Chapter 7: Seen Through
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< ”Hello, my fellow Earthling. What’s up?” > Ginn smiles brightly.

‘What the fuck…’ Ben freezes even more due to the double surprise.

With his expressionless face, he looks around, confirming that he can’t see his surroundings anymore, as the crowded streets are now empty.

Following, Ben notices the two guys that appear following the smiling brat. One is a very tall young male with red hair and red eyes, and the other a short blond guy with dark eyes.

Unlike the one speaking English, the other two brats stay weirdly serious, giving Ben the impression of someone that has eaten something they don’t like, and it even caused them a stomachache.

They all look like they are around 20 years old, maybe falling slightly short as they seem to have only left adolescence.

His long silence makes the atmosphere awkward, but Ben doesn’t seem to care, as he takes his time looking at those who made themselves guests forcedly.

[chuckle] Seeing a frown appearing in the red-haired guy, Ben chuckles.

He then looks at the so-called Ginn and slowly says.

“For a first encounter, isn’t this a bit exaggerated?”

“I hope you don’t mind it too much since this is the least I can do to keep some of my privacy,” Ginn answers while keeping his awkward smile.

‘Privacy? More like showing you can hide anything even below anyone else noses.’

“Many eyes are on me, you see, so for our safety, we should be careful.” Ginn keeps talking, trying to explain.

[he]

Perplexed by the situation, Ben’s mind can only focus on one problem, so he carefully asks: “Will they come for me? Torture?”

[cough cough] the safety-driven Ginn is caught off guard.

Trying to be seen as reliable, Ginn earnestly responds, as his eyes shine brightly.

“I will ensure your safety, so please don’t worry too much.” but he isn’t able to say that his enemies wouldn’t try.

‘Ah. I loathe eyes that can see what they shouldn’t. Those who have it should take their Sharingan like bullshit and go peak at their asshole.’

[sigh]

“I don’t think someone of your caliber would be coming here to discuss the weather, so you said something about business?”

Ben tries to go direct to the point, as his only fun right now is seeing how the red guy is becoming even redder as his frown keeps tightening itself. ‘Is he going to explode?’

“Why are you so hasty, isn’t it a kind of fate to meet here? A predestined encounter so that we could ponder about the truths of this world? We will discuss important business, sure, but we can explore so much more.”

< ”Wouldn’t you think so, fellow reincarnated?” >

< ”Then, we can ponder about your tomato.” > Ben comments in a slightly broken English.

Ginn slightly frowns since he doesn’t understand the joke, but he then turns around as he notices the elder focusing on someone beyond him.

[hahahahahaha] he can’t but laugh seeing his friend holding his anger.

“Matt, Matt, Matt, you are too serious, man. You two get some more food and sit with us, no need to play statues like that.”

“Ginn! But he…” Matt can’t finish his sentence and can only sigh.

“I know you are like that, but we are like peers. If I don’t mind the way we talk, why should you care so much to become red? Go get some food and take some alcohol out so we can relax together!”

[ha] Ben dryly laughs at the situation before him.

To easy the atmosphere, the blond young man took upon himself to pull Matt away to get food.

< ”He is somewhat too serious about formal speech, so don’t mind him too much.” >

< ”Tomato…” > Ben begins to think about how long it has been since he saw and eaten a tomato.

< ”The food is quite different here, right?” >

< ”It isn’t bad tho. One only needs to get used to the change.” >

< ”From when did you come?” >

< ”The start of the second millennium. The beginning of the age of information, but not that I learned anything useful.” > Ben smiles, thinking about to what extent info was available but how little he could absorb.

< ”I think I got a bit further than you. I almost saw people landing on Mars. Although I died before seeing if they died in the landing or not.” >

[sigh/sigh] both ended sighing at their memories.

< ”How were you so sure I was from Earth?” > Ben asks.

< ”Our souls’ aura. I think it is a mark from our memories. At least I can confirm if someone is like me or not.” >

< ”Such eyes.” > Ben says, shaking his head.

Seeing the old man low, Ginn points at his eyes and says. < ”You should have your golden spoon too, right? You lived so long. The difference is that mine is in the open for everyone to see.” >

< ”Time… hmm… Yeah, I did had some.” >

< ”See, everyone has their path, but I am still surprised that we met like that. It seems like a destined encounter, doesn’t it?” >

< ”Weren’t you people stalking me because of the poisoned bastard? Such fate, much destiny.” > Ben starts spilling his sarcasm.

< “Well.. hehe… kinda, but still, you could be anyone, but you are from Earth!” >

< ”If the one you were searching wasn’t a weirdo, who would they be? The answer is: No one and the ungrateful bastard would be dead.” >

< ”You don’t like the word destiny, do you? And you should also be careful when talking about the successor of New Horizons Sect.” >

< ”I am too old to care about such illusions. And what were you people doing when the successor ended in such state?” >

< ”You seem to not care at all about such sect? Fearless?” >

< ”Not like anything will change, I see no way a relationship with that sect will develop positively…” > ‘At least not with the baldy knowing so much.’

