On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Three Hundred And Eleven

I looked at Daiyu as she prepared to engage our first opponent. As we reached the river, which we now needed to capture to enable us to have unbroken access to Tsukuyomi-jinja, the surface boiled, and a massive surge of fetid, mist-laden water billowed out, washing onto the shore, leaving heaps of pungent, rotting plant matter behind. As the water receded, foaming down, what was revealed was some sort of massive, mutated crayfish, the grey and green shell thicker than tank armour, the face twisted into a mass of gaping mouths and jagged teeth.

I let out a low whistle on seeing the beast. “Well, at least it’s not some sort of Yokai from the Night Parade. But damn, that thing’s quite the monster.” The crayfish was waving claws the size of vans, and it had more than the usual two arms, multiple limbs flailing, chitin clicking and clacking as they reached towards the shore. “Damn, it’s got to be twenty-five metres long. It could give the Wyrm pause.” I remembered the creature that had come down during the etheric tide long ago. Kyoto sure is full of stronger creatures than the outskirts of Tokyo. It’s just another reason that the Candidates here were struggling to make a foothold in the Boundary…

The back of the colossal monster was crawling with man-sized creatures that were a twisted parody of crayfish, crabs and monkeys, and as the beast rose from the Katsura river, they began to jump to shore, confronting us. Well, if this was me from a month ago, I’d be feeling the pressure. But now I can handle it. In fact, I was a little eager to test out Cutting Twilight, and Haru-san could definitely use a nice ether boost to upgrade her new Territory. Casting a sidelong glance towards Daiyu, I noticed a slight expression of disgust on her beautiful, stoic face.

“Not a fan, Daiyu’er?” I asked, and she looked at me as if I was an idiot.

“Of these? That is foolish.” She sniffed, annoyed. “Qilin, Dragons, Phoenix, those are Spiritual beings of beauty and power, blessed by the Heavens, the sort of Spirit Beast ancient Cultivators used to covet. These…?” she eyed the rapidly approaching tide of stinking chitin and bilious weeds. “… these are merely abominations, grown out of unstable Earthly Qi. Such should be destroyed, freeing up the Qi to return to the Earth. With the Spiritual separated long, many aberrations fill the Spiritual World.” She sighed, taking up a fighting stance, before giving me a sidelong glance. “You wished to see me battle, did you not? Well, I feel the same. If I am to seek vengeance…”

“Yeah, you need to know I have the power I say I do.” Drawing my new sword from my back, I let aether flow into it, and the blade began to glow a brilliant purple. My Eye examined the blade curiously, and I smiled at the description.

Cutting Twilight – Item Class: [Noble], Item Type: [Rule]

A heavy double-edged blade made from enhanced dwarven-steel and bluesteel alloyed together meticulously, made by the renowned Dvergr craftsman Bjarki, by melting down the surviving Twin Fang, retaining and strengthening its spatial element, with the restoration of bluesteel to the mix. The ability to store and use elements has been restored, though some will always be converted to spatial element at low effectiveness, and the ability of the blade to draw in ether from the surroundings and aether from the user has been noticeably increased by the impregnation of powdered Etherite into the alloy, giving the blade an incredible sharpness, and the ability to sever nearby space for an instant.

Yeah, I think Bjarki has created a new masterpiece. It feels great in my hand… “All right then. Here we go!” Body Enhancement running, I leapt forwards, my speed multiple times that of the mutant crayfish, my blade a blur. Chitin shattered, green and blue blood splattering, but I dodged the falling droplets, wielding Cutting Twilight elegantly, alternating between one-handed and two-handed strikes, swapping between hands as needed. For a moment Daiyu was frozen, before she too joined the battle, her modest look of disgust intensifying as blood splatters soiled her outfit, her first punch crushing the head of a mutant, her movements elegant and swift.

Not bad. Though since she’s not too tall, she has a bit of a disadvantage in terms of her reach, still, she seems to make up for that with speed and power. Two more surged towards her, but she merely stared at the oncoming creatures. My Eye detected a fluctuation in the aether within their bodies, and they slowed, movements becoming uncoordinated. Daiyu didn’t miss this opening, and surged forwards. One fist slammed into a head, and I noticed she was circulating a modified form of aether, likely Qi, through her body, in a lesser variant of my Body Enhancement, allowing her to strike without damaging herself. The second she kicked out at, but the blow was weak, if swift.

