Chapter 52: Community

As Auren follows Grunah and Neffi, he can’t help but comment on the unique buildings.“Are you people dwarfs? These buildings look almost too well-made… I don’t see heavy construction equipment either. So that means… one of you can shape rock, or has some kind of ability that allows this? I’d like to see that Hatsu,” Auren theorizes.

“You are correct. Aren’t you a smart one? Aside from your instructors and myself, there are three more elders. One of them created this small city over the span of a decade. It’s been steadily expanding ever since. Do you want to rest first? Do you want to meet your instructors? Or would you rather go straight to our leader? She’s been expecting you,” Grunah asks.

“I don’t like this, but I guess the fastest way to find out if I can identify with you people is to talk to your leader,” Auren says.

“Then let's head towards the administrative building,” Grunah replies, changing direction towards the large, palace-like building.

Administrative building?

As they approach, Auren suddenly stops, feeling a strange sensation on his skin.

What is this? I suddenly feel a little different. I should take a closer look.

Auren uses Gyo and sees an immense dome of Aura surrounding the palace, almost large enough to cover the entire town! However, unlike his own En, this En contains a different Aura. Concentrating hard, Auren sees a faint red hue.

“Is that… En?!” Auren asks, shocked.

“You have sharp senses. Yes, it is. You’ll soon understand more,” Grunah confirms, looking a little surprised herself.

This En… it feels strange, almost like I can sense the feelings of the person using it. It's insanely large! That must be at least a radius of 300 meters, maybe more, depending on how deep these buildings extend into the mountain. How long can that person maintain it?!

Auren slowly enters the building. From time to time, he notices people glancing at him. Nobody looks suspicious; instead, they all smile warmly.

Is this friendliness just for show, or is this behaviour genuine?

Walking through the administrative building, Auren sees several workers, some sitting behind desks, typing on computers.

So they somehow managed to gain access to modern technology, including an internet connection, despite being this isolated? Interesting.

Passing by, Auren briefly glances at one screen, catching sight of what a worker—a young man—is doing. He seems to be managing a bank account, scrolling through countless deposits, taking notes.

They finally enter a large office with exactly eight people sitting behind desks. At the far end stands a single, large desk, occupied by a tall, imposing woman.

She’s the one using En…! Is she the leader of this little sect?

Auren carefully studies her. She has long blonde hair and appears to be in her early thirties. She is dressed in a grey robe and looks completely calm. What immediately catches his attention, however, is the metal visor covering her eyes. It prevents her from seeing anything and hides most of her face.

Is she blind? Does she rely solely on En to ‘see’? Or is this some form of training? No… her En feels far too practiced, as if she’s honed it for decades. She probably uses it constantly, meaning she might genuinely be blind.

Remaining completely still, the woman begins to speak, “Welcome, young Auren. It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance! I feel honored that you decided to visit me immediately, rather than first speaking with our two treasured Elders, whom you already know.”

Treasured Elders?

Auren crosses his arms, “Nice to meet you… Miss?”

“My name is Rakshala. You can call me by my name. We are all equals here, though I do oversee this little town. As you can see, I can’t personally handle every task required to run this place, so I have many capable assistants.”

“Sounds kinda tribal,” Auren comments.

“Don’t be rude, Auren!” Grunah chimes in, looking slightly annoyed.

“Haha, it is tribal indeed. Elder Grunah, there's no need for concern. I appreciate Auren’s honesty. Would you please follow me into my private chambers? I prefer not to distract my assistants,” Rakshala says with a gentle smile.

“Sure,” Auren responds.

Auren follows her into a private suite connected to the office.

As he enters, he sees an almost bare room, furnished only with a bed, a small kitchen, and a bathroom.

The walls aren't decorated, there are no plants, and the room looks unfinished.

“Please forgive the state of my room,” she says. “I prefer it this way. I have no use for distractions.”

“It’s alright, if that's how you like it. Who am I to comment on your private room? I’d say I can understand why you keep it this way,” Auren replies.

“Thank you. First of all, welcome. I’ve heard much about you from Elder Buno and Elder Bunu. Beyond that, your achievements impress me greatly. A pro Hunter, a Floor Master, and now, according to my network, even the slayer of the evil tyrant Kolmata,” she notes.

“Nothing noteworthy. You’re definitely overstating things. I just delivered the killing blow… or rather, the killing slash, to that lowlife,” Auren corrects her.

“I disagree. More importantly, you not only freed Neffi, but you've taken care of her. From what I've observed, you’ve become a true friend to her, and she's immensely grateful for it,” Rakshala says warmly.

“Anyway, you must be curious about our little community. Surely you’ve already heard some things. If you decide to join us, there is no need for any big decision. As thanks for your cooperation with your Master’s materials, we'll gift you one of the nicer houses. You may come and go as you please. We have many capable people here, and I have numerous sources of information. You can let us work for you. We charge a small fee for different services, but rest assured, we’re cheaper than any outside expert you could hire,” she explains.

“That sounds nice,” Auren replies, “however, I still don’t get what this place is supposed to be. Why hide in a mountain, in a zone that doesn’t officially belong to any country? Why isolate yourself?”

