Back on the airship, Rakshala is behaving strangely. Auren, Rosa, and even Mola, who's currently steering the ship, can't help but stare at her unusual behavior.
Aside from her ever-present calm and serene Aura, she's actively training on the deck, doing push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and various stretching exercises, all of which she performs with unnatural flexibility.
I suppose it's not entirely strange. She had lingering injuries ever since her attack. I just didn't expect she'd be this open about it. Still, it's good that she's not keeping up stupid and meaningless appearances. Guess I'd better get back to training myself! My Aura still needs work.
Auren resumes his Aura training, focusing on Ren this time. He pushes himself to improve his total Aura reserves and his endurance in battle, and Azure Restoration's potential.
If I want to use Azure Restoration in battle, I need large Aura reserves!
When Rakshala finally stops her training, not showing even a hint of exhaustion, Auren asks, "When will my game be delivered? I forgot to ask."
"You'll get it in a few weeks," she replies smoothly. "Though I've heard some unfavorable things about the game. In my opinion, it isn't worth your time… yet."
"You know details about Greed Island?" Auren asks, visibly confused.
This woman… she knows everything!
"The Hunter site and some of my contacts provided valuable clues," Rakshala explains. "The game is designed specifically for Hunters, and it's considered quite risky, as you can die inside the 'game'. Of course, it's not truly a game but rather a special location governed by game-like rules. Greed Island is actually a real place in the world."
Auren nods thoughtfully. "I know that much. I also know that if you clear the game, you'll gain something truly special, something capable of healing injuries like the one Battera's lover had. That was his entire motivation for investing his fortune into Greed Island, after all."
"You're right, of course, Auren," Rakshala says calmly. "The reward is certainly promising; however, Greed Island's actual goal involves collecting 100 specific cards. The entire game is built around a card-based system, where every valuable item can be converted into a card. The reason I'm saying it might not be worth your time is that the game has already been active for a long time. It was released in 1987! Even the top-ranked teams have only collected about 50 to 60 specific cards. Now, with Battera likely rescinding his financial reward, interest will drop even further. Considering how slowly everyone else is progressing, it would take you a considerable amount of time to clear it yourself."
"Even someone as capable as you would probably need several years. The question is, do you really want to dedicate that much time to it? You'd also have to follow the game's strict rules. For instance, if you fail to enter the game regularly, you could lose your progress entirely."
She's right. I'd need several years, especially if I tackled it solo. Maybe I could convince Buno, Bunu, or Neffi to join me. Possibly even Rosa or Mola… Still, it would be a huge undertaking.
There's another thing I haven't considered. Despite my vague memories, mostly limited to people and events, actively involving myself will change a lot. Making a deal with Battera doesn't kill the game, but clearing it—or sabotaging other players—would significantly alter future events. I'm not certain, but I think Greed Island can only be cleared once. I can't remember what happened after the game! My head hurts.
Do I really want to clear this game and lose the advantage of knowing how certain events might unfold? I only remember vague details, but still, those vague details have allowed me to survive and forge valuable connections. I'm also rich thanks to them. Giving up this advantage for unclear rewards is strange. I think if I clear Greed Island, I am allowed to keep a few of those 100 cards you need to clear the game. One of them is capable of restoring any injury, which could be a lifesaver.
I am not sure, but I remember some of these cards allow you to obtain supernatural things. A jug of water that replenishes itself, a fruit tree that carries all kinds of fruit, pills that can rejuvenate your body, and various special gems that provide blessings. These things are incredible. I think they might be worth it even if events slightly change. I could still manually try to fix things. So in theory, even if I am the winner of Greed Island, I could still allow Gon and Killua to meet Kite! That's how the original Greed Island ended, I am pretty sure.
"You look like you're seriously considering it," Rakshala says gently. "There's no need to rush, Auren. Take your time to think it over. If you decide you want to proceed once the game arrives, I'll support your decision."
"Thank you. I'll think about it carefully. I need to fully consider my options first," Auren replies.
The airship steadily continues toward the southern border of the United States of Saherta, soon arriving at the mountainous region where Hollow Blade is located.
As the airship touches down, Auren asks Rakshala, "When should I visit you?"
"Tonight," she answers with a soft smile, gently patting his head. "I have a few things I need to handle first. If you can't make it tonight, tomorrow will also be fine. I'll sense when you're approaching my office. I'll also arrange for one of my aides to deliver a stack of paperwork to you in a few hours. Please sign them as soon as possible."
Why is this woman suddenly becoming so touchy? And there's no way I'm signing anything without carefully reading it first.
With the airship landed, Auren exits and immediately sees Neffi running towards him.
"You're back! How did it go?" she asks with a smirk, crashing into him.
Auren raises his hand, softly pushing her back, dismissively replying, "I don't talk with peasants whose net worth is below 50 billion," before casually continuing towards his house.