Oh? I smiled as my Eye detected what she was doing, as the kick struck, barely inflicting any tangible damage. Qi left her foot, entering the body of the opponent, moving through the mess of its chakra network, before detonating, inflicting noticeable damage to the meridians and capillaries. It wasn’t enough to take it down, but it screamed, spilling more blue blood, and Daiyu used that opportunity to leap up and strike with her Qi-strengthened fists.

“Pretty good.” I approved, watching as her gaze continued to slow and confound the numerous enemies, while I proceeded to hack through the oncoming hordes. Spatial rending activated, sharper than ever, over a wider area, and four mutants split apart, severed diagonally, upper bodies sliding free.

“First Strike: Single Palm!” Daiyu declared, and my eye noticed Qi condensing. Her hand shot out, and when it made contact with the nearest opponent, the discharge shredded its insides violently. “Second Strike. Twin Palms!” she cried, and two more fell. “Third Strike. Four Tiger Claws!” silvery sweat flew from her forehead as she attacked rapidly, the creatures slowed and disrupted by her Qi-infused gaze suddenly torn apart, most of the damage internal, savaging their malformed networks, but this time the Tiger Claws also created nigh-invisible blades that severed chitin and bone too.

I see. I’d better step up my game. Grinning, I poured wind energy into Cutting Twilight, glad I could do it again. Some of the jade energies was shading to violet, and it was harder to control the wind, but even so I was able to tame it, and with a swing of my rapidly vibrating blade, I cleared a path, effortlessly chopping through the armoured creatures.

As the swarm of vile creatures were thinned rapidly, the large beast within the river bellowed angrily, drawing in a surge of water into its many malformed mouths, and an orange glow was radiating from its eyes. With a roar it unleashed multiple jets of water, fortified by water element, hosing the shoreline, gouging great furrows into the ground and collapsing nearby structures. I swung Cutting Twilight, diverting one beam, while dodging several others, keeping my eye on Daiyu, but she evaded agilely, and my Eye picked up she seemed to be using some sort of expanded sense, Qi spreading from her, interacting with the surrounding aether, allowing her to pre-empt the attack. Even so, she was showered in several cascading droplets, scattered like missiles, and her arm was bleeding from numerous painful-looking gouges.

“Careless…” Daiyu muttered, chiding herself. Still, she looked unconcerned by her injuries, and even as I watched, the gashes and oozing punctures in her body were starting to heal, a pure Qi, shading a pretty golden yellow in my vision, starting to surround and consume the tainted water element that soiled her injuries. That… that feels familiar somehow…

“All right then. Now I’m annoyed. You shouldn’t attack girls, jackass!” I complained, now adding shimmering yellow flame element to the blade. Surprisingly, Daiyu seemed annoyed at that declaration.

“What arrogance is that? I am Zhao Daiyu, Peak Foundation Realm Cultivator. To not attack me because I am a girl insults all that I am, all that I have achieved. I am not a girl, I am a Cultivator!”

“Uh, sorry.” I said, abashed by her furious denial. “I guess that was arrogant of me. Let me rephrase that then… don’t attack those I’m protecting, beast!” Swinging Cutting Twilight against another spray of the beams, one clawed arm was cut off, flesh searing, not giving off the pleasant smell of roasted crab, but a vile stench of cooked rotting waste. As the claw hit the water, my blast of wind, flame and spatial elements continued on, punching through the shell and piercing deep, armoured fragments scattering away. The colossal mutant crayfish bellowed, and multiple massive pincers were sent at me.

“No, I don’t think so…” Remembering how Daiyu was confounding the enemies with her Qi, projected from her eyes, I tried to push out aether from my own Eye, using it in the same way. My eyeball hurt, a stinging pain rocking my brain, but with Split Thoughts I quickly alleviated that, and for a moment I felt I had it, the crayfish slowing, before the sensation slipped away. Space was severed, and another claw struck the riverbed, splashing filthy water everywhere.

