"Loyalty can be blind sometimes...you can't always know the harm you cause yourself for honor."
We reach a small hill high above that gave us a good vantage point to spy on the resistance archers sneaking their way to the beach side.
It turns out that their supposed smugglers have made shop in an old ship wreck just by the "Fin" side of the island.
It's been abandoned and unused by even the resistance so it was the perfect spot to keep hidden from any suspicions or surveys.
As the men approached the ship, they barely even got close to the messy debris about as they were halted by a black hooded man who seemingly materialized out of nowhere.
A Fatui debt collector.
"State your business..." His voice reverbed.
"H-Hey hey! Easy! We're customers...we heard about your-"
"Were you followed?" He didn't even let the men explain themselves.
"No, w-we made sure of it."
"Hmm.." the Fatui agent grunted and walked towards the ship wreck, waving his hand over his shoulder motioning them to follow him.
They walked towards a large hole in the underside of the ship, possibly what caused the wreck in the first place.
There the agent knocked on the wood where another agent popped out with more simpler attire, he slipped out a table like a drawer from the inner side the ship that showcased many dazzling items. It was unsure if it was the gold that glimmered over them or the radiant power of the elements about them.
"Take your pick...~ All of them cost the same amount of 50,000 Mora."
"Fifty th-!!" One of the men yelled but was stopped by his partner stomping on his foot.
"I didn't save my finances of 10 years for nothing...this- this is worth it." He seemed unsure of his own words and gulped.
"Pyro brace, cryo necklace, we have geo earrings for better concealment, if you're more inclined on keeping it hidden then you can try these hydro charms." The agent spread his hands out, presenting his collection with a sharp grin.
"These look... really powerful. Is it worth the risk?"
"It is absolutely not!"
Kokomi's voice boomed as both of us land but a few meters away from the transaction.
"Y-YOUR EXCELLENCY...!!"
"This isn't...! We-"
"Fools! What happened to being sure you were alone?!" The debt collector grunted while his companion quickly shoved his shop to a close and felt into the interior of the ship.
"You don't understand your Excellency! This is-"
"Not now! We will discuss your actions later." Kokomi began floating just a few inches in the air with spheres of water balling in her hands.
"Deals off!" The collector yelled and suddenly whipping out his blades. "Get rid of these runts before they spread the word!" He roared.
Suddenly, smoke bombs flashed all around us as more Fatui began popping out.
"Alright...this may be more than I anticipated." Kokomi giggled nervously.
"Shouldn't be a problem for us." I wasted no time and charge forward, slamming my metallic knuckles into the stomach of the collector before he could hide himself.
Having him crash crash against the side of the boat, I flip back dodging a fist from an anemoboxer in time.
"To think that you scum would try making money off of this war, don't you already have enough gold leaking from every crack in your organization?" I grunt and continue dodging whatever they could throw at me.
Kokomi did well enough on her end by freezing a cryo skirmisher and distracting the masses enough for the resistance archers to make a run for it.
Though they're out of sight now, it'd be hard for them to hide from her any longer than this.
The Fatui are truly an annoying example of brute force, they would never go down without leaving some sort of heavy damage in their wake, so I have to fight back with equal display of brutality.
Flailing my arm around with the inflictions of hydro all around caused by Kokomi, I could easily eliminate any chances of getting hit and hit back harder than before, Kokomi's presence made it feel as though I wasn't even taking any hits even when I took obvious strikes, I could jump back in easily and thus we came around to a one sided victory.
The Debt collector was slowly regaining himself but before he could attain full consciousness, I slammed my foot against his shoulder and kept him pressed against the wreck. Kokomi had already went inside and took care of the remaining men.
"So, how would you like to go..?" I twist my foot on his body. "Crushed skull? Limbless? Perhaps you want me to peel your eyelids off and bury you in the sand here."
"AGGHH!! Y-You think you can get anything out of me?! I am a loyal servant of the Tsa-" He stops as I point my metal finger at his forehead. Small sparks emit from it.
