Chapter 21: Investigations in Toran Republic
The next day, Lene and her group travel through the Forest Village and to see a woman battling the bandits with her naginata and demonstrating her fighting style naginatajutsu. She attacks them with dual fans and she created energy blasts on one of her fans. Lene was surprised upon seeing her defeat her enemies.
"It's just like a Tokkosho to blast them out." Sean said getting amused and she saw them.
"Are you one of those bandits who attacked this village? If you were then I'm not gonna tolerate this violence."
"Watch your tone, lady! Lene is the princess and heiress!" Seed yelled her correctly and Lene wields her double-sided tonfas.
Both women duel each other between her tonfas and her steel fans. Asher noticed her fighting style very well and seeing her unleashing the projectile from one of her fans as Lene blocks it as her Rune activates to rebound her projectile back to her which she dodges.
"Impressive, the Rune on her hand enables her to deflect the projectile back at her." Asher said became amused at Lene's prowess which Seed mumbles about what he had seen.
"We never had those at my time either. Either Lord Riou or Lord Jowy can activate their true Runes if they block someone's attack like this. I know I could use Silent Lake to engulfed all of us in the battlefield."
Lene then shoots the explosive taser at her which she retaliated with another projectile and they continue to exchange their blows. She tried to charge up her fans to form a projectile as she shoots at her three times which Lene dodges. Sean became panicked as they are about to get hit. To his surprise, they were protected by forming blue crystals to repel the attack.
"Man, that was close... I would expect Seed is a life saver for us in here."
"Don't get carried away, Sean. I casts Protection Mist from my Flowing Rune in case if this lady keeps on attacking us with those fireballs. Her way of fighting is really starting to annoy me."
Both noticed Asher uses his Water Rune to casts Kindness Drops on Lene to restore a small amount of her energy which allows her to use her Divine Dagger Rune by casting Flying Arrow. The woman was disappointed to see her casting a Rune.
"I would expect you use that thing."
"You were a tough person as I thought. I think you had no way out on this one." Lene said as she smirks to see her.
The woman was blasted away in a white explosive flash, knocking her down in defeat. The trio was surprised about her Rune as the woman gets up and seeing she was tough.
"You beat me down... It seems that you were not one of those bandits after all."
After the battle, Lene manages to heal her with Divine's Blessing while Asher continues to use Kindness Drops to support the healing powers of her Rune which Seed wants to know why he is doing.
"I didn't know you can use Kindness Drops along with Lene's healing abilities, old man."
"You could have one too." Asher said while looking at him. "The Flowing Rune also has a lot of healing capabilities besides mine. Not just the Kindness Rain but Mother Ocean would do any good."
"Oh yeah... I didn't know I can also use Mother Ocean on my Flowing Rune. All I do is just taking the offensive when I used it." Seed said finally noticed more about other healing spells between the Water and Flowing Rune and the woman stands up and apologize to Lene.
"I formally apologize for mistaking you as one of the bandits who attacked this place. These bandits are heartless to attack the villages."
"Apology accepted. With that outfit of yours, you sounded like you were a kobudo practitioner or like a shaman." Lene said accepting her apology as the woman introduces herself.
"My name is Tsubame. I'm the substitute teacher of the Kobudo dojo in Toran Republic. The reason that I barely used my naginata besides my fans. I always used it as a last resort. Naginatajutsu is also part of Kobudo." Tsubame finally introduced herself and wants to be aided by Lene and her group. "I hope you might help me find the bandits behind the attack of this village. Their next target is in Rokkaku Hamlet where the ninja village was hidden.
"The only way to get through is by taking a boat to Banner Village. The Banner Pass leads to Gregminster, the capital of Toran Republic. Maybe we could find that hidden ninja village." Lene said knowing of where they were going as Asher states about their current situation.
"Like in the history books most ninjas who takes patrolling and casting out the intruders on their village. In order to get through their village we need a request to the current President of Toran Republic."
