Chương 150: Chapter 146

The highway at this godforsaken hour in the morning should have been clear. In any normal city. L. A. was not a normal city, and traffic always attacks the unprepared, ready to turn a seven mile trip into a forty minute excursion. But Zin knew how to drive around and what streets not to bother with, which was the only reason they made any headway in the morning commute.

Wade was now moving onto his next objective, getting lift to save time on having to rely on the bus, which would have been even slower and probably ended up with him arriving an hour late. Eri and Medy had come with him, while Bael and Leon remained behind, since the Russian needed some additional advice for Hell, along with navigating the cities there. Next round would have him and Illy get thrown back into the thick of it after all.

Of which, Bael was an excellent source of information on demon culture and history. Something Leon was particularly fascinated with, comparing it to human cultures. Wade had an ulterior motive for leaving the two together however: He wanted Bael to have his thoughts cleared about Leon and Not-Leon. And this wasn't something he could convince the demon about, Leon had to do that for himself. Wade was certain he could be trusted to do exactly that.

"I don't think you'll find anyone to join the crew," Medy said, sitting with Eri in the back.

"Like, the last we saw near the Coffin, it was a low mana pressure location, so mining crews have all probably moved onto better fields. It might be like, twenty miles until you hit a region with more dense mana that makes it worth mining there?" Higher mana in the atmosphere meant more liquid mana would condense and drip down. Which meant more stakes to claim, more places to find good crystals, and each expensive trip over would be worth the price as there were more spots to mine during a week.

This was the reason arcane diving bells were built to be movable. Locations would slowly defuse mana overtime, spread outwards into the realm. Wade stared at his current quests, debating how he'd pull some of these off. It takes a village - Convince 5 or more Arcanauts to join up under your employment. Rewards: Silver lootbox. Negligible Leveling Experience. Three Storefront coins. That was one entire silver lootbox, and three coins to boot.

Plus, it paired instantly well with his other quest: The new Bellkeeper - Restore all functions to the Arcane Diving Bell. All the other requirements to bringing it back online were easy to handle with a mission control crew hanging out in the NEET's nest giving him real-time info on how to handle things. All except for the crew requirements. 5 people to man the bell. And Wade would only have himself and Eri to start with. Which meant he needed to get 3 more.

The rewards for that were a copper lootbox, which wasn't exactly amazing, but every bit helped and every box had a chance of triggering his luck to turn it into a player selection reward. Or a box lunch trying to eat him instead. He'd need to be real careful with these goddamn lootboxes.

"This quest you have, does it specify any specific roles?" Medy asked as Wade agonized how he'd pull this off.

"What do you mean roles?" She didn't answer. When Wade turned over to check the backseat, he saw her basically glued to the window, staring up at one of the fancier buildings in L. A. After a few finger snaps once they were out of sight on the massive thing, Medy seemed to remember she'd been mid-chat.

"I mean things like the Captain, Warlock, Chef, Bellkeeper, Miner, stuff like that?" Wade looked over his quest and found not a single mention of that. It only mentioned 0/5 crew members were currently occupying the bell. Medy hummed, "And, anyone you're holding onto when you travel goes with you right? Well, why not bring people from here to the Bell with you? Like that Leon guy? Or some other people here. Can't you hire some servants to help you out?" Wade blinked, his head zipping through the suggestion.

And then realized he could. Leon wasn't stuck in Zakka. He could travel back with Wade directly into the Arcane Realm.

"Holy shit."

"Well, well, well, if it ain't nostalgic to my ears. She was like that back in Hell too." Zin laughed, eyes flickering over the rear-view mirror to check the trouble behind.

"Most unhinged one-liners I'd ever heard, bar none. Absolutely off-the-wall bonkers one minute, and then speaks the sanest ideas ever. Flip a coin basically." Medy was on the other end of that discussion, believing for a moment she'd said something off or wrong somehow and was getting scolded for it. Until Wade smoothed it over.

"No, no, it's perfect Medy, this is actually amazing advice. I should have thought of it myself earlier!"

"Hold your horses first there bub. I ain't stepping foot anywhere near Azdrial if that's what you're thinking. Hard pass. Absolutely not happening." Zin immediately barked out.

"Especially in the mana mines of all places. Thank you, but noooo."

"I wouldn't anyhow." Wade said, "I'm not bringing you guys back there again." But he did need to figure out who he could bring over in order to nail that five crewmember limit. Just two more including Leon, Eri, and himself. Unless he didn't count as a requirement. He opened his texts and drafted up a quick request to Leon, to see if the giant would be willing to come by with him for one trip to the Arcane realm.

He'd need to wait for an answer back, but he knew Leon had been texting Illy non-stop for a while now, the pair plotting how they'd handle the next round. Having him come along with Wade to the Arcane Realm instead would be a major departure, and possibly ruin his current quests. Not to mention leave Illy the one stranded. He knew there was a quest for the tournament Leon was involved in. Doubts on this plan started jumping into Wade's head the moment he considered it all from Leon's point of view.

