Capítulo 69: Letter
Preventing a rather improper photo from appearing into March's camera, Yuuto let out a small sigh.
Ignoring March who pouted while rubbing one of her cheeks that turned red. He looked at the photo she took and noticed its rather interesting angle.
Kafka leaning forward while wearing an alluring smile.
While he looked down at her and wore an ambiguous expression in his eyes.
It didn't seem out of place, but Yuuto couldn't help but think of one word that came to mind when he saw this.
Scandalous.
Yes. A fairly scandalous photo of him with a Stellaron Hunter had appeared.
'Will the IPC go after me if they see this?' Yuuto mindlessly thought and deleted the picture.
[Why delete it? It looked pretty good.]
The person in question who announced her past interactions with him looked amused as a grin was plastered on her face seeing the chaotic scene she quietly made.
"Okay, that's enough teasing. You have something important you want to say don't you?"
Yuuto looked at Kafka and she noticed his efforts to change the topic quickly.
[Hmm~ I guess I'll let you off the hook this time.]
"Not just this time but from now on."
[Too bad but the reactions from the people around you are too amusing to pass up.]
Kafka covered her mouth to hide her laugh before turning around and looking at Welt and Himeko who were still a bit confused by the events that just passed.
Leaving Yuuto behind she walked towards the center of the cabin and posed a question.
[Have you guys ever heard of the Luofu before?]
""....""
Welt and Himeko noticed that Kafka's full attention was now on them and the two slowly glanced at each other. Communicating something through their eyes, Welt was the first to answer.
"...If it's the Xianzhou Luofu that's part of the Xianzhou Alliance Hexafleet. Then we've heard of it." He cautiously answered.
Kafka nodded expecting his answer. [Coincidentally, this very ship is just a few warps away and there seems to be something interesting going on at the moment.]
[Just 45 system hours ago... a Stellaron burst occurred on the Luofu. Quite an unexpected calamity don't you think?]
Placing her hand on her cheek she let out a sigh. Allowing Welt to digest what she just told them.
"What are you getting at…? Stop speaking so vaguely." Himeko narrowed her eyes, sensing her act. "Just get to the point."
Kafka didn't mind her blunt attitude but the corner of her lips couldn't help but slightly rise. Seeing as the conversation was now getting onto track. Just how she wanted it to be.
Waving her hand a holographic image similar to her own began to appear and the appearance of an intimidating man was gradually revealed.
Wearing an oriental-styled black tailcoat with his long unruly hair covering a portion of his face. The man's deep red eyes were blank as if he was patiently waiting for something.
Something that will relieve him and grant his lifelong wish.
Different reactions came from each person who saw the man and Yuuto in particular felt his eyes glued on the person shown in front of him.
'I wonder how he'll react if he sees the type of sword I'm using…?'
Yuuto couldn't help but think since the person had a pretty complex history with Jingliu and the thought of their meeting brought another potential headache just waiting to happen.
He hoped that the best-case scenario was that he'd just think of him as another person using a sword. But remembering how he was brutally tortured by Jingliu's swordplay…
"Yeah, not happening…"
Just using her techniques and brandishing his sword would probably flare up his Mara. And having a mara-struck madman run after him was not exactly an event he wanted to experience.
However, he felt like it was inevitable as Jingliu had many more ties to the Luofu excluding that madman.
The Transcendent Flash and Sword Master of the Xianzhou Luofu are not just some empty titles she has on her back.
Leaving Yuuto who was contemplating a meeting that would either go normally or out of control due to a connection to a certain person, Kafka finally began to mention the reason for her abrupt arrival.
[Just to let you know this calamity is in no way tied to us. But unfortunately, the Luofu have different thoughts and are hellbent on capturing us.]
[My request is pretty simple. My companion Blade has been taken away by the Cloud Knights. I want to bring him back, resolve this Stellaron crisis, and clear our names.]
"Nothing to do with you, huh? Like we'll believe such an obvious coverup…"
Kafka was silent when she heard March's mumbles and ignored the growing weariness sprouting from her.
"Maybe we should help them seal the Stellaron…"
"Huh!? Are you being serious? It's not like we're her friends or anything and the Luofu is strong enough with countless forces to handle a singular Stellaron burst. With the Alliance and The Hunt protecting them, does it really look like they need our help?"
