After a couple hours of swimming, i made it back to shore and took the teigus from Sergei before giving him the new mission of tracking down a bandit base near the lake where the jaegers would storm. I need to see how powerful they actually are this would be a good test of strength for Spear and the others. Of course Victor would be there in case Esdeath decides to get serious and bail them out before they get turned into human popsicles. It was around 7am when i got back and i had some knights round up everybody for a meeting. Spear came first with Chouri following her and then Sayo dragging a drowsy Ieyasu into the room with Sheele being the last to arrive. I already made some blins for breakfast as they sit at the table to have some.
Me: Ah now that you're all awake i believe you should introduce yourselves to each other.
Chouri: I'm Chouri, the former prime minister and that over there is my daughter Spear who was an Imperial temple disciple. We were going to join the revolutionary until the three beasts were sent after us and joined Yosif after he extended an invitation to us.
Sayo: I'm Sayo and the knucklehead next to me is Ieyasu. We're fighters from our village headed to the capital to make a living but we were tricked and tortured by some nobles and joined Yosif after he saved us.
Sheele: You may have already seen me, i'm Sheele of Night Raid and i joined Yosif to fight for a better tomorrow.
Me: Great, with that out of the way let's start with questions some of you may have.
Chouri: I would like to know the specifics of my role at the moment. I understand that you chose me for politics but that's after the war is over is it not? So what am i to do at the time?
Me: We could use a tactician and given your wisdom i'd say you're a perfect fit.
Ieyasu: Have you perhaps found Tatsumi yet?
Me: Oh he's with Night Raid, if you want details then ask Sheele.
Sayo: Wait Tatsumi has been with you Sheele?
Sheele: Yes though how do you two know him?
Ieyasu: We came from the same village and we all set out together to make money for our home. We got separated on the way and lost Tatsumi. Sayo and i were later tricked by a bunch of nobles and a little shit called Aria then they tortured us for days.
Sheele: Aria...Oh so you were back there when we raided the mansion...but you both looked dead Tatsumi found you not to mention how an executioner showed up...how are you alive?
Sayo: Ummm...actually Yosif how are we alive?
Me: Well this mask isn't that far off from my real face *removes mask* I can do more than just throwing fireballs and hurling lightning bolts, healing your wounds is just child play to me. And yes, both the executioners and angels of death are made by me though their real names are endless paladins and endless phantoms.
Sheele: Oh...i was wondering how the endless acted with such coordination...now i know.
Sayo/Ieyasu: None of you are surprised by this?
Chouri: Yosif has already showed me and Spear his identity when we first met.
Sheele: And i don't see what's wrong with Yosif being like that.
Me: I thought you guys would notice by now actually, Victor is also similar to me and you have been training with him for several weeks now.
Sayo: He is?
Me: He's a sort of um...embodiment of flames like a spirit inside a suit of armor much like another of my associate, Sergei. So is everybody satisfied with their answers so far *they all nod*. Then let's move on to the next subject, your equipment.
Sheele: Oh right you did ask me to find a weapon type that suits me since Extase isn't here and i think that i'm most familiar with daggers.
Me: Sure i'll try to find you a quality pair and as for you three, i have a small surprise for you. *plops a heavy sack on the table*
Sayo: What's in those?
Me: Teigus which you three will be using assuming that they accept you.\
Ieyasu: YES! Ooooh that axe looks nice *lifts Belvaac* a little heavy but i think i can work with it.
Me: I was intending to assign that to you to begin with, give it a few swings, if nothing bad happens then that means the weapon accepts you as its user oh and the axe's special ability is that you can split it into 2 axes which will never stop until they are caught or hit the opponent you were throwing at. Sayo you'll have Scream, you don't really need to learn how to play a flute to use it but this can also be used as a melee weapon, you'd need one as an archer when the enemy gets to close to you. Spear being the opposite of Sayo lacks range so i'm giving you Black Marlin, it can controls water to your will.
Everybody tests the newfound abilities of their weapons with Sheele being...jealous? I can't really tell with how spaced out she looks but there's definitely something there. Ieyasu swings his axe a little too hard and nearly cut the table in half while Sayo bops him on the head with Scream for being a reckless moron. Spear picks up a flower pot and move the water inside it using Black Marlin. So far no one has been rejected and Chouri begin taking notes on everybody individual strong suit. A little scribbling later and he has devised a general tactic for the team. Sheele is given instructions on some flanking maneuvers, Sayo was given some notes about ambushing, Ieyasu got a few tips about being unpredictable and Spear didn't anything much because of Black Marlin's versatility.
Me: Oh right now that you have your weapons here's your uniforms. *a knight walks in and place several black black cloaks on the table* (if you're wondering how they look like then imagine organization 13 cloaks only these have a purple skull on the back) They may not look like much but i have enchanted each of them to be able to withstand a lot of damage. They're also fireproof ,waterproof and shockproof. Still that is no excuse for you to be reckless so yeah don't go charging in thinking you're invincible *cough *cough* Ieyasu *cough *cough*.
Sheele: This feels a little cold.
Me: Yea the enchantments have that side effect, i couldn't figure out how to fix it so i just left it there, shouldn't be much of a bother.
Sayo: Soooooo...now what?
