CHAPTER 567

TO LIFE

Eggor watched, gobsmacked, as hordes of people and creatures of all shapes and sizes streamed out of several thousands of vortexes spinning around the surrounding plains; there seemed to be no end to them even ten minutes after the beginning. Almost all hollered a greeting at Lino before converging toward the majestic-looking city situated at the plain’s center, only a few figures remaining behind, gathering around Lino, after each round.

It was a spectacle the likes of which he had never seen before and was likely to never see again. Among the variety of creatures, there was no lack of diversity; from snake-like ones, all the way to bird-headed ones, and even some that seemed to defy description itself, souls one after another poured out and moved further into the city. The city was massive – nearly as big as the capital itself – more than enough to house well over fifty million people. As such, every individual species seems to have been allotted a specific part of the city to inhabit, while the center itself was most-likely where the industry would be placed, as well as the leisure districts.

Besides Eggor, others, too, had at best dubious expressions, and at worst going even beyond Eggor, falling on their knees, among them being Aaria. What kind of a pull and power did her father have to convince so many people to join his crusade? She couldn’t even imagine.

Among those that seemed the least surprised was Talisha who was currently standing just behind Lino, stroking her chin. Though perhaps impressive for people of Noterra, this small amount of people was nothing to her who had seen virtually all there is to see.

Lucky, Alison and the two kids, June and Anton, stood just next to her, the latter’s three expressions drooping, while Lucky’s remained bemused. Though it would be a lie to claim she’d gotten impervious to Lino’s spectacles, she at the very least had developed a certain immunity to them – one that nearly collapsed as well when she saw the hordes streaming out.

Alan stood on the wayside, hidden in the crowd, repeatedly nodding as he inspected the newcomers. Right now, though Noterra had potential, its sole pillar was Lino himself – besides him, there was no one else who could go out into the vast void and proudly claim he’s from Noterra without getting annihilated instantly. However, among the newcomers, there were some auras and names that he’d noticed – even the faces of a few people he was somewhat familiar with. Though it wouldn’t make them an unbeatable force immediately, it did signal that the Noterra’s Golden Age was about to begin.

With such an influx of newcomers, especially those dealing with the side professions, it meant that the local talent was also about to blossom. So long as Lino remained the shield, those beneath him will be able to grow and thrive, eventually reaching the point where they won’t just be nameless soldiers in the war.

It was only about half an hour or so that the spectacle came to an end, as the last of the bunch poured out of the vortexes, and the latter closed up in their golden shine. Most had entered the city, numbering in nearly twenty million, though some, roughly three hundred, remained behind, gathered around Lino, merrily chatting. Among them were giants, squid-like creatures, humans, and a whole host of other species, each weirder-looking than last to the Noterra’s natives.

“Albec,” Lino suddenly called out to a man most have missed, as he stood barely a meter and a half, surrounded by behemoths acting as shade. “I’ve a job for you!”

“I just arrived!”

“Good for you!”

“… what do you want?”

“Take your best smiths and teach my best smiths how to be better smiths!” Lino exclaimed with a grin.

“Alright, I can do that… but… what’s in it for me?”

“I’ll teach you how to flirt.”

“Deal!” the small, bearded and somewhat plump man exclaimed joyfully as he headed into the city, thinking aloud who should he bring along.

“Eh, there’s too many of you here to give you assignments individually,” Lino said, suddenly taking out stacks of papers, throwing them onto a massive, single-file pile. “So here are the general guidelines – who to report to, what to do, what not to do, to not get upset when people from here cry when they see you since you bunch are all weird-fuckin’-lookin’, and so on. If you need me, don’t look for me; for I am as free as the wind—”

“Oh, shut it,” one of the giants hollered. “Let’s go drinking!”

“Drinking!”

"Ah… you guys only have drinking on the mind—"

“I’ll gift you a bottle of Tyrzone.”

“Let us go fuckin’ drinking you bunch of panty-asses!” Lino cried out, slapping his chest as the hundreds surrounding him collectively rolled their eyes, immediately finding a lifelong bond with the Noterra natives. “Oh, first, let me introduce you to some key people of mine – they are all over there! Alright, let’s go drinking now!”

“Oi, fat-ass, aren’t you gonna invite us to drink too?!” Lucky growled after him.

“… what for?” Lino glanced at her with somewhat angry eyes.

“What for? So I don’t beat your ass, that’s for.”

