Damien's whole team worked hard - well, perhaps almost whole, with the exception of Lane, who only pretended to do the work - until lunchtime. For most of the Awakened it wasn't a particularly taxing job, but it was unbearably monotonous, just striking the crystallized Mana with pickaxes. Not to mention the constant loud noise… So, when Damien announced a break, everyone instantly dropped their tools with relieved sighs, as if they had been waiting for that moment the whole morning.
Lane also could relate. Although thanks to the Recovery Pills he was no longer tired, the job was so boring that it was driving him insane. How were some people able to do it on a regular basis and not go crazy, it was truly a mystery.
"Take some rest. I will go deliver the stones we mined to the collection point, and once I am back, we will resume the work," Damien instructed the team.
'Hmm? He is taking the stones somewhere else? Now?'
Lane raised his head, looking at Damien, who was gathering all the stones into a spacial bag. He bit his lip, hesitating only for a split second, before jumping right back onto his feet. "Team Leader, I will go with you!"
He barely got to explore the Restricted Zone so far. How could he possibly let such an opportunity to wander around more slip by? Of course he had to tag along somehow!
"There is no need to," Damien answered shortly, barely giving Lane a passing glance.
But Lane was already by his side, stuffing the stones into another spacial bag. "I want to help! I didn't do well with the mining… So I want to try to make up for it in a different way. Please?"
Damien looked at Lane for a moment, before turning his eyes to the pile of Mana stones Lane mined. It was truly… small. Tiny, even. Even compared to the other two Guides on the team, Lane didn't do well at all.
It was, of course, partially because of Noah's body lacking in strength and stamina, but the main reason was that, not counting the first hour or so, Lane simply didn't try at all. It was just too boring. Not to mention, removing the Mana sources and restoring the area, those sort of things didn't interest him at all. In fact, he would be happy to witness the emergence of a new Forbidden Zone. He would have rather tried to disturb their work somehow, but he knew it would be too hard to do under Damien's eyes, so it was pointless to bother.
Unaware of Lane's true intentions, Damien considered it briefly, before nodding his head. "If you want to help, then of course, you are allowed to do so. Please collect all the stones here, while I go take care of the second and third floor. Then, we will go to the collection point together."
"Alright!" Lane flashed a wide smile, and continued picking up the stones.
Gathering Mana stones into spacial bags wasn't a difficult job, so, only a few minutes later, they were both set and ready to go.
"Don't wander around. Although the area has been cleared, if a new Gate were to appear, the monsters could attack at any time," Damien warned.
Lane pursed his lips in disappointment. He expected that though, so he didn't argue. If he tried to disobey, then Damien wouldn't take him, and then Lane wouldn't be able to see anything at all. So, he had to be satisfied with what he got.
They walked in silence. Damien's brows were deeply furrowed and his expression dark, to the point that it could discourage anyone from trying to chat with him, even Lane. Besides, Lane was too busy looking around to care to talk. Who knew when he would have another opportunity to explore? The Restricted Zone was currently far more guarded than any of the Forbidden Zones, so Lane didn't want to risk it by trying to sneak in in his real body using his camouflage abilities. There were Mana meters set at various points which he didn't know about, so the risk of getting caught was simply too high.
Unfortunately, he didn't get to see much. They only walked for maybe ten minutes at most, before they arrived at the collection point. They handed their bags over to a woman from the Association, who started evaluating the stones using her ability, and taking note of everything they brought.
Lane's eyes wandered around, as they stood nearby, waiting for the woman to finish, when all of a sudden, he felt a chill creep over him, to the point of getting goosebumps.
It was still summer, and the weather was great. Wearing the Association uniform, even after taking off the jacket, Lane still felt warm. So where did this chill come from?
As he glanced to the side, he quickly found his answer.
Damien stood all tensed-up, staring at some spot on the other side of the street, his face shrouded in endless darkness, and his fists clenched tight. He was the source of the terrifying chill. The coldness he was emitting was so intense, that it even frosted the ground.
'What is up with him?' Lane raised his brows in surprise. He followed his gaze…
Hmm?
He recognized that place. Close to two months ago, when the dungeon break happened, a group of Guides was stationed in this area, helping with the evacuation efforts. It was supposed to be relatively safe, but a wave of wolves broke through one of the defense points set up four blocks ahead, and they came swarming in, attacking the retreating civilians and Guides…
This was the place where 'Evan Greene' died. The big dark stain on the pavement and the wall that Damien was looking at was from when he stumbled back, gravely injured and on a brink of death… Before passing away in Damien's arms.
'…No way.'
Lane looked back and forth between Damien and the stain. Sure, he heard the rumors before, but back then, he thought it was nothing but some ridiculous tales, completely detached from real life. But seeing Damien's face now… Could it be that 'Evan Greene's' death truly affected him that much?
To the point that when returning to the young Guide's deathplace, he couldn't even control himself and let his ability seep out?