As everyone discusses about their next travels, Seed became irritated to see them talking as he thought.
Don't get so irritated and boredom. I'm at their future world. Maybe I might even know about the hidden village they had talking about. I would not know that someone from Toran Republic is in Lord Riou's side which is my enemy. Now I'm really starting to get insecurities about me.
At Radat Town, both Daimaru and Moichi prepares a boat for them leads to Toran Republic as Tsubame is with them in their travels.
"Your highness, the boat is ready to go. I hope you can see the current President of Toran."
"I'm coming with you, your highness." Kai arrives to see them and wanted to take an audience to the president of Toran.
"So you wanna come with us, General Kai."
"If I may... your father had gave me the permission to meet the president of Toran Republic." Kai said and he looked at Tsubame and noticing the naginata she had wielded as he remarked. "It reminds me of my ancestors who wields that kind of weapon. They even use that in battles."
The boat leads through Banner Village which is the south side of Radat. Arriving at the village, it was ravaged once again just like in Forest Village.
"That was unreal... how come the village had turned into ruins?" Sean reacted and Seed looked at the surroundings and he smelled the entire town filled with black smoke as he states.
"It must be the same bandits who attacked at the Forest Village in Greenhill. They really made a scorched earth with this town."
Kai investigates the ruined village and he had found a bandanna left behind in the burning village and seeing who's responsible.
"This belongs to the Dark Phoenix Bandits. It's not like in the Silverian Army who would do such a thing. For what purpose?"
"According to my teacher, these bandits were once soldiers in Gregminster. They had a disagreements between them and the President of Toran which causes them to be banished." Tsubame said and seeing their cruelty. "These bandits were formed as a splinter group and that's why they were trying to destroy the village."
"In other words, they have been targeted from village to village since you repelled these guys in Forest Village." Lene said which Tsubame confirms.
"Yes..."
The group then proceeds to move to the Banner Pass which would take a lot of travel to get through Gregminster. At the border, they were found by three men as one of them recognizes Sean.
"Long time no see, Inspector Rockwell. Do you have business today?"
"We came here to see the President of Toran, Markus." Sean said which he allows them to go to Gregminster.
At the Gregminster Castle, they were waited to see the audience for the President and it was the first time Seed had get through to Toran as he thought.
When Culgan joins up with Riou's group as a convoy, did he really traveled here? All he came up is just the letter for the peace treaty between the Dunan Army and ours which is the Highland Kingdom. This castle is just like in Rockaxe who is now became as a modernized town and it's castle too.
"Inspector Rockwell, the President was waiting for you especially the princess of Silveria Kingdom."
"How come only both of them knows them well, why!?" Seed reacted angrily as he was elbowed to the groin by Asher who tries to keep him quiet.
"Just keep quiet, young man. Everyone knows you were the enemy of the past because here in our world, you're still a dead man. We should go along with both of them."
At the throne room, they meet the President of Toran named Leroy and he is the descendant of Sheena, the son of both Lepant and Eileen.
"Welcome, Inspector Rockwell and you too Princess of Silveria Kingdom. I heard there was a blood war going on at your kingdom."
"Yes, sir... They managed to usurp both the current King and the princess and now they currently resided at the Higheast Palace." Sean said which Leroy knows the threat about Doug.
"That Doug fellow is about to make a new threat here in this town. But right now, I need both of your assistance to dismantled the Dark Phoenix Bandits. It has a few casualties when they were attacking several towns and we managed to neutralize them."
"Sir Leroy... We already detected the bandits. They are about to attack the hidden ninja village in Rokkaku Hamlet."
"I see... the ninjas are unaware of their presence and they were not prepared to battle against them. That's why we have to stop them from attacking." Leroy said as a man came to see them which happens to be the Vice Chief of Rokkaku.
"If you were saying that these horrible mongrels are attacking my village. My decision is to get back to Rokkaku to inform our chief."
