Strongest Demigod System

"Well, I don't know everything about their relationship, but I know that most of the artifacts owned by the Gaye family were bought through Harold. He is the most trusted artifact trader in the city because of his God Aspect."

"Do you know what his God Aspect is exactly?"

Maddison shifted a bit on the chair as she spoke.

"Well, I heard from my cousin that it had something to do with Analysis. Apparently, it allows him to see the present and future potential of any artifact he analyzes. I didn't get the full explanation because I was only eavesdropping."

Azrael shook his head.

"It can't be just analysis. We can all do that with our system."

"Yes, but my cousin said that Harold's ability is special for some reason. Something about being able to see the hidden potential that the system can't reveal. I'm not really sure."

Azrael hummed and leaned back to stare at the ceiling in thought.

That was a lot more useful than the information given by the system.

The system only told you the basic information and functions of the artifact, but this Harold Sabastine could see things that were hidden from others.

Azrael started to wish that Harold Sabastine was actually Harold Javier.

That would mean that Harold's God Aspect was a lot more versatile than Azrael first thought, and having his God Aspect might allow Azrael to become far more efficient than he ever hoped to be.

Azrael turned to Maddison again and said something shocking.

"I need to get into Sunny's party, and I'll need your help to do it."

Maddison immediately refused. Just like Azrael expected.

Even though Maddison had been joking about the party when she first mentioned it to Azrael, that did not mean she didn't actually hate the idea of going.

Maddison knew exactly what sort of looks they were going to receive when they went there and tried to mingle with all those rich snobs, and she was more than satisfied with not going at all.

Sunny's party was scheduled to be held that Friday at the Harold Manor. It was only going to be a small occasion, so there wouldn't be too much drinking, and it would end long before midnight.

That way, they would all still be fresh for the bi-weekly training exercise that was scheduled to take place that weekend.

But Maddison knew that everyone that was someone in the Celestial world would be present. That included members of her family.

Azrael leaned forward and put his elbow on his knees before he spoke again.

"Maddison, I need your help in this. I can't get in if you're not with me."

Maddison frowned.

"You wouldn't understand, Azrael. This isn't like the school where they tolerate our existence and we're protected by the teachers and headmaster. This world is completely different from what you're used to. They hate us with a passion, and they scorn the very idea of us being close to them.

"Do you know why my family hates me so much? It didn't use to be like this. But when I was ten, my grandfather died. We were all around his deathbed to see him go. He used to be a demigod, but he never got strong enough to go into the Null Zone, so he lived all his life with us. We loved him.

"But once he died, my God Aspect kicked in and extracted his body for me. It tore the man we loved away and made him into a mindless drone for me to control. My own mother cursed me as a devil. Even now she won't look at me. My father cast me away, and my brother thinks... he thinks I'm a monster.

"I can't do this, Azrael. I don't want people to look at me like that."

Somewhere in the middle of her rant, tears had begun to leak from Maddison's eyes. She was looking down at her knees and rubbing her hand against her cheeks to clear the tears.

Remembering that time always made her cry because of how much it hurt to see her entire family turn against her like that.

After that day, they never took Maddison to any important event, and they ensured she was nowhere near any family member who was about to pass away.

The family never got to bury her grandfather because he was cast into her Aether Zone once his body was extracted by the God Aspect, and they didn't want something like that to ever happen again.

That was the moment when Maddison became a true outcast.

Azrael listened calmly to everything that Maddison had to say, and at the end of it all, he didn't care.

Maddison's pain was justified. But she was not at fault for what she did, so there was no need for her to feel guilt for it.

Her ability was granted to her at birth.

Unlike him, she didn't have a choice in what she became. If anyone had a right to be angry, then it was her.

But Azrael couldn't dismiss her pain.

Azrael needed her to agree to his request, so he had to be careful of the things he said as well as how he said them.

Azrael put his hand on Maddison's knee, and he gave Maddison an understanding smile when she turned to look at him.

Azrael spoke softly.

"You don't have to worry about those people anymore. You only feel this way because you were alone back then. But you're no longer alone, are you?"

A light seemed to glint in Maddison's red eyes as she gazed at him.

There was a feeling of hope rising from her heart, and the uncertainty of the relationship she had with Azrael seemed to slowly fade.

All this time, Maddison knew that Azrael didn't see her as a close friend. To him, she was an acquaintance and nothing more.

Someone who was at the right place at the right time and said the right things to make him accept her.

But now, Azrael was the one initiating contact with her for the first time. He was acting like a friend.

Maddison felt her attention shifting away from her family and the way they regarded her, and she looked into Azrael's eyes and saw the intensity present there when he spoke.

"Those people, they don't deserve your fear. They don't deserve to have you in their control. Your ability is amazing, and it has the potential to make you one of the most powerful demigods in the world if you want it. Are you really going to allow those fools to stop you from achieving your potential?"

Azrael reached out gently, and Maddison didn't even register when she put her hand in his palms. Her eyes were fixed on Azrael like a patron gazing upon their saint.

Azrael smiled.

"You aren't afraid of them, Maddison. If you were afraid, you wouldn't have reached out to me. You wouldn't have made me your friend. You hate them. You hate everyone who tried to make you weaker. You hate them for what they've done to you. This is a chance for you to strike back at them. Help me get into the party and prove to them that you are not afraid."

Maddison tightened her hold on Azrael's hand and looked down.

"I… I don't—"

Maddison felt herself torn between fear and anger. Her family had been a constant part of her life all this time, and their hatred for her had shaped her into someone who no longer enjoyed the life she was living.

But now, Azrael's words were making her realize that she had been wrong all along.

She wasn't the one who did something wrong—they were.

Maddison didn't ask for these powers, and she didn't ask to be blessed by Hades. Her family was punishing her for something that wasn't her fault.

Who gave them the right to do something like that?

Maddison felt all the repressed anger rising in her heart once more. The feelings she never had the courage to express before threatened to spill out of her, and she was almost overwhelmed by the intensity.

Azrael reached out and lifted her chin so she was looking him in the eye again.

He put on a small, handsome smile, and Maddison felt heat pool in her cheeks as her anger dissipated into nothing.

Maddison stared into Azrael's eyes, and in there, she saw her future.

She now knew, without a doubt, that Azrael was the only one who understood her.

"Do you trust me, Maddison?"

Maddison tried to talk, but she couldn't find her voice at that moment.

The intensity of Azrael's stare pinning her in place was too much.

Maddison nodded instead, and Azrael's smile widened.

"Then you'll help me, won't you?"

Maddison couldn't have refused even if she wanted to.