March spoke after hearing Stelle's thoughts and stood firmly on her decision. Not wanting to follow Kafka's suggestion as it felt too suspicious and too much of a coincidence.
A Stellaron burst happened to occur on the Luofu and Kafka just so happened to show up asking for help? She wasn't buying it.
[Oh? You don't need to worry too much if you don't want to help. You can always warp towards your next destination since the corrosion hasn't affected the space yet. However…]
She stopped her words and let out an ominous warning that was a bit hard to ignore.
[But just to let you know, in the future if you decide not to go. The entire ship will be eventually consumed and over half of the inhabitants inside will perish. But I'm sure the noble and courageous Nameless wouldn't let that happen. Right~?]
Welt, Himeko and Stelle were silent. March who was the most against it was also quiet since the words Kafka said pricked at her conscious.
Yes, Kafka could be lying, and may all be a scheme for their own benefit. But what if it wasn't? If they chose to ignore this request then a lot of innocent people would be affected.
"Let's listen first and make a decision later."
"Yuuto?"
"I'm sure Welt and Himeko have some ideas of their own so let's wait until Kafka leaves to discuss what we should do."
Yuuto poked at March's cheek he pulled on before and gave her a small snack that was on the table near them.
March felt apprehensive but decided to listen and accepted the snack Yuuto offered her. Feeling like his words made some sense she had a budding feeling that she should wait but her guard was still up.
Albeit a bit lower after taking the sugar given to her.
Kafka who had her arms crossed, saw how Yuuto calmly pacified March and noticed how level-headed he was. Tapping her finger on her arm, an unknown glint passed through her eyes and Yuuto felt a slight shiver.
"I'm sure you know your companion will perish alongside them if we don't accept, right?"
[No comment~!]
Himeko noticed that Kafka wasn't affected by her question and instead had a placid smile on her face. With the flick of her finger, a surge of information suddenly appeared in front of them and Kafka's hologram started to flicker.
[I have sent you the coordinates so all you need to do is make a decision.]
[Looking forward to what you'll choose~ ]
Feeling happy that her meeting went like how she liked, Kafka began warmly waving towards the group standing right in front of her and leaving the center where she stood.
[See you later~!]
Walking a few meters away, her body gradually faded. But before leaving, Kafka turned her head towards Yuuto and mouthed a few words.
Something that he just barely managed to piece together.
'[...She'll pass something… to you..?] Passing what by who?'
Despite the brief meeting she had with them, it seemed to him that there was a bit more to expect.
Himeko who watched the spot Kafka disappeared from, finally let off a deep sigh and looked at the rest of the members who were patiently waiting for her instructions.
"...Yuuto get Dan Heng."
"Roger. Want me to fill him in on the way?"
"Yes, I would appreciate that."
Yuuto took Gray Bean Paste, who was sitting by his feet, and quickly made his way toward the archives where Dan Heng was.
Stelle who was unusually silent the entire time, followed Yuuto and held onto the Wubbaboo that was floating right beside him.
He noticed that she was hesitating to say something but eventually chose to stay silent. Waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind.
Feeling like it was something serious.
"..Hey can I ask something?"
"Sure, go for it."
"Uh.. is it…" She fiddled with the Wubbaboo before silently saying what she had on her mind.
"...Is it actually true that you bed a Stellaron Hunter befo— OW!? Why did you hit me!??"
"Give me back my consideration."
"What!?"
"I need to purge your mind filled with such unnecessary thoughts."
Yuuto said with a cold grin and Stelle felt a chill seeing the cold mist rising from his palm.
"You're not denying it so it must be…"
"Alright. Bring that blockhead of yours over here."
***
Wiping his hands after giving Stelle a brief 'lesson' on why it was not good to have such unnecessary thoughts floating in her head.
Yuuto closed the door to his room and placed Gray Bean Paste at the corner of his bed seeing as its eyes were gradually closing.
He laid down as Himeko gave each of the members a small break to gather their thoughts before making a final decision in a few minutes.
Something that Yuuto appreciated after his whole fiasco with Duke Inferno and Dr. Ratio.
