Chapter 1030: Deterrence, not Alliance
[So dear daughter of mine, do you have any idea on who amongst these youngsters could be the Kaijin Lord?]
When Tortallion went to stand by a pillar next to the [Oceanic Round Table], he didn’t just do so out of respect of his fallen brothers and sisters. He did so so that he could talk to his daughter.
Hidden in shadows and cloaked with [Chaos], Terra made her observations known to him.
[Well, I can immediately cross off the one with the shark-like visage.]
[Why’s that?]
[Because he prompted a reaction from Sir Grand Fang’s seat. Those chairs are only meant to react to Kaijin like you, father.]
[Strangely enough, Grand Fang didn’t leave an inheritance behind.]
[Really?]
[None that I know of.]
[Huh.]
[What about the other two?]
[Still up in the air, but I think it might be larger one,] Terra answered.
[Why?]
[Because he handled the surprise attack with the most precision, just like Lady Mia would’ve done.]
[Right…]
…
[Am I going crazy or am I hearing other people speaking the language of Chaos?]
[Maybe.]
…
<<...and that's all I have to say about the Fallen and why we're here.>>
<
‘Sweet Chaos, this man can talk,’ Zhen Liu thought to himself as Zhen Xun Po wrapped up his diplomatic spiel.
When Zhen Xun Tian passed the diplomatic buck to her son, Zhen Liu knew that this was on purpose.
His great grandaunt wasn’t exactly the most…diplomatic person, as far as his past interactions went. She was a warrior, a general, a drunk and someone who would beat up someone in intensive care if it meant getting information out of them. Quite literally, the worst combination of traits to make a for a diplomat.
Her son, however, turned out to not only be a powerful warrior in his own right, but a hell of an orator and diplomat. In retrospect, it made sense.
His own uncle, Zhen Hou, was significantly more bombastic than his daughter Zhen Yue. There was probably some reason why parent and child seem to develop opposite personalities, especially when they were members of the opposite sex, but Zhen Liu could think about it later. For now, there was a diplomatic meeting happening.
<
The Undertow Council were a bit… flabbergasted at this moment of diplomacy and turn of events, because they had assumed that they were going to be the reason why the Zhen Clan showed up on their doorstep in the first place.
Several centuries worth of isolationism preceded by an entire empire barreling down on your head because of your populace and leader, has a tendency to produce paranoia.
As such, being informed that not only had the Great Clans of the Pearl Scale Empire had shattered, entered a civil war arc, and had the remnants of the losers become their neighbors was brand new information to them.
Well that, alongside some other details.
<
<
<
<
<
<
<<...and you want to, at least, have your men and vessels stay docked here until the aformentioned Fallen show up so that you can deal with them.>>
<
<
…
[Wait, are they okay with our request or not? I’m confused,] Screamira commented.
[Politics and diplomacy are dumb. This is why I prefer trial by might or beauty,] Razorstella added.
[Ladies, please. This is how proper society is supposed to act,] Blazejudicator admonished.
[Of course the fucking living judge of flames would think that.]
‘Man, you guys have a very different dynamic without Frosttusk and Hurricroak being present.’
[Hurricroak has a very bombastic personality, so it’s hard to speak up before she does,] Nepherage explained.
‘Ah.’
…
On the one hand, the Undertow Council was mostly relieved at not having to do anything in regards to participating in a war that wasn’t their problem. On the other, they didn’t exactly appreciate being used as the meeting ground for this upcoming war. That and a few members couldn’t help but feel a bit more sympathetic towards the Fallen, not that they would let these feelings be known.
Instead, they decided that it would be best to give a mollifying answer to the demand and move on to something a bit more important.
Namely, why most of the Zhen Clan warriors seem to be able to wield a power that Sir Tortallion and a select few of their own populace could wield.
This wasn’t a matter that could be addressed through subtlety though.
<
<
<
<
At that question, Zhen Xun Tian’s aura suddenly became a lot more serious. It was change that was noticed by practically everyone in the room. Especially when the accompanying chair began to glow with much more light than before, and casted a shadow in the shape of a humanoid squid monster.
<>
At the sight of the shadow and Zhen Xun Tian’s chilling tone, the Undertow Council couldn’t help but to show simultaneous reactions of fear and awe. All of sudden, they felt that their unsubtle approach in asking was a terrible idea.
…
‘Oh balls, I know that look. That is the same look she has prior to interrogating that one elder who tried to injured my cousins and I back in the Zhen Clan vault.’
[Should we intervene?]
[Can we intervene?]
[We can, it would just lead to us to getting exposed real fast.]
[And our asses possibly being handed to us by a kaijin way stronger than all of us combined.]
[Exaggeration.]
‘All of you, hold your horses…if anything does go sideways, it’s Tortallion’s responsibility. Not ours….hopefully.’
…
<
<[Because the ink on your back happens to belong to an old friend of mine.]>
<
At the sight and sound of the councilmen flopping about like codfish, Tortallion decided to be the one to outright say what they were all thinking to ask…and even added sone historical context.
<[That table y'all are sitting at used to belong to me and my old brothers and sisters in arms. The seat you're sitting in used to belong to Krakelios, a trickster who got on my nerves and was a dear friend. Same with the ink on your back.]>
<
Now understanding where this line of questioning was going, Zhen Xun Tian couldn’t help but smile in an amused way.
<
The casual mention of Undertow’s greatest defenders and pride caused the Undertow Council to twitch. Their names were only said to be in respect…at least from their perspectives.
Tortallion on the other hand, was just amused.
<[More or less. The Zhen Clan and the Storm Knights were once at each other's throats several centuries prior, so the fact that your tattoo exists in the first place is...weird.]>
At the mention that the Zhen Clan and the Storm Knights kaijin were once at war, caused Zhen Liu’s expression to become subtlety more strained. The massive irony of his existence just seemed to get deeper by the second.
Regardless, and unknowing of her descendants plight, Zhen Xun Tian decided to answer Tortallion’s question.
<
Tortallion looked at Zhen Xun Tian for a couple moments, his expression being rather unreadable.
Eventually though, Tortallion simply let out a sigh of relief.
<[Such behavior from an old bastard like him tracks a little too well. Of course he'd leave such things around,]> Tortallion stated aloud. <[I'd honestly be more shocked if you said you didn't find it in such a haphazard way.]>
<
<[However...that doesn't explain you. Why do you have Grand Fang's aura on you?]>
<
Surprising the Zhen Clan delegates, Tortallion pointed a finger directly at Zhen Hai.
<
