Under the spell of midnight, the enchanting radiance of moonlight sifted through the intricately interwoven branches of the Blue Burn Forest, bestowing a luminous ballet upon the rugged terrain below. A brisk, nocturnal breeze elegantly caressed the cloak enveloping a figure traversing the dense undergrowth. It was none other than Azuki, the vice commander of Bloom.
Haunted by the ignominy of his recent defeat at the hands of Rem, Azuki was in a turbulent state of restlessness, bordering on madness. Ashiwa Azuki, the scion of the esteemed Ashiwa family, had traversed a life of prosperity and respect from his elementary school to his working career. Yet, in this week, he encountered unprecedented setbacks, marred by public humiliation and the excruciating pain of yesterday's death at the hands of a teenager. Since his first bitter taste of defeat and the acute sting of insult, Azuki was on the pursuit for unrelenting desire to settle the score.
There was a deep turbulent fury in his heart, however, as a person of the Ashiwa’s household, he had learned to hide his emotion and be a respectable gentleman, so he was still keeping a gentle smile as he strolled through the forest.
Even though Rem was a teenage boy, or not, he knew this for sure, he was stupendously strong, enough to decimate his 50 man-party. He knew he could not fight him with his members in Blue Burn town, so he was planning to join hands with another guilds that would help him deal with Rem.
As Azuki walked, he finally reach a small open clearing. There were 3 people there already, they too like him, were draped in black cloaks, the silhouette were of two women and 1 man. They were having small chat, but clearly they were not invested in their conversation as they turned their head to him and didn’t talk anymore after they saw him.
“You finally show your pompous ass huh,” the man in that group, opened his mouth with a snarky remark. He had black short hair, with a rugged contour on his face weathered by time, like a person from the street.
Azuki dislikes this person, or specifically this kind of person, one that is not refined or civilized, however, he still replied with his practice smile, “I apologise, I had to hide from the monsters while traversing the terrain.” He was speaking the truth, this place was filled with level 5 monsters, he had to hide and covered enough distance to not attract the high level monster.
“What a weakling,” the man snorted.
Azuki stayed silent, the other two women too didn't say anything, however, he knew they were looking down on him. These people whom he called today for a meeting were monstrously capable, and unlike him they must have a walk in a park in coming here. Azuki was a person who excelled in management and administrative and scheming, so he was not insulted by their ridiculing gaze, in fact he was proud of his tactical skills, like what he was trying to plan with them at this moment.
"I would like to express my concern, however, regrettably, time is of the essence. So could you give us the information on the individual who is privy to Rem's real appearance?" A woman, with straight, cascading raven-black hair, eloquently conveyed her words.
“We already know who Elsa Granloe is, so just provide us the details on who knows this person, ‘Rem’,” the last person spoke with authoritative words.
The ruffian man was White Halo, the graceful woman was Swallow Grace and the woman with the authoritative aura was Koyama Namika. They all were from the prominent guilds in Hokkaido.
In the teleportation shuffle that dispersed players across various random towns, many guild forces were scattered near their respective chosen cities. However, these three individuals Azuki wanted to work with, hail from the top gaming Workshop in Hokkaido, wielding strength far surpassing ordinary guilds like Bloom, with better experts and resources and fame.
And Rem, who had fully cleared a Lvl 10 hell dungeon had clearly ticked these top Guild's nerves who were hungry for fame. Azuki could clearly see benefits in working with them.
“Yes, I would began from the start” Azuki began while he particularly look only at Swallow Grace, and said, “since we are all busy I would keep it brief, Rem, long before his endeavor to the level 10 dungeon had killed one of our members, so that member had tailed him when he saw him leave the town to venture inside that Black Mountain dungeon, but as you all know, he must have some tricks...”
“Hey dude! what about keeping it brief,” White Halo irritably said, “for your information, we already know the story and what happened to your flimsy 50-man party, just spilled out who gave you the information about this boy named Rem”
Azuki was not startled, there were many players that day, and information must have leaked already, instead he asked, “Why do you want to know about my informant?” He wanted to have a good timing in the conversation, to add himself in this group for hunting Rem.
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"Well," Swallow Grace interjected, "in alignment with White Halo-san's remarks, we possess certain intel, including Rem's uncanny transformative abilities, and Rem’s true visage, a detail we want to know, is known only to the individual who guided you to that information about Rem.”
Azuki continued looking at Swallow Grace as he inquired, “So, you mean to say that the one who had the face of the teen boy was not his real face, but how can you be sure of that?”
“So, you mean to say that a high school kid wiped your crew?” White Halo mockingly said, “Look dude, just tell us who tailed Rem to that dungeon,”
Azuki didn't know why this streetrat was peeved, he also couldn't fathom why he was talking like a rowdy animal.
“Ashiwa-san, I also would just like to know only the name of the informant” Swallow Grace spoke in her soft voice, a manner Azuki deemed appropriate for a real human conversation.
