In the times before Abyss, the subways were frequently used. They carried the time-defying high-speed autonomous trains which regularly carried millions of people.
After the cataclysm of Abyss, however, many subway trains were rendered useless.
The few that survived were old and simpler models.
In today's times, such trains don't really exist but their coaches have been turned into subway cars. These cars are usually found in some underdeveloped areas and one such car was present in the hunter's camp at a subway station.
Azuma felt small when he entered the coach.
He was one of the last people to arrive and now that he was closely surrounded by so many hunters, he realized the drastic differences between him and others.
To put it simply, the hunters were…big.
Azuma has a slender body that often dangled between the line of slender and skinny.
But the hunters were usually the people in their thirties and fifties since it takes courage for young seekers to leave the relatively safe environment of their fleets and go on independent expeditions. These experienced people were packed in muscles, some were large, some had bear bellies, and everyone carried a domineering aura.
Almost every hunter was dressed in colorful casuals unlike the uniform of seekers, they mostly carried guns because the Ethereum swords were scarce and expensive, and a lot of the hunters wore extensive tattoos.
Some of them even carried large and round samurai hats. It has been in fashion recently.
When Azuma walked in, the laughs and chats somewhat paused.
He was filled with unease under so many gazes and found a corner for himself and opened his navigator as if the map carried the most entertaining terrain.
Raptor grinned, "Isn't that the foster son of Commander Amane?"
He was a large man who retired as a seeker some years ago. The experience of over forty years gave him a rugged appearance and a scornful grin.
Gus frowned, "Commander who?"
"Back in my days—"
A voice interrupted him suddenly, it was a woman who wore tattoos like clothes. Her choppy short hair tilted to the side as she greeted the group.
"Misaki," Gus frowned deeper, "Aren't you pregnant? Why are you here?"
"Ah well," the woman sheepishly smiled, "It won't be possible for me to enter the Abyss after the fourth month haha!"
Gus frowned even further and was about to ask more questions when Raptor patted him and laughed.
"Aye bringing up kids is tough," he said, "No harm in earning as much as possible."
Misaki had been a hunter for a long time but she took a maternity break three months ago. However, when her husband died last week, she had to return.
There was no family who can support her, and it was generally hard for hunters to make money.
"That kid was young," she tried to shift the subject, "You know him, old man?"
"Hahahahaha right, you won't know," Raptor said, "But when I was still a seeker, that kid Azuma became a well-known name for some time. Since he was related to Commander Amane, many troopers were naturally curious about him."
Gus frowned at that, he had not heard the name when he was a seeker.
Misaki raised a surprised brow, "Is he that strong?"
"Strong?" Raptor roared in laughter, "He is so strong they don't even let him enter the first level!"
Gus frowned because that didn't sound very strong.
"Well, seems like the little boy has grown a bit." Raptor continued, "But back then he became the first person to be removed from the trooper training."
The mandatory training for all citizens was only excused when someone was disabled or gravely sick. Azuma was neither.
Misaki became somewhat concerned. He didn't seem to be in a position to enter the Abyss, but she was not in a position to judge either.
"What happened?" she asked in a low voice.
"Aye, I heard there was some accident," Raptor gave a small shrug, "who knows, the boy might have taken some grave injuries."
Gus frowned, "Master Khan you are loud. He might hear."
Raptor's smile lessened as he looked around.
He couldn't see Azuma and so he laughed it off, "Nah."
'You are loud, old man.'
Azuma said to himself as he warily smiled.
He was standing barely some distance away but apparently, his presence didn't stand out much to Raptor this time.
Azuma didn't really care about what the old man said. Those remarks have been few in recent years but Azuma was still used to the mocking.
Unfortunately for him, Raptor loved to be loud and the coach was a small place.
All thirteen hunters, including Azuma, heard what he said.
He had a sudden urge to bury his face somewhere.
"Woah is that true?"
Haru asked with indifference.
Azuma looked back, "What are you doing here?"
She was about to reply when she remembered something. Haru's face slightly reddened and she left without saying another word.
"..."
Thanks to Raptor's not-so-loud remarks, Azuma soon learned that Haru was one of the seekers who often joined independent expeditions. He couldn't understand why she would need to do that but Azuma had different things to worry about.
The coach had begun to slow down.
Their destination was almost there, across a ghostly platform with a fallen roof. A thick blanket of stormy clouds could be seen from the gap as they raged and recoiled with rumbling thunder.
A dim shadow of the lightning often flashed over the platform.
The subway car stopped.