"I shouldn't be here but….Pass! Pass!"
"Hoy! You lucked out on that one missy."
"I felt that one wasn't the one I wanted."
Grouped around a small floating table, a woman of small stature bit the tips of her nails while her distinct twin tails flopped around.
Engaged in what seemed to be a friendly game with some of the locals, the woman was unaware that the group she was waiting for was standing just a few steps behind.
"Is that the person we're looking for…?"
"Right on the dot."
"But…" March looked at the picture she was sent as she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I thought the divination commission were all serious like Fu Xuan…"
"Don't confuse the boss's personality with all of us! She's as accurate as a jade abcuses whenever she sees me slack— I mean taking a deserved break that she has to give me more work…"
The woman quickly turned her head to correct March's impression of the divination commission and immediately returned her attention to the board in front of her.
"Well my illusion was certainly broken alright…should we—-"
March was about to ask the others what they should do at this point but to her surprise, two people were missing alongside Welt who curiously followed them.
"Should she take one?"
"Maybe? But her pairs are not looking that good…"
Yuuto and Stelle looked past her shoulder and saw the tiles she currently had in her hands.
"Hey! I can't think of you whispering in my ear!! And I know I'm in a bad spot— AH! Triplet!"
""OH!!""
"Lady Qingque's luck is as good as ever— Triplet!!"
The old man who sat opposite of her suddenly shouted which made Qingque's face turn grim.
"She has to wait!"
"But wouldn't it be a waste to wait?"
"I agree she should but the chances that her opponent completes his pair before her is significantly higher…."
"Oi—!? I can't think with this peanut gallery behind me!"
Qingque felt like biting her nail off with the noise happening behind her but she managed to drown them out. As an experienced player who forged this relentless skill with the help of Fu Xuan's lectures.
This was nothing to her!
But the problem still stood that she was in a tight spot at the moment. Luckily for her, a voice of reason arrived just in time.
"Do it."
Like a devil on her shoulder tempting her to move her hand, Yuuto whispered.
"1 in 100? 1 in 1000? Or a 0.6% chance? Those numbers mean nothing to the spirit of a gambler."
"But the chance of failure is still there~~?" Stelle on the other side acted as the angel of reason but that meant nothing to the spirit of a former gacha player.
"But winning that chance will be worth it. Like having only one pull left and having no pity but the golden light finally dawns upon you that—-….."
"I'm going to need to stop you right there."
"Sorry, I was getting flashbacks for a second."
"...These voices are not helping much…"
With the mentions of 'pulls' and 'golden light' that she does not know of, Qingque finally decides to go with her guts and take the gamble.
Lifting the tile, she let out a smirk.
"Aha… Victory of yours truly~~!"
Puffing her chest forward, a wave of applause from both her opponents and guests she needed to guide into the Divinition Commission.
"Whew, I apologize for the wait honored guests and fellow brethren."
Qingque patted her uniform and sent a kindred look to both Yuuto and Stelle who had the potential to be expert Celestial Jade players based on what she heard during the match.
The risk for the reward and knowing when to strike. It was the true essence of what makes a good player.
Well, that was only her personal opinion but there can never be too many players so she didn't think too deeply.
"If you four are ready then shall we go to the dock and board a ship to the commission?"
"Is Tingyun going to come with us…?"
At that moment, Stelle remembered that their foxian guide had yet to arrive but Welt had an answer. "She had some business she needed to do so we'll meet her at the commission."
Stelle just took it at face value, sensing that her job was quite busy at this time but this didn't fly over Yuuto's head as he felt that there was something more happening.
'Hopefully, it's not related to this little one over here or something that will give us a headache later..'
Hidden tightly near his chest, the Starfire Poison hummed and looked up at Yuuto trying to understand what he was thinking. Feeling his troubled thoughts, it snuggled against his body in an act to cheer him up.
Yuuto couldn't help but feel touched at its cute act that he momentarily forgot that this was a presumed 'soul harming' poison and not some sort of harmless animal.
Sensing that everyone was alright with them going, Qingque led the way which was a lot quicker than what they imagined.
