Emperor's Reckoning

"So, where's the inn?" asked Lyon.

The rest of the group paused and pondered over. He immediately put down his hand before looking at the three of them, "Are you serious?"

"We never asked," said Lumina. "They just left, remember?"

"So we're clueless now?" Lyon sighed.

"I don't think that it'll be hard to search for them," said Luna. "This city is not really that big."

"How hard can it be to spot a cloaked group in this city, none of them wear it like they wanted to trade some shady items," said Lumina. "I'm sure we'll be able to find them quite easily."

"Graham, what do you think?" asked Lyon.

"I refrain my words, master, sorry," said Graham.

( You cheeky bastard ) cursed Lyon inwardly. He knew Graham had the opposite view of the ladies. However, the latter was wise enough not to mess with them with his knowledge.

"Yeah, how hard can it be," said Lyon as he shrugged.

"Hey, we meet again."

"Fuck," Lyon muttered a curse.

Abaddon was grinning from ear to ear with his hands on his waist. "Well that's a bit odd, I thought there were more of you."

"There were," said Luna. "But we split up."

"Oh, sorry to hear that," said Abaddon as his smile turned a bit wry.

"What? No! We don't split up like that!" said Luna.

"They others are looking for an inn," answered Lyon, "What do you want, Abaddon?"

"Oh, so that how it is," Abaddon laughed foolishly. "Well, I'm just thinking that you might want to join me on a quest, and lo and behold, I met you on the street, I think it's fate."

"No," said Lyon before he went past him.

"Hey wait a minute!! Don't pass me up like that!" said Abaddon as he turned around. "This is a rare opportunity."

"Nah, just ask that guy Tobo with you," said Lyon as he waved his hand.

"You mean Boto?"

"Yeah, that guy," said Lyon as he went further away.

"Boto is looking for you."

"Hmm?" Lyon paused. He turned before revealing a smirk. "Did he now?"

"Yeah," Abaddon grinned. "He had a glare in his eyes all along, stomping his way forward and looking for your group."

"Hahahaha!" Lyon laughed out loud. "Serve that fucker right."

"I also noticed something odd in your encounter," said Abaddon as he inched in closer to Lyon.

"You did?" Lyon raised one of his brows. "Tell me."

"If my eyes didn't fail me, I saw that he didn't manage to lay a blow on your body, not your shoulders, not your head, nor any limbs for that matter, nothing. However, you were propelled at roughly the same time as him. Going over the lines, then you both fell at the same time. The match thus is over for out of bounds, a tie," said Abaddon with a smile.

Lyon smirked. "And then?"

"It's quite odd, don't you think?" Abaddon smirked. "I can see a fly flapping its wing when I'm highly concentrating on it, yet I saw none of the reason that you would suffer a blow. It's not like there was a shockwave or anything, like that swordswoman."

"A shockwave?" Luna uttered. "Are you talking about Zelena?"

"Her name is widely known," Abaddon nodded. "The Leviathan Party, yes, the Zelena herself."

"Do you know where she lives?" asked Lyon.

"Oh? Are you interested in her?" asked Abaddon before he laughed at the sky. "Everyone is interested in her until they saw her blade, none dare approach her carelessly."

"Is that so?" Lyon smiled. "You make me eager to see her more than I did a second ago."

"Hoho? You set your goal high there, I will be sure to pick up your limbs after you're done, hahaha!" Abaddon laughed.

"There are women out there that you can chase, and there are ways to make women chase you," said Lyon as he smirked.

"Grandpa Bapho, please stop," said Luna as she hardly could stand watching Lyon splurt out wise words.

"Hohoho," the Calamity Goat skipped in the air.

"Well said," Abaddon nodded. "However, I'm not that kind of guy that sinks in the brothel. I want to learn greater techniques! Reached the summit of cultivation and basked in the clouds for those that are worthy."

"That's a noble goal, but lacked flare of immoral," said Lyon as he shook his head. "What's the point in all good if there is no evil? What's the point in all evil, if there is no good? Balance is what everyone wants to seek, yet they never understand what is the true meaning of balance. Balance was never equal and never will be. We seek our own balance by simply, living thus sinning."

