"...."
"...."
A steady silence continued between the two of them as they stared at each other. Each with different expressions on their faces.
He was standing on top of a roof, holding a sword while a woman was staring holes into his face. Yuuto honestly didn't know what to do as it happened all too fast.
Feeling like he should do something after seeing Jingliu not moving, he waved his hand and the sword he held quickly faded into dust.
"First let's get rid of that sword you have. I'm feeling nervous just imagining you waving that thing around."
Jingliu continued to stare at him as if she was trying to understand what he meant before shattering her sword.
"You make it seem like I'll attack so abruptly?"
"Try convincing me otherwise after you tried to trap me earlier–?"
"....You ran first."
Yuuto held his tongue as she was correct on that part but he couldn't help it. It was like that time on Solarian, it was pure instinct like an animal being chased by a predator.
Seeing that she managed to stump him, Jingliu felt a sense of amusement noticing his expression stiffen, and jogged closer to him.
"Anyways, what are you even doing here holding a sword in the first place?"
Clearing his throat to change the topic, Yuuto waited for Jingliu to get closer before dusting off the remaining shards of ice stuck to his leg.
"There was a group of soldiers inflicted with mara nearby. All hidden within a facility so I decided to get rid of them." She said in a cold tone.
"I'm uncertain why a large number managed to go unnoticed but after slaying the last one, I caught a familiar scent and noticed that it was you."
"So that's why…"
Yuuto was a bit surprised to hear about the large group that she managed to find and began to make a small hypothesis.
'It might be the Alchemy Commissions doing…'
Seeing the first-hand effects the Sanctus Medicus were doing based on the symptoms Xiao Ju had, Yuuto wondered just how much they were hiding from the Cloud Knights.
Possibly way more than what he could imagine.
'This is going to be annoying.' Yuuto groaned just thinking about it.
"I'm also curious. What were you doing alone here unsupervised?"
Breaking away from his frustrations, Jingliu posed him with a question that surprised him and he quickly answered.
"I was getting snacks for my friend."
He pointed to the vending machine near a corner and smiled innocently. Jingliu on the other hand felt like something was odd with his choice of words.
"I was getting snacks."
"I didn't say anything…"
"I just wanted to clarify."
Yuuto continued to smile but his lips shook a bit as he was reminded once more of his acting that went a bit out of control.
The two continued to have a lighthearted conversation as Yuuto led with most of the questions asking about her time after she left Solarian. Alongside the events that occurred after entering the 'branch' made by the Wingweavers.
"It's pretty impressive that you managed to take out an entire camp of Wingweavers."
"I've faced worse in the past. This sort of thing is nothing compared to that."
"Is that so?"
Yuuto glanced at Jingliu and noticed her red eyes staring at the moon. Her emotions were hidden but a strong sense of melancholy barely broke through.
"Is my gift still working fine?"
Hoping to break the ambiguous atmosphere, Yuuto decided to change the topic which caused Jingliu to tilt her head.
"You mean the earring…?" She reached for the earring on her right ear. Rubbing it between her fingers. "I still don't understand how you managed to make such a thing."
Coherent thoughts and stable emotions. She didn't know the last time she'd experienced this sort of freedom since her time in the High-Cloud Quintet.
Even that moment was like a fleeting memory to her after being consumed by mara.
But out of nowhere, this person had managed to ease her chaotic mind so easily. Something that she initially deemed impossible.
"I guess it has been a long time since I gave you that earring, huh…"
Yuuto rubbed the bottom of his chin for a while before suddenly reaching his hand towards the earring.
Jingliu paused and her eyes stared at Yuuto intensely as the distance between them suddenly shortened.
An orange feathered pen appeared and Yuuto skillfully wrote in the air near her ear. The tip of the pen released a bright amber hue that brilliantly weaved together before fading into Jingliu's earring.
"This should be a good upgrade."
Yuuto let out a deep breath and laughed as he felt proud of his work while JIngliu felt confused at what just happened.
"How is it?"
"How is what—" Before she could answer a subtle flow of energy suddenly appeared and she opened her eyes wide.
Her thoughts circulated much faster and she felt a bit more energized than usual.
"It looks like you like it~!"
"You…"
Yuuto began to chuckle seeing the shocked expression that was different from her usual ice-cold appearance.
"My skills improved the last time you saw me so I felt like I should give you an upgrade. It's nothing too special. You just get a small boost in energy and your mind becomes clearer."
Yuuto placed the pen away after using [Memoforge] on her earring and felt like his proficiency with the pen had grown since the last time he used it.