“Foehn!” I declared, and a tide of roaring napalm sprayed over the beast, engulfing its torso and half of its face. Even though a thick shell protected it, there were still gouges and cracks the Foehn seeped into, and the beast screamed once more, thrashing, legs and clawed arms crushing many of its own soldiers. It turned, trying desperately to flee, sinking back into the river, and I paused for a second, considering.

No way, I can’t let it go. If it comes back and attacks Haru-san’s Territory, I doubt she can hold it off alone. “Fine then. Taste the light of the moon. Mangetsu. Full Moon Pierces!” Spinning my light energy into a single beam, I pierced the burning head of the beast. With a skull so large, the brain was equally huge, so it was not a fatal blow, despite the superheated laser incinerating surrounding tissue, causing a shockwave to rattle the brain. However, I swept the beam to the side, ripping open a long gash, bringing more trumpeting howls from the stricken beast. My intent wasn’t to destroy the crayfish with the light though, but to penetrate the thick chitin protecting it. The laser winked out, and Foehn crawled in through the gap, and burning yellow tears were spilling from its eyes and flames were spewing through the burned hole. With one final cry the beast sunk under the water, ether surging, and I allowed most of it to go towards Haru-san’s Anchor.

Job done. Yeah, I’m definitely finding battles that would have been impossible a month ago far easier. I still can’t get cocky though. Remember the powerhouses of the Hyakki Yagyō…

You have gained in strength. your level has increased from One Hundred And Five to One Hundred And Six. All of your Material statistics have increased by eleven. Aether has increased by twenty-seven.

Just one level huh? Yeah, it’s getting tougher to level up. Well, I shouldn’t complain… I cut down a few fleeing creatures, watching as Daiyu was using her Tiger Strikes to cleave down those around her. As the last fell, other than a few who scuttled away into the river, I observed her as she finished up. Her wounds were still healing, but at a noticeably more rapid rate than I would have expected from the aether or Qi her body contained. Well, apparently she did survive being adrift in the ocean with terrible wounds, perhaps it’s her Divine Favour…

Seeing the direction of my gaze, she sighed. “Yes, Chang’e, the eternal goddess of the moon, seemingly has not forsaken me. I cannot die, not yet, until I have achieved vengeance on those that wronged my Sect, and it lives anew.”

“Well, don’t die then, either.” I grinned. “Well, let me take care of those for you.” I reached out and took her arm. She flinched for a moment under my touch, before being surprised as my Ether Healing reinforced her own ability to regenerate from her injuries. Her eyes opened a little, a large show of surprise from her, and I was shocked too. That power she has within her… it’s strong. I think… if I could study it, learn it, I could push my Ether Healing far enough to…

As her wounds closed, I wasn’t the only one in shock. Feeling my energies, Daiyu looked up at me, a troubled expression on her face, one full of longing. “Your yang energy is pure and radiates the energy of the moon, just like the Spirit Water you hoard away from me.”

I supressed a giggle at her greed and indignation regarding the Water, but was curious at her words. “Yang energy? Do you mean light element?”

She nodded. “Yang is light and male, amongst other things. My Foundation Technique requires the yang element which is hard for women to Cultivate, as I said before. I am jealous. You have a solid … foundation…” she used the word in a different sense. “… for Cultivation. Perhaps I would ask you to be my disciple, but your Foundation Technique is more advanced than mine, even if your Qi refining is pathetic.” she put me down at the end, perhaps to make herself feel less jealous.

“Well, I’d be eager to learn. Your Qi techniques are interesting. Like when you radiate Qi to hamper your opponent. In fact, nearly all of your techniques seem to be internal attacks.”

She nodded. “Many older techniques were external. Calling lightning and flame, using yin and yang Qi to conjure creatures of myth, turning the body to steel or diamond. These arts are long lost or no longer function. The world is starved of Qi, such is why the cowards from Kunlun fled, sealing themselves and what Qi they could away.” Her sigh was long and bitter. “With so little Earthly Qi present, only those techniques within one’s body, or affecting the internal state of another, function with any great effect.”

I nodded. “That tallies with my early experiments. Using Ether to affect the Material is orders of magnitude harder than in the Boundary, but it’s easily ten times easier to use Ether internally. If the density of ether increases though, shouldn’t more techniques become viable again? Or here, in the Boundary?”

