Chapter 96: Reunion

Auren nods as he hears the twins agreeing to work for him. Satisfied with their immediate answers, showing their attitude and motivation, he turns serious. “You’ll need to sign a contract later down the road. The contract will forbid you from leaking any secrets. Don’t worry—the contract itself isn’t dangerous, but it is highly effective. Now, for something slightly different. You’ve seen some of my fights, correct?”“Yes...” Marsha replies, looking uncomfortable. The twins also both nod silently.

“Have you ever wondered how they were possible? Obviously, most fights in Heaven’s Arena are far from ordinary. Even you, as amateurs, must realize that, right?” Auren asks. He glances at Jolt as well. “And you—did you ever question how such strange combat techniques and superhuman abilities can be learned? The special techniques, the strange events that take place? You must have noticed them.”

“Some sort of secret technique?” Joanne guesses.

“Special effects!” Jean says.

“Tricks? Illusions?” Marsha adds.

“Maybe special equipment? I never understood the miracles of Heaven’s Arena,” Jolt admits.

Auren briefly activates Ren. In an instant, Jolt and his family begin to tremble before the sheer force of his Aura. After only a few seconds, he withdraws it, leaving them shaken but clearly understanding his point.

“Joanne was the closest. You get a point,” Auren says. “It is indeed a special technique—one that can be learned. If you prove yourselves, I wouldn’t mind teaching you... but I have other commitments right now. Jolt, give me a tour through the airship. I want to see the gym and the rooms. I trust you on the technical aspects of the ship.”

“Of... of course!” Jolt answers quickly. “I’ll also explain the cost of the unique elements, because you might doubt me. I’m sorry to say there are only 90 million left.”

“It’s fine. Keep it for now as an operating budget. Pay yourself 400,000 Jenny a month, and give your wife and daughters 200,000 each. You can also use that money to cover food and essentials. That way, whatever you earn can go straight into savings—no rent, no utilities, no daily expenses. It’s a decent deal, isn’t it?”

“I... I’m grateful! Thank you so much!” Jolt says, his relief visible on his face.

As Auren and Jolt step onto the airship, Auren notices the three women trailing behind, still wide-eyed from everything they’ve heard. The twins especially look eager—their expressions filled with desire and a hint of ambition.

It’s so easy... If they prove themselves, I’ll teach them later.

Jolt begins his tour, leading Auren through the ship with almost childlike enthusiasm.

“The flooring is made of the newest compound—much more durable, but lighter than the usual material! This model is the fourth fastest on the market. Among ships of its size, it’s the undisputed number one,” Jolt explains, grinning from ear to ear. “Flying something like this is a dream come true.”

“...Okay,” Auren comments flatly.

I guess it’s pretty decent. Exactly what I wanted, really. However, it’s just a means of transportation. I suppose for an enthusiast and professional pilot like Jolt, this is indeed a dream come true.

They move through the ship’s interior. Auren notes the master cabin, twelve passenger cabins, and several common rooms. Finally, they descend to the lowest floor, where Jolt presents the gym to Auren. The entire bottom deck has been transformed into a training area, filled with custom-built equipment and an absurd amount of weight plates.

“Hehe,” Jolt chuckles nervously. “All the weight I saved with those top materials is lost with your gym. It’s a shame. Normally, I’d never recommend building a gym into an airship... but I couldn’t refuse your request. This only works because of the incredible quality of the other parts. This might slow the ship down a little, so you should reconsider reducing the gym in size and only keep what you truly need.”

“It’s fine,” Auren replies calmly. “I’d rather lose a few hours of travel time now and then than go without a gym. It’s not even a waste of time. Training is something I will do for the rest of my life.”

“This way I can use the time spent on board to steadily improve myself, it’s simply a must,” he adds.

Satisfied with what he’s seen, Auren spends the next two days on board, slowly settling in. He goes on a few shopping trips—sometimes with Marsha, sometimes with the twins—and the tense atmosphere between them begins to relax. He also starts teaching Jolt and his family the basics of a breathing technique once taught to him by Lidor, the proper first step toward learning Nen. Along with that, he orders them to train inside the gym for a few hours every day, instructing them in a balanced routine that cycles muscle groups daily and includes plenty of cardio.

To his disappointment, neither Jolt nor Marsha shows any sign of progress—their breathing doesn’t improve in the slightest. The twins, however, display at least some promise, which makes Auren shift his focus toward them.

