Chapter 89: Party

The temporary residences of the refugees in Zerzura were not tents, but wooden houses arranged as if it were a neighborhood.

It was a fairly organized neighborhood and even though some houses were temporary; it had decent comfort.

Families got their own house while some groups shared one, but always keeping the number of members per house quite low.

Double bunk beds reduced the space, and the houses had a space to live for a few days, without feeling exhausted or suffocated by living in the place.

It was stupid to think that this was better than what they had before, as the city knew some refugees had a good life before the war came.

Still, it was quite nice, even though it was temporary.

Érica, who was walking down the street while looking at her surroundings, was also observing every detail.

This area was part of a military barracks, and this neighborhood was an area prepared to receive refugees.

Near this site, there was a specialized hospital and a refugee center that was to organize all the refugees.

Refugees walked everywhere, heading to the hospital for their medical check-up shift or just to go over plans at the refugee center.

Zerzura City, as a city whose citizens had been refugees, was very prepared to take care of them.

Food, clothing, and other goods needed to increase the comfort of the refugees and turn their uncertainty and fear of the future into hope.

If anyone analyzed it further, it was a program that sought to assimilate the refugees as citizens of Zerzura, showing the concern and attention they gave to their citizens.

They expected from them not gratitude, but the effort necessary for them to help the city of Zerzura grow.

Passing by the refugees, Érica took some pictures with her holographic watch.

She had considered just posting the photos on her social media with some descriptions, but yesterday when she talked to her father, he changed her mind.

Before coming here, she had received the call from her father, who had gotten her article published by a well-known magazine in the UK.

As she had promised Aurora, the article would be to speak superficially of the authorities and leaders and focus on the refugees and members of the principal force.

Érica had done some assignments in the morning and wanted to use her entire afternoon to conduct some interviews with refugees.

Maybe if someone read the magazine, they could change a little more of the general image they had about Africa and become more informed about this continent.

Let them know that the world was not at ‘peace’ as much as the media was saying... That war between humans was still going on.

Perhaps her report was overlooked by other news of important celebrities or popular heroes.

In the end, it didn’t matter, as she knew that in that magazine enough people would read it.

Although her father had clarified that his help was for her to enhance her own reputation, and even though Érica was not interested, she agreed.

After all, her father was the leader of a powerful adventurer’s guild in the UK, and she was, at some point in her life, going to take control, and for that, having an excellent reputation would do the trick.

As for being a hero, it was important, but as she had seen it, a hero doesn’t need titles.

As she walked in a particular direction, Érica could notice the young militiaman who was arriving at her house.

It was Okello, the person Érica was looking for.

“Érica?” the young man asked with slight surprise upon seeing her.

They both approached and after a few simple greetings, Érica talked about her reasons for looking for him.

It was true that they didn’t know each other very well, but perhaps the closeness of death reduced that awkwardness of strangers, which made her speak clearly.

“An interview,” Okello muttered after hearing the whole story, and as they walked home, he commented. “I’ve already finished the checks to join Zerzura’s army, so I’m available.”

“You’re joining the army?” Érica asked, rather surprised.

She had seen Zerzura’s schedule along with the opportunities available, and Erica had to admit that the city offered a variety of offerings.

Adding that the young man was a C-rank skill user, it was possible to become a member of the local garrison in a city or join the police without the need to join the military.

“Yes, the doctor informed me I have an innate ability related to my constitution. They say that if I awaken it, I might become an A-Rank if I put in the effort. The ‘Orisha Oko’ approached me, but I preferred to go with Captain Sadiya,” explained the young man and, seeing Érica look at him with slight surprise, he added with embarrassment. “I like the army’s idea of protecting. I want to protect my new home.”

Érica nodded in surprise, not only at that discovery, but at his attitude.

Earthlings gained innate abilities at birth. That was the general idea, but they had to be awakened.

That was why people who were born before the ‘Great Cataclysm’ also awakened innate abilities after the Great Cataclysm.

Some woke up on their own and others, like Okello, needed specific means, which specialists today could determine with precision.

From some magical plant, some concoction, a specific stimulus, or simply emotions breaking a point.

Each innate ability had a different way of awakening, and sometimes those abilities were related to neither magical energy nor psionic energy.

Érica, while impressed, was also pondering how to reward him for supposedly saving her.

It was hard to know if her magical artifacts could withstand the attack the young man received, but Érica would not be stingy with her reward for that reason alone.

She was sure she would be rejected outright, so...

“After the interview, I’ll see if I’ll gift you something useful for your new skill. You know a fair exchange, how about it?” Érica asked in a tone that left no negative.

Okello narrowed her eyes.

She had been probing to find something useful to give him, as she didn’t want to just give him money or an expensive item that would be useless to him, it was why it was easy to figure out her intention.

However, this time it was hard to refuse, as the gift was like a reward for the interview.

“Okay,” Okello said with a sigh, and looking back at his cabin where his little daughter was coming to hug him, he muttered. “No matter what you give me, I will use it to protect my family.”

******

Clémentine lifted the prepared building materials and helped finish part of the wall that was slightly destroyed.