“I believe so. I was able to reach peak Foundation because of the opportunities afforded me here. That and my need for vengeance.” She shrugged, looking dangerous with her bloodstained arm and fists covered in green and blue gore. “Cultivation is the art of taking in all paths to power, wresting strength from the Heavens and the Earth, following one’s own Dao. My Dao is not yet set, but… perhaps it lies on the path of vengea… what?”

This time I’m not holding back. She seemed startled as I dropped my hand on her head, rubbing gently. “I think vengeance isn’t a worthy Dao.” I shook my head sadly. “I don’t think you need to dedicate your heart and soul to it.”

“What do you know?” she scoffed. “Have you suffered as I have?”

“No. And I never want to.” Losing the trainees and watching Mine-san die was enough. “I also don’t want to see you go down a destructive path. If you must have vengeance, don’t make it your very reason for being. Or else in the end, you’ll have nothing left, and be hollow.”

She brushed aside my hand, looking down, her expression pensive. “I will bear your words in mind. But vengeance I shall have, be it my Dao or not, for just as I swear to you, I swear to the…”

“Nope.” I sealed her mouth, causing her to look at me angrily. “No more oaths to the Heavens. Binding yourself isn’t ever a good idea, and I said I don’t think it’s safe to draw attention to Earth yet. Let the Heavens keep to themselves. Vowing to your own heart should be good enough. Now, enough of that. We should continue. I want to get this done…”

Removing my hand from her mouth, I turned away. Daiyu looked at me, a touch resentfully, before acquiescing and following after, an unreadable expression on her face…

********

Back at the Anchor, near the Ring Gates, we all regrouped. Eri and Shiro had arrived through the Gate to meet us. Eri had a rather complicated expression, a mixture of resentment and defiance, considering how she had been injured in Kyoto, but Shiro was looking around, excited at what she could see.

“That was fascinating, Aki. Arisu would be impressed, jumping through several hundred miles in an instant. Though she’d also be quite mad, as the Gates make some of her abilities obsolete.” Her smile was wry.

“No way, these Gates are great, but they lack the flexibility of someone able to move through space at will, even if her ability is of a smaller scale. Besides, I’m worried about the favour I owe Primal Forest to pay for this. I guess I’ll be meeting Arisu-san soon, right?”

“Yeah, well, I’m still nervous about that, Aki. She’s a proud, prickly woman. Just… well, don’t worry, I’ll coach you on what you can and can’t say to her. I don’t want you ending up like Daizen… well, I think you’d probably find a way to turn the tables on her. Shit, I don’t want that either. Arisu is a companion, a friend…”

“Excuse me.” Tsukiko-san said quietly, watching Shiro cautiously. “You… you are the princess of Hungry Ghosts, are you not?”

“Well, I’m glad you recognise I’m a princess…” Shiro paused, seeing Tsukiko-san for the first time. “Whoa, Aki, where did you find this one? She’s as gorgeous as me… well, as I used to be…” she snorted bitterly. “And this is the one you asked to marry you? I’m starting to think you have a type, Aki.” she said carelessly, getting cries of surprise from Kudou-san.

“Wait, what?” he goggled. “You’d make a move on the Lady Diviner?”

“It was just insurance, I had no impure motives!” I explained again, leaving Eri rolling her eyes. “I wanted to make sure Kin Bonding would attach to her. We could have got divorced after she survives whatever she thinks is going to kill her. We don’t need to now, anyway… look, stop looking at me like that!” quailing under the mixture of amused, exasperated, shocked and cynical gazes, I went to change the subject, luckily Tsukiko-san did it for me.

“You are… not as I expected, princess of the Hungry Ghosts.” She continued. “It seems Akio-san was correct when he says your destined future has changed.”

Shiro was about to reply when her eye blazed crimson, her hair shading to blood-red, flames flickering. At the sudden different presence, Kudou-san and Saionji-san cried out, but Tsukiko-san merely watched, perhaps remembering how the destiny of the Hungry Ghost had changed, and what I had told her. Tsukiko-san seems to be smiling a little. I’m not sure how genuine it is, but it’s an improvement over her defeatist attitude of late.