Jingliu was still dazed at the feat Yuuto just pulled and she subconsciously rubbed the brand-new earring.
Her eyes were closed but the calmness she found as a blessing had grown to a much deeper level that she felt like she was dreaming.
"So your physique wasn't the only thing that grew."
"Huh? You noticed something like that?"
"Teaching Cloud Knights was something from my past so judging something as simple as that is nothing."
Jingliu opened her eyes and stared at Yuuto with more intensity that he suddenly felt a sense of unease.
"Take out your sword and follow me."
"What–!?"
Jingliu was already walking away from him and Yuuto quickly ran after her.
Taking a route away from Aurum Alley, the two entered an area where large bamboo trees hid the dark sky and Yuuto looked around.
"This place…."
"Fyxestroll Garden. Or at least a hidden part of the garden that I used to frequently go to."
Yuuto nodded and noted the area that looked quite beautiful to what he remembered.
'This is the place with the ghosts right?'
He tried to remember the event that took place in this area and wondered if it was okay for them to be here.
They walked until the two reached a gazebo with a single stone table. The table was quite large with five stone seats and Jingliu grazed her finger on the surface before leaning on it.
"Do you still use moonlight with your swordsmanship?"
"Ah, yeah I still do. Why?"
"Let's spar. I want to see your progress."
Yuuto was surprised to hear her offer but he quickly agreed as this was something he honestly hoped would happen after abruptly meeting her.
Seeing his active agreement to her request, she gave a subtle smile and the two stood a few meters away from each other.
Two swords. One that was light blue and one that was pale white.
'His stance is much more natural.'
Being in similar stances from each other, Jingliu was able to accurately judge the small movements and adjustments Yuuto made and felt satisfied with what she saw.
A small wind carelessly flowed between the two and a leaf danced with it. They were still, not moving a single muscle.
Until the leaf that flowed between them touched the ground.
—-WOOOSH
—TING
A flash of white and blue lit the dark forest with its light and the sounds of swords clashing echoed.
"Balance and precision are sharp."
Jingliu calmly analyzed as she jumped back and used her arm to adjust her stance. A small flick of her wrist and a crescent shot from her sword followed behind.
Yuuto drew his sword and traced the air creating a few silver lines. These lines folded and grew together before creating a cross that clashed with the projectile Jingliu shot.
A small explosion of mist appeared when the two clashed and managed to cancel the attack.
She admired his way of handling moonlight and the subtle smile began to grow. Wanting to uncover just how far this man grew on his own during her absence.
Jingliu raised her blade and parried the thrust reaching for her chest before stepping back and counter-attacking.
Her sword flashed and raced towards a point where Yuuto exposed his body but he managed to retaliate. Splitting apart the sliver of moonlight flowing with her sword.
"You're not holding back your punches…"
"Would you like me to?"
"Don't you dare."
Yuuto said before covering his body in a dense white hue and disappearing from his spot.
JIngliu followed along and decided to not disappoint. And she definitely didn't.
The area around them was instantly covered in a harrowing layer of ice that just barely missed Yuuto and he felt a drop of sweat fall from his face.
'If I was just a second late, I would have been consumed by that ice.'
He held onto the stem of the bamboo tree and looked down at Jingliu who was radiating a thick layer of moonlight completely different from his own.
If his moonlight was like a steady river.
Hers was like the heavy pressure of an ocean.
—-VOOOSH
A current of projectiles immediately surrounded Yuuto who was too busy admiring the light Jingliu gave and he spun forward while creating a layer of lines that would protect him.
"Don't lose focus in the middle of a fight. You'll regret it."
"Yeah, that was my bad."
Yuuto knew his mistake and he regained focus. While Jingliu pointed her sword towards him.
The two continued to clash where Yuuto had to pull his sword to resist the countless projectiles aimed at his weak points and felt the sweat start to appear.
In addition to swordplay, Jingliu also engaged in close combat which she was expectantly proficient in.
Luckily he had [Underworld's CQC] that he got from Luka so he was able to hold his place.
"How can someone her size kick so damn hard…"
Yuuto lowered his arm which blocked a kick aimed at his face and felt the throbbing pain that resulted.
Taking a few steps back, Jingliu continued to stare at him and let out a deafening pressure on his shoulders.
Any normal person and even experienced fighters would feel stifled by the abnormal pressure Jingliu gave and Yuuto was no exception.
But in his case, however, he didn't mind it.
A wave of countless monsters. A guardian that was consumed by corruption. The full force of a Stellaron.
