Chapter 136: The Meeting

“This is the room I arranged for you. If you find it comfortable, you can stay here as long as you like!” Furness brought David to the top floor of the fifteenth story, opened the door, and said with a smile.

Carrying his suitcase, David stepped inside. After Myron had taught him a little about luxury goods, he could at least appreciate how lavish the room was.

Beyond the entrance was a spacious living room of roughly a hundred square meters. A liquor cabinet stood to one side, filled with bottles of unfamiliar spirits.

The sofa was upholstered in the white hide of some beast. David had limited knowledge of the creatures in this world and could not tell what animal it had come from.

At least in the war zones, nearly every wild beast had gone extinct. With the insectoid race present, nothing savage could survive.

Rockstone Star was much the same. Apart from a few places such as zoos, one could probably no longer see any true wild beasts.

That made furniture crafted from beast hide all the rarer. White also conveyed a sense of cleanliness. In a hotel open to the public, seeing such immaculate white furnishings naturally inspired confidence.

The wall opposite the sofa was one enormous display screen, currently showing a program.

David had owned a television at home, but he had rarely watched it. His daily training schedule had been packed to the brim; where would he have found time to waste?

“David, put your things down. We’re going to the restaurant. It’s almost time, and the teacher should be arriving soon,” Furness reminded him.

David glanced at the identification bracelet on his wrist. It showed that he now possessed access privileges to the suite’s security system. Besides, this was one of Galen’s properties, so there should be no problem with security. He therefore set down the suitcase in his hand.

“Wait!” Furness suddenly called out. Then, somewhat sheepishly, he added, “The teacher just sent word that you’re to bring your equipment with you.”

“No problem!” David said with a smile, picking up both cases again.

He had only just arrived in the city. Although it was said to be exceptionally safe, he had suffered several attacks since coming into this world, including an insectoid invasion. The experiences had left him with an intense sense of insecurity.

Only powerful equipment could make him feel safe. That was why he carried his gear with him wherever he went.

“Uncle Galen!”

Following Furness, David arrived at a private dining room on the second floor of the Summit Hotel, where he found Galen chatting with a middle-aged man. He hurried forward to greet him.

Two burly young men stood behind the middle-aged man, their gazes extraordinarily sharp.

“You’re here. Settle in here for now. Hans is simply too stingy. Forget about going to the apartment he prepared for you. There isn’t even a training area there, and living in that place would only hinder your growth!” Galen rose, walked over to David, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile.

“Uncle Galen, I want to buy a house in Naan City with a gym. I have enough credits!” David had no desire to remain in a hotel. He had too many kinds of training to undertake, as well as too many secrets of his own, and this place was far from convenient.

Of course, as Galen had said, the house Hans had prepared would be suitable for a temporary stay, but it was indeed inappropriate as a long-term residence.

Hans probably understood David’s temperament. When purchasing the property in Naan City, he had used his own money rather than the funds of the Stellar Hotel, since those funds belonged to Bertha and Little Edie.

As a result, the only property he could afford in Naan City was an ordinary high-rise apartment. Of course, if David had been an ordinary child, even such an apartment would have been considered a luxury.

But David was now an armored warrior. The space he needed for training had to be both sufficiently large and exceptionally sturdy.

“I understand what you mean. How about this? I have a small villa in the eastern part of the city. You can live there.” Galen nodded. When he saw that David was about to speak, he widened his eyes and said, “No refusing!”

With his keen senses, David could detect nothing in Galen but genuine concern, without the slightest trace of self-interest.

He also understood that, despite the talent he had displayed, to someone as powerful as Galen he represented only hope for the future and offered no practical benefit at present.

From the very first time they met, Galen had treated David as he would a nephew. That affection had been transferred from Hans, but it was no less sincere for that.

“Yes, Uncle Galen!” David nodded.

“There are several hovercars at the villa as well. Your authorization is sufficient, so use whichever one you like,” Galen said after a moment’s thought.

“Uncle Galen, I want to become your disciple,” David said solemnly.

His words brought silence to the private room. Furness, who had long known Galen’s intentions, had amusement shining in his eyes. The middle-aged man and the two young men behind him, however, looked somewhat stunned.

There were countless people in Naan City who wished to become Galen’s disciples. It could be said that if Galen merely gave the word, countless young armored warriors would come forward to apply.

The two young men quickly assumed expressions of anticipation, eager to see how David would extricate himself from the situation.

“Boy, from the first day I taught you, I was already your teacher. But since you’ve formally brought it up, we’ll find a time to hold a ceremony.” Galen ruffled David’s hair and spoke with a laugh.

His voice was filled with delight. No one here understood better than he did what kind of genius David was.

A strength-talented armored warrior, a gifted sniper, and an extraordinary capacity for learning.

Even those qualities were not the most frightening thing. What was truly terrifying was that, on the day after David had called him to ask about talents, the boy had killed a peak-level armored warrior in direct combat.

Who would not like a genius such as this? Galen had always wanted to find an opportunity to say that he wished to take David as his disciple, but how could he bring up such a matter himself?

“I’ll do as you say, Teacher!” David replied, changing the way he addressed him.

“I still prefer you to call me Uncle. Don’t change it,” Galen corrected him.

Galen truly liked David. He had three other disciples, but David was the only one permitted to call him Uncle.

Galen had no family. Hans, who was like a brother to him, was one of his few remaining relatives, and he had come to regard David as a nephew in the truest sense.

“Galen, congratulations on taking another disciple. But shouldn’t we also discuss our business?” the middle-aged man said in a deep voice.

“Daryl, don’t spoil my good mood. The item is in my hands, and you’ve brought two disciples here. Aren’t you planning to get it back through a challenge? Name a time. When my disciples return, we’ll have a two-on-two match. The winner gets the item!” Galen said unhappily.

Furness tugged lightly at David. David took two steps back and came to stand beside him.

“Be careful,” Furness whispered.

David’s heart tightened. The unassuming Daryl was evidently a terrifyingly powerful expert.

David had seen Galen fight before. Several formidable armored warriors had been as helpless as infants before him, utterly incapable of resisting.

Anyone who could confront Galen head-on should possess strength not far inferior to his own.

“Galen, haven’t you just taken a new disciple? With two disciples present, they can have a two-on-two match against my two useless pupils. That way, we can settle the matter of who gets the item sooner,” Daryl said with a faint smile, pointing at David.

“Daryl, you really have no shame,” Galen sneered, his eyes shifting slightly.

“What’s the harm? My two disciples haven’t been with me for very long either. Furness has followed you for three years. In a two-on-two battle, you won’t be at a disadvantage,” Daryl said, glancing at his own disciples before turning back to Galen.

Daryl had clearly sensed David’s physical condition. To become an armored warrior at such a young age was the mark of a true genius.

But precisely because of his youth, David’s combat experience was bound to be lacking. Under the pretext of a two-on-two battle, Daryl’s two disciples would really be fighting Furness together. As for David, either one of them could presumably defeat him with ease.

“Daryl, add that vial of Spatial Ripper marrow essence, and I’ll agree,” Galen said. He was not the sort of man who easily allowed himself to suffer a loss; he immediately demanded that the stakes be raised.

Galen’s condition made Daryl hesitate. He looked David over twice more. To an expert of Daryl’s level, the boy’s age was unmistakable. The vigor of his youth could not have been misjudged.

“Fine. I agree,” Daryl said heavily.

In that room, David alone knew nothing of the circumstances. He could only watch as Galen and Daryl smiled and clasped hands.

The one thing he understood was that a battle awaited him.