Reneve tertawa gelisah, yang segera berhenti tiba-tiba. Pergantian antara menangis dan tertawa membuatnya tampak mengganggu.
Yuder, yang mengamati tingkahnya yang tampak setengah gila, secara mental menyortir informasi.
'...Mengingat apa yang kudengar, dia pasti terjebak di sini sebelum pengumuman resmi rekrutmen Kavaleri. Masa sebelum para petarung Pembangkit dipisahkan dari pertarungan acak... Meski dia dieksploitasi tanpa henti dalam situasi mirip penjara, kelangsungan hidupnya berkat kemampuan Pembangkitnya yang kuat. Tapi baginya, itu lebih seperti kutukan.'
Mengingat tanah airnya adalah zona bahaya yang dilanda konflik, tidak mengherankan jika dia sedikit tahu tentang Kavaleri, apalagi Pembangkit biasa. Keadaannya memang mengenaskan.
Tapi itu akan segera berakhir. Sekarang setelah dia menemukannya, Yuder tidak berniat membiarkannya dalam kondisi ini. Itu akan menjadi pemborosan bakat.
'Ketahanannya menunjukkan kemauan yang kuat. Jika dia keluar, dia bisa mencapai pertumbuhan luar biasa.'
Yuder sangat menghargai kemampuan Reneve. Bahkan dengan kekuatannya saat ini, dia bisa membantu mereka yang telah melakukan kejahatan atau menolak kemampuan mereka sendiri.
'Jika dia maju lebih jauh... Semua Pembangkit yang berjuang dengan kendali akan mencari bantuannya. Dia bisa menenangkan amukan jauh lebih cepat daripada yang kulakukan sebelumnya.'
Seperti semua kekuatan, miliknya memiliki kelemahan. Seperti umumnya mereka yang memiliki kemampuan mental atau emosional, bentuk fisiknya rapuh, dan dia tetap tidak menyadari potensi dirinya sendiri.
Namun, seiring kekuatannya tumbuh, kelemahannya akan berkurang, dan dia akan menjadi sosok yang ditakuti banyak Pembangkit, bahkan tanpa senjata. Mendapatkan uang hanyalah bonus kecil tambahan.
Menekan kekuatan para Pembangkit bukanlah prestasi kecil, apalagi yang sekuat Yuder dan Kishiar. Dia mungkin belum menyadari pentingnya pencapaiannya.
Setelah mengambil keputusan, Yuder berbicara.
"Baiklah, Reneve. Kami akan membantumu keluar dari tempat ini. Kami juga akan memeriksa keadaan temanmu. Dan aku yakin kamu bisa sangat membantu kami. Bagaimana?"
"...Maksudmu apa?"
"Aku mengusulkan kita bergabung untuk menjatuhkan geng Nukijo."
Yuder butuh sekutu untuk meningkatkan peluang keberhasilan dan menghindari mengulangi tragedi masa lalu. Reneve, sama seperti Elpkins, adalah orang yang tepat untuk ini.
Reneve terdiam sejenak mendengar usulan langsung itu. Lalu, di luar dugaan, dia menampar pipinya sendiri.
Karena terkejut, Yuder menangkap tangannya saat suara kering muncul dari bawah rambutnya yang acak-acakan, setengah menutupi pipinya yang memerah dan bengkak.
"Aneh. Semuanya terlalu indah untuk menjadi kenyataan."
"..."
"Jika ini mimpi lagi, kali ini aku mungkin benar-benar akan membenturkan kepalaku ke dinding. Lagipula, sebuah organisasi untuk Pembangkit menawarkan bantuan, untuk menemukan Cyril dan membalas musuh-musuhku..."
"Tidak perlu menampar diri sendiri untuk itu."
"Lalu apa yang harus kulakukan untuk percaya ini nyata?"
Reneve tidak tahu apa itu Kavaleri, jadi bahkan menunjukkan lambang Kavaleri kepadanya akan sia-sia. Menunjukkan kekuatan Pembangkit mungkin bisa menjadi bukti bahwa dirinya salah satu, namun dalam situasi saat ini, sepertinya tidak akan banyak membantu.
Yuder berhenti sejenak sebelum menoleh untuk menatap Kishiar. Tanpa dia sadari, tatapannya lebih seperti permohonan bantuan.