But that wasn't all. Placing his hands behind his head, he thought back to his conversation with Dan Heng as he felt something happening within him.
Reaching the archives and letting Dan Heng up to date with what just happened in the cabin, he noticed the atmosphere around him turn somber.
Not only that but his [Nexus] began to give an odd reaction as his [Core Memory] turned faint but the appearance of countless chains began to stretch around the fragment.
As if it was trying to tie this fragment down.
"Forbidden from setting foot on that ship. [Total interception of any attempt to enter the dominion]..."
Yuuto mumbled the words Dan Heng said to him with a complex expression and couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Of course, he knew about his situation regarding the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae but seeing the person who he had gotten to know not as a character but as a friend hide such an expression made his thoughts heavy.
"To have a cold guy act so down…"
[Down? Did something happen?]
"Yeah, but it's not something I can resolve right away."
[You said a person is feeling down right? Try giving them something they like. Like a present or something.]
"I guess I can do that but…"
Yuuto raised his fingers and rubbed the center of his eyes before turning his head.
A hologram that showed a small girl with a ponytail and glasses loosely hanging onto her head. She tilted her head seeing the look she was getting before blowing a small bubble with her gum.
[By the way, the gum you gave me was really good. I thought it was a bit sweet at first but after chewing it a few times, it matched my preferences perfectly.]
"That's great that you liked my gift but can you explain why you're here?"
[Ah, did Kafka not tell you?]
"Not exactly. She just said something before leaving and did not clarify anything."
[Unfortunate. Oh well, just take this.]
Tapping the air a few times, Yuuto felt a ripple in the air before a small letter suddenly appeared on his face.
It looked simple but a green seal placed on it showed that it had quite the professional touch to it.
"Who is it from?" Yuuto asked as he turned the letter around and saw no name of the sender.
[Hmm… Don't know?]
"What?"
[Well my job is finished. I also left my contact information if you find any more good gum recommendations. I also have a raid I need to get to so… later.]
Before he could utter a word back Silver Wolf disappeared and Yuuto was left speechless with a singular letter in his hands.
Left alone in his room once again with Gray Bean Paste silently sleeping near him, Yuuto sat up by the edge of his bed and lifted the letter.
A prismatic hue covered his pupils and his gaze scanned every inch of the letter. The material, seal, and contents were looked over and no matter how many times he used [Clarity].
All he found was a normal letter addressed to him.
Not wanting to wait any further he carefully sliced the seal and took the folded paper inside. Reading the contents formed by deep black ink and eye-catching handwriting.
///When the quill meets the page, all is etched in fate. Upon the parchment's silent canvas, do not fear the stains you leave behind. What is written today may fade tomorrow.///
Each word. Each sentence. Yuuto's breath paused as he continued reading and felt something stuck in his chest.
It wasn't an unpleasant feeling but it also did not make him relieved.
A few minutes continued to go by with Yuuto mindlessly staring at the letter before snapping out of his trance once he heard a knock on his door.
"Yuuto? Himeko told me to get you since you haven't left your room yet."
"Oh.. I-I'll be out in a bit."
Stelle walked away saying she'll wait and Yuuto got up from his bed. Staring at the letter one last time, he stored it in his library and patted Gray Bean Paste who was still asleep.
Thinking back to that trance he found himself in, Yuuto decided to ask Kafka about the letter when they met on the Luofu. Having an itching feeling that she might know something.
With Stelle by his side, Yuuto made his way to the cabin and grouped up the others why apologizing for being late.
Himeko didn't mind and just smiled but the next moment her smile gradually turned serious.
"I'm sure you guys each have your thoughts about the request the Stellaron Hunter Kafka offered regarding the Stellaron burst on the Luofu. Neither Welt nor I believe that she's telling us the truth, but we can't just ignore the intel she's given us…"
The others nodded as they agreed. Himeko noted this and raised her hand.
"So, we're about to hold a democratic vote on whether to set a course for the Xianzhou. All those in favor, hold out your hand. All those against, keep your arms by your side."
Remembering this scene in the game, Yuuto waited for Himeko to count down and placed his hand forward.
