Conrad, honestly, was not particularly surprised.
If what Nelera had said was true and he believed it was, because he had rarely met anyone capable of telling such a direct lie with a straight face, then Nelera had essentially confirmed several of the theories he already possessed.
It was still impossible to fully understand what the Phantom Troupe had done or how deeply they were involved based on the information currently available.
However, Nelera's words alone suggested that there was truth behind the Phantom Troupe's message and that it might even be connected to one of the nations within the V5.
Conrad looked into Nelera's lifeless eyes.
"I won't kill you and your friend."
"At least not for now."
"I want you to do the job you were paid for," he said.
Nelera paused. She did not know what to say.
The reason she had explained her actions, her nature, and her motives was because she had believed she would never have another opportunity to be honest. She thought this was her final chance to speak openly.
Yet the situation had developed in a direction she had not expected.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Conrad placed a hand on his head and replied.
"I really don't understand why you're confused."
"I paid you because I wanted to be taken to the region where the Kurta Clan once lived and because you possessed information about it."
"You accepted the payment, which means now you need to finish the job."
Nelera took a deep breath and thought for a moment.
"Alright..."
"But—"
Conrad shook his head.
"I'm not saying I've forgiven you."
"Naturally, there will be consequences for attacking me. At some point I'll ask you to do something for me."
"But right now, I honestly don't have the time or interest to deal with that."
Nelera nodded.
The fact that Conrad viewed the situation in that manner—as a debt that would eventually require repayment—made far more sense to her. It was easier to understand and much easier to accept.
She released another breath.
"Alright then. Follow me. Let's start walking."
Conrad nodded.
The two enemies began walking side by side.
As they moved forward, Nelera occasionally glanced at Conrad and studied him.
Now that she was observing him from a calmer state of mind, she could clearly see that Conrad was younger than she had initially assumed.
Yet whenever she considered his Nen and the level of danger he represented, she felt something she could not properly explain.
As both a Nen user and someone who had passed the Hunter Exam, Nelera understood that the world contained countless hidden dangers and unexpected variables.
She knew many things could be different from what they appeared to be.
Still, she had never met someone as young as Conrad who possessed such overwhelming power.
More importantly, she had never encountered anyone whose mere presence could completely erase her desire to fight.
That sensation was new to her.
And understanding something entirely new was never easy.
Nelera quietly exhaled before speaking again.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you something."
Conrad continued walking without looking at her.
"That depends on the question."
"What's on your mind?"
Nelera grinned.
"Why are you interested in the Kurta Clan? If you had been interested in them from the beginning, you would have participated in the investigations when the massacre first happened."
Conrad smiled slightly.
"I'm investigating the matters involving the Kurta Clan and the Phantom Troupe."
"I have other reasons as well, but I don't intend to tell you those."
Nelera pursed her lips as if she understood.
"So you're hunting the Phantom Troupe?"
Conrad considered the question before answering.
"Why not?"
"Is that surprising?"
Nelera shook her head.
"If a Hunter and Nen user around your age told me they were pursuing the Phantom Troupe, I would assume they were planning to commit suicide."
She lowered her gaze for several seconds before continuing.
"But after sensing your strength... maybe that's the only kind of mission someone like you can take."
"To be honest, I'm certain the Phantom Troupe is powerful and dangerous."
"But I don't think any of them possess the same crushing level of Nen that you do."
Conrad smiled at those words.
Apparently, the recent growth of his Nen, combined with months of training, had produced a more noticeable effect than he had realized.
Something would need to be done about that.
Having every Nen user immediately understand his level of strength and adjust their behavior accordingly was not necessarily a good thing.
One of the downsides of being powerful was that people rarely showed their genuine selves.
The moment they sensed a significant gap in strength, they began altering their words, hiding their intentions, and presenting constructed versions of themselves.
Perhaps if he appeared less powerful, Nelera's words would come from a more honest place.
The thought lingered in his mind as they continued forward.
For the next hour, Conrad and Nelera traveled in silence.
The city gradually disappeared behind them.
At last, they reached the edge of the city.
"Normally we'd use a vehicle," Nelera said.
"But I'm guessing you'd rather reach the destination by running. It would be faster for someone like you."
Conrad nodded.
"Start running about two meters ahead of me."
"I'll stay behind you."
Nelera agreed.
The aura surrounding her body strengthened slightly.
After activating Ren, she pushed off the ground with a powerful first step and rushed toward the forest.
Conrad immediately followed.
Yet the difference between them was obvious.
Nelera was moving at a speed that would have seemed unbelievable to an ordinary person. Her feet barely touched the ground before launching forward again.
Conrad, on the other hand, appeared completely relaxed.
To an outside observer, it would almost seem as if Nelera were a mouse desperately sprinting ahead while Conrad was a cat casually following behind.
That impression only became stronger as the minutes passed.
No matter how much speed Nelera displayed, the distance between them never changed.
And that realization made the back of her neck feel cold.
"I understand…"
"If I wanted to escape from him, there would be no chance at all."
"It is the reason for his calmness when speaking to me."