The entire place was filled with a tense silence. Each person was lost in their own thoughts, and the group of three was especially puzzled as to how they hadn't noticed this person. Each of them had been certain that no one else was around when they began their journey.
—Who are you?— Shoun asked, taking the initiative. He also positioned himself directly in front of Sein in case something unexpected happened. As always, the young man was cautious around strangers.
—I asked first. I think it would be proper to answer my questions first, don't you agree?— the stranger explained politely, taking a step forward. This made the group of three even more tense. Sein was ready to summon his sword, visibly opening his hand. Shoun assumed a slight defensive stance, and Kaze placed his hand on his katana. All these subtle actions were noticed by the mysterious young man, causing him to smile even wider. The boy adjusted his beret so they could see his face better and spoke, —But I don't mind answering your questions since I can see you're all a bit tense. My name is Deuz Hale, adventurer by profession.
Hearing that Deuz wasn't affiliated with the government or fully tied to the guild made Shoun feel a bit more at ease, but he didn't let his guard down completely.
—It's nice to meet you, Deuz... I'm Shoun Foster, the little one is Sein Harrow, and the masked one is Kaze...— Shoun introduced briefly before returning to the main topic. Interestingly, Deuz didn't ask about Kaze's last name, simply noting it in his mind. —I suppose I should explain a bit about where we are. This place is, so to speak, a parallel world or dimension. We can access it thanks to the ability of one of us. We come here because there are many vestiges, and it allows us to grow stronger more quickly. Whenever we come, we make sure no one else is around to avoid accidentally bringing someone in. So tell me, how is it possible that we didn't notice you?— Shoun deliberately didn't reveal who had the main ability. While it might seem foolish, Deuz could decide to attack Kaze in an attempt to escape the mirror world.
—Hmmm... interesting. Well, following this game of answering and asking, I suppose it's my turn. Basically, as long as I'm in a shadow, it's very hard for you to notice me. For example— Deuz took a step back and hid under the shadow of a tree. Surprisingly, even though they could still see the spot where the beret-wearing boy should have been, they couldn't see him at all. A few seconds later, he stepped out of the shadow. —Does that answer your question?
—Yes...— Shoun felt a bit helpless in the face of such an ability. When the mysterious apprentice used it, it was impossible for Shoun to sense him, leaving him completely at his mercy. While Shoun didn't believe he could defeat an apprentice in battle, as the government had tried to make him believe, he still had faith that he could at least defend himself or escape. However, meeting Kaze had somewhat shattered that belief, and Deuz's existence buried it completely.
—Good, then it's my turn to ask. Although this question-and-answer game is getting quite tedious, let's finish it quickly. How do we get out of here?
—First, you have to pass a "trial." It's similar to ascension in that you have to kill a vestige with power equivalent to the contenders and win.
—Interesting, very interesting— As he said these words, a smile grew wider on his face, which unsettled Shoun a bit. Sein, on the other hand, was nervous that Deuz might blackmail them to keep the secret or simply expose them. Kaze, meanwhile, was innocently thinking that they should help Deuz, as well as Sein, during the trial. —So I suppose we'll have to cooperate to get out of here, right?
—...Correct.
—Great! It's a pleasure to work with you— Deuz's exaggerated smile quickly returned to a normal one, and he approached Shoun, offering a handshake. The young man hesitated but, with no other option, shook Deuz's hand. This interaction was repeated with Sein and Kaze, though neither of them hesitated as much as Shoun.
—It's nice to meet you, Deuz! When we get out of here, are you going to expose our secret?— Sein asked directly, which annoyed Shoun a bit but was somewhat expected given the boy's personality.
—The pleasure is mine, Sein. And I have no plans to expose you. After all, you're not doing anything illegal here, are you?
—Not at all, just killing vestiges and that's it— Shoun clarified quickly.
—Well, then I don't see any problem.
—Thank you. We prefer to keep this place a secret because we don't want to draw attention.
—More than we already do?— Sein asked innocently.
—Sein!— Shoun quickly gave the boy a light smack on the head, making him wince in pain. —Besides having butterfingers, it seems you have a loose tongue!—
—Can you explain all that to me?