"Okay that's one step too far, grandpa," said Lumina.

"Hohoho!"

Abaddon was taken back as his eyes gradually lost focus from the string of words that gently basked his ear canal. His pupils slowly backed away, shrinking to a dot, rummaging the golden words that challenged his vision.

"Oi, you alright?" asked Lyon before he slapped Abaddon's shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Abaddon regained his consciousness. ( Damn, what was that? ) he shook his head. "Where was I, oh right! You said you want to know where she lives?"

"That's right, if you tell me where she lives, I will consider joining this quest of yours."

( C-Consider... ) Abaddon smiled wryly. "Only the Leviathan Party knew where she lives, sadly. However, you can reach the party by going to the last city, the Myriad Devils."

"That's a pretty nasty name," said Lyon. "Why is it called the Myriad Devils anyway."

"Because what surrounded that city is nothing less than devils. Absolute monstrous beasts live and breed there. It also has the most abundant supply of Mana Essence, because, you know, the monstrous beasts live there," said Abaddon.

"Oh, well that makes a bit of sense," said Lyon before he sighed, "Alright thanks anyway."

"Do you know how expensive it is to get there without having a guild to rely on?" said Abaddon.

"No, no, no, not this shit again," Lyon turned around and waved his hand.

"The Flaming Guild is for you!" said Abaddon as he made an effort to run up to him. "Not only are you having many benefits, but your network will improve too! You might actually get the information you need and, get an actual chance at meeting Zelena."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it a million times," said Lyon.

"You did? From who?"

"Avi of the Harp Guild."

"Oh that Harpy!" said Abaddon. "She always pretends to be weak even though she is strong as heck, I don't know why she chose the first city over here."

"Yeah, she did," said Lyon before noticing a group of people passing them in a hurry. "Hmm?"

"They always get their eyes first on the finest rookies, perhaps it's because she chose the first city as her base of operation, maybe that's why Harp Guild is thriving in the first city, so much so that they are in the Guild Link," Abaddon nodded.

( Why is he asking himself, and then answering himself... ) Luna raised one of her brows with a bit of distraught.

"Hurry up, he is making a scene," said one passing adventurer.

"Oh man, can we just take a break, it's already dusk! I need to take a bath," said a female adventurer passing by.

"This is a lifetime chance!" replied another.

"Huh?" Abaddon finally noticed what Lyon had noticed. A group of various adventurers was crowding a building. He frowned before he pulled one adventurer that was passing him.

"Hey watch where you—?! F-Flaming Fist! I-I'm sorry, what can I do for you?" asked the poor adventurer.

"What's happening there?" asked Abaddon as he pointed with his nod.

"O-Oh, it's Boto, he is making a scene," said one of the adventurers.

Lyon frowned before he ran forward. He saw the inn sign on top of the building before he clenched his jaw.

"Your fucking leader stole my money! WHERE IS HE?!" said Boto toward a group of three that was talking to a receptionist with a nervous wreck.

"Four rooms please," said Cecile with a smile, disregarding the shouting ghoul behind her.

"Y-Yess," the receptionist's hands shook as she tried to reach for the keys.

"ARE YOU LOT DEAF?!" Boto shouted with his aura flaring on and about.

"Thank you," Cecile smiled before she gave the keys to Assid. "Here are the keys."

"Thank you young miss, but you don't have to do that," said Assid with a bow. "Let me do the mundane task."

"Oh no, you still need to learn how to approach people, your cold glare is still too cold," Cecile jested.

"I-I'm still learning."

"Hahahaha," Kesya chuckled before he received the same glare Cecile just talked about.

"Kh!" Boto had his pupils shrunk before he pulled out his ax and hack it down against the floor. However, in that split, a second, Kesye made her move. His abdomens were wide open and she made sure to slow herself so that Boto would notice.

"Wh?!" his eyes opened wide before his abdomens were struck by a palm that. His body arched like a bow before everyone's eyes then he was blown back.

Lyon turned his side and narrowly dodged the body and before Boto could hit the street, he saw a smirk from the man. The blood inside him boiled before he was out of consciousness.