The Rusty Anchor occupied a corner building in Sal Viento's western district, its weathered sign creaking in the evening breeze. Warm light spilled from windows that needed cleaning, and the sound of conversation mixed with occasional laughter drifted into the street.
I stood outside for a moment, observing. My survival instinct mapped the building's layout automatically, noting exits and potential threats out of habit. Two entrances, windows on three sides, second floor accessible via external stairs. Good sightlines but vulnerable to coordinated assault.
I was thinking tactically again. Measuring everything in terms of combat efficiency and defensive capability.
The mission notification had changed something in me. Knowing violence was coming, that people would die in seventy two hours, made it hard to see this settlement as anything other than a future battlefield.
I pushed the thought aside and entered the bar.
The interior was exactly what I expected. Worn wooden tables, mismatched chairs, a bar counter that had seen decades of use. The clientele was mixed, workers finishing their day with cheap alcohol and cheaper food. Some glanced at me as I entered, noting my unfamiliar face, then returned to their conversations.
Sussurro sat at a corner table, already halfway through what looked like fruit juice. She spotted me immediately and waved, her expression brightening.
I navigated between tables and took the seat across from her.
"You came!"
She said, genuine pleasure in her voice.
"I wasn't completely sure you would. You seemed pretty noncommittal earlier."
"I consider my commitments carefully."
"Smart approach."
She pushed a menu toward me.
"Have you eaten? The food here is actually pretty good, despite appearances. I recommend the stew."
I scanned the menu briefly, then ordered the stew and water when a server approached. Sussurro ordered a second juice and seemed content to wait until the food arrived before starting serious conversation.
"So."
She began once the server left.
"Shiki. That's your full name, or is there more to it?"
"Just Shiki."
"Mysterious."
She smiled slightly.
"Most people around here have at least a family name or place of origin. Just Shiki suggests you're either running from something or trying to start completely fresh."
Her observation was accurate but delivered without judgment. Simple acknowledgment of what my choice of name implied.
"The latter."
"Fair enough. Terra's full of people reinventing themselves."
She took a sip of her juice.
"I did the same thing when I joined Rhodes Island. Left my old life behind, became someone new. It's liberating and terrifying in equal measure."
My emotional intelligence caught the hint of vulnerability in her admission. She was sharing something personal, building rapport through mutual understanding.
"How long have you been with Rhodes Island?"
"About eight months now. Still relatively new by their standards, but I've learned a lot."
Her fox ears twitched slightly, a tell I filed away.
"The organization is... different from what I expected. More idealistic than most pharmaceutical companies, genuinely trying to help infected people rather than just profit from them."
"That's unusual."
"Very. Most companies see Oripathy as a business opportunity. Rhodes Island sees it as a humanitarian crisis."
She leaned forward slightly.
"That's why I'm here in Sal Viento. We set up medical stations in remote settlements that can't afford proper healthcare. Provide free screenings, treatment for those who test positive, education about prevention and management."
The food arrived, interrupting her explanation. The stew was hearty, thick with vegetables and meat, seasoned well enough to mask any questionable ingredients. I ate slowly while Sussurro continued.
"The problem is that we're always understaffed and underfunded. Rhodes Island does good work, but we can't be everywhere at once. That's why we hire local contractors to help with security and logistics."
She looked at me directly.
"Which brings me to why I invited you here. I watched you hunting this morning. The way you moved, the efficiency of your kills. You're trained, probably military background or something similar."
Not wrong, just not in the way she thought.
"I have combat experience."
"And you're not infected."
She stated it as fact rather than question.
"I did a visual assessment while we talked. No crystalline growths, skin tone healthy, movement unrestricted. You're clean."
"Is that a requirement?"
"No, but it makes things simpler. No need for ongoing treatment or management of symptoms."
She finished her juice.
"Here's what I'm proposing. Rhodes Island needs a security contractor for our operations in and around Sal Viento. The pay is three hundred LMD per day, plus bonuses for hazardous situations. The work involves escorting medical teams, securing treatment sites, and occasionally dealing with threats."