The challenges he managed to overcome inadvertently helped build his tolerance towards these situations and he firmly stood in place.
With the sword parallel to his arm, he felt like he needed to reply in kind to Jingliu's invitation.
'Cyrilla, let's show her.'
Yuuto whispered in his mind and the center of his sword let out a hazy light as he lifted his hand.
Within his vision, faint star-like points began to appear and moonlight taking the shape of threads flowed out of his blade.
The threads weaved outwards, dicing the bamboo trees and ground near him.
'This is…'
Jingliu felt interested in seeing the new form Yuuto was letting off and she decided to go ahead. Wanting to discover what he had in store.
As she got closer, Yuuto waved his sword and countless lines began to project out his sword before reaching a singular point.
[Illumine]
—BOOOOM
A heavy and rapid series of cuts ripped the air and all converged into a single point that Jingliu had the option of stopping to focus on dealing with this move.
But on the contrary, she accelerated faster and dealt with it in a way that represented one of the various titles she carried.
Transcendent Flash.
—WOOOSH
A blinding glare exploded as she came into contact and a heavy layer of dust hid the area.
"That was a splendid attack."
"You say that but you dealt with it pretty easily."
"Not exactly. You forced me to go serious at that time so I applaud you."
Yuuto laughed as he plunged his sword forward but was unsuccessful as Jingliu held her spot and blocked his attack aiming for her chest.
"Would you like to stop?"
A question was suddenly thrown at him as Jingliu noticed the sweat pouring down his chin.
Yuuto didn't reply as he replayed the spar they just had and couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Pushing his sword back and creating distance between the two, Jingliu tilted her head and wondered what he was doing.
"No, not yet. I still have one more thing I want to try."
"Really?"
Yuuto softly nodded and took off the coat that stuck to his body.
Jingliu's curiosity grew even further as she wondered what he was suddenly doing taking off his coat.
He stabbed his sword into the ground and raised his arms to stretch before letting out a deep relaxed breath.
"I always wanted to land a solid blow on you but it seems like I can't do it while using only moonlight."
Yuuto said as he raised his sword forward and faint golden markings underneath his clothes gave out a profound glow.
"So let me show you a path that I forged on my own. Please advise me."
Jingliu listened to him carefully and noticed a sudden shift in temperature in their surroundings.
'It's getting warmer.'
The shimmering surface of ice beneath Yuuto began to melt away and a golden flicker of light graced his body.
A spark. A light. Finally a full flame.
A sword, 3 feet and 7 inches in length. A weapon he mainly used since arriving in this world.
Began to change.
The sword grew in length and the center remained its original white hue. But outwards, it retained a golden edge, creating a weapon similar to a greatsword.
"You are a bundle of surprises."
Jingliu mumbled to herself before her sword morphed as well. Creating a greatsword that radiated a piercing coldness.
Two opposing elements suddenly appeared and Yuuto felt his body heat up as the Stellaron began pumping vigorously.
Dragging his body forward, Yuuto swung his sword. Unleashing a wave of flames toward Jingliu.
She raised his sword and channeled a heavy amount of moonlight to absorb the flames aimed at her. Making contact with the flame her face shifted as she noticed something was off and took a step back.
Leaving a mist of steam in her place.
"Those flames are special."
She noted the way it consumed her moonlight at a rate that was considered abnormal and her eyes sharpened feeling the temperature around her heat up.
Jingliu turned around and closed the distance feeling Yuuto's presence and sent out crescents that were larger and faster than the ones she sent earlier.
Each let out a dazzling glow as they whistled through the air.
Yuuto adjusted his stance and a spiraling wave of flames hovered above the edge of his sword before forming a golden arc to meet the assault.
"Holy hell. This thing is more destructive than what I anticipated…"
Yuuto whistled as he moved away from the explosion and saw the countless craters he made while swinging his sword.
Not only that but the scorched grass beneath his feet was hardly noticeable as there was hardly any grass left in the first place.
"Let me leave behind some credits after this…"
Yuuto felt a bit guilty but he decided to think about it later as he felt Jingliu closing the distance between them.
He increased the amount of flames he released to combat Jingliu who attempted to smother his fire despite learning its inherent properties.
Her confidence in herself fueled Yuuto as he didn't want to back down from her challenge and the Stellaron's heat transferred to the air around him.
He snapped his fingers and a thick dome of fire trapped the two, leaving Jingliu's vision clouded.
Jingliu skillfully kept the flames at bay from burning her but her expression soon changed when she felt like the space around her fluctuated.
