Emperor's Reckoning

Lyon was standing in front of the giant bird with a smile on his face. He had a certain light red bump on his head that looked quite painful to the touch. The wrath of certain ladies clearly left a standing impression.

"Savior, there you are."

Lyon raised his eyebrows before he turned around. He saw the azure hair of hers fluttered on this opened space. The beautiful bosom that could kill any man and the red and blue eyes of her pupils.

"Kyoko?"

"I'm afraid I will not go with you to heaven."

Lyon immediately slouched forward with his dejected face, "Why?"

Kyoko chuckled against his narrowed eyes. "I and Ryona are planning to return to Nostria."

"I see," said Lyon as he rubbed his chin.

Kyoko smiled before she asked, "Are you not going to ask me what for?"

Lyon shook his head, "I learned that prying to a woman's thought too much will leave me with no answer."

"Oh~" Kyoko puckered up her lips before she smiled. "I never thought that you will give me that kind of answer but, stealing undies is a no-no okay."

Lyon's immediately scratched the back of his head as he puckered his lips. He took his glance away from her before saying, "I- I don't know what you are talking about."

His act of nervousness was blatantly on display and couldn't help but make her chuckle.

She stepped forward a little closer before she lightly pinched on his cheek.

"K-Kyoko..?" Lyon muttered as he looked at her closely. Her bosom was touching his chest and the blood inside his veins suddenly felt a burst of force.

"Savior, you... got a little taller haven't you?" said Kyoko as Lyon's face had turned red.

Kyoko let go of her hand before she let out a coquettish chuckle.

"I will not tease you anymore," said Kyoko before she took one step back.

Lyon touched the part where she pinched his cheek as he looked at her.

The latter had her eyes turned sharp before she said, "Do you remember our objectives?"

"Your objectives... oh?!" Lyon raised both of his eyebrows as he slammed his fist against his own palm. 

Lyon had saved the people from the infamous labyrinth that was located back in Nostria. The Labyrinth of Simak as they said.

Kyoko was the overseer, the one that was looking after the entire one hundred floors of the labyrinth while Ryona and her allies were to guard the floor assigned by Kyoko. 

However, things had turned a little bit out of expectation since Kyoko summoned Lyon to her floor instead. After Jugen won the tournament, Lyon managed to undo the curse that was on their souls before they were all kicked out from the labyrinth.

"Right, I almost forgot, you are all trying to get.." Lyon let out a sigh, "Home."

Kyoko nodded, "That's right."

His eyes though slightly dejected still put up a front of brightness as he asked, "So, did you find it?"

Kyoko let out a weak smile, "I have not, but, I'm sure the others will find it, they are all held up in Nostria for a time, they might hear your prominent name now."

"Hahaha," Lyon laughed.

Kyoko smiled, "You have become stronger than all of us in a blink of an eye, nobody could have exceeded you. Thinking back at the time, it seems like undoing our cursed fate then was nothing but playing with a toy."

Lyon laughed, "There is no need to praise me that much, else my head will explode."

"Then I should praise you some more~," said Kyoko before she covered her chuckle with her arm.

"After all of this is done, I will go back to visit Nostria," said Lyon. (It's been a while, I wonder how they are all doing, heh, those three old fellows).

The Trio Trouble had left a longing impression against him. He had no idea then that these three men were the cause of order in Nostria since her queen was not as capable as she should be.

"Right, that's all I wanted to say to you, I bid you farewell for now," said Kyoko before she turned around.

"Kyoko wait!"

"Hm?" she turned around before looking at him approaching her.

"Listen, always remember that Nostria is your home, whenever I'm at is also your home, you, Ryona, and the others," said Lyon as he nodded.

Kyoko was caught by the surprise of his words. Her eyebrows, both of them, rose. Her mind took some time to process what he was saying before she snorted to a chuckle.

"Eh?" Lyon was confused at her reaction.

"Savior, no, Lyon Torga, is that a proposal?" asked Kyoko as she smiled.

"Wh-What?! Of course not!" said Lyon as he shook his head with a red hue on his cheeks, "But, you know... if we started by dating, I won't mind haha!"

"Oh? Even though you seem promiscuous at times, I guess you are still very careful at the woman whom you want to marry."

"Of course! If I want to marry someone, our heart must connect first not our flesh, well, considering that the situation is normal."

"Hmm, at least you are being careful, once your enemies know that your weakness is a devastatingly beautiful woman, they will exploit it against you."

"That's why I'm his wife."

A familiar voice was coming behind her as Lyon looked over. "Cecile!"

"My dearest's weakness is indeed a beautiful woman, it is his biggest weakness. However, if there is any woman that wanted to exploit him and used him, I will kill her despite his tears," said Cecile as her eyes turned sharp.

"Oh my, such vigorous wife you have," said Kyoko as she chuckled.

"The nine-tailed fox, I don't know how you meet my dearest but I wish you luck with finding your home."

"I thank you for your goodwill," said Kyoko.

"Oh right," said Lyon before he called out, "Assid."

"Yes, ma—Young master?" said Assid in no time as he revealed himself behind him.

"Do you know where the nine-tailed fox race lives?" asked Lyon.

Assid shook his head, "The nine-tailed fox race is not some kind of race that grouped up in one city, young master. They were scattered and mingled with the other races as well. However, the Azure Nine-Tailed Fox is quite different."

"Well, her hair is azure," said Lyon as he pointed out the obvious.

"Yes, they are powerful beings. They hardly connect with other races, thus their whereabouts are quite a mystery even to me, I'm sorry young master," said Assid as he knelt,

"There is no need to kneel!" said Lyon before he let out a sigh.

"It's not your fault Assid," said Cecile. "After all you are not specialized in the scouting field."

"Oh?" Lyon raised his eyebrows against Assid who could only nod as a response.

"Hmm, well, nevertheless I thank you," said Kyoko. "For some time being, I will stay at Nostria, see you later, savior."

Kyoko left the three of them before Cecile muttered, "Savior, huh? I think that you need to start telling me something?"

"Hehe," Lyon played it out like a fool.

Cecile smirked, "I'm just joking. On a side note, the ones that are going to Heaven will be you, me the three of them, and Lumina. I forbid the others to come along."

"Hmm? Why?" asked Lyon.

"It will bring up unnecessary trouble for us later on. Heaven is quite sensitive with kind of thing at the moment," said Cecile.

"I see," said Lyon as he slightly looked down. 

Cecile smiled before she placed her hand on his shoulder. "No need to be so sad, we will be back here again. Our visits there is nothing but to slap them in the face."

No one could ever imagine that their goal was to humiliate Heaven by winning the tournament. They didn't care about the prize at all, Lyon didn't even know what those were anyway. 

"En, you're right, but really, even you can't handle Lumina," commented Lyon with a grin on his face

Cecile shrugged, "She would rather die, what can I say?"

"Hahaha," Lyon chuckled before he noticed a figure leaped over him with giant silvery wings.

"Oh right, Lyon, you will be the only one participating in this tournament, so do your best!" said Cecile before she slapped his back then laugh toward the sky. She jumped on top of the huge bird before sitting down on its back.

"So, we are going to Heaven, man, never thought that I would say that," said Lyon with a smirk before he jumped on the huge bird.

With a screech, the bird flapped its wings before its shadow swallowed the Garuda City. The cultivators and locals below could vaguely see the young man standing with his arms crossed on top of the bird's head facing against the horizon.

"Good luck Young Master Lyon!"

"Best of Luck!"

"You will win for sure!"

The crowd below cheered his name as the huge shadow left the city and revealed their vibrant smiles.