In the end, it didn't hurt to at least ask. Maybe Leon would be more interested in what could be found in the Arcane Realm compared to Zakka. But on the other hand… Zakka was a brand new city with a culture unique compared to human history. It's more likely Leon wanted to spend time there not even for THE GAME reasons, but because that curiosity about anthropology and societies deep inside the giant lug was too curious about it all. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site.

Support the author by reading it there.

"All right folks, we're here." Zin said, coming to a stop at the nursing home parking lot.

"Medy, babe, put that hat over the horns and keep the tail tucked. Everything else is gold." This decision had been something Wade had been both dreading and feeling determined about. Dreading to the point he was keeping it out of his mind, keeping himself busy-busy-busy with all the things that had to be done. Until the things had been done. He'd learned how to best use the boon he had, potential plans on how to pair it, and had plenty of Earth gear already ordered and planned to be brought with him.

He even had a personal mission control ready to guide him across the steps. There was nothing else to distract him from this moment. Ann. He opened the door and stepped outside to look at the squat building ahead. The place where he'd had his worst memories of. Some part of him had been fleeing away from this, afraid he wouldn't be good enough to fix things. The stakes were terrifying. Ann was still in limbo. She was still alive, even if she wasn't herself.

If he messed something up in healing her - then she really would be gone. And there wasn't going to be that maybe-she-will-maybe-she-won't delusion that had been keeping him going for the past few years now. Logicially, he knew he was ready for it, but emotionally he was a wreck and it was already creeping right into his head from the moment the car drove into the parking lot. But Eri wasn't.

The skeleton gave a few exaggerated stretches out of the car, then clicked his jaws a few times, while making sure his gloves were correctly over his bony hands. And under those gloves was the team's most valuable item, recovered from round one: The healing ring. With great happiness, Medy grabbed her oversized straw hat complete with bow, and stuck it on over her horns, then shuffled over the seats to climb out after the skeleton. Eri watched on with silent envy, but otherwise allowed it.

Soon he'd collect a hat as grand as hers for his collection. Today however, this one time, he would be gracious. Besides, that hat actually served a purpose for Medy in hiding her horns, which meant it was useful clothing compared to useless. Eri wanted useless hats. The more useless, the more the Nathir would have rolled in their graves to see him wear them. That was the entire point of these hats, the best part of them all.

He held a hand out to her, and she grabbed it, getting help out of the car door, taking care to balance right on her fake shoes. The hooves had been the difficult part since she couldn't shapeshift those away. But a bit of glue with a fake foot helped out. And the pair of men's dress shoes didn't look completely out of place since she'd shrunk her hooves as much as she could. They now looked as thick as her slim ankles, to the point she was worried she'd fall over.

That didn't stop her from being giddy about exploring more of Earth, and appreciating the highly scenic giant parking lot of unending grey filled with cars and potential trash left behind days ago and never touched again. It was perfect. Her eyes roved around the entire thing, right down to the smog in the air. Until she noticed Wade nearby. That's when she quirked her head.

"You know, you're radiating a lot of fear out of nowhere, want me to work that out of you?" Medy asked.

"What do you mean wor- oh." He blinked. Of course Demons could eat that out of him. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier?

"Don't ask me." The butler scoffed next to Wade.

"I don't eat junk food."

"Junk food?" Wade stared at the Archdemon, not quite sure if he should be offended or not.

"Your system's doing this fun little panic-suppression song and dance - mania keeping you all busy-busy-busy so you don't have to feel the big scary feelings, am I right? Well, distraction time's over buttercup. Except, somehow, probably that mania, is still tampering down on you and not letting go. Vague dread, half-baked anxiety, the bargain bin stuff. And let me tell you, if I'm gonna fill up on fear - and I stress the IF here - I want the premium grade, the top-shelf terror, not gas station sushi. Nobody does.

We've got standards."

"Oh, I don't mind at all taking a nibble bite!" Medy said, waving a hand to volunteer. Zin rolled his eyes, " Some of us have standards." That last part was very much muttered. Wade took one more look at the nursing center ahead and decided that yes, he very much wanted this feeling of apprehension and fear gone from his system. Logically he was as prepared as he could get. Eri had all the mana needed, and the healing ring.

He had two demons here who could watch over and let him know if they spotted something going wrong. And his best friend was already waiting ahead. No, anxiety wasn't productive or helping him out here, and the racing heart and spiked cortisol getting browbeat back down by other more functional parts of his head was really sending him for a loop. He nodded his head at Medy. She took a step forward in his direction and nearly faceplanted forward. Fortunately, Eri was a gentleman and helped her stay upright.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" Medy said, trying to take another step forward and wobbling a moment.

"Just, adjusting you know?" Wade moved back and held her hand.