'It feels like I'm in a different spot than where I originally was.'
She stomped her foot and the temperature dropped to a frightening degree where mist began to appear. Her hands gripped her sword and she swung forward with all her might.
Leaving behind a giant crescent that ripped the dome that covered her.
Breaking apart the dome that trapped her, Jingliu saw that her surroundings didn't change.
"What was that then—-!?"
Still in a state of confusion, her senses suddenly began to warn her of an attack and she looked back.
In the air, Yuuto was accelerating downwards and he had something attached to his back.
A pair of pristine white wings.
"Who are you really…"
Jingliu mumbled as her red eyes shone brighter and the image of a moon materialized behind her back.
In the air, Yuuto laughed dumbfoundedly as he noticed the moon that had once captivated him in the past and didn't expect her to use it.
He grabbed his sword as he prepared himself and the center gave out a hazy light.
Threads that were once made from moonlight were now replaced with intense golden flames and they began to converge into one singular point.
[Illumine] + [Golden Flames]
—-BOOOOOM
A groundbreaking explosion erupted and a wave of flames mixed with ice shattered outwards.
As the dust settled, inside a large crater made from molten rock and frozen ash, Yuuto was staring upwards while a sword was pressed near his ear.
"I lost."
He waved his hand exhausted and Jingliu who was on top nodded. Her pale colored hair tickled Yuuto's nose but he was too tired to move it aside.
"You actually managed to make me use my Core Esse…"
"I don't know what that means but I guess that's a good thing?"
"Only a few have managed to force me to activate it. So be proud you're one of them."
Jingliu said as she rubbed the small wound on Yuuto's cheek and pulled her hand back when she saw how it began to stitch back together.
Looking closely, beneath the skin was a black crystal-like substance that mended his injuries back to normal.
"Would you like a reward?"
"What's this out of nowhere?"
"I'm not sure myself but I feel like I should reward you right now."
"Wait, let me think for a moment!"
Yuuto thought deeply about the things he could ask her before choosing on one thing.
"Teach me how to form that Core Esse thing."
Jingliu thought deeply after hearing his request before agreeing.
"If you're fine with meeting me here then I could teach you. But is that all?"
"Wait, I can ask for more?"
She nodded. "Learning how to form a Core Esse is not that difficult so it's not really a reward. The only difficulty is how you grow it."
"Then.. can I hold off on my reward until I find something worth it?"
"...If that's what you want then that's fine."
Yuuto felt happy to hear her agree and thought about the future where he could use the wish of a renowned swordswoman.
But before he could think further he felt like he should ask something.
"A question before anything else."
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"Will we be alright creating all this damage?" Yuuto said while looking at the countless bamboo trees broken down and the craters they made during their spar.
"Don't worry." Jingliu took the sword near Yuuto's ear and destroyed it. "There's a special barrier made by a Vidyadhara High Elder that makes all damages return to normal."
Hearing this, Yuuto let out a relieved sigh. "Then the racket we made should also be fine right?"
"No."
"Huh?"
"We should go before the Aurumaton Spectral Envoy from the Ten-Lord's Commission arrives to investigate."
"Wait! You should have said that sooner!?"
Yuuto immediately stood up despite the soreness he felt and quickly faded into the surroundings with Jingliu after finding out that they might get caught.
Leaving behind the tiny gazebo and the countless craters behind, the forest returned to its dull silence.
Originally that is.
"Wauaauaua—- Mr. T-Tail…. What was th-that!!??"
Behind the gazebo, a small foxian girl trembled as her pupils shook at the numerous craters and broken down trees.
Not only that but the steam left over from the scorched earth and shards of ice. It was hard to imagine that a simple spar would cause this much damage.
{Hoh— I didn't know that such a strong flame excited…}
"Th-That's not what I was asking!??" The girl yelled with tears in her eyes.
"I should report this right? B-But what happens if they find out…"
{You'll probably lose more body parts compared to that puny tail you had.}
"My tail is not puny!!"
The girl argued with the voice that appeared in her head.
"Wuwuwuuauau….I don't want to do it b-but if they pose a danger during this crisis…"
She tried to convince herself but remembering the bright and intense battle that she briefly saw.
Her resolve faded away.
"Mr. Tail…"
{Don't be such a crybaby!}
"Ow!"
The girl rubbed her head as she felt someone smack her head and she pitifully sat down.
{Don't report them in the meantime.}
"What? Why?"
{The woman doesn't look like she bears any ill will towards the Loufu.}
"R-Really?"
