Stas had to reassess Aoi's character. He turned out to be much more cunning than he initially appeared.
Yes, their plan, which included gathering a certain combat power, was still in effect.
They needed to act swiftly, yet maintain a certain balance. On the one hand, it was crucial to amass the required number of troops; on the other, to do so before chaos became aware of their preparations.
They couldn't let the chaos servants get ready and rally their forces, setting up a "meeting." Otherwise, the Mizuno clan risked drowning in blood.
Nonetheless, this didn't stop Aoi from doing what he did.
Stas suspected that such a deep involvement of the minor clans into the politics of the main Mizuno families could not have gone without problems.
The water clans had become too closely intertwined with their vassals, which led to a number of difficulties that couldn't be resolved.
Aoi Mizuno, with all the "grace" of his era, cut through this Gordian knot.
The first clan they encountered was not chosen by chance. Katashi's uncle knew very well that they would not provide warriors, so he made them an example for the others. The Iriki clan also did not have supremes to mount a worthy resistance. Nevertheless, they still had their lives, which were sacrificed on the altar of success.
As soon as the other families saw what had become of the Iriki, any potential objections died on their lips. Now fear burned in their eyes, and their postures when they greeted Aoi expressed only one thing - submission.
But Aoi Mizuno did not intend to stop there.
"This clan is infected with the filth of chaos. For betraying Mizuno and serving dark forces, there is but one punishment - death!"
Scared, hapless fools who understood nothing. They tried to scream, they pleaded and tried to persuade the leader of the "inquisition" to have mercy on their souls.
All in vain, because he didn't care. Each of them was a thorn in the side of the great water clan's new policy, and the clan, represented by Aoi, dealt with the problem in the only way he knew.
And no one cared anymore whether there was even a single chaos servant among them or not. A dozen vassals who had joined them, some of whom were supremes, like an iron boot, crushed any attempts at resistance, barely noticing them.
The only silver lining in this nightmare was that Stas and his people no longer took part in the punitive actions. The Mizuno conglomerate was successfully digesting the parts of itself that had become redundant.
"Is this really necessary?" Stas asked with cold indifference, trying not to show his true emotions. "While we are destroying your own vassals, the chance that chaos will still learn of our preparations is growing."
The earthling's eyes stayed fixed on the churning water element, in which the remains of what used to be buildings and someone's life swirled and sank.
The remnants of the destroyed clan tried to break through the tight encirclement, but it was all futile. Even if by some miracle they managed to breach the first line, there were three more just like it.
"I'm afraid it really is so," Aoi nodded dryly, watching the methodical destruction of his political opponents' force. "If what you told us about the upcoming chaos invasion is true, then I want the Mizuno clan to be united as never before. No more quarreling and disputes. Only one will and one path."
"Are you sure the clan leader will appreciate... your way of handling this problem?" Stas paused to convey his thought to the supreme. "He might consider everything that's happening too radical."
Aoi frowned, gripping his ax tighter.
"I am a loyal servant of my master and will accept any punishment he assigns me. But currently, he is wounded, and the responsibility lies with me. And I decide what to do now. Do you, Sumada, have any problems with this?"
"No, not at all," the corners of Stas's mouth lifted slightly, revealing an unnatural smirk. "When Mizuno kills Mizuno, Sumada should rejoice, right?"
"Your words lack conviction," Aoi grumbled darkly. "Why?"
"You just haven't seen what chaos is like, Aoi-san," Stas sighed, turning away from the fading carnage. It was agony in its final throes. "I've seen various horrific things, but chaos not only encompasses them all but also brings something new to the table. My advice to you is to save your people. The Kami see, we might need them all."
"I didn't ask for your advice, Sumada," Aoi waved off as Stas was already leaving. "But... your words have been heard."
******
Ordyntsev didn't know whether it was the result of his words or if Katashi's uncle himself didn't want to spill more blood, but after that conversation and the extermination of four families, the Mizuno army didn't destroy any more vassal clans.
Nevertheless, this had no effect on the atmosphere of suppressed fear.
The dread that reigned in Aoi's army was almost palpable. It was particularly ironic given that even though several loyal units of the main families had joined Katashi's uncle, they were still vastly outnumbered by the "recruited."
If the vassal families had united, Aoi and his men would have barely had time to squeak before being swept away.
Nevertheless, right now, every fighter from the minor clans, even the supreme warmasters, fearfully lowered their eyes to the ground as soon as any of the Mizuno people appeared next to them. Given the Japanese sense of responsibility each clan member holds towards all, their reaction was understandable. Not even the most reckless warmasters would wish to be the cause of a massacre of their own kin.
Stas and his people did not escape this bitter cup either.
Ordyntsev understood that rumors had already associated his appearance with the purges that were happening right now.