"Just how far will this loyalty go? From what I see here, you're nothing but a dog drooling after Mora, you'll serve anyone who has it...kill anyone who has it." I press my finger against his forehead, I could feel his skin twitching to the reaction of electro. "Unlike your usual customers or the Shogunate...I share no pity for the likes of you, I'm not here to arrest you. Give me what I want and I won't kill you now."
I then place my whole palm on his exposed head and generate electro through.
"AAAHHH!!!"
"You need to produce these delusions in order to supply them here. Hailing them all the way from Shneznaya is too expensive...you have a factory here don't you?"
"NGHH!! S-S-STOP I'LL TALK AAGHHH!"
I cease channeling my power.
"Yashori Island!! T-The factory is in the southern trenches of Yashori island!!"
"Anything else worth noting?" I hit another spark.
"UGH! W-WE USE THE MONEY WE GET TO COLLABORATE WITH THE TENRYOU COMMISSION!!"
This information left me in shock, of all the things this scum of the earth could have told me, I had not expected this.
"Elaborate."
"I-In order to keep our business hidden, we sought out the master of the Tenryou commission and struck a deal.."
"What kind of deal?!"
"NGH! WE'D PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE SHIPMENTS OF DELUSIONS IF THEY KEEP QUITE ABOUT ANY REPORTS REGARDING WATATSUMI!! OR ANY OF THE CIVIL WAR HAPPENING IN THE NATION!!"
The Tenryou commission was in charge of reporting all legal and political matters to the Shogun by themselves. So leaving out crucial information like this entire war...it means Ei is completely clueless to the brutal struggles the people are going through....does she even know there's a war? Does she know people are dying for this?!
"Does Kujou Sara know do this?"
"...She..."
"Answer the question!!"
"AAGGHHHHH!!!"
I slam my hand back down and induce his skull with electro, beaming my rage through.
"JUST WHAT HAVE YOU PEOPLE BEEN DOING IN THIS NATION!? IN MY HOME! YOU PATHETIC FILTH LEAVE NO LAND UNPLAGUED WITH YOUR ACTIONS!!!"
"S-STOP! PLEASE!"
"DO YOU THINK FOR A SECOND-!"
"Master Hadeki." Kokomi's soft and kind voice punched me like a hammer to the head.
I snap back and see her standing there worriedly. A slight scratch on her cheek but a displeased and saddened look on her face.
"We've obtained all the information we need...our job is done...." She placed her hand on my shoulder, I could feel the slightest of tugs from her grasp.
Slowly, I look back at the beaten and quivering man before me. The very sight before me made me grit my teeth. Eventually I rose to my feet and knee'd him in the face, knocking him out entirely.
Once all was done and dusted, Kokomi and I make sure the Fatui were all round up after we called in for reinforcements, despite my encouragement on letting them live.
We soon found ourselves standing at the beach once again.
"...So even the Shogun's most trusted of the Tri Commissions has been corrupted from within..." Kokomi sighed.
"To think the Master would stoop to such a level..."
"What should we do now...?" She asked, starring at a small pearl in her hand.
The rising sun shone light over it's surface.
"I'm going to Yashori Island. That factory needs to be destroyed...and everyone within it. Now."
"Then we shall-"
"I'm going, Priestess." I stop her immediately. "This is not up for question. You're the divine ruler of this island, not only can you not leave this place because of the threat outside, your guidance is needed here much more than it needs my strength."
"But you're also needed here..."
"And I will return. You have my word. The resistance is the very driving force that I wanted to see in the people...and I intend to lead it with you when the time comes to face 'her.'"
Kokomi sighed and looked down at our feet. The gap between us as the small line of waves barely reach us on the warm sand.
"Then the will and honor of Watatsumi shall follow you until the end." She placed her hand on my chest, a firm press soon followed as if I was bestowed an oath.
°
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On the same day, afternoon....