"I honestly thought you would be the type to take the long route but we came quicker than what I expected," March said seeing the long dock of boats located just outside the plaza.
"I've already done that in the past before but the boss already caught on. Now I'll get a slight pay reduction if I do it so it's not worth it anymore…"
Qingque looked heartbroken as she tried to remember those times. Being an expert in slacking whenever no one was looking, was just one of her various techniques.
But after making the fatal error of relaxing while her boss had a meeting right next door. She was threatened not only with a deducted pay but also an opportunity to be Fu Xuan's assistant for an entire month.
A sentence in her eyes that was worse than death.
Her ramblings continued even after entering the ship headed to the commission so the crew had no choice but to listen.
Feeling like she needed to get these complaints out of her system before they arrived.
Honestly, at this point, Yuuto felt like zoning out and he decided to lean back into his seat to nap but as he did so, he felt something soft touch his back.
Reaching into his seat to get rid of this object he finally found what was touching him.
"The heck is this?"
A doll wearing a distinct red kimono and half-oval eyes. The smile it had on its face was oddly realistic which didn't help but add a hint of creepiness to it.
The more he stared at it, the more he felt like it would jump out of his hands and attack him.
[Kyu?]
The Starfire Poison in his pocket eventually noticed the long exchange Yuuto was now having with the doll and it jumped out to see what the fuss was about.
For a brief moment, it joined the staring contest but feeling curious, it placed its paw on the doll's forehead.
Causing the doll to suddenly erupt into flames.
"Wha—!? Shi—Ah…."
Yuuto immediately let go out of instinct. Before he helplessly watched the doll fall out of the ship and disappear into a ball of blue flames.
"Why do I feel like I'm about to get haunted in my dreams for that?"
[Kyu Kyu?]
"No, you did nothing wrong. I just feel sorry for whoever that thing belongs to."
Remembering the horror movies he used to watch with his friends, dolls were not objects he wanted to be cursed by. Yes, he could always slice apart the dolls if they came at him.
But it still had that element that he preferred not to involve himself with.
"If it's the kind 'ghosts' I encountered at Jarilo-VI or Boo then I would be fine with that."
[Wuu.. I will protect.. you…]
"Thank you. I'll give you a treat later."
With Boo warming up to him and attempting to get more treats by coddling him, Yuuto and the others finally landed on the Divination Commission's dock.
Eerie, quiet, empty. These were just a few words that can be used to describe the location and this was more prominent after the emergence of the Stellaron.
"Are you sure we're allowed to be here..? It's a bit too…." March looked around and asked Qingque who was at the front.
"No worries~! The commission is usually like this. We're a bit busy doing divinations and sorting information at the moment so don't mind it!"
"So your coworkers are busy doing work then here you are…."
"Stop! Mind you I finish my work right on time! I just have a wee~ more free time than the average person."
Qingque turned her head after speaking her case and Stelle's sharp eyes continued to poke the back of her head.
Coming up to the large gate signifying the entrance of the commission, Qingque looked a bit confused at first when her pass didn't work but after trying a bit more. It still didn't work.
"Haha… I think they might be on lockdown at the moment… Let's check the side entrance just in case!"
With a detour set in place, the crew followed her but they couldn't help but notice that the carefree lady was a bit flustered at the moment.
"Yuuto."
"What?"
"Are floating fish a thing here?"
"A floating what?"
"Fish. Like the one Pom-Pom likes to eat sometimes."
Stelle looked off to the side and Yuuto followed along just to see a faint red koi fish swimming in the air before it disappeared behind the stone wall.
"Maybe it's a type of astral spirit the divination uses? I heard before that koi fish represent prosperity and good fortune."
It wouldn't be a surprise to him that these types of creatures were present since divination often used symbols representing different meanings. So seeing this type of creature didn't feel odd.
Stelle looked at the spot where the fish disappeared for a moment before catching up to the others who were ahead.
Passing through a series of gates that were unlocked with the combined effort of Qingque and Welt. They began to notice something a bit off.
"Hey…"
"Yes?"
"I feel like we've been past this area before." March raised a question that was on a few of their minds.
"Yeah, I feel like I've seen this rock formation at least five times already."