One didn't have to be a genius to figure out that the Sumada were to blame for the terrible killings.
And there was nothing that could be done about it. Although Aoi took all the responsibility upon himself, not mentioning Shiro the Serpent's name, the latter was still considered a part of the punitive force.
Try to hide? Cover his face and wear different insignia? Pointless, they would still be recognized sooner or later, which would lead to an even bigger scandal and diplomatic conflict.
Walking among the eerily silent army of vassals, Stas felt those tense and wary glances secretly thrown at his back.
Ordyntsev had no doubt that today had earned him a huge reputation in this damned world. A reputation that, without a doubt, would be respected.
For the fame of an executioner and a bloodthirsty maniac was exactly what all the locals so admired.
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Savoring how and why a particular clan was exterminated is an integral part of their culture and history, in which Ordyntsev now had been stained as well.
The only thing he himself felt was disgust - not at himself, but at all those who thought that his actions and deeds made sense and were fully justified.
Stas was not a good person, but he would be damned if he didn't know what was good and what was bad.
If he did bad things, he was fully aware of that instead of cowardly trying to justify himself in his own eyes.
That's what it means to be a human and an earthling. And that's why he would always remain alien to all these people.
His values and worldview were radically different from everything they believed in here. And although Stas trusted Jishin and even somewhat considered him a comrade, if not a friend, deep down he could never treat him as an equal.
Ordyntsev chuckled wearily. Suddenly, he felt a strong sense of loneliness. Leaving Levi and Mari to guard Kizashi was the right decision, but now he suddenly doubted it.
And Leviathan certainly wouldn't forgive him so easily upon his return.
'Stupid world, it gets right into your soul, then brazenly shits there. When we figure this all out, I'll send this whole world to hell, hide somewhere, and just focus on my own research.'
"Shiro the Serpent," someone's uncertain voice pulled him from his thoughts, forcing Stas to turn his head.
An ordinary warmaster, apparent from his modest armor, shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, looking anywhere but into the earthling's eyes.
"Master Aoi summons you to him."
"Understood, I'll be there shortly." The messenger fled from the Serpent as if chased by all the demons of hell.
'Just perfect. I don't even want to think about the stories that will now circulate about me.'
"Aoi-san?" Ordyntsev met the leader of the small army, who was surrounded by other Mizuno commanders.
Apparently, they were just discussing the plan for the military operation.
"We don't have much time, so I'll be brief," Aoi nodded towards Stas. "This is Shiro Sumada, also known as the Serpent. He was sent to assist us based on a treaty with the Great Earth Clan. As I said before, he will help us determine who among our clanmates has betrayed the family and defected to... Chaos."
"Indeed," Ordyntsev nodded, receiving an encouraging look. "I have developed a special technique that can... hmm, examine groups of people, detecting any energy of change within them. However, my technique cannot inspect more than three or four dozen."
The looks of those gathered were skeptical, but no one said anything. No one was foolish enough to argue with Katashi's uncle, whose unseen shadow loomed behind Shiro.
"You've all heard the Serpent," Aoi took the conversation back into his own hands. "And since he is the only one capable of checking our people for traitors, we will have to systematically run our entire clan through his inspection..."
Stas winced discreetly. Aoi had put him through the wringer until he roughly understood how this technique worked. Fortunately, its operation was based exclusively on pure prana and a small portion of natural energy, which hardly affected the "operator."
That was the purpose of its creation - to eventually pass it on to this world. It was a pity that it had to be used before Stas had completely perfected it.
Ordyntsev, quite logically, was wary of "undocumented surprises" from the unknown technique.
"For this, we must fully bring all clans and any military units under our control. Any violation of orders is punishable by immediate death. And it doesn't matter what the criminal looks like: woman, man, or child. The punishment is only one - death. Make sure this order reaches anyone you will be supervising. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the commanders barked.
"You, Shiro-san, will be stationed in the center of the city, in the clan leader's residence. There, you can simultaneously monitor the health of Katashi-sama and begin checking the Mizuno clan's fighters."
Stas nodded. Amidst all the chaos, one could easily forget why he had come here in the first place.
On the other hand, if Katashi's condition was stable, he could focus on the chaos problem as the more dangerous one.
"Right now, we are at the very edge of detection by the city's sensors. As soon as we cross the boundary, be prepared for any, even the most insane resistance. Chaos servants are not afraid of death and do not value their lives. If they can explode and take you with them, they will. No mercy, is that clear?!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then forward! For the glory of the Great Mizuno Clan!"
"Shiro-san, you're coming with me," Stas could only nod, following along.
Despite the full-scale war with the Alliance, Mizuno and their vassals had more than enough fighters - the number reached thousands. Add to this tens of thousands of women and children, and it should become clear just how lousy a job awaited them.
