Chapter 201
Chapter 201
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Meeting and a Grave Warning
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The dragon of dragons.
Tempest, the former mayor of Nighthaven, once hailed as the Dragon King.
Yuria and Raven were naturally taken aback by his sudden appearance.
They’d heard he was receiving treatment at the Association's main hospital for a Dragon Heart-related issue.
But they had never expected him to show up in person, unannounced.
*He… he looks well, thankfully. I heard there was a problem with his Dragon Heart, so I thought it must be a terrible injury…*
Yuria, in particular, hadn't seen him since the incident at the Sky Garden.
She just blinked, bewildered, unsure how to react.
To her, Tempest was still the incredibly esteemed mayor.
She had been a unilateral admirer of his actions ever since she read the original story.
It was as if she were holding a hot stone in her palm that she couldn't drop.
It was only natural for her to be so restless and anxious.
“I didn’t know you were here. It would have been nice if you had told us in advance.”
Perhaps Raven and Yuria needed more time to think.
It was none other than Lucserion who broke the silence and addressed Tempest first.
He still seemed pleased by the fact that there was room for improvement in his Absolute Defense.
Tempest looked at Lucserion and replied casually, as if joking.
“What do you mean, you didn’t know? You must have noticed the moment I entered the building.”
“Not at all. It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I didn’t have the luxury of paying attention to the outside. I only just realized you were here.”
“Hmm? Come to think of it, you were the one who stepped up to test Miss Yuria’s skills. Which means…”
Tempest’s intrigued gaze landed squarely on Yuria, as if poking her.
Lucserion was a brilliant mage who could use light as an extension of his senses, allowing him to perceive events far away.
His range was vast, easily encompassing an entire building.
Yet Yuria had managed to make him concentrate so intensely that he failed to notice Tempest’s approach, even for a moment?
From Tempest’s perspective, his evaluation of Yuria was bound to rise.
“I heard you were hospitalized. Are you sure you should be wandering around a place like this, old man? You should be resting in bed.”
Unlike Yuria, who still didn't know how to act around Tempest even after some time had passed.
Raven quickly composed himself and spoke nonchalantly, as if it were business as usual.
Before he became a Fixer, during the height of the war with the Metahuman Liberation Army, they had been in the same unit.
He and Tempest were well-acquainted, on familiar terms.
And contrary to public opinion, Tempest was an easygoing person with those close to him.
Raven was, in a way, just matching that energy.
“Bah, there’s nothing wrong with me. In fact, my body is getting itchy from lying down all the time. I’m probably healthier than you, who likely gets by on delivery food every day.”
“Who says I live on delivery food? These days, it’s only once every three days at most.”
“Oh? You, the lazy one? I suppose you have someone who cooks for you with care?”
“It’s not so much that someone cooks for me…”
“…?”
A subtle glance.
Raven’s eyes shifted to Yuria, who was still rubbing her own stinging cheek.
If he had to be precise, it was less that someone cooked for him and more that he was the one doing the cooking.
His decent eating habits had naturally improved while living with a little kid who wanted to be well-fed.
Of course, if one were to look closer, it was more of a mutually beneficial arrangement…
But the somewhat oblivious Yuria seemed to be wondering why he was looking at her.
Raven, feeling no need to say it out loud, simply shrugged.
“Well, whatever. This is perfect. I was planning to visit you anyway. Old man, you have something to say to her, right?”
Raven seemed intent on getting straight to the point without any hesitation.
He grabbed Yuria’s shoulder and pushed her forward, placing her in front of Tempest.
To think that the reason they came to the Association headquarters today was because of Tempest…
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, her gaze darted around before she bowed with an awkward smile.
Come to think of it, he had appeared so suddenly that she hadn't even greeted him properly yet.
Anywhere, anytime, a polite person could make a good impression!
Perhaps Tempest could easily read Yuria’s thoughts.
He smiled at the slightly fumbling and awkward girl as if she were his own granddaughter and spoke.
“Hmph, what’s the rush? You look quite exhausted. The conversation can wait until you’ve recovered.”
“Then you shouldn’t have come in the first place…”
Raven’s dumbfounded muttering trailed off.
The group decided to head down to the floor where they had met Prau earlier.
Yuria, who had hidden in a pile of dirt to land a blow during the skill test.