—Ouch! That hurt, Shoun!... Well, Shoun is a person with a lot of potential, Kaze is a titled person who suffers from amnesia, and I have three abilities as a seeker.—
—...I think I'll need you to explain all that better— For the first time, the beret-wearing boy showed a visibly confused expression, completely different from his previously unshakable demeanor.
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—Okay, let me see if I understood this correctly. You were born with powers and then became a seeker, which gives you even greater potential, so the government and the guild keep a close eye on you.—
—Correct— Shoun only gave the superficial reason. After all, he didn't want to delve into his trauma twice in one day, especially this time with a stranger.
—You woke up one day in a forest feeling nothing, killed a vestige, and at that moment realized you had amnesia. But you believe you could recover your memories if you keep ascending. Also, "Kaze" is actually your title, while you don't know your real name— Kaze simply nodded to confirm Deuz's words.
—And you became a seeker yesterday, and it turns out you have an ability that says you're "the chosen one" of a supposedly ancient and very powerful golden sword.—
—Yes.
—Wow... that's hard to believe, especially the part about Kaze and Sein.
—Do you want to get burned by Sein's sword again to confirm?— Shoun joked while leaning against a tree. Deuz had asked to see and touch the golden sword, but Shoun stopped his companions from warning him about the effect of touching it if you weren't Sein. This led to Deuz experiencing the very unpleasant sensation of being burned by the sword.
—Once is more than enough. You're definitely a unique group... I like that— He said this last part with a big smile, though it didn't feel exaggerated this time. —So, tell me, what's next?
—Well, we were going to try that "base" we told you about to make a uniform for Sein. I assume you already have one and don't need us to make you one.
—Sounds good. I'm also curious about that refiner you mentioned. Have you thought about selling artifacts or clothes using it? You'd definitely make a lot of money!— Interestingly, Deuz made the same face Shoun did when talking about money, which made both Kaze and Sein take a step back. But Shoun appreciated that someone shared his eye for business.
—Yes, but it would be hard to explain where we got all those things. In the end, it would cause more problems than the money we'd make. Anyway, let's go inside the base. We still have a long day ahead, and we've already wasted enough time talking— Shoun looked at Kaze, signaling him to activate the base. The door appeared, allowing Kaze and Shoun to enter without issue. After the masked man configured the new visitors' access as "guests," the other two were able to enter without problems.
—This place... it fascinates me more and more— Deuz said as he calmly admired the entrance hall.
—I expected this place to be worse based on how Shoun described it, but so far, it's been quite pleasant.
—(That's only because you've seen the nicer parts)— Shoun thought as he guided the others to the operations room.
—Greetings, Administrator, Secondary Administrator, and guests— the AI greeted concisely.
—Hi, Liam— Kaze greeted back as he took a seat. Deuz sat on the opposite side, while Sein and Shoun were at the refiner, making Sein's uniform. Despite the boy's complaints, Shoun had the machine transform Sein's current sportswear into a uniform identical to the original clothing.
—I still think a shiny suit of armor would've looked better on me!— Sein complained as he stepped off the refiner. Despite his complaints, he couldn't help but excitedly admire his new uniform. Only now did he feel like a true Codex bearer, part of humanity's defenders.
—And I'm telling you, you'd definitely be too slow to fight with it on— Shoun took a seat next to Kaze, while Sein sat between Shoun and Deuz.
—What are we doing now?— the beret-wearing boy asked as he continued to admire the place.
—Now we should ask Liam for a mission. We need to learn how to work as a team before taking on the trial. That, and let Sein get used to his abilities in a real fight— Shoun explained briefly before addressing the AI. —Hey, Liam, do you have a mission suitable for the four of us?
—I'm sorry, Secondary Administrator. I'm afraid guests cannot participate in missions.
—Tch, that sucks. Kaze, can't you set their status to residents?
—That option doesn't appear. I assume it's because they don't have their "visa."
—Then what are we going to do?— Sein asked as he moved around to get a better feel for his new uniform.
—I guess we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way... it's time to go hunting.