Everyone except Dan Heng placed their hand forward and Himeko decided after seeing the overwhelming vote in favor of setting course towards the Xianzhou.
"It looks like we'll be having a slight detour." Himeko sighed but she didn't look troubled.
"By the way, I will stay back to keep an eye on the Express but don't worry since Welt will accompany you this time."
"Mr. Yang, you're joining us!?"
"Yes. This occasion feels a bit dangerous compared to your time on Jarilo-VI so I'll come just for safe measure. Plus it's been a while since I've joined a trailblaze mission…"
Welt adjusted his glasses and turned his head when he mumbled the last part of his sentence and Yuuto stifled a laugh, finding his actions funny.
The others also smiled which raised the mood and Himeko clapped her hands to close the vote.
"Since it comes to this, everyone get ready and prepare for your next trailblazing expedition. I will have Pom Pom warp us shortly so be ready."
"""Yes!!"""
***
'The ship looks much more different compared to the game…'
Feeling the side effects of the warp jump fade away, Yuuto looked out the window in awe as they appeared in front of a large gate projecting a circular pattern. Signifying its purpose in keeping intruders out.
"Wait a second while I request landing permission."
Himeko was the first to act and went off to the side where she tried to connect to the Luofu. Yuuto who was still staring out the window looked to his side and saw Dan Heng absently staring at the ship.
The large gate reflected from his eyes and a nostalgic emotion seeped out as he recalled the last time he saw this magnificent gate.
"Feeling sentimental?"
"...."
Dan Heng noticed that Yuuto made his way beside him and joined him in looking out the window.
He didn't reply to his question but Yuuto could understand all he wanted to say just from his silence.
The two stood in silence as they waited for Himeko but during the moment Dan Heng passed Yuuto something.
It was a small notebook and he looked at Dan Heng who didn't spare him a glance.
"I've compiled some intel on the Xianzhou for you, I hope it comes in useful."
"Hmm…"
Yuuto turned the small notebook and saw a few pages filled with words alongside a few personally drawn images.
Looking at the contents, Yuuto felt a small grin form. "I'll be sure to use it well since you put so much effort into it~."
"...."
Dan Heng's brows curved down when he heard Yuuto and tiled his head away feeling a bit embarrassed.
Yuuto was amused at his reaction and tapped the notebook on his shoulder.
"Teach me more about Xianzhou culture after the mission. I'm curious if there's a discrepancy to the information in the archives compared to the words of a native."
"Sure…"
"Great!"
Yuuto patted Dan Heng on the shoulder and accepted his dull reaction to his request.
"Everyone gather up. I have gotten permission to board the ship so make one final check of your equipment and follow Welt down the Express when you're good to go."
Himeko looked at Welt who was patiently waiting by the door and he assured her that he was good to go.
"I'll see you later."
Yuuto looked at Dan Heng one last time and made his way towards Welt as he was already prepared beforehand.
Leaning against the wall and looking out the window, his eyes locked onto the ship and he clenched his fist feeling a rush of heat gather in his palms.
Thick golden lines under his clothes let out a faint glow and he took in a deep breath.
Preparing himself for what's to come.
***
Deep within the vast rows of docks and miniature ships, a large group of soldiers were gradually mowed down.
Their thick pieces of armor were sliced apart as if it was butter and all that was left was the abnormal branches filled with golden leaves that sprouted from their body.
"How filthy…"
A cold voice passed by the soldiers and with each step she took, a bitter layer of dense ice covered the area.
Her long white hair which had tints of blue at the tips flowed through the air. Reminiscent of a moon that hovers high above the sky.
Retrieving her sword that had pierced the helmet of the abomination that took the form of a soldier, she noticed a faint light shining through the sky and abruptly paused.
She turned her body and subconsciously rubbed the earring located on her right ear. Staring at the sky while surrounded by the bodies she had slain.
"...A familiar scent…"
***
Hehe, a chapter from a one and only Lingsha haver.
But I also wanna let this out that Wuwa has been testing my nerves recently. Never won a 50/50 and I've lost all of them to Walmart Sephiroth.
Never have I ever wanted to delete a game so fast but I must persevere for Shorekeeper.