Rakshala does not hesitate and answers immediately, “I don’t trust outsiders. I want to be surrounded by my own people. Not everyone can join, and not everyone will immediately be trusted. You are an exception, as you’ve already proven yourself. Here, we support each other. While it's not required, it's appreciated, and most of our people offer their support however they can.”

“I’ve heard the same about Meteor City, but I think your community is a little nicer, and certainly not as hypocritical,” Auren comments with a smirk.

“Meteor City is at least honest in its approach, which is commendable compared to the utterly rotten parasites controlling the V5 and other large nations, such as the Kakin Empire. That includes the Mitene Union as well,” Rakshala says, maintaining her smile; yet Auren notices a sinister undertone in her voice.

She’s refreshingly honest. Seems to hold quite a grudge against governments in general. Not that I disagree. She sees no hope in those countries and has decided to found her own little haven.

“Not that I disagree, but it's always been that way. In any case, I'd love to stay a while. As you already know, I’m not against helping out, nor am I greedy. However, I won’t give up my funds freely. I have goals that require a lot of money, but at the same time, I'd much rather pay the people of Hollow Blade than some random outsiders,” Auren replies.

“You are correct, it has indeed always been this way—which is precisely why I've made it my life’s mission to build a community that is different. Please, stay as long as you'd like. There's no special ceremony or anything. Even if you don’t officially join, you'll always be welcome here. What you did for Neffi will never be forgotten!” she says, this time in a warm and sincere voice.

“I hope not everyone knows…” Auren says, his tone suddenly serious.

“Nobody knows, but I have access to more information than others. It’s quite obvious to me that you possess a Hatsu capable of healing people. You did it for Neffi, and you also did it for Elder Buno. As you might have realized, I know everything that is happening here. Buno tried to hide it, but I immediately noticed that his hands are as good as new.”

With that, En… I guess she does indeed know everything that is happening here…. Almost like a god.

Auren stares at her, clearly annoyed that she has seen through him so easily.

“Please, rest assured. Nobody else will ever know. And I’ll never ask you to use your ability for us,” she assures him.

“I don’t have any problem using it under certain circumstances. I plan on earning a lot of money with it, and like in Neffi’s case, right some wrongs. Call me a hypocrite, but I’ll do whatever I please. If my ability is genuinely needed, I'm not against using it, that includes everyone in this community. However, surely you understand the risks for me. I was planning to keep it hidden a while longer, but if there's ever an emergency… tell me.”

The room grows silent for a moment.

Auren notices tears rolling down her cheeks, despite her visor. “This is exactly what I’ve wished for. People like you are what I've been searching for. I’m truly grateful.”

Cut the act! Is she for real?

Auren studies her closely, focusing on the tears, “Do you have problems with your eyes? You realize I can fix... probably most injuries.”

“Your offer is appreciated, but I feel there is nothing to fix,” she says, calmly removing her visor.

Auren stares at her in shock.

She has no eyes—only empty eye sockets remain.

“You underestimate me. I don’t just simply fix things… give me a few years, and I can even completely restore your eyes and vision,” Auren says with a smirk.

“...Is that really true? I’m not expecting anything. I've learned to live in darkness. I've spent longer without my eyes than with them. Still, I can’t deny this urge… Once you feel ready, please let me know. I'll more than repay you.”

“Hehe, you can pay me in Ben’s Knives! In fact, I am willing to buy them at a premium!” Auren jokes before getting serious.

I want to use this place! With their help, I can do it!

“I’ll tell you when the time comes… I need a lot more practice and Aura. I expect I'll be able to do it within a few years. But right now, there’s something else I'd like to ask of you… There's a rather famous businessman I want to… collaborate with and make an offer to. Have you ever heard of a certain Mr. Battera?”

“Yes, indeed. One of the richest men in the world. He has an interest in a certain game—or rather, in the rewards for clearing it,” Rakshala notes.

“According to the information I've gathered, he has a lover who is sick and in a coma. I'm fairly confident I could heal her even now… I've heard he's offering a reward of 50 billion Jenny to clear Greed Island, hoping that the rewards can cure his lover. I'd like to make him an offer: 100 billion, and I'll heal whomever he wants. If I don’t succeed, I don’t want payment. I could probably achieve this on my own, but Battera has many people working for him. The chance of exposing myself is quite high… However, if you could invite him, he could pay, and I'd anonymously heal his lover. This would reduce the risks to almost zero, but it would require him to trust this arrangement. Surely, many people have tried scamming him before, so he might be suspicious. Do you think this is something you and Hollow Blade could accomplish for me?”

“This doesn’t sound too demanding. I have many contacts, and my reputation is flawless. Also, 100 billion is not enough. If you combine his spending on Greed Island, he will, without a doubt, pay more than that. Leave it to me. I could rent a small clinic in Yorknew and invite him and his lover. He can even bring his own security and his own doctors. I can ensure you'll never need to see anyone face-to-face except your ‘patient.’”

“Let’s do it!” Auren agrees eagerly.

“How does a donation of ten percent sound?” she asks with a grin.

Bloodsucker! If I ever restore her eyes, I’ll charge her ten times that amount, hehe.

“...fine!”