Chapter 1201: Coincidental gathering

^What the-? No, I haven’t seen anyone with that hammer before, what is this even about?!^

^Okay, you’re useless to me then. Night-night!^

^Huh?^

Before the warrior affiliated with the Golden Sabertooth Household could even follow up his sound of confusion, Nepeherage proceeded to punch in the face and knock the guy out cold.

And with that punch, Nepeherage, Razorstella and Screamira had no one else to interrogate.

"Well this sucks," Razorstella complained while using one of her bladed fingers to scratch at the back of her head. "I figured we’d at least hear something about the Director if we showed his hammer."

"I’m telling you both, we need to show his face," Screamira pointed out. "Faces are a lot easier to identify than just a weapon."

"Didn’t that weapon help bring you to life?"

"Yeah, and?"

"Fair point."

"I don’t think showing possible interrogation targets a face of our Lord will help much,$ Nepeherage replied. "If anything, it might makes things worse for him."

"How so?"

"He likes to act under a veil of anonymity, remember?," Nepeherage pointed out. "That’s why he always wants us to do stealth scouting missions while we’re...hold up... I’m sensing something...someone... familiar."

"Familiar, how?," Screamira asked.

"Familiar in the sense that we should surprise them for the fun of it," Razorstella answered with a grin. "Let’s hide."

...What that familiar feeling was...

"I’m telling you guys, I think I saw Nepeherage’s human form go this way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I’m sure."

"I don’t know what they look like, so I’m just going to trust you."

"Oooh, this is exciting!"

From the streets of Amber Shore and towards an area that looked incredibly abandoned, were four young ladies that all looked to be upper class, all dressed in similar looking uniforms.

The uniforms in question were a deep blue color with the emblem of a golden phoenix within a lotus emblazoned on the chest, a symbol for the Rainbow Phoenix Academy.

This group of young women were Alicia Goldshire, Bellona Ecaredies, Alice Dunkelkrieg and Harriet Ver Poinette, and they were one of the many groups from the academy who applied for a wandering ruin expedition near the Amber Shore port city.

However, their goal wasn’t just the expedition.

Their true goal, was to find someone.

"Wait, why are we trying to find these Kaijin again?," Alice asked. "I thought they were as clueless as we were in finding your fiancee."

"Technically true," Bellona answered. "But they’re also the only ones who have direct access to Zhen Liu’s location...maybe."

"That and because it’s easier to coordinate with people when in close proximity," Alicia added.

"Whatever you say."

As the group continues to navigate through the abandoned area, they eventually came across a warehouse where Alicia and Bellona could sense a familiar feeling in the back of their skulls.

More specifically, the tang of [Chaos] that only Kaijin could produce.

"I think we’re here."

"And the door is unlocked! How convenient!," Harriet pointed out.

At this comment, Bellona and Alicia looked at one another before exchanging a wordless question.

’Think the Kaijin might have killed somebody?’

’I don’t think so, but Xiao Liu isn’t here to hold them back...’

...And now the groups meet…

[There’s Mistress Bellona, Mistress Alicia, Harriet and...wait a minute...I don’t recognize that one.]

[Which one?]

[The blonde one.]

[The blonde-oh! I know her! I’m pretty sure I kicked her in the face once.]

[Huh?]

...

"Whoa! What the hell happened here?!"

"Oh yeah, the Kaijin have definitely been through here."

The moment the girls entered the warehouse, they were greeted with a sight that was more akin to a slaughter field than anything else.

Several bruised and battered warriors were scattered across the warehouse floor, with injuries ranking from burn marks to slash marks to obvious signs of ear bleed.

None of them were dead, as far as the girls could tell, but they definitely weren’t going to be walking around for the next few...weeks.

Maybe months.

...

[D’awww, they appreciate our handiwork.]

[That or they’re horrified.]

[You two be quiet, I’m trying to figure out the right time to make ourselves known...]

...

Regardless, while Alicia and Bellona were used to these sort of sights and didn’t react adversely, Alice and Harriet were different.

Albeit, in every different ways from each other.

"Oh dearie me! Should I attempt to heal them?"

"Probably not."