Capítulo 70: Haven
"Mr. Yang, are you sure we're in the right place…? It feels a bit too… empty…"
Noticing the rather empty port and the absence of any life she originally expected. March couldn't help but shiver, feeling like the atmosphere was too creepy for her liking.
Every corner she looked at felt like there was something lurking and might jump at her at any moment.
Her hand began to twitch, ready to summon her bow, but she tried to distract herself from finding the person who opened the gate.
Considering the situation Kafka mentioned beforehand, it was also strange to see no one welcome them at the port.
Welt nodded after hearing March's words. He also expected to at least see the operator who permitted them to land. But it was fruitless as no individual approached them.
As if something happened along the way.
Feeling like the situation was a lot more serious than he thought, Welt sharpened his senses and led the group forward. Telling each of them to keep their eyes peeled for anything suspicious.
Stelle and March narrowed their eyes and concentrated while Yuuto stood a few steps behind doing the same. Glancing at the rows of cargo placed around them, he carefully spread his senses out.
Taking a few seconds to analyze his surroundings he suddenly felt an influx of energy rise in the direction they were headed.
Despite being cleverly hidden, [Clarity] was able to pick up the concealed energy, and the Stellaron inside him began to shake happily.
The energy was pure and not in the sense that a person may find it comforting. It was more like a fierce flame that disguised itself as a candle.
Allowing any being to approach in hopes of being comforted not knowing that they would be devoured whole by its wicked nature. Slowly, before eventually nothing is left behind.
And he had a pretty good thought as to who this energy belonged to.
'Calm down. You're acting as if dinner arrived.'
Yuuto thought speechlessly seeing how the Stellaron began to act and he calmed it down from acting too rowdy.
'You just had the Infernal Flame that Duke Inferno left behind. Why are you making it seem like I'm starving you…'
Letting out a sigh at his gluttonous Stellaron, he continued to feel the energy before reeling his senses in.
Taking in what he saw so far, he discreetly turned his back away from the three and pulled something out from inside his jacket. A small ghost-like creature smiled at him but before it could speak, Yuuto covered its mouth.
"Shh… remember what I told you before?"
"...Wuu…"
The Wubbaboo nodded its head as it thought back to the words Yuuto told it before they landed at the port.
"Great, now go. Be sure to let no one see you."
"Wuu… Wuuu!!"
"...Alright. Boo, be sure to let no one see you."
"Wu..!!"
Yuuto gave a small smile seeing the Wubbaboo adamant at having its name used and gave it one last pat.
It hummed with happiness, savoring the pat Yuuto gave it before it disappeared and blended into the surroundings. Leaving Yuuto to think about the inevitable meeting arriving in just a bit.
Shaking the thoughts that appeared, Yuuto sped up his pace to join back with the others and turned the corner where they entered a large opening.
Before they could take a step further, Welt raised his hand and immediately turned his head to the left.
"Someone's hurt."
Welt led the group and reached a corner where two soldiers dressed in blue armor were weakly leaning against one of the cargo crates. His armor was torn and large amounts of blood could be seen dripping from his arm.
His companion beside him didn't look any better and Welt immediately came to check on their injuries while he looked at the damage around him. Bodies that were lifeless alongside remnants of what seemed to be some sort of humanoid monster.
Welt was able to piece together what happened with the limited information he got and let out a tiny grunt as he assisted the injured soldier.
"Yuuto can I ask you to heal this person and March can you use your ice to stop the bleeding on his waist for now?"
The two didn't wait a second longer and went towards the two injured soldiers while Welt brought Stelle near him.
Raising his cane off the ground the space around him began to tremble and Stelle felt heavy pressure on her body which faded as fast as it came.
Heavy grunts suddenly appeared which startled Stelle and immediately turned around while holding her bat. Three soldiers or what she assumed to be soldiers were forced to the ground where cracks slowly formed.
"These guys look different compared to the ones we saw before," Stelle said while poking the incapacitated enemies Welt caught with her bat.
Welt agreed, seeing the golden branches seeping from inside their armor. "Indeed. It seems best that we should be careful considering their rather aggressive nature."
Adjusting his glasses, he noted the absence of any civilians and let out a relieved sigh.