“Well, you who sees the skeins of the future…” Tan intoned regally. “… I am curious. What do you know of me? My presence here should be masked, obscure.”

“No, your presence is one of the fulcrums that will determine the fate of the world.” Tsukiko-san shook her head. “Tsukuyomi sees your impact, but… destiny has changed. Been changed.” Tsukiko-san glanced at me, and I smiled reassuringly. “You were destined to drink deep of and devour that which you loved, and in your grief and bitterness rage and fight, though in a clash of two hungers, perhaps you would triumph. Now…” she paused. “… well, I can no longer see as clearly as I once did. But…”

“I see.” Tan looked at me. “Well, you are tasty indeed.” She licked Shiro’s lips. “But we have an agreement. The princess, she would not see you harmed. Even at the cost of her own suffering.”

“Hey, stop embarrassing me!” Shiro wrested back control, her scarred skin going nearly as red as her remaining eye. “I need to keep up the cool beauty act in front of Aki, and it’s even more important in front of my rivals.” She looked at Shaeula, Eri and Hyacinth, before glancing at Tsukiko-san too. “It’s true though. I never really knew how I felt about Aki. I thought it was just friendship, like for Hayato, Shugo or even that idiot Yasu. But I was naïve. I didn’t really understand affection, love or anything else.” She sighed. “If Tan had killed Aki… yeah, I think in the end, the guilt would have eaten me up inside, and I’d have conceded everything to Tan, wanting to stop feeling anything anymore.”

“Well it didn’t happen.” I reassured her. “And I think we proved not only that the future can be changed…” Tsukiko-san’s smile was brittle, but still there. “… but also we were meant to be together.”

“Maybe so, but I can’t help but feel that Shiro overlaps with me too much.” Eri complained. “I definitely feel like you’re my rival too!”

“Well, in manga, the childhood friend almost always loses, but… well, we’re deep into harem genre now it seems, so let’s fight it out fairly, Eri.” Shiro answered.

“This is all very-very good, and I do enjoy seeing us sisters getting along well, we have much to do, do we not-not?” Shaeula interjected, putting a hand on Tsukiko-san’s shoulder, making her flinch, unused to physical contact. “Tsukiko, do not-not fear. We shall all work together. If an impossible feat such as reclaiming the Spring of Clear Reflections can be achieved, this shall surely be rather-rather simple in comparison. But for now, we must-must visit the Night Parade.”

“Yes, it’s all a lot of fun watching Akio-san try and manage his many conquests…” Haru-san joked. “… but we actually have some serious matters to attend to. I’ve gathered a lot more ether while you all helped me out. So, what do I spend it on?”

“Yes, I’m curious.” Saionji-san agreed, and Bankei-san’s nephew and Taishakama-san were also listening carefully, as their own Territories were managed in a different manner. “When I strengthen my Territory, I don’t have such detailed knowledge.”

“It’s all part of my Divine Favour.” I confirmed. “Well, normally I’d say increasing the Rank of your Ether Spires would make the most sense for sustained growth, but the Territory is set up to defend Tsukuyomi-jinja and Tsukiko-san, so that can wait. How much ether do you have?”

“A little under twenty-five thousand.” She declared. “So what do I do with that?”

“That’s not as much as I hoped, considering we all powered through the whole area and took out a few decently strong enemies, but I suppose I’m just too used to big gains. Tsukiko-san, you said that your death is imminent, right?”

“I did. Tsukuyomi has told me my time remaining is measured in mere days.” She said calmly. “But do not grieve. And spare me further chastisement. I have noticed you do rather enjoy lecturing me.” Her smile seemed genuine for once. “I will trust in your defiance and will to fight to protect me and Kyoto. How can I not, when you have gone to such efforts? I thank you too, Suzuki Haru-san.”

“There’s no need to thank me. Dying is scary. I should know. After all, I’m dead!” Haru-san replied. “Besides, as a fellow woman toyed with by fate, chosen by Gods that despite their natures, seem to lack compassion for us… I’d rather extend a hand, like how one was extended to me.”