Three hundred per day was significantly more than hunting commissions paid. Good money, and it would give me legitimate reason to be armed and mobile when Reunion attacked.
"What kind of threats?"
"Bandits mostly. Sometimes infected animals that have become aggressive due to Originium exposure. Very rarely, we encounter Reunion scouts."
Her expression darkened slightly at the mention of Reunion.
"They've been harassing medical operations lately. Accusing us of working with governments that oppress the infected, claiming we're part of the problem. It's... frustrating. We're trying to help people, and they see us as enemies."
I ate another spoonful of stew, thinking through the implications. Working with Rhodes Island would provide cover for my activities and access to information. But it also meant obligations, people who would ask questions if I behaved strangely.
"I'll consider it."
Sussurro sighed, a sound of mild exasperation mixed with amusement.
"You say that a lot. Do you ever commit to anything definitively?"
"When I'm certain."
"And what would make you certain about this?"
Before I could answer, my danger sense pulsed sharply. Not immediate threat, but something wrong. Something approaching that carried malice.
I turned toward the entrance just as three figures pushed through the door.
They wore mismatched combat gear, faces partially covered by scarves and masks. The crystalline growths of infection were visible on their arms and necks. They carried weapons openly, rifles slung across their backs and handguns at their hips.
The bar went quiet. Conversations died mid sentence as everyone recognized what was happening.
Sussurro tensed beside me, her hand moving toward her medical bag where I suspected she kept something more defensive than bandages.
"Nobody move."
The lead figure announced, voice muffled by their mask.
"We're just here for supplies and information. Cooperate and nobody gets hurt."
Reunion. Had to be. The timing was too convenient, the aggressive posture too practiced.
But the mission said they would attack in seventy two hours. This was early, unexpected. A scout team maybe, advance reconnaissance before the main assault.
The lead figure scanned the room, eyes settling on Sussurro and her medical armband.
"Rhodes Island."
They said, recognition and disgust coloring their tone.
"Perfect. You're coming with us."
Sussurro's expression remained calm, but I felt her fear through proximity. Not panic, but the controlled fear of someone who had been in dangerous situations before and knew how badly they could go.
"I'm a medic. Non combatant. Taking me violates several international agreements."
"Agreements written by people who hunt us like animals."
The leader stepped closer.
"You work for a system that profits from our suffering. That makes you complicit."
My hand drifted toward my tanto, subtle movement hidden beneath the table. My Mystic Eyes activated automatically, tracing lines across all three figures. Dozens of ways to kill them, hundreds of points where a blade could sever life.
But three armed fighters in a crowded bar. Collateral damage would be inevitable if this turned violent. Civilians would die, people who had nothing to do with this conflict.
The bonus objective flashed in my memory. Prevent civilian casualties.
I needed to deescalate or remove the threat without endangering bystanders.
"She's with me."
I said quietly, drawing attention to myself.
The leader's eyes shifted to me, assessing.
"And who are you?"
"Someone who doesn't want trouble."
"Then stay out of our way."
"Can't do that."
The leader laughed, a harsh sound.
"Look at this. One unarmed girl thinks she can stop three armed soldiers. Are you suicidal or just stupid?"
I stood slowly, deliberately non threatening in my movements.
"Neither. Just practical."
I could see the calculation in their eyes. They didn't want a fight in a crowded bar any more than I did. Too many witnesses, too much attention. But they also couldn't back down without losing face.
"Last chance. Walk away."
Instead, I stepped forward, closing distance. Close enough that firearms became liability rather than advantage. Close enough that my tanto could reach them before they could aim.
My danger sense mapped everything. The positions of all three fighters. The civilians behind them. The exits. The angles and trajectories of potential violence.
"You don't want to do this."
I said, my voice carrying Shiki's characteristic emptiness.
"Walk away now and nobody dies today."
The leader's hand moved toward their weapon.
I was faster.
My tanto cleared its sheath in a single fluid motion, the blade stopping against the leader's throat before their hand reached their gun. The movement was so quick, so precise, that for a moment nobody reacted.
Then the other two fighters moved, reaching for their weapons.
"Don't."