"The Xianzhou must have evacuated the port earlier and left the soldiers to deal with the crisis but it seems like it wasn't enough."
"So we're going straight into it without any warm-up, huh…"
"I guess we are."
Raising his cane to deal with a few more soldiers, Yuuto and March who were done healing the injured joined in and took down a few enemies that Welt held in place.
The four continued to clear out the area where the soldiers failed to protect and after defeating a few of them, Yuuto gave a complex expression.
Lowering his hand that froze the mara-stricken soldier, Yuuto's eyes glowed a faint white hue, and the few memories he received organized themselves into his library.
'So that's what a person's memories look like when they're completely engulfed by mara…'
The sight of fragments that were destroyed or dimmed to the point where he could barely recognize them. Yuuto could sense the fear, remorse, and even hatred that filled their [Nexus] to the point where any individual personality they once had was now gone.
Only to be replaced by a creature with inexplicable bloodlust that can't be fought.
Yuuto swiftly dealt with the soldier that he froze and a sliver of energy with properties similar to corrosion entered the Stellaron which shook feeling something new entering it.
"I guess this puny amount won't show a difference."
Like putting a drop of sugar into a vast sea, this speck of energy wasn't enough to entice any form of reaction that his Stellaron could use.
"Maybe up to the amount and concentration of the Infernal Flame that I got from Duke Inferno but considering that this didn't have any properties close to a flame…"
Yuuto thought as he recalled the reaction that came from him absorbing the portion of the Infernal Flame and narrowed his eyes as he heard a loud shout just ahead of him.
"Let's hurry! There's someone there!!" March yelled quickly and ran ahead while being followed by the others.
'Let's hope this works…'
Yuuto couldn't help but think and clenched his fist while reaching a section where three people stood.
"Miss Tingyun! Escape while I hold them off—!"
"There should be a starskiff near the port you can use!"
Two of them were soldiers wearing blue armor and the other was a woman who showed a frightened expression seeing the group of mara-stricken soldiers attack the guards.
Her tall brown fox-like ears waved through the air as she ran towards a wall while the soldiers used their spears to push the crowd away despite the dreadful future they would eventually meet.
Luckily for them, these thoughts would be naught seeing as a group of people quickly dispatched the crowd and they blankly watched as the looming threat disappeared.
"Is everyone okay!?"
"Yes…"
One of the soldiers absently replied and March heaved a sigh while reeling her bow seeing that no one was badly hurt. However, she was startled to see the two soldiers stand at guard as if a new threat suddenly arrived.
A tense atmosphere silently grew between the two groups as the soldiers raised their spears. The mood quickly shifted towards a bad direction but this was broken apart as someone slapped their fan against her palm.
"Stand down." Tingyun raised her hand and looked towards March and others behind her.
Her soft eyes passed through each of them before landing on Yuuto who looked emotionless. Though, on the inside, he was coldly sweating as he felt her green eyes on him.
"I apologized for hostile behavior and I thank the benefactors who saved us from the precarious situation we found ourselves in! May I learn your names?
What felt like minutes, Tingyun's gaze finally left him as she bowed and Yuuto managed to spot no changes in her eyes and he inwardly let out a relieved sigh.
'It seems like I hid it well enough.'
Feeling a sense of omission within his body, more specifically near the left side of his chest, Yuuto felt content with the uses the Infernal Flame had.
One of the things he was most worried about during his future time on the Luofu was the attention he would receive regarding his Stellaron.
It would have been fine if it was before when he just had a tiny amount but unexpected things happened and he now had the amount where it could be noticed by a select few.
It would have been alright for now but he was certain that flaunting this specific energy out in the open would eventually bring many unwanted gazes as seen by Duke Inferno.
He couldn't guarantee future encounters wouldn't go as smoothly as they did with the Duke so a way he could hide the energy was something he needed.
He thought of using [Memoforge] to create a specific memory to help deal with this problem but in the end, he didn't need to.
Luckily for him, the Infernal Flame he managed to steal— or more so given 'graciously' by the Duke himself -- made all his previous ideas on how to hide it useless.
'Using the trait of the flame, I just need to actively scramble the Stellaron's energy signature and let it fade away as if it wasn't there in the first place.'