Stelle added while Welt silently scanned the surroundings.
Yuuto followed and feeling like something was off, he used [Clarity] to help him understand the situation.
The moment [Clarity] flowed into his eyes, an explosion of bright red filled his vision and a group of koi fish swam around them.
"What the… Qingque, does the Divination Commission have some sort of defensive device that traps intruders?"
"There are defense formations in place but they shouldn't react to us due to my presence alongside the pass that I have with me."
Qingque also felt something was off since the distance they took was a bit longer than what she remembered. At first, she thought it was just her forgetting what the commission looked like.
But seeing this very clear difference in what she remembered. This was not on her.
Welt, who was raising his hand to feel the air, suddenly lowered his cane and adjusted his glasses.
"It appears we've been trapped in an illusion."
"Not this type of thing again…"
Stelle suddenly covered her face remembering her time on that battlefield when she fought against the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI. A rather memorable time filled with blood and moments where she felt like her fingers would fall off.
"Wait, we have company."
Yuuto snapped his neck backward sensing a slight change in energy and a figure emerged from the wave of koi fish.
"What the… why are you here!?"
Long white hair and eyes covered by a black blindfold. A dangerous atmosphere radiated off her as she pointed her sword at them.
"That sword looks familiar… Do you know her—-"
"Hurry and dodge her attack!!"
—BOOOOM
Yuuto shouted and pulled out his sword to block the sharp blade headed towards his head and the pressure from the strike transferred to the floor beneath him.
His foot sunk into the ground and he rotated his wrist to navigate through the strikes that were about to be done.
"Why are you attacking us now?"
"....."
"No reply, huh."
Feeling like something was off with Jingliu, he lowered his waist and launched a swift back kick to her chest followed by lines of moonlight aiming at her weak points.
The 'Jingliu' took the chance to create some distance and this was enough time for Yuuto to use [Clarity].
"No flow of life and no [Nexus] as well… is this just a copy of her? But the attacks feel just as realistic…"
This alongside the use of moonlight she was now using to attack Stelle and March, he thought this was a rather genuine imitation of Jingliu.
An imitation at best.
"Stelle, move forward and I'll protect you."
"How can I do that if she's aiming to dice me apart!?"
"Just trust me!"
Holding her lance instead of her usual bat, Stelle looked at the ground, and seeing the countless marks made by her sword, she just swallowed nervously.
"I-I'm used to Yuuto's sword so I'm not afraid of you!"
Holding the handle close to her chest she began running and a deep amber flame covered her as he rushed towards Jingliu.
The target in question attempted to move her foot forward to counterattack but her body refused to move from her spot. As if the space refused to let her go.
Not only that, two tall spears began to lodge themselves into the ground causing a heavy wind to keep her in place.
"I'll shield you too!" March also raised her finger again after sensing Yuuto joining in after Welt's support and raised her bow to add her own special part.
"[Ilumine]"
"Explode!"
An explosion of fire and sharp strands of moonlight converged onto the Jingliu imitation causing both Yuuto and Stelle to fly back.
They were fine thanks to March's shield and a large crater was now the only thing left of the attack.
"Is she gone now?"
"Nope, it would take more to defeat her with that."
"Huh?"
Stelle let out a strange noise after hearing what he said and watched as a figure gracefully walked through the air and landed just a few steps away from them.
Yuuto looked at the imitation Jingliu and saw how she looked fine on the outside but looking deeper, he noticed that there was a small crack in the center of her chest.
Which began to quickly mend back together as if it wasn't there in the first place.
'It was a good idea to add [Clarity] to [Illumine] just in case but this was too slow.'
Providing support in the back using [Ice Edge] to disrupt her movements while Welt and Stelle took turns trying to break her assault, Yuuto seriously thought of using [Golden Sun] to switch up his methods of attack.
There was also them needing to meet Fu Xuan so they could see the interrogation process so the illusion problem was still present.
All of a sudden, Yuuto waved his hand interrupting his thoughts and a wave of mist covered his front sensing a crescent sent out by Jingliu was rapidly approaching him.
Well, from another Jingliu that began to gradually form.
"You have got to be kidding me..."
