Chapter 220: Colleagues

Auren, Vanessa, Eren, and Neffi continue to spend the following three days training, relaxing, and sometimes accompanying the visitors through Landing Point A, joining them for visits to restaurants or for walks through the settlement and even the nearby forest. Auren himself also sometimes heals a few sick people, and he also takes care of the few injured soldiers.

Leira is extremely busy working with the spider eggs, as well as her other research with the moss and fish, leaving her barely any time for anything else, aside from the occasional report and analysis when someone asks her directly.

With the aid of the Elders, Auren learns that the Hunters are talking to hundreds of people and inspecting not only Landing Point A, but also a few outposts, the forest, and the surrounding area, which he welcomes.

Finally, three days later, Auren decides that enough time has passed.

I hope the people here managed to convince them... everyone here is kind and clearly good-natured... if they can simply destroy their lives, then there is nothing I can do to convince them. I have to believe in them and also in myself, specifically my own judgment.

Before setting off, Auren visits Leira in a special new habitat constructed on the edge of the forest.

Auren sees dozens of eggs in their own makeshift incubators, and already quite a few spiders living in large outdoor zones.

“I believe... you want to stay a while longer?” Auren asks, studying her research notes spread around her.

“Yes,” Leira confirms. “I can learn and improve here. There is so much left to analyze and to study. If you ever need me, I’ll come to your aid, but until we visit that island in the southeast or the Dark Continent, I believe this is where I can do the most.”

“I see,” Auren says, agreeing with her. “I wish you the best. If you need anything, tell me. Enjoy the peace here. We will soon have to deal with even more dangerous and mysterious places.”

“Indeed,” Leira replies. “I look forward to it, and I’ll be ready.”

He then leaves, says his goodbyes to the Elders, and heads toward the airship.

One by one, the rest of the group, including the three guests, return to the airship. Auren notes that they look somewhat relaxed and are in a relatively good mood. While they seem satisfied to head home, they are not too eager to leave—their time at Landing Point A is seemingly not something they’ve loathed.

The last to arrive is Neffi, who is accompanied by a horde of workers carrying an endless amount of boxes that they load onto the cargo hold of the airship.

Slightly confused, Auren enters the cargo hold and inspects the goods, noting that it contains parts of a forest worm.

So it’s for her company... well, whatever. She mentioned wanting to research, as well as learning on her own.

With nothing left to do, Auren joins Jolt in the cockpit, and with all preparations done, Jolt skillfully lifts off with the airship, speedily leaving the small airport behind them as they fly west toward the great forest.

As they fly away, Auren can hear the people on the ground under the airship cheer loudly, their hands raised toward the sky, many of them falling onto their knees as if they’re praying.

“Heh,” Morel comments. “I learned all about that. It turns out you are a hidden deity... quite impressive for someone so young. It looks like your human shell is quite deceiving.”

This guy is getting on my nerves.

Flying over the forest, the view is quite different from when he first arrived—the forest now has dozens of artificial clearings, many outposts, and lumber camps visible from above.

At the western edge of the forest, where the seemingly endless plains begin, Auren sees hundreds of pieces of heavy machinery and a large city being constructed in the distance, the outline slowly taking shape.

During the travel home, most of the Hunters and, of course, Neffi, who still hasn’t obtained her license, spend a lot of time in the airship’s gym, not only to keep them busy, but also to work on improving their bodies.

Vanessa can’t help but stare at Morel, who effortlessly trains on the various custom training machines, consistently picking the hardest settings available.

Despite his shirt, his muscles bulge beneath the fabric, making him look like a superhuman even when he’s just moving casually.

“You... are quite something, aren’t you? You are pretty strong, old guy,” she notes, standing in front of him while he bench presses a seemingly impossible-to-lift weight.

“Are you sure you are not an Enhancer after all?” she adds, still watching him closely.

“Who says I am not?” he replies, leaning forward and taking a small break, steadying his breathing.

“Auren says you are probably a Manipulator,” Vanessa announces shamelessly.

“You are a blunt one, aren’t you, missy?” Morel replies before smiling. “I rather like that!”

“I am an Emitter, so I should be stronger than you... just wait, I’ll catch up to you one day,” Vanessa says, pointing toward him with a stubborn glare.

Openly declaring her Nen category.... She is switching from someone prodigious to a total buffoon. Just because she knows his category, she thinks it’s appropriate to reveal her own. That’s just her character....

“Heh, would have taken you for an Enhancer personality-wise, but considering those damn meteors that clashed into me, Emission is indeed the more likely choice.” Morel grins, clearly entertained. “I quite like you. If you want to change masters, you can always accompany me. For beautiful, honest girls like you, I’ll be extra kind.”

