The Moonlight Swordsman

Presently, accompanied by Nina, Aizel reached the closest city to the Cherry Blossom Clan, known as Frostspire City.

The city was tucked away at the base of lofty, snow-capped mountains. Sturdy walls made of frost-imbued stone surround it, and sunlit ice carvings glisten like jewels.

The main entrance, guarded by sentinels clad in furs and silver, opens into cobbled streets lined with quaint shops and charming cottages.

A winter's hug marks the faces of the sturdy and close-knit Frostspire people, who are known to thrive in the cold.

To stay alive in the bitter cold, the locals have gotten creative, gathering food from the surrounding snowy wilderness and perfecting their survival techniques.

Work and community are two sides of the same coin in Frostspire. Children play in the snow-covered squares as their parents congregate around the crackling hearths in the evenings to tell stories.

The hardworking people go about their day maintaining herb gardens, making enchanted potions, and creating elaborate ice sculptures.

Built to endure the freezing temperatures, homes in Frostspire use a combination of insulated wood and stone. Peaked roofs let snow fall elegantly, and frosted designs adorn the windows.

Stews, roasted meats, and hot beverages are staples in the city's cuisine, which is perfect for braving the winter weather. Small restaurants with cozy fires and a heady scent of spices provide regional specialties like cold-water seafood and wild winter greens.

Shops abound in the market square, and they all have their special qualities. Blacksmiths create weapons from magical ice and local metals, and shops selling trinkets sell handcrafted talismans.

The herbalists offer frostbite remedies, while herb shops showcase a colorful assortment of hardy plants that can survive the cold weather.

Effortlessly, Nina had gathered all the essentials for the clan's remodeling and cleaning. They had also recruited laborers who, following some initial haggling, consented to carry out the renovations and repairs.

They didn't have to haggle over anything because Aizel had an infinite supply of gold coins. The workers, content with their deal, eagerly anticipated the upcoming tasks.

Those who beheld Aizel were astounded by the considerable wealth he possessed.

"Is there anything more we need now?" Aizel asked.

"Not for now; we have everything. Also, the workers will arrive at our clan after 2 hours." Nina replied.

"Then let's eat something, and then head back to the clan; it's too cold," Aizel said as he rubbed his arms in the warm long coat that he was wearing.

In the company of Nina, Aizel made his way to a quaint eatery. Succulent roasted meat and steamy stews were their orders.

While waiting for food to arrive, Aizel asked, "Why are there people living here in this weather?"

"There used to be a lot of people who joined our clan before. Along with families, friends, and some clan elders, they founded this city.

"The population was even more crowded before," Nina replied.

Aizel was able to understand what happened then.

At last, their meal came, and Aizel savored the smoky stew and roasted meat. Still, he couldn't help but spy a few people out of the corner of his eye.

He beheld the lightning badge insignia decorating their white-blue clothing.

[Master, I think they belong to a clan]

What the hell are they even doing here? As per Nina, Cherry Blossom is the only clan nearby."

[For now, Master, I think they are looking forward to rob you]

Hehe, they look pretty weak. This is good. Let's give this kid a little demonstration of our power. She will know who the real boss is."

[fufu, I am ready]

Upon completing their meal and settling the bill, Aizel and Nina exited the establishment.

On purpose, Aizel led them down a side street where there were fewer people. Sensing the presence of onlookers, Nina became nervous and clung tightly to Aizel as they proceeded.

Aizel could feel two more guys coming up from ahead of them, and two more men followed closely behind.

In a matter of minutes, the pair materialized.

Aizel stopped as they were getting close, so Nina quickly dove behind him for shelter.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I have never seen you before," one of them said.

"Me neither, so?"

"We will not make this any more difficult for you. Leave the girl and all the money you have behind, and you can leave," another person said.

"I don't have any more money. I spend all of it," AIzel replied.

"I know you are lying,"

"Does your clan know you do such things?" Aizel asked, rubbing his chin, looking pretty calm.

"Our clan…hahahaha.. One of them started laughing. "No one would know if they were not alive to report," the other replied with a smirk.

