As Noah's words fell, a deathly silence filled the empty cave. The two stubborn young men looked dead into each other's eyes, refusing to budge from their principles.
In a way, Arthur could understand Noah; everything he said was just pure facts he had seen with his own eyes. How could he not form a worldview based on that?
Besides, it wasn't completely wrong either.
Humans were like that. Many of them. Having seen the worst sides of humanity, Arthur himself knew how vile people could get. They would even sell their own kind just for benefits.
He sighed and stood up. As he began to walk away, a voice called out to him.
"You're not going to say something?"
Noah asked, feeling a strange sensation gnawing at him from the inside. It was if he was disappointed, but why would he be disappointed?
Arthur stopped and considered his words for a moment. Then, looking over his shoulder, he said with a faint smile playing on his lips, "You aren't wrong, really. I can understand where you're coming from. But I would still disagree with you."
"And why is that?" Noah asked, his grip on the dagger tightening.
Sighing, Arthur turned to face Noah. "Because I know humanity is doomed if everyone has the same mentality as you. Well, it's doomed either way, but this has a higher chance."
Noah allowed himself to linger for a moment before replying, "So, you think it's good to trust your back to someone? That it's the only way to defeat the Abyssal Creatures?"
Arthur nodded and came back toward him. "In a way, yes and no. I won't trust my back to a stranger, heck, not even to people I trust a lot. In a world like this, it's a risky move."
"Just say what you want to say," Noah grumbled, growing tired of his roundabout talk.
"What I meant was, I can't defeat the Voidborns alone; no one can. Not that I know, at least," Arthur sighed. "So, I would need others' help. And I can't do that without showing them my full trust. Only when you trust others do they trust you back."
"But what if they stab you in the back?" Noah frowned and asked.
Hearing that, Arthur shrugged. "Then I die?"
Before Noah could say anything more, Arthur added, his voice growing heavy, "But I would still rather risk trusting others than live in a doomed world, only to see everyone I love slowly fade before my eyes."
Arthur continued to look at Noah for a few seconds but got no answer. Sighing once again, he stood up and said, "I don't blame you, though. Your perspective isn't wrong—not completely, at least. I am no one to judge, but I do want to create a cohort I can trust with my back. I want you to be in that."
Saying that, he turned around and began to walk away. However, before he could leave, Noah called out to him.
"But I don't understand why you think I would agree to your ridiculous plan. Not to mention we just met, our goals are entirely different."
"Oh? But I think we have a similar goal," Arthur smiled lightly.
Noah stood and walked toward Arthur with unhurried steps. Stopping right before him, Noah said, "I don't give a damn what happens to the world and its people. I just want to grow strong enough to have a good life in the inner circles. What happens afterward isn't my concern."
"That's where you're wrong," Arthur chuckled. "You must think that humans are equal to the Void Army and even have an advantage because of the portals to Elferia, right?"
Noah frowned but stayed silent, offering no answer. But his silence was more than enough.
"Heh! The government is really working hard at spreading propaganda, huh," Arthur laughed and then spat on the ground. "Balance, my ass! They're barely holding themselves against the Void Army, having no backup whatsoever. If a sudden situation comes up, all humanity is doomed! So, you can forget having a good life. You can only delude yourself to think that "
Noah offered no response to that, as he had very little information on topics like this. He grew up on the street, and aside from the usual propaganda, there was hardly any proper information they ever got.
Their whole life—a short one—would end up in a fight for survival, anyway.
After thinking for a while, Noah asked, "What exactly do I get if I join your so-called cohort, which I'm sure is empty?"
"First of all, my cohort isn't empty. I have my girlfriend, who will be Adept Rank soon," Arthur explained. "As for what you would get? Well, aside from a healthy dose of trauma, you would be getting the life you were actually aiming for."
Noah instantly ignored the first sentence and focused on the other. Trying to hide his excitement, he asked in a plain tone, "What do you mean?"
"I live in the inner circle, and it's a good, cozy home," Arthur smiled. "You can live with me there. Not only will you get a comfortable home, but also free meals. And not slum meals, but the real deal. Real food."
Noah was almost tempted to agree right there, but his cautious nature stopped him, as he found the offer too good—or rather, good for him but nothing much for Arthur.
However, Arthur wasn't done yet as he raised his hand and flashed a wide grin. "And lastly, I would help you enroll in the Academy and get into my class. I know you wouldn't want to stand out even if you get a good path, so I'll help you with that too."
Noah gulped. "I'll get the resources? The teaching? The books there?"
"Of course, you will learn a lot of things there about our world and the Elferia world," Arthur said, clapping his hands. "And one last thing I forgot—I would help you get a spot to travel to Elferia with me."
Noah's eyes were practically shining when Arthur finished offering, like a professional conman.
Still, he didn't believe there was any free lunch in the world, so he asked, despite being tempted to agree.
"And what would I need to do?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing much," Arthur patted Noah's shoulder and said, "You just need to get stronger and work hard enough to keep up with me. Second, you have to believe in your companions, no matter what the situation."