Chapter 272: The Plights of Vice Sectmaster Christy
In a study room within the White Star Radiance sect.
Christy sat with all sorts of documents scattered across a table, her gaze filled with concentration as she marked various papers with a pen in her hand. In the room with her were five other figures, all speaking among themselves with serious expressions. The atmosphere was tense as plans and strategies were continuously brought up. It was at this moment that Shia calmly entered the room.
"Lady Christy, your orders have all been relayed, and the next wave of individuals has entered the plaza. Sir Ramiro and the others have also just arrived at the sect and are heading in that direction." Shia reported with an even tone, drawing the gazes of everyone present except Christy.
Christy did not look up as she replied while continuing her work. "Alright. Tell Brother Ramiro to meet me here for a moment. We need to discuss a few things."
"As you wish, milady." Shia said with a bow before leaving.
The room quickly returned to its serious rhythm as discussions resumed. Christy listened while refining and adjusting plans in her mind, occasionally making small notes on the documents before her.
Sometime later, the meeting adjourned. The five figures bowed and exited the room. A few minutes passed before Ramiro entered, his towering presence immediately filling the space. He smiled broadly as he nodded toward Christy.
"Christyyyyy! Long time no see. Looks like you're havin' fun over here with all these papers scattered everywhere." Ramiro boisterously remarked as he glanced around.
"Haha… Hello to you too, Big Brother Ramiro." Christy replied calmly. "I'm glad to see you're in one piece. Even after deviating from plans, causing trouble for multiple factions, and putting yourself in extreme danger. Not to mention helping disrupt numerous assassination attempts and deadly traps set by powerful experts and enemy forces specifically targeting you."
"Ugh… I mean yeah, Christy, but I—" Ramiro began, only to be cut off.
"You certainly helped expand our influence in several ways." Christy continued, her tone sharpening. "Yes… but your actions also caused a number of new problems to surface, delayed multiple plans, and even damaged some of the information networks we spent a great deal of effort establishing. But who cares about that, right?"
"H-Hey… it's not like that was my—" Ramiro tried again.
"Oh really? I also heard that, in the name of 'training,' several of our allies were injured after overexerting themselves, only to be immediately surrounded by an enemy force from one of the major enemy Native forces." Christy said flatly. "Thankfully, you resolved it through sheer force, even at the cost of serious injuries. Of course, thanks to the wise and excellent Seralily, who actually followed the established plans, we managed to salvage a decent outcome. Still… could we not have achieved similar results without such recklessness?"
"Ehhh… Please, I'm sorry, Christy! I hear you… Sí, sí, mi equivoqué." Ramiro said with a strained smile, sweat forming on his brow.
(Mi equivoqué = I was wrong)
"Ah, it's fine, it's fine… whatever 'me equi—' whatever that means." Christy sighed lightly as her tone softened. "I did call you here partly to scold you, but there's something else I need you to do. Not just for me, but for our sect and for Brawlmanica."
"Hohooo? Now we're talkin'! What's goin' on that needs my help?" Ramiro said eagerly, eyes lighting up. "I figured it'd be about Brawlmanica. Everyone's been missing home too."
"Seriously…" Christy restrained herself from sighing again. "I'll explain the details shortly, but the overall plan is for 'The Dragon Spear Hero of Leon' to make a public appearance. You'll fight on behalf of the Leon clan in support of Crown Prince Hunter. Your role will be to eradicate demonic beasts while spreading your name. This will give allies, even from other kingdoms, a legitimate excuse to rally behind you."
"So that's how it is. Got it." Ramiro nodded enthusiastically. "I see the big picture, and I'm fired up! Hahaha!"
"No." Christy immediately cut him off. "Calm down. Don't forget that you're not just a Mortal Lord. You're an Early Stage Apex Mortal Lord whose power nearly rivals a weaker Middle Stage Mortal Lord. You are extremely dangerous. You cannot simply run amok. On top of that, you must watch out for those who will attempt to steal your core because of your Apex status."
"Jeez, I get it, Christy. You're like a nagging mother." Ramiro muttered before grinning. "Honestly, you're like that with everyone except Elton, who you're way too smitten with—"
Before he could finish, Christy flashed in front of him, two fingers pressed together and thrust toward his abdomen, blazing with light.
"S-Stop! Forgive me!" Ramiro yelped.
"Hmph! Forgive you?" Christy snapped. "I've had to forgive you and that similarly reckless Big Brother Zoro more times than I can count! Why can't you two just follow the plans? Be responsible like Gege!"