Using her ‘Telekinesis’ ability, only she had to move the materials and generate enough pressure to make the building materials solidify and the wall become strong.

The materials helped because of the way they worked, but her ability was very useful.

“Sorry to make you work on this.” commented the village chief with a look full of embarrassment.

“Don’t say that. I came to help, and this job is like my break.” Clémentine replied as she continued with her work.

The village headman scratched his cheek, not knowing how to respond to her words.

Clémentine gave a smile.

She wasn’t lying.

This was her daily rest mission, that was in the middle of her most tough missions.

They had returned yesterday.

After sleeping in their room, dining an excellent dish with magical ingredients, the next day they woke up completely energized.

After a tiring and long journey, Clémentine, waking up in her comfortable bed, had even felt that her psionic energy source had grown, allowing her to perform attacks faster and use her powers for longer.

Stress and hard work became a source of progress and now she was using her progress to fix a wall in a small village.

The mental strength that allowed her to manipulate her ability more precisely had also grown, although not to the point of allowing her to perform a mental attack in combat, it was pretty close.

Now she was using her mental strength to carefully pin down the construction of the wall by following the instructions on the instant construction material she was using.

Building the wall and then the parapets, closing gaps, and other areas.

Yesterday the village had a minor battle and the attacking beasts broke the wall, enough that the villagers could not repair it in the daytime.

Fearing that it would attack again them tonight, they asked the protection system for help and Clémentine received the mission.

It might seem like a meaningless and worthless mission, but among those affiliated with the protection system were some ‘rookies’ who were practicing with this type of mission.

Just like Clémentine... They went from hard missions to these easy-to-do missions.

As a psionic with an exceptional talent and capable of replicating dozens of abilities, Clémentine was proud of her control over her telekinesis and showed it by finishing the wall perfectly.

A sturdy wall that looked good.

When she finished, Clémentine nodded to herself in satisfaction.

These minor jobs seemed insignificant, but the control Clémentine displayed made it a type of training to test her ability to control and manipulate her skill.

After finishing the job, the village chief gave her a basket full of some local fruits that grew nearby and were her principal source of income.

Since it was a small reward, Clémentine took it and then returned using the drones, which created a portal.

After passing the portal, she went to the training area next door and found a battle going on.

Santiago and Aeko versus Leslie and Nicole.

They were fighting in an area of trees generated by the training room while Nicole served as a fighter facing Santiago.

Leslie was facing Aeko in a battle in which they were exchanging bullets and arrows.

Nicole, as a fighter, was quite intelligent and although she had difficulty getting through Santiago’s defense, she prevented Santiago from making an attack.

Each shooter sought to help their vanguard while preventing them from making attacks on each other.

“Nicole is very energetic.” Shao Ya commented after handing a drink to Clémentine.

Clémentine gave a soft smile of thanks for Shao Ya’s support and then watched her companion without knowing what to say.

It was hard for Clémentine to imagine that the young woman who was hitting Santiago’s shield without letting him react was the same person who was nervous at the beginning of the academy.

The shield Santiago was using was made of wood and even though it was reinforced with magical energy, it was slowly cracking under the punches of an energetic Nicole.

Clementine could notice how Santiago, who was protecting himself behind his shield, remained unperturbed and, with his sword, gave specific signals to Aeko, who was at his back.

The difference between the two teams was not only experience but also the understanding and their relationship that made them understand each other without the need to speak.

Santiago began his counterattack.

*BOOM*

Using his shield, he created a wave that spread out in front of him, sending Nicole flying and spinning in the air.

At that moment, Aeko using quick movements dodged Leslie’s bullets and fired some of her arrows in the direction Nicole was heading.

Perhaps sensing that they would hit her, Nicole, who was still in the air, used the force of her flight and before falling to the ground, she hit the ground using the explosive force to be sent further away.

She landed softly on the other side.

She had controlled not only her body in the air, but she had also reacted immediately and used her opponent’s movement to her advantage

“Can you finish? I have something you’ll surely like,” Aurora interrupted, stepping through a portal.

Whatever was fighting stopped, and they walked out of the training area, receiving the drink from Shao Ya, who was waiting for them with a smile.

Shao Ya was a big sister who took care of her companions in a kind and warm way, but even though she had dedicated herself to heal the group during the mission, in reality, Clémentine knew she was surely fierce.

“Vazquez’s invitation for the party arrived, and he asked us if we wanted to go,” Aurora reported, and looking at her group, she added. “It’s not mandatory, but with the proceeds from the ‘Ark’ mission, he rented a restaurant and says he spent a lot of his money for the party. Yes, it says so on the invitation.”

Aurora relayed the invitation to everyone present and when they read it, some of them let out a few smiles.

The way he relayed the invitation was entertaining, as he mentioned that the adventurer who had said they could siege an SS-ranked creature would pay for most of the drink.

One could tell it was just an invitation for informal fun among acquaintances and not a formal or fancy party.

“Let’s party!” Akira said, entering through a doorway and when she reached the group, she gave a smile to her female companions and announced. “But first we must go shopping!”

The expressions of all the women changed slightly.

Realizing that, Akira did not wish to miss the opportunity to have fun.