Emperor's Reckoning

The town was bustling with chatters like usual. The market had an uplifting atmosphere and the people there were living their normal lives. Cultivators from various regions started to notice this part of the world not because of Garuda but because of the youth that broke the structure of power.

His name was spread from mouths to mouths and his feat left a legacy that could not be compared. A chance of a meeting was like winning a lottery. The man was obviously busy but the cultivators won't be defeated for he was a gold mine. Building a relationship with him would not only be worthwhile but also secure their future. 

Lyon was a young man that managed to do the impossible. Just being his friends' friends would benefit them greatly. However, a chance of meeting him had now seemed becoming more impossible than before. Yet, they didn't know that the very man they wished to seek a meeting with was actually in the middle of the bustling town.

"Heh, can't believe I have to put on a disguise in this town, I feel like it was two days ago that I could walk here normally without worries," sighed Lyon.. "How did he even find this cloak anyway?"

"Assid always takes good care of the household, master," said Graham with a nod.

"Can't argue with that, I mean, this is just a traveler's cloak but it smells really nice," said Lyon. "Kesya, why are you looking at me like that?"

Kesya was rising one of her eyebrows as she let out a teasing smile. "Lord Lyon can just open up a portal and be out of the city no problem. However, he decided to walk instead and then complained about it. However, I know that you must have a justified reason to hide your wicked reason."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," said Lyon before he turned his glance against the one leading in front. "Hey, hurry up!"

"Y-Yes!" said the lower rank cultivator from Legion. (But you are the one forcing me to go through the red light district!) shouted him inwardly. He knew better, talking back against him would only result in his immediate death. He also had heard that he knew a way to force out people's memory with the consequence of death being high. He could only swallow the bitter fate and be more grateful that he was still breathing. His colleagues were all dead without single mercy.

Getting past those people was an easy feat for the four of them. Not a single eye caught on Lyon's face under the thick brown veil. They might catch their eyes but the three of them exude a dangerous aura, thus playing a big part as to no one dare to approach them.

Reaching out toward the outskirts of the town he saw two guards. The two people would undoubtedly question them and made them take off their veils.

"Crap, is the guards," muttered Lyon. "Kesya, do you bring any beads with you?"

Kesya raised her eyebrows, "No?"

"Graham?"

"I'm sorry, master."

Lyon narrowed his eyes. (I forgot, I didn't pay these guys). He had never saved some beads nor even tried to look for them. He only got golds which were invaluable in the present part of the world. (I was rich there now I'm broke).

"No need to worry about this," commented Kesya.

Lyon furrowed his eyebrows but Kesya didn't say a word. Her smile made him curious as they inched closer to the gate. She didn't make any movement at all thus Lyon averted his glance toward the two guards instead.

The man leading them was somehow worried about things escalating to a certain extreme. However, Kesya pushed his back to keep walking forward.

One of the guards glanced at the man before nodding. The latter nervously nodded in response. Not a word was exchanged as the guards let them pass without creating any trouble. 

"Heh," Lyon smirked. He didn't know how Kesya did it but she did it. The smile on her face and the peace sign she showed was in contrast to Kesya the guild leader.

The merchants carrying their goods and were lining from the other lane were looking at the three figures that wore a cloak. 

"Excuse me."

Lyon furrowed his eyebrows before the one leading the way answered, "Y-Yes?"

The man that was excusing himself was one of the merchants. He wore the typical smile of a merchant and rubbed his hands together as a symbol of negotiation. 

(Look at those three powerful figures! This man is loaded!) thought the merchant as his eyes couldn't anymore be narrow. 

"My name is Ragil, I'm a merchant that's about to open up a shop here in this Garuda City. I sold various items but mainly pieces of jewelry of old and sublime. I sold gemstones that will stark your already powerful bearing to a new height. Brought royalty to your noble self."

"I didn't mean to be an, excuse my word, ass-licker. However, I can greatly see the val-  *Ehem! I mean the power that you are exuding! You must be a powerhouse, a man of importance!"

Ragil the ass-licker merchant took a glance at the three figures in the back.

"Yes, yes there is no doubt in my mind. You are really powerful (and loaded). Your bodyguards appeared to be strong and fierce."

The man's eyes opened wide in horror as his heart almost snapped the moment he heard Ragil say Lyon, Kesya, and Graham were his bodyguards.

"So how about it? I will give you a special twenty percent off!" said Ragil as he smiled with his eyes closed. (With this twenty percent off I might not make as much as I originally make but with this fella wearing my jewelry it was only a matter of time before the other nobles started to swarm my shop!) he smiled inwardly.

"Ack!"

The man grabbed Ragil by the collar before lifting him up off his feet. The merchants gasped in horror but the guards didn't react like they were described to on their job desc. They were furrowing their eyebrows instead. 

"T-Thirty! How about thirty percent sir?! I-I mean noble one!" said the merchant before he opened his eyes. His pupils only constricted the moment he saw that furious creasing face.

"You better shut your mouth!"

"Eek!" the merchant squealed like a pig.

"Any more word and I will punch your throat to your bladder!" 

The man himself was drenched in a cold sweat. One of the three people behind him could tear a hole in his back without much-needed effort yet this crazy merchant was digging up his grave and almost completing it with a tombstone.

"Screw off!" the man threw Ragil to the ground.

Ragil immediately turned into a scared cat as he ran to his carriage with tails between his legs.

"Keep going," Kesya muttered.

The man had a cold shiver running down his spine as he heard the voice. He was initially going to turn around and kowtowed but her words made him abolish the idea.

He nodded before walking forward. The stiffness in his muscle was visible but the onlooking merchants didn't dare to whisper a comment.

Soon they disappeared from everyone's view. Lyon was the first one to pull out his veil.

"Pwah! It sure is uncomfortable, the only veil I need is a beautiful woman's lips," muttered Lyon as his face was a bit dejected. 

"Hahaha!" Kesya laughed while Graham made no comment.

The man soon kowtowed and apologize, "I'm sorry! Forgive me Venerable One!"

Lyon waved his hand as he squatted, "I don't mind, but I have a question Kesya."

"Huh?" Kesya raised one of her eyebrows.

"How did you do it?" asked Lyon. The guards back then didn't even question their getups and why they hide their faces. The Garuda City was not a free city that was the home of criminals. It was an upright city with the gallant noble as their ruler.

"Assid had already taken the necessary prerequisite beforehand," said Kesya with a nod.

"Really?" Lyon raised his eyebrows before nodding a couple of times. "Wait a minute how did he know which gate are we going through?"

Kesya smiled a grin, "There is only one red-light district in the city."

"I-I see," said Lyon as his mouth and eyebrow twitched.

Graham looked at the man that was leading the way, "So where are we heading?"

"Ah... yes, we will have to cross the gate of worlds in the south. From there on we must cross the sea and enter an island that was crossed off of the map, right on the bottom left corner of the map in fact."

"Heh," Lyon smirked. "That sounds like a hidden quest in those RPG games."

"Huh?" The man raised his eyebrows.

"RPG games? What is that?" asked Kesya as she tilted her head and her ears stood straight to the sky.

"It's a game where you..." Lyon looked at the elf, the half-giant, and the human in front of him. (Well, this is going to be hard to explain). "Nah just forget it! I will tell you when I'm bored."

Lyon leaped toward the south before leaving them. 

"Oh c'mon!" said Kesya before she followed her lord. Graham picked the man to the latter's surprise before following the two of them.