Emperor's Reckoning

The White Perch raised his brows to the ceiling as he watched the back of the cloaked person merrily walk out from the scene. 

"A Cockatrice..." he muttered before his lung suddenly paused. The root of his goosebumps was struck by an instantaneous shock as the rest of its body rose to the extreme. His spine was crawled by freezing ice and his pupils shrunk to a trembling dot. His right hand was still on the grip of his unsheathed sword but he couldn't pull it out no matter how much will he put into it. Cold sweat started forming on his forehead before he realized the awkward silence that his guild gave them.

( W-What frightening aura! ) said The White Perch inwardly as he clenched his jaw. His instinct was screaming at him, there was someone standing right behind him. A sudden presence that cowered his mighty blade.

"Hahaha, that one was good," an energic voice filled with the joy of laughter was heard reverberating the silent hall. 

Every adventurer on sight was petrified to their feet as they could hardly move their neck. They could only hear a flutter of fabric before a loud slap followed.

The White Perch felt a sting on his back before he was pushed a step forward, yet, he still couldn't move his head. ( What the hell is going on!? ) thought The White Perch before he saw yet another cloaked figure walking past him from behind.

A grin was revealed before the hands were stretched up to the air and were put on the back of his head.

"What the..." The White Perch muttered before a couple of cloaked people went past his sides from behind.

One was taller than the two and the other had his hands covered in gloves. 

"Kesya, no need to get out so soon," said Assid before following a sharp glance.

"Oh c'mon, it's not like we are needed in the first place," said Kesya as she turned around before sticking out her tongue.

"Tch!" Assid had his brows twitching.

Graham didn't spare a word for the two of them but did leer the stumped masses behind him. The sharp glint of the glance made them hold their breaths. The entire guild, even the second-in-command succumbed to the might of the presence that he exuded. The aura that was biting their shoulders slowly loosened as they went out of sight.

"Gah!" one adventurer immediately dropped down all four as he was catching for breaths. He saw his sweat dropping on the floor with disbelief governing his eyes. Nobody said a word, nobody had the capability to even stick out their tongue. They were powerless at the might of the three that revealed themselves to be already inside the hall they were hanging out in.

The White Perch took a slow deep breath through his nostrils as his brows remained furrowed. He heard his fellow guild members gasping for breaths and some thuds of their knees touching the floor of the hall. He opened his eyes after exhaling the cold breath that husked his lungs. He turned before asking them, "Is everyone alright?"

"I'm fine, White Perch," said one adventurer before he gulped a glass full of water.

"Yeah me too, what was that?" asked another adventurer.

"More importantly, how did they get here without our notice," said another guild member.

The White Perch nodded, "That's right, that is the important question."

The trio had revealed themselves to be inside the hall all along, furthermore, they were wearing the same clothing that the first one had worn. It didn't take a genius to know that they were together.

"Even you didn't know, White Perch?" asked a fellow guild before the hall turned silent.

The White Perch slowly shook his head as his eyes were looking at the one questioning him. "No, I didn't manage to feel their presence, at all"

"At all?!" 

The whole guild gasped as they heard his answer. This was the second-in-command of the famous guild, the White Crow, yet even someone as strong as he was, he had not managed to feel them with his divine sense.

"H-Hey, I heard that that guy mention something about a Cockatrice," said one fellow guild member as he gulped.

"Yes, what of it?" asked the White perch, "If you know something, spill it out."

"I-I'm not exactly sure, but if my memory serves me right, there is a poster about a hunt killing a certain Cockatrice before."

"Hmmm?" the White Perch raised his brows.

"Oh yea, that's right, I've seen something like that too, wasn't it the infamous old quest that was never completed?" asked another.

"Yes, yes, the legend is true!" said another adventurer. "However, after many take it, none of them manage to come back alive, besides, the price is quite outdated in my opinion, so no strong adventurers were attracted by it."

"All except this one," said the White Perch.

"Woah..." the fellow guild members gasped as they heard the White Perch let out rare praise. Not just anybody got praise from the second-in-command let alone a vagrant adventurer.

The White Perch turned around and watch the empty street where the four of them had gone. He furrowed his brows. ( What are they doing here? If they can do that, they can inflict much more damage and even fatally wound me, however, they did nothing but slap my back, why? ) thought The White Perch before he raised his brows.

He was one whisk away at cutting his head, one flash of a swing away from blood splurting out of the neck. However, he didn't do it, he sheathed his sword. ( Hm?! Is tha why he was smiling when my sword was a push away from penetrating his throat? He knew that they were already inside the hall, he knew that their power could stop my blade, even at my highest speed?! ).

The White Perch took a deep breath before he calmed himself down. He never expected to find someone like this when he arrived, however, there he was. He was unprepared but the surprise was too great for any preparation. Strong vagrant cultivators were blooming, and he almost lost his life were it not for the lucky choice that he made.

The White Perch slightly shook his head before he darted over the two people on the floor. They were the Five-Star Adventurers that were being dragged by a simple rope to their doorstep, however, now he knew why that it was actually mercy.

"White Perch, what should we do? Should we chase after him?" asked one adventurer, "They can't treat us like this."

"They shouldn't, not they can't," answered the White Perch before he pointed at the two on the floor, "Help them heal, get any necessary medicine that we have if we don't buy them."

"Yes!" said the adventurers before the White Perch nodded and took the stairs to the second floor.

"Wait! White Perch! Aren't we going to deal with them?" asked one adventurer.

"No, we are not," said the White Perch before he squinted his eyes. "Weren't you on the ground with all four without them lifting their finger at you? What do you think would happen if we go there to do what you told us?"

"B-But! We have you," the adventurer smiled.

The White Perch shook his head, "No, not even a Six-Star Adventurers like me can handle them, let alone a band of you."

The fellow members of the guilds gasped at his response.

"That's why, you shouldn't make trouble with those people, at least, not right now," said the White Perch, "Perhaps the leader can do something about him."

The adventurers were looking at one another before the White Perch added, "Don't look for trouble, if you do, I can't guarantee your safety. Remember, they are vagrant adventurers, at least from the outside. That means that they don't have a guild to rely on, however, don't let that disadvantageous fool you, because they can make you kneel with their presence alone."

The White Perch gave one last sharp glance before he returned to the second floor of the hall— leaving his fellow members with thoughts of their own.

...

Meanwhile, Lyon leisurely took his time coming back from the White Crow's guild with Abaddon by his side.

"Hey, are you sure that you have solved your problems?" asked Abaddon.

"Pretty much, I mean, they can't do a thing even if I lift my finger," said Lyon as he smirked.

"Wait! So what was the point of me tagging along then?!" 

"They would take you seriously," answered Lyon. "If I showed up all by myself, chances are that I would start a huge brawl without any chance of explaining what happened."

"That's..." Abaddon paused his steps before he pondered his answer. "....true."

Lyon smirked, "Besides if a brawl would break out even with you by my side, I wouldn't lose to the whole guild."

"Huh?" Abaddon was slightly confused before three figures past him by from behind.