Chapter 141: Nexus Node: Bulwark

Chapter 141: Nexus Node: Bulwark

141:

“Halt!” A gruff voice boomed outwards as the trio approached the wall, the language the command was called out in unfamiliar to Tom, even though he found himself comprehending the meaning of the spoken word.

[For entering the Aerianiculumn, you have been granted Feat: Boon of Many Languages. For as long as you remain within the tower’s territory, any widely spoken human language will be automatically translated for you.]

“We come in peace,” Tom called out in response, both his empty palms raised up in the air as a disarming gesture.

“That remains to be seen,” The gruff voice replied from behind the chitinous plates that served as the Nexus City’s defenses. “Consent to the undertaking if you wish to enter the city. Otherwise, scram,” He called out, an air of finality to his statement.

“What undertaking?” Aleph whispered and Tom was equally flummoxed. Even worse, it seemed like whoever was guarding the Nexus City knew well the avenues of attack offering a line of sight exposed himself to and had no intention of making such a mistake. Likely, they had other ways, whether that be through a card or an artifact, of spying outside on their immediate surroundings.

Thankfully, it is the Divine System that came to them with an answer.

[Do you wish to enter Nexus City: Bulwark?

Undertaking: During your stay in the Nexus City: Bulwark, you will abide by local laws and will not engage in any form of violence outside a system sanctioned duel.

If you are found engaging in violence after agreeing to this undertaking, then you shall be forever barred from claiming another Nexus City and your reputation will be made known to any future Nexus City you attempt to enter.

If found in violation of other local laws, you may attempt to negotiate with the ruling power of the Nexus City and be punished by upto banishment from Nexus City: Bulwark. Unless you engage in violence, the punishment you face will be limited to Nexus City: Bulwark.

Do you agree to these terms?

Yes

No]

Tom exchanged a look with Aleph and Zirel, who had just gotten done reading the stipulations of the agreement themselves.

“As long as we don’t violate the sanctity of the safe zone, it doesn't look like there will be any lasting consequences,” Zirel whispered. “From the way the system is talking about these Nexus Cities, I’m guessing that there’s a lot more of them.”

“I agree,” Aleph replied. “The tales I have heard about the Aerinaculumn speak of an entire world within the tower. This nexus city doesn’t look like it can house more than a few thousand.”

‘He’s got some practice with that bow,’ Tom thought as his gaze landed on the man’s inner palms, before his gaze focused on the metal necklace that was looped around his neck.

The pendant itself didn’t look like an artifact, but that wasn’t why Tom’s attention had been captured. Engraved on a rectangular metal surface that was tethered to a thin metal chain looping around the middle-aged man’s neck, was a symbol that depicted a vine wrapped around a tall tower.

Tom looked into the middle-aged man’s gray eyes and saw nothing but a measured calm. He blinked, before turning his gaze away, not wanting to come across as aggressive or defiant.

“If you’re asking for our long-term goal, then yes, we do want to climb the tower,” Tom replied, opting to go with the truth for now.

The middle-aged man sighed, before shaking his head in evident disappointment, “And how many nexus points do you have?”

Aleph and Zirel met the middle-aged man’s question with an impassive look, but Tom didn’t hide the blank look that made its way to his visage. While he was far from claiming himself a master of disguise, Tom was uniquely positioned to understand the value of a fool. He could be berated, scolded or chastised, but the thing about a fool was that they were seldom considered threats.

Sure enough, a disappointed sigh escaped the middle-aged man’s lips.

“Let me guess,” He began, his tone already sounding weary. “You kids are from one of the nearby nexus city and you were tired of being told no by your parents. So, you three buffoons, in your infinite wisdom, decided to sneak out to a different nexus city to try and gather points. Is that about right?”

“Uh... no?” Tom offered, not trying to be very passionate about defending himself.

“Look,” The middle-aged man raised his hands in mock surrender. “It’s none of my business why you’re here. As long as you stick to the rules and can actually afford to stay in the city, you’re free to accept a nexus quest and get killed if that’s what you want. My job is to make sure you understand what the rules are.”

“Please,” Zirel politely encouraged.

The middle-aged man nodded, making a show of clearing his throat before he began his explanation, “It’s simple. You’ve already agreed to the undertaking, so don’t break that. Sleeping on streets isn’t allowed. Either get an accommodation, or go to the Neem Guild headquarters and prove you’re worth keeping around. It’s next to the tower, though I suppose you can’t see it from here,” He said, as he gestured towards the left of the tower, which should’ve been within the plaza.

“Got it,” Tom replied.

“I hope so,” The middle-aged man retorted. “If you’ve got cards you want to convert into fragments, there’s enough Splitters in the city for that. Got a bunch of synthesizers too, all system standard so they can’t be tampered with. If you’re feeling lucky you can try and haggle with the local shops, but fresh faces like yourself are going to get ripped off for the clothes off your back. Better to just swallow the system’s fee.”

“Er... right. Splitters and Synthesizers, got it. Do you have any idea how much an inn costs for staying the night?” Tom asked, trying his best not sound dazed by the bombshell of information that had just been dropped on him.

“I wouldn’t pay more than a common side-fragment for a week, though it’s pretty unlikely you’ll be able to haggle down that much. If you get away with paying double, that’ll be a pretty good deal for you.”