Emperor's Reckoning

Sakya went up the stairs and led Di who was behind her. The aura she was exuding was different. The way she brought herself up, the way she walked, and the way her eyes were focused, was the quality of a leader of many.

Di took a glance at her nape before he smiled to himself as he followed her up toward the Guild Link Hall. ( She has matured enough, I'm proud of you, Sakya ).

Both of them entered the Guild Links Hall before they noticed a small commotion in the middle of it.

"Wow, it's really the head of a Bahamut, you guys did it!" said an old man that has a gray beard all the way toward his chest. "This is the greatest advancement for all mortal beings!"

Sakya and Di immediately raised their brows upon the words reached their ears. They all knew what Bahamut was and more importantly, what it implied.

"Bahamut you say?" asked Sakya as her outside remained composed.

The crowd immediately turned over and saw the Flame Guild leader with its vice coming toward them. They immediately disperse and let the two sides meet each other.

The party looked at Sakya and Di with various expressions, but most of their chins were slightly above average.

"Nice to meet you, Sakya the Pure Flame," said Baik with a smirk.

"It's nice to meet you too, Baik the Wings of Leviathan," Sakya smiled. ( Man, people really need to stop addressing with their title, it's just getting too long at this point ).

"Hahaha, look at what we got," Harmon laughed with his armor clanking all over. "This is the real deal!"

The head of the dragon had a pair of bone spurs on the forehead like horns. The eyes were pitch black whilst the hide was dark gray like the clouds that were edging to form rain. It only got fangs for teeth and had the same small tube as a wyrm that was used for hearing behind its eyes.

"It was a tough fight indeed, but we prevail somehow, but we did indeed lose many in the process,' said Harmon with a tinge of solemness in his tone.

"Is that so," said Sakya as she raised her brows, "None of them survived?"

Lorey shook his head, "They can't even be buried alive, they just evaporated."

"They are quite unfortunate," said Nise. "They didn't even participate in the exploration."

"We didn't know the rage of Bahamut would be that devastating once it's cornered," said Zelena.

"But don't look too solemn, Zelena, without you, we couldn't have the means to behead the mighty beast," said Baik. "My dagger couldn't even graze its hide, watch."

Baik used the dagger in his hand and thrust it against Bahamut's eye, however, the tip of the knife couldn't move further. He pulled before pointing at the eye, "Look, not even a nick."

Sakya and Di had their eyes opened wide as they saw the smooth surface of the black eye. Then they slowly hovered over at Zelena who had a smirk on her face.

"Looks like the fang of Leviathan is sharper than Bahamut's hide," Sakya smiled ( What a beast of a woman you are ) she thought as her lips slightly twitched.

"Your praise is well received," Zelena smiled. "However, it's not just my effort, but the party's involved, as well as the innocents that died."

Di nodded, "I'm always amazed at the way you use your sword, fascinating. We may forge a path that is different from another, however, even I can see the expertise that you honed. I always wondered, and forgive me for asking, if there would be a better swordsman or swordswoman that is better than you?"

Sakya noticed in the slightest fraction of a second how Zelena's glance transformed sharper before returning back.

"Hahaha, even the man called the prince of the sword submits to her prowess," said Baik. "He can't get into her blade nor her heart, hahaha."

"Alright, that's enough," said Zelena as she waved with a giggle. "I have seen no man that could match my speed, I have never fought any man that could best me in a fight."

"Then what about a woman?" Di asked as he raised his brows.

Zelena shrugged, "Maybe there is, who knows?"

The party laughed before Hamon said, "If there is then we would know, perhaps her rumored sister?"

"Yeah, that would be a candidate," Baik nodded. "But those are merely rumors, I've never seen her younger sister at all."

"Alright, that's enough," said Lorey, "I presume that you two are here because you want to speak with us? Di, you hardly ever step foot in Myriad Devils, and Sakya the Pure Flame, you hardly attend this building."

Sakya smiled, "They say you are the Eyes of Leviathan, true, you're pretty sharp."

"It's quite obvious," Lorey answered monotonously.

"It's not my guild leader that has business with you, it's me," said Di.

"You?" Lorey and the rest of the party raised their brows toward the uneasiness that they felt through Di's smile. The man was greatly experienced, it's normal to be wary of the legendary figure.

"I'm here to validate the importance this is, for this is regarding my vice's principle," Sakya smiled before she turned around and flared out her mighty presence. "I want some privacy, please?"

The old and the young inside the Guild Hall immediately had their soul gently slapped by Sakya's mantra. They gulped and precipitated before silently moving away from earshot.

"Sounds serious," Nise said with her chin raised, "What are you planning, Master Di?"

"Not much really, just a promise I made in exchange for something."

"A promise? That sounds more like a deal," said Baik before he smiled, "Interesting, what kind of deal that would involve the Leviathan's Party."

"You would be surprised," Sakya smiled, "But it's not directed to your party, but one of you."

"One of us?" Harmon raised his brows.

"It's me right?" said Zelena with a smile.

"Well most likely," said Baik. "You're really famous, Zelena, every newbie, and veteran adore you."

Zelena slightly shook her head with her eyes opened, "No, that's not it, Di, you've been looking at me from the moment you came, you must have something to say to me."

"Correct," Di proudly answer, "Your observation is undoubtedly exceptional, Fangs of Leviathan."

"Then, spill it," said Zelena. "The fact that you chose this place to have a conversation, and the fact that no other guild leaders are present, you must have something important to say, is it a challenge to a duel?"

Di shook his head, "He requested an audience with you."

"He? Looks like one of your admirers is at it again," said Nise.

Loreay waved his hand, "Ridiculous, they are just wasting their time."

Di solemnly looked at Lorey with a sharp glance, "Your tone."

"Kh!" Lorey was immediately being embraced by a surreal threat with the mantra-less words.

"But really now, how many suitors are lining up for her and Nise," said Baik as he shrugged his shoulder.

"I'm just delivering this promise," said Di. "And I only asked not to demand, I never promised him that you would agree."

"That's good because I refuse to see a stranger," said Zelena. "Is he an adventurer? A merchant?"

"He is a vagrant adventurer," said Di.

"Ah, I see, a starless adventurer," said Harmon.

"He only requested an audience?" Zelena raised her brows.

"He did," Di nodded. "Perhaps you two can meet at the banquet in a few days? He never specified the place to be private."

Nise chuckled, "It would be funny if the self-proclaimed prince of the swords beat him to a pulp at the banquet."

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you," said Di to her and Sakya's surprise.

They were talking about a vagrant adventurer, but Di's sharp glance said otherwise.

Nise squinted her eyes before she scowled at Di before Zelena shook her head.

"Is that a no?" asked Di.

"No, if his name is well-known, you would have splurted it out already," said Zelena. "However, you didn't mention his name at all. I think that he just wants to ask some questions about the way of the sword, I'm too busy for that," she turned around before walking away with clear steps to the ears.

"Heh," Di smiled as he shook his head, "I know you would disagree."

"Then why did you ask," said Zelena as she kept walking away before the party followed.

"That's why I ask him, what happens if you refuse," said Di before Sakya raised her brows as she looked at her vice. "He said, 'Brother-in-law wants to visit.'"

Sakya and the rest of the Leviathan Party had their eyes opened wide and pupils shrinking. The lungs inside their chest froze.

Zelena instantly paused as her eyes opened wide in a tremble. Her goosebumps were being pulled out mercilessly by Di's words as a cold shiver sparked from the bottom of her spine toward her nape. A flash of a smirk appeared in her mind as her mouth gaped slightly.