Chapter 124: Status Matters

Early the next morning, a massive aircraft hovered above a landing field outside Norcrest.

It was a luxury airship more than a hundred meters long.

The streamlined hull had been built from expensive silver white alloy, gleaming beneath the morning sun. On its side was the golden shield emblem of Highcrest City, surrounded by a ring of unknown blue crystals that pulsed faintly like breathing lights.

Highcrest 001.

The most expensive official transport in Highcrest City.

Its construction cost alone was said to rival half a year of tax revenue from Norcrest.

Inside, the cabin looked more like a private palace than an aircraft.

Voidbeast hide covered the floor in carpet soft enough to sink beneath each step. Crystal lights overhead imitated a star filled sky, while several abstract paintings hung across the walls, each one expensive enough that Joren had no interest in asking the price.

A faint fragrance drifted through the cabin.

According to Sable, a single gram cost more than gold and helped calm the mind.

Joren sank into a broad leather sofa with a glass of freshly squeezed juice in hand, staring through the window as the clouds crawled past.

Eventually, he sighed.

"Too slow."

His normal flight speed had already reached Mach 10.

More than twelve thousand kilometers an hour.

If he used [Horizon Flash], he could burst to Mach 20.

Compared with that, this luxury airship felt like something an old man pushed around a park.

Possibly less maneuverable.

Across from him, Sable’s smile stiffened.

Young people.

Still too young.

Speed was not the point of an airship like this.

The important people of Highcrest City traveled by luxury airship because everyone else could see that they had arrived.

"Why did we not take a transport plane?"

Joren looked over.

"Or just fly there ourselves?"

Sable cleared his throat.

"Joren, there are things you still need to learn."

"We are going to Highcrest City for the annual review meeting. You are going there to receive recognition."

"If you fly there yourself with your hair blown into a nest and dust all over your clothes, what kind of entrance is that?"

He spread one hand toward the luxurious cabin.

"This is status."

"In a place like Highcrest City, where powerful people gather, strength matters. So does how you carry yourself."

"You arrive slowly at the air harbor aboard something like Highcrest 001."

"No rush. No exhaustion."

"Everyone sees exactly who just arrived."

"That is style."

Joren considered that for a moment.

Fair enough.

Style.

Besides, if someone else was doing the flying and he could lie here drinking juice, he had no real reason to complain.

Once Joren stopped criticizing the speed, Sable visibly relaxed.

He turned toward a temperature controlled cabinet behind him and carefully removed a beautifully packaged bottle of red wine.

The label had yellowed with age.

Clearly something old.

Something expensive.

"Here, Joren."

Sable opened the bottle with practiced ease, let it breathe, then poured the deep red wine into two glasses.

"This bottle predates the New Calendar."

"I have kept it for five years and never had the heart to open it."

He raised one glass with a warm smile.

"But reclaiming the Fallen Zone and killing three beast kings deserves something special."

"Come on. One drink."

For once, there was little calculation behind the gesture.

Sable genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with this young man.

Joren looked at the glass.

Then at Sable.

"Sorry."

"I cannot drink."

Sable paused.

"Why?"

"Alcohol allergy?"

Or was the kid still holding a grudge?

That seemed unlikely. Sable had spent the last few days smiling until his face hurt and promising every favor he could reasonably offer. Their relationship had clearly improved.

Joren pointed to his own face.

"I am underage."

Pfft!

Sable sprayed wine straight out of his mouth.

He did not even bother wiping his lips.

He just stared at Joren.

Underage?

Now?

Two days ago, Joren had been standing in mountains of corpses wrapped in lightning.

He had made a Rank Five inspector afraid to say another word.

Now someone offered him a glass of wine and suddenly he remembered he was seventeen?

Sable’s mouth twitched.

He forced himself to breathe.

Awakened Warriors had bodies far beyond ordinary humans.

Wine this weak would barely register.

You could probably pour industrial alcohol into Joren and still struggle to make him drunk.

To actually intoxicate him, they might need to soak him in a wine barrel for three days.

Still, Sable recovered quickly.

"Good."

"Yes. Very good."

"Young people should have discipline."

He gave a dry laugh.

"Excellent habit."

There was nowhere useful for this conversation to go after that.

Sable had barely turned away when a large hand reached in from the side.

It took the bottle.

Kyo did not bother with a glass.

Glug.

Glug.

Red wine poured straight down his throat.

Five seconds later, he flipped the empty bottle through the air and dropped it neatly onto the table.

Not a drop remained.

He had even shaken the sediment loose and swallowed that too.

"Ah."

Kyo wiped his mouth and breathed out happily.

"Good stuff."

He stretched his legs onto the table and sprawled across the sofa without the slightest concern for appearances.

"Sable, this wine is decent."

"A little weak. Almost like mouthwash."

"But smooth."

"Got another bottle?"

Sable’s hand started trembling.

So did his heart.

He had saved that bottle for five years.

He barely dared drink it himself.

Today he had finally sacrificed it to impress Joren.

Joren did not touch a drop.

The entire bottle had gone into this bandit.

And now Kyo was complaining that it was weak?

Why not drink nuclear waste while you are at it?

That should have some kick.

"No."

Sable swallowed.

"No more."

Unfortunately, the man in front of him was also a Half Step Rank Six expert and one of Joren’s most respected seniors.

So Sable forced out a smile.

"Impressive tolerance."

"Very impressive."

Kyo clicked his tongue, visibly disappointed.

Sable took another breath and reminded himself to stay calm.

The conversation continued while the airship crossed thousands of kilometers of wilderness.

Gradually, the barren terrain outside began to change.

Then something enormous emerged on the horizon.

Steel walls.

Towering structures.

A city so vast that even from the sky, its scale felt difficult to grasp.

Highcrest City.