Mata Kishiar melembut dan melengkung menjadi senyum.
"Kalau begitu, bagaimana jika kutunjukkan bukti tak terbantahkan bahwa ini bukan mimpi?"
Sebelum ada yang bisa mempertanyakan apakah hal seperti itu ada, pria itu memutar alat sihir di tangannya yang digunakan untuk mengubah penampilan wajah. Sihir yang melapisi wajahnya menghilang, mengubah rambut cokelatnya menjadi pirang keemasan dan matanya yang tampak biasa menjadi warna merah mencolok.
"Ah...."
Dengan wajah tampannya kini terungkap jujur, Kishiar menatap kosong ke arah Reneve dan berbicara dengan sikap aslinya yang elegan.
"Nah, bukankah ini wajah yang terlalu luar biasa untuk muncul dalam mimpi belaka?"
"…Memang benar."
Penampilan asli Kishiar, meski dengan metode yang tidak masuk akal, sekali lagi terbukti sangat efektif.
Reneve segera menerima kebenaran bahwa ini bukan mimpi, melainkan kenyataan.
"Aku pernah mendengar bahwa bangsawan Imperium Orr memiliki rambut keemasan dan mata yang mencolok. Seseorang sepertimu tidak akan datang jauh-jauh untuk berbohong kepada orang sepertiku. Baiklah. Entah kamu memutuskan membunuh atau membiarkanku hidup, aku akan puas asalkan bisa keluar dari sini dan memeriksa keadaan Cyril. Jika ada yang bisa kulakukan, katakan saja. Aku akan berusaha."
Reneve, yang telah lama berada di sini tanpa pernah keluar, tahu lebih sedikit tentang struktur dan informasi tempat ini bahkan daripada Elpkins. Namun, keberadaannya saja bisa sangat membantu rencana mereka.
Yuder menyampaikan apa yang dia harap dia lakukan. Saat mereka melompat kembali ke lubang langit-langit yang mereka lewati, Reneve menatap kosong dan berbicara.
"Luar biasa. Aku sudah lama di sini dan tidak pernah tahu seseorang bisa membuka itu dan bergerak. Bahkan jika aku tahu, dengan kemampuanku, aku tidak akan bisa memanjat ke tempat setinggi itu."
"Tidak perlu mengatakan hal yang sudah jelas. Kalau begitu, sesuai janji, mari bertemu lagi besok, pada waktu yang ditentukan."
"…Ya, besok."
Reneve menggumamkan kata asing itu seperti sedang melafalkan.
Setelah itu, Yuder dan Kishiar membuka semua balok langit-langit di ruangan yang tersisa, memeriksa lokasi dan identitas mereka yang terjebak. Total sekitar tiga puluh orang, sebagian besar terikat seperti hewan di leher dan kaki. Untungnya, tidak ada yang terluka separah Elpkins.
'Selain Reneve, tidak ada orang lain dari Barat. Sebagian besar datang ke sini tergiur cerita arena, atau tertarik bergabung dengan Kavaleri. Bijak untuk memutus upaya perdagangan manusia di Tainu.'
Yang paling lama berada di antara mereka hanya sekitar satu bulan. Ini menunjukkan banyak orang cepat habis dan tewas.
Bahwa Elpkins dan Reneve bertahan selama ini di tempat seperti itu sungguh keajaiban.
Para Pembangkit sangat kooperatif dengan permintaan Yuder. Begitu mereka mengungkapkan identitas sebagai Kavaleri setelah melompat dari langit-langit, sebagian besar menitikkan air mata syukur dan menggumamkan doa terima kasih. Wajah mereka, basah oleh kelegaan akan prospek melarikan diri dari tempat neraka ini dan kegembiraan akan kemungkinan balas dendam besok, bersinar dengan ekstasi serupa Elpkins.
Yuder, setelah menghafal semua informasi yang diperoleh dari mereka yang diselamatkan, kembali ke kamarnya sendiri. Berada tepat di bawah balok langit-langit yang dibiarkan terbuka untuk akses cepat, dia dan Kishiar berdiskusi tentang rencana mereka untuk hari berikutnya.
"Para Pembangkit mengatakan kita mungkin akan memulai pertarungan pertama besok. Kita bisa memulai pekerjaan kita saat itu."
