Emilia felt warm inside once she heard Ed's words. She knew that her words were incoherent, but she truly cared about her friends and didn't want to lose them. She still had the thought of ending her life but knew that Ed wouldn't let her do it. She had no choice but to give up.
"What is that, some sort of proposal?" Emilia chuckled at Ed's last sentence and tried to tease him.
"Yeah, something like that." However, Ed's answer caused her to blush a little. Ed noticed this but didn't point it out. Instead, he withdrew one of his specialty potions and gave it to her. Her wounds weren't severe, but it wasn't an easy thing to fight with them. But, thanks to Ed's potion, most of them quickly healed up.
"By the way, who is 'we'?" Emilia remembered that Ed mentioned a lot of people coming to save her. She wanted to know who put themselves in danger for her.
"Hayato, Ellie, Alicia, and my companions," Ed answered her, only to be asked another question.
"Companions? Like Suika and that black wolf?" Emilia remembered those that were with Ed.
"Unfortunately, not them. Suika wanted to come to save you but needed to stay behind and heal some of the injured. The wolf is called Raikou by the way." Ed explained to her, and they finally got back to the castle. As they went into the corridor, they noticed a great number of guards laying down unconscious.
"This is what you did earlier?" Emilia remembered a sudden outburst of power from Ed and linked it to the incident here.
"Yeah, it's something similar to a QI burst, but much more useful," Ed explained it in words she could understand.
"So, where is your mother's body?" Ed got them back on track. Emilia only wanted one thing from this country, and that is her mother's body. Ed didn't know how her mother was killed, or who did it, but he was going to help her retrieve the body at least. He was also afraid that the body would be too injured, causing Emilia to grieve too much when seeing it. So, although it wasn't an appropriate time, he had to ask her.
"It was the Poison sect's master. He's from the lower continents, and he also joined the Blood sect. Due to Norris' help in infiltrating and brainwashing students, they agreed to help him take over the country." Emilia explained to Ed, and he got a little wary. If the poison sect's master could kill Emilia's mother, that meant he was very powerful. Since he was confident enough to cross over continents in order to do it.
"What's the deal with Norris? Hayato told me you were going to take care of him." Ed needed to ask this question, so as to put his mind at ease.
"My mother exiled his family after knowing about the incident. But, since Norris' father was a corrupt man who bribed the other nobles, they soon turned against my mother. Soon, the kingdom had many rumors spreading through it. 'The queen wants to sell the country' 'We'll be slaves all our lives' People started turning the rumors into the truth. The years of sacrifices that my mother made were all forgotten. I could see regret in her eyes growing every day. 'How I wish I killed the man and let the kingdom rot'. I believe this is the thought that crossed her mind before she passed away." Emilia's voice was becoming hoarse as she was speaking. Ed could truly feel both her mother and her pain.
It was one thing to let your family's killer stay alive. But to have the people you protected turn against you was something Ed never wanted to experience. Emilia continued explaining the situation to Ed.
"We didn't hear anything about Norris' family for over a year, until one day his father's head was sent to us. We didn't know why they would do such a thing, but we later learned that Norris killed his father. His father was a rotten man, but he didn't agree with the Blood sect at least. So the Elders of the sect gave Norris two choices. To leave with his family, or to kill them and they would grant him his wish." Ed frowned upon hearing it, as he knew what Norris had chosen.
"One of his wishes was to take control over the country, as that was both his and his father's goal. Yet, Blood sect told him he could choose another wish as they would grant him this one for his help. I don't know what he ended up choosing, as the things I told you were said by him. He was boasting about how he managed to come to power. But, whatever he chose, helped him gain immense power. He's a lot stronger than before." Emilia said the last words while looking at Ed. She knew Ed was going to kill him, as he was one of the reasons why he lost Eri and the others back in Scale kingdom.
Ed was thinking exactly what Emilia was thinking. He was going to do everything he could to kill all the ones responsible for the incident. There was also the fact that they targeted his kingdom, which was not a forgivable thing. Ed checked his Map and noticed that a red dot was pacing around at the top of the castle. 'That should be Norris." Ed thought while checking everything else. The castle was still filled with red dots, which surprised Ed.
"The maids and butlers that worked here, where are they?" Ed couldn't help but ask Emilia. It felt too weird to have nothing but enemies in the castle where she and her mother lived.
"They were all killed since they supported my mother." Ed could feel the pain in Emilia's voice. He himself lost many of the maids and butlers who were like family to him.
"I don't feel like walking the stairs anymore. Emilia, do you any sentimental value towards this castle?" Ed asked her while looking upwards. The moving red dot right above his head.
"No." Emilia didn't know why Ed asked such a question but answered it anyway. She had a sentimental bond with the people that lived in these walls, not the walls themselves.
"I see," Ed spoke while withdrawing Muramasa. A small flame orb appeared at the tip of his sword. He thrust his sword upwards. A concentrated flame tornado broke through the floors, all the way to the outside. For those out of the castle, it looked like a flame fountain.
"That's a small greeting, isn't it Norris!" Ed spoke loudly while looking at the figure that was looking down at him from above.
Enjoy.
