Turning
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.'