Only Wisdom Awakened - Chapter 61

Valhalla
“Swoosh”

An airplane quickly landed on the runway of the airport.

Watched by Hans from afar, who was standing inside one of the airport gates’ waiting rooms.

“Ugh, why did I even end up here?”

Lamented Hans, caressing his temple with his fingers, as if to massage the head.

Seven hours earlier…

“The meeting is tomorrow morning, in New York”

“What?! How come I haven’t been informed about this? And why should I go there?”

“It’s not specifically you sir, all the USA branches leaders will attend, it’s an event that happens every year, exactly five days before the change in calendar, they will discuss the current ongoing issues and the projects for next year management of the association.

It is a great opportunity to create connections, and it is prohibited to not partecipate, if someone doesn’t attend once they’ll be penalized with incredible taxes on everything, if one doesn’t attend twice theyll be demoted to co-association branch leader, and will be forced to share their position and authority with someone from the headquarters.

While if someone doesn’t attend in three years, their position as branch leader will be revoked.

And there is another reason for that, not only do they want everyone’s opinion, but they also want them to keep their heads low.

Branch leaders in the countryside, think they’re immortals, standing higher than everyone, and this usually leads to an abuse of power, so recalling them into a place with stronger people usually opens their eyes, and prevents them from doing certain things.

As for why you weren’t informed about it.. well, let’s say that it could’ve been my fault.”

“Uh?!” replied Hans emitting mana into the room.

“It was unintentionally, unintentionally, please believe me, it’s just that the old branch leader, mr. Garrison, used to pass winter in New York, so there wasn’t any need to inform him, and now that I haven’t done it for five years I forgot it was even a thing.

Please sir, I cannot check every email that I receive, but since I remembered about it I’ll make sure you’re able to get there in time….

Just like that, an airplane was booked for a few hours later, since it was already full, the association took a first class seat for him, and he found himself flying around like a rich man, everyone around him was wearing branded clothes, and moving elegantly, while he was in his usual attire, not in need of any attention from others.

He felt like he didn’t belong there.

The two hour flight passed quickly as he read a book that managed to raise his wisdom by two, apparently, learning other languages was very effective to increase wisdom.

Now that his economic situation was stable, he had already ordered all kinds of books to place in his study, and to read.

Even if it proved to be slightly less efficient than raiding gates, reading was way safer, and definitely the best way to increase his wisdom.

Being greedy for more in little time would’ve just tied him with his downfall, now that everything was set, slowing down a little would’ve increased the probability of success.

“Would you like something to eat?”

Asked the flight attendant, passing beside him with the cart, Hans watched a second the options on the menu, before speaking:

“No than-

But the person on his right seemed to think differently, and his phrase was interrupted by a lively voice, “yes well take the chicken please”

Said Kenta.

The lady blushed seeing his handsome face, and replied: “it’ll come in a second”

‘This damn guy’ turned his head Hans, piercing Kenta’s eyes with his gaze, but the other side just smiled back, ignoring him.

“Haaa” sighed Hans, keeping his head up with his hand.

‘If it wasn’t for the fact that he’s strong and trustworthy, then I wouldn’t have brought him’

Kenta, the new identity of Kwang-su Kim, the once respected and feared gang leader.

He was extremely annoying and irritating, especially outside working hours, well that was mostly because he couldn’t handle doing the same job all day, and always felt too tired to chat.

Luca’s advised Hans to bring someone with him, to act as his assistant, normally, garrison went alone sinceTyler Brown, the co-leader, was always caught up in internal matters to solve, but it was normal for branch leaders to go with their vices.

When Kenta caught wind of this conversation, he volunteered to accompany him, hoping to avoid working as much as possible.

The plane landed, and they both walked out from the arrivals.

They intended on taking a cab to reach the hotel, but contrary to their expectations, two people were already waiting for them.

Two men, both dressed elegantly, one was well built, with dark skin, and little to no hair, while the other seemed more like an office man, wearing glasses and holding up a sign that said: [ association Chicago branch leader: Hans Ritcher]

Seeing Hans and Kenta, the two bowed their heads.

The four eyed man greeted, holding his glasses to avoid letting them fall off during the bow: ” welcome, it’s our pleasure to have you attend the event.

He was escorted in a black car with obscured windows, and brought directly to the center of the city, Manhattan.

A tall building stood in front of the two of them after stepping outside the luxurious car.

One of the few seven stars hotels of the world, founded by an S-rank awakened, “Valhalla”.

“Please” said the man who had welcomed them at the airport after opening the doors for them.

Like an agency, when the association holds an event or a meeting, they won’t let the attendees pay even a cent.

Plane, hotel, and even meals, they are all taken care of, to assure the best comfortability and security.

The hotel where all the branch leaders will reside is “Valhalla”.

This hotel’s luxury it’s out of the world, but still not enough to earn the seventh star, so what could possibly be the reason for this rating?

Well, the hotel’s name already suggests a clear and obvious answer.

In Norse mythology, the Valhalla was a place for the souls of warriors that died in battle, and if there was something well known about it..

It was its impenetrable defence, guarded by the formidable Valkyries, and impossible for anyone to conquer.

The same was the hotel, there are more than ten A-rank awakened guarding this place, and almost sixty B-rank, above all else, the founder is an S-rank, making this place effectively the safest place on earth.

A security that cannot be bought with power or authority like those of the presidents, but one that can be achieved through unimaginable wealth, that was the kind of security this place offered.

With over three hundred rented rooms among the thousands of empty ones both upstairs and below the ground, used to distort the attention of possible attackers, and a personnel of over five thousand people, no one could ever even dream of trying to get inside through second hand methods.

One single stay would’ve costed him about a tenth of the new house, but luckily the association covered, so he could allow himself to stay there for a couple days.

They followed a guide from the entrance to their rooms.

Since they changed floor tens of times, and moved in all three dimensions, a normal person would’ve lost their way at least a dozen times.

One of the reason why they managed to maintain the place security for so long was because even the clients did not have access to a map nor anything, someone would always be assigned to them to help them move around .

They were given rooms one next to the other for convenience, and they remained alone in front of the two wooden doors.

Just as Kenta was about to say something, Hans took over the silence and spoke:

“Take a shower and dress up, I’ll see you in thirty minutes right here.”

The door was shut behind Hans’ back, and Kenta expression changed, from his now joyous smile to the face he once had as a gang leader.

However, he didn’t do anything.

Inside the room, various types of architecture and art crossed paths.

There were many famous paintings, and all the furnishings looked expensive and rare.

After dressing up and washing their bodies, they came out of the two rooms, exactly at the same time as previously mentioned.

“Follow me, we are going to dinner”

“Wait wait wait, Hans! this is inside of the Valhalla, it’s impossible to know where we’ll end up, let’s just call the assistant” Said Kenta grabbing Hans shoulder from behind.

“I told you it’s okay just follow me.

Do you think this crappy maze can stop me from knowing we’re the reception is at?” What would we do in case of an attack? Wait for the assistant?!”

Even if complaining, he followed Hans footsteps, careful not to lose the path.

Hans, while walking there, had left traces of his mana, and even the mana disorientation barrier that was cast couldn’t stop him.

Normally, finding your mana is like finding a word in an empty page.

But with the mana disorientation barrier, it could be considered as challenging as finding a few words in a written book, so what Hans did was emitting just a tiny bit of fire mana, enough to change the mana feeling and too little for the others to notice, meaning that finding his mana now, would be like finding some words written in italics among a normal book, still difficult in the whole, but easy when looking in a specific place.