Me: Sergei is going to train you in using your teigu for a while and then your first mission will be facing the Jaegers, an imperial police force made of other users. They may outnumber you with Esdeath being present there so both Sergei and Victor will keep an eye on the fight. Your goal is just to rough them up a bit and let yourself be known. Chouri i'll leave you in charge of a knight squad, there's a journal in my room with the basic description of their abilities, see if you can further develop some strategies. I'm going to see if i can learn anything from Esdeath in the tournament she's hosting.
[The arena]
Weird odors, incoherent cheering and potential pickpockets...fitting for a medieval colosseum i suppose. I can't help question on how the fuck nobody suspects Leone and Lubbock sitting among the audience, their ridiculous outfits stick out like a sore thumb. I thought that the fights seemed boring in Esdeath's eyes but now that i see it for myself i'd rather wrestle someone for a refund then watch this pathetic show. Finally it was Tatsumi's turn as he walks on stage with the minotaur guy thing? What the hell is he even supposed to be anyway? Blah Blah Blah trash talk aaaanndd.....Tatsumi whooped his ass. Will Esdeath still fall for Tatsumi with all the changes i made to the timeline? If her blush was any indication then yes, i guess something never change. I felt a little bad seeing Tatsumi being dragged away then again i think that it's best to get Tatsumi to accept Esdeath as his lover. Sharing will NEVER be a problem with Esdeath seeing as how she never got educated about love. Time to shift the plans into gears.
[With Tatsumi and the Jaegers in the mountains]
Esdeath: We're here everybody, the bandits base is just up ahead.
Run: How should we proceed?
Seryu: Justice always fight fair i say we charge in through the front door!
Kurome: Um guys...
Esdeath: What is it Kurome?
Kurome: All the bandits are dead.
True to Kurome's words the gates were already busted down and the entire base is aflame with 4 figures wearing black cloaks standing in front of it. The 4 slowly turn towards the Jaegers and ready their own weapons.
Figure 1(Ieyasu): Hah to think we got 2 birds with one stone.
Wave: Who are you people?
Figure 2(Sayo): We're the Legion's finest and we...will eliminate you.
Figure 3(Spear) starts the battle by gathering water from the nearby lake sending a tsunami at the Jaegers. Esdeath freezes it as the rest of the Jaegers move in. Run and Bols are after Ieyasu, Wave and Kurome are fighting Spear and Sayo while Seryu with Stylish's soldiers fights Sheele (quick reminder, Stylish is just support so he can't really fight without the danger beast serum and the current Seryu doesn't have any mechanical enhancements. Oh and Esdeath will not recognize Victor or Sergei as she rarely saw them at all and the times she does see them, they were wearing cloaks in public) Using Mastema to his advantage, Run stay mobile in the air away from Ieyasu's reach as Bols suppress him with fire. Ieyasu was already briefed about Rubicante's power so he decided to take a gamble. Against Bols' prediction, Ieyasu dashes right through the fire unfazed while tossing Belvaac at Run barely nicking the edge of his wings. Meanwhile, Wave and Kurome who has summoned Apeman were having a hard time landing a hit on both Spear and Sayo. Kurome couldn't approach without being heavily affected by Scream and Wave can't get too close with Grand Chariot or he will ripped to shreds by Black Marlin. He has already seen how the danger beast got turned into minced meat within seconds and he sure as hell isn't going to test his luck. Stylish's soldiers were nothing more than training dummies. Sheele's superior speed and reflexes let her easily moves between each of them and all it took was a precise cut in the artery to kill them. Since she has fought Sryu before, Sheele has adapted to all of her moves and even Koro's attacks. Eventually, Sheele disarmed Seryu of her tonfa guns and tore enough chunks out of Koro to immobilize him. Seryu tried to order Koro to go in berserker mode but Sheele got to her first and clamps a hand over her mouth while her other hand draws a dagger to Seryu's neck. Seryu's struggling was in vain as Sheele's grip gets tighter and tighter until a small drops of blood start trickling down as Seryu was filled with fear. Seeing this Esdeath decides to intervene and she would've gotten Sheele if not for Victor teleporting in to block her strike.
Victor: The lord requires your presence, we have wasted enough time here.
Ieyasu: aww man i was just getting started.
Sayo: Oh shut up you big baby.
Spear: This is not over Jaegers.
Sheele: Next time you won't be as lucky. *gets teleported away by Victor with the others*
Esdeath: Is everybody alright?
Run: My wings are a bit damaged but they should heal in time.
Stylish: Don't fret, my soldiers are quite expendable.
Seryu: I'm fine captain, just a small scrape.
Wave: Who were those people?
Esdeath: My guesses are that they're the elites working for whoever is in control of the monsters.
Bols: But how did they find us?
Tatsumi: Maybe they didn't? *everybody looks at him*
Tatsumi: I mean the first guy did say something about two birds with one stone maybe they were here for the bandits and didn't expect us?
Esdeath: Quite plausible but i don't understand their goals and what they gain in killing some common thugs.
Kurome: I think i've heard of their teigus before but weren't those three in the possession of the empire?
Esdeath: They were...until the three beasts received them. The fact that they have it meaning those bastards have something to do with the three beasts' death.
Seryu: What are we going to do now captain?
Esdeath: For now we return to headquarters, i need to make a few calls. If we're going to take this legion on then we will need A LOT of extra help.
Total inventory:
Grenade launcher
Venus Magnum
Ascended Wraith set
Primordial's wrath: Damascus
Almighty Five Sights: Spectator
Diadem of supreme arcane might
15 copper 53 silver 38998 gold
Current familiars:
- Sergei the Armor Demon
- Victor the Soul Of Cinder