__________ POV Ashton __________
Now, I could start heading back to the Black Whale. I'm sure the rest of the princes wouldn't mind talking with their brother.
Zhang Lei is still 'resting' in my void space. So there is no hurry about that. I think I can spend a day or two looking a bit more deeply into this 'Shakti'.
I still have so many things to look research about it. I also need to see if I can somehow bring out Zhang Lei's Nen Beast.
That thing might be a bit dangerous to bring near Momoze and the rest. It is a calamity, after all, I just don't know how it operates yet. I'd rather not risk it though. I'm sure I can find a subject to test Shakti on if I look deep enough into the cities.
I don't really plan on grabbing random people. Good thing I don't have to.
Where there is a power structure, there will always be people abusing their power. In this case, these cities place great importance on Nen Users, as they are the main defence.
Guns don't actually work on most of the beasts on this continent after all.
And Nen users are quite well-known to not be the calmest people. Most are actually quite deranged. So finding one of them abusing his powers isn't something that should be difficult.
I'll look in the second city, that should be the best bet. The third one hasn't been established for long and the first one is really close to the Black Whale. So the second would be my best bet for now.
Otherwise, I might have to postpone my research into Shakti for a bit. I mean, I was never against experimenting on the innocent in the past. But I believe doing so now would be quite self-defeating.
I do wish to distance myself from my old ways after all. Experimenting on innocent people would just be me falling back onto them.
Now, I guess I should set up camp somewhere if I do want to conduct any tests.
I flew somewhere in between the first and second cities. I think this should be a good enough spot for a hidden bunker.
I spread my En around and immediately used 'Nature Resonance' I created a large underground open space, with a narrow tunnel leading down to it.
It wasn't all that difficult, but that's just because I am quite used to doing stuff like this. I used to change bases quite a bit, and digging a large hole can be expensive enough. (especially when moving equipment to that location isn't feasible)
I covered the entrance with an earth platform and went inside my temporary residence. I proceeded to somewhat furnish it and light up the place using a few torches and lamps.
I also set up a pretty basic power generator that ran on gasoline. I do need some of my equipment for this.
After I was done tinkering with my new laboratory, I flew off to the second city.
__________ POV Narration __________
The situation in the cities wasn't a pleasant one. At least not for anyone that lacked power.
The people that choose to come here were now living with that decision, with nothing but regret in their minds.
Most of them ran from an oppressive government/a crippling debt/a life of misery, only to reach this place and have to experience all of those all over again.
This time, there was a single group at the source of all of that injustice. One formed by the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding the city.
The group was large, there were at least 20 people in it, out of the 100 that were supposed to be protecting the city.
This group of 20 happened to be comprised out of the strongest members, they made the people fear them. They made sure to lay low while the Zodiacs were present in town.
Not all of them were Nen Users, three of the twenty people were just skilled in either tracking or field medicine. They were accepted into the group due to their usefulness.
Their gang made sure to cause enough fear into the hearts of the public for them not to speak out. Ruling with fear was effective, especially to them.
The 20 of them profited greatly, taking advantage of the residents inside that city in all aspects.
And there was nothing said residents could even do. Some even chose to take their own lives out of desperation.
Currently, the group of soldiers were all gathered in a bar, each of them was holding onto some type of weapon. They were laughing and playing around happily.
The bar only had wine in it, as there were no other alcohol manufacturing methods set in place for the continent.
"Did you guys hear the way that dude was screaming? It was sooo pathetic!" One of them said while slapping his lap.
"Yeah! But his daughter's cries for help were certainly more pleasing to the ears." One of them said with a perverted smile.
"Hah! I personally preferred the wife! Although she wasn't as responsive." They all laughed as they kept drinking into the night.
The owner of the bar was disgusted by what he was hearing. But he knew that saying anything would put him and his family in danger.
So, he could only serve them wine in silence, he had told his wife to not come out in the bar. This group was known to be quite lecherous, and he didn't want anything to happen to his significant other.
These people had caused the suffering of many families, and the owner didn't want his family to be on that list.
They had reserved the bar for the night. Well, they just scared everyone off, but to them, it was reserved. And the bar owner couldn't do anything about it.
Slowly, the doors to the bar opened, and a handsome young man walked in with a sweet smile on his face. He was wearing a formal suit with a doctor's coat draped on his back.
His features were gentle, two beauty marks were present on his face, both of them under his right eye, which made his appearance all the more harmless.
His appearance was also quite memorable, seldom does one encounter someone with such refined style of clothing and appearance. Especially in the second city.
The owner immediately felt bad for the young man.
'I should've put up a closed sign or something...' But it was already too late.
He looked around for a bit, then immediately spotted the group of 20 sitting around a large table. The group also looked back at him with amused faces.
"This will do just fine~" The young man's smile became even larger.
"Hah! Seems this pretty boy didn't get the memo!" One of the bigger men at the table stood up and approached the young man.
"This bar is closed kid. Fuck off!" He got up into the young man's face, appearing extremely aggressive and doing his best to make the feeble looking young man cower in fear.
But the young man's response irritated him quite a bit.
The 'feeble' young man, who is obviously Ashton, just looked up at the brute, with the same smile on his lips. "So eager! Don't worry, you'll get your turn~"
His words immediately irritated the large man. And he wasn't the type to take things laying down.
The large man was about to punch Ashton, but then he noticed that something felt odd... Or rather, a lack of feeling.
He realised that he could no longer feel his arms. Upon closer inspection, he could only see two bloody stumps, his arms had been severed not that far off from the shoulders. Leaving him to just stare blankly at the ground, where his arms were currently resting.
Ashton then tore open a rift in space and kicked the shocked man inside. Storing him neatly into his void space.
"I don't really need you guys with your limbs intact." He said, the smile on his lips didn't vanish at all. It gave the people at the table a chilling sensation.
"H-He's a Nen user!" One of them said, they all jumped up and grabbed their weapons. The owner quickly crawled under his bar, hoping to not get involved in the fight.
Then he clearly heard the words. "He's alone, we can take him!". After which, there was only silence.
There was no sound of fighting at all. The owner slowly stuck his head out from underneath the bar... Only to see... No one?
The weapons of the guards were neatly placed on the table they had drunk at. But there was nothing else... Besides blood.
The ground was quite literally a pool of blood. The owner also managed to spot quite a few limbs inside that pool. He immediately panicked and decided to call the appropriate authorities.
But deep down, seeing this made him pleased.
Just as pleased as the rest of the citizens were when they heard that the entire group 'vanished' randomly...
The bar owner, unfortunately, didn't remember the face of the suspect... Such misfortune.
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