"I'm coming."
Asahi opened the door. Standing before him was a girl clad in Imperial Guard armor, her brown hair tied in a ponytail. She happened to be the Teigu user he had once sent fleeing—Seryu, was it?
She wasn't alone. She led a small creature that looked quite amusing, had he not seen its true form that night. Behind her, a squad of about a dozen Imperial Guards stood in formation.
"Apologies for the intrusion, we are looking for—"
Seryu suddenly went tongue-tied, swallowing hard. She felt an invisible pressure emanating from this man—a sense of dread that made her feel uneasy.
The soldiers behind her couldn't see Seryu's expression, but Asahi noticed the abnormality. Tapping his fingers against the doorframe, he spoke with a show of impatience.
"Hey, Imperial Guard. If you have something to say, say it quickly. Do you have any idea that you just interrupted my sleep?"
"Ah, yes! My apologies!"
Seryu snapped out of it, hurriedly bowing her head in apology. Then, she suddenly questioned herself—why had she done that? This man was clearly just an ordinary citizen, wasn't he?
To mask her awkwardness, she took a deep breath and stated her business clearly.
"Sir, we are the Imperial Guard currently pursuing Night Raid. We have information that Night Raid is hiding in this area. We request to search your premises; we guarantee nothing will be disturbed!"
"Kiu kiu!!"
Seryu saluted in a military fashion, and the small beast Coro performed the same movement. From the outside, they truly looked like a cute guard duo.
Of course, that was if one ignored that night—the "pleasant" Seryu with a crazed face and the monstrous, savage giant Coro. Asahi added silently in his heart.
"Alright, come in."
"Thank you very much!"
The search of the shop began. Asahi leaned against the wall, maintaining a relaxed posture. The ordinary soldiers weren't worth worrying about; his only concern was whether that beast could track scents like a dog. If it could, things would be quite troublesome.
He had already treated the area to mask odors, but even so, if Coro got too close to Tatsumi and Bulat, they would still be found. What was the point of erasing smells and tracks when the source was right there?
Fortunately, for some reason, Seryu didn't go up to the second floor herself, but only ordered ten soldiers to head up and investigate.
Asahi breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that he had caught Seryu's attention. Not because of any suspicious signs, but because of his reaction to the Imperial Guard. Unlike normal citizens who always acted fearful, Asahi behaved very naturally.
Moreover, the apprehension Seryu felt toward Asahi upon their first meeting left her feeling a bit bewildered.
"No, he's just an ordinary citizen! What are you thinking, Seryu?"
Seryu shook her head, dismissing that dread as a mere hallucination. By the time she had composed her thoughts, the search of the residence had concluded. Naturally, the guard squad found nothing.
"Apologies for this sudden inspection. We hope for your understanding."
"It's fine."
The bland conversation ended quickly, and the guard squad departed. Seryu was the last to leave, casting a final glance back at the now-closed shop door.
Certain that the danger had passed, Asahi went upstairs and opened a room door. Immediately, Tatsumi and Bulat jumped down from the top of a wardrobe.
The Invisibility Cloak could only help hide the wearer's form; if touched, they would be discovered all the same. Thus, the two had climbed onto the top of a tall wooden wardrobe to hide rather than crawling under the bed or huddling in a corner, as the risk of bumping into a searching soldier was very high.
"Phew! We made it! Brother Asahi, I didn't expect you to be able to pull out such a miraculous item!"
Starting from the healing box and now the Invisibility Cloak, Asahi never ceased to surprise him. Tatsumi was overjoyed, while Bulat, though not showing it as clearly, let out a relieved sigh and offered a gentle smile.
He and Tatsumi had successfully eliminated the dangerous opponents, the Three Beasts, and returned in one piece. Bulat could ask for nothing more.
"Asahi, thank you."
"It's nothing, Bulat."
Now they just needed to return to the Night Raid base. However, both Tatsumi and Bulat were in a weakened state, and the patrols outside were too numerous.
"Too many patrols? No problem. You two just need to wait for the situation to become chaotic, then make your exit."
Asahi turned to leave. While Tatsumi was still dazed and confused, Bulat quickly reached out to stop him.
"Asahi! You don't have to do this! It's too risky!"
How would the current situation become chaotic? Naturally, someone would have to stir it up, and that someone was none other than him. Even as he stopped Asahi, Bulat felt bewildered. Why had Asahi decided on such a dangerous course of action?
"You can't!"
Tatsumi had also reacted by now. He absolutely could not let Asahi go; the man had already done more than enough. Asahi knew what the two were thinking and began to speak without turning back.
"Among the officials murdered, one was an acquaintance of mine. He... was a good official. But he was beheaded, and his daughter was skinned alive. All because of some bullshit conspiracy to frame you Night Raid members."
"I can't sit still and watch those people be trampled. I want those sitting up there to have the names of the innocents they murdered etched into their brains!"
"The Governor and Liana didn't deserve that!"
Whoosh!
A suit of pitch-black armor suddenly appeared, covering Asahi's entire body, topped with a dark windbreaker. He gave Tatsumi a thumbs-up.
"You did well, Tatsumi."
"Brother Asahi..."
He vanished from the coffee shop. Tatsumi drew his sword, intending to call upon Teigu Incursio to help, but a wave of pain washed over his body. He slumped down, clutching his chest, only to be supported by Bulat.
"Tatsumi, you must trust Asahi."
Bulat didn't know much about Asahi, but he was certain the man wasn't foolish enough to throw his life away. That was the truth; Asahi held trump cards to ensure his survival. The purpose of this assault wasn't victory, but exactly what he had said. He simply wanted those sitting on high to realize they shouldn't casually decide the fates of others and treat them like trash.
"Come on."
He took a deep breath. Choosing not to apply his usual stealth tactics, he appeared directly in front of the Imperial soldiers. He lunged straight into the crowd, his movements as fluid as flowing water. Every strike landed precisely on the soldiers' vitals, causing them to fall like mown grass. The current Asahi was far too powerful compared to these men who did nothing but wander around the capital all day, those who had grown accustomed to leisure.
"You... who are you?! Why are you attacking us?!"
"Reinforcements! Reinforcements! Quickly, call for reinforcements!"
Asahi stood before the terrified squad, with others already lying scattered all over the place behind him.
"What a familiar feeling."
Asahi charged forward. A single chop to the neck neutralized a soldier's fighting capacity. The surrounding guards formed a perimeter, yet they huddled together in fear.
"Alright. Who's first?"
Asahi twisted his body to warm up, followed by a provocative beckoning gesture.