Chapter 158: Heading to the Ruins
Ronin was a man of action. Once the immediate business in Greed Island was
finished, he didn't linger to watch Kurapika and the others train. He took his
[Ticket], set his destination to the port city in the Kingdom of Aitli, and
vanished from the digital world.
This was one of the more convenient mechanics of Greed Island—the ability to
choose your real-world exit point based on available ports.
Before departing, Ronin handed all his collected cards over to Kurapika. He
didn't have many, but the game rules were strict: if a player left the game for
more than ten days, their Binder data was wiped. Keeping the cards with the team
was the only way to ensure the resources weren't wasted.
The only thing Ronin took with him was Owl, who remained shrunk and tucked
inside a Fun Fun Cloth bundle in his pouch.
He hadn't dared to let Owl out while inside the game. He didn't need to test the
system. The Phantom Troupe had already proven in the original timeline that
"stowaways" detected by the Game Masters were immediately expelled. If Ronin
were caught, he might just be kicked out—wasting time—but if Owl were expelled
separately, Ronin would lose his most valuable storage tool.
After a month of using Owl as a walking inventory, Ronin couldn't imagine
traveling without him.
The Kingdom of Aitli.
It was a small nation, tucked away on the Ajen Continent not far from the
borders of the Kakin Empire.
The moment Ronin stepped out of the port terminal, he contacted Muherr.
He had arrived a week earlier than their agreed-upon November start date. Muherr
was pleasantly surprised and told Ronin to stay put; a mercenary transport was
already in the area to pick him up.
Ronin found a quiet cafe and ordered some pastries.
Most of his knowledge about Aitli came from online research. In an unfamiliar
country where his information was secondhand at best, following the lead of a
professional like Muherr was the smartest move.
One advantage of a small country was the travel time. The Mahavi Ruins were over
a hundred kilometers from the port, but with the Kingdom's well-maintained
highways, it was only a few hours' drive.
Ronin had just finished his second dessert and a cursory scan of the local
newspaper when his contact arrived.
The man was a familiar face from Ronin's memory of the manga. He had a distinct
bowl-cut hairstyle and a broad, powerful build. He looked like a simple, sturdy
laborer, but the steady flow of Ten radiating from him told Ronin he was an
elite combatant.
"Name's Mashur," the driver said, introducing himself as Ronin approached the
car. "I believe we crossed paths at Heavens Arena."
"Ronin," he replied. "You were part of the unit that blocked the Spiders for
me."
Back then, Usamen (Adley) had recruited Mashur as part of the deterrence force.
Mashur's fee had been one of the highest on the invoice.
"That's right. I saw you lighting up the stage from the stands. Hell of a show,"
Mashur said with a sincere grin.
Ronin smiled. "Thanks for the backup."
"I didn't do much but look scary," Mashur waved a hand dismissively. "But for
this contract, we'll be boots on the ground together. Consider me your temporary
teammate."
"I look forward to it," Ronin said politely.
"Haha, likewise!" Mashur was the boisterous, straightforward type—a professional
who didn't feel the need to hide behind layers of mystery.
As they drove, Mashur provided a situation report. Currently, the primary
excavation of the Mahavi Ruins was being handled by the Aitli Royal Army. The
mercenaries were only called in when the Magical Beasts emerged from the lower
levels.
However, the ruins were massive. As the exploration pushed deeper into the
subterranean chambers, the narrow corridors and traps would make regular
soldiers a liability. Eventually, the mercenaries and Hunters would have to take
over the digging and the frontline scouting themselves.
Muherr hadn't just invited Ronin; he had hired several other Pro Hunters for the
job.
The Kingdom of Aitli had offered a contract that was highly attractive to both
mercenaries and Hunters: they were allowed to keep a significant portion of any
artifacts they found, provided they paid a 20% "appraisal tax" to the crown.
"You have to understand," Mashur said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Based
on the preliminary carbon dating, the Mahavi Ruins are over two thousand years
old."
The older the ruin, the higher the value of the artifacts.
If they found items from the prehistoric era or decoded ancient texts, the
payout would be astronomical.
Ronin listened, his own interest sharpening.
Two thousand years ago... did the Kurta Clan have a presence here?
As they moved from the urban center to the outskirts and eventually into the
dense, primeval forest, the pavement gave way to dirt tracks scarred by heavy
tread marks.
"The King's army cleared these paths," Mashur explained. "They needed to bring
in heavy artillery to ensure the beasts didn't migrate toward the nearby
cities."
Soldiers with assault rifles appeared at checkpoints along the road. Mashur
produced their credentials—his own and a pre-arranged ID for Ronin.
They passed through without a word.
This was Ronin's first time exploring an actual ruin. Since entering the forest,
his hunter's instincts had been humming with curiosity.
The car eventually stopped two kilometers from the ruin's entrance. The road
ended here. They would have to proceed on foot.
Ronin stepped out of the car and immediately noticed the signs of conflict. The
trees were splintered, and the ground was pockmarked with old craters and dried
blood.
"The monsters tried a mass breakout a few months ago," Mashur noted, pointing to
a shattered bunker. "They were pushed back, but the Royal Army took heavy
losses. That's why they finally opened the contract to outside 'specialists'."
"Actually, the Kakin Empire tried to stick their nose in too. They offered to
'assist' with the excavation, but they were too greedy. They didn't just want
the artifacts; they wanted the land."
"The V5 had to intervene to keep Kakin from annexing the site. But I bet Nasubi
Hui Guo Rou isn't done yet. That man is an ambitious shark."
Ronin nodded, agreeing with Mashur's assessment.
He was slightly surprised that Mashur was discussing Kakin politics so openly.
As a member of Beyond Netero's team, Mashur was likely well-aware of Kakin's
secret maneuvers.
Is he testing my reactions? Ronin wondered.
He didn't pursue the topic. They had reached the staging area outside the ruins.
There, standing near a tactical command tent, Ronin saw Muherr.
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