Harriet wasn’t used to this level of violence on the day, despite being an Aether Master herself, and was a support type warrior. In other words, she was a healer that needed protecting.

On the flip side, Alice was wondering why these beaten bastards weren’t dead yet.

"Wait, so your boy’s Kaijin doesn’t regularly kill his enemies? Does he kill them himself, at least?," Alice asked while looking over the beaten warriors with a look of distaste mixed with disgust.

"No and no."

"Okay...why?"

"From what I vaguely remember," Alicia answered. "The kaijin normally only kill when their opponent has something to contribute to the library or their lord is ever truly in danger, while Zhen Liu himself doesn’t like killing people in general because...because..."

...

[Is now a good time?]

[Not yet...let them discuss about...one more question.]

...

"Because he believes that living with the humiliation of defeat is a fate worst than death," Bellona finished in Alicia’s stead. "That and something about revenge being less likely if they’re left alive."

"Less likely?," Alice asked in confusion. "How?"

"In his words-"

...

[Now.]

...

[They’re less likely to retaliate if you leave them their lives, and force them to realize the consequences of what happens if they do,] Nepeherage interjected while wrapping her arm around Bellona. [Hey sheep princess, miss us?]

"What the-?!"

"Mon dieu! The jade warrior woman!"

"Nepherage! It’s good to see you!"

Bellona was all set to answer Alice’s query, when Nepeherage suddenly made herself known by appearing directly behind Bellona.

Needless to say, the girls were startled yet somewhat relieved.

[Hey! I thought we were going to appear together.]

[I figured we weren’t appearing at all.]

Shortly after Nepeherage’s appearance, Razorstella and Screamira appeared next.

Evidently, their appearance threw everyone for a loop.

"Wait, Razorstella and Screamira? I thought you normally worked with Frosttusk and Hurricroak?," Alicia asked.

"Normally, yes," Nepeherage answered. "But we figured it was a better idea for them to stay behind this time around to act as guards for the library. With our Lord missing and all."

"He’s still missing?"

"Unfortunately."

"Ah...I was afraid that was the case..."

Both Alicia and Bellona looked noticeably down once they learned that Zhen Liu hadn’t been found yet, since they figured the kaijin would’ve been able to do so by now. However, this feeling was blown away once they heard the following tidbit of information.

"That stated, we do have some good news. We believe our lord is on his way here to Amber Shore."

"Really?"

"You’re joking!"

"Wait...do you think it has to do with that wandering ruin near by?," Alicia asked.

"That is a possibility," Nepeherage assured the consorts. "Regardless, we came here with some members of our Lord’s clan, so we plan to divide our forces. Some to stay here and some to check out those ruins. Judging from the way you girls are dressed, you’re planning to do latter."

"Yes."

"It’s part of our academic planning...speaking of which, there’s something happening at the academy soon that might be of interest to Xiao Liu, well, more like Logos and Pathos."

"Oh?"

While Zhen Liu’s fiancees planned something mildly devious with Nepeherage acting as their liaison, this left Alice and Harriet alone to interact with Razorstella and Screamira.

While the conversation between Harriet and Screamira boiled down to small talk...

"So you’re Kaijin too?"

"Yup."

"I was going to ask if the horns were a normal thing, but it appears that isn’t the case."

"Yeah, I don’t know why I have horns either."

...the discussion between Razorstella and Alice though was a bit...stranger.

"So...I just want to clear up something real fast," Razorstella started. "If I were to mention the name, Pearl Tusk, would that mean anything to you?"

"You mean that port city on Stampeding Bison where I was liberated from century long prison as some crazy bitch’s mask of power? Yes, that name has meaning to me."

"Oh. If you remember that much then...I guess I should probably apologize for kicking you in the face, on the behalf of myself and the Director, huh?"

"Meh," Alice dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand. "I was being used as someone else’s weapon, y’all managed to save me from the horrid limbo. At this point, I think we’re square."

"Ah, that makes sense..."

"Although, that said, I wouldn’t mind if you at least told me a little more about this mysterious Zhen Liu."

"I wouldn’t exactly call him mysterious...but yes, what would you like to know?"

"Well...mind explaining to me how he has so many fiancees?"

"That..."