Claude was angry.
Not because of the path he followed. No, Claude was angry at himself. For how badly he screwed up his one job of protecting Azurine. At how he let things with Fang Leung get so out of hand. The Seamstress hired him to keep things in line. As far as his literal job description was concerned, he'd done just that. Fang Leung was loud and cruel, but he never incited war. He never killed anyone. And yet, here Claude was, standing against a wave of Yanlin Mystics at the Western Gate. Scores of Yanlin lay unconscious at his feet, motionless in the dirt walkways of Azure Tide. The townspeople were blessedly indoors, watching from their windows or from glass storefronts as "Claude Brant" beat down every Yanlin that attempted to enter the city.
"W-why isn't he falling?" A Yanlin man asked. He couldn't have been any older than Dai Yuhan. Considering how much aura emanated from the man, he was likely a fair bit stronger, though. Despite that, the man who stood behind a group of shaking Mystics stared up at Claude like the man was some kind of monster. "He's just one man! Kill him! Kill him and advance to the palace!"
"Perhaps he has good insight…"
"Come."
Claude stared directly at the man he intended his words to reach. The leader of this group. Neither had met before today, yet Claude knew this man. He'd met him a million times before. A "powerful" man who hid behind his "weak" subjects. If not for the prospect of Ban Clan interference, Claude would've shown this man just how much he hated men like this. But he couldn't. He had to play nice.
"I don't take orders from–"
Claude closed the distance between them with a single step. He towered over the diminutive man, with an equally spindly body to match his lack of size.
"What are you waiting for? Kill–"
Without warning, Claude activated his Frenzy technique, the skill that allowed him to fight near endlessly. Azurine crafted a Rune for him a few months back, which only activated when Frenzy was active, called "Intimidating Presence". As the name suggested, it made it so that opponents significantly weaker than him would lose their spine. It barely consumed aura to keep active, and it worked wonders in preventing unnecessary fights. The Rune sat on his left arm, the only place he'd allow Azurine to mark. That memory would've been wholesome–pleasant even–if it hadn't been tainted by the very Rune he'd seen her give herself that same night:
Kobal's Unrelenting Comedy. A Forbidden Spell.
They hadn't spoken about it, and she didn't know that Claude knew she had it, but he didn't need to ask her about it to know why she'd done that to herself.
Claude was angry.
The Yanlin Mystics scattered, retreating from the battle and running presumably back to their Clan. As the Ascendant before him stared up at Claude, Claude recalled Frenzy.
"I-I…" The Ascendant tried, but no words followed. How pathetic.
"Return to Azure Tide, and die by my hand."
The Ascendant glared up at Claude, nostrils flaring with each angry, humiliating breath. Without a word, the man turned and fled.
"Master Brant?" a familiar voice called. It was Lady, the tall, slender clone of Dai Yuhan, who attended to their boss, Lady Lynn.
Claude took a deep breath, composing himself before finally speaking. "How is everyone else doing?"
"The palace is secure. Raven and Blondie made quick work of the Yanlin there. The rest of us are all over the place. Azurine's at the Eastern Gate and the Young–... excuse me, Giovanni Kivela is currently at the Northern Gate with Wu Zhe."
"And what about your main?"
"She has taken my place at Lady Lynn's side."
Claude let out a soft chuckle. "Holding her back, I take it?"
"Lady Lynn tasked me with protecting the townspeople, but I suspected she only did so to remove me from her home as she prepared for battle. Out of concern, I asked Dai Yuhan to keep an eye on her, and…" She chucked softly. "When she got there, Lady Lynn was dressed in her fighting qipao and ranting about how she'd kill the Yanlin and Fang Leung. Oh, she was adorable. You should have seen her!" Claude began to ask a question, but the clone cut him off. "Please forgive that outburst. Yes, Claude, she knows Fang Leung's gone. I think she just wanted to yell a bit. You know how she can be."
Indeed, Sarah Lynn-Carter was anything if not cranky. In that aspect, she was like Claude's master! That was a problem for Giovanni Kivela to deal with now, wasn't it? In the meantime, Claude focused his attention on the matter at hand.
"I'll join Azurine. You head over to Giovanni and have the others stay close to the townspeople."
"As you wish."
***
"Cut off the snake's head, and the body will follow."
Azurine considered that quote as she cast Dissonant Whispers on the Yanlin Ascendant. The spell, one of the first she'd Runed onto herself, made it so that her opponent heard and saw things that weren't there. If they were expecting it, the target could easily dismiss the ability. When they couldn't even see the person casting it, though? That was an entirely different story.
Rather than wait for the Yanlin to breach the Eastern Gate, Azurine left the village to catch them in the nearby forest they needed to get through to reach Azure Tide. One of the first things she'd done when arriving in Azure Tide was map out each of the village's geographical weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Because the Eastern Gate was mere feet away from a large, Igrin-filled forest, this wall needed to be reinforced. She'd said as much to Fang Leung in an attempt to gain some sort of rapport with the man, only for him to yell about how smart he was and give a million reasons as to why her plan couldn't work.