"Sepertinya itu cara terbaik untuk meminimalkan korban."
Di arena Pembangkit ini, tradisi kejam mengharuskan pendatang membuka pintu pertarungan pertama. Itu strategi brutal, dirancang untuk menghibur penonton dengan pemandangan upaya naif pemula berubah menjadi tontonan kengerian dan horor.
Karena itu, menurut aturan ini, entah Yuder atau Kishiar akan menjadi yang pertama berpartisipasi dalam pertarungan besok.
'Tentu saja, aku berencana menjadi yang pertama keluar,' pikir Yuder dalam hati.
"Bagaimana dengan pesan yang kamu kirim sebelum masuk ke tempat ini?"
"Artefak cincin tadi sempat merespons. Sepertinya Nathan sudah memeriksanya dengan benar."
Tepat sebelum masuk ke Kedai Black Orca, mereka telah mengirim pesan ke Kavaleri. Pesan itu, dari Kishiar, ditujukan untuk Nathan Zuckerman dan Kavaleri, akan dikonfirmasi dan dibalas menggunakan alat sihir sekali pakai milik Ksatria Peletta, yang dimiliki Nathan. Untungnya, sepertinya mereka telah menerima pesan itu dengan cepat dan benar.
'Semua orang akan sibuk malam ini,' pikir Yuder.
Inti rencana besok melibatkan upaya terkoordinasi baik di dalam maupun di luar arena taruhan ilegal. Di dalam, Yuder dan Kishiar, bersama para Pembangkit yang ditahan, akan bekerja sama dengan Kavaleri dan sekutu eksternal mereka di luar, meremukkan musuh seperti ham yang terjepit di antara roti.
'Untuk menjatuhkan mereka semua sekaligus, ini memang cara terbaik. Aku menantikannya.'
Yang tersisa hanyalah menunggu momen itu besok.
Sebelum melompat kembali ke kamarnya, Yuder menoleh ke arah Kishiar.
Pria itu tersenyum padanya dari tempat yang sama, tampak tidak berbeda dari biasanya. Namun, Yuder merasa dia mungkin sedang mengalami campuran kekhawatiran dan penyesalan.
"Ada yang kamu sesalkan?" tanya Yuder.
"Tertangkap basah, ya? Entah bagaimana, setelah datang sejauh ini bersama, pikiran untuk kembali sendirian ke kamar sempit terasa sedikit sepi," akui Kishiar.
Yuder menatap ke bawah dalam diam.
Kamar mereka saat ini, mirip sel penjara mungil tanpa apa-apa selain tempat tidur dari jerami tua yang dibungkus kain, tampak sedikit lebih baik dibandingkan gubuk yang sebelumnya mereka bagi.
"Maukah kamu ikut turun denganku kalau begitu?" tawarkan Yuder.
"Itu akan menyenangkan," Kishiar cepat setuju.
'Mengingat mulainya rencana besok, ini seharusnya tidak masalah,' pikir Yuder.
Bersama-sama, mereka turun ke kamar Yuder. Saat duduk berdampingan di tempat tidur jerami sempit, Kishiar tertawa kecil berulang kali.
"Kamu telah mengerahkan banyak usaha tak terduga hari ini. Sekarang, jangan lakukan hal lain dan istirahat saja," kata Kishiar.
"Baiklah."
"Kamu harus berjanji."
"Apakah aku pernah melanggar janji padamu?"
Kishiar menarik Yuder mendekat, menyandarkan kepalanya di bahunya. Meski ruangan sempit, rasanya lebih dari cukup untuk mereka.
Yuder menghembuskan napas dalam-dalam dan menutup matanya sejenak, bersiap untuk hari esok.
Keesokan harinya, suara geng Nukijo membuka kunci pintu bergema di seluruh ruangan.
Saat Yuder perlahan membuka kelopak matanya, dia bertemu tatapan Kishiar yang sudah terbuka. Kishiar meletakkan jari di bibirnya dan tersenyum nakal, memberi isyarat 'Ssst.'
Chapter 664
Reneve burst into nervous laughter, which soon abruptly ceased. Her alternating between crying and laughing was unsettling.
