Chapter 91 Re-Encounter
Getting outside the shuttle half an hour later, Nial first scanned his surroundings with his mana perception.
Right now, he was in one of the least developed districts of the shelter.
Not many Originals were living in this area, which made it easier for him to sense the mana fluctuations of the Originals, all of whom were heading in a particular direction.
On his way towards the 10th gathering place in Katu, Nial followed two young men that were calmly walking through the streets.
They didn't seem to be all that bothered by the surroundings which were completely different in his case.
However, this was only obvious because the reeking stench that reached his nostrils was much worse for him than for anyone else.
It was a slight downside for him to sense everything far more intense than it was the case for others, but that was something he had to live with.
In fact, Nial was certain that his body had gotten used to the increment of his senses' sensitivity and intensity by now.
Unfortunately, it looked like he had underestimated his Curse's strength, which caused him to smile bitterly.
Yet, instead of wearing the filtering mask, he forced himself to endure it, comparing it to just a test that would help in training his senses, while continuing to follow the two Originals.
After a while, they entered a small alley and Nial followed them quietly before realizing that they had halted in their tracks abruptly.
Turning towards him, they sized Nial up for a moment followed by a snort as he heard them beginning to gossip about him.
"To think that I felt weird upon sensing that someone like him was following me…maybe my sense of danger is malfunctioning…"
"It probably is, otherwise, why would you feel uncomfortable to know that someone at the 3rd Origin rank follows you…he is blind too!"
Upon hearing this, Nial's lips curled upward, but none of the two youths noticed it.
They had already turned back to continue their walk, only for the first young man to ask in a curious tone.
"Do you think he will also join the Teradan military camp? Doesn't that mean he is heading towards the 10th gathering place, right now? Wouldn't that indicate he was recommended by someone remarkable as it is tough for students like him to get in on their own?!
Maybe we shouldn't take him too lightly…"
In Nial's opinion, the first youth was rather calm, and rationally observing the situation while concluding the facts.
Furthermore, he seemed to be trusting his senses a lot as he didn't think it was malfunctioning.
This was quite intriguing and completely different from the free behavior and nonchalant mindset of the other youth, who waved his hand.
"Even if you are right, there are too many people that can recommend others. Some distant family members or their close friends in Katu might have recommended him in order to cut him off in a neat manner.
The death rate in the Teradan military camp is quite high, and you know that a cripple with a low mana core rank won't be able to do the same as we can…at least not naturally!"
It was not that the second young man was wrong about his assumptions.
Nevertheless, he had underestimated Nial, just because he was blind and at a low mana core rank.
However, the young man should have considered that Nial might as well be a late bloomer.
This would lead to a rational conclusion that he was likely to have awoken an Innate ability.
Yet, because the second young man was hastily jumping to conclusions, Nial believed that he was rather gullible, and someone who would take the provided information at face value without questioning them.
This was everything Nial concluded, which was already more than enough to figure out the mindset of the two young men that entered a small pub.
Nial followed suit, approaching the counter just like the youths that spoke a few words to the bartender before they were led to a different room.
Returning back, the bartender looked at Nial for a second before tilting his head as if he was confused.
"How may I help you, Sir?"
Sensing that Nial was an Original, the bartender refrained from saying 'brat' or other words that would insult an Original if spoken by an unawakened.
Nial noticed this but instead of smiling arrogantly, he maintained his poker face.
"I would like to order a large dragonic steak, with silvermoon potatoes. As for a drink, can I get a dark kiana juice with vodka…lots of it?"
It was not long ago that he had received a second message from the government's AI, telling him the passcode to enter the secret gathering place where he and the other recommended entrants were supposed to meet up.
Nodding his head, the bartender's confusion dispersed after realizing that Nial was truly one of the youth that had gathered in their secretive room.
Thus, he led Nial to the backside of the pub.
Pressing a specific brick into the wall, the bartender stepped behind a little. Nial heard rattling noises resounding from the wall before it moved away.
It was a secret door, but that was something Nial had already noticed.
In fact, his mana perception had already enveloped the entire building, sensing the presence of several dozen Originals who had gathered in the underground.
Because of that, he knew that he might be one of the last participants to arrive.
As such, he took a few deep breaths before walking down the stairs to calm himself in the meantime.
He was nervous but also excited because he would meet many new people, face dangerous obstacles, and encounter bountiful opportunities.
While climbing down the numerous stairs that felt endless, Nial could feel the excitement coursing through himself.
His nervousness was slowly dispersing, giving way for calm and excitement, which was clearly noticeable as his steps became firmer.
Owing to his feelings Nial didn't even hear the secretive door behind him open before someone rushed down the stairs with heavy breaths.