< ”Why?” >

< ”I am alive.” > Ben answer with a simple sentence but a hopeless grin.

The few words struck Ginn speechless for a moment. Indeed, it is definitively surprising he is alive. Considering the report available in the sect, an elder planned to dissect his body. But he disappeared, and the disciples found in that place only monsters traces.

The body’s disappearance was only another small case of many happening lately, but with the Elder’s involvement, the disciples investigated the case. Ultimately, that event became one of the many reasons the extermination mission has happened this week.

While Ginn chose to assume that the old man would be an exception since he showed unique abilities, the others attributed his disappearing to him ending inside some beast’s belly.

With his hand in his chin, Ginn ends up agreeing.

< ”Indeed… Exceptional people will always cause a commotion.” >

[clack clack] the duo interrupts them, arriving with the food.

”It was quite fast. Did you rob someone’s else food?” Ginn asks, confused.

”Yukk had already ordered before we got here since he knew you would ask for food.” Matt answered.

“Where is he? Isn’t he going to join us? Whatever. I will talk to him later. You guys come here, sit down and let’s eat. I am starving.” Ginn happily begins to eat.

Then turning to Ben, he asks, changing the subject.

“Hey Dyn, you didn’t know about the extermination, did you?”

‘Nothing happened~’ “Nope, but even if I did, I wouldn’t have joined in any way. I work mostly solo.”

“Isn’t the payment superior when a big sect contract the locals? Hi, I am Yukk, since we know your name I forgot to give mine, and like you heard the angry red dude is called Matt, he barks but doesn’t bite, because if he does he will be left alone at home and cry.” the blond guy finally greets Ben.

“Who is the one that barks? You idiot, look at his age, the sect personal will probably not even accept someone already dying.” Matt angrily responds.

Ben ignores the rude red-haired young man and answers extensively.

“Yukk, while the payment is indeed higher, but so are the risks. Those temporally contracted generally aren’t given priority on safety. Using direct words: they are often used as disposable dolls. It doesn’t matter if they are young or old, if they have some experience or not, they are all considered as inferior. While encountering a group that will directly treat them like trash is somewhat on the rare side, but you should understand that they aren’t part of the sect, so why should the sect care too much? Those are allowed to gain some extra, but they may pay it with their lives.”

“Isn’t it always dangerous?” Yukk asks.

“Not really, anyone can earn enough to put food on the table for a commoner lifestyle even if they play it safe. While the danger is everywhere, most people lose their life due to too much greed. They choose to take higher risks, but if they didn’t, they could still make plenty of money. If you compare the pay with some manual labor, even if you control your actions, you would still be earning like three to five times at least of what is considered a heavy manual job. And the work isn’t as heavy.”

Trying to explain in his terms, Ginn adds in.

“It is all about risk control. While the sect missions are important, those always involve numerous risks that normally aren’t worth taking alone. The sects take those because they collectively can handle more problems. However, the individuals contracted generally confront things they aren’t used to with people they don’t know. So, even if they are as strong as we are, they aren’t as safe. Mostly, it isn’t even about evilness or greed. For example, ask yourself if you confront real danger would you protect your brothers and friends or some stranger?”

Not agreeing with it, Matt asks: “But if you don’t take risks, how are you gonna change your shitty life?”

“One must choose, and if they do take the risky option, then don’t bullshit about it. Don’t come crying about how it didn’t payback. Don’t come yelling to be saved. Don’t play the victim using society inequality as an excuse. I have seen enough so that I will never cry again due to some greedy creature. They are free to choose whatever, and I will commend them if they choose not to be passive about their hopelessness, but why should I cry in pity due to someone else’s courage?” Ben says.

[sigh]

”For those that chose to jump in a hellish hole, we should expect nothing but their death because doing otherwise is naivety. If it was too easy, it wouldn’t be their turn to try. And whenever it does work out, remember that one success was paved with the bones and blood of many. For those who forget how hard it was and how many failed before one succeeds, I can only call them blind, and reserve their idiot tag.” Ben continues.

“Someone seems passionate about risks,” Ginn whispers.

Ben hopeless answers: “This has been my whole life.”

“Ginn, doesn’t this also apply to us?” Yukk turns to his leader to ask.

“Yes, the same game but another playground.”

“Aren’t those words only implying one should try hard and not be a crybaby?” Matt tries to summarize the points.

“I believe it is more about not living with regrets and ignorance, neither yours nor derived or gained from others.” Ginn responds.

Noticing he went and talk too much, Ben begins to eat again, shutting his mouth with food. ‘Being too friendly is scary.’

‘Did the wise words moment ended so fast?’ Ginn notices that the elder doesn’t seem to want to keep talking about life choices.