Gathering moonlight into his sword, he started exchanging blows with the second Jingliu and his train of thought switched from thinking on how to escape to how he should deal with the person in front of him.
'I should probably change up the way I use my blade so that…. wait blade…'
Letting a flicker of fire rise from his right hand, an idea suddenly popped up in his head and he began [Clarity] with more effort.
Past the illusion, past the koi fish. He remembered that there was an individual who 'broke' out of the Shackling Prison and waited for Kafka to become free.
"Found you."
A slight grin formed on his face as he saw a man holding a sword with his eyes closed and shouted to Qingque who was hiding behind a rock.
"Can you give me your pass that leads us into the Divination Commission."
"Ah! S-sure."
Yuuto deflected Jingliu's blade and by creating a small opening, he released his mist to form a tall wall of crystal and grabbed the object Qingque threw at him.
Yuuto instantly used [Archive] on the jade pendant he was given and the memory of the energy signature entered his mind.
"Can you guys hold her off for a few more seconds!"
"It looks like you found something. Go ahead, We'll keep her busy."
Welt waved his hand and three fissures appeared in the space surrounding Jingliu which kept her occupied. While March and Stelle joined together to fend off against the second Jingliu.
Providing Yuuto with enough time.
His sword that was thin began to grow and instead of moonlight, a fierce golden flame appeared which wrapped around the edge of his weapon.
"Hot!! Seriously, that is burning my skin!?"
Qingque immediately moved away from Yuuto as fast as she could, sensing that her youthful skin would permanently get damaged.
[Kyu? Kyu!!]
While Yuuto was concentrating on finding the treads connecting this whole illusion, the Starfire Poison felt a familiar energy where it popped out of Yuuto's pocket and ran to his sword.
Its fox-like appearance faded and the golden flames now contained a tinge of blue within them.
[Golden Sun] + [Illumine]
The energy gathered within the blade surged and Yuuto swung it horizontally causing the space to crack and leave behind an area that was different from the one they were in.
"Everyone just run into the fissure!!"
Following his shout, Welt clenched his fist and a heavy pressure landed on Jingliu causing her to kneel and the three ran after Yuuto and Qingque who was ahead.
"Now for you to enjoy yourself."
His sword still searing with flames, created one more slash and another fissure in the illusion appeared. One that connected to a man who opened his blood-red eyes.
"Goodluck! I'll pass it off to you alright? Try to get some revenge this way!"
A band of moonlight shot forward and wrapped around the man's waist and he was launched into the area where 'Jingliu' was.
—WOOOSH
"Oww!? G-Get off me! You're too heavy!!"
"Rude! I've been eating less than usual just to let you know!"
Falling through the sky and landing on his feet, Yuuto saw how March and Stelle began arguing while Welt patted his coat of all the dust that landed on it.
"Halt Intruders! State your business with the Divination Commission."
While they were collecting themselves after a fast escape from the illusion, they were suddenly surrounded by Cloud Knights who pointed their spears at the sudden visitors.
"Stand down. They are my visitors."
Luckily a familiar voice passed through the air and Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes seeing the state the crew were in.
"I'm usually strict with protocols but seeing the form you are all in, something out of the ordinary must have happened."
"Yes, Lady Fu Xuan! T-There was first a loop that lasted time I couldn't count to a scary woman swinging her sword at us!! A-And a hole appeared in the air then—"
"That is enough Qingque. I will take it from here and ask them what exactly happened. You can take a break."
"....No way, you're telling me to take a break..? Surely I'm still stuck in that illusion right—"
"Go before I change my mind."
"Yes!!"
Fu Xuan rubbed the center of her eyes, after watching Qingque run off and turned towards the crew who were watching the whole scene.
"By the lines of fate falling around you, you four must have encountered a strange event attempting to come here."
"Strange is an understatement."
March mumbled and Fu Xuan nodded. Tapping the jade pendant on her waist, a hologram of a man appeared and his carefree smile greeted them.
[Do you mind if we know what happened?]
***
Honestly had one of the worse class shedules I've had in a while. But Herta's face card is giving me energy so I can manage. She honestly looked so good that I folded so fast.