Part 43: Sail X Towards X Truth

SECCO RASVIN

The strong breeze coming from the sea hit my face and pushed every strand of my hair away from me. It was cold when it touched my skin, but since the sun is too hot, it didn't bother me at all. I just stared at the crystal clear water not far away from where I'm standing. Today is the day. I'll be leaving the game, I'll be leaving my friends.

I turned around, away from the water, to see them all, looking at me with different expressions. Bisky was smiling, accepting that I'll be gone for a while. Gon was still in grief but tried to smile for me. And Killua just... lowered his head, refused to show his face. After what happened last night, Killua doesn't want to talk to me anymore. Every time I tried to speak to him, he turned his head and walked away. It really breaks my heart and I hope we will come back in our everyday routine again.

"I like you!"

When I remembered those words I spitted out last night, I couldn't help but feel my cheeks getting hotter and redder. I just realized that that's the most embarrassing thing I have ever done in my life. Ever since I was a kid, I didn't experience having a crush on someone, and I didn't expect anyone to like me at all. I mean... who would like a girl with a killer arm?

"Oi, are you done?" Grenno spoke while standing near the port, with both of his arms crossed and an irritated face. "Then let's go! We mustn't waste time."

I just met him yesterday so I don't know if he's a rude guy or not. Even though his eyebrows are meeting with each other like an angry mob, I'm sure he still has a heart.

I turned my back to my friends while approaching him, ready to get out of the Greed Island. If this happened for the first time, then I will cry so loud, but we've already witnessed things like this before. When Kurapika and Leorio left the days before we entered the game. When I left towards Cantara Region to seek a trainer. Compared to those, this was nothing.

But... I'm still sad. It's like I'll never see them again forever.

"Good luck, Secco!" Gon shouted at me, as he raised his hand and waved it goodbye. I returned the farewell with a slight raised of my hand and a smile.

"Continue training!" Bisky yelled, as she crossed her arms and showed a wide smirk in her face, filled with confidence that I'll be having good results in the future, in both my training and information about my arm.

I nodded as a sign of understanding and started to walk towards the ship in front of us. Unlike the Captain's ship, this was small enough to carry a few passengers with it. It's not a ship that can carry cargoes with it. Maybe this was just for the players who wanted to get out of the game.

I stared at the small bridge plank connecting the port and the ship and took my first step in it. I just stared at my foot as it attached to the plank. This is it. After this, I'll be knowing a lot about my arm. This is the time that I've been waiting for.

"Secco!" I was about to take my second step when suddenly, I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around to see the source of that voice, and it turned out to be coming from Killua, who was running towards me.

I got confused for a second and just stood while on the bridge, as I was staring at him running. He's been quiet and not talking to me the whole time, so this unusual action from him got me surprised. I wonder what he's up to. Is he gonna punch me or something?

When he made it into my position, he immediately stretched his hand towards me and grabbed me by my arm. He pulled me towards him and wrapped me up with both of his arms. My eyes widened as I tried to absorb what's going on.

He hugged me, gentle enough for me to not feel any pain. His hand in my hair as he grabbed my shoulder and arm. I can feel his breath right next to my ear and his cheek touched mine.

I can feel my heart started to beat faster than last night. I was shocked at this sudden action and couldn't be able to react. Why does he always do something out of context?

"I'll miss you." He whispered into my ear with his gentle voice. My heart exploded as I heard it and understood what he meant. Knowing that he'll miss me made me happy, but I'm embarrassed at the same time. I mean, what the heck is this position and what the heck is he saying! Come to think of it, there are so many people around!

After a few seconds, he finally let go of me and pushed me lightly towards the ship. I saw his cheeks turning red as he stepped back, away from the plank we are in.

"That's my revenge for the embarrassment you gave me, idiot." He said as he turned his back, lowered his head, and started to walk towards Gon and Bisky, which are confused and have a sly smirk respectively.

Even though that's embarrassing, I couldn't help but release a warm and sincere smile after what happened. When we met, he is always bullying and insulting me, even tried to kill me at the exam. But now, it's like that never happened at all. We became friends and I'm happy that this happened to me.

"I'll miss you too!~" I shouted cheerfully at him as I waved my hand goodbye. I couldn't be able to see his face to know his reaction, but I caught a glimpse of him flinched in his position, which lead me to a conclusion that's he's already embarrassed.

Finally, I went inside the ship and it started moving away from my friends and towards the checkpoint of the game, sailing towards the truth that I've been searching.

***

We finally moved out of the game and Grenno told me to be teleported to the Yorknew City. I didn't expect that he will make me go there since that's where we came from before.

If I knew that this will be my destination all along, I shouldn't have entered the game. But if I didn't, I wouldn't be meeting Bisky, Binolt, and the other players. So I'm really glad I joined the Greed Island.

I got teleported in the hidden part of the Yorknew City Train Station and saw him standing beside me. He told me that we'll be going to his base using his vehicle that he just abandoned in the station.

We finally made it into his vehicle that was just lying in the back of the station. It's strange that no one attempted to steal it from him. This city was filled with so many criminals so it's unusual to see someone not doing any bad deeds.