“This is all very well.” Moira spoke up suddenly, having completed her on-site survey. Kobolds, ratkin, weaselkin and dwarves were now coming through the Ring Gate, carrying an assortment of tools and materials. “But this detour is taking up time and resources from the plans for your Territory, Akio, Duchess.” The way she spoke made me feel I was back at school again, and I barely managed to prevent myself standing to attention. “If we could return to the matter at hand?” she assessed our best course of action.

“By all means.” I agreed, ignoring mutters from Kudou-san that I was easily bullied by women. I can’t complain because it’s clearly true, but for it to be an older woman like Moira is unusual, normally it’s younger girls who bend me to their whims. Well, considering my relationships, it’d be stupid to bemoan that…

“There is little point wasting resources on further boosts to the Spawning Spires and Barracks for now. Any threat strong enough will sweep aside any number of poorly organised, weaker troops. We have enough to delay, allowing reinforcements. No. We should maximise the shock value of hidden Defensive Emplacements. Since we are dealing in mere days…” she pursed her lips. “… we will have to expend resources on completing them instantly, which is wasteful, but cannot be helped. Here…” She marked seven places on the map, before adding several more in a different colour.

“I see.” I could understand what she was going for. “Yeah, individually, Defensive Emplacements at Rank 1 aren’t too threatening, but if we hide them in carefully-constructed fortifications, we can likely catch out at least some enemies, and at worst, buy us more time…” Moira certainly is excellent at military planning and strategy. Using them that way, we can definitely make a difference.

“I see. Well, I’ll follow your judgement. I’m not really much of a fighter.” Haru-san agreed, and soon the first seven Emplacements were erected.

“All right, Shaeula, shall we go? Hyacinth, you come too.” Her performance against the Kijo should give any enemies pause.

“I’ll sit it out.” Eri sighed. “I’m still far from well, and there’s no benefit to us if I go, only risk.”

“I see you are learning.” Shaeula approved. “Yes, remain here-here and later we will train some more. Perhaps Chiaki and Chiasa will be well enough to assist us, with help-help from Haru here?”

“Well, I want to go.” Shiro said, surprising me. At my puzzled look, she shrugged. “What’s wrong with that, Aki? After all, isn’t there supposed to be a healer from the Night Parade who is coming to help me, and they need my assistance in the future, you said, so there shouldn’t be any problems?” she pouted, giving me a look I’d never seen on Shiro before, embarrassed and flirty. “Are you ashamed to be seen with me because of my injuries, Aki?”

“You know it’s not that.” I knew she was teasing me, but even so, I pulled her into a hug. That just made her more embarrassed, but her one good arm coiled around me, and I realised she was nervous. I guess even the faint prospect of being healed is enough to make her both hopeful and afraid.

“Well, if there is any trouble, Tan can take over. Well, it’s not the date every girl dreams of, visiting a parade of monsters, with her boyfriend’s other women in tow, but… well, I’ve played so many games featuring Oni, Kitsune and more, I admit to being curious. So I guess it’s the date I dream of.”

“Right. Well, Daiyu’er, you come too. Kudou-san is hardly fluent in Chinese, so I don’t want to leave you here. But if there’s trouble, you flee back here, all right? There shouldn’t be any, but I’m not going to be complacent.”

With that decided, we started to set off. Moira was directing the construction, while Ulfuric busied himself with making various strategies for a number of battlefield scenarios. “Mori-chan, why don’t you have a talk with this old man?” Kudou-san grinned. “I was rather impressed by your display at Conclave, for someone not favoured by any kami. I’d like to learn more about you. There’s a story behind those, right?”

Eri looked a bit put off, but she was making more of an effort to be sociable, so she sat down, resting her quivering legs, her tail twitching and cat ears flickering. “Yes, there is. It’s not a pleasant one though. But I’m luckier than most…”

“I would like to talk to you about how you measure Ether, and how you’ve established these new constructions so quickly…” Bankei-san’s nephew was bombarding Haru-san with questions, and Saionji-san sidled closer, an expression of deep interest on his face.

Do your best, Haru-san! I cheered her on internally, as my group set off, following Shaeula.

“The Ministry is gathering details of best practise for Territory construction.” Haru-san sighed. “All this information will be made available then, but…”

All right then. Time to collect Shaeula’s new Kamaitachi, and get this healer…