The Cheat Seed

Chapter 39

Marcus closed the door behind him and leaned against it, exhaling deeply. Teammates. He had actual teammates now—people who would look after him, who would help him navigate this new world he'd returned to. The thought brought an unexpected warmth to his chest.

[Feeling sentimental?] the System teased.

'Just... appreciating what I have,' Marcus replied mentally.

He pushed himself away from the door and strode toward the center of the living room. For most of his life, Dave had been his only friend—a brother in all but blood who had stood beside him through every torment and triumph. Their bond had formed in childhood and strengthened through years of shared secrets and mutual protection.

The memory of Dave suddenly flooded his consciousness.

"Dave," he whispered aloud. "I need to see him."

It had been two years since they'd last spoken—two years for Dave, millennia for Marcus. How much had his friend changed? How had the Legendary Seed affected him? Marcus recalled his father mentioning that Dave now ranked third among all Revokers—an astonishing achievement for someone so young.

Pride swelled in Marcus's chest. Dave had always deserved greatness, had always possessed potential beyond what others could see. Now the world recognized what Marcus had always known.

He needed to see his friend, to catch up on the years they'd lost. Perhaps tomorrow, after the alumni meeting...

Marcus's thoughts shifted to his family. With a start, he remembered they were still under the sleep magic cast by the assassins. He turned toward the basement, taking the stairs down instead of heading to his room.

At the bottom of the stairs, he paused before a heavy wooden door. His hand hesitated on the doorknob before turning it slowly. Inside, he found his family exactly as the assassins had left them—peacefully unconscious on makeshift beds.

Marcus gathered Iris and Evy first, cradling them against his chest. With his enhanced speed, he raced to their bedroom, leaving only disturbed air in his wake. He laid Iris gently on her bed and placed Evy in her crib with exquisite care. The toddler stirred slightly at his touch, her tiny face scrunching in momentary discomfort before relaxing as Marcus massaged her forehead with feather-light pressure.

Returning to the basement in the span of a heartbeat, he scooped up his mother next. Her familiar weight felt like nothing in his arms as he carried her to the master bedroom. Another lightning-quick journey brought him back to collect his father, who he placed beside his mother with careful precision.

Marcus stood over his parents, studying their peaceful faces. He remembered how to break sleep magic—a loud enough noise would disrupt the enchantment's hold on the mind. A mischievous smile spread across his face as he realized they had slept through both the destruction and reconstruction of their home.

He brought his hands together with calculated force.

*CLAP*

The sound cracked through the air like thunder, rattling windows and sending dust cascading from ceiling beams. His parents bolted upright, instinctively falling into defensive stances. From the girls' room, Iris screamed in alarm while Evy began to wail.

Marcus dashed to his sisters, gathering them once more into his arms. Evy quieted immediately, nestling her head against his left shoulder. Iris, recognizing her brother through sleep-blurred eyes, relaxed and rested her head on his right shoulder.

When Marcus returned to his parents' room, they stood frozen on their bed, blinking in confusion.

"You guys slept through the whole day! Haha!" Marcus broke the silence with a light chuckle.

"What's the time now?" Albert asked his wife.

Reirin closed her eyes briefly, accessing her Location and Awareness magic. When she opened them again, they were wide with horror.

"It's already 6 PM in the evening," she whispered to Albert.

Realization dawned on their faces—they had missed more than half of their son's eighteenth birthday. They exchanged worried glances, expecting anger or disappointment from Marcus.

Instead, they found him smiling gently at his sisters.

"Why don't we celebrate the rest of the day then?" he suggested.

Relief washed over his parents' faces as they nodded eagerly. They still had the surprise party at Aaron's place—all wasn't lost.

While his parents freshened up, Marcus roused his sisters fully.

"We're going out, Iry," he said, using the nickname he'd just invented for Iris. "Wake up—and you too, Evy."

Both girls perked up at the prospect of an outing. Iris slid from his arms, accepting Evy when Marcus transferred the toddler to her care.

"Get ready quick," Marcus encouraged, bending to their level. "Brother will get you that chocolate ice cream you asked for yesterday!"

Iris beamed, her energy immediately restored as she carried Evy to their room.

In his own bedroom, Marcus realized he hadn't changed from his dirt-smudged clothes. Thankful for the dim lighting that had hidden this oversight, he stripped and showered in record time. Five minutes later, he vigorously dried his hair with a towel, creating enough friction to eliminate moisture in seconds.

From his inventory, he retrieved a Nine-Tailed Fox hair—a memento from his time in the dungeons. Using the silken strand, he gathered his shoulder-length red hair into a man bun, allowing two slim strands to fall artfully across the right side of his face.

He dressed quickly in pencil-fit jeans, a sleeveless black sweatshirt, and an open-fronted black hoodie that revealed glimpses of his chest and the sweatshirt beneath. As a final touch, he placed a toothpick between his lips—a habit from his academy days that felt comfortingly familiar.

Hearing his parents call from downstairs, Marcus bolted from his room, appearing silently behind his father.

"Boo," he whispered directly into Albert's ear.

The resulting jump and shout sent the entire family into fits of laughter—the perfect beginning to their evening celebration.

As they left the house, a horse-drawn carriage waited at their gate. Despite the existence of magical beasts and enhanced animals throughout their world, ordinary Earth creatures still had their place, even if they ranked lowest in the natural hierarchy.

The family of five settled into the carriage, Iris and Evy claiming window seats with Reirin beside them. Marcus sat next to his mother, while Albert entered last, closing the door behind him.

They rode in comfortable silence, having already exchanged birthday wishes in the living room after recovering from Marcus's surprise appearance. As they entered the capital city, Marcus gazed in wonder at the enormous statue of the Flame Emperor dominating the central circle.

"That old geezer," he snickered under his breath.

"What was that, son?" Albert asked.

"Nothing, just thought about something," Marcus replied innocently.

The carriage jolted to an abrupt halt. Marcus and his father peered out the window to find their path blocked by royal guards. The king's procession was passing through the circle on its way to the palace, and citizens were required to wait.

To Marcus's surprise, Albert leapt from the carriage. He dodged a guard's attempt to stop him and sprinted toward the king's ornate vehicle.

The family watched in astonishment. Marcus initially tensed, ready to intervene, but then a memory surfaced—his father's challenge to the king upon Marcus's return. Understanding dawned, and he relaxed against the cushions with a knowing smirk.

"What is your father doing, son?" Reirin asked, fear edging her voice.

Marcus squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mom. It's okay."

Albert planted himself directly in the king's path, forcing the royal procession to halt. Guards rushed forward with weapons drawn, but the king recognized Albert and waved them back.

Standing tall before the royal carriage, Albert drew a deep breath and shouted with all his might:

"KING!!! MY SON'S BACK!!! AND HE'S READY FOR THE BATTLE!"