As I saw his vehicle, I almost drop my jaw out of surprise. I couldn't believe my eyes at that time, so I tried to rub them to correct my vision. But when my eyes were fixed and looked at it once more, it still didn't change.

A wide black limousine was just lying in there, with no scratches or damages. I couldn't help but think who Grenno is. Could he be a rich man? Or a thief that just stole this from someone? Or a con artist that tricked other people into giving this nice car to him? I don't really know.

"Don't worry, it's just my car. It won't bite. "He said and walked towards the vehicle. Even though he joked, his eyebrows are still making an angry expression so I don't know if I'll be happy about what he said or not.

Although confused, I just followed him inside the car and didn't say a word. It's my first time riding inside of this. This was only for millionaires and anyone who could afford it so I couldn't help but be excited that I'm here.

Suddenly, the limousine started to move and drove into the streets of the city, passing through other vehicles that are less expensive than it. I thought it was just me and Grenno, but he actually has a chauffeur of this car. But what's strange is that I didn't even notice it. It's like he's blending with the car or something.

After a long travel, we made it into the borders of the city, which can be easily noticed since the outside part of it was just a huge deserted area with no single establishments except roads, power lines, and signal towers, opposite of the populous city.

We finally moved out of the limousine which made me breathe out of relief. The tension is too high inside of it since it was a high-class vehicle so I'm not very comfortable.

I stared at the bright sun above us as its rays started hitting my skin. I can feel my sweat started pouring one by one in my face and decided to wipe it off with my shirt.

Come to think of it, I haven't taken a bath since we entered the game. I tried to smell myself through my arm and I immediately covered my nose. Yeah, I smell bad.

I noticed Grenno started walking away from the vehicle, so I just followed him while looking back at the abandoned car. I expected the driver to move out of the limousine, or just drove it away from us, but nothing happened. It was weird. Maybe it was just in pilot mode and there's no chauffeur at all.

We made it into a large field of nothingness, full of dust clouds and pebbles on the ground. I turned around to see anything that can be my attention but to no avail. My confusion came back again as I couldn't see a single thing except for the small rocks. I wonder what we will be getting out of this area.

Before I can think of any possible answers and conclusions, my companion moved forward and stomped into a specific part of the ground three times.

After what he did, a staircase towards the ground showed up out of nowhere, which made me amazed. It was actually a secret underground bunker. That's why it's in the middle of this deserted area.

Grenno gestured me to go along with him as he started taking the stairs further down into the ground. I gulped and gathered all my saliva as I slowly walked on the stairs, nervous about what will happen to me when we reached the end of it.

After a few climbs down the stairs, we finally made it into a wide and long corridor that's full of luminescent lights attached to the walls. As the lights guided us in the hallway, we finally made it into the end. We faced a gate made of strong metal and some high technology attached to it. The devices might be used for security purposes.

It detected Grenno's eye and automatically opened just because of that. I've never seen these gadgets before personally. I thought I can only see it in the sci-fi and spy movies my father always watch when I was a kid.

That didn't end the protection of the area and we encountered many walls, security checks, rooms, and corridors along the way until we finally made it into the actual bunker.

It was large as an airport because of all the different devices and instruments spread across the wide hall. Also, there are doors that can be seen which lead to different rooms.

In the middle of the hall was an elevator to go further down in the bunker, and most of the rooms here are just for entertainment purposes. We entered the elevator and waited for us to go down on Grenno's desired floor.

We passed a few floors and finally made it into our destination. The door automatically opened and another wide area greeted me as I went out of the elevator.

The area was filled with glass chambers with different specimens inside. Some are alive and some just floated while inside the liquid tube.

This reminds me of my dark days locked up in the mansion of the Nostrade. I can still remember those two just staring at my naked body while mesmerizing my cursed arm. It was the most traumatizing moment of my life.

I immediately turned my head to look away from it as I couldn't help but be scared of it. Grenno noticed this and approached me.

"Oi! Are you okay?" He asked, but there's no hint of concern or worry in his face, just a man with a serious face.

"Y-Yes," I answered even though it's not the truth. I can feel him seeing through my lie but he didn't let it bother him and just continued walking. I continued following him, tried to avoid the chambers.

"This is my lab. This is where I research anything." He started explaining and started to point on things. Other than the chambers, he also has shelves and document sorters for his papers, and some complex chemical machinery displayed everywhere. "In here, you'll know everything I know about your arm."

"Are you ready for it?" He asked me with a serious look in his face. After what he said, I just lowered my head, couldn't be able to answer his question. I don't know if I'm ready to know everything or not. I want to know about my arm, but I'm not sure if I can absorb everything.

"I-I'll try." I stuttered between my words, not sure if that's the correct thing to say or not.

"Geez. Don't answer like that." He told me as he rubbed the back of his head, still wearing the angry face. I couldn't help but be scared and nervous of him. "Everything won't turn out fine if you're not ready."

"I-I'm sorry." I just lowered my head, embarrassed by my answer. After that reasonable lecture of him, I didn't feel any fear and only the guilt for my wrong choices of words. It looks like he's not that scary at all.

I heard him sigh in front of me and put both of his arms on his waist, trying to resolve anything about me.

"Rest first... and take a shower. Then, tell me when you're ready to find out."