The city got raided the next day. She'd been asleep while it happened, but she'd been woken up by Fang Leung, who was convinced that she had something to do with the village raid. He even lied and said people saw her leave the gate open and lure them with animal carcasses!
She thought about it every time she approached the Eastern Gate. Even now, as she hid in the trees like a Shinobi Manipulator, that memory continued to play back in her mind. It was soon followed by more memories of her time with Fang Leung, each one worse than the last.
"Why is it always about Fang Leung? Every memory in my mind. Every thought, everything! Fang Leung, Fang Leung, Fang Leung!"
It was maddening! He was supposed to be dead! She'd gone out of her way to kill him and be done with it. She'd learned Forbidden Magic to seal the deal, only for the Immortal Ruler to bring him back to life! For what? Spite?!
That was all she could come up with, but… Azurine didn't believe that. The Immortal Ruler wouldn't go that far just to spite her. Who was she to him? No, there had to be a different reason Fang Leung was still here. Some other reason she had to be haunted by him again. The more she thought about it, the clearer the answer became:
He hadn't transmigrated at all.
Everything, from his new mannerisms to his new cadence to the inclusion of profanity into his vocabulary. All of it was a calculated decision to get everyone to drop their guards. It made perfect sense! Besides, what kind of name was "Giovanni Kivela" anyway? It only worked because it was so foreign-sounding!
"Keep your eyes open!" The Yanlin Ascendant beckoned. Despite being under the control of Dissonant Whispers, the man was still of sound mind. While impressive, Azurine knew better than to let him regain his senses in full.
She activated Telekinesis, holding the man in place while simultaneously activating her Mage Hand, a skill which summons a spectral hand made of aura. The Mage Hand, which was only visible to Azurine herself, reached its fingers around the man's throat and squeezed. The Ascendant struggled, but not hard enough.
When he fell, Azurine repeated the process on another Yanlin Mystic, though, because of how weak they were, it didn't take nearly as much time and effort. Once they were down, she repeated the process again, and again, and again, until the only one left standing was Azurine herself.
Azurine hopped down from the tree, observing her–
"Die, Leung Clan scum–"
Azurine turned to the "hidden" assailant and bashed him repeatedly against a tree with Telekinesis. Once he was out cold, she tossed him into the heap of bodies she'd left behind.
"'Leung Clan scum'. Not 'Boro Clan scum'?"
She'd laugh if she could. Azurine walked quietly back to the Eastern Gate as more memories of Fang Leung played in her mind. She wasn't at all surprised to find Claude there, standing by the entrance with an annoying look on his face.
"Stop treating me like a child. I'm probably the strongest Ascendant in Milkat, Claude."
"And yet, you let Fang Leung humiliate you."
"I just don't want you to get hurt, Azurine. My job is to keep you all–"
"I'm an Aura Manipulator! We fight! People get hurt in fights, that's how it works!"
Azurine took a deep breath. Ever since opening up about all that she'd been through, Claude became far more protective of her. Deep down, she appreciated it, and she knew he didn't deserve the anger she felt. But being patronized made her feel like more of a failure.
"I'm going to the Northern Gate," Claude said.
"Is that where Fang Leung is…?"
"He isn't–"
"Please just answer the question, Claude."
"Yes. That's where he is."
"Okay, I'll join you."
"Are you sure?"
Azurine nodded. "Someone needs to keep an eye on him. It's only a matter of time before he goes back to his old ways, and when that day comes, I'm going to be there to put him down."
Claude's face darkened. "If that day comes, Azurine…" He didn't finish the thought. He took a deep breath, turning for the Northern Gate and casting Frenzy on himself. "How about we stop being pessimistic and focus on what's in front of us?"
***
Dai Yuhan bolted from Lady Lynn's tiny home and towards the loud bang from the Southern Gate. Her clones in the area had been dispatched, which meant only one thing: the Yanlin figured out their weakness–their low durability! While each of her clones had all of Dai Yuhan's techniques, they didn't have her physical power or her resilience. A few attacks, and the clones would pop into mist like smoke-filled bubbles.
Thankfully, the Southern part of Azure Tide was barren save for a few empty stone buildings and her master's unassuming shop. That meant that despite the fallen Gate and the wave of Yanlin who poured through it, no one in Azure Tide was in immediate danger. All she needed to do was dispatch the threat, and she'd have done her job!
"Only you, hmm?" A tall, burly Yanlin Ascendant barked. He scoffed. "Seems Fang Leung either has a whole lot of faith in you, or he cares way too little for you. Considering who we're talking about here, I think we both know the answer to that little mystery."
