Chapter 28: Epic Quest Activation

Declan’s eyes widened.

"C-grade."

That was already considered one of the higher peaks in some Grade B cities.

"The average Affinity Potential here is B-grade," The Boss continued. "And A-grade is worth a nod."

"The true head-turners are the S-grades, and we have nearly a hundred S-grade individuals recorded within X City."

Declan’s expression changed.

"S-grade? I... I thought that was a myth."

The Boss shook his head.

"Morgaret recommended you, correct?"

Declan nodded.

"Then you’ve already met an S-grade Nexian."

A glint flashed through Declan’s eyes.

Boss Morg is S-grade?

That explained a lot about her overwhelming strength and ridiculous speed.

The ease with which she had slaughtered the Seedian Nexian, who didn’t seem much older than she was.

It all made sense now.

"Refusing entry to people from other cities is, in a sense, a method of preserving the talent already present within X City."

"It’s a complicated process, but you should now have an idea of why X restricts entry so heavily."

Declan nodded.

For a city to preserve such an extraordinary concentration of talent, there had to be a reason behind its strict restrictions. And clearly, keeping outsiders away was one of the methods they used.

"And even though the inhabitants of X City may look similar to one another, there is an important hierarchy that separates some X-Mordrans from others."

Declan’s brow furrowed.

"But that’s not something you need to worry about yet."

The Boss shifted his gaze toward him.

"The X mark on your neck isn’t merely a symbol of citizenship."

"It is an X Guardian Mark."

"X Guardian?"

"You’ve already met two Guardians, Declan."

"Morgaret and Dumblewick."

Declan nodded.

"What would you say is one thing peculiar about them?"

"Something you find special about both of them."

Declan didn’t need to think.

"They’re insanely efficient."

The Boss smiled.

"Efficient? In what way?"

"Boss Morg is an exceptional fighter. The strongest I’ve ever seen."

"And while I initially doubted Dumblewick’s capabilities, the moment we were attacked, he proved himself."

"He was so efficient that I never even saw the people attacking us before all of them were destroyed."

"They’re incredibly efficient."

Declan’s voice trailed off as he finished speaking.

"Believe me, Declan."

"Morgaret and Dumblewick weren’t born that way."

"They spent years training to become X Guardians."

"You have become an X Guardian because of Morgaret’s recommendation, but as you already know, you’re still nowhere near their level."

Declan didn’t argue, because he was painfully aware of that fact.

He was indeed nothing compared to them...

For now.

"That is why you will have to start the same way Morgaret and Dumblewick did."

"You will have to train."

"They went through training to get the mark, but you already have the mark."

"All that is needed now is for you to undergo the same training they did."

"I understand," Declan said.

"And speaking of training..." The Boss continued, causing Declan to look forward, only to realize that they had already arrived before their destination.

The Core Tower of X City.

"This is X Guard Academy!"

"The Core Tower is an academy!?" Declan asked in shock, and The Boss simply nodded.

"It is."

"X Guard Academy is officially the second-highest-ranking Nexian Academy in the world."

"I’m surprised you’re not aware of that," he said, glancing toward Declan, who scratched the back of his head.

"Ever since my Affinity Potential test, I stopped paying attention to Nexian-related stuff," Declan admitted, and The Boss chuckled in understanding.

"This Academy has produced ninety percent of the X Guardians in the world today, along with some of the most powerful Nexians on Mordran."

"In fact, three of the current top ten strongest Nexians on Mordran graduated from X Guard Academy," he added.

That finally made Declan recognize the significance of the massive structure standing before him.

"If you wish to become a full-fledged X Guardian worthy of the mark on your neck, then you must attend."

"I... I don’t have any money on me, though," Declan said, making The Boss chuckle.

"Being an X recruit is already one of the advantages of being an X Guardian. Just think of yourself as attending the school on a scholarship program."

"But..." Declan mused, his eyebrows creasing as he stared at the academy. "My potential is Null. Am I even worthy of going through that door?" he muttered.

"That’s what surprises me, too," The Boss said, and Declan turned toward him.

"Morgaret knew about the academy and its requirements for entrance, yet she recommended you knowing full well you’d be joining an academy where even C-grade potentials sometimes fail to make the mark."