In the meantime, he continues his own training as before, mixing in extremely draining physical exercise alongside regular treatments with Azure Restoration.

Finally, Auren receives a message—Konrad, Vanessa, and Eren are about to arrive.

Auren decides to message them back, telling them he’ll meet them directly at the airport.

As he waits at the agreed location, he watches a small private airship descend and land.

It doesn’t take long before Konrad, Vanessa, and Eren emerge, each carrying a large suitcase and several bags. To Auren’s surprise, two more figures follow them—a boy and a girl, both appearing to be in their early teens, probably the same age, or slightly younger than him. They each carry even more luggage, struggling slightly under the weight.

Looks like they came prepared. They even brought attendants? A little young... I guess child labor is normal. It’s a cruel world. These strange memories in my head tell me this is wrong, but my own memories say the opposite... I was put to work when I was six years old! They’re already twice that age, so it’s only natural that they work.

Auren steps forward to greet them, but before he can say anything, Vanessa rushes toward him and throws her arms around him in a sudden hug.

Really? This woman.... Perhaps I should choose my students more carefully.

Before Auren can complain, a sharp voice suddenly cuts in from behind. “Stay away from him!”

Auren slowly, almost awkwardly, removes Vanessa’s hands and turns around—only to see Neffi rushing forward in the exact same way. She leaps at him and crashes into his chest, nearly knocking him over.

“...Okay, enough. I don’t need this kind of popularity,” Auren says, his face showing clear embarrassment. “I noticed you ten minutes ago. Silly girl.”

“Surprise!” Neffi says with a wide grin, ignoring Auren’s declaration, acting like she wasn’t discovered.

“Follow me. Let’s talk somewhere else... I have a new place,” he adds, motioning for them to follow as he leads the group toward his airship.

On board, inside the wide common room, Auren makes quick introductions. “This is my private pilot, Jolt, and the new airship I bought. His wife, Marsha, and his daughters, Jean and Joanne. Before you ask—the twins have some aptitude, and I’m teaching them Nen... if they don’t slack off and keep up with their breathing techniques.”

At the mention of their training, Jean and Joanne visibly tense up, their eyes bright with excitement.

As Auren finishes introducing them, his gaze drifts to the two unfamiliar members of Konrad’s group.

They immediately notice his look and bow politely. Finally, the girl, who appears slightly older than the boy, speaks up. “Master Auren! Thank you so much for taking care of our big brother.”

“Y—you changed our lives, we’re really grateful!” the boy says nervously, quickly stepping back to hide slightly behind his sister.

“Ah, so you’re Eren’s siblings,” Auren realizes. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

Looking them over closely, something clicks in his mind. “They haven’t been taught Nen yet?”

“I... didn’t want to risk it. You told me not to,” Eren admits.

“Good,” Auren replies. “They can learn together with the twins. What are their names? I’m trying my best not to forget.”

At least if they show promise.

“Mio and Kai,” Eren says quickly. “Thank you for teaching them!”

Both Mio and Kai brighten, visibly excited.

“It’s okay,” Auren says calmly. “But they still need to prove their talent and willingness to put in the work. This is the real, orthodox way—not the shortcut you three have taken.” His eyes shift briefly toward Vanessa, Konrad, and Eren.

“Before I forget!” Eren suddenly says, pulling a knife from his luggage and tossing it carefully toward Auren. Auren catches it one-handed without effort.

Inspecting it closely, he realizes it’s another of Ben’s Knives. “Nice,” he mutters. Using Gyo, he sees the number 6 engraved faintly into the blade and inspects it further.

A really early one! This one’s special. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary chef’s knife... but the tip and edge are impossibly sharp. This blade is deadly. I like it.

“I like this one,” Auren says, looking quite satisfied.

Neffi shoots a glare at the weapon, and Auren calmly hands it over to her with a small smile. “You can always play with my collection. No need to be jealous.”

“I know... Anyway, I brought something for you as well. Actually, not just for you—for everyone!” Neffi says, pulling open a large suitcase. Inside are black clothes, stylish despite their pitch-dark color.

“I needed a few more sets,” Auren says casually, shrugging as he pulls out several outfits for himself. He briefly inspects the clothes in his hand and notices the quality has improved significantly.

Looks like Neffi wasn’t just lazing around... good!