Okumura Syndicate

Chapter 98: Renegards on duty

10 minutes had passed and the trio had finished their meal, they appreciated Sulena's kindness in all this mess and Sulena appreciated the three of them too, "You've all made us happy with your company, we hope you come again. Say if you see Rou, give him my love!", said Sulena. "Thanks for having us", Aster replied, although it seemed too early to talk about Rou. "Anyways, we should leave. Good luck!", the three left Sulena, and walked back into the alley way.

Creeping closer to the front door, the three paused, "Ok, what are we waiting for?", Aster nervously enquired. "Let's go!", replied Craaq. With a quick twist, the trio opened the door, which creaked alarmingly. "I hope it isn't too crowded outside. I don't like all these strangers.", Fleur stated. "Wait a minute, what's this?" Aster pointed at the tip of a sword poking out from the next building from Sulena's house. "This doesn't look like a good sign.", feared Craaq, who anxiously hid behind his fellow soldier.

"Anyone who dares to go near, step forward!", Aster yelled. "Is this potential fight worth it?!", Fleur asked him, trying to push him back. "It could be a fight, it could not be, but I'm not dealing with any obstacles in this path!", replied Aster. "You seem rather disturbed, mind if I ask you what's going on in that mind of yours?", enquired Craaq. "It's nothing, so why am I letting one sword get in our way?", Aster was clearly conflicted, and Fleur and Craaq were concerned.

"One sword is simply all you need to get what you want...", said a voice coming from the sword. Out stepped a swordsman in full armour, similar to Craaq's, but with the Renegard emblem clearly visible. "Heh, fighting alone I see?", Aster teased. The soldier chuckled, "With my ability, who needs allies?", they replied in defence. Immediately, Craaq ran in to block the attack, but the soldier then began rotating the sword rapidly and the anthro bunny could keep up.

"How are we meant to dodge this?!", Craaq exclaimed in fear. "You just need to attack without thinking.", answered Fleur, approaching the Renegard soldier to defend Craaq. "You obviously have no idea how to deal with this.", taunted the soldier sarcastically. "It seems he has some sort of weapon rotation ability.", Aster thought. He continued to plan out his move, "I just need to get my sword in the right form to counterattack...".

Aster raised his enormous claymore in the air, "Stone Forme!". "This ought to stop them!", he thought. Fleur and Craaq watched in anticipation as Aster jammed the large sword in the way of the rotation. Unfortunately, the sword of the Renegard soldier was seemingly unstoppable, slicing the claymore clean in half. "The hell?!", Aster shouted out. "You're a swordsman! Of course you can't defeat me!", the trio's opponent gloated.

Meanwhile, Sulena was watching out of the window at the commotion. The spider lady didn't expect a fight to have broken out in her quiet estate and was concerned about the disadvantage her new friends were at, she had to do something to help. In urgency, she rushed out the door of the abandoned tavern. "Sulena!", remarked a relieved Craaq. "What a strange freak of nature...", commented the soldier. Sulena was unphased.

"Best not to judge people on appearances!", declared Sulena. Using her spider-like fangs, she created a powerful venom and spat it at the rotating sword. "That ought to weaken it. Now Aster, if you have another weapon, try again.", she instructed. Aster did as he was told and drew his dagger, "Stone Forme!", he called out once more as he jabbed the dagger at the soldier's sword. "You think a little venom can hurt me?", the soldier chuckled. However, unbeknownst to him, his weapon was beginning to crack.

"Take a slice out of me coward!", Aster shouted. The soldier lunged in with their blade, making contact with Aster's forearm, but the sword shattered on impact. "How did you do that?!", screamed the Renegard lackey. Sulena laughed, "My venom is highly corrosive, I could easily weaken your sword.", she elaborated. The soldier retreated in intimidation, "Guess the Renegards are gonna know what we have in store.", Craaq remarked.

"That was amazing Sulena!", reveled Fleur, "May I ask if you'd like to come with us?", asked the elf girl. "Of course, it would be a pleasure.", answered Sulena. With four people now on the quest, Aster was confident that they stood a chance against the Renegard syndicate's defenses. As the group left the village, they thought of what was going to be in store in the next few miles of thier journey.