Emperor's Reckoning

"Hmm?" Di raised his brows as he caught Lyon glancing at him. ( How weird, it feels like I've seen him before ). "Do I know you?"

"Hmm?" Lyon raised his brows, "No, you don't."

"Oh..." Di frowned inwardly before he nodded, "Then excuse me."

( Heh, looks like he is a regular here ) thought Lyon before he resumed his eating. The noodles sometimes smacked his nose due to the sheer overkill suction power he gave, however, his eyes occasionally keep on looking at Di who was sitting alone in the corner.

'Don't talk to me now," said Lyon through mana transmission to Graham and Assid. The latter two didn't make the slightest movement once they heard it and kept it natural as if nothing happened.

"Here you go!" said the noodle maker as he gave a bowl of noodles to the man.

"Thank you," Di replied before receiving the bowl with both hands. He took the chopsticks from the chopstick rest. He swirled the noodle a bit and let them bask further with the seasoning and added chili before he picked them up and let the heat out of them. He lightly blew the steam out before opening his mouth, however, the corner of his eyes caught Lyon looking at him. He raised his brows before putting the noodles back in the bowl. "Is there something you wish to say?"

"Hmm? No, no, enjoy your noodles," said Lyon with a smile.

Di's brows furrowed before he repeated the steps and ate the noodles.

"Have you heard, they say something nasty has happened in the White Crow," said one customer.

Di raised one of his brows but kept on eating.

"Yeah, yeah, it was the cloaked group again," said the customer's friend.

"?!" Di raised one brow before he began to listen to what the other customers were saying. He rested his chopsticks on the chopstick rest before he said with a smile, "Can you tell me the story, I'm interested, I'll pay for all of your meals."

"Woah, really? Alright!" said one customer.

"Huh? You haven't heard about the recent hype?" asked the noodle maker. "They are making scene alright, right from the very start even before they landed their feet here."

"Oh? They are?" asked Di as he raised his brows.

"Oh, yeah I've heard about them too," said Lyon. "Interesting bunch."

"Is that so," Di pondered.

The customer nodded. "That's right, first it was their troubles with Boto the man himself, the Five-Star Adventurer."

"Boto?" Di raised his brows.

"Yeah, the cloaked dudes challenged him to a duel right at the front of the gate!" said his friend.

"Wait a minute, that's not the full story!" said Lyon.

"His right," the customer nodded. "The cloaked dudes suffered some injustice from Boto's absurd demand! They might be vagrant adventurers that have no connection with any guild, but seven hundred AT per person is an insane price!"

"Seven hundred?" Di raised his brows. "So they challenged him to a duel because of the injustice, but did they win?"

"They technically yes, and no," said the customer.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Well, they tied, but, the judge said that the cloaked group win."

"The judge?"

"It was Abaddon of the Flame Guild, the Burning Fist himself," said Lyon as he nodded.

"That lad did?" Di raised one of his brows.

"Lad?" Lyon raised his brows.

"Hahaha, didn't you know?" The noodle master smiled before he asked, "Can I tell them?"

Di let out a sigh, "Sure, I was caught off guard from the story."

"Hahaha, then listen to this, what I'm about to tell you, you must promise me, no him, not to tell anyone outside this stand!"

"Woah, sound so serious," said Lyon jested.

"Because it is, young customer! Hahaha! This man right here is the Six-Star Adventurer Di! The master of the Burning Fist himself, the Eternal Flame of the Flame Guild!!"

Lyon's brows reached the ceiling but the two other customers forgot how to breathe.

Di sighed, "Alright, just pretend that I'm some stranger walking on the street."

"You're Di! The Di! The Second-in-command of the Flame Guild!! The Burning Fist's master! Di!" said the adventurer as they gulped.

"I can't believe it!" Lyon uttered out. ( Yeah, with that sleeveless get-up I should have known ).

"Alright, enough about me, continue the story," said Di as he resumed his noodles.

"Right! The insane part has yet to come! They outright paid the deal."

Di made a harsh swallow. "What? What do you mean? Didn't they win the duel?"

"Well, it was a debate, but they gave that long nose receptionist woman a pouch of AT worth ten thousand AT! 'Keep the change' he said, damn!" the customer crossed his arms and nodded firmly.

"Such was only the beginning of the hype, the problem didn't end for our rising stars," said his friend.

