Chapter 10: Umizoi no machi, Soranoe

Six days had passed since they set off on their journey, and for Ishi, each night had been more exhausting than the last.

The constant rustling and bizarre sounds from outside the tent made it nearly impossible to sleep. Whether it was the occasional howl of a distant beast, the wind whistling through the trees, or the unmistakable chaos caused by her own companions, there was never a moment of true silence.

She groaned, rubbing her temples.

Unlike her, the rest of the group seemed completely unaffected by the toll of constant travel. In fact, judging by the uproar outside, they were more energized than ever.

With a resigned sigh, Ishi pushed aside the fabric of the tent and stepped into the morning light.

The sharp brightness momentarily blinded her, and she blinked as the cool, damp air brushed against her face.

The scent of fresh earth and lingering morning dew filled her lungs.

For a brief moment, it felt… peaceful.

Then she turned toward the source of the commotion—

And whatever peace she had felt instantly shattered.

There they were.

Her traveling companions.

A mismatched, chaotic band of lunatics.

Li-Jua, ever the unapologetic menace, sat on a nearby log feeding tiny bits of fruit to the newest and most grotesque addition to their group, Rafli, the murderous, carnivorous baby Rafflesia.

The little parasite wiggled its writhing tentacles with glee, making high-pitched squeaking noises every time it received a piece of food.

It was a monstrous, writhing, nightmarish creature.

And yet, for some reason, Li-Jua found it utterly adorable.

Nearby, two more sources of noise and destruction were at it again, Miller and Pil.

The two were locked in an intense battle, fighting over a particularly juicy piece of roasted meat.

"This piece is mine, you damn brat!" Miller growled, using a pair of tongs to try and snatch the meat off Pil’s plate.

Pil, however, was in her smaller, childlike form, rather than her usual elegant, voluptuous nymph appearance. This made it easier for her to dodge Miller’s attempts while simultaneously kicking him in the shins every time he got too close.

"Not a chance, you single-brained musclehead!" Pil hissed, expertly weaving past his attacks. "This meat is for Lady Li-Jua!"

Miller recoiled in horror.

"Like hell I’m giving my food to that damn gorilla!" he snapped. Then he paused, narrowing his eyes.

"By the way, you were way better in your spirit form, you know?" he added with an infuriating smirk. "You’re just as annoying now, but at least back then, I got to enjoy the view of your—"

That was it.

The last straw.

Pil's eye twitched violently.

Without hesitation, she floated into the air, gathered all the force of nature itself, and—

BAM!

A devastating, bone-crunching kick sent Miller flying.

He soared through the air like a ragdoll, arms flailing, before colliding face-first into the thick trunk of a tree.

"Here you go, my dear Lady Li-Jua," Pil said sweetly, handing over the piece of meat with a graceful bow.

"Apologies for the delay. The fault lies entirely with that brainless organism over there."

She tilted her head toward Miller, who was currently upside-down, half-buried in the dirt.

"I hope it hasn’t gone cold."

Li-Jua took the food with a satisfied grin and patted Pil on the head.

"Don’t worry, Pil." She chuckled. "I know Miller can be irritating, but don’t take him too seriously. Just hit him."

Then, as if finally noticing her presence, Li-Jua turned to Ishi.

"Oh, morning, Ishi."

Ishi, still half-asleep, stretched and yawned.

"Morning. You all seem... lively today."

"Pil, you can give my portion to Ishi. I’ve already eaten enough." Li-Jua added.

Pil, however, narrowed her eyes at Ishi, her expression instantly turning sour.

Instead of handing over the food, she suddenly shifted back into her full-grown nymph form, and in one swift movement—

CHOMP.

She ate the entire piece of meat in a single bite.

Then, crossing her arms, she turned away dramatically, nose in the air.

"HMPH."

Ishi’s jaw dropped.

"You absolute bitch!" she shouted, raising a fist.

Pil, with an annoying smirk, simply flipped her chestnut long hair over her shoulder.