{Yes. Also, the boy with her is the same. I also sense an astral spirit deeply tied with him so he also doesn't seem that bad.}
"I hope so…"
"I want to sleep some more…"
Yawning while thinking about the bed he just left a few minutes ago, Yuuto walked down the stairs to meet with Welt who was waiting for him in the lobby.
Time quickly passed, and it was now the next morning after Yuuto's 'eventful' roam around the Loufu. In the end, he had to sneak away after leaving a large mess with his spar with Jingliu.
Luckily, they managed to leave undetected by Cloud Knights or envoys from the Ten-Lord's Commissions, but that was only after he arrived back in his room.
Other than covering the blinds on his windows, he didn't really know what happened afterward.
The two quickly separated way before that point but decided to meet again at a different spot later tonight since she still had to teach him a few things.
One was the Core Esse and another was a suggestion after seeing his new swordsmanship.
The one he called [Golden Sun] in contrast to his [New Moon] that he has used until now.
[There are a few flaws that could be fixed but overall it's a strong art. Once you gain enough proficiency you can attempt to alternate the two to create a style pertained especially to you.]
With some insight from a renowned swordswoman, Yuuto felt a bit excited about exploring her suggestion.
But right now, he had other things he needed to focus on.
"Sorry for making you wait."
Welt who stood by the entrance looked up at Yuuto approaching. "Seems like your sleep wasn't the best."
"Not really, it might just be because of the different atmosphere."
"I see… I hope you're able to adjust soon but if you need some assistance then don't be afraid to ask me."
Yuuto chuckled stiffly at Welt's kindness and didn't want to break it to him that the reason he was like this was all his fault.
Well, he placed a bit more blame on Jingliu for beating him up but that's beside the point.
Seeing that they were ready to go, the two walked out of the hotel and Yuuto looked around, noticing that the two responsible for making a lot of noise were missing.
"Stelle and March are…?"
"Ah, I forgot to tell you. The two woke up early and managed to meet Tingyun on the way out." Welt pointed his cane in the direction where Yuuto saw a fluff of bright pink hair.
"We're supposed to meet up to discuss our plan regarding how we could capture Kafka but Tingyun already had a way to track her."
Yuuto listened carefully and as they got closer, he saw a familiar-looking dog that he often saw in the game.
It bore a close resemblance to the type of lions seen in traditional lion dancing, a type of dance associated with Chinese New Year celebrations.
And this specific lion was ignoring Stelle while it sat in front of March.
"Here, you want some s-snacks?"
"....."
"I have a brush if you also want that…."
"Woof!"
"Stelle, it said that you look pathetic begging like that."
March's supposed translation of the dog's words, made Stelle's expression break apart and she immediately fell to the ground. Defeated.
"What in the school drama am I looking at…?"
"That's…." Welt also wanted to ask the same thing.
He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat feeling like a few stares were gathering around them and tried to let the two know they were here.
Luckily for them, March noticed them standing off to the side and her expression brightened up.
"Mr. Yang! Yuuto! You finally arrived."
She left Stelle who was still on the ground and the tiny dog followed along. "Tingyun went to go somewhere else but she left us Diting who will help us catch Kafka!"
"Woof!"
"That's the spirit! Ah, by the way, Diting said nice to meet you."
March continued to translate and Welt just nodded sensing that he should just greet Diting back instead of questioning.
The group finally began to organize themselves after a few mishaps where Yuuto had to bring out a few snacks to help coax Stelle who was still feeling down.
This fortunately brought her spirit back up but she now had a vendetta towards Diting who refused to let her pet it.
He questioned if it was really worth it and all he got back was a stubborn glare.
"Cute objects are meant to be pet!"
"Trash is also meant to be thrown away but here you are."
"I can't refuse that but I still feel like hitting you."
"Just when we were about to calm down…"
March was about to intervene with the two who were about to fight but she stopped when she felt the presence of a few people headed towards them.
People who had a certain difference compared to the Cloud Knights they were used to.
The two also stopped bickering when Welt took a step forward to see who these people were. Yuuto felt a bit surprised on the inside seeing who was leading them and wondered why they were there.
But he had a nagging feeling he knew exactly why they were here.
Two individuals followed by a group of people dressed in long indigo-black robes and a distinctive Tai Chi Trigram embedded in the center of their chest stopped in front of Welt and March.
March staggered in place feeling a bit overwhelmed but she managed to take a deep breath and show them she wasn't scared one bit.
Despite carrying a ghastly atmosphere, the woman at the front locked her empty eyes towards Welt.