I said simply.
The blade pressed lightly against the leader's skin, not cutting but promising death with the slightest pressure.
"I can see the lines. The exact points where this blade needs to cut to end your life instantly. No pain, no final words, just darkness."
My Mystic Eyes traced those lines even as I spoke, showing me death's pathways in glowing certainty.
"Your friends will try to shoot me. Maybe they'll succeed. But you'll die first, and they know it."
The leader's breathing quickened, fear finally breaking through their aggressive posture.
"What are you?"
"Someone who wants to avoid unnecessary death."
I eased the pressure slightly.
"Leave now. Tell whoever sent you that Sal Viento is protected. Come back with hostile intent and I won't be this merciful."
The leader nodded slowly, carefully, aware that any sudden movement could trigger the blade.
I stepped back, tanto still ready, giving them space to retreat.
They moved toward the door, the other two covering their withdrawal with weapons drawn but not aimed. Smart. They recognized a superior fighter when they saw one.
The leader paused at the entrance.
"Reunion doesn't forget. We'll remember you."
"Good. Remember to stay away."
They left, disappearing into the night, and the bar remained silent for several long moments.
Then conversation slowly resumed, nervous energy dissipating into relieved chatter.
I sheathed my tanto and returned to my seat, outwardly calm despite the adrenaline still coursing through my system.
Sussurro stared at me, her expression cycling through shock, confusion, and dawning understanding.
"That was..."
She paused, searching for words.
"You moved so fast I barely saw it. And the way you threatened him, like you could see exactly how to kill him. What kind of training do you have?"
"The thorough kind."
I finished my stew, which had somehow remained intact during the confrontation.
Sussurro shook her head slowly.
"I've worked with combat operators, seen some of Rhodes Island's best fighters in action. You're on a different level entirely."
She leaned back, reassessing everything she thought she knew about me.
"Okay. New question. Why are you in Sal Viento? Someone with your skills could work anywhere, for any organization. Why here?"
Because a god wanted entertainment. Because a system demanded I interfere with fate. Because in seventy two hours, Reunion would attack this settlement and I needed to be here to stop them.
"Circumstances."
Sussurro laughed, a slightly hysterical sound.
"Circumstances. Right. The mysterious warrior shows up with perfect timing and vague explanations."
She sobered quickly.
"Those were Reunion scouts. They'll report back about you, about Rhodes Island having presence here. That's going to accelerate whatever they're planning."
Her assessment aligned with mine. The scouts had seen me, measured the settlement's defenses, and identified Rhodes Island as a complication. They would relay that information, and whoever commanded them would adjust their plans accordingly.
The seventy two hour timeline might change. The attack could come sooner, or with more force than anticipated.
"You should leave."
I said quietly.
"Rhodes Island should pull out of Sal Viento before things get worse."
"Absolutely not."
Sussurro's response was immediate and firm.
"We don't abandon people just because things get dangerous. That's the opposite of what Rhodes Island stands for."
She pulled out a small communication device.
"I need to report this to my superiors, let them know Reunion is actively scouting the area. They'll probably send reinforcements, maybe a full tactical team."
Reinforcements would help. More trained fighters to defend against the coming attack. But it also meant more scrutiny, more questions about who I was and what I was doing here.
Complications.
Sussurro made her call, speaking in clipped professional tones to whoever answered. I caught fragments. Hostile contact. Reunion scouts. Request immediate support. Local contractor proved extremely capable.
She finished and put the device away.
"They're sending a team. Should arrive in thirty six hours."
Thirty six hours. Half the time until the attack the system predicted. Would they arrive in time? Would it matter?
"The job offer."
Sussurro said, bringing us back to the original conversation.
"I'm making it official. Three hundred LMD per day, starting immediately. Combat bonus for tonight's incident is an additional five hundred. You're hired."
She didn't wait for my acceptance, simply pulled out a contract and pushed it across the table.
"Sign here. Welcome to Rhodes Island contract security."
I read the document quickly. Standard terms, termination clause, liability waivers. Nothing unusual.
I signed.
Sussurro smiled, relief evident.