Remembering how the Duke was able to hide and teleport himself throughout the station, Yuuto had some of the theory down but just needed to use it in practice.
Long-range teleportation may be too steep for now but creating some sort of 'mirage' to hide his energy is doable.
And judging by how Tingyun reacted, it looked like it worked out. At most, she would just think that he had a much larger life force than the regular person.
"It is an honor to receive help from such illustrious heroes however there is one thing I don't understand: Starskiff Haven is currently under lockdown but seeing your attire, none of you seem to be Xianzhou residents…."
Casting his worries aside, Yuuto finally noticed the small smile Tingyun wore as her fan opened up to cover a portion of her face. Her eyes narrowed and looked at the four cautiously.
"May I ask how you came to be here?"
***
Faced with the cautious attitude Tingyun was letting off, Welt continued to explain their situation to ease the atmosphere.
Seeing that Tingyun wasn't refuting anything so far, he went on but what he didn't seem to notice was the ambiguous expression the woman in front of him was making.
'Quite a large variable to make its way on here.'
Tingyun or more so the being disguised as Tingyun looked at the group in front of her curiously.
Phantylia— An emanator serving as one of the seven Lord Ravagers of the Antimatter Legion.
An individual who basks in the internal destruction of mortals without personally intervening.
For the sole purpose of destroying the Luofu, she had done quite a bit of work behind the scenes and was on her way to her goal. But the arrival of a certain group made her curious about their purpose.
"You lot must be with the Astral Express…"
"You've heard of us?"
"Of course! Such an infamous group but I'm sad to say that your business may need to be put on hold. An incident has recently fallen upon the Luofu and currently only authorized individuals are allowed to enter…"
She cupped her cheek and sadly looked at the group. Each of them was unique in their own way.
Her eyes were gentle but a calculating gaze analyzed each of the members to see if any of them were a hindrance to her overall plan.
'None of them hold enough influence if compared to the Guardian this vessel currently has. But some of them may be of some use in advancing the Arbor's revival.'
Phantylia looked at Stelle and Yuuto whose enormous vitality surprised her and wondered if the two were siblings based on the energy they each carried.
Sensing the amount they had, her thoughts moved towards the possibility of taking over their bodies but she decided in the end not to.
'Their aesthetics are not to my liking. Maybe if the gray one cleaned herself more and the man had a more feminine appearance…'
Her thoughts began to shift in a dangerous direction when she looked at Yuuto. Causing him to break into cold sweats that he didn't exactly know the reason for.
The body she would eventually create would be her ideal image so the idea didn't entice her to the point of personally acting.
After a few seconds of marking them as not dangerous and grouping them as just extra pawns, Phantylia closed her fan and smiled sweetly.
"For your safety, I'm willing to bring you to the Central Starskiff Haven for refuge. But I have no authority as to how I should handle you so you must meet with Madam Yukong for your future endeavors."
"We have caught wind of your current situation so we come with good intentions. To help the Luofu in sealing the Stellaron."
"Hehe~ Whether or not you come with good intentions, you are still outsiders so the final verdict lands on Madam Yukong."
Welt couldn't refute since the points she said were understandable and refusing would only make things more complicated.
"I understand. I will thank you on behalf of the Express for helping us." Welt politely said.
"It's no issue! As an Amicassador for the Sky-Faring Commission, it's my role to assist outsiders such as yourselves."
"Why do I feel like she's just eager to get us out of her hair and make us someone else's problem…"
March whispered to Yuuto and Stelle who agreed seeing the innocent smile Tingyun was giving.
"Don't mind the small stuff! Let us depart immediately~."
***
Going through a few paths and scenarios that Yuuto remembered in the game, they finally managed to reach a vast port that had a few boat-like vehicles parked near the edge.
Each was varying in size ranging from boats that could hold a limited amount of boxes to ones that could hold countless crates within them.
"Ah… we finally made it. But the amount of tail hairs I lost along the way…"
Tingyun sadly brushed her fluffy tail while the people around her finished up the mara-stricken soldiers flooding the harbor.
March looked at her strangely and placed her bow away. "She's pretty finical about her appearance don't you think?"
"I feel like you should be the last one who should be saying anything."
"Huh, what do you mean?"
