Emperor's Reckoning

The onlookers still couldn't wrap their heads as they looked at the ruin that once was the pride of the Alchemy Union. There was hardly anything left for them to do but hissed silently as they watched the alchemists of the Alchemy Union pick up the surviving items.

"Psst! Look, it's the guy," said one of the onlookers.

"Damn, it's him!" said muttered one adventurer.

His name was akin to a celebrity. Some adored him, some showered him with profanities albeit inwardly. He had come from the sky, bringing a carcass of kunpeng with him. There was hardly anything that could measure his grand entrance. Now, his name rung the toll of Alchemy Union.

Lyon was walking on the street with his hands behind his head. He was nonchalant by the gazes of the others, just like on the first day that he arrived.  Behind him were of course the odd group that made them curious.

"Lyon!"

A familiar voice rang inside his ear before he turned and raised his brow. "Revundal?"

"It's Renduval!" Renduval twitched his lips.

"Really?" Lyon took a deep breath as he pondered.

"Ah! Never mind that! What happened to you?! Where is the First Hall?" asked Renduval.

"Inside our dear memories," said Lyon as he sighed. "It was a nice place."

"What?!" Renduval frowned. "Are you serious?"

"Stop pretending Renduval," said Lyon as he squinted his eyes. "I know you're not blind!"

Renduval let out a sigh (It's been like what, the second day, literally). He had the same thought as most alchemists do. Someone should put a leash on the walking monster, but that would be impossible with his connection to the Sky Clan's young master, Mavis.

"How are you friends with young master Mavis of the Sky Clan?" asked Renduval. Such an illustrious figure was suddenly revealed to have become friends with Lyon and everything seemed to make sense for some reason. The way that Lyon acted had been nonchalant and feared no gods in heaven, if he was friends with Mavis from the beginning then his action was almost justified. (That's why he sees things as if they were banal when they are actually valuable for most).

"Ugh!" Lyon rolled his eyes, "I heard this question like a thousand times already."

Cecile chuckled before Lumina asked, "What about your ascension?"

"Ascension?" Renduval furrowed his brows before he realized what she meant, "Oh you mean my test?"

"Oh right, what happened to that?" said Lyon as he saw no gold cloak nearby. "You lose? After that cheer that I gave you?"

(Your cheer did nothing!) screamed Renduval inwardly. "No, the test is postponed for an indefinite time."

"Indefinite time?" Lyon frowned. "Why? Did they mess with you?"

"No, because of this mess," said Renduval as he presented the obvious ruins beside them.

"Oh? Hah!" Lyon chuckled. "Well, I guess natural disasters do happen. Quite some bad luck you have there."

(You are the natural disaster!) Renduval twitched his brows. He was having the confidence of a lifetime but it was ruined not only by the sudden clench that his soul was getting but also by the destruction of the First Hall—which he couldn't possibly anticipate.

"Hmm?" Renduval furrowed his brows, "Where is the headmaster? I thought he would come here as fast as possible."

"He was here though," said Lyon before he frowned. "What are you doing anyway? You know I have lunch before you came to the scene."

"Yeah, it was you who is really late, what are you doing?" asked Lumina.

"Err...." (I can't possibly tell them that I was crawling pathetically on the ground!) thought Renduval before he told a lie, "I was in the bathroom."

Lyon pushed his bottom lip upward as he nodded. "Hm, understandable."

Lumina rolled her eyes while Cecile was chuckling with Kesya.

"Hey I want to meet Elder Anna," asked Lyon out of the blue.

His words made the onlookers turn. They immediately assumed that Lyon will once again do something bizarre and unthinkable, this time, with Elder Anna involved.

"Elder Anna?" Malaqa turned her head before she approached the group. "Are you looking for Anna?"

"Hm?" Lyon turned and looked at the old woman before nodding, "That's right, I'm looking for her—though, she was the one that was supposed to look for me."

"Ah," Malaqa's weary eyes brightened, "You must be talking about the Hundred-Petals Flower, yes?"

