Tekkadan Central Pagoda. The keystone in which Mi-Zu operated through, the controller of a great deal of information traffic between the Eastern Territories. It was easily the most famous landmark of Mi-Zu’s capital…and the largest deathtrap for any fools who the Plenum wanted to kill at cost. It stood atop a reservoir of incredible energy, something anyone with sufficient attainments in cultivation could feel.

The boy, who was perched on another pagoda quite some distance away from Tekkadan Central Pagoda, had a long, rifle-like figure in his hand — the modified Straight Shot. The streets around the place were deserted. Hundreds of Soldiers and Squires were cordoning off the place, standing guard over the entry points. The only reason why no one had spotted him was because he was invisible, although he was loath to go too close, in case someone had countermeasures ready.

That said, Gaius didn’t really think that sending guards to block off the crowd were actually required. Outside the cordon, people were queued up neatly, waiting for the moment the cordon was lifted. There was no hubdub, no din. Just people waiting around. Their silence was probably helped by the fact that the areas that led into the pagoda had shelters constructed in what looked like an overnight effort.

But none of these changed the fact that if the reservoir were to detonate, these people in the queue would die. They were just too close.

“Can’t believe someone’s insane enough to do this,” said Nexus. The boy had taken the artificial intelligence along with him, after tasking Isabelle and Stone to make sure Nakama didn’t leave the house. Otherwise, it would have been hard for Gaius to know if Scorpio did indeed remove the energies he’d left in everyone’s body or not. After viewing that memory, the boy wasn’t too sure about what to think anymore.

“It’s a good warning to Scorpio,” Gaius replied. “If he keeps his word…I won’t mind sparing him…although it seems that Xanadu has her own beef with that man.”

“Gone soft?” Nexus replied, an undercurrent of teasing in its words.

“No,” Gaius replied. “But it is not me he should be held accountable to for the Second Extermination. And I’m not even sure if any of the Constellations, or all of them, can bear true accountability for the war, not after I saw that memory.”

Were the Constellation Heroes just unfortunate people who had their minds bent and warped by the Human God? Who was to blame for the Second Extermination, a grudge that would fester upon Orb for centuries to come? The threat of the great gods had forced an uneasy peace within the South, but the boy knew that a reckoning was coming. Things like the Second Extermination could not happen without any retribution. But something told him that he…was in no position to be the one passing judgement.

If Scorpio, one of those who might have regained some semblance of sanity, were to die under his hand, justice may be lost. And for the sake of Gaius’ own daily life, that wasn’t a desirable outcome. Now that the South was once again semi-unified against the threat of the Worldshaper, there was a chance that the continent would address its own history if the crisis ended in their favour. If they didn’t…well, Gaius could foresee a day where the Republic of Francois clashed against the Southern Assembly once more.

Of course, he was speaking without much knowledge of the inner workings in both sides. At least a decade would be needed, under the status quo, before the two nations worked out a way to resolve their long-standing grudge.

And what of the First Extermination, against the demons? Were the myths true? Or had something been changed by the winners of the war, with no one willing or able to provide a comprehensive account of the events back then?

Gaius slapped himself lightly. It was not time for him to be distracted by a whole host of thoughts. His decision was simple: if Scorpio kept his word, Gaius would not kill him. If he didn’t…well, if the Constellation somehow managed to flee from Tekkadan Central Pagoda, Gaius would injure him with a shot, before tracking the Constellation down and make use of his injured state.

“Well,” said Nexus, “even if he does keep his word, there’s one more enemy he’ll have to face.”

“Xanadu has a grudge against Scorpio,” Gaius replied, referring to the person known as the Phantom Blade. “That’s his own due, I guess. After all, not many people would target someone with a Paragon’s strength without any good reason.”

“You’re not going to interfere?” Nexus asked. “Even if Scorpio’s presence might be key to whatever goal you had in mind?”

“Once the four great gods stabilise their territory, they’re going to be looking for me,” said Gaius. “I only have so much time before, and I can spare little of it on fending off an assault by Xanadu either. She can’t defeat me, but she sure as hell is skilled enough to take out Isabelle.”

Nexus was silent, contemplative. “I now finally understand why you didn’t want me to say anything when you claimed you were someone who reincarnated into Orb.”

“At least you know that part well,” said the boy. “Eventually, I’ll have to tell her about it. But…never mind. This is not the time to be talking about this.”

“As you wish, Master Gaius.”

“Keep your eyes…your senses out. When Scorpio dispels his Skill, inform me,” said the boy. “If that doesn’t happen…well, we’ll probably know.”

Gaius continued to keep an eye out on the area. Nexus had detected over thirty Knights and two Lords, who were placed in clusters together. They were positioned strategically to form a hemisphere around the pagoda — after all, Knights were individuals with the minimum wherewithal to sustain prolonged fight.

Two hours had passed. Gaius didn’t know when the meeting was supposed to start, and when it would end. He didn’t need to, either. Gaius had long decided to base his next actions upon either the actions of the guards that had been hired by the Plenum or Nexus’ words that Scorpio had indeed lived up to his bargain. The sun was blazing down upon everyone, and although Gaius wasn’t feeling the hit, he had a feeling that his skin was getting a degree tanner every few minutes.

The minutes continued to tick by, and Gaius was in the middle of humming a tune when the artificial intelligence spoke.

“It’s done,” said Nexus. “The connection between the energy inside Nakama and to Scorpio has vanished entirely.”

“Looks like they managed to reach an agreement,” said Gaius. “Which, when we consider the general trend of events that had happened so far, could be said to be the smoothest event to happen to me for a long time. Nothing happened, no weird things…it’s great.”

At the same time, the people hovering all around Tekkadan Central Pagoda began to descend.

“Nice to know, although I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Scorpio’s stepping out now.”

Gaius squinted, but the modified Straight Shot in his hand wasn’t levelled at the person who’d just stepped out of the place. Scorpio, who only had one left arm left, was accompanied by other, distinguished looking people, who were dressed in robes that glittered in the afternoon sun. There were five of them, each with a beaming smile on their face as they saw the Constellation out.

“Personages of the Eastern Territories, eh?” Gaius shook. “They stay out of my way, and I’ll do the same.”

Nexus shook his head. “That’s very you, ain’t— what on Orb? What is that?”

“Hmm?”

“This irregular…existence,” said Nexus. “It’s coming!”

Shouts rang out as a person in purple and black dropped from the sky, energy blasting outwards from her soles. The guards, adventurers or otherwise, were too slow to react, and before the very eyes, the new assailant slammed onto the ground, sending a cloud of smoke out as the ground began to break apart.

Xanadu, the Phantom Blade, had arrived.