Yuder, observing her seemingly half-mad demeanor, mentally sorted through the information.
‘...Considering what I've heard, she must have been trapped here before the official announcement of the Cavalry recruitment. A time before the Awakener fighters were separated from random combat... Though she was endlessly exploited in a situation akin to imprisonment, her survival owed to her powerful Awakener abilities. But to her, it was more of a curse.’
Given that her homeland was a conflict-ridden danger zone, it was hardly surprising that she knew little about the Cavalry, let alone ordinary Awakeners. Her circumstances were indeed dire.
But that was about to end. Now that he had found her, Yuder had no intention of leaving her in this state. It would be a waste of talent.
‘Her endurance suggests a strong will. If she gets out, she could achieve tremendous growth.’
Yuder highly esteemed Reneve's abilities. Even with her current power, she could be of help to those who had committed crimes or rejected their own abilities.
‘If she advances further... All awakeners struggling with control would seek her help. She could calm rampages far quicker than I did earlier.’
Like all powers, hers had weaknesses. As common to those with mental or emotional abilities, her physical form was fragile, and she remained ignorant of her own potential.
However, as her power grew, her weaknesses would diminish, and she would rise to be a figure feared by many Awakeners, even without a weapon. Earning money would be just a small added bonus.
Suppressing the powers of Awakeners was no small feat, let alone those as powerful as Yuder and Kishiar. She might not yet grasp the significance of her achievement.
Having made his decision, Yuder spoke up.
"Alright, Reneve. We will help you leave this place. We'll also check on your friend's wellbeing. And I believe you could be of great help to us. What do you think?"
"...What do you mean?"
"I suggest we join forces to take down the Nukijo gang."
Yuder needed allies to increase the chances of success and avoid repeating past tragedies. Reneve, as much as Elpkins, was the right person for this.
Reneve was silent for a moment at the straightforward proposal. Then, unexpectedly, she slapped her own cheek.
Caught off guard, Yuder grabbed her hand as a dry voice emerged from beneath her disheveled hair, half-covering her reddened, swollen cheek.
"It's strange. It's all too good to be true."
"..."
"If this is another dream, I might really bash my head against the wall this time. After all, an organization for Awakeners offering to help me, to find Cyril and avenge my enemies..."
"There's no need to slap yourself for that."
"Then what should I do to believe this is real?"
Reneve was unaware of what a Cavalry was, so even showing him the emblem of the Cavalry would be futile. Demonstrating the power of an Awakener might serve as evidence of being one, yet in the current situation, it seemed unlikely to be of clear help.
Yuder paused briefly before turning to meet Kishiar's gaze. Unbeknownst to him, his look was more a plea for help.
Kishiar's eyes softened and curved into a smile.
"Then, shall I show you undeniable proof that this is not a dream?"
Before anyone could question if such a thing existed, the man twisted a magic tool on his hand used for altering facial appearance. The magic overlaying his face dissipated, transforming his brown hair to golden blonde and his ordinary-looking eyes to a striking red hue.
"Ah...."
With his handsome face now honestly revealed, Kishiar looked blankly at Reneve and spoke in his original, elegant manner.
"Now, isn't this a face too extraordinary to appear in a mere dream?"
"…Indeed, it is."
Kishiar's genuine appearance, though an absurd method, proved incredibly effective once again.
Reneve immediately accepted the truth that this was not a dream, but reality.
"I've heard that the nobles of the Orr Empire have golden hair and striking eyes. Someone of your stature wouldn't come all this way to lie to someone like me. Fine. Whether you decide to kill or spare me, I'll be satisfied as long as I can leave here and check on Cyril's well-being. If there's anything I can do, just tell me. I'll try."
Reneve, having been here a long time without ever venturing outside, knew less about the structure and information of this place than even Elpkins. Yet, her mere existence could be of the utmost help to their plan.
Yuder conveyed to her what he hoped she would do. As they leaped back towards the ceiling hole they had come through, Reneve stared blankly and spoke.
"It's amazing. I've been here so long and never knew one could open that and move around. Even if I had known, with my abilities, I wouldn't have been able to climb up to such a high place."
"There's no need to say such obvious things. Then, as promised, let's meet again tomorrow, at the appointed time."
"…Yes, tomorrow."
Reneve murmured the unfamiliar word as if reciting it.