"Stop using that skill! I'm sorry, Christy!" Ramiro shouted while desperately dodging. "And huh?! Did you just say Elton is responsible?! S-Sure! He's definitely responsible, so stop adding power to that! It's dangerous!"
"Don't you dare insult Gege!" Christy barked, both hands raised as her fingers burned with intense light.
"Y-Yes! I won't say anything about 'your Gege,' alright?! Sheesh!" Ramiro exclaimed before suddenly freezing. "And wait… what the hell is up with your cultivation? You've broken through to the Middle Stage of the Mortal Shedding Realm already?!"
"You're not to tell anyone about that." Christy said with a radiant smile as she puffed out her chest. "Not even Gege knows for sure. He only knew I was close before he left."
"Scary…" Ramiro muttered before regaining his composure. "Alright, alright. Give me the full scope of your plan."
"Certainly." Christy nodded. "I anticipated that Big Brother Zoro would likely derail his assigned tasks, so I prepared contingencies. Erica left a triple failsafe for the teleportation method for this reason. Now then, here's the full plan."
…
Some time later, Ramiro had long since left the room with an eager expression. Shayleaf was now present before Christy, wearing her usual happy-go-lucky smile.
"I'm heeeeere, Sister Chrissy! So? How's it going?" Shayleaf said brightly.
"Well, I've told Ramiro the plans I had for him, of course, and naturally I expect him to follow through. At least in general." Christy sighed tiredly. "But I'm not planning to fully depend on him either. He's better than Big Brother Zoro in this regard, but they're both still brutish battle junkies who tend to do whatever they want. Because of that, I've prepared an even deeper layer to my plans. It's just that I don't know when Gege will return after seeking out Master, so we can only do what we can."
"You can count on me, Sister Chrissy." Shayleaf smiled confidently. "Our sect has expanded quite a bit. More and more people from the Grand Fae Region have migrated here, and we've also taken in many Natives from this world, turning them into disciples or subordinate forces."
"Right." Christy nodded. "Alright, then I'll give you a rundown of the plan while we prepare for the send-offs."
…
Pocket Dimension, a forbidden zone atop the highest mountain.
Inside a massive cave sat a man with the gaze of a serpent and six wings spread across his back. He wore a slightly weary expression as he stared at a three-dimensional projection of a woman gazing at him sharply.
With a rigid, forced smile, he finally spoke under the mounting pressure of her silence. "Umm, Lady Chr— Ahem! I mean, 'Celestial Seer Solman.' Is there anything I can help you with?" Orochicanda said, his distorted grin carrying a hint of dread.
"Hehehe… as I thought, that name has a nice ring to it." Christy muttered with satisfaction. "Serpent Orochicanda, you and your subordinates will initiate a beast tide toward the southeastern direction. There are already plenty of landmarks, traps, and 'holes' prepared to be exploited."
Orochicanda's expression darkened. "A beast tide? Isn't it still too soon? My so-called subordinates haven't fully recovered yet, even after subjugating and absorbing several other beasts."
"It doesn't matter." Christy replied calmly. "This task shouldn't be difficult. As I said, everything has already been set up to assist you. Now prepare."
"You! Who do you think you are? It was that terrifying Master Elton who made me his subordinate, not you! I'm not just going to— huh?!"
Mid-rant, Orochicanda's eyes widened as his pupils contracted in shock.
His consciousness was abruptly dragged into a strange realm filled with clusters of crimson stars drifting through space. Beyond them was the gaze of a beautiful woman. A suffocating pressure washed over him, clearly at the Middle Stage Mortal Shedding Realm, yet vastly heavier than anything he had ever felt at that level.
In the next instant, his awareness snapped back to reality. Beads of sweat poured down his body as his gaze locked onto the calm Christy, her Kokon Tengan fully activated.
"Y-you… your cultivation…" Orochicanda stammered.
"Hm? What about it?" Christy asked lightly, her eyes sharp. "Did you have a problem with my request?"
"Eeek!! Hahaha! Of course not!" Orochicanda shouted immediately, bowing repeatedly. "As if I would dare disobey my master's beloved goddess of a wife, blessed with such beauty and power! Even as a Middle Stage Mortal Lord, my strength is nothing before you! Oh heavens, what a magnificent existence fit for that handsome tyran— I mean, that noble Lord of the White Star! Ah! Forgive my crude jokes and my disrespect! Thank you for your boundless wisdom and grace!"
Christy stared at him briefly with a strange expression before simply nodding and ending the projection.
Orochicanda collapsed backward, sweat soaking his body as he shivered violently. "How can this be?! She broke through so quickly?! How old is that human woman again?! Shit!"
Cursing under his breath, he slowly dragged himself up and began making preparations to carry out her orders.