Martial Era: Starting With The Strongest Talent-Chapter 206: Slot Machine

That alone told him enough.

Julius Nova wasn’t here to harm him.

Another detail caught his attention.

There was no indication that Julius had noticed anything at all. Adam had already withdrawn by then, but the realization still lingered in his mind.

He didn’t sense it...?

That was unexpected.

Either Connect was more effective than he thought, or Julius simply didn’t consider him a threat worth paying attention to. Neither answer was comforting, but Adam didn’t dwell on it.

The Saint’s laughter faded and the room settled again.

Julius looked at him, his golden eyes sharper now, carrying a different kind of interest than before. Whatever amusement he had felt was gone, replaced with something more focused.

"Very well," he said calmly.

"If that’s the case... would you like to tell me what made you stop following your own logic?"

The question landed differently this time.

****

Adam didn’t answer immediately, and in that pause, the weight of his earlier actions caught up to him. Acting casually after prying into a Saint’s soul wasn’t exactly smart. Even he could admit that.

...That was reckless.

He mentally blamed himself from a few seconds ago, but the damage was already done. Now he was sitting in front of Julius Nova, being questioned directly, with no easy way to deflect.

Before he could respond, Julius spoke again.

"It’s fine if you don’t want to answer," he said calmly, waving it off with surprising ease. "I was just curious. Nothing more."

The tension in the room eased instantly.

Adam let out a small breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

"Thanks."

Julius nodded slightly, his expression softening just a bit.

"It’s alright. But as my disciple, I hope you’ll learn to trust me eventually."

Adam didn’t react immediately, but the implication settled in his mind.

"I’ll try," Adam replied.

Julius studied him for a second, then gave a small nod.

"Fair enough."

He stood up slowly, his presence shifting as he moved, the air in the room subtly tightening again. Even without doing anything, he carried a weight that couldn’t be ignored.

"I came here to help you and the girl," Julius continued. "After receiving word from your teammates. But it seems my help is no longer necessary."

He paused briefly.

"I suppose I can save one of my miracles."

Adam blinked.

That caught him off guard.

A Saint’s miracle wasn’t something casually mentioned. The fact that Julius had been ready to use one for them spoke volumes. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"By the way, Sir Juli—"

"You can call me Master."

Julius cut in smoothly.

Adam paused, then corrected himself without resistance.

"Master... How did you and Rem meet?"

The reaction was immediate.

A small vein appeared on Julius’s forehead and his calm expression cracked just enough to reveal irritation, and for the first time, he looked genuinely bothered.

Adam noticed.

...What did Rem do?

Julius exhaled slowly, regaining control.

"Just know this," he said, his tone carrying a hint of restrained annoyance. "That girl has a... special talent for gambling."

"..."

He didn’t elaborate.

But he didn’t need to.

Adam understood enough.

Note to self, never gamble against Rem. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Julius shook his head once, clearly deciding not to go further into that topic. Then his gaze returned to Adam, sharp and focused once more, his earlier composure fully restored.

"For meeting my disciple for the first time," he said, "it’s only appropriate that I offer you some resources as your Master."

Adam’s expression didn’t change outwardly.

But inside, something lit up instantly.

...Oh goodies

****

The excitement barely settled before Julius moved.

With a simple wave of his hand, the room dissolved instantly. The walls, the bed, the ceiling, everything vanished, replaced by an endless dark space that stretched in every direction.

Then something appeared.

A massive slot machine materialized in front of them.

It towered over Adam, its metallic frame gleaming faintly even in the darkness. Strange symbols rotated slowly across its surface, each one carrying an energy that felt far from ordinary.

Julius stood beside it calmly.

"Despite being unconscious for two years," he said, glancing at Adam, "you and the girl still reached the Master rank. That alone is impressive."

His tone remained neutral, but there was clear acknowledgment there.

"Unfortunately, most of what I possess is suited for Saint-level use."

Adam’s expression dropped slightly.

That didn’t sound good.

Seeing that, Julius continued without pause.

"Which means... I only keep the best of the best for those below that level."

Adam nearly reacted.

He caught himself at the last second, but the spark in his eyes was obvious. Whatever disappointment he had felt disappeared instantly, replaced by sharp interest.

Still, something didn’t add up.

He looked at the machine again.

"...What’s the slot machine for?"

Julius gave a small, knowing look.

"If I simply hand everything to you, it would be no different from spoiling you."

Adam understood the logic, even if he didn’t fully agree with it. Still, it sounded like something an old monster like Julius would say, so he didn’t argue.

Julius continued.

"There are many treasures here. You’re allowed to choose three, but that would take time. Too much time. So instead..."

He gestured toward the machine.

"We’ll leave it to chance."

Adam blinked once.

"...Gamble?"

Julius nodded slightly.

"You may pull the lever."

The offer was simple.

No tricks explained. No rules clarified.

Just pull.

Adam stepped forward without hesitation, his eyes fixed on the towering machine. His hand reached out slowly, gripping the cold metal lever at its side.

For a brief second, he paused.

Then he pulled it down.

****

The lever slammed down, and the machine responded instantly.

A deep mechanical hum echoed through the dark space as the massive reels began to spin. Symbols blurred together, moving too fast to track, each one radiating faint traces of power as they cycled endlessly.

Julius watched calmly from the side.

"You don’t need to worry about what you’ll get," he said, his tone steady and confident. "Everything inside is suitable for you and your growth. There are no useless outcomes here."

Adam nodded slightly, but his eyes never left the machine.