“Fuck off, you perverted old man!” Vanessa yells, punching forward, only for Morel to easily dodge by leaning backward.

Unexpectedly, Vanessa adds Nen, and her aura shoots out of her fist, hitting Morel square in the nose.

“Oops... didn’t meant to do that,” she says, blushing a little, slowly backing off. “I’ll go take a breather on the deck!”

Quickly, she escapes the gym, leaving behind a stunned Morel, his nose bleeding a little, while everyone else stares at him in amusement.

“... I guess you don’t have it easy, kid. Someone like her is hard to deal with,” Morel says, speaking to Auren while wiping his nose with his towel.

“It helps when she has someone else to bicker with or to annoy... you are helping me out a great deal. If you want, you can stay a while longer with us,” Auren replies, pretending to be serious.

“No way...” Morel says with no hesitation.

Guess I’ll have to trouble her brother if that’s the case....

A couple days later, the airship arrives in Yorknew.

Docked, Auren and the others see off Morel, Knuckle, and Shoot at the airport.

“I guess this is goodbye,” Auren says. “Perhaps we will meet again.”

“... maybe,” Morel says, smiling. As the three walk away, Morel briefly stops and turns around. “About your little... excursion. I wouldn’t worry too much. At least for now. I don’t harm or hurt my colleagues.”

Finally, they move on, Knuckle waiving, while Morel just raises his fist as they walk.

“Not bad,” Neffi says, smiling. “You did it, Auren.”

“What are we gonna do now?” Vanessa asks. “This was rather fun, I have to say.”

“I need to train... in peace. I want to isolate myself. Battle Olympia is right around the corner. I also have a rather... undesirable meeting coming up,” Auren comments, his tone turning a bit more serious.

“I want to study weaving and tailoring,” Neffi says, a little embarrassed. “I’ll do that at my company. I need to hire personal teachers for me.”

“We are not returning back to the mountain city?” Eren asks, trying to remain calm, but still appearing somewhat surprised.

“Take Jolt and Vanessa and return home, your families are waiting for you. It’s just a day’s worth of travel if you speed up. If I need you, I’ll call,” Auren says with a knowing smile. “Jolt, I’d like you to return in a few weeks, as I need the airship available to me. Spend a while with your family and then return. Feel free to bring them along to Yorknew, but I don’t want anyone with me at Battle Olympia. I’ll do this alone.”

“Thank you...” Eren replies seriously. “What about you, Vanessa? Are you coming along?”

“No... I’m staying.” Vanessa declares. “My little baby brother is here as well. I might as well bother him a little while I train. Jolt can fly home, with you on board, he’ll be safe.” She tilts her head, thinking. “Now that I think about it, shouldn’t your newly hired appraiser also be here already? He should be working with your hired merchants.”

“Yes, that’s one of the reasons I intend to stay here. Though I want to leave it to them and focus on myself,” Auren notes.

“We’ll see each other soon then, though I’ll be busy for a while. If you need something, just call,” Auren offers, looking calm.

Before the airship leaves, Auren, Neffi, and Vanessa pack a large bag each, and Neffi organizes transport for her ‘souvenirs’, ordering a large truck from her company to pick up her goods.

“Where are you going now?” Neffi asks Auren. “Why don’t you come with me?”

“No,” Auren replies without hesitation. “I need time for myself. I need to train. I’ll text you two my location when I’ve found something suitable. You may visit if you do not bother me all the time.”

“Fine... I guess I’ll call my brother then. Can’t wait to bully him with my new Hatsu,” Vanessa schemes, smiling deviously. “I managed to tweak my Hatsu to create a few tiny meteors, the size of a small bean, that appear just a few meters above me. That happens when I do a tiny jab with my pinky finger. They just feel like a little bonk on the head.” Her grin widens. “I wonder how long it takes him to figure out what I’m doing, hehe. I’ll use that opportunity to study In. That way, it will take him even longer to figure out what is happening.”

“... Poor Konrad,” Neffi says, shaking her head, but clearly suppressing a grin.

Should I warn him...? No... he’ll have to deal with that calamity himself.

Carrying a bag with his things, along with another empty bag, Auren separates from his two friends and walks toward a large supermarket.

Buying a lot of energy bars and other snacks, as well as various sports drinks, Auren walks through the city. A few of the people stare at him, watching as he easily carries two giant bags over his shoulder, seemingly not affected at all.

After many hours, Auren reaches the outskirts of the city. The desolate Gordeau Desert is already visible in the distance, along with a few ruined buildings, creating a stark contrast between the metropolis and the wasteland ahead.

Perfect.

Entering one of the abandoned buildings, Auren ascends, taking the stairs up level after level until he reaches the roof, giving him a clear view over the vicinity and the empty stretches beyond.

Time to do this.