Nexus looked up at the woman and his eye darkened with contempt.
"Last I checked, you weren't the officer in charge of this terminal, " he said flatly. So do yourself a favor—shut your mouth and mind your business… before I help you do that."
His tone was casual, but it carried enough weight to pressure the people around. Rank-wise, she was his equal—but Nexus spoke as if she were nothing.
The Lead Sentinel didn't flinch. "I have been temporarily posted here till further notice," she replied, leaping from the balcony. Her boots slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. "And you will obey the laws of my terminal."
Nexus took a step forward and his tone dropped into something colder.
"You know… death is a contagious disease. And I've proven to be a very efficient carrier. I won't repeat myself a second time. Mind your business, Marcus Black is a member of my team, and he doesn't need to answer to you."
Surprisingly, the female Lead Sentinel didn't talk back at Nexus, which was weird to Marcus because she was well within her rights. Moreover, it was clear on her face that she was displeased but didn't dare voice her complaint.
And that silence said everything.
Marcus blinked, caught off guard by the way she folded. She was well within her rights. Why was she backing down?
He looked around and noticed something else… The customs officers had subtly shifted away, giving Nexus and his squad a wide berth.
They out number us. They are all Awakened. And they are all armed with Plasma-grade weapons. Why do they look as if they're all scared of Nexus, and the rest of his squad members?
A chill ran down Marcus's spine. Who is this man? There was something about Nexus, something violent and terrifying that the others clearly recognized.
"We'll be taking our leave now," Nexus said and turned around, walking back to the truck. His squad followed without a glance at the customs officers.
Marcus hesitated for a moment before turning as well—only to freeze.
A sharp, stinging pressure erupted from his ears—pure instinct screaming danger.
He spun just in time to see a hand—elegant, and feminine. Wrapped in killing—coming straight for his skull. It was the Lead Sentinel. Her palm moved with such force that the air around it rippled. He couldn't dodge.
Not at that speed.
Before it could connect with his head—
WsshhBOOM!
Nexus moved.
He didn't turn or shout, he just flicked his hand through the air and space seemed to buckle.
A pressure wave like a cavitation bubble ripped from thin air—slammed into the Sentinel's hand mid-strike and hurled her like a ragdoll. She screamed as her body crashed into a tree the size of a small tower.
And then a second explosion followed. The delayed shockwave from Nexus's strike ripped through the air like fire, detonated against the tree and shattered chunks of its trunk.
Wood splintered. Bark exploded and leaves rained down.
The customs officers went still as their breaths caught in their lungs.
Marcus stood there stunned. His mind tried to catch up with all that just happened.
The woman, an elite Lead Sentinel—had been obliterated in second. Not dead, but broken. Reduced to a smear of pride and bruised limbs.
And Nexus… he hadn't even looked.
He was already climbing into the back of the truck with a bored expression on his face—like he had just swatted an annoying insect.
Marcus stared at him with his eyes wide open.
A cavitation bubble. Just… air. He moved air, with that kind of force? He wasn't bluffing when he said he could break mountains with a punch.
Marcus glanced at the others and quickly noticed—none of them were shocked. Not like he was. Keeyah and the rest moved without hesitation, climbing back into their trucks as if nothing had happened.
They had seen worse. That much was clear.
For the first time since they met, Nexus saw a flicker of genuine shock on Marcus's face.
He smirked.
"Hey, kid," He called out. "You planning to stay behind? Or do you still want to leave with us?"
Perhaps I should have introduced myself to him this way in the beginning. Nexus thought. Maybe he would have respected me more.
Marcus blinked away his disbelief and composed himself. He silently climbed back into the truck. The convoy resumed its journey, winding through the corridor of colossal trees.
"So…" With a smug grin on his face, Nexus began. "What do you think?"
"About what?"
"What do you mean about what?" Nexus scoffed. "Didn't you see how I handled that overbearing vulture?"
Marcus leaned back and replied with a dry tone. "Well… you did claim to be capable of breaking mountains apart with a simple punch. She wasn't a mountain, should I be impressed?"
Nexus smile tightened and his fist curled reflexively.
No, not now. Wait till he joins the squad. Then you can teach him some manners. Hold on now, we can't let such a promising workhorse slip out of our hands because of this… patience.
Consoling himself, he chuckled and shook his head.
Captain's really holding himself back. Keeyah noted, stifling her laugh behind a cough. He must really want this rookie to join the squad.
The rest of the squad exchanged looks. They couldn't believe Marcus still had the guts to talk back like that. After what he had just seen? He was either fearless—or an idiot.
A few minutes passed in silence before Marcus broke it again. "If you had to rate the move you made… compared to your full strength, what percentage would you say you used?"
Nexus gave a small smile, lifting his hand and spreading his fingers wide.
"Fifty percent?" Marcus guessed aloud, immediately comparing himself to the captain. If that's half his strength, then I might be able to catch up to him in a few years
Marcus was using Nexus as a way to measure his future progress and goals he would have meet.
Nexus shook his head.
"No, less than five percent."
Marcus stared and his mouth suddenly went dry.
"I haven't gone all out in a few years, so I'm not certain of how to gauge my strength." He added.
The moment he heard this, he began wondering whether or not he should change who he use as a figured head for his goals… his mouth suddenly went dry.
"…Did you use Wilder Force in that move?" He asked.
"No… just a portion of one my attributes."
Slowly, Marcus began to piece a few things together. He could understand why those customs officers were afraid of Nexus, and also why the Lead Sentinel restrained herself from talking back at him. Also, he began wondering if he should mind the way he spoke to the captain.
The man wasn't just strange. He was something else entirely. The kind of powerful weird you didn't want to provoke.
And this got Marcus rethinking his tone.
Avoid powerful weirdos, he noted to himself. Especially the ones who can swat people through trees without blinking.