We made our way through the level 2 zone, occasionally seeing grinders out and about, but they stayed out of our way and we didn’t harass them. It took a most of the day to cross two zones, but we managed to see Normandy’s walls in the afternoon.

That was also when three people approached our group. I was out in front and came to a halt. Commander Abdullah had his people fall into lines and stand at attention.

“You have trespassed into the sovereign territory of the New United City States and the City of Normandy, state your purpose and allegiance,” the lead woman cried out. I saw her stats they were low compared to me, but I noted several disturbances spreading out with my Sense stat and noticed the ground being disturbed in places.

“If your cloaked people continue to advance, I will kill you all,” I replied and walked forward confidently. I saw the hidden people duck behind trees. “Ducking behind trees won’t conceal you. I am Champion Michael of the Empire of Purgatory,” I replied.

I could see the slight surprise and I pushed fear out with my Aura stat. I had been experimenting on the soldiers and they did notice things, I thought. But I didn’t want to come out and say that I had been influencing their emotions.

“I am the Mistress of Knowledge,” the woman said as if that meant anything. “Why have you come.”

“To speak to your leaders for help against the Divine Empress,” I replied.

“You can all come,” she replied.

“My soldiers will remain here. I will come alone,” I replied and she nodded at that. I turned to Commander Abdullah.

“Remain here, there are cloaked figures. Remain at high alert,” I told him.

“Yes, Champion Michael,” he replied and saluted. I saluted back and walked up to the Mistress of Knowledge.

“So if you are a Mistress, then who do you whip?” I asked. She gave me a look along with the other women. “What?” I asked.

“We freed ourselves from the oppressive patriarchy long ago. Now men grind, while women protect. We serve ourselves and whip no one,” she replied.

“Ah, my mistake then. So you claim you are the New United City States, what happened to the old one?” I asked, trying to milk her for information.

“Destroyed by the calamity, I am surprised you don’t know that.”

“Ah, but what was the calamity and what was the Astrologer really like. Were you a Valkyrie?” I asked while watching her reaction closely. She spun to face.

“The Astrologer, you know where he is?” she asked.

“Yes. But let us keep walking,” I replied and kept going. She quickly caught up as we approached the city. “So you want him back?” I asked.

“He was the leader of the United City States and the great warrior against the Divine Empress. All should be half as great as him.” Okay he had a full city harem, this was ridiculous. “Two of his Valkyries came from our number. For a long time we had thought them lost. But now you bring hope and word of his return,” she replied.

“Hmm,” I let out a hum no sure how to respond to that. She really started to get going.

“Soon, the United City States will rise again, better, and stronger than before. To fight back the evil and chaos that grips this land.” Okay she was drinking something that had some kind of crystal in it.

I could kind of say the Divine Empress was evil, but the Mistress of Knowledge was going full bore. “To make the world a better place. The time of our salvation will be soon.” Now we are onto religion, this was getting creepier and creepier.

We entered the city and began walking towards the plaza. “When do you plan to submit to our glorious Council and help rebuild the United City States?” she asked.

“I will have to see first. I mean, you aren’t doing any fighting against the Divine Empress, so how can you claim that mantle if you aren’t targeting her.”

“We are, do not worry. Already word has returned that our Mistress of Shadows has killed the Chief Diviner and struck a blow against the Forbidden City itself. Your timing and arrival are most fortuitous.” I had to blink and process that. They killed the Chief Diviner.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

My rage went from about a three to nuclear. These women were dying. It was probably that Mistress of Shadows who stabbed me and who killed the Chief Diviner. Being pissed was an understatement. They wrecked an airship and killed a valuable source of intelligence.

I liked fanatics, when they were fanatical about me. These women, this Council of Shadows filled with the Astrologer’s mistresses, was bad news. Well I would trade for the information, then kill them all. That seemed like a reasonable plan.

“In fact, we have just received a visitor from the Fifth Caliphate and the Free City of Hong Kong to discuss an alliance against the Divine Empress. Now you have come from the Empire of Purgatory, all shall be united.”

This just got better and better. I could smell the Avatar’s meddling from a lightyear away. My arrival was timed and we didn’t get an invitation when we had been doing most of the fighting and had the second strongest person compared to the Divine Empress in myself.

Yeah, this was quickly turning into another Forbidden City. Information, then murder everyone. I had to keep repeating that to myself to keep my rage under control.

“Thank you for letting me know. I suspect the Avatar had a hand in things,” I said.

