Chapter 6 – Ashen Guard vs. Radiant Path

I left Sakura in her state of weird, punch-drunk bliss.

Her happy little squeaks followed me as I walked away from the training ground. I needed to do something productive. Something normal. Something that didn’t involve me being a human punching bag for a disciple’s creepy power-up. My head was still buzzing from the sheer awkwardness of it all.

Today’s meeting was supposed to be serious. We weren’t debating the best fabric for training uniforms or the proper seasoning for ration jerky. I had called this meeting myself. I wanted to talk about the newbie.

I slid open the heavy door to the main conference room and stepped inside.

And there they were, the two extremes of my personality cult.

Elizabeth, leader of the Ashen Guard, sat on the left. She was all lean muscle and coiled energy, even when sitting still. Her blonde hair was tied back in a messy but practical bun, and she wore the standard, no-frills training gear of her faction. Her posture was ramrod straight. She looked like she could punch a hole through the table without breaking a sweat.

Seda, leader of the Radiant Path, sat on the right. She was the picture of refined elegance. Her long, crimson hair was perfectly styled, and she wore a formal, high-collared blouse that looked completely out of place in a mountain dojo. She looked at me with a serene smile, as if she were greeting a god and not a guy who just wanted to take a nap.

This whole division gave me secondhand embarrassment. Ashen Guard. Radiant Path. It was so intense. So… chuunibyou. I felt a familiar urge to hide my face, but I was slowly getting used to the cringe. Mostly.

“This mission is very important.”

I tried to sound like a normal, concerned teacher. This was, after all, the first time the rookie would be leaving the mountain.

“Yes!!!”

They both nodded in perfect, crisp unison. Their voices echoed slightly in the quiet room. It was like I was a colonel giving orders before a major battle.

“I want you to give him all the support you can, if possible.”

“Yes!!!”

There it was again. That same reaction. I am not a colonel. Why do they do that?

Damn.

Elizabeth leaned forward, her knuckles white on the table.

“Master, rest assured. The Ashen Guard will ensure the mission succeeds. Leo understands that the underworld is a festering contagion. He will retrieve the sacred blade and purge any corruption that dares stand in his way. He will not show weakness to those who could bring their filth back here, to you.”

Her eyes had a cold, hard glint. A glint that said she would happily burn a village to the ground to keep it from “infecting” me. It was terrifying.

Before I could respond, Seda gave a delicate, almost pitying sigh.

“Elizabeth, you are so crude. The Master is not a god of destruction. He is a beacon of salvation.”

She turned her beatific smile on me. That smile never quite reached her eyes.

“The Master’s blade is not a weapon of vengeance. It is a gift. A chance for the poor, lost souls of the underworld to bend their knee and worship his grace. Leo’s mission is to be the first apostle of a new world order, with the Master as its divine ruler.”

My brain felt like it was splitting in two. One wanted to quarantine me from the world by destroying it. The other wanted to conquer the world and force it to worship me. Their devotion wasn’t loyalty. It felt like two different kinds of cages.

I just wanted to make sure the kid didn’t get mugged.

They both stared at me, waiting for me to pick a side. To validate their twisted version of my teachings. I cleared my throat.

“He should just… you know. Be careful.”

That was a mistake.

Elizabeth slammed a fist on the table. The teacups rattled.

“Exactly! Caution is paramount! He must be wary of their lies and treachery at all times! He must view every single person down there as a potential threat to you, Master!”

Seda shook her head, her expression sorrowful.

“Precisely, Master. He must be careful not to overwhelm them with your divine presence. He must be a gentle shepherd, guiding the lost flock to your side, not a wolf who scatters them in fear. Your wisdom is profound.”

They were both nodding again. They both thought I agreed with them. This was hopeless.

The tension between them was a physical thing. It made the air in the room thick and hard to breathe. Elizabeth’s jaw was clenched so tight I thought she might crack a tooth. Seda’s smile never wavered, but her eyes were throwing daggers.

They hated each other.

“Seda, you will do nothing, this mission was assigned to the Ashen Guard. Leo is my subordinate. Your naive ideals will get him killed and risk exposing the Master. The Radiant Path will not interfere.”

“My ideals are a direct reflection of the Master’s boundless compassion, your brutish methods are what bring shame to this mountain. To think you would sully his name with mindless violence. You would have Leo act like a common thug.”

“Better a thug than a sacrificial lamb!”

“Better a martyr for a holy cause than a butcher in the dark!”

They both stood up at the same time, glaring at each other across the table. For a second, I thought they were actually going to fight.

Then, they both turned to me, their expressions shifting back to pure, unadulterated need. It was the most jarring thing I had ever seen. Their eyes burned with a terrifying, feverish light.

“Master, tell her that my way is correct!”

“Master, please enlighten her with your wisdom.”

I just sat there. I stared at my hands. I thought about the clouds outside. I thought about how nice it would be to be a cloud right now. Just floating. No disciples. No holy wars being planned in my name.

This meeting was a complete disaster.

In the end, this meeting came to nothing.