Further answers.

“Now, “ began Akai, “I know we have already spoken a lot, so let's make this brief. How did you evade our detection.”

“I didn't really evade you, I didn't know you existed. But what I know is that when we engage we enter a field separated from reality. There we can fight without restrain, we call it the field.”

Akai frowned and thought for some moments.

“Can you call them at will?”

“No, only when I am confronted by enemies.”

“I see. That brings us to the next question then, where did you practice to be so good at fighting without triggering our wards?”

“Wards?”

“If you don't know what that is then it is nearly confirmed that the Blues are behind this. Only them and the youkai have the means to fool our wards. Or maybe someone completely different, hmm?”

“You think it's the Cult?” Asked Gaius.

“Maybe. Though I'd like to believe the Boss would be intelligent enough to avoid them.”

“Who is the Boss? And the Blues?”

“The Blue Leaders are this city’s gang. The sole one since the Boss came ten years ago and unified all the petty criminals back then. He has been a thorn in our side since then. He is slippery and strong, in the Waning Moon only I can battle him.”

“Alright. The Cult?”

“You don't want to know. And aren't allowed yet for that matter. Sorry but we must have our secrets.”

“No problem!” She waved her hands wildly in front of her. “I understand, I am even surprised you are so open. I kinda expected…”

“Men in black? Killing to uphold the masquerade? Such methods are behind us, if someone learns of us we simply make sure they don't spread it, if that fails we wipe their memories. You are right in some other countries, and some cities indeed, are harsher. Like the Shinjuku Militia, ever since the Phantom City incident they have grown paranoid.

But enough about that I have more questions. So we have how it works and how you avoid detection, now we need to know how you work.”

“How we work?”

“What kind of community have you formed.”

“That’s… complicated. Let me begin from the end. Right now we have players disguised in three camps.

First the guilders, while there are no official guilds we do have unofficial ones. However since they are unofficial we don't have many, only three. The Brotherhood, which despite its name accepts women, I think they chose that name because it was cool. They enforce the rules, which I will speak of later. They are small but powerful since all but three of the tankers support it, myself included. The Midas, which is a dumb name if you know the actual legend, that makes its goal making as much money as possible. They are the most numerous since most of the players do it for money. Finally the Colosseum, also stupid since gladiators were more actors than fighters, which make it’s goal fighting powerful enemies.

I may belong to the first and last ones. Midas has just numbers since all powerful tankers kinda are richer than they can spend already. The Colloseum has few members but they are powerful. The Brotherhood is still the most powerful one.”

For a while already Kotone had been squirming a little, having great curiosity. Akai noticed this and signaled her to speak.

“Sorry to interrupt but how do you know those names are stupid? I thought most Japanese weren't exactly aware of European myth and legend.”

Kozue blushed and mumbled someone beneath her breath. When she realised she wasn't heard and had to speak louder she blushed even more.

“I may have an European fetish. Kinda.” She brought the thumb and index fingers of her right hand nearly together. “But only a little.”

Kotone smiled mischievously.

“Is that so? Hey Master, weren't you European?”

“Kotone this is an interrogation, contain your instincts. Though I'd also like to know the answer for that question.”

Gaius made a point of staring at Akai really hard. It was then that Akai laughed and tried to wave away his little admission.

“Just quriosity about my friend’s romantic possibilities.”

“Sixteen or fifteen, nineteen to be twenty in a month.”

“Just three years to five years of difference. But we digress, what are the other kinds of players?”

“Right! And I have a fetish for culture not Europeans!” She exclaimed, happy that conversation had ended already. “So next are the independents, they are those that are not part of a guild or have small groups, too small to be considered one of the guilds.

“Finally we have the PKs. “At these words she breathed in and clenched her hands. “While we call them PKs they are more like those that use their powers for crime and break the rules. They are difficult to control and we don't really have ways of imprisoning them so we just put curses on them and hope they are intelligent enough not to commit crimes again. The effects of the curses are nasty. The least grave one is boils around the, ehem, sensible bits of the body.”

The wince was universal.

“What? We had to find effective curses.”

“No we have not a problem with curses, just that the location is…”

Kozue’s face turned sheepish and she looked away.

“Yes I get that. I only need to speak about the rankers and the rules.

The rules are simple. Don't commit any crime except money laundering since we need that one. Don't kill or maim players or normies. Don't monopolise good farming grounds through force, other methods are allowed. Don't be a troll if possible. And finally don't farm newbies.”

“Farm newbies?”

“All PvP gives rewards, no matter how weak the opponent. So some used to force beginners to fight them for experience at the beginning. Which was six months ago. The rules are something from three months ago.”

“You became Rank 5 in six months? No wonder your spirit is so messed up.” Commented Kotone.

“I actually began five months ago.”

“Even worse. I have trained for years to reach Rank 3 and I have an unfair advantage on my heritage.”

“Your heritage?”

In response Kotone made her tails and fox ears appear. Kozue stared slack jawed at her, all decorum forgotten. A strangely high pitched sound resounded through the room before Kozue lunged over the desk to Kotone.

“Are those real?! Then are you a fox girl?! No wait those are three tails. Then are you a kitsune? Or nogitsune? Are you three hundred years old? Or like-”

“I think Kotone would appreciate it if you gave her some space.” Remarked Gaius while standing up and separating the girls.

Kozue had the decency to blush and turn away before coughing and trying to salvage her dignity as the Spider Queen.

“I have always found animal ears cute. And I love kitsune, they are an idol. Strong women that-”

“While the most famous kitsune are females there are also male kitsune. Also I should inform you that I am a half, not a full kitsune.”

Kozue decomposed herself and nodded at that putting on airs. Akai looked upwards and wondered when had interrogations turned into such an informal affair. Though since most interrogations were against unwilling targets then was this more of a testimony? Akai decided to go with that since that made all of this not a giant train wreck. Why had he allowed two powerful and lax youths in this? Oh right, to present an amicable front.

Having dealt with his internal and brief crisis, which ignored his own informal personality, he tried to finish the interrogation. Testimony! He meant testimony.

“Let us return to the matter at hand. Do you think you can convince other players to go to our side?”

“Yes. The Brotherhood should turn when they learn we were working for a criminal organisation and can eliminate the curse. For Midas you just have to pay the ful price and you are done. The Colloseum should also turn if you offer them the possibility to fight strong enemies. So the guilds are no problem.

The independents should in a majority turn when they hear about the health problem. The main problem are the PKs.”

“No.” Intervened Akai. “The problem are the Blues and what they will do when they catch wind of our activities. But I am glad you are so confident, since that is what you will be doing. Now these two will answer all your questions, but I must go.

Gaius, Kotone, I count on you to inform her of all she needs to know.”

“Sure.”

“Yes, Head.”

Akai run away from the enthusiasm of a teenage girl who was going to learn of the supernatural. It was a particularly strong problem with one that would call herself the ‘Spider Queen’. So he abandoned his juniors to that grisly fate.