"Please don't let me be too late!" An exhausted voice resounded behind him.
It was a soothing voice that caused Nial to feel even calmer.
Yet, oddly enough he felt that the voice was quite familiar, which confused him.
He hadn't met that many young women in his life and the handful of girls that he had the pleasure of knowing should not be on their way towards any kind of camp either.
Thus, Nial instinctively halted in his tracks and turned in the direction of the door before he focused his mana perception in the same direction.
Somehow, facing the direction his mana perception was focused on was easier.
This was probably owing to psychological reasons as his mana perception replaced his sight in various ways.
Yet, the moment his mana perception enveloped the woman who had been talking to herself in a panicked voice, she emerged in front of her.
Because of that, Nial's visualization of her happened all of a sudden, followed by him being able to sense her familiar fluctuations.
'Isn't that..?' He was not sure if he recalled correctly, but Nial was sure to have met her just once for a short while.
Fortunately enough, the woman he encountered halted in her track, noticing that there was someone ahead of her who was climbing down the stairs as well.
However, the moment she saw Nial, and his familiar blind eyes, Bella Morningstar realized who was standing in front of her.
"Oh?! Aren't you my mother's tenant? You almost killed me, do you remember? It was a month ago!"
Of course, he remembered! How could he forget the time around which he had bound the Curse [Hodur's Heir] to his mana core?
As such, he smiled lightly, feeling relieved to encounter a familiar face as he extended his hand.
"I don't think you are easy to forget. Nice meeting you again!"
Nial said everything lightheartedly but Bella could only laugh before she teased him,
"If I'm not that easy to forget, why did you take my contact details, but didn't message me?"
She clearly recalled how flustered she was when Nial had taken her contact details and even suggested going out to eat in a nonchalant manner.
This had made her believe that he would message her, but that had never happened.
If she were to know that Nial had completely forgotten about the fact that he had her contact details, Bella would probably be utterly embarrassed.
Fortunately, Nial was not that oblivious to do something as foolish as that.
Instead, he remained honest and told the truth.
"I didn't expect to be so busy preparing my body, mind, and heart for the Teradan military camp. After all, I'm a late bloomer and I awakened my origin less than two months ago!"
There was no need to hide certain facts.
Instead, by sharing something with Bella, he felt that it was possible for him to get close to her.
The sisters Kira and Mara had told him to make friends, and create a small clique in order to survive the Teradan military camp.
They had suggested forming a small group because one could get to know each other much better, and form a bond of trust faster.
After all, if a task said that one was supposed to conquer a dungeon with the team one had built, it was better to have only a handful of trusted companions instead of dozens that would split each other's heads in order to get the rewards of the dungeon conquest.
As such, Nial thought that it was a lucky coincidence to re-encounter Bella as she had helped him once, even after the incident that had almost killed her.
"Only two months? Doesn't that mean you are extremely talented to be recommended for this year's camp?"
Rather than feeling weirded out around him, Bella was quite comfortable.
It was out of the ordinary for her because she was weird around strangers.
This was also the reason why she was overjoyed to encounter Nial, a person she was a bit familiar to as well.
They might not know each other very well, but they were at least not complete strangers to each other.
In fact, Bella had already expected to encounter Nial here, but getting to know that he had not been an Original for long confused her a little bit.
More than that, Nial's answer was even more confusing and Bella could only think that he was trying to act humbly owing to their first encounter.
"I'm not really talented, and just fortunate with my encounters. Furthermore, I cannot really wait for next year's military camp because I don't know what would happen in this one year that I would have to wait!"
In the end, Nial truly believed that he was not talented per se.
Rather, it was his fortune and great senses that allowed him to do many things others were slower in.
Thus, his disadvantage of being blind and cursed could be said to be a blessing in disguise, which sounded weird even to Nial himself.
Wasting a year was a big no and he had been trying to find ways to become stronger in a shorter time when Kira and Mara had proposed to him to join the camp.
They had told him that it was possible for them to turn him into the strongest participant of the Teradan military camp if he gave them only one more year.
However, that was something Nial bluntly rejected because there were too many uncertain factors.
Bella just nodded upon hearing his answer, not minding it all that much.
She believed he had something in mind, and a good reason to do whatever he did.
After all, it was extremely dangerous to enter the Teradan military camp with his strength.
However, she also knew he was capable of killing her, and that was more than enough to consider him extremely powerful.
As such, she felt that he might become a threat to herself if she were to underestimate him.
And like him, even she believed that teaming up would be beneficial for her during her stay in the camp.
Her gut feeling told her that this was the best to do.
Little did she know that this was truly the case and that her decision was the best she could have ever taken!