Afterwards, Yuder and Kishiar went on to open all the ceiling blocks in the remaining rooms, checking the locations and identities of those trapped. There were about thirty in total, most bound like animals by the neck and feet. Fortunately, none were as severely injured as Elpkins.
'Apart from Reneve, there are no others from the West. Most came here lured by tales of the arena, or interested in joining the Cavalry. It was wise to cut off the human trafficking attempts in Tainu.'
The longest any of them had been there was barely a month. This suggested that many people were quickly expended and perished.
That Elpkins and Reneve had survived this long in such a place was nothing short of miraculous.
The Awakeners were extremely cooperative with Yuder's request. As soon as they revealed their identities as the Cavalry upon leaping down from the ceiling, most shed tears of gratitude and murmured prayers of thanks. Their faces, soaked in relief at the prospect of escaping this hellish place and joy at the possibility of revenge tomorrow, shone with a similar ecstasy to that of Elpkins.
Yuder, having memorized all the information gleaned from those he had rescued, returned to his own room. Positioned directly under a ceiling block that remained open for quick access, he and Kishiar engaged in a discussion about their plans for the following day.
"The Awakeners have said that we will probably start the first fight tomorrow. We can start our work then."
"That seems to be the best way to minimize casualties."
In this arena of the Awakeners, a cruel tradition dictated that newcomers open the first door of combat. It was a brutal strategy, designed to entertain the spectators with the sight of novices' naive attempts turning into a spectacle of shock and horror.
Therefore, according to this rule, either Yuder or Kishiar would be the first to participate in tomorrow's combat.
'Of course, I plan to be the first to go out,' Yuder thought to himself.
"What about the message you sent before entering this place?"
"The ring artifact briefly responded earlier. It seems Nathan has checked it properly."
Right before entering the Black Orca Tavern, they had sent a message to the Cavalry. The message, from Kishiar, intended for Nathan Zuckerman and the Cavalry, was to be confirmed and then responded to using a one-time use magic tool belonging to the Peletta Knights, which Nathan possessed. Fortunately, it seemed that they had promptly and properly received the message.
'Everyone will be busy tonight,' Yuder mused.
The crux of tomorrow's plan involved coordinated efforts both inside and outside the illegal betting arena. Inside, Yuder and Kishiar, along with other detained Awakeners, would work in tandem with the Cavalry and their external allies outside, squeezing their enemies like a ham sandwiched in bread.
'To take them all down at once, this is indeed the best way. I'm looking forward to it.'
All that was left was to wait for that moment tomorrow.
Before leaping back to his room, Yuder turned his head towards Kishiar.
The man was smiling at him from the same spot, seemingly no different from usual. However, Yuder felt that he might be experiencing a mix of worry and regret.
"Is there something you're regretting?" Yuder inquired.
"Caught me, huh? Somehow, after coming all this way together, the thought of returning alone to a cramped room feels a bit lonely," Kishiar admitted.
Yuder silently gazed downward.
Their current room, akin to a tiny prison cell with nothing but a bed made of old straw wrapped in cloth, seemed slightly better compared to the shack they had previously shared.
"Would you like to come down with me then?" Yuder offered.
"That would be nice," Kishiar quickly agreed.
'Considering the start of tomorrow's plan, this should be fine,' Yuder thought.
Together, they descended to Yuder's room. While sitting side by side on the narrow straw bed, Kishiar chuckled repeatedly.
"You've exerted a lot of unexpected effort today. Now, don't do anything else and just rest," Kishiar said.
"Alright."
"You have to promise."
"Would I ever break a promise to you?"
Kishiar pulled Yuder close, resting his head on his shoulder. Despite the cramped room, it felt more than sufficient for them.
Yuder exhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment, preparing for the day ahead.
The next day, the sound of Nukijo's gang unlocking the door echoed through the space.
As Yuder slowly opened his eyelids, he met Kishiar's already open gaze. Kishiar placed a finger over his lips and smiled mischievously, signaling 'shush.'
[BL] Bermuda
Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.
Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.
"Since when have you been watching me?"
Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.
"From the very beginning."
[BL] Cloudless Sky
Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.
"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."
In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.
"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."
And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.
"For now, until then, let's sleep..."
As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.
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