"You bastard! How are you here?!" Norris realized who the attacker was. He would never forget the humiliation he felt due to Ed toying with him in the tournament. Yet, he calmed himself down and sneered at Ed. "Let me guess, you came here to save the useless princess. Oh my mistake, she's no longer a princess, only a traitor of the kingdom!" He laughed at Emilia, knowing fully how hurtful his words were.
"No, we're here to look for the Body of the Ice Empress, any idea where it is?" Ed didn't fall to his provocations and asked a question. Norris' facial expressions turned gloomy, seeing that his attempt to rile up Ed failed.
"Who would give that body back?! An Immortal Establishment genius. Do you know how much money I would get selling it in an auction?!" Emilia's blood boiled and her QI blew up once she heard him. She wanted to fly up and kill him, but Ed stopped her.
"That's a bit troublesome you see. Give the body back." Ed stopped fooling around as he started making his way towards Norris. He was flying through the holes his attack made earlier.
"Didn't you hear me? There is no way!" Norris sent a lightning bolt towards them. But, before it could hit them, Ed teleported them both to where Norris was with a short teleport.
"I wasn't asking you to give them back, I was telling you," Ed spoke once he finished his teleportation. Norris looked back and sneered at him once again. He knew that they wouldn't get hurt by such an attack even if they were to get hit. It was simply him showcasing his abilities.
"And this is me telling you, I'm not giving it back." Norris would not give in to Ed's demands, and Ed didn't want him to either. Both of them got ready to fight, and when Emilia tried to help Ed, he stopped her.
"Leave him to me." Ed smiled as if to reassure her.
"But he's-" Before Emilia could speak, Ed spoke first.
"I know. You've worked hard haven't you Norris?" Ed didn't need to scan Norris to tell his cultivation. He had a higher cultivation than Ed last time, and now he had nine months of preparation ahead of him. Not to mention all the resources he had now that Blood sect was so strong. Norris had managed to become an Immortal Establishment level 1 since the last time they both met.
"What now you're getting scared?" Norris asked while mocking Ed. Both of them started clashing with each other. They swords sent shockwaves, each one destroying some part of the walls. Norris had indeed gotten stronger. His sword strikes were heavy and fast. He didn't seem to have the same clumsy way of fighting that he exhibited in the tournament. He also didn't show off, but Ed felt that rather than him not showing off, he was waiting for the perfect chance.
Outside of the castle, the people were getting restless. People managed to find out about the death of the five stars. They display from Ed earlier further increased their anxiety even more. The whole population was freaking out near the gates of the castle, but no one responded. This further fueled their anger and frustration as they started banging on the door. They didn't know that Ed managed to knock out those inside the castle without an exception. As they were trying to break down the gate, the shockwaves from the top of the castle scared them into running away. They didn't know if the king was angry, or if an enemy had managed to kill the king. Instead of finding out, they all scattered in fear. But, when they heard the tremors outside of the capital walls they stopped. They were now stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Hmm, the guards aren't coming anymore," Hayato spoke while putting his sword over his shoulder. Both he and Garu were making as much noise as possible, but they didn't have any visitors in a while.
"Maybe it's because they found out about you killing those two?" Hayato pointed at the two decapitated bodies lying on the ground.
"Perhaps," Garu answered him as he destroyed another part of the wall.
"WarGreymon, maybe we should change the area?" Goburou managed to reach the same conclusion as Hayato. He suggested they head over to another area.
"Maybe near the port?" He suggested as both he and WarGreymon flew there.
"No No, not like that. You should concentrate it, not simply decrease the size." Merry was teaching Alicia some tricks while guards were lying unconscious near them.
"Like this?" Alicia was doing her best to learn something new.
"That's better," Merry spoke while another one guards who tried to regain his consciousness fell down again. It was the same senses disturbance technique, but at a stronger output.
While everyone was chatting, the castle blew up and three figures emerged out of there. It was Ed, Emilia, and Norris. During the battle, they managed to knock out every single wall in the throne room where they were fighting. Now that both of them were in the air, everyone could feel Norris' cultivation level. They also noticed a wound on Ed's cheek. Norris' clothes had a cut on his chest, but no wounds were there. Meanwhile, the wound on Ed's cheek was bleeding heavily.
"Quite the powerful technique isn't it?" Norris smiled while looking at the wound he caused Ed.
"Very." Ed's answer was calm and collected, not the one Norris was looking forward to hearing.
"I got it by killing an old man who bought it in an auction. Blood sect helps those that help them you know?" Ed remembered that a technique similar to this one appeared in the auction two years ago. It was called the Thunder Formation technique.
"Well don't say 'you' killed him. You probably begged someone from Blood sect to get it for you. Like you did with this country." Ed teased him speaking.
Down on the ground, Merry had stopped Alicia who tried to rush to help Ed after figuring out Norris' cultivation level.
"Why are you stopping me? There is no way he can win, look he already got injured!" Alicia was desperately trying to leave, but Merry wouldn't let her.
"Edward can beat him. He already defeated the Dragon from the tower. Plus, he's stronger than he was at that time." Merry explained to Alicia. Ed and his companions had killed many Heavenly Establishment opponents. Thanks to that, he managed to level up to Heavenly Establishment level 7.
"If It's about the wound, he's probably playing around."
Enjoy.
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