The Bakufu officials drew their matchlocks and katanas, forming a defensive line as the crowd roared with fury. The crackling of gunpowder filled the air as the first volley of matchlocks fired, the shots tearing through the night like lightning. Angry protesters surged forward, undeterred by the sudden violence, fists raised and torches waving wildly. The clash of steel followed—katana against makeshift clubs and wooden poles—as the tension exploded into chaos.
Léopold kept running across the rooftops, his heart pounding in rhythm with the shouts and screams below. The scene was devolving into a battlefield, and the Templars were using the confusion to their advantage, weaving through the melee like vipers. The foreign advisor was nowhere to be seen now, likely blending into the night after firing his warning shot.
The din below was a chaotic symphony—shouts of defiance, the crack of matchlocks, the ring of steel meeting wood. Flames licked at the sky as overturned carts and scattered lanterns fueled the growing inferno of violence.
His eyes darted through the chaos below, searching desperately for Kagerou and Sekibanki. They had scattered earlier, but there was no sign of them now—not in the mass of angry protesters or among the Bakufu guards hacking their way through the mob.
Damn it. Where are you two?
The Templar agent writhed beneath her grip, frustration mingling with fear. Sekibanki relished the moment, her laughter echoing in the alley as she toyed with him. "See? This is what happens when you underestimate a girl like me."
Just as she was about to deliver a scathing retort, a sharp bang split the night, reverberating off the walls like a thunderclap. The shock of the gunshot rattled her, and she instinctively glanced upward, a cold shiver running down her spine.
But the Templar beneath her only let out a harsh, mocking laugh, his breath shaky but triumphant. "Looks like you're a bit late to the party, youkai," he sneered, his voice dripping with derision. "You think you can stop this? The riot was only the beginning."
Sekibanki felt a surge of anger clawing at her insides. "Shut up!" she snapped, pressing down harder on his back. The chaos resumed around them, shouts and screams echoing as the crowd surged forward, emboldened by the gunfire.
"You have no idea what you're up against," he continued, laughter bubbling up in his throat. "This is all according to plan. You're just a pawn in a game you can't even comprehend."
Sekibanki's grip tightened. "A pawn? I'll show you a pawn," she hissed, frustration boiling over. She swung her leg back and delivered a sharp kick to the Templar's side, knocking the wind out of him.
With a quick twist, she rolled him over, forcing him to look up at her. "I don't need to comprehend your little schemes. I just need to make sure you don't get to play them out."
He struggled beneath her, but Sekibanki was relentless. Drawing her fist back, she delivered a quick punch to his jaw, the impact jarring her hand but effectively silencing his laughter.
As he slumped unconscious beneath her, Sekibanki let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Pathetic," she muttered, shaking her head in disappointment. "Can't even handle a little confrontation without resorting to mockery."
The riot outside had escalated, the Bakufu soldiers now in full combat mode, and Sekibanki realized she had to move fast. She couldn't stay here; the chaos was spiraling out of control, and Léopold and Kagerou would be looking for her.
Sekibanki's head bobbed back in place as she pushed herself to her feet, glancing around the darkened alley. She needed to find her friends, but first, she had to navigate through the turmoil without drawing attention.
Stepping carefully over the Templar's still form, Sekibanki re-entered the fray, her instincts sharp as she began to weave through the crowd. The shouts of anger and fear melded into one cacophony, making it hard to hear her own thoughts.
Kagerou crouched low on the rooftop, her senses heightened as she surveyed the chaos below. The riot had erupted into a full-blown melee, Bakufu soldiers clashing with angry protesters, and the air was thick with tension. She could see Léopold darting between the rooftops, a shadow among shadows, but she felt a nagging sense of urgency—their time was running out.
"Where's Sekibanki?" she muttered under her breath, scanning the crowd for any sign of the rokurokubi. Her heart raced as she pictured her friend tangled up in the chaos, no doubt toying with a Templar while the world burned around her.
Just then, Kagerou caught a glimpse of a group of guards rushing toward her position, weapons drawn and faces grim. They were rallying, determined to cut off any escape routes. She clenched her fists, the sharp edges of her claws glinting in the moonlight.
"Not today," she growled, muscles coiling as she prepared to leap into action. She had to get to Sekibanki and Léopold before the Templars set their plan into motion.
With a powerful push, she vaulted off the ledge, landing gracefully on the next rooftop. The landing jolted through her legs, but Kagerou wasted no time, sprinting toward the edge where she could see the streets swarming with chaos. The sight ignited her instincts; she thrived in disorder, and the promise of battle was intoxicating.
Kagerou leaped again, this time aiming for a narrow alley between buildings, where the crowd seemed less dense. She landed with a soft thud, then dashed toward the nearest entrance, hoping to slip through unnoticed.
As she sprinted, she could hear the unmistakable crack of matchlocks being fired, the sharp retorts ringing in her ears like gunfire in a storm. Panic surged through the air as civilians scattered, and Kagerou pressed on, weaving through the throng. She spotted a few Bakufu soldiers cutting through the crowd, their eyes scanning for any sign of trouble.
Léopold sprinted through the streets, the din of chaos swirling around him like a storm. The sounds of shouting, clashing steel, and gunfire faded into a distant roar as he focused on finding Kagerou and Sekibanki. They were out there somewhere, fighting through the turmoil, and he had to get to them before the Templars could regroup.
His heart raced as he leapt across rooftops, glancing down into the fray below. The sight of Bakufu soldiers trying to maintain order amid the riot fueled his determination. This was no ordinary mission; they were embroiled in something much bigger than any of them could have anticipated.