Nevertheless, there was no choice.
Ordyntsev saw how the fighters of different clans were lining up. Each had been assigned their own district and streets to patrol.
The order was one - not to let in or out.
Other units were responsible for guarding the walls.
However, Aoi planned to replenish his forces first.
"Forward!" he roared, and the whole array of warmasters surged ahead, easily overcoming the rough terrain at speeds of tens of kilometers per hour.
There were no battle cries or other exclamations. Only the barely audible cursing of commanders driving their soldiers.
But another difficulty was brewing ahead.
Since all the preparations were carried out in the utmost secrecy, how could the city defenders know who were the warmasters approaching their walls at full speed?
Ahead loomed low but very thick walls. Each of them served not so much as an obstacle to the attackers but as a defense against attacking techniques, as many protective seals rested within the stone.
In other words, it was a very long fortress made in the form of a wall.
And right now, up on the wall, broke out an outright panic.
Nonetheless, Aoi tried to rectify the situation.
"These are the Mizuno units! We are pursuing a group of traitors! Please do not resist!" a dozen of the most vociferous warmasters, straining their vocal cords, shouted towards the walls.
No one even tried to slow down. Every minute wasted played against them.
The defenders lined on the wall were already prepared for an attack, but the cries of the approaching army confused them. And the clan signs and colors were familiar.
No one knew what to do.
Meanwhile, with each passing meter, the situation for Aoi's troops was heating up.
"Attack the enemy! It's a trap!" the hoarse roar of the commander of this section of the wall broke the ice of indecision.
Stas cursed, raising a stone wall in front of him, which was hit by one of the water spears, chipping away at the solid barrier. A couple of subsequent attacks were caught by devouring serpents, which then dove back into the ground.
But not all were so successful and quick.
The green grass was instantly stained with blood when the defenders' techniques found their targets, sinking into living flesh.
"Darn it! Break their resistance immediately," Aoi bellowed. "At any cost!"
And at that moment, the death toll on both sides of the wall began its swift climb. Warmasters fiercely killed each other for the amusement of the dark planes of chaos.
"Pf-f-f-hr," the suppressed mix of chuckle and snort drew the gazes of the nearby squad leaders to the strangely twitching commander of the wall section, who doubled over as if he had a stomach ache.
Finally, some barrier was broken, and the commander who had given the order to attack burst into mad, uncontrollable laughter, shaking his body so violently as if all his bones had suddenly stopped supporting him.
Snot and tears ran down his face, flushed from suffocation, as he looked at the tragedy unfolding before his eyes. The sight of Mizuno killing Mizuno ultimately broke his already weak self-control.
Gurgle!
The commander exploded into streams of blood as one of the experienced captains appeared behind him.
"What?!" he bellowed at the shocked looks. "You heard. There are traitors among us! That's why he was so happy. Order an immediate halt to this madness! Argh!"
The blade that pierced his back, wielded by the eerily smiling commander's aide, brought with it unbearable pain, but failed to kill him with a single strike.
The experienced warmaster spun around, further widening his wound, but in a last effort, managed to decapitate the much weaker opponent.
As he was falling to the stone floor, now covered with his own blood, his last thoughts were that this should not be happening.
Commanders were yelling at their fighters to stop the attack, but he no longer heard it, unconscious from the blood loss.
At the same time, the attacking ranks finally reached the walls, warily eyeing the silent defenders who understood nothing.
First, they were ordered to attack, then, in the next second, to retreat. The situation was further complicated by the signs of the incoming warmasters. The Mizuno involuntarily thought that all that had happened was nothing more than the betrayal of the vassals.
But all discussions ceased when someone else climbed the wall.
"It's Aoi-sama!" A wave passed through the ranks of the warmasters, and some of the apprehension disappeared from their eyes. Katashi's uncle enjoyed a good reputation among the troops, as he was an experienced commander who had been through more than one war.
"How many dead?" Aoi barked, demanding an answer from his assistants.
"Twenty-three ordinary, two advanced from our side, and..." one warmaster immediately replied, only for another to take up his sentence, but from the side of the wall guards. "And ten ordinary from ours. If it weren't for Commander Mek, there would have been many more dead."
"Where is he himself?"
"The traitors wounded him. He is in an awful state, and we have no healers..."
"Shiro the Serpent, I'm counting on you," Aoi looked at Stas demandingly, causing him to frown but nod. Ordyntsev wasn't going to let a man who had saved them from so many problems die.
"Commanders! Follow me immediately," Aoi continued. "I have something to tell you all." With these words, waiting a bit, Katashi's uncle, surrounded by his men, slowly led the commanders to the Serpent, who treated the wounded.
It was necessary to check if any of the damned chaos servants were left among them, and then it was time to move on to the next stage of the plan.