"I only serve Lady Li-Jua. If you want food, make it yourself."

"Grrrr… fine!" Ishi growled, crossing her arms. "That’s fair."

Li-Jua sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Let’s calm down, girls. No need to start a war over breakfast."

Before Ishi could respond, however, a new voice cut through the air.

"Fear not, my beautiful Ishi!"

Miller, who had somehow recovered completely, stood up dramatically, dusting off his clothes.

"I shall prepare for you the finest cut of meat, grilled to absolute perfection!"

With an exaggerated flourish, he began expertly preparing more food, as if his near-death experience had never even happened.

Ishi, despite herself, sighed in relief.

At least someone was actually going to feed her.

Then, out of curiosity, she turned to Pil.

"By the way, why were you in your child form?" she asked.

Pil’s expression instantly darkened.

"Because that perverted excuse of a swordsman was trying to peek under my veil while I floated," she growled. "Rafli told me!"

Ishi nodded in understanding.

Being a forest spirit, Pil could understand the thoughts and emotions of the baby Rafflesia.

Miller, hearing the accusation, puffed out his chest in mock offense.

"A true man of honor must admire a beautiful woman with proper appreciation!" he declared proudly. "It would be downright discourteous of me to ignore such divine sights! And I, my dear friends, am a gentleman of the highest caliber!"

The camp fell into dead silence.

Then—

"YOU’RE A COMPLETE IDIOT!!"

Three voices shouted in unison as Pil, Li-Jua, and Ishi all launched a synchronized attack at Miller.

Even Rafli, still perched on Li-Jua’s shoulder, joined in—

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!"

A series of comedic beatings followed.

Ishi let out a deep sigh, shaking her head.

She glanced at Miller, who was now face-down in the dirt once again, groaning in pain.

How was he even alive?

In the past few weeks, he had been through hell and back, had his body hijacked by a parasitic plant, and had been unconscious for nearly two weeks.

Yet here he was, bouncing back like nothing happened.

Ishi narrowed her eyes.

Either Miller was the stupidest man alive, or his ability to adapt was simply beyond human comprehension. Maybe both.

The group had been traveling for days now, steadily making their way northward toward the heart of Sanmyaku.

However, instead of crossing directly through the treacherous mountain range, they had chosen a different route, one that led them along the coastline, skirting the southeastern edge of the towering peaks.

The decision had not been made lightly.

If they truly wanted to destabilize the Mugen Empire, they couldn’t simply charge in blindly. They needed a strategy, a plan, and more importantly, they needed someone with the knowledge and experience to guide them.

It was during a particularly cold night, beneath the vast expanse of a star-studded sky, that Ishi had brought it up.

Seated around a small fire, the flames casting flickering shadows across their faces, she had finally spoken.

“If we’re serious about this… we need help.”

The others turned to her.

“Someone who knows the empire inside and out.”

And she knew exactly who that someone was.

A man who had once held the highest position in Mugen’s military command.

A legendary mind, whispered about in tales of war and victory.

A man named Shigeru.

Shigeru was not just any former officer.

He had once been Mugen’s chief strategist, the mastermind behind some of the greatest military victories in the empire’s history.

Long before the current imperial secretary, Shen-Thias, took control, it was Shigeru who had orchestrated the empire’s campaigns and defenses.

Ishi had never met him in person, but she knew his name well.

As a child, growing up in the noble halls of the Veo-Liss duchy, she had heard countless stories from her father, stories of impossible battles turned to victories, of entire warfronts shifting thanks to the brilliance of a single man.

Shigeru had been a force of nature.

But then, he had been replaced.

When Shen-Thias rose to power, bolstered by the nfluence he had gained from his so-called discovery of Ishi’s magic, he had seized control of the empire’s military strategy.

And Shigeru had been cast aside.

Some claimed he had retired. Others whispered that it had been a forced exile, ordered by Shen-Thias himself.

The utterly reason?

Shigeru “knew too much.”