Just as he reached the edge of another rooftop, he spotted Kagerou and Sekibanki breaking through the crowd, moving with a fluidity that spoke to their training and experience. Relief flooded through him, but it was quickly tempered by the sight of the guards closing in behind them, weapons drawn and ready.
Léopold didn't hesitate. He leapt down from the rooftop, landing behind the guards with a soft thud. They were too focused on the riot to notice him until he was upon them. In one swift motion, he drew his hidden blade and struck, taking down the nearest soldier before the others even had time to react.
"Léopold!" Kagerou shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos as she ducked past the remaining guards, Sekibanki close on her heels.
"Right behind you!" he called back, dispatching another guard with a swift kick that sent him sprawling into the throng of protesters.
The three of them regrouped, panting heavily as they momentarily caught their breath amidst the chaos. Kagerou's eyes gleamed with adrenaline, while Sekibanki's grin was playful even in the face of danger.
"Nice of you to join the party!" Sekibanki teased, her head bobbing closer to Léopold.
Kagerou nodded, her expression serious. "What's the plan? We can't stay here. There are too many of them."
Léopold gestured toward a narrow alleyway a few meters away, partially obscured by the chaos of the crowd. "That way. We can slip through and find a way around them. We need to get to safety and regroup."
With a swift nod, the three of them darted toward the alley, ducking low to avoid the frantic swirls of bodies and the occasional errant swing of a weapon. Léopold led the way, his instincts guiding him through the turmoil, heart racing with each step.
...
Once inside the alley, the cacophony of the riot dulled to a distant murmur, and they paused to catch their breath, the shadows enveloping them like a protective shroud.
"Is everyone okay?" Léopold asked, scanning their faces for any signs of injury.
"I'm fine," Kagerou replied, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "Just a bit winded."
"Same here," Sekibanki added, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "But did you see the look on that Templar's face when I knocked him out? Priceless!"
Léopold couldn't help but crack a smile at her antics, though he quickly quelled it as the gravity of their situation returned. "We have to keep moving. The Templars will be hunting for us now that they know we're in the area."
"Agreed," Kagerou said, her expression shifting back to focus. "What's next? We can't just run blindly."
Léopold exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as the weight of their situation settled on him. "I need to report back to the council."
Sekibanki gave him a sharp look. "Oh, they're gonna love this."
He scoffed, already dreading the conversation. "Yeah, it's going to be a nightmare trying to explain all this. A simple recon mission turning into this? Templars triggering a riot, an armed confrontation with Bakufu soldiers—it's going to be a disaster."
Kagerou folded her arms, her gaze flickering between Léopold and the distant sounds of the riot. "It's not just the riot we have to explain. If the council thinks we compromised ourselves, they'll probably say the mission was a failure."
Sekibanki smirked, floating closer. "Failure? I don't think they'll call it that once they hear about the skull I cracked."
"Or about the fact we nearly got killed because of a setup." Léopold's jaw tightened. "The Templars were two steps ahead of us the whole time. They didn't just use the riot as cover—they made sure we would be right in the middle of it."
Kagerou's expression darkened. "This wasn't just bad luck. They were waiting for us."
"And the council will want answers," Léopold said grimly. "Even if those answers make us look like fools."
Sekibanki gave a short laugh. "Oh, they already think I'm a fool, so I'm ahead of the curve. But seriously, what's the plan? March in and tell them we got outsmarted, or leave out the part where we almost lost our heads?"
"No choice but to tell the truth," Léopold muttered. "They'll find out everything eventually."
Léopold rubbed the back of his neck, glancing toward the street, where the distant echoes of the riot still reverberated. "For now, we need to lay low. No heroics, no risks. If the Templars are out in force, they'll have eyes everywhere. We move quietly and avoid trouble."
"Does that include not knocking out more Templars?" Sekibanki asked, her grin mischievous.
"Yes," Léopold replied, shooting her a look. "Especially that."
The Assassin sighed, the weight of the night pressing heavier on his shoulders. "We need to lay low and scatter for now. It's too dangerous for us to stick together." He glanced between Kagerou and Sekibanki. "I'll handle the council myself. There's no need for both of you to get dragged into this mess any more than you already have."
Sekibanki gave an exaggerated shrug, her detached head bobbing in the air. "Oh, don't worry. I'll be perfectly fine lying low. Not like anyone ever notices me anyway." Her grin was sharp and playful. "I'll keep my head down—literally."
Kagerou frowned. "Are you sure, Léopold? Going in alone doesn't seem smart. They're not exactly the forgiving type."
Léopold offered her a small, weary smile. "I'll manage. Someone has to take the heat, and it might as well be me."
Sekibanki crossed her arms. "So noble. Almost like you're volunteering to get yelled at."
"Let's not pretend the council isn't going to chew me out regardless." He ran a hand down his face. "But if we all go, they might twist this into something worse. They'll think we're covering for each other. It's better if I take responsibility."
Kagerou's lips pressed into a thin line, but she gave a reluctant nod. "Alright. But once things cool down, we need to regroup."
"Agreed," Léopold said. "I'll send word once I know where we stand."
Sekibanki gave a little mock salute. "Don't worry, boss. I'll be lurking around. Probably terrifying a few humans in the process."
"And I'll keep my ears open," Kagerou added. "If the Templars try to move against us again, we'll know."
Léopold gave them both a grateful nod. "Thank you. Stay safe, both of you."
Without another word, they exchanged brief glances, and then, like shadows scattering before the dawn, they split off in different directions.