God of Destruction: Living Among Mortals

As Adam was startled, thinking that Marcus had lost it, Nova suddenly woke up like a zombie, sitting up at high velocity, which astonished Adam so much that he nearly fainted. Marcus saw him with his shadow manipulation and sat him down, shifting his gaze towards Nova.

"That was one hell of a fight," Marcus stated, smiling at him, his voice appreciative and low, standing straight like a statue, so perfectly symmetrical. "Recover fast, since tomorrow starts the three days' worth of training, until you get to your first dungeon."

Nova was dumbfounded by what Marcus had just said, as he didn't know he was accepted as one of the finalists chosen to represent the guild.

Nova spoke up, his voice shaky, not in nervousness, but in excitement. "What... I was accepted?" He couldn't believe that even though he didn't participate in the other two matches, he was still accepted. He also didn't want his narcissistic side to appear, so he tried to control himself.

Marcus let out a short, sharp laugh that echoed in the room. "Accepted? Nova, you didn't just get accepted. You put on a fucking masterclass. It was so entertaining to watch, it made me miss my teenage days. The way you moved, all the raw instincts and brutal efficiency being demonstrated. It was just so pure. The crowd had lost its mind at the end. Half of them were screaming, and the other half were too stunned to even breathe. And when that little shit finally popped. Oh god, that was exquisite." He whistled.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, his formal posture finally cracking into something more gangster-like. "They were over the moon. Chanting your name. A million people, all screaming for the guy who bled on live television and just kept getting back up."

He smiled brightly again, then said in a proud tone, like a father: "You were the star of the tournament. The inspiration for civilians to keep trying and pushing themselves further. Plus, I didn't give the council a choice. I told them straight up to shut the fuck up. And also told them if they didn't accept you and the kid here," he nodded at Adam, "I'd personally fund the rival guild and poach every last one of their precious recruits."

Adam, who had been quietly comprehending all the information being shared, finally found his shattered voice: "S-since wh-when did you know he was aw-awake?" He kept pausing, looking between the two of them like he was the butt of a joke he didn't understand.

Marcus smirked, slightly chuckling. "The second I walked in. His breathing changed, and I heard too much movement beforehand. It's a trick you learn over time. So, don't worry about it, you will learn."

Then he decided to add more information, giving Nova a sidelong glance. "Most people, when they're really out, they breathe from the diaphragm, and your guy here was doing shallow chest breaths, controlling them. So, I figured I'd let him have his little drama, but it seems like he folded in a second."

Adam blinked, his brain trying to comprehend the amount of information being thrown at him, again. "S-so you just... know all that? Just from breathing?" His stuttering had improved, as he felt comfortable enough to be more open to the two.

"It's not just the breathing," Marcus said, his tone shifting from amused to authoritative, like a professor addressing a promising but hopeless student. "It's the slight tension in the jaw. The way the fingers twitch when they think no one's looking. It's just the way the body moves slightly that you have to pay attention to."

He gestured vaguely at Nova, who was now looking slightly goofy and sad, since his plan of creating more drama had failed. "Nova has a telltale sign," stepping closer to Nova, "a little vein that throbs right here," Marcus then pointed at his own temple, "when he'd concentrate too hard on not concentrating. Essentially, his vein betrays him."

Nova subconsciously brought a hand to his temple, his face blending in annoyance, with respect for such a small detail. He'd spent eons upon eons being the most powerful being next to Father, but now, as a mortal, another mortal dissecting him like he was a common card from an opening.

Marcus's smirk returned, wider this time in more excitement. "See? He's doing it again. If you want to gain stealth, you'd better learn to control your veins; otherwise, anyone can tell if you're truly dead or not."

The room became silent, except for all the beeps of the heart monitor, as Marcus let his dialogue run through both of their brains for a moment. It didn't feel like they were in a hospital; it felt like they were back in high school.

"Which is why," Marcus continued, his voice dropping back into that serious, mature tone, "training starts at 5:00 AM. Not 5:01 AM. Not 'when you feel like it.' It's going to be 5 o'clock in the morning for the next three days. You will have seventy-two hours to refine and jot down any improvements you may need, since you will be exploring and defeating your first ever dungeon."

He took a step back, his figure once again imposing that perfect symmetry in the doorway. "So, enjoy the rest of your... drama," he said, the word knitted with a final, teasing jab. "Get whatever sleep you can actually manage. Because tomorrow, the real training starts. And I promise you, it will make fighting that over crystallized brat feel like a relaxing day at the spa."

With a final, unreadable glance that took in both of them, Marcus turned and left like a model. The door clicked shut, which was the only voice the two could concentrate on, leaving behind a silence that was now filled with the heavy, terrifying, and exhilarating weight of tomorrow's anticipation.

The anticipation was a physical thing, thick enough to taste. And Nova couldn't wait for another adrenaline boost.