A man with that much knowledge of Mugen’s secrets, of its fortresses, supply routes, weaknesses, was too dangerous to simply let go.

And so, he had been banished.

Rumors placed him in a small coastal village, far to the northeastern borders of the empire, a place where the edges of multiple kingdoms intertwined.

A perfect location for a man who no longer belonged anywhere.

"If we can find him," Ishi had told the group, "he might be our best chance at destroying the whole empire."

The others had listened carefully, absorbing her words.

Then, one by one, they had nodded.

It was a solid plan.

And so, with that decision made, they adjusted their course.

Turning north-eastward, they began their long trek along the coastline, making their way toward the fishing village of Soranoe.

After a long and exhausting journey through the rugged, uneven terrain of the foothills, the group finally arrived at their destination.

The village of Soranoe was modest, nestled at the mouth of a river that flowed down from the towering mountains beyond. The air was bitingly cold, and a steady chill clung to the breeze, carrying the scent of salt and fresh fish.

All around them, small wooden cabins dotted the landscape, most of them belonging to fishermen, their tiny docks lined with rickety boats bobbing gently against the waves. Men and women of all ages worked tirelessly, pulling in their catches, mending nets, and haggling over the day’s best haul.

Beyond the docks, the heart of the village came into view.

It wasn’t grand nor particularly modern, but the bustling energy of the town was undeniable. The streets were alive with makeshift market stalls, each one overflowing with fresh seafood, silver-scaled fish, shellfish still dripping with seawater, dried fillets strung up like trophies. The hum of lively trade filled the air, blending with the occasional shouts of merchants calling out their prices.

"Ugh… I'm exhausted," Ishi groaned, stretching her sore limbs.

"I think we should put off looking for Shigeru until tomorrow," she suggested. "For now, let’s just find an inn and get some rest."

Li-Jua, who had been keeping Rafli hidden inside her hood, subtly adjusting it every now and then to ensure the little creature remained out of sight, spoke up.

"Well, I’m going to gather information anyway. The sooner we start, the better."

She turned to the others.

"Why don’t you guys find the inn? I’ll meet up with you later."

Then, without hesitation, she turned to Miller.

"Come with me."

"Wait, I want to go too!" she said, her small childlike form making her plea sound even more pitiful. Since she had taken on her younger appearance to avoid drawing attention, she now looked like a small, pouting girl begging to tag along.

"Where we’re going isn’t a place for kids," Miller said flatly, crossing his arms.

Pil blinked, then narrowed her eyes.

"Ohh, so you can use that tiny brain of yours when it’s convenient for you," she scoffed. "I’m honestly impressed you even figured out where we’re going." Said Li-Jua proud of the swordsman in disguise.

Ishi and Pil exchanged confused glances.

"Wait, where exactly are you going?" Ishi asked.

Li-Jua smirked.

"Where did we go to gather information back in Kita?" she asked.

Ishi’s eyes widened as she immediately realized.

"The tavern!"

"Exactly!" Li-Jua and Miller chimed in together, wearing matching idiotic grins. Their eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

Ishi’s expression darkened in an instant.

"This is just an excuse to get drunk!" she accused, pointing at them.

Li-Jua cleared her throat and adjusted her cloak.

"Ahem. Regardless of what we do at the tavern, we will be gathering information," she said matter-of-factly.

She then gestured toward Pil and Ishi.

"Pil can’t go in for obvious reasons, and you’re too tired, so just leave it to us."

Ishi and Pil exchanged another look before finally sighing in resignation.

"Fine…"

"To drinking!" Li-Jua and Miller cheered, raising their fists in the air.

Miller turned to Li-Jua with a cocky grin.

"Let’s go, you damn gorilla!"

Li-Jua snorted in amusement.

"Hah! I’ll let that one slide today, you brainless swordsman. I’m in a good mood!"

She clapped Miller on the back, hard, nearly knocking him over, before the two of them marched off down the street, laughing as they disappeared into the lively market district.

Ishi watched them leave, rubbing her temples.

"They really are hopeless," she muttered.