That wasn't… well… no. That was a fair assessment. Fang Leung was, as Blondie would say, an asshole. His transmigration was for the best. But she was making so much progress with him! Before his death, he'd been trying to improve! Dai Yuhan got him to stop being so cruel to Azurine, who very literally could've killed him with a wave of her hand whenever she wanted to, and she'd even gotten him to start doing good things for the townspeople! Dai Yuhan recalled the day when she told him that the people needed food. In response, Fang Leung decided that the best way to get them food was not to comb through the forest right outside the city but to raid the damn Yanlin Clan and steal their food. Specifically, their livestock. He'd convinced her to bring a carriage and acted as though he was going to do something diplomatic, only to strong-arm them out of their already low food supply and lead her through a dangerous escape back to Azure Tide's underground farms. It was stupid. Foolish. Idiotic! Hilarious. Not the robbing people part, but… well… maybe the robbing people part? She made sure to yell at him about it, but neither could deny that the adrenaline from it all was otherworldly. In the end, the people did have some extra food, and Fang Leung never took credit for what happened…
But…well…
If you really squinted, was it not both his and her fault this raid was even happening…?
"I'm the only one Fang Leung trusts!" Dai Yuhan answered back. "Why do you think that–"
"Master! I remember her!" One of the Mystics suddenly shouted. He moved to his master's side, speaking into his ear. "I could swear on it. She was the one who helped Fang Leung plunder our farm. He stole half of our ducks, all of our herbs, and even five bags of our tiger prawns! They're in cah—"
Dai Yuhan summoned her favorite rifle: Gravedigger. The black, spectral gun, which was fashioned after the old muskets from Ascensio, was the first one she'd ever learned to conjure. Dai Yuhan shot a single bullet at the loudmouthed Mystic, willing it to explode upon impact. The man shouted in pain, but Dai Yuhan followed it up by recalling the rifle and borrowing Blondie's pistols, Pride and Joy. She blasted the Yanlin with as many non-lethal exploding bullets as her body would allow her to shoot. After a full minute of shooting, all of the Yanlin, including the Ascendant, were down for the count. Somewhere in her head, Blondie cussed her out for taking her pistols without asking. Dai Yuhan responded to the voice, promising to buy her something nice from the Shao Markets whenever she went again.
"Proud of yourself?" An older woman's voice called from behind her. Dai Yuhan stood straighter. Before she could turn to kowtow before her master, she continued. "I bet you are. And I bet you'll be honored to pay for the wall, too, huh? Seeing as this is your and your little buddy's fault."
"But I wanted to go to the Shao Markets this weekend…"
"T-this one believes she must take responsibility for her actions… She accepts discipline with… understanding."
"Good. Now get to cleaning. I have work to do."
***
"Sure you guys wanna do this? Just cause I'm not killing you guys doesn't mean you can't get hurt. Nobody's gonna look at you differently if you run back home."
The Northern Gate had already been destroyed. Townspeople ran about behind me as a few of Dai Yuhan's clones doused fires all around me. Despite being made of wood, none of the dilapidated buildings were on fire, but the few already dead-looking plants and shrubs had been given the death-blow by the fire-spewing Ascendant who lay unconscious at my feet.
Just like that Mystic from earlier, the System informed me that each of the ones in front of me were all teenagers. They'd be easy to scare off, and with their leader a snoring mess in the dirt, it seemed more like an inevitability rather than a possibility. Still, fighting here seemed risky. The Gate, alongside much of the wall around it, was destroyed; some of the buildings were smashed like a wrecking ball got to them, and the townspeople, crying and screaming around me, clearly couldn't endure this for any longer. I wanted to put on a brave face for them, but those Mystics–weak as they were–had more power here than I would've liked to admit. They didn't need to kill me; they needed to distract me. Spread me thin.
"You think yourself powerful, Tyrant Thief?"
"No, I think myself kind-hearted." I kicked the Yanlin Ascendant into the crowd of Mystics. "Take him and all the other assholes you have here and get the fuck out. I'm not taking any counteroffers."
Warning: Your Diplomacy and Charisma are too low to successfully negotiate with the Yanlin Assassins.
"Goddamn it, are you kidding me?"
"We have already given you our answer! We do not bargain with–"
I cast Enhancement and blasted the Yanlin away with an Enhanced gust of wind. The attack sent them flying, the visual like someone opening the door on an airplane mid-flight.
"And stay out!" I called after them.
"Here!" Another clone of Dai Yuhan called. And another, and another.
Clones of Dai Yuhan poured through the streets, each carrying incapacitated Yanlin. They dumped them all outside in a damn pile like ants bringing food back to their anthill. I allowed myself to laugh now, only stopping when one of the recovering Ascendants spoke up from one of their large carriages.
"We will return, Tyrant Thief! Rest is a luxury you can no longer afford! When we return, we will leave with your life!"
"Looking forward to it, asshole!"
Quest Complete: The Yanlin Raid
+2500 Renown
You have received the Data Pack: The Yanlin Incident.