Standing at the entrance of the hall was someone who looked strikingly similar to Stan. If Alex thought the first person resembled Stan, this person was almost an exact replica. The only noticeable difference was that Peter, the one standing before them, was shorter and much more muscular than the regular-looking Stan.
"Well... I'm a little surprised you didn't come to bother me with your usual demands," Stan said, a scornful smile playing on his lips as he looked at Peter.
"Come on, you've made your decision," Peter replied, shrugging. "Besides, I heard you brought someone new to the base." He shifted his gaze to Alex, analyzing him from head to toe, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You know, you really need to be careful with your heroic stunts. One day, something big might happen, and a simple memory wipe won't fix it," Peter added, now looking back at Stan with a serious expression.
"Seems like they report everything I do to you now, perhaps seeing you as their new leader," Stan replied, ignoring Peter's warning with a smirk.
"You know you can always take over if you want," Peter said, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm not exactly great at running things on a larger scale like this."
"So, what brings you here?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't like being stuck in hiding. Shouldn't you be outside trying to fix your situation?"
Stan took a deep breath before looking over at Alex, who had quietly stood by his side the entire time. Finally, he spoke.
"This kid beside me is Alex Wyndham... I want him to become a Paragon," Stan said firmly.
"Ah, just like I thought. Another one of your heroic stunts," Peter said with a slight chuckle. "But what I don't get is why you're telling me this. You're free to take him to the faction physicians and have a path chosen for him."
Peter's confusion was evident. He didn't understand why Stan needed his attention on something that seemed so routine.
"Well, his case is a bit different because I'm the one who's going to teach him everything he needs to know," Stan said. "I want Alex Wyndham to become my student."
Hearing this, not only Peter but also the other man in the room stared at Stan in shock.
"Hahaha... You must be joking, right?" Peter asked, laughing nervously, but the serious look on Stan's face said otherwise.
---
Alex sat in a small room, waiting. The room had a long, comfy sofa that he'd been sitting on for a while. He was alone, and every so often, his eyes would dart to the door. He couldn't help but wonder what was taking so long.
'They've been in there for a while. Is something wrong with what Stan said earlier?' Alex thought. He kept replaying the moment when Stan declared he would be Alex's mentor. The looks of shock from Peter and the other man were still fresh in his mind.
Right after that announcement, both Peter and the other man had stormed out of the hall. A few moments later, Alex was led to this room and told to wait. Stan, Peter, and a few others Alex didn't recognize had gone off somewhere, leaving him wondering what was happening behind those doors.
Alex was sure that whatever was going on had something to do with him. But he couldn't understand why it was such a big deal for Stan to become his teacher. After all, he already expected Stan would be the one guiding him.
Meanwhile, in the meeting room, a large oval table sat at the center. The table was made of some crystal-like material that appeared transparent but still strange—you couldn't see through it. Around the table were six people: four young men, one older man, and a woman. Each of them had an aura of authority, a clear indication that they were the leaders and decision-makers of the Dragon Roar faction.
"So, Elder Rooney, what's your take on this? Stan wants to mentor an outsider of all people. We can't allow that," Peter said, sounding more agitated with each word.
"Calm down, bro," Stan replied coolly. "I'm doing what I want. It's not like I'm under many restrictions, and besides, all of you have squads you train, so why does it matter what I do with mine?"
Peter frowned and shook his head. "You know what you're doing. You won't even teach the direct descendants, but you're willing to take an outsider as your student?"
Peter wanted to say more, to argue, but a loud bang echoed across the room as Elder Rooney slammed his hand on the table.
"Enough, both of you!" Elder Rooney's voice boomed with authority, silencing the room.
"You two haven't changed, always at each other's throats," the elder continued, shaking his head slightly. The room quieted down after that, the tension thick in the air. Elder Rooney sat back, letting a moment of silence pass as he thought.
"I understand there's no strict rule against what Stan is doing, but can I at least know why you want to teach someone who's not a direct descendant of the family?" Elder Rooney asked, his gaze focused on Stan.
Stan leaned back in his chair and let out a small sigh. "I saw something in the boy. And besides, I need something to take my mind off my current situation. It's not like I've found a solution to that yet," Stan explained.
"That's hardly a reason," Peter snapped, cutting Stan off mid-sentence. "You're doing this out of your own will, for your own reasons."
Elder Rooney's hand slammed down on the table again, though this time more gently, just enough to silence the room once more. "Enough!" His voice, though quieter this time, still carried the weight of authority.
"Well, look at that," one of the younger men, Caspian, spoke up, gesturing to the unbroken table. "It didn't break. Seems this material suits you best, Elder."
The tension in the room lifted slightly at Caspian's comment, but the quiet soon returned as Elder Rooney's face grew serious once more. After a few more moments of silence, he spoke again.
"Stan, do you mind if I take a look at this new student of yours? Perhaps I can perform the examination on him myself," Elder Rooney asked. His request shocked everyone at the table, including Stan.
Stan stood up slowly, a slight smirk on his face. "I don't have any problem with that, but I want to make it clear that whatever you decide won't change my mind," Stan said firmly, already heading towards the door.
---
Meanwhile, Alex was still seated in the waiting room, his thoughts running wild. He had been sitting for what felt like hours, staring at the door that seemed to hold all the answers. His nerves were getting the best of him, and he couldn't help but fidget.
Finally, the door creaked open. Alex's heart raced as he saw several figures step out. Stan was at the front, followed closely by Elder Rooney and the others from the meeting. Their eyes were all on Alex, their expressions intense and unreadable.
Alex stood up awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do as they approached.
Nothing was said to Alex other than the instruction to follow the group of six. They led him to an open space room. This room was empty, featuring only a plain area with nothing in sight. As Alex stood in the middle, the six of them surrounded him, making Alex feel small and a bit nervous about what was happening.
"Alright, kid, we need to examine you and find out which path best suits your body," Rooney instructed, ensuring that his tone sounded more commanding. He put pressure on Alex to comply.
The pressure was so intense that Alex didn't hesitate; he took off his top, revealing his pale skin. To their surprise, there were no visible muscles; they all seemed to lay flat beneath his skin.
Soon after, Alex was told to sit down. Elder Rooney followed suit, placing his palm on Alex's back. A light glow appeared immediately.
"Not bad. The boy seems to have already awakened his sense of consciousness," Elder Rooney remarked.
"I told you he's talented," Stan said with a smirk, while Peter scoffed at this.
"Not as talented as the direct descendants," he retorted.
Meanwhile, Elder Rooney decided to ignore the banter between the two. He closed his eyes and focused.
"Now, kid, let's see which path you are destined to follow. Maybe you will become one of those mages, or perhaps a warrior. You might even end up mastering both paths," Elder Rooney said, already having high expectations for Alex.
Not long after he closed his eyes, he found himself in a familiar setting. It was a dark space, shrouded in a light fog that covered the entire area.
"I have never seen this type of scene in someone's sea of consciousness," Elder Rooney thought as he began to look around for something specific.
Then, a part of the fog started to clear, revealing something hidden behind it.
"There it is," Rooney thought, his body naturally moving towards that direction until he suddenly halted, shock etched on his face.
"This kid... How could he... How can he have four cores in his sea of consciousness?" Elder Rooney exclaimed, his body shaking with excitement. Now he understood why Stan was eager to become this boy's teacher.