“I do not know of whom you speak, but perhaps. There are many forces at work, the chief among them the Astrologer.” Get off his dick lady. He is trapped in a tower. We made it to the plaza and I was escorted to a room to wait, being informed that the Council would see me shortly.

When I asked if that would be today, I was informed the latest would be by tomorrow. Complete nonsense, but I played along while scoping the place out. I needed that information, but I didn’t want to tell them that I needed it otherwise they might hide it away or destroy it.

Now there was going to be a summit of some kind that the Avatar had instigated. The Fifth Caliphate had to be her nation. I didn’t like any of this. I felt much more comfortable killing, but they had no chance against my stats so I would play along for now.

Thankfully I didn’t have to wait long and a woman came and collected me as it was getting dark. I was led to a building where there were five women seated at a table all cloaked and hooded. They had lights behind them to hide their faces.

“Who comes before this Council of Shadows,” one of them spoke. I rolled my eyes but answered playing along with the dramatics.

“Champion Michael of Purgatory,” I replied.

“You stand accused of conspiring with the Divine Empress and aiding her followers. Do you deny these charges?”

“You have no authority to charge me. I do not recognize you old hags, just like I don’t recognize the Divine Empress’s authority over me. Council of Shadows, more like a gathering of worms.”

“Silence! You dare speak-“

“If any of you speak or move, I will kill you all,” I replied. They stilled and didn’t say anything. “You clearly have people with the Sense stat, yet you dare antagonize me and make baseless claims. No.”

“This is what is going to happen. You will bring me the knowledge, maps, books, tomes, charts, scrolls, that the United City States left behind. If you give all that to me, then I won’t kill all of you and every single person in your city and let the assassination attempt on me and my assets go. You may speak.”

“You truly think you can kill us. You are no Divine Empress,” one of the women said.

“I stole her entire treasury of ten billion points and invested all that into stats. The highest you have is what twenty thousand?” I asked and there was silence at that. “Also, no airships, so no level 4 city. Which means you are afraid of level 4 monsters. You don’t stand a chance against me.”

“And if we hide the information?” Another woman asked.

“Then I will kill you all. I have no time for your pointless and petty power struggles. I aim to kill the Divine Empress herself. So you can either shut up and get out of my way, or I can melt you and then you will be out of my way. Take your pick,” I replied.

“We must confer-“

“No getting up. You will remain here and send someone for the information. I don’t know what you all were drinking, coming here in front of me, but it was a mistake. Now no one will leave alive unless you pay up.”

“I know you, you were wearing that weird armor in the city with that child,” one of the women said.

“Ah you. Mistress of Whores.” I saw them all stiffen at that. “Touched a nerve. Well you killed a good woman Fuyuka and my pet. She had fought the Divine Empress for years and aided me in striking a blow, but you just messed things up. Did you kill the Chief Diviner as well?” I challenged. She didn’t answer.

“Oh, I will take that as a yes. He was going to trade me information about her for crystals. I was gathering them when you killed him. He had defected the Dragon Empire. You killed a valuable source of knowledge in your incompetence. So bring the knowledge I require, or you will all die and if you try that disappearing act again, well I will flood this city and melt it to the ground.”

There was complete and utter silence at my demands. The Council of Shadows sat there. “Not getting it?” I finally asked after a minute.

“We have chosen the path of non-compliance. We will never listen to a man,” a woman said.

“Not even the Astrologer. Oh yes. I am his named successor if you didn’t know. So that means you all report to me now as the Supreme Leader of the United City States,” I said with a grin.

“Impossible! You imposter. He would never name a cretin like you his successor.” The assassin woman stood up and shouted me.

“He left me with his location and the hope that I would free him from his imprisonment. If you don’t help me, well, I will let him sit there,” I replied.

“You reveal yourself you blood sucking vampire!” the woman screamed again. It was kind of hilarious to rile these women up.

“Or what, you will kill me. Your last dagger failed. So, bring me the knowledge, or else no free Astrologer and you all die.”

“Only for his location!” The woman yelled. I grinned.

“Deal. Knowledge first, since I don’t trust any of you,” I replied.

“And how do we know you aren’t tricking us?” Another woman asked.

“You don’t, but I don’t lie. I have no need to lie. That is the purview of the strong, which I am. I who have fought the Divine Empress herself. I who have aided the Astrologer. But if you don’t believe me then don’t aid me and we shall be enemies instead,” I replied.