"Boto was found making a scene at one of the inns, claiming that the cloaked group had stolen his money."

"Oh?"

"He found three of them were reserved for one room, however, Boto was yelling and even pointed with his ax! Yet, the woman of the cloaked group didn't give a damn at all, she ordered a room from the trembling receptionist."

"The nonchalant of her act caught Boto's rage, however, before he could destroy the floor, one of them moved in a blinding speed before striking Boto's vulnerable body out to the street! Lo and behold! We saw the one whom he dueled a morning ago standing right beside the unconscious Boto! With Abaddon, added to that."

"The lad again?" Di raised his brows.

"Yes! However, it didn't take long before Amzel joined the scene," said Lyon as he nodded.

"Yes yes! That's right! This time, however, I was there, it was pure disrespect! Pure disrespect!" the customer shook his head.

"The White Crow demands apologies, but the cloaked group didn't give any," said his friend. "Then, he gave a warning about not messing with the White Crow only to have his face grabbed in midair before being pushed down to the pavement, his body even stood straight due to the momentum before it dropped down twitching. I've never seen a Five-Star Adventurer being treated like that."

"One hit?" Di raised his brows.

"Then, one of them tied them up like they are some cattle, dragged them across the street before reaching the gate of the White Crow, with Abaddon by his side," said Lyon as he nodded. "However, the White Perch was happen to be there as well."

"White Perch," Di frowned. "This seems like it would escalate to a bloody battle, what's the lad doing?"

Lyon shrugged, "I have no idea, but somehow, everything turned alright."

"On the surface," said one customer. "The White Perch even drew his sword and pointed at the cloaked dude. However, the latter didn't even flinch, even after Abaddon was seen retreating two steps backward in an instant."

"They can handle White Perch's pressure?" Di raised his brows.

"Exactly!" the customer nodded. "However, that begs the question about the duel a morning ago. Why would it end up in a tie?"

"Yeah, everyone was questioning that too," said Lyon before he stood up and adjusted his clothes a bit before giving a pouch to the noodle master. "Keep the change."

"Huh?" the rest of them raised their brows before silence ensued as the Assid and Graham stood up.

"Ah, you, hahahaha!" the noodle master laughed before the customers did too, all customers except Di whom Lyon gave a light smirk before leaving.

...

Meanwhile, a familiar woman was running on the street before stopping right at the front of a building with a fire symbol embedded on signs.

"Mona? What's the rush?" asked the receptionist. "Girl, you need to catch a breath."

"N-No time," said Mona as she heaved up and down, "I need to see Burning Fist, right now."

"Woah, so you two finally ended up together, good job!" the receptionist nodded.

"No, I don't have time for this!" said Mona as she furrowed her brows.

"Oh, you're serious, did something happen?"

"Hah, what a day, I need to rest..." a depressed voice was heard.

"Oh, speak of the devil," said the receptionist of the guild.

"Senior Abaddon!" said Mona.

"Huh? Mona, oh right, did The Swarm end?" asked Abaddon as he forced up a smile.

"I need to talk to you in private, now," said Mona.

"Uh... kay?"

The two of them meet inside Abaddon's office before the latter sighs.

"What is it, I'm having a tiring day, today, my heart can't keep up."

"What? That's rare, wait no, I'm not here for that," said Mona before her voice turned silvery. "Has a cloaked group entered this city yet?"

Abaddon instantly had his weary wiped out of his eyes as he furrowed his brows. "Yes, what of it."

Mona's eyes sharpened before she explained what happened.

The Burning Fist slowly had his pupils shrunk to a dot, "They did... what?"

...

"Oh ya?" the noodle master furrowed his brows, it seems like they left a note here.

"A note?" Di raised his brows.

"Yeah, but it said for, well, Justdy."

"?! Let me see!"

"Oh oh," he hastily gave out the note to Di.

Di immediately read the content before his pupils shrunk the same way as Abaddon did.

'To Justdy

You will have your cock tomorrow'

Di frowned before turning the note.

'P.S. Hehehe, get it, COCKatrice, hehe, I know you laugh, if not wheezing.

Regards,

The Cloaked Guys.'

...

Luna raised her brows, "Are you okay? Do you need some ointment?"

Lumina shook her head, "No, it's just an itch," she lightly scratched her nose.