“Matt! Didn’t you take the alcohol out? Didn’t I get you a good one last week?”

“Wait… Why are you asking about that one in specific? No way!”

“Oh well… You got screwed by not taking the opportunity when you got to have a choice.” Yukk says

With a serious face, Ginn orders.

“As an alcohol lover, you should enjoy drinking and sharing more! What good does it do to you if left to dust inside your storage space? Later, we can get more, and some even better! So take it out!” [winks]

Feeling helpless since he understands how his childhood friend is, Matt ends taking some alcohol from a spatial enchanted pendant he is carrying around his neck. Suddenly, he gets excited since he knows since Ginn promised to give him finer ones later, he will do it without the need of being pestered for months!

‘It is not easy to get such promise! He always tells me to go search for it myself, never using his connection for it.’ Matt thinks as a smile appears on his face.

“Gimme, gimme!” Ginn takes the bottle, while his friend keeps the silly face.

“When it is about alcohol, Matt is the expert. While I would rather call him obsessed, he has too much self-control! He wants to get the good things, but only to hide it away, never to see the light of the sun again.”

Ginn solidifies cups from his storage and begins to pour into it.

“Isn’t it good that he doesn’t suffer from alcoholism?” Ben asks seriously.

[hahahaha] “People his age will not accept even if they have a problem. It will always be about enjoying life fully!”

Ben takes the cup, looks at the alcohol color, and begins to smell it.

“How can such a poor old man understand about…”

Ben takes a small sip.

“One thousand years old, from the Islayc Mountains. It has an eccentric bearing, so it should be the one done for their king at the time. Those types specifically have unusual steps in its refinement to commemorate something, and it is famous for its difficult process. Their numbers are quite limited, so it should cost around one-fifth of this town.” he begins to have fun, provoking the easy to anger red-haired young man.

“Are you tasting it or trying for poison?” Ginn asks, noticing that Ben only tasted it after he sipped from his cup.

“Both,” Ben answers truthfully.

Noticing they are playing with him, Matt drowns his bad mood with the alcohol.

“Matt, this one is too strong. I still prefer the one I tried two years ago.” Yukk comments.

“What you liked was the fruit it was made of and not the alcohol. I already said for you to import it, I am sure you will eat nothing but that.”

“I agree,” Ginn says.

Turning to the old man, Gin asks: “How is it?”

“It is too expensive. While the product is excellent, the price is unjustifiable. They are robbing people due to their brand fame in the industry. For example, visit our neighborhood town, Plainfield, and you can find a local brewer there called Gustav Family. Their cheap alcohol is excellent, and their most expensive options are better than this one. Unfortunately, those best bottles are limited to one every dozen years or so, and you may not even be able to buy it, as their family has the tradition to make those and leave it to their decedents. They will then take it out to drink when marrying or sell if they need it for the event or children to come soon after. Their family is only unknown because people tend to ignore any alcohol which doesn’t include some materials filled with spirituality, calling it only a drink for mortals.” [chuckles]

“Aren’t those materials expensive because they make the alcohol produced with them taste better?” Matt asks, confused.

“Not quite. Regularly, the price tags are all due to some business play, both for the drink and the materials. If the focus is the source, then is the product only redemption its natural flavor? If the noise is all that matters, is the product selling only because of the talk going around? Although everything is subjective, I believe that refinement should add a lot to the product, and the taste does not depend on spirituality. Now, if you measure the product worth only considering its benefits for your cultivation, sure go ahead and rate its spirituality. However, if you want to cultivate, you can find better ways, no need to be some fancy tasty drink. Oh well, to cultivate using shots does sound nicer tho, but does alcohol need to amount for that only?” Ben asks.

“Ahh!” having a moment of enlightenment, Matt looks at Ginn with bright eyes.

“Alright, I will try to get it for you, but do understand that it may take a while.” Ginn answers.

“Matt, are you not in a bad mood anymore?” Yukk asks.

Shocked with his fast mood change due to conversation about his hobby, Matt becomes lost for a moment. He then answers: “Humm, I will get it and build my own opinion on it, if I don’t like it, then Ginn will get me another one as he promised anyway.”

He then adds with a sly smile: “Probably one that will cost almost as much as this whole town.”

Even while accepting his fate, Ginn begins to silent pray that his friends go into a form of obsession with commoners level drinks. ‘He should begin to make his own anyway… I don’t know why he hasn’t begun brewing already.’

Ginn changes the subject, since his wallet may run dry: “So, is it not poisoned?”

“I don’t know. At least not for as far as I can tell.” Ben sincerely says.

Matt feels disappointed, even only thinking about it. “Who would trash such a good drink with poison?” he asks.

[ “The ones with a desire to kill.” ] Ginn and Ben end up answering in a synchronized manner.

“Delusion, my friend. Delusion is the most important step when we talk about poisons.” Ginn adds after the initial shock due to the chorus answer.

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