Just like that Sam settled in the Gambler's academy while White settled in the Zeus academy.

But Sam couldn't stay there for long. He had to leave the academy after checking in his dorm and go back to the inn where Stone is staying.

It is finally time to start the treatment and perform the soul surgery.

Sam entered the inn where the room is already prepared.

He made stone undress on a large surgical table specifically prepared for this. Sam then activated his vampire bloodline. His hair and eyes turned blood red with his fangs growing out. He bit his finger and started drawing some inscriptions with the blood on Stone's body.

After studying many necromancy techniques, he decided to merge a couple of them to properly perform this. These inscriptions are actually part of a soul binding technique. This will make sure that the soul is confined to the body.

This is normally used to bind someone's soul to an inanimate object and make them go into a comatose state. Sam modified it and now it is almost a technique to temporarily strengthen the bond between the soul and the body.

After the inscriptions were made, Stone closed his eyes and laid down on the table.

Sam placed his hands on the forehead and death energy riled up in his body. His whole body is full of energy and with the fusion activated, he is an embodiment of death itself. More than three dozen specters flew out of Sam's soul in a second.

Sam slowly guided these specters towards Stone's body.

The commands were very simple, 'Merge with the Soul'

This is what every specter in existence craves for. So, they immediately launched themselves at Stone. Now Sam's first task is to make sure these specters don't start biting each other. Since these specters are essentially souls themselves, it is not abnormal for them to cannibalize each other.

But since Sam is still attached to them, it is quite an easy task to control them.

All the specters slowly started getting attached to Stone's Soul. Now, Sam had to tighten the reigns over them, because if they start consuming the soul, then this whole surgery will be a bust. Stone would just die.

Sam's grip tightened and held the specters in seize.

Apart from holding that seize, he also started attacking them. Not aggressive enough to destroy them, but it is strong enough to provoke them.

The specters felt like their existence was being threatened and they all focused on attacking Sam's attached soul to ensure their survival.

Sam's soul is stable.

While fighting and holding these specters on his own, Sam is also dividing his own soul. The fragment that was attached to these specters is being slowly and gradually separated from his complete soul.

It is a hurtful process.

But it is nothing Sam couldn't bear.

He didn't even make a groan as he slowly tore his own soul away.

Stone who is in connection with both Sam's soul and the specters could feel that the turmoil happening. His nervousness went through the roof.

Sam tore his soul away and his whole body went back to its normal state.

He let go of the soul and the specters before sitting down and meditating. The specters are still fighting with the fragment of Sam's soul and this gave them some leeway to focus on Stone's soul as well.

Stone became even more nervous. He sweated bullets and his hands started trembling.

Sam's soul fragment doesn't have any memories of his. Only a couple. One of them is that the soul has to fight and absorb all the specters and the second is to merge with Stone's soul and give up the surrender.

So, the fragment worked on it. It became more aggressive and the battle started. The battlefield for this battle is Stone's Sea of consciousness.

Stone could 'see' with his soul.

In the vast void of his consciousness. He saw Sam's soul and over three dozen very distorted figures.

Sam and the Specters.

Sam's soul fragment is very small compared to Stone's soul and the specters, but it still has the most domineering presence. All the specters are on a backfoot because of this.

But Sam's fragment didn't wait. He turned into a flash and zoomed towards the nearest specter. He just rammed into the specter and spread all the soul power in to it.

He is forcefully trying to merge himself with it.

Seeing this, a couple of other specters joined the fray and wanted to absorb Sam's fragment.

Only to their dismay, as soon as they touched Sam they were being devoured instantly.

Within a couple of seconds, Sam managed to absorb one of the specters and the other two immediately escaped, with half of their power gone.

When the other specters came across these half destroyed specters, they felt hungry and this time Sam is not connected to them to hold back. Just like that a riot has started.

And Sam just jumped into fray.

Stone watched as one soul after another tore each other apart while absorbing them again and throughout this process, Sam's fragment is growing bit by bit and finally it is the only one remaining. Sam;s fragment looked like a savage at the moment.

It grew larger and it looked more fierce. But at the same time a lot more stable. All thirty six specters are merged in that fragment and Stone could feel that fragment connecting with him.

Stone felt a searing pain. He gritted his teeth and his fingers are clenched against the table.

Sam's fragment and his soul slowly started merging together. In process, Stone lost his consciousness even at the soul level. His soul temporarily became dormant. But since Sam's fragment is still active, it didn't let the soul be consumed.

The procedure was finished.

Time passed.

After a few hours, it is almost dawn next day.

Stone woke up on the table. The blood inscriptions on his body are gone.

He looked at Sam who is still meditating then he tried to observe any changes in his own body. At first he didn't feel that much different. But he felt very exhausted though.

He tried to restore his spiritual energy and then he finally saw the difference.

He widened his eyes in disbelief at the sheer amount of energy that he could sense in the surroundings. It is way too high and way too much.

He has never sensed that much energy in his life before. He felt excited and wanted to absorb it, but to his dismay, even though with his newly obtained he could drag that energy towards him, he wasn't able to absorb it.

His body is not absorbing it.

He felt depressed once again.

"First step is successfully done. The next steps would be very painful and this extra soul power would be very useful in enduring it. Meanwhile, I prepared a special training for you. I want you to go through it properly.

"

He gave a spatial ring with a bunch of different things that Stone will need for his training.

"I will not be here for the next few days. Just use the communication token I gave you, if something comes up.

"

"Thank you.

"

Sam just brushed it off and walked away.

He went to the academy again. Since this is going to be the first day, he doesn't want to miss what is about to happen.

But when he reached the academy and then the building where the first class is being held, he was dumbfounded.

Because he is standing in a Gym.

A modern Gym with all the machines once could think of.

Sam never ever thought that he would find himself in this place again. He felt so shocked and dazed that he didn't even notice all the hostile gazes that are coming at him.

He walked to the dumbbell rack and picked up one with a number five on it.

Sam was shocked to see that he has to struggle a bit. After all, with his current strength, he could life a mountain. He wouldn't start to think that he couldn't lift a dumbbell.

These are made with special materials and enchantments that would make it suitable for cultivators like him to train their body.

Sam used observation ability to check the dumbbell, but at this moment, a dozen or so seniors entered the room and attracted everyone's attention.

Sam put the dumbbell back and looked at the seniors. The group is being led by Crow and when Sam noticed the hostile gaze from Crow, he knew things might get interesting.

"Good day everyone, this is going to be your very first lesson in the Gambler's academy and it will be taught by us, your seniors.

Get ready for the most unique lesson in your life yet.

The place you are in is called a Gym and everything you see here is built to train your muscles, each machine and equipment is designed to train a specific muscle group in your body.

We will teach you how to use this equipment today, but there is just one twist.

"