"I assume your group is the one tasked with hunting down the fugitive?" Her voice dry as if begging for a break, she patiently waited for his answer.
"Yes, that is correct. By the way, you are…."
"Hanya, a judge from the Ten-Lord's Commission."
Hanya took out a talisman and wrote a small line of words before looking at the group behind her.
"Continue your search for any suspicious activity."
"" As you wish your honor.""
The group scattered and all that was left was one other person excluding Hanya and Yuuto felt an odd reaction from the girl stiffly standing beside her.
Especially when they exchanged looks. Her pupils began to dilate and had a hard time keeping eye contact.
Stelle nudged him when she saw this. "Did you do something to scare her?"
"I'm innocent. Why would I want to bully a little girl like that?"
"That's true."
She agreed with what he said but she still felt like something more was missing.
"You may have not known but there was a disturbance last night in an unknown location near one of our districts." Hanya continued.
"We have yet to pinpoint who or what it was but the Ten-Lord's Commission felt it was necessary to assign one additional member based on the spike of energy recorded back then."
"What kind?" Welt asked.
"Not sure but it was one that suddenly aroused a few nearby spirits so our current hypothesis is that it may be a powerful heliobus or spirit on the loose."
Welt took that information in and seeing the uniform they had, he guessed that they were some sort of commission that dealt closely with spirits.
As Hanya finished, Yuuto felt his palms start to sweat as he listened through the whole thing and quietly looked away.
'I'm sure it was someone else…'
Closing his eyes to convince himself of his innocence, Hanya looked down at the girl beside her.
"Houhou."
"Y-Yes, Madam Hanya!"
Houhou raised her voice and saluted, which Hanya quickly fixed.
"Act accordingly."
"Yes…"
"Report anything you deem important." Hanya also added. "If you need more assistance, don't be afraid to contact us as your help is greatly appreciated."
She handed Welt a paper talisman as a means to contact her and ended it right there.
Hanya was brief and straightforward with her words and after reminding Houhou a few other things, she left as she had other work to be done.
But as she was about to pass the group, she staggered for a moment and squinted her eyes towards Yuuto.
The moment was brief but he noticed her empty eyes peering into his face before leaving without saying another word.
"That lady was a bit scary…"
"Yeah, she looked like an overworked employee on her second overnight shift."
Stelle and March hesitantly looked back to see if Hanya finally left and let out a sigh of relief. Releasing the tension from their bodies.
As the group quieted down, they finally placed their attention towards their sudden group member who was still finding the right words to say.
Thankfully, Welt noticed her nervousness and offered to introduce himself first. The others followed along and joined in which seemed to help ease her nerves.
"W-Will we be leaving soon?"
"Not exactly since we're waiting for one other person. Do you need to get something?"
"No! I just wanted to hand over a few talismans Madam Hanya told me to bring but we can just do that later…"
Houhou took out a stack of papers and Yuuto suddenly looked at it with interest.
Looking at it plainly it would just seem to be a piece of paper with ink soaked into them. But with the help of [Clarity], he saw something more.
'Each character has a distinct effect which synergizes well with each other without disrupting the flow…'
He was a complete beginner when it came to these types of objects but reading the flow of energy was something he was quite experienced in.
Especially one as delicate as this.
"Did you craft this?"
"Ah, yes I did…" Houhou jumped a bit when Yuuto suddenly approached her.
"Do you mind if I take one?"
"G-go ahead! I was going to give it to you all in the end anyway."
Houhou began to hand Yuuto the talismans which he immediately used [Archive] on.
'This will help a lot.'
He looked at the talismans deeply and suddenly felt the urge to ask Houhou a bunch of questions. Causing her to swallow nervously when she saw the glint in his eyes.
"Yahoo! You guys are all here~!"
Acting like a saving grace for her, Tingyun miraculously jogged up to them wearing a smile that made it look like she had a halo behind her. Blinding Huohuo greatly.
"Oh? We have a new member?"
Tingyun felt curious seeing Houhou suddenly here but after March filled her in, she didn't mind and continued to ask them about their plan.
"First we need to find some leads so Diting can start tracking so if you guys are ready, let's go!"
***
"M-Mr. Tail…."
[What do you want squirt.]
"Do you think it was really necessary for Madam Hanya to assign me here…?"
Huohuo, holding a small white flag, looked in awe as she saw how the group handled the horde of mara soldiers on their own.
She felt a bit useless at the moment and the reply she got was also not adding too much to her thoughts.
