Looking at the potential seekers pledging to follow his path, Maximus widened in a smile.
However, considering the benefits he offered, he wasn't too surprised.
He not only promised them wealth, status, and power, but he was also willing to fulfill their deepest wishes.
Some of them wanted freedom—from slavery, from binding contracts with their families and sect.
Some wished to keep their dimensional origin safe and at peace.
Some simply wanted their relatives relieved of sickness and pain.
Some harbored a desire for vengeance, to kill their most hated enemy.
Whatever the wish, Maximus was prepared to make it a reality.
Then, there were those unique ones who were touched by his financial promises.
Maximus declared that as long as their intentions were reasonable, they could receive unlimited funds from him.
Whether in trillions or quadrillions, as long as they could justify it, Maximus would give it freely.
Some were tempted by the status. By following such a promising Primordial Candidate, their futures would be secured.
And then there was Atlas. Initially, he was on the verge of backing out.
After all, his path had already been laid out before him.
He had no desire beyond getting stronger.
However, in the note handed to him, Maximus recommended that the most perfect path for him was the Path of Knowledge of Will.
The Path of Pain would only torture him endlessly.
Instead of suffering merely to grow stronger, he should focus on mastering his will to overcome all challenges.
Although Atlas didn't fully believe it, he was fearful of the future set before him.
He trained through pain, but he didn't want his entire life to be consumed by it.
Thinking of the future that Maximus had allowed him to glimpse, Atlas made his decision.
As for Valentine and Nora, the two had little hesitation.
They were set to marry into the Shadowcrest family, so following the same path was only natural.
And if the marriage should fail, it wasn't too late to alter their path by then.
As a sea king in his early hundreds, Sam was no stranger to women latching onto him, drawn by his power, wealth, or status.
Seeing through their intentions, Sam's interest vanished instantly.
"Hmph! Just a brat!" Valentine muttered angrily, noticing Sam's dismissive attitude.
"What did you say?"
"I said you're a brat who hasn't even grown a hair yet! Look at you, squinting like a monkey—are you really from the Shadowcrest family?"
With Luke so gentle and Sam so arrogant, Valentine felt Sam was probably just some wayward brat they'd adopted from somewhere.
"You woman—!"
Fuming, Sam clenched his fist, about to attack Valentine, but Luke held him back, trying to calm him.
"Brother, these are guests. Don't show such an uncouth attitude." Luke frowned, noticing something off about Sam.
Usually, Sam was quite gentlemanly, especially with women, but now he looked like a wild beast ready to erupt over the smallest thing.
"Apologize!"
"Heh, why would I apologize to a woman?" Sam muttered, trying to calm his anger.
He didn't understand why, but Valentine irritated him deeply.
"Sam—"
"No need to apologize; it's my sister's fault for being too presumptuous," Nora interrupted, trying to smooth things over.
"Valentine—" Nora gave her sister a pointed look, signaling her to apologize.
"Hmph! A woman apologizing to a man? If not, then I'd be happy to apologize!" Valentine sneered.
She couldn't stand this man's arrogance.
Who was he to look at her like she was some toy at his disposal?
While she was willing to make sacrifices, she would not tolerate being humiliated.
"You—!"
"What? What can you do to me? Come, bite me if you can!" With Luke and Nora standing between them, Valentine grew confident.
So, what if he was angry? With two "door gods" standing before her, this brat couldn't get near her.
Watching their childish interaction, Luke and Nora exchanged a weary glance, both sighing at the scene before them.