“… yeah, so, would you lot like to go drinking with us? If so, bring your own drinks. Don’t leech.”

The already established connection between the newcomers and others deepened immediately as the sound of the gritting teeth of frustration crackled alongside the wind. Lino, however, seemed entirely oblivious to it, happily humming a tune as he began walking into the city, groups soon converging and following behind him, grumbling.

The same groups quickly began to mix one after another, the common point of discussion being Lino and the ways to make him permanently silent.

The focus of the numerous discussions led the charge in solitude, glancing back and smiling lightly before refocusing upfront. The best way to unify two sides who knew little of each other? Form a common point of hatred and frustration – and he didn’t mind being that very common point.

"… you aren't just a sly-tongue brute," a melodic voice had him turning sideways, meeting a familiar face he hadn't seen in awhile – Antvvara. “You’re also quite clever.”

“… it took you this long to realize? Sheesh, no wonder Ram never boned you.”

“You’d think I’d be surprised at people insulting me if I compliment them,” Antvvara chuckled merrily, picking up her pace to match Lino’s. “But, truth be told, it’s almost commonplace among the men I’ve known. Why do you lot always grow so defensive and awkward when complimented?”

“No, no, if you want to compliment me, say something other people don’t already know,” Lino said, his tone indicating an incoming lecture. “Like, I’ve got smashing shoulders, breathtaking calves and such. Everyone knows I’m clever.”

“… why is it that the weirder someone is, the stronger they end up being?” she sighed bitterly, shaking her head. “It’s a nice place you prepared for us. Thank you.”

“… it’s the least I could do,” Lino said, smiling faintly. “I’ve carved out a small plot of land behind your residential area where you can relocate your sanctum.”

“… thank you.” Antvvara’s voice cracked slightly as she lowered her head. “One day, I promise, we’ll repay the lifetime of favors we now owe you.”

"What are you talking about?" Lino chuckled, patting her head as though she was a child all of a sudden. "You owe me nothing. None of you do. We ought to help our friends when they need us, no? Besides, so long as you make it a priority to come to visit me at least once a week for some tea, all your debts will be paid."

“… pfft, ha ha ha ha,” Antvvara laughed merrily, swatting his hand away as she shook her head. “Fine, fine, I’ll get an honest word out of you yet. Just you wait.”

“…” Lino smiled back as she watched her trot away, back to her group, by Ram’s side. He shook his head and continued walking, lost in his own thoughts.

Meanwhile, fiery discussions were well underway within the groups, especially so the one where Lucky belonged; she seemed to have developed a quantifiably insane number of ideas, so much so that many of the newcomers had put her on the same rank as Lino – too insane to mess with.

Alison and the two kids stood by the side, smiling bitterly, as, to them, this was nothing new – merely everyday dinner talk.

One of the groups, however, was currently enjoying two contradicting states – a merry discussion on one hand, and the somewhat awkward silence on the other. Alan had to wipe his eyes several dozen times, but no matter how many times he did it, the woman in front of him hardly changed.

“Tally!” Ana, standing by his side, on the other, cried out immediately and went over to the similarly surprised woman, hugging her. “My god, how long has it been?!”

“Eh?! Ana? It’s really you?” Talisha exclaimed back, examining the newcomer in detail – there was no doubt about it, it was the one and only Ana. “Holy shit! What happened to your eyes? They’re so fuckin’ cool!”

“Ha ha ha, if you’d like, I can show you how~~”

“If I’d like?! We’re doing it right now! Fuck drinking, I want those eyes!”

“Ha ha ha, man, you haven’t changed one bit! Right, if you’re here, where’s Caleb? Don’t tell me you finally actually killed him?” Ana asked with a faint trepidation present in her voice.

“Nah, that bastard actually ran away,” Talisha immediately gnashed her teeth in anger as Caleb’s name got brought up. “Can you believe that shit?! He actually went off and became an Agent without consulting me! Fuck, I might really kill him when he comes back…”

"…" Ana immediately shot a glance at Alan who fervently began shaking his head, as though to deny accusations he hadn't merited in any way, shape or form, feeling somewhat wronged afterward.

This was hardly the only group where people reunited, as Noterra seemed to become the converging home for the vagabonds and strays, indiscriminately accepting all those who wished to come. On that day they promised themselves – they’d never let it become the cosmic dust like their homes, partly because of the sense of debt they felt toward Lino, but also partly because they could see this tiny planet becoming their new home for many, many generations to come.