And Raven, who had caught her to keep her from falling—both were covered in dirt.
Their plan was to wash off the grime first and then talk.
“Oh my, you’re quite dirty. But that’s a relief. The bathroom is all ready… Ah, should I help you wash up?”
“…!”
“It’s what they call bonding in the nude! Ah, and since we’ll probably be seeing each other often, is it okay if I just call you Yuria?”
Of course, for Yuria, who was suddenly roped into bathing with Prau, it was extremely awkward…
But it was impossible to escape the girl who was closing the distance with a wide, innocent smile!
Thus, Yuria decided to treat it as a sort of natural disaster and quietly gave up resisting.
And just like that, with a new older sister figure in her life… time passed boisterously.
*
After the Yuria smudged with dirt and dust was reborn as a soft, dewy Yuria.
Everyone naturally gathered around a table placed in one of the blue-floored areas.
Raven and Yuria sat side by side, occupying one side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Opposite them, Tempest and Lucserion sat with a dignified air.
And to the side of the table, Prau sat with a beaming smile.
There were a total of three Single-Digit Fixers at this table!
Considering that half of all Single-Digit Fixers were scattered across the globe…
It was a daunting sight that would make anyone who didn't know the circumstances tense up.
“Right, where should I begin… Perhaps it would be best to start from when I first met Miss Yuria.”
Tempest, who had been munching on traditional snacks with a vigor unbefitting a patient.
Had he sensed that the atmosphere was right to begin the conversation?
He looked at Yuria and Raven, preparing to start his story.
But perhaps the point in time he chose to start from was too far in the past.
Raven, sitting across from him, scowled and raised his voice in irritation.
“Too long. Just get to the point. Why did you call Yuria here today, and why did you suddenly test her skills? Just telling us that should be enough.”
“Hmph, so impatient. Are you trying to act like a grown-up just because she’s a kid you care about? How cheeky.”
“Shut up, old man.”
Perhaps even he realized, upon reflection, that his story was going to be rather long-winded.
Tempest cleared his throat, looking a bit sheepish, then his expression turned serious as he began to speak.
“Ugh… Fine. Since you know the situation well, there’s no need to beat around the bush. I’ll get straight to the point. Soon—within three months at most—a massive battle with the Metahuman Liberation Army will break out.”
“A massive battle with the Metahuman Liberation Army, you say?”
“…?!”
The shocking declaration made Raven and Yuria gasp.
In a way, a battle with the Metahuman Liberation Army was already foreseen.
But the precise timeframe that came from Tempest’s lips sounded as if he had read the future.
However, Raven quickly regained his composure and seriously asked what evidence he had.
For Tempest to speak with such a convinced expression, he must have had proper proof.
As if fully understanding his reaction.
Tempest sighed softly, furrowed his brow, and replied.
“There’s plenty of evidence. The recent increase in clashes between them and us. The fact that they’ve been quiet for a while since their last rampage… But the deciding factor is this. We have circumstantial evidence that the Metahuman Liberation Army… has recently joined hands with a psychic organization. And that was just a month ago.”
“…That’s absurd. Ordinary psychics are practically fanatics you can’t even reason with! How could they possibly join forces with anyone?!”
Raven’s shocked reaction was perfectly logical.
The Metahuman Liberation Army and the invaders—even Yuria, who had read the original story, had never imagined a situation where they would team up.
How could factions that were constantly trying to kill each other join hands?
As Raven stared intensely, demanding an explanation, Tempest let out a troubled groan.
“We thought it was impossible at first, too. But… it seems our movements have become a greater threat to them than we imagined. They might be planning to join forces to eliminate us first, then figure out what to do next.”
“So the ‘three months at most’ means…”
“As you know, neither side is particularly patient. They’d rather join forces for a short time and get away from each other as soon as possible than maintain a long-term relationship. In other words, the fact that they’ve joined hands means…”
“That an offensive will come soon. At least, that’s the judgment of our Association’s experts.”
Lucserion picked up where Tempest left off, calmly finishing the thought.
He seemed to have already heard the news, as he showed no great agitation at the story.
So, the time to settle things with the Metahuman Liberation Army was truly just around the corner.
Faced with this suffocating reality, Raven and Yuria wore incredibly complicated expressions.
They felt like bomb disposal experts staring down a ticking time bomb, about to explode at any moment.