"Even if you don’t wish to become a Nexian and only want to become a Mech Scientist, you still need at least a C-grade potential to be guaranteed entrance."

"I don’t know what Morgaret was thinking when she recommended you, but..." The Boss paused for a moment before continuing.

"I know Morgaret."

"If she believed you could become an X Guardian, then you could be a Guardian."

"Hmmm."

"See, Declan, I’m not sending you here because I know you’re worthy."

"Strictly speaking, you’re far from being worthy at all," he said, looking directly at him, and Declan couldn’t argue with that in the slightest.

"I’m sending you here because I believe in Morgaret’s judgment of you, no matter how crazy it may seem."

"If you wish to survive and achieve your wish, then it’s time you find out what Morgaret saw in you and begin believing in it too."

As he spoke, The Boss’s hoverboard gradually lowered until the two of them arrived before the academy’s massive revolving glass doors.

"The training will take years, four at least," he continued, turning toward Declan. "But you’re not an ordinary recruit."

"You’re already officially a Guardian, so at any time, you could be called out to perform missions as a Guardian."

"The world is vast, Declan, and there are many things you are yet to be aware of."

The Boss lowered himself onto one knee, though even then, he remained at Declan’s eye level.

"While your potential for greatness is really low, the view you hold of the world, the uniqueness of that view, is something I have never seen before."

And truly, The Boss meant it.

Declan’s words back in the vehicle had been remarkably deep, and the realization he had reached wasn’t some random statement thrown out simply to answer a question. The way he had spoken made it seem as though he had genuinely lived through the very experience he was describing and arrived at the conclusion himself.

That was something truly unique.

"If you wish to be great, just like you said..." The Boss said, reaching into his coat and pulling out a blue card bearing a strange symbol before sliding it into Declan’s hands.

"This card is the pass, and that glass over there..." He pointed toward the entrance of the Core Tower. "That is the starting line to your greatest wish."

Declan stared silently at the glass doors before turning toward The Boss, who slowly rose to his feet.

The hoverboard beneath him merged into one, and he stood atop it as it began carrying him slowly into the sky.

"We’ll meet again, Declan Ezra."

The moment those words were completed, The Boss suddenly glitched out of existence and disappeared, leaving behind a storm of air that raged through the area and threw Declan’s hair wildly around his head.

Yet his gaze remained fixed on the card in his grip.

He eventually lowered it and turned toward the glass doors that stood silently before him, almost as though they were waiting for him.

There was nobody around, nor was there any gaze watching him, giving Declan the chance to truly think.

And right now, he had only one thought.

Should he step in?

A place where even C-grades struggled to get into?

His chance of surviving in that environment wasn’t even one percent. It was practically nonexistent.

And the chances of him crumbling under the pressure or simply getting himself killed?

Those were nearly one hundred percent.

But at the same time, this was it.

The second-best academy in the world.

This was the best opportunity he had ever been given.

Would he really just let it pass him by?

"I..." Declan said, taking a step backward from the glass doors. "I just need more time to think about it."

He had barely finished speaking when a golden notification suddenly flashed before his eyes.

║ Epic Quest Activated: Join The X Guard Academy! ║

║ Rewards: ??? ║

║ Punishment: Level Up Cards Will Cease To Exist For The Host ║

"What!?"

Declan’s shout echoed through the entrance, but he was immediately silenced by another flashing notification.

[Time limit left: 9 seconds...]

"Hey, what do you mean by punishment!?"

[7 seconds left.]

"Hey, stop counting the time down! I’m asking—"

[4 seconds.]

Declan gritted his teeth, and in the next moment, bolted forward and rushed through the glass doors.

High in the sky, unknown to Declan, The Boss remained there, looking down at Declan rushing into the gates.

But he wasn’t alone.

Standing beside him was a woman who wasn’t floating on a hoverboard. Instead, she simply stood in the air with no visible support, a crimson coat draped over her shoulder.

"Oh, he really took the step in," she said with a light giggle.

"Impressive courage, but..." The woman continued, turning toward The Boss. "Without a Core in him, he’ll be dead in a week at most."

She chuckled to herself, but The Boss merely narrowed his eyes.

"Morgaret recommended him."

The woman’s giggling immediately stopped as one eyebrow rose.

"Is she trying to get rid of him?"