"Honestly, this is Hayate... the vice chief of Rokkaku. He decides to join to your side in trying to stop the bandits from destroying the town." Leroy said finally introduces to Lene's group to Hayate. "He will be guide you at Rokkaku Hamlet."
"Speaking of ninjas. I'd say that I'll guard these two because they were in my faction called "The Shield"." Seed said blurting out on both Lene and Sean by hugging at both of them much to their disappointment as Asher arrives and decided to stay here with Leroy while Kai is with him.
"Please, excuse for his arrogance, Leroy. I'll let this vice-chief to lead them at the hidden ninja village. About this red-headed guy who displays his stupidity, I'll put him into the test of mettle if he could cooperate with the princess."
"Hmmm, you must be the renowned inventor from the Higheast. This is the first time we meet each other in person." Leroy said as both shake hands and allowing Lene's group to dispatch to Rokkaku. "Since Hayate is with you, my permission is finally given, your highness."
Outside the castle, Sean angrily reacted on Seed's remarks and Lene became embarrassed in front of the President.
"What faction you were talking about, red head!? I know you spoke us like that because you were completely jealous!"
"Anyway, I had nothing else to say with you two around." Seed said in a sarcastic tone and he angrily raises his brow on both of them. "How come you two were recognized by the President! Did you do something here in this town as well!?"
"I think I would spill it out so that you would shut up, Seed." Lene said in an straight tone of her voice and she tells him. "I once visited here with my father during one of his golden expeditions while Sean is very known for everyone here because he is a successful investigator who succeeds in cracking up most cases."
"I see... this man in a blue vest is truly the investigator here. He solved most cases here in Gregminster without breaking a sweat." Tsubame said as Lene becomes firm with him.
"Listen, Seed. I know you would get misunderstood sometimes because you keep thinking about your time rather than ours. You have to understand that."
"Tch... All right... I'm just being short sighted over other things. The old man knows I was a dead man after all since I cannot understand more clearly in your time." Seed said who turned back on both of them. "I had to think about it first. You could go on without me."
"Man, you're really a stuck up. That's why we need you too." Sean reacted on his coldness as he remarked about his love for Lene. "Honestly, red head. You don't want to come with us just because you don't like Lene to get hurt so bad. That's what a real coward is like."
"Quit calling me a coward, mockingbird!" Seed yelled furiously and decides to come with them since he likes Lene very much. "Protecting Lene is my priority and I can't let some people would get their filthy hands on her! I'll come with you because I like Lene's feistiness."
"What kind of an argument is this?" Kai arrives to see the trio and informing Lene about Hayate.
"How's the audience with the President, General Kai?" Lene asked and Kai smiles.
"Once we stopped the bandits from attacking, The president had decided to bring 10,000 men to our cause. I think he has a keen interest to you, your highness."
"Sean, we have to go to Rokkaku. A private investigator should have solved a difficult case." Lene said informing him which Sean shrugs.
"I'm sure their vice-chief is waiting on the Banner Pass. We'd better get moving."
As Sean, Tsubame and Kai leave, Seed tried to face Lene who still acts more heelish towards them which he tells her while having his arm crossed.
"You always come up an idea to put mockingbird on the spotlight. I know one of Lord Riou's allies don't actually fight when solving other cases. All he had to do is just doing coin tossing."
"Sean was not like that, Seed. He's just being plain to solve someone's problems. Maybe he could solve the case by finding out who is leading the bandits and attacking the villages."
"Okay okay... We'd better go to the ninja guy, Lene. I want to see Sean would act like a problem solver." Seed said reluctantly accepts to follow Sean until he reminisces about Riou's alliance with the ninjas in Rokkaku. "I just can't forget about that Lord Riou is also alliance with these ninjas and there were the ones who rescue Lord Ridley in our grasp."
Lene knows how trouble Seed is after getting adjusted to the modern world and knowing his actions for being heelish and an asshole because of his temperamental personality. She decided to help him no matter how his temper had flared.