Endless Vertex

A photograph ripped in pieces scattered all across the eerie and shadowy throne room. Combining all the shreds, would have shown a picture of a teenager, lifting a severely burnt body in his arms with insanity dancing in his eyes.

"My dear! How could you leave me?!" The woman weeped blood tears and it dyed her originally beautiful features red.

She grasped an old, yellowish photograph tightly, kissing the good-looking man in green army suit gently.

The woman was in the frame, the man planting a kiss on her cheek, and the woman clearly enjoyed it.

Atlas would have recognized who he was. The man is no other than Nam.

"Send out two Tier 2 and one Tier 3 Axonns! I want to see this boy"s head! Dead or alive!" The woman howled at a pale figure in the corner, clenching her jaw.

A scaly thin man kneeled on the ground, hiding a sinister snicker in the shadows.

[Blinded by a mortal"s death. Pathetic! The Underground a.s.sociation provides a greater future than this useless spy.]

"Yes, leader Vanessa."

She reclined on her throne as soon as the servant left. On the peak of the throne, carved a symbol of a beautiful rose.

She did not express insanity, but still mourned silently.

"Underground a.s.sociation. You really think I"m that much of a stupid woman." She kissed the photo one last time before storing it back into its gorgeous frame. "My love"s death is not your fault, yet you"re indirectly responsible. If you can survive this, I"ll let you go. For the sake of Nam." She shut her eyes, resting quietly on the throne, the rose at a specific height to wear like a majestic crown.

———————

The hectic street was swarmed with locals and tourists, sellers and buyers, bargaining the best prices.

Atlas and Nova strolled the stalls, mouth occupied with all varieties of food.

"Stress eating works like charm!" Atlas mumbled while chewing food, bits and pieces flying out.

Nova"s unique hairstyle and fair skin was a center of attraction among young female pa.s.serby, constantly dragged around to receive selfies.

Atlas"s handsome look and appealing appearance should have dealt some effect too, but him munching on food wasn"t much of help.

Nova rejected another invite, running towards Atlas to escape.

"Yo Atlas, try out that stall. They sell the best smelly tofu!"

"Ew gross. I hate smelly tofu. And also, how do you know? Did you google it?"

"No man!" He chuckled. "I studied primary school here. My batch was stationed here when I was younger, but we left to the headquarters once we graduated primary school. a.s.sa.s.sins need to learn too."

"d.a.m.n! Your education is low!"

"Says the person who never went to school!"

"d.a.m.n it! Can"t argue with that. I was technically homeschooled!"

Remembering the old man teaching him mathematics, Atlas shivered.

Maths, the devil"s advocate. But at least he mastered it. Kinda.

"Nova. Is there a place where I can buy herbs and medicine? Since I have Spiritual Energy now, I wanna try Alchemy." Despite his mentors perverted ways, he also had a cool side.

Watching his mentor create awesome medicine pills with chic style and moves, he has been thoroughly influenced and convinced that Alchemy is a must learn. Since Jay is an alchemist, he has left him many notes in case he reaches Axonn. Being able to forge delicious pills that could heal sounded amazing.

"Let me think. Medicine shop... oh right! Mr. Song"s. Over there! I"m pretty sure it"s still open till night."

They sewed through the crowds, pa.s.sing by a busy stall owner selling handcraft goods with his bare hands. To their surprise, the owner is a Tier 2 Beginner, which explains his ability to carve wooden items without tools.

They came across another extremely popular stall, where the male owner is a Tier 3 Beginner who was stirring fried squid and other delicacies, sprinkling them with a hint of Aura to enhance taste. Atlas gladly purchased one before proceeding to Mr. Song store.

"Screw being a mercenary! I gotta admit, this squid is delicious even if it"s 5 RMB. Imma be rich from just selling food!"

"But there"ll be no thrill."

"Makes sense... oh I think we"re here."

Atlas saw the sign Mr. Song before a grand storefront.

"Geez! It"s been so long!" Exclaiming, Nova rushed in the store.

The bell chimed.

"Good evening, how may I help you?" An old man greeted instinctively.

"Remember me old Song?" Nova laughed at the sight of the old man being a Tier 5 Tyro. "Do Warriors have amnesia too?"

He looked up, squinting to see through his eye gla.s.ses as if trying to determine an illusion.

[Golden hair, black hair...]

His myopic eyes lit up. "Half-half brat! Long time no see! You clearly aren"t that tiny Tier 1 Warrior."

Nova accepted his handshake, gripping it tightly. "My friend over there needs some materials for Alchemy. You"ve got ones that are good for first timers?"

"Jolly good, an alchemist you say? Time flies d.a.m.n fast these days. I can"t believe you are friends with an Axonn! Let me guess. You are an Axonn too?"

"h.e.l.l Yeah that true!" Nova cheered in the empty store, when the last two customers stepped out the doorstep.

"Wait a min boys. I"ll check the back for materials for Tier 1 pills." Mr. Song hummed a tune as he entered the storage room.

"What a nice guy!" They waved their goodbyes after collecting their loot, heading home.

Mr. Song observed relaxingly with his eyes closed as their figures vanished at the end of the street. He flipped the sign from "Hi! We are Open" to "Oops! We are Closed" and shut the metallic gates as if it were part of a casual routine.

He murmured under his breath before locking the shop. "Nova the Ghost and JayJay pervert"s student hanging out together eh? I can"t wait to see them create a loud bang in the Capital city."