Arin sat, idly sipping from a cup of strong black coffee.
He had woken early, as usual and after preparing he went to the pub, to meet.
Agris entered first.
Walking just behind him was a woman cloaked in black robes that concealed much of her figure. Her face, however, was uncovered, framed by straight, raven-colored hair that fell neatly to her shoulders.
She wasted no time with pleasantries.
Striding to the table, she stopped across from Arin, her hands resting lightly on the chair before pulling it out and sitting down with fluid confidence.
"I am Lydia,"
"Agris has already told me about you, Arin. I know the details of your background or rather, the little you've let anyone see. That's fine. But let me be direct. I don't want to waste time."
"I know you are a manipulator and have some sort of conjuration ability too."
"But, I do not care about those things, I care if you are capable nen user and combatant."
Arin set his cup down gently,
He met her gaze with a faint smirk, then leaned back in his chair, silently inviting her to continue.
"You want in on this mission," Lydia continued.
"But talk is cheap. If I'm going to risk the outcome on your strength, I need proof. We'll go somewhere quiet. You'll show me what you can do. Then, and only then, we'll discuss payment. The better you perform, the larger your cut."
Agris, standing nearby with his arms crossed, watched the exchange closely.
His smirk widened as Arin finally let out a low chuckle.
"Straight to the point," Arin said. "I like that." He glanced at Agris, then back to Lydia.
"Fine. I'll show you."
"Good," Lydia replied, standing again with a grace that belied the hidden strength in her movements.
"Then let's not delay."
The trio left the inn together, the bustling noise of the morning crowd fading as they moved away from the main street.
Lydia walked with confidence, while Agris matched her stride.
Arin followed with a calm air, though his sharp eyes flicked to every detail of their surroundings.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the same secluded clearing where Arin and Agris had sparred the day before.
The space was quiet, encircled by tall trees whose branches swayed faintly in the morning breeze. The grass underfoot was damp with dew, glistening in the sunlight.
Lydia stepped into the center of the clearing, her robe parting slightly to reveal a fitted black combat uniform beneath.
Her movements were precise, her demeanor calm but unmistakably ready for violence.
"This will be simple," she said, turning toward Arin.
"Show me your power. No need to hold back."
Arin tilted his head slightly,
"You'll regret those words."
Lydia's eyes narrowed, her aura flaring faintly as she let Ten coat her body, the pressure of her Nen spreading into the air.
Agris, watching from the edge of the clearing, smiled faintly, arms still folded.
Without a word, Arin raised his hand.
His aura flared in return, controlled, precise.
A ripple of energy surged out, and within moments, two figures materialized at his side White-1 and White-2. They stood tall, human-shaped silhouettes of dense aura, their presence silent but heavy.
Lydia's gaze flicked to them, her eyes narrowing as she studied their construction.
"Conjured?" she asked softly, almost to herself, before her expression hardened.
"No matter. Show me how you use them."
Arin gave a slight nod.
"Attack."
The two White-Life Forms moved instantly, their speed startling for conjured constructs. Lydia shifted her stance, dodging the first blow with fluid grace and deflecting the second with her forearm.
She countered with a swift strike to the chest of White-2, her palm glowing faintly with aura reinforcement.
"Durable," she murmured, before ducking as White-1 came in with a powerful punch aimed at her jaw.
Arin watched calmly, hands folded behind his back, analyzing every exchange. Lydia's technique was sharp and efficient her movements carried the precision of someone who had trained their body and aura together for years.
In the end, Arin can see that Lydia was not fighting for real against to the White 1 or White 2, as if she wanted, she was capable of taking them down.
After a minute, he raised his hand again.
"Enough."
Both White-Life Forms instantly stopped their assault, stepping back to flank Arin once more.
Lydia straightened, her breathing calm, though her eyes lingered on the figures with thinly veiled intrigue.
"So," Arin asked with a small smile, "do I pass?"
Lydia tilted her head slightly, regarding him with an unreadable expression.
"They respond instantly. No hesitation, no wasted movement. Their strength is real not illusions, not fragile constructs."
"If I have used my nen ability, they would be easy to deal with but with just martial arts, they will be dangerous to most nen users and clearly enough for the mission."
A faint smile curved her lips, though her eyes remained cold.
"Yes, you pass. In fact… you may be worth more than Agris led me to believe."
Agris chuckled from the sideline.
"Told you he was special."
Lydia turned her gaze back to Arin.
"You'll have your place on the mission. I will pay you one and half billion for the mission, three times more than."
Agris felt sad a little bit then grinned.
In the end, he knew from within his soul that Arin never fights for real and he is not showing his capabilities at all.
He believed, it is only natural that he gets paid three times more than what he is being paid.
"Then I won't fail." Arin said after looking at Lydia.