"So due to the duel back on Triton where I humiliated Oliver, several members of the Immortal Legion want me to pay…" Michael mumbled. In short, the Venomous Lotus had been hired, led to believe this was supposed to be an easy job.
"Can't say that I am surprised." He chuckled darkly. Of course he had several plans on how to deal with the problematic faction, but it wasn't time to deploy them yet.
"You appear awfully calm. Most would shake in their boots knowing that they have angered members of the Immortal Legion." Claire remarked.
He shrugged. "There is no need to worry about them yet. Even now they are obviously underestimating me, and it would take a long time before they could attempt to get rid of me in a similar manner."
With the interrogation over and every assassin that had come for Michael's life dead, a cleanup was needed.
"..."
Of course, before they killed the woman that had tried to charm Michael, they had learned where the effect of the aphrodisiac had come from.
Ava was now staring at the wretched thing. It was a small bottle similar to a perfume with its lid slightly open, polluting the air with the drug.
'Should I keep it?' The idea crossed her mind, her gaze stopping momentarily on Michael. It was safe to say that her judgment was still slightly clouded by its effects.
"No, it's clear that such a thing doesn't have much effect on him. Better to just dispose of it."
Besides, in her eyes, she wanted to charm him on her own. Not with the assistance of some wretched drug.
"Thank you for the help." Michael nodded in appreciation.
Claire scoffed. "What help? We barely did anything. You got rid of them all by yourself."
He shook his head.
"You helped clear the mess, not to mention how thoroughly you interrogated the woman."
A warm smile spread over his face. "It was touching how much you were worried about me."
Cough!
Victoria cleared her throat. She couldn't say that they were simply enraged by someone trying to charm him, leading to their brutal methods.
"I will appreciate it if we don't talk about it." She didn't want to give Michael the wrong impression.
"Sure." He didn't mind.
Still, the assassination attempt had caused quite the commotion, and it needed to be reported.
"For the Venomous Lotus clan to do something so daring… Are you sure you are alright?" Grandmaster Alice gazed at him with suspicion.
Since she was part of the Bloody Rose faction that only allowed women, similar to the Venomous Lotus, it would be a lie to say that they were on bad terms.
If the word got around that they had attacked a subordinate of the Bloody Rose, their relationship could worsen.
"Yes, I suspect that they were hired by someone for the job. But in the end I didn't learn by whom." Michael lied, shaking his head in dejection. The fewer people who learned that he had enemies in the Immortal Legion, the better.
"Is that so…" Alice's eyes narrowed in skepticism, but she quickly dropped the topic.
"If that is the case, then your next orders will come as a nice surprise. The cities surrounding Celestia had decided to send scout teams to inspect how the settlement is doing. No assassin would be brave enough to follow after you."
Not surprised by the orders, he nodded.
'This is just a theory, but I feel like the Lord of Azure wants to learn about the Overlord and defeat it eventually.' He thought.
Now that the city had fallen, the Lord would gain a reputation as a hero if they could overcome the overwhelming threat and turn the tide in Neptune's favor.
Just when he was about to inform his faction about their next mission, Alice's next words halted him.
"You will go after the arrival of the last forces of Triton that are willing to come to our aid."
Instantly his eyes sparkled. There was one Grandmaster that he was sure would help their cause eagerly.
Evelyn, the general of base #1. Up until now she had displayed her desire to drive back the aliens, so her aid would be much appreciated.
Several days passed, in which the Indomitable Alliance continued to train.
Finally the awaited day arrived. A shuttle came from outer space and entered their city.
"Evelyn!" Victoria gave her a big hug when she saw her. Out of everyone, she was closest to the Grandmaster since the two had been stationed on Triton for some time.
Alice noticed how familiar the Late Master was acting with the Early Grandmaster but didn't pry further.
"It's good to see you!" Evelyn chuckled, noting Victoria's higher realm.
"Seeing your realms, it seems no one has slacked since the last time we saw each other." With a smile that didn't leave her face, Evelyn greeted the others.
"If memory serves me right, Roy also came from the moon. How is he doing?"
Michael shrugged. "We haven't interacted much. Last I saw him, he was fine."
After settling in the city, Alice gave a briefing of the mission. While Evelyn was indeed a Grandmaster, she was only in the Early stage, putting her below Alice in the Late stage.
"What are we meant to do if we see captured civilians?" Evelyn didn't like the idea of leaving the innocent behind.
"The aliens would surely use them as bait." Alice reasoned. "If you believe you can save them, then it's your choice… But prioritize your safety above all else."
With the news of Celestia's fall, many had insisted on being sent as scouts. Yet Michael and his squad were chosen for two reasons.
They had been there when the Overlord turned the tide of battle, and Cyberfang was under their command. The mechanical beast would prove invaluable when it came to stealth, considering how loud trains proved to be.
"This is a mighty beast…" Evelyn remarked, seeing the large mecha.
"I know, right?! Isn't it cute?!" Victoria exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
'How is this thing cute? More terrifying than anything…'
Not wanting to bring her friend's mood down, Evelyn nodded in agreement.
ROAR!
Cyberfang's uproar shook the ground, its legs propelling it forward.
"Focus on stealth. If you sense a threat, go around it," Michael commanded.
[As you wish.]
The AI obeyed, shifting its priority from combat to stealth mode.
Riley's stealth enchantments were about to be put to good use.
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