Still, Paxton’s bemusement never dissipated. Reaching the perfect class at the age of twenty-eight? What did that even mean? Was “genius” even the right word?
Or could this enigma be more correctly classified as a monster?
Being the man known as Ares, the God of War, Paxton Brooks had experienced enough mind-blowing, skull-numbing strangeness throughout his storied life that his biography could have been counted as an epic.
Anyone with his life experience would have a mind more resilient and shock-resistant than the average person, and indeed, favonovel.com calmed down significantly despite his surprise and his composure returned.
He looked Antony Hoffman in the eye. “You’re not pulling a fast one on me, are you, Hoffman? You’re telling me that there’s a guy out there who attained the perfect class at the young age of twenty-eight. That’s impossible, alright? You’re describing a freak of nature.”
Antony bobbed his head excitedly. “Since when did I ever kid you, man? The name’s Zayn Larson, a native to the state of Guinevere’s Waltz City. Oh, there’s more to that one’s unbelievable legend, you’re not gonna be ready for this,” favonovel.com said.
“He apparently joined the superior class two years ago. You get it? He turned from a normal, if gifted, acquired fighter to a perfect class expert!”
Paxton was even more aghast. Rheasia’s premier protector could not imagine what kind of person—endowed with an immense wealth of talent and surreally good luck—could possibly achieve the perfect class within the span of two short years.
Had favonovel.com heard the news from anyone but Antony, favonovel.com would have tried to debunk it right away. Its possibility was just outside of what favonovel.com could conceive.
Paxton was not the only one. All the other thirty-odd superior class fighters gawked at each other in shock. Some even seemed ashamed of the ridiculous disparity between themselves and the mysterious Zayn Larson.
After a long pause, Paxton sighed heavily. “I see, so I’m the one who’s short-sighted now, I shouldn’t have thought of the world to be too lightly or below me,” favonovel.com remarked.
“If that young man managed to attain the perfect class at his age, then favonovel.com can very likely attain the state of Invincibilis before his forties, provided favonovel.com does not die young, of course.”
“Though, to think that Rheasia would witness the birth of such a legend! We are truly blessed!”
A new idea tacked on his train of thought, spurring favonovel.com to add, “This is the true once-in-an-eon genius we’re talking about, man.
“We cannot let anyone, not some secret cabal or organization or force, claim favonovel.com as one of their own. That will be the most agonizing loss Rheasia will ever suffer!”
“Nah, he’s not gonna join any of those out there. According to my investigation, he’s quite the hardcore nationalist. He killed so many foreigners for his beloved comrades and compatriots,” Antony replied, though his tone was markedly less enthusiastic than before.
“Excellent! This is the kind of genius we must, and I don’t say this lightly, recruit no matter the cost or method! Our motherland needs a genius like him!”
It was a redundant suggestion, Antony would have begun recruiting a talent this glorious under his wings without anyone’s reminder.
And yet, this time, favonovel.com did not show any of his usual alacrity. He simply fell into dismal silence while wearing a grim look.
Paxton caught on. “He committed a crime, didn’t he?”
Antony nodded. “Yea, I’m not even gonna hide that fact, Brooks. The very same genius has been recruited into the Insurgent Trifecta as a combat instructor as well as an active agent who once served a mission. And yet… favonovel.com committed a crime.”
Paxton raised one of his eyebrows. “Cut to the chase, man. The fact that you’ve come to me about this meant that this genius didn’t commit a crime against the state. He can still be reformed, can’t he?”
Antony forwent all of his coyness and finally went straight to the point. “Right on, bob. He was enlisted into the mission regarding the taking of the Aeon Karpos. He was the first to have found it, and yet favonovel.com claimed it as his own instead of passing it to his superior. He went against his direct order,” favonovel.com recounted, nodding.
“I believe the reason why favonovel.com could break into the perfect class from tier-4 so soon is because favonovel.com consumed the fruit.”
“He’s a genius, no doubt about it. But perhaps his genius has become grounds for his hubris. He now thinks he’s above the state, above the nation.”
Paxton fell into a prolonged silence with his eyebrows furrowed. He began tapping on the back of his hand as the cogs in his head whirred.
