"Captain, are you joking?" Charlotte asked. Even though her face remained unreadable, her voice expressed disbelief.
She said softly, her voice a huge contrast to her cold exterior as though it served to melt the cold deference she had as a default demeanor.
It was enough to make Marcus look at her again, but only for a split moment.
Nexus looked between them and chuckled. "Come on, it's not that deep. I'm trying to let the rest know that I'm back, and will be coming for what they owe me. It's been ten years, they should be able to afford what they owe now."
Marcus looked at Nexus, knowing from the expressions of the rest that he was probably about to be sent to do something dangerous, and he didn't like it.
Logan's advice for him to remain low kept ringing in his head. And he was planning on sticking to that advice.
"Um… Captain. I would like to refrain from leaving the barracks until I'm strong enough, I heard that I would be seen as an easy target for many to pick on."
Nexus tilted his head with his grin still plastered on his face. "Logan told you that?"
Marcus replied with a nod.
"Well," Nexus shrugged, "Originally, I was going to wait a month or two before pushing you out… but seeing how much you've grown in a day, I don't think I need to wait that long anymore."
Though Charlotte didn't know much about Marcus, she understood that Nexus had a thing for exceptionally talented individuals. He was a gambler when it came to talent—always betting high on those with potential, always throwing them into the fire to see if they'd burn or ascend.
And she understood this well, after all, she's also a product of this ideology, however, she felt that Marcus was too weak to carry out such a duty.
"Captain, he might get killed."
"Killed?" He laughed. "They don't dare to. Cripple him? They might consider it. However, they know better than to let the higher realms fight against a Mortal Realm under my command. If they attempt such, they know that I'll ignore the rules and kill their little chickens. So no, he's still safe."
"Captain, you've been in seclusion for over a decade, other Mansions have taken in new talents. Some of them even got their hands on a few monsters that could be somewhat compared to us. There's a certain Mortal Realm prodigy in the Western Palace. She's a Cultivator, and she's close to the peak of the Mortal Realm. She's already strong enough to fight well against Earth Realm Awakened and Cultivators, she would wipe the floor with Marcus."
Listening to all of this, Marcus could already tell that Nexus was planning on having him go fight. If not so, he was at least about to send him to go looking for trouble, in the name of collecting his debt.
"Captain, I don't think I can fight people so far ahead of me," he interjected.
"With such a weak mindset how do you want to become strong? You should be begging me to permit you to go ahead." Nexus snapped at him.
I'd rather stay back and continue my studies on Runes. I still haven't gotten the chance to start reading up on how to create cultivation arts.
"Captain, he's not a battle-hungry person like you," Charlotte uttered, pointing out the obvious.
Even she could only sense a scholarly-like aura from Marcus. And it was much different from the one she was used to sensing from Logan.
Nexus waved them off. "You all worry too much. This kid is only a Level 0, and he fought against several Level 14 Vorathis Minxs, killing a few without lifting a finger. He is also a Savant."
Charlotte's lids trembled at that statement and she turned her gaze towards Marcus.
Keeyah cut in. "Captain, not all Savants are made for combat."
"Why do you assume that I'm sending him to fight? I only said I was going to send him to collect some debt for me. He's to go there, deliver a message, and then come back here."
"Captain… I'm almost at the beginner's level of being a Rune Master." Marcus revealed.
He mentioned this because he didn't want to go anywhere and would want Nexus to give him some time to grow.
"What? Did you have prior knowledge of Runes?"
"No. I only started yesterday,"
Even without having to deduce much, Marcus could tell that Logan had lied to him about his talent.
This revelation shocked everyone in the room. It was one thing to have his mental stats increase and another to claim that he was on the cusp of being a Rune Master.
"Have you inscribed anything yet?" Nexus asked, suddenly seriously.
"I was about to make my first attempt on paper when Keeyah came for me." He replied.
So… still undecided yet…
Nexus sighed and gave a dry laugh. Rubbing the back of his neck.
The idea of Marcus being a naturally gifted Rune Master unnerved him more than it should. "Then you must have a great affinity for Runes. Don't worry, when you get back, you can continue doing that."
"But according to Sentinel Logan, I'm untalented when it comes to Runes. He reprimanded me after asking how I was able to visualize Irregular Runes."
He pushed on.
As though he had dropped another bomb shell, the room went silent.
This time, even Nexus didn't have anything to say. He remained silent and looked at Marcus as though he were looking at an alien.
"You manifested Irregular Runes?" Charlotte asked, speaking to Marcus for the first time.
"No," Marcus frowned. He couldn't recall doing anything like that. "I visualized them in my mind."
"Marcus," Nexus said carefully, "Can you visualize it again? Right here?"
With a look of confusion, Marcus replied a nod. He couldn't understand what visualizing would do for them. Either way, he closed his eyes and proceeded to do it.
Calming his mental state, he soon began to trace the first Alphonic Prime he learned. And just like it had happened in the library, it manifested over his head.
This time, Nexus felt his knees soften a bit.
Just when it seemed like Marcus was done, he pressed forward. Without hesitation, he manifested a second Irregular Prime.
Lightning cracked over his head and the air hissed. But unlike the unstable renditions from the library, these Runes held their form. Balanced and unnervingly potent.
Marcus felt the weight of their presence in the air. Perhaps it was because his mental stats had increased, his senses were able to pick up on their presence. And yet, driven by curiosity, or perhaps something deeper, he reached for a third Irregular Prime
The lines began to form in his mind and the world responded.
But before the third could fully take shape, a firm hand gripped his shoulder, and his eyes snapped open.
Smoke coiled in thick trails through the room as sparks danced in the air. There was a fire burning the pile of old documents at the corner of the room.
Marcus blinked, a bit confused, with his heart thudding. He too felt that something crazy would have happened if he had completed that third Irregular Prime.
Everyone stared, wide-eyed and wordless at him.
And then…
Laughter erupted.
Nexus roared with laughter so loud that it boomed through the office and down the halls. His voice shook the walls of the building and left cracks on them.
"I've struck it big with you!" He bellowed as his eyes gleamed like fire.
Still caught between awe and guilt, Marcus couldn't tell if that was a blessing—or a curse.