Azuki sensed their genuine interest lay only in knowing the identity of his informant, someone who knows the true appearance of the mysterious Rem. Azuki speculated that Rem might not have had the opportunity to alter his face right after he came out of the dungeon. However, possibly, Azuki’s mind might have been clouded by a momentary madness that prevented him from recognizing the implausibility of a teenager possessing such formidable abilities like that.
“His name is Silent Wind,” Azuki informed, his face pinched.
“From your bum face, I could tell there's a fight between you two” said While Halo.
“You are right White Halo-san," Azuki was momentarily surprised that White Halo could describe his reaction, "he deserted our guild and removed me from the friend list. He is a bastard tha…”
“Enough!” Namika, who had been an attentive listener, finally spoke with a condescending tone, "I have gleaned what I came here for. Both of you possess the same info as I do, and now we have identified Silent Wind as the one who knows Rem's true face." Turning to Azuki, she mockingly continued, "And you, your desire is for us to handle Rem. However, our Requiem of the Light only wants to seek information and otherwise to potentially recruit him.” Those words made Azuki's heart drop.
“As a goodbye, I caution all of you not to impede our path or face consequences." With a domineering gaze she looked at everyone, before she vanished into the dark forest.
“Seems like all of us share a common objective,” Added Swallow Grace before she too left the clearing.
Azuki's face contorted as he twitched his lips.
“Well,” White Halo began, “Don't worry city boy, your fancy wish to get Rem handle by us is not out. If he join any of us then its better for his future, otherwise his fate is sealed,” He too, disappeared with those words.
His rough parting words felt a bit sweet in Azuki's ear for the first time during their conversation.
_ _ _ _ _
In one of the Blue Burn Town's Tavern.
“So you're telling me that this teenage boy's appearance is his real face?” A woman with her hood and mask covering her face spoke incredulously as she looked at a picture displayed in her system window.
“Yes, I saw that face in our first meeting, in one of the slum alley streets before he got the orb that can change his appearance.” A similarly cloaked man, Silent Wind, sitting opposite her table said.
In New World, there was an absence of inherent recording functions, and players needed specific items called ‘Echo stones’ to capture images, audio, or video, which could then be downloaded into their system storage. In Bloom, the guild members didn't record the fight, as they never expected Rem's prowess to decimate their team or to conquer a Level 10 dungeon on hell mode. Silent Wind, having foreseen the need, had purchased an expensive recording stone before the incident involving Rem, guided by the advice of the mysterious women before him.
Silent Wind in a hush tone said, “Shinoda-san, can we now discuss my part of the deal?”
“No, I want to know more about what happened at the battlefield that day,” Sora spoke nonchalantly.
“But, you already saw the footage and I already gave a lengthy summarize version of it in your message,” Silent Wind spoke, desperately trying to change the subject.
“I know, but I'm interested in seeing what you've experienced without the filter from the written message, the 'experience' that… made you edgy like this” Sora gave him an appraising eye.
Silent Wind drank a cup of ale and wanted to brush her off, “I am not edgy, I just felt shock that he could killed a 50-man team like that.”
“Like what?” asked Sora.
Silent Wind's eyes shifted, and said “He was a demon in the skin of a boy. His eyes were bloodthirsty as he search for prey, his mouth arched upwards like a hungry predator hunting for food, the boy was enjoying it… the fighting and killing, I mean,” He fingered the ale mug's handle nervously.
“I see,” Sora's eyes under her cloak didn't change, “then he is more like a crazy demon, isn't he?” her lips under her mouth stretch to smile.
“Shinoda-san, do I also have to tell you in person about the questions you wanted to ask for Elsa-san,” Silent Wind said derogatively.
“You are very rude Silent Wind-san,” She changed to a cute tone, “did I angered you by calling you here?”
Silent Wind didn't flinch at her change of tone and said “I am actually hurt that you would wanted to see me in person as you watch my expression while I recount the tale, to proved if I am telling the truth or not," he speak as if he was sure of it.
"No, Silent Wind-san, you are mistaken," she stated, dropping her smile and adopting a serious tone, she also added, "I also have additional orders. When representatives from other prominent Guilds contact you and inquire about Rem's true appearance, assert that during the battle, his movements were very swift so you couldn't see his face properly. While you affirm that his height and physique match from how you remembered, introduce a discrepancy – state he was not a teen boy but rather around 25-29 years old man." Sora moved her chair backward, signaling her departure.
Silent Wind wanted to ask why that was necessary to give that deception, but as he observed her readying to leave, he ask his earlier question, “What about my end of the deal, Shinoda-san?”
“When you reach Shinodo Cyber Hospital in Sapporo, text me In New World, I would arrange your cyber enhancement,” with those parting words she left.
Silent Wind too after staying for a while logged out with a grin on his face.