My arrival to the main lands without any incident did not put me at ease. The beating sun showed no mercy and the inconvenience of wearing my mask was only part of my distress.
The entire route my mind wandered in dreadful territories about the condition of Inazuma, what's it's become and what it can fall to because of this involvement of the Fatui.
I might find out more here....where I stand. At the entrance of the supposed hideout of the Fatui where they are factoring the delusions..
I happen upon another sight I did not expect to see. The main entrance that was supposed to be a hidden pathway has been blasted open with burn marks all over the area. Whatever exploded here left no foot prints either so I cannot deduce what exactly happened but I can speculate that someone's already been here.
I enter regardless and charge forth through the tunnels and enter a proper structure the seemed similar to a wearhouse. The only problem here was that it was all destroyed and battered the deeper I went.
As I ran through the open doors and holes in the wall, I began encountering defeated Fatui members littered all over the area, even a few mixes of Rouge Ronin warriors.
The burn marks and devastation was fresh. Whoever this attacker is still in here. All I need to figure out if this unknown attacker is a friend or foe..
Bursting into a larger room, I was unexpectedly met with a few Fatui members hauled up in the middle who upon my arrival, prepared for battle.
Seeing them as the first signs of life I had spotted ever since coming here. It took me some time to get my thoughts straight and attack.
The battle was not a difficult one but it was painfully long. These fools couldn't land a single hit on me but their armor and undying will for battle kept them going even when struck down. If I don't get cut down by their attacks, I'd eventually fall if I grow exhausted. Which is only a speculation.
As the last remaining hydro skirmisher stumbled back and readied to shoot at me. He was suddenly paralyzed by an electrified arrow that shot him in the back.
"Glory to the Shogun!" A feminine voice roared as Kujou Sara flipped into the scene and kicked the skirmisher in the head, forcing his head all the way down to the ground in a rough slam.
Once she was done, she looked up at me and furrowed her brow, not before slipping another arrow into her bow.
"You!" She roared. "You dare show your face outside your safe haven?! State your business."
"My business was the very men you're trampling on thus far." I say, masking my voice with a growl.
"Them? The Fatui? I never thought that even a member of the resistance would fall to collaborate with the likes-"
"I came to destroy them." I interject immediately. The last thing I want is more unnecessary misunderstandings.
"What?"
"The Fatui had been smuggling harmful items onto Watatsumi Island under the noses of the Priestess and this action of there's has already claimed the lives of so many of our men!"
"Claimed...lives...?" She sounded utterly flabbergasted.
It was true, when preparations for my leave were being made, many reported came in that most of those who had been using the delusions without our knowledge had already succumb to it's harmful effects and lost their lives...very slowly.
Among them was poor Teppei. Though misguided by his own actions, I truly felt defeated upon hearing the news of his death...at least he wore a smile in his final moments.
"Is this the effects of these....devices they've made?" Sara looked down at the equipment the skirmisher she's standing over had.
"Hear me, General." I spoke quickly to gain her attention. "I'm offering a temporary truce in our current predicament."
"Truce? Do not take this situation as some sort of advantage. I will never tarnish my honor by siding with the likes of YOU even for a mere moment!" She yelled and pointed her bow at me.
"This truce is not a collaboration. It is merely to address a stalemate where you do not attempt to harm me and vice versa in our current state." Slowly, I walk towards her. "What the Fatui have done is an unforgivable act. Vengeance is set. I will burn this entire site down and let none of these vile people leave alive. I do not care why you are here but from what I have seen, our goals align for now. Don't side with me, just finish what you started quickly and I will do the same."
My anger could not be held back with my speech. Sara could notice it in my tone. I was truly glad I didn't decide to take my mask off but I couldn't stand her suspicious glare.
She stepped off the giant man she was standing on and stared at me, stone cold and empty eyes but somehow filled with a sense of duty .....just as I once was.
Her bow disappeared.
"So be it...."
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