"Good. Now I have official justification for keeping you close. The operator team will want to debrief you when they arrive, get your assessment of the Reunion scouts and local security situation."
She stood, gathering her things.
"For now, get some rest. I'll contact you tomorrow with assignment details."
She paused at the table.
"And Shiki? Thank you. For protecting me back there. You didn't have to, but you did. That means something."
She left, and I sat alone at the table with an empty bowl and a signed contract.
Around me, the bar's normal atmosphere slowly returned. People talked about the confrontation in hushed voices, casting occasional glances my way. I had become noteworthy, memorable, exactly what I didn't need.
But the alternative was watching Sussurro get taken by Reunion scouts. Letting violence happen when I could prevent it.
I couldn't do that. Wouldn't do that.
The god wanted entertainment, but I had my own principles about how that entertainment would unfold.
I left the bar and walked through Sal Viento's darkening streets, my mind processing everything that had happened.
Seventy two hours until the main attack. Thirty six hours until Rhodes Island reinforcements arrived. Unknown time until Reunion scouts reported back and their commanders made decisions.
Variables multiplying, outcomes becoming less predictable.
I needed to prepare. Scout the settlement's defenses, identify weak points, plan for worst case scenarios.
But first, I needed to use the gacha tickets I had earned.
I found a quiet alley away from foot traffic and pulled up the system interface.
[Gacha Tickets: 2]
[Use Tickets? Yes/No]
I selected yes.
The golden wheel appeared, spinning rapidly. It landed on the first result.
[Congratulations! You have received: Rho Aias]
[The Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens. Noble Phantasm of Aias the Great. Ranked A. Anti-Projectile type. A shield of layered petals that can block any thrown or projected attack.]
Knowledge flooded in. A defensive Noble Phantasm, one of the most powerful shields in the Fate series. Seven layers of protection that could stop anything short of divine weapons.
Useful. Very useful for protecting civilians during the attack.
The wheel spun again for the second ticket.
[Congratulations! You have received: Knight of Owner]
[A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands. Noble Phantasm of Sir Lancelot. Ranked A++. Anti-Unit type. Allows the user to claim any object as their weapon and wield it with master level skill.]
More knowledge integrated. The ability to turn anything into a weapon, to fight with whatever was available. Combined with my Mystic Eyes, this made me exponentially more dangerous.
Two powerful tools added to my arsenal. The god's gacha system was proving generous.
I dismissed the interface and continued walking, eventually finding myself at the settlement's northern wall. The same gate I had used that morning, now guarded by two bored looking sentries.
The wall was old, maintained but showing its age. Stone and reinforced concrete, maybe four meters high. Adequate against wildlife and small groups of bandits.
Completely inadequate against a coordinated Reunion assault.
I studied the defenses with tactical assessment. Weak points here and here. No overlapping fields of fire. Poor sightlines from the guard towers. The gates were solid but not reinforced against explosives.
This settlement would fall quickly if Reunion brought serious force.
Unless someone intervened. Unless someone with Mystic Eyes of Death Perception and a collection of Noble Phantasms stood between the attackers and the civilians.
I had seventy two hours to turn myself into that someone.
Seventy two hours to prepare for violence that would stain this settlement red.
The god wanted entertainment. They wanted to watch me struggle and fight and hopefully survive.
I would give them violence. Give them death and destruction on a scale that would satisfy even their twisted appetite for amusement.
But I would do it on my terms. Protecting the people who couldn't protect themselves. Preventing civilian casualties. Being the kind of warrior Shiki's memories suggested I should be.
The night was deep now, stars visible through breaks in the clouds. Cold air carried the promise of worse weather coming.
I stood at the wall, looking out into the darkness where threats gathered, and felt something settle in my chest.
Purpose.
Not the system's missions or the god's entertainment. My own purpose, chosen freely.
I would defend Sal Viento. Would kill anyone who tried to harm the people here. Would become the catastrophe that Reunion scouts would remember and fear.
I turned away from the wall and headed back toward my inn, mind already planning training regimens and defensive strategies.
Somewhere in that darkness, Reunion was planning their attack.