[I could do the same as them if you're willing to tear off the talisman.] Her tail which was puffy, cyan, and fiery, began to flicker as the voice of 'Mr. Tail' echoed.
"No! You know I can't do that…."
She grumbled under her breath and continued to watch as their group continued to fight while ignoring Mr. Tail who started saying a speech in her head.
Huohuo felt amazed as she saw March freeze a trio using only a few arrows while Stelle smashed a soldier's helmet in until she was finally satisfied.
There was also the kind-looking Welt who she felt was the most unexpected.
Since she didn't expect to see a large number of the enemies that would've approached him turn into dust after a single wave of his cane.
Not only that but managing to capture a few leads that would guide them straight to Kafka in the meanwhile. She felt like they worked very efficiently.
Feeling impressed, she felt infected by their energy and pumped herself up. Motivating herself to do her part Mr. Tail managed to bring up something that would shrivel that thought.
[So are you just going to ignore it?]
"...I don't know what you're talking about."
[Maybe I should tell him in your place that you—-]
"T-That won't be necessary!"
Huohuo swallowed slowly at Mr. Tail's threat and glanced to the side to see Yuuto looking carefully at the talisman she gave. Whispering to himself occasionally.
At the start, he would casually protect the group from the back. Using just his mist to intervene against a few soldiers, however, Huohuo felt surprised seeing this.
Compared to the image that was seared into her brain where every step he walked, the ground would burst into flames, turning it into a literal hell.
The way he played with the mist felt much more delicate and soothing.
Since then he began to look more normal in her eyes but instances where she vividly recalled the amount of destruction that he and that one other person made that night.
She felt her hiccups flare up.
'I-It's alright!! He didn't know I was there so if I just keep my mouth shut I should be….'
"What type of ink do you—-"
"I–I'm sorry!!"
"Huh?"
Yuuto flinched seeing Huohuo cover her head and the others immediately looked in their direction after seeing the noise they made.
"Ahem… she accidentally smudged ink on me but I told her not to mind."
Feeling March's stare a bit burdensome, Yuuto tried to prop up an excuse which Huohuo quickly added after seeing that she might have created some sort of misunderstanding.
Fortunately, that slight hiccup was passed off but Huohuo felt like crawling into a hole. Even more so after hearing Mr. Tail laughing his heart out.
[Pfft~~! The way your face turned white… Hahahaha!!!]
'I want to disappear…'
[Don't worry I can reenact that moment again once you've turned into a spirit~~]
Sulking even further after hearing his words, she wanted to say something but decided not to since it was like fighting an uphill battle. One that she would lose badly in.
To her side, Yuuto felt a bit awkward seeing her deflate like a balloon and wondered if he'd done anything wrong to stir up that kind of reaction.
He thought deeply since it's just been a day and nothing came to mind. Heck, he never recalled meeting her but there seemed to be something.
"Wuu.. should I help…?"
"Boo?"
Aside from hiding inside his coat, Boo often spoke to Yuuto whenever it felt something was off or if he was bored. Urging him to engage in some idle talk.
But after taking Huohuo's talismans, it started to feel a bit uncomfortable which intrigued him.
Since that time, he's been testing Boo with this talisman and started to get a feel of the core aspect this paper had.
"She feels friendly…"
"If you say so."
Whether it wanted to help Huohuo or was tired of being a test subject, Boo phased through his coat and appeared in front of Huohuo.
At first, he was amused to see her wide range of emotions. From being surprised to being curious, Yuuto decided to quietly watch as Boo slowly warmed up to her.
'I should wait if I want to ask her more about the talisman.' He thought as he felt like there was a hidden reason as to why she acted so jumpy around him.
Putting the talismans away, he decided to patiently wait while changing his focus back on their current chase.
"Diting! One last clue!"
Hearing March's call, the group hurried their pace sensing that their search would finally meet its end as the leads they managed to collect would guide them straight to Kafka.
Well, that was the plan.
"[I left behind a little gift for the cuties looking for this fair maiden! Xoxo~]....."
March felt her face twitch seeing the delicately crafted note placed on top of a table and after noting the lipstick mark at the corner. She felt like she was being tricked for some reason.
Or more so being pulled into her game which she didn't like one bit…
"I feel like she's treating this chase a bit too easy."
"Well, she is a highly wanted fugitive that's not really easy to pin down so I guess this is just a day's job for her."
Yuuto chimed in seeing March mellow out her annoyances. She looked at the note for a bit before handing it over to Diting and asking Yuuto something.
"Ahem… since you have some sort of… 'history' with her…"
"You're making it sound scandalous, stop it."