"Is this going to be enou-" Quick as a snake, she lifted his hand right up to her mouth and bit down with sharp teeth. Wade felt instantly silly. As in everything he was worried about just felt silly. Of course he'd get Ann back on her feet. He had everything already planned out this whole time. Why had he even been waiting or trying not to think about this moment? Was he seriously this stunted emotionally to the point he had been deliberately avoiding the idea?

With fear drained out of him all at once, all that was left was something deeper down. Smothered below his fear and doubts. And now that the blanket was removed in one ripped away yank, he felt it. Joy. This was it. Goddamn years had passed and now he was right here at the finish line. In a moment, he was going to speak with Ann face to face and welcome her back. Medy licked her lips from a bit of blood, "Weird tasting, very confusing feelings, most mortals are pretty straightforward with fear of death.

Fear for someone else's death has an odd taste to it."

"Well that's certainly a choice." Zin said, rolling his eyes.

"You know biting him instead of eating with proper manners isn't going to salvage the taste of that, right?"

"What's so wrong with her eating fear out of me?" Wade asked, still feeling an almost endorphin rush now.

"This is awesome! Emotional support demon therapists would actually be a viable business strategy!"

"I just watched someone who's supposed to be my peer and equal eat half-molding rotten undercooked food out of a dumpster, complete with dumpster juice dripping down her adorable face. And I mean all that in the most literal, visceral, health-code-violation sense possible." He rubbed his temples and then pinched the bridge of his nose.

"She's an Archdemon, Mr. Wade. And that meal is going to sit in her stomach the entire time until she can eat something else tomorrow to get rid of the taste."

"I'm totally fine though!" Medy chirped behind the pair.

"Babe, darling, you're like a raccoon eating literal garbage with a smile on your face - technically getting food, but oh honey, the choices. Could be better. And I mean, any-direction-better." Zin rolled his eyes, then his white gloved hand pushed Wade forward ahead, "Go on now champ, lots to do today amigo, and by to-do I mean NEETesses to torture, remember? Time's ticking for the best part in this amusing little diversion, and the sooner I get the earlier… sight out of my mind the better."

He mimed a gag at that and then shoved Wade a step forward. The four started making their way to the ultimate destination. By the time they reached the handicap parking spaces, they met the last member of their party. Jason sat in his wheelchair by the entrance ramp, phone in one hand, a half-eaten granola bar in his other. He spotted Wade first, raised the granola bar in greeting, then froze mid-chew.

"Man." Jason's eyes moved from Zin's immaculate suit to Medy's oversized straw hat and odd suit to pair it with - and finally to Eri, the only one he recognized from this off-duty FBI looking crew coming out of an unmarked SUV.

"You really did come with an entire crew." Wade closed the distance and gripped Jason's shoulder, happy as a clam.

"Jason, my man, meet the team!" He waved over to the group. Eri threw Jason a pair of finger guns, as per tradition. Jason returned them without hesitation.

"So… introductions?" Jason asked.

"The gentleman in the suit is Zin. He's my-""Partner in crime, financial advisor, and general miracle worker." Zin stepped forward, extending a hand with practiced ease.

"Pleasure's all mine. Anything for a friend of Mr. Wade's, my valued business partner." Wade cut in before Zin could start selling extended warranties.

"And this is Medy. She's our-""Oh my god, is that a chair with wheels!?" Medy abandoned all pretense of composure and crouched directly by, examining the frame.

"What kind of paint is it? What's it made of? Why would you need a chair with wheels for? Wait, is it something for fun?" Jason looked at Wade. Wade looked at the sky.

"As I was saying, she's our alch-""Oh, I'm Medea'Vee, nice to meet you! But most people call me Medy, I like that better." She beamed up at Jason from floor level. And the real reason she'd started talking became apparent when everyone noticed her eyes were laser focused on Jason's hand instead of the chair.

"We're never beating the racoon allegations are we?" Zin muttered, once more rubbing the bridge of his nose. Jason looked down at his granola bar, then back at her, and finally silently broke off half, handing one part over. She accepted it like he'd offered her a brick of gold. And then did exactly what anyone who knew her for more than a minute would have guessed she'd do.

"Wade." Jason said, voice real flat.

"These people aren't from Earth, right?"

"Not for a second." Wade confirmed.

"… Are they also summoned minions like Eri?"

"Minion? Minion!?" Zin's smile got real strained.

"I beg your finest pardon? What part of business partner did I stutter on?" Eri clicked his jaws, equally upset, hands folded over his chest like Zin's second in command minion.

"Hang on, nobody is a minion, we're all friends here." Wade held up both hands, then looked back.

"Also, why are you still in that chair? I thought the healing was a success?"

"It was." Jason wiggled his foot, pointing down at it.

"Muscle atrophy. It'll take a few months before I'm back on my feet - literally speaking. Mom says hi, by the way. And you made her cry a lot." His grin widened.

"Hope you're happy with yourself, you scumbag."

"More than you know." Wade smiled back.