Neffi's face twists in anger, and she quickly follows behind him. "Then give me some money, rich guy!"
Auren lowers his backpack, rummages through it, and pulls out a single 100 Jenny coin, handing it to Neffi with a grin. "Don't spend it all at once!"
"Sometimes I really want to smack you," she complains, though she still pockets the coin.
"If you genuinely need money, just tell me. I can easily spare a few billion," Auren says, making Neffi's eyes widen. With a big smile, she immediately grabs onto his arm, declaring, "No takesies backsies!"
With Neffi accompanying him, Auren enters his instructors' house, which is connected directly to his own.
One of the maids quickly leads them to Bunu and Buno, who are currently receiving massages, dutifully performed by even more maids.
"You two… seriously? Not just a massage by one Maid, but three maids for each of you?" Auren sighs, shaking his head.
"You still haven't learned how to properly enjoy life, Auren," Bunu says, completely serious.
"You came back sooner than expected… Don't tell me you failed?" Buno asks curiously.
"No, it worked perfectly," Auren replies casually. "Let's talk later."
He leaves their house, ascends the stairs, and walks through the corridor connecting to his own home.
As soon as he enters, his two maids, Catherine and Natsuko, quickly approach, bowing deeply. "Welcome home, Master Auren, Lady Neffi," they say in perfect unison.
"Seriously, drop it," Auren complains, shaking his head.
"Oh, just let them do it. It's fun, isn't it? They're doing it for your sake, anyway," Neffi says, smiling.
"You're absolutely right, Lady Neffi. It'll be a pleasure serving you as the Mistress of the house in the future," Catherine says, smiling sweetly.
"Indeed," Natsuko quickly agrees.
Neffi blushes faintly and rushes ahead towards the gym.
Auren follows her, and soon they're both training, engaging in a spar with wooden knives.
They slash and stab at each other, ducking, weaving, and dodging skillfully.
Despite Auren's physical advantage, Neffi still manages to keep up thanks to her superior experience and technique.
Still, with Auren's growing Knife skill, Neffi's advantage has almost been completely negated, meaning Auren, with his trained body and superior Aura, is more than able to make up the difference between them.
Because of that, after several intense exchanges, Neffi is finally pushed back and falls onto her back.
"You… got stronger," Neffi admits bitterly.
Auren extends his hand, pulling her back up. "Technique-wise, you're still better."
Neffi takes his hand and rises, standing closely in front of him, looking slightly embarrassed.
Suddenly, they hear the gym door open. Catherine enters, holding a couple of sports drinks and a small fruit platter, along with a thick stack of documents and a pen.
"These were just delivered by one of the Leader's aides," she says, grinning knowingly. "Please enjoy some fruit after your match."
She quickly bows and exits the gym.
Auren and Neffi exchange nods and sit down in the middle of the sparring ring, eating the fruits.
He then carefully looks at the stack of papers.
Now what's all this about?
As soon as he reads the first page, he sees it's a report about 'reintegrational matters'. "It's about your sentence and your so-called reintegration into society," he says, glancing at Neffi. "Rakshala has prepared a few documents. They're… entirely fictitious, but describe supposed good deeds you've done, dating back months. With these reports, you'll shave off almost 100 years from your 500-year sentence. Doesn't seem like much, but at this rate, you'll be free in just a few years."
Is it really so easy to manipulate laws when you're a Hunter? Or, in Rakshala's case, through sheer lies and connections? She is bold.
"Hmmm, I don't mind as long as I can stay with you. Nobody cares about these things in the first place," Neffi says lightly.
"Still, it's a good idea to get it done regardless. There's always a slight risk of trouble later," Auren says thoughtfully, quickly signing the reports.
A few hours later, after saying goodbye to Neffi, Auren grabs the signed documents and heads toward the administrative building.
Entering Rakshala's office, he notices only one aide still working. Auren briefly thinks about it and realizes all her aides are female. He shrugs it off without further thought.
"Excuse me, I have Neffi's paperwork? Do you know what I'm referring to?" Auren asks politely.
The aide—a shy-looking girl with large glasses and long, straight black hair—nods quietly. "Of course, Auren. Thank you!" She shyly accepts the documents and immediately begins working on them.
Auren then continues to Rakshala's room.
When he arrives, he sees her sitting on her bed, appearing somewhat melancholic.
"What's wrong?" Auren asks gently. "Also, thanks for helping Neffi. At this rate, she'll regain her freedom sooner rather than later."
"You have it backwards. Neffi is my responsibility. I'm the one who should thank you," Rakshala says warmly. "Anyway, if you're ready, please lock the door and let's find out if your hatsu can really help me."
She seems calm, but when I look at her closely… I can sense she's nervous. I guess this really is a huge gamble for her. Either she'll regain her sight—and her legacy—or she'll remain like this forever.
Auren locks the door and approaches Rakshala.
Alright! Let's do this!
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A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments, and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
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