Yuuto looked at Huohuo who felt like she heard a pretty important scandal for some reason but after Boo whispered a few words to her, she looked surprised but decided to let it go.
He wondered just what in the hell Boo managed to put together but he hoped it wasn't too bad.
"Anyways! I feel other than walking right into her ploy, should we try and lure her towards us."
"Tracking her is already difficult enough. So luring her is a bit…"
Stelle added, sensing March's feelings about capturing Kafka after the various 'leads' they managed to discover and how they all pointed towards her leaving them behind on purpose.
She was very eager to get this chase over with.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Diting, you finished already?"
Interrupting their conversation for a bit, Diting finally separated from the note March gave it and after sniffing the air for a bit, it bolted down an alleyway without warning.
Surprised, the group looked at each other and hurriedly chased after Diting sensing that it managed to discover a big lead in locating Kafka.
"Feels like a deviation…"
Seeing the path they were taking, Yuuto noted that it was a bit different from the area where Kafka first appeared and he focused.
Keeping his eyes peeled for anything different from what he knew.
"This looks like some sort of eatery center."
"It's a canteen where pilots and workers who built Starskiff's used to frequently eat at."
March looked around after hearing Tingyun's explanation and seeing the closed shops and empty rows of tables, she got curious.
"Is it no longer open or…"
"Due to the sudden arrival of the Stellaron, it became empty due to a sudden outbreak that forced these workers to rush towards the Exalting Sanctum to get urgent treatment."
"There's also the mara that began to spread after a few workers tried to recall what happened."
Huohuo said while waving her hands forward. Faint markings beneath her sleeve grew brighter and a few paper doll talismans flew out.
The group was a bit surprised to see Huohuo suddenly act different from the timid self that they were accustomed to, she had a serious expression before closing her eyes.
Staying still for a moment, the talismans spread outwards before disappearing into the buildings.
"I sensed a small group near the upper balcony just a few shops down. Perhaps that's Kafka?"
Huohuo opened her eyes and told the group but felt awkward after seeing them silent.
"U-Umm…"
"Ah, sorry. We were just impressed with how quickly you scanned the area."
"Yeah, that was amazing!"
"Oh ah… Thank you… hehe–."
She felt a bit embarrassed after hearing what Yuuto and Stelle said and fought the urge to break into a silly smile.
Getting some useful information, the group ran in the direction Huohuo told them before seeing the woman in question just sitting by a table.
Holding a small cup of wine that she got from who knows where.
"Hello~! It's pretty nice to see you all arrive just in time." Kafka leisurely said while she crossed her legs.
"You! We've been busting ourselves trying to find you and you're here relaxing while sipping some wine!?"
"Certainly, feel free to join if you wish."
Kafka covered her mouth to laugh and tapped the seat beside her while March felt speechless.
"Oh? Not too keen, huh? And here I thought I would finally have some company."
Snapping her fingers the door behind her slammed open and a group of Cloud Knights walked out.
They looked normal and had no indication of being struck with mara, but their movements were rather sluggish and unrefined for a soldier.
"Those Cloud Knights…" Huohuo whispered after sensing something off with them.
"Don't worry little foxian. I just gave them a little persuasion to have them [Listen] to me."
Kafka raised her fingers and after lowering her index, two soldiers swung their lances to the side.
"The diviner is a little late so in the meantime let's play a bit~"
After saying this, Yuuto and Welt felt their senses flare up and quickly acted.
A transparent barrier enveloped March and Huohuo while the space around March and Tingyun stiffened as if it were locked in place.
—BOOOOOOOOM
"They acted quicker than I expected."
Now standing on top of a roof, Kafka finished the last drops of wine in her glass and dropped it. Looking at the cloud of dust she made, she stretched her arms and held her twin guns.
"Now we just wait." She said while looking off in the distance. "I'm curious if the stains will reach the script."
***
Your boy has finally finished his finals~ I'm a free man…..
Anyways I made an auxiliary chapter based on what a few of you wanted regarding Yuuto's abilities so you can refer to it from time to time. I added the main ones he uses/will use so maybe a small spoiler? Not sure since he's used them already at some point in the story but sure?
Also I want to attempt to write a chapter sooner since I have some free time so stay tuned for that I guess. I may also write some omakes so if that interests you just let me know. Like possible slice of life or maybe sneak peeks at the future.
May all Miyabi wanters get her after watching her short film and Sunday havers rejoice as I have joined you lot. Must sacrifice the foxian to make Aglaea better.
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