Yuuto snapped the neck of the soldier he was dealing with and looked at March. "I mean, weren't you the one who wore a face mask every night when we were at Jarilo—"
"Th-That's different!? A young lady such as myself should at least take care of her appearance…"
"Young lady…."
"You're thinking of something rude aren't you!?"
"It's your imagination."
"Grr…"
Yuuto decided to peacefully move away from the subject as he felt like it was the most gentlemanly way to go.
March suddenly felt annoyed and began hitting his back to relieve this feeling.
Yuuto didn't stop her as it didn't hurt but after feeling the hand of another person suddenly join in, his face changed, and began glaring at the one who joined in.
"They're a lively bunch."
"A bit too lively…"
Welt sighed and adjusted his glasses but his face relaxed seeing the three bickering amongst themselves.
Tingyun noticed this and a subtle smile began to form but it faded after she hopped into a Starskiff boat.
"Hurry up everyone! It will only take us a few minutes so the sooner we leave the sooner we arrive at the Haven."
Seeing as her words brought everyone's attention, she quickly got behind the wheel. The takeoff was quick and soon the four left the port with Tingyun taking the helm.
Steering clear of a few obstacles flooding the sky, she safely took the crew to the Haven she promised them earlier.
'I will never get tired of this…'
Slowing down by a familiar-looking port, Yuuto looked in awe at the large Haven and the countless memories he had walking through this very area in the game.
It was a different kind of nostalgia compared to when he first entered Belobog but the sentiment was the same.
"On behalf of the Sky-Faring Commission, allow me to welcome you to Starskiff Haven."
Stelle and March were amazed by her sudden professionalism and immediately clapped which made Tingyun a bit shy.
"Ahem, as I promised I will guide you to Madam Yukong so follow me quickly."
"Wait before we enter, can we have a moment to prepare ourselves before meeting her?"
"That's…" Tingyun looked troubled but Welt was adamant.
While he was convincing Tingyun, the others stood a few steps behind them and Stelle noticed Yuuto looking at his surroundings.
"What are you looking for?"
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing."
Stelle stared at him hard, hearing his response and remembering that he had a similar look in the past. She was certain of one thing.
"You're planning something again aren't you…"
"No not really… Ah! Here it is~"
Yuuto's eyes sparkled as he looked at the sky and Stelle looked at him suspiciously. She tried to see what he was so excited about but saw nothing.
That was until she noticed something move within his arms and noticed a ghost-like creature within his arms.
"That's–!!"
"Shhh."
"Urgh—!?"
Stelle was about to yell when something hard entered her mouth and a sweet taste suddenly bombarded her taste buds.
"This…"
"I told Boo to get a snack on his way and got us these berries covered in hardened sugar."
"Boo…" Stelle was surprised by his words and looked at the Wubbaboo. "Did I tell you how much I love you?"
"Wuu!"
"Cute."
"Hey, what are you guys talking about so secretly?" March suddenly appeared seeing the commotion they were making and noticed that they were eating something.
"Hey!? You're leaving me out!!?"
"No…*Crunch*.."
"You guys are so mean…"
"Don't worry *Crunch* it was just something Boo managed to *Crunch*..."
"At least choose between talking or giving me one."
"As I *Crunch* said. Boo managed to…"
Seeing Stelle blatantly eat the candied berries in front of her, March began puffing up her cheeks but luckily Yuuto solved the issue and gave her one.
Seeing the satisfied people beside him, Yuuto also bit on the snack before placing his head on the Wubbaboo's forehead.
A few images began to flash within his mind until he saw what he wanted to get.
"So you managed to find one."
"Wuu! Close by…"
"I understand."
A calculating glint appeared in his eyes as he separated himself from the Wubbaboo and a plan began to slowly fall into place in his head.
*Crunch*
***
I had one of the most painful migraines I ever had for the past few weeks so I needed to take a break from any form of screen time. It finally went away so I'm happy to be able to play HSR again other than to do my dailies and leave lool.
Anyways the next chapter should come either tomorrow or in the coming days.
Ba-na-na-na~
Estado de energía semanal
200+ Ranking de
Poder 
245 Piedra de
Poder 
Comentario de párrafo