Weapon seller in the world of magic

However, Mark shook his head, dispelling their thoughts. ”I don’t care for righteous men. Or heroes who chant about justice and fairness and all that bullshit. That idealism doesn’t sit with me.

He turned his head slightly, just enough to catch Lan Xia’s face with the corner of his eye. ”I only care about three things.”

He could see that those three seemed a bit tense, observing him. He didn’t exactly keep his voice low and casually spoke.

”One,” he said, holding up a single finger. ”Can you grow strong enough to be useful?”

”Two.” Another finger. ”Will you stay loyal to me, not to the sect, not to the flags, not to the elders, me?”

”Three.” His voice turned razor-edged. ”Never cross my bottom line.”

Lan Xia tilted her head slightly, her voice soft but precise. ”And how are they supposed to know what your bottom line is?”

Mark shrugged. ”Simple. Travel with me. And pay attention to what I do. In what situation, I spare people, and in what situation, I don’t care.”

Then, he turned fully to her, still walking backward now, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. ”Or else, why do you think I keep letting you tag along?” he said. ”Just because you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever encountered?”

Lan Xia froze for a fraction of a step. Her expression flickered—not breaking, but shifting. The faintest touch of color bloomed on her cheeks.

”You... never mentioned that before,” she muttered, her voice caught somewhere between confused and defensive.

Mark raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly as though trying to read her like one of his weapon manuals.

”Hmm?”

”Nothing,” she said quickly. ”It’s nothing.”

She looked ahead again. But the faint crimson at the tip of her ears betrayed her. For all her coldness, that single comment struck deeper than any of his weapons could.

Mark blinked. Was she... embarrassed? No, it was more than that. He watched her for a second longer. Her steps were steadier now, but her breathing had changed—barely audible, but not the same rhythm. As if the mention of her beauty had stirred something she hadn’t let rise in a long time.

Or ever.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. ”Perhaps, no one ever told her?”

She was one of the strongest in their cohort, feared for her sword, respected for her discipline—but perhaps not once had anyone looked at her like a woman.

Mark looked away and said nothing more. But the thought lingered.

Behind them, the three couldn’t help but cast a glance at Lan Xia. All of them had the same thoughts. There’s something going on between these two.

Soon, the World Portal roared to life as the five stepped one after another

The jump gate fractured reality like shattering glass, flinging Team Genesis through the lightless rift into the choking air of the 47th Outpost’s second frontier zone.

Basically, 47th Outpost is a star system with 12 planets, of which only 3 are rocky and inhabited by humans.

Those three were named first, second, and third frontier zones.

And Mark and his team, named Genesis, chose the second frontier zone as priority due to the fact that it currently has the highest human population.

It was a dead and dry planet, blackened stone plains stretched to the horizon, cracked and scorched under a copper sky. The sun above hung low and red, swollen and sickly.

There were no rivers, no lakes.

Water here slept beneath the earth in ancient aquifers, hoarded beneath cities carved into subterranean stone.

By the time Mark and his team arrived, only one stronghold remained: Mulan, the last underground bastion of Second Frontier. A city of steel doors, choking corridors, and flickering lights.

But before they could even take a step toward their destination, the beasts that guarded the portal they came out of attacked.

All five of them had just steadied from the teleport when the ground shook.

A low rumble. Then a thunderous roar.

From behind the rocks and ruined ridges, beasts, five hundred strong, encircled them in seconds like a noose closing around the neck.

Reva’s ears twitched. Yuan Feng spat onto the sand and tightened his grip on his glaive. Ryder vanished into the shadows, his aura dropping to lethal silence. Lan Xia had already drawn her blade.

”Ambush,” she muttered. ”As expected.”

Mark stood at the center, hands still by his sides. His face was unreadable. Eyes half-lidded. Calm.

Yuan Feng growled, ”You want formation, boss, or we go loud?”

Mark didn’t answer. Instead, he raised one hand.

”Gravity Dome, 600g.”

At once, the charging beasts howled in shock as their legs buckled and spines collapsed under their own weight. Wings tore as they were slammed into the earth. Claws screeched against stone as they tried to move—and failed.

But it didn’t stop with the enemy.

”Argh...”

Reva dropped to her knees, panting.

Ryder gasped from where he reappeared, hands planted on the ground, barely able to lift his head.

”Raaaa”

Yuan Feng roared, the veins in his arms bulging as he resisted.

Lan Xia’s sword trembled in her grip as her knees gave out, but she resisted.

Even his own team couldn’t move.

Only Mark stood tall and free.

Without looking at his struggling team, he reached into the inventory and unlatched a long-barreled cannon, sleek and brutal, humming with dormant violence.

The M-99 was mounted on the ground, amid hundreds of pairs of eyes.

He touched the trigger.

The weapon hissed as his ether flowed into it, his red energy veins glowing faintly beneath his skin.

Then he fired.

Once.

A single bolt of crimson ether roared through the beast horde like a god’s spear, exploding on impact. A dozen monsters evaporated, their forms turning to ash mid-scream.

Then again.

Boom. Another cluster gone, flung like ragdolls into the distant crags.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Each shot painted the cracked ground with charred remains and molten craters. The dome echoed with inhuman shrieks and the hiss of vaporized blood.

Mark moved methodically. No wasted motion. Like he was pulling weeds.

In thirty seconds, the field fell silent.

Beasts that once numbered five hundred now lay broken, scattered like discarded dolls across the scorched plain.

And the dome dropped.

The weight lifted like a veil of judgment being withdrawn.

The others gasped, coughing and trembling as oxygen flowed more easily.

Lan Xia stared at the battlefield in stunned silence.

Yuan Feng blinked, then let out a low, whistling curse. ”That... what in the hell was that?”

Ryder didn’t say a word. But his hand gripped the hilt of his dagger like he’d just seen a glimpse of death and realized he was standing next to it.

Reva was wide-eyed, ears flattened. ”I thought magic didn’t work here?”

Mark unmounted the weapon and slung the M-99 back over his shoulder and looked at them all, not condescending, not proud. Just calmly.

”Well, unless you can move at this pressure and slay your enemies,” he said flatly. ”You’re all going to be a burden to me. You might as well take this as a vacation. I will wipe them out by myself.” He turned to Lan Xia. ”That goes for you, too, Sister Xia.”

Lan Xia clearly understood the meaning behind those words. You volunteered to come with me. Then, better earn your qualifications.

Yuan Feng wiped off his sweat and let out a grin. ”Alright, then, I implore Captain to use it regularly for us to get used to it.”

Mark looked at him and smiled with a nod. ”Now, that’s what I need from you guys.”