"Indeed elder," said Lyon. "She said that she needed my help, at least that's what I heard anyway."

"Oh right," Renduval nodded. "I just remembered that."

"If you are looking for her, try her little hut," said Elder Malaqa before she let out a sigh. "That woman, she is almost the same as Elise when it comes to research."

"Alright," Lyon nodded before he left with his hand waved at her. He could feel a story coming out at any moment and it would bore him to sleep.

Renduval had his eyes almost jumping out of his sockets. He couldn't believe that Lyon would act so coldly against an elder-level alchemist. "Oi!"

"Hmm," Malaqa crossed her arms as she saw the group left. "He is quite a handful one, isn't he Renduval?"

Renduval had his goosebumps rose along with the cold creeping sensation from his spine to his shoulders. His stiffed neck strugglingly turned as he looked at the elder he respected appearing bigger than a giant with her laser eyes beaming at him. "S-Sorry."

"We are going to a little hut," said Lyon before he sighed. "Damn, they didn't even cover it with a fancier word now, a hut, heh, like witches."

"Witches?" Kesya peeked at his face as she walked beside him.

Lyon sighed before he explained as he walked toward the hut. "There are ugly witches that used a broom and flyaway, and then there are these sexy witches that hardly used a broom to fly. If there are witches in this world, I hope they are the latter."

"I don't understand what you're saying but you seem excited young master," said Kesya with a grin.

"Of course, this is a fantasy!" said Lyon as he proudly pounded his own chest. "Oh, we're here."

The group found themselves at the foot of the hill where there was a little sign telling them who the owner of the hill was. Tens of other huts could be seen, and some of them still had their bricks freshly red in color. At the top was their destination.

Lyon let out a sigh, "This is one of those times that I want to ride a broom to fly over there."

He looked to the side and noticed the lonely hill that was belonging to his elder, Elise. The small alchemist prodigy with rabbit ears was clearly one of the best alchemists in Alchemy Union, but the fact that she had no student beside himself, proved that she was lacking in other areas.

Lyon pointed his finger against the lonely hill, "Apparently, I would have my own little hut over there."

"Really?" Kesya glimmered. "You finally have a house?"

"Oi! Don't word it like that! You make me feel like I'm homeless or something," said Lyon as he twitched his brows.

"Aren't you?" asked Kesya.

"Well, I don't have a house, but I have a home," said Lyon with a proud grin.

Cecile smiled, "Let's go, she is probably anxious about whether to ask our help or not after what happened."

"Yeah," Lyon snorted with a smile, "That's why we are going there and approached her instead."

Lyon led the way up to the top of the hill before Nit noticed him.

Nit gulped before he braced himself and took a step forward. His heart palpitated, wrong words and he might not see the moon tonight.

"What do you want?" asked Nit as he put up a brave front with his arms crossed.

"I want to see Elder Anna," said Lyon. "Is she in there?"

"She is," Nit nodded. "Wait here."

Lyon saw Nit opening the wooden door just slightly and had his head peeking inside. After a few seconds went by, Nit opened the door fully and turned. "She wants to see you as well."

Lyon pinched his nose as he went inside. The last time he didn't he was thrown into an illusion created by his own mind due to the headmaster didn't fully close his room.

"Welcome to my—," Anna was stupefied as her round glasses revealed her blinking eyes. (Why is he pinching his nose?).

"I-Is there something wrong?" Anna asked wryly. "Is my room that bad?"

Lyon looked at the empty cauldron before he let go of his nose. "No, it's just that I have a very bad first impression is going to someone's hut."

"Oh, hehe," Anna smiled wryly. "I'm sorry that you have a bad experience beforehand, but rest assured that it won't happen if you entered a good-natured alchemist."

Lyon snorted as he chuckled, "What? Are you sure?"

"A hundred percent," Anna nodded with a smile before she welcomed him to sit.

Lyon grinned whilst shaking his head and sat down.