Leo stayed silent and averted his gaze.

“Did she get angry?”

“I think so, she ignored me and moved away after that… I didn’t follow her…” explained Leo. “Is it bad?”

“Probably, some of us wants to cut ties with their past lives in new ones. Maybe she understood it like that. Do you want to cut ties with her?” asked JJ.

“Well not really… but I…”

“You are not sure if you still feel the same way about her?” said JJ.

Leo nodded shamefully.

“I think that’s okay.” said JJ, Leo looked at him surprised. “I mean, time changes a lot of things.”

“She also said that. That the last four hundred years changed a lot.” said Leo.

“Wait she is not reincarnated like us?” Now it was JJ to be surprised.

“I mean, I don’t think so? She doesn’t look any different than in the past.” explained Leo.

JJ stayed silent for a while. “Well, I mean why is she here then?”

“I don’t know?” asked Leo back.

“No think about, I don’t know much about immortality and how she achieved that but if she is here that probably means she wanted to be here. I mean with such long time she could be doing anything. But she is here working with reincarnated.” JJ explained but Leo only looked at him strangely. “Did she knew you were reincarnated?”

“Well, if she connected the dots or was told something when I was taken away, she may? I didn’t know until it was too late myself. Why?” answered Leo surprised with the question.

“Well, then if she knew and she chose to work here, well maybe it’s just my mind trying to romanticize things, wouldn’t that mean she was looking for you. Hoping you would end here?”

“Eh?” let out Leo surprised gasp.