Emperor's Reckoning

"Another island, another cave," Lyon sighed as he stood with his arms crossed.

In front of him was the very cave he would have called the Abyss Cave. At first glance, he noticed nothing extraordinary, it was just a cave, plain and a bit cold to the skin.

"There is no warning whatsoever," muttered Mavis.

*Raaaau!!!

The loud roar came from the cave with a thunderous gale that made their hair and clothes to fluttered. The branches of the trees dance with rigorous sounds as if the island itself was in fear.

"W-What was that?" asked Hilde as she grabbed her spear. She was looking at the cave with hesitation in her eyes. No matter what beast coming out of that cave, she was not sure that the whole party could rumble with it, at least, until her glance shifted to the back of a certain young man.

Lyon was standing at the front-most with his arms crossed. He was unwavering with his smirk iconic smirk and no gods could see even a slight twitch of his entire muscles.

"Is that our welcoming cue?" asked Kesya as she grinned.

Hilde made a wryly smile with her slouching shoulder (These monsters...).

"Heh," Mavis smiled helplessly, "Elder Anna, does this always happen? Having a loud beast greeting us?"

"Huh? N-No, no, it never happened before, I wonder what's going on," answered Elder Anna as she furrowed her brows with a slight cold sweat on her temple.

"Well it's obvious," said Cecile as she smiled.

"The king of the cave noticed a threat to its rule," said Lumina casually.

"A threat?" Nit muttered with his brows furrowed. His glance soon found Lyon's back. (Don't tell me, it's him?).

(Of course, it's going to be him) thought Cherie with a smile on her face. After everything that had happened, he was the most plausible candidate to prove a threat to the king of the cave.

"Are we still going there?" asked Mavis with a smile.

"The guy welcomed us, it would be rude not to enter," said Lyon before he wrote a magic spell with his mana-fused index finger. "Divine Spell: Star Child."

Just right after he chanted the spell, a magic brand with black color was formed right in front of him and under the disbelief eyes of the Mavis and the rest, something came out of it.

"Eh?" Cherie raised her brows. "What is that?"

Hilde blinked her eyes twice before she asked, "Lyon, what is that?"

"This is a star child," said Lyon as he crouched down. The figure was shaped like a starfish and only an ankle tall. It was glowing with a slight yellow tint and only a pair of slit pitch dark vertical eyes.

Anna looked at Lyon with horror in her eyes. (He used a divine grade spell that fast?! I didn't even notice the change of mana flow at all!) she gulped.

(Impossible) thought Mavis as he furrowed his brows. (Not even the best of our Mavis Clan could do it without any preparations, furthermore, what is this spell? I've never heard of it at all).

"This little guy will pave our way," said Lyon as he nodded at the star.

"I don't mean to be rude, but isn't the kind of small to enlighten the cave?" asked Cherie.

"It's more than enough," said Cecile before she nodded.

"Go boy," Lyon nodded before the little star made its little but fast steps forward into the darkness.

.

.

.

After a few seconds passed by, Lyon stood up. "Wait, aren't we supposed to follow the little guy?"

Everyone was petrified hearing his words. (That's your spell?! How come you didn't know?!).

Lyon turned and shrugged his head as he had no words, but Cecile muttered, "two... one..."

"Huh? What's that?" asked Nit before he gawked and the rest of them followed. A slow gentle light was emulating from the inside of the cave before reaching the entrance, only then did they almost have their eyes jumped out of their sockets.

"Huh?" Lyon turned before seeing the cave illuminated. "Oh, right."

"Let's go," said Cecile before she led the pack.

"Hey wait for me," said Lyon as he hurriedly walked at her pace.

"What a guy," Mavis shook his head before he followed along.

Cherie and Hilde looked at one another before sighing then followed by a smile.

Lyon furrowed his brows, "The air here is actually quite breathable despite being a cave."

"Oh, you noticed?" Cecile smiled, "Look's like your adventure instinct slowly returning."

"Oh that's right, you did mention that I was one, didn't you," said Lyon before he raised one of his brows, "You know it's funny, how come I remember nothing after that though?"

Cecile and the three generals smiled but didn't answer.

Lyon frowned before he saw a glimpse of something that caught his eyes. "What is that?"

"That's your spell," said Cecile before they got a clear view of the little star facing them five.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that it didn't dissolve?" asked Hilde in disbelief.

"Why would they?" answered Cecile with a cheeky smirk. "This little one can go on as far as he wants to."

"T-That has to break some rules..." muttered Hilde.

Cherie smiled wryly. The entirety of the Sverine Kingdom was made solely of magic-type cultivators. However, there was hardly anyone that could contest with Lyon. Even his entire arsenal was still unknown. Possessing the attribute of both space and light, he was already a rare specimen, not to mention the gift of talent that he owned. Lyon was on his own level.

"You really are full of secrets," muttered Mavis with a wry smile before his eyes turned sharp. "Something is coming!"

Everyone immediately became alert to their surroundings but the little star suddenly looked down with its black vertical eyes.

"Underground, understood," Assid nodded before he carefully knelt with one knee. His sharp eyes were on the ground where all of them were standing.

(Don't tell me it can detect the beasts too?) thought Mavis as he noticed the little star was looking down.

The little star suddenly tapped the ground twice with its little leg.

A flash of killing intent almost stopped everyone from breathing before Assid leaped toward Lyon with his hand reaching out for the latter's nape. Everyone gaped for a split second before a sharp vine protruded out from the ground right behind Lyon's feet.

"Too slow," muttered Lyon before Assid grabbed the vine by the hand.

The vine was black in color and would be unseen were it not for the illuminating light from Lyon's spell.

"That's the Raffela Flower's vine!" uttered Elder Anna. "Impossible."

"Impossible?" Cecile raised her brows.

"Elaborate," asked Lumina with her sharp draconic eyes penetrating Anna's soul.

Anna gulped as she felt strands of her goosebumps rose. "T-The Raffela Flower is not supposed to be in this level, it should belong in the deeper part, just before where the Hundred-Petals flower bloomed."

"There is definitely some anomaly going on here," said Nit. "Maybe it would be best if we retreat and do it tomorrow."

"Retreat?" Lyon muttered before he smirked.

*Tap! *Tap! *Tap!

The little star tapped the ground repeatedly and furiously.

(Shit!) Mavis gritted his teeth before tens of vines protruded out of the ground and they were all heading toward Lyon's figure.

A grin showed a wild set of teeth before a flash blinded their eyes. Thuds of chopped-up vines were heard before they realized what was going on. Kesya was already waiting on that one.

"We don't need to retreat," said Lyon with a smile before Assid crushed the vine in his hand with a grip. "Graham, protect everyone but me."

"En," Graham nodded before he stands at the very back.

"We are going to pick that flower today," said Lyon with a grin before he confidently led the pack. There was not a single shroud of doubt in the way that he walked, that any attack from any angle won't be repelled by his loyal generals. The cave might be dangerous and the reward might not be illustrious compared to the damage to some cultivators, but for the party, it was a whole different matter.

"Ah~ It would be so much faster if we just split the island in half," said Kesya as she sighed.

"Now, now," Cecile smiled as she walked forward, "It won't be that much fun otherwise."

(T-These two, what are they saying) Mavis had his lips twitching.

"Oh?" Lyon paused before everyone did the same.

Ivy frowned before she readied herself.

"What's wrong, brother Lyon?" asked Mavis as he furrowed his brows. He looked at the surroundings just in case and then at the little star as his final judgment. (The little star didn't tap its feet... can you call them feet... does starfish has feet or fins?) the thought almost made him lose his focus.

Lyon turned with a smile on his face. "The road, it splits into four."