"Yeah, you are right. Your clan won't know if I kill you guys here too," Aizel replied.

"There is no need to talk with this guy, let's just kill him and take everything. We can share the girl later tonight,"

"Hihihi… I am in,"

They were closing in on Aizel from all sides as they advanced. Nina trembled with fear as Aizel promptly guided her towards the wall.

He stood there unarmed, prepared for their onslaught.

They began their confrontation, with one of them quickly punching Aizel in the face. But it was too slow for Aizel, who skillfully divebombed the punch and swiped his left leg, sending the attacker tumbling forward and face-first to the ground.

A second assailant then tried to wound Aizel with a water slash. Swiftly ducking, Aizel extended his five fingers. Instantly, five laser-like jets of water shot forth, penetrating the attacker's body with lethal precision.

One stream, specifically aimed at the head, brought a swift demise.

The other two assailants were so intimidated by this demonstration of strength that they froze in their tracks.

"H-he is a Grade III…

"Fuck.. We are screwed… run…"

Aizel kicked the head of the fallen one and quickly closed the distance between the others too.

He quickly landed punches on both attackers before calling forth two containers and stuffing them into their mouths.

In an instant, Aizel vanished from the scene, shielding Nina from the ensuing explosion that obliterated the heads of their adversaries.

"Y-you… you killed them… so fast," Nina said, she was still in shock.

"They were pretty weak,"

"They were Grade II Mages from Thundering Clan!"

"So what,?"

Nina looked completely stunned, as she gazed at the dead bodies lying around.

"We should leave quickly,"

"Bet,"

Keeping a low profile, they quickly left the area and made their way back to their clan.

The workers eventually showed up after some time had elapsed within the clan. They started their work right away once Nina directed them.

Meanwhile, Aizel located a tree in the ground area, where he sat down with his thick tome.

He spent the following seven days studying and practicing, making several nighttime trips back to Rias's palace.

Yet, something was bothering Sekki. Aizel seemed to be getting closer and closer to Rias, a development that Sekki didn't appreciate.

While aware of his master's penchant for taking advantage, there was an unsettling feeling at night when they slept together. 

It was as if a witch queen were delicately guiding her victim.

A week later, the clan's renovation and repairs were complete. The transformation had turned the clan into a much-improved version, making it easier to recruit mages now.

As they looked over the hard workers' labor, Nina and Aizel stood with their arms crossed.

"Good Work,"

"Thank you, Master," Nina replied.

During those days, Nina had come to acknowledge Aizel's skills, strength, and connections.

She saw him easily defeat Thundering Clan mages, and she knew he wasn't weak; the queen's blessing only made her think more highly of him.

Nina started to be very persistent, calling him "master" and telling him how much she wanted to improve as a student.

Aizel and Sekki reluctantly came to the conclusion that it could be beneficial to have someone to command.

"Now comes recruiting mages," Aizel said.

"Yes Master,"

"So how should we do it? Do we have to put a recruitment board or flyer in the Frostspire City?" Aizel asked, rubbing his chin.

"NO! We can't recruit losers from there. You have to visit some big cities and towns, and need to recruit some good mages from there," Nina replied.

"Hmm… how can we do that? I mean we still can't compete against other clans in terms of resources for now."

"In that, I can help you both," Randalf arrived there, as he looked around the clan with a broad smile.

"With you, we can easily recruit and start our journey," he said, stroking his beard.

"How so?" Aizel asked, looking confused.

"You have to defeat some other mages from the clan infornt of him and show them the power of Cherry Blossom.

"The new younglings will easily get tricked with this method," Randalf explained.

Umm… it's not a bad idea," Aizel thought.

[Master, we have seen this trick in many novels too. We can pull this off]

"For that, we need to do something that can create a bigger impact. Only then, the others will even think about joining us," Aizel said.

"We need to plan carefully," Nina also said.

"HMMMM… I might have something in my mind, haven't done this type of thing in ages hoho…" Randalf replied.

"Old dwarf definitely thinking some nasty things, Master," Nina whispered to Aizel.

"As long as, it works, I am in," Aizel replied.