The Guard Dog of Astana!

Vanya's eyes somehow seemed narrower following my bold proclamation. No doubt, my words seemed to be shaping the vision of me that she had in her mind. Nonetheless, I had no real intention of really bowing down to the woman.

"So you plan on doing harm to Astana?"

"You know, Vanya. People are a product of their environment in many cases.-"

"Answer my question. Plainly."

The elven woman snapped once she cut me off. Although I did plan on dragging my response out for a bit longer, Vanya was clearly not a fan of that method. I honestly did not know how to respond to her question. Considering that I had aligned myself with Claire and her goal, I could potentially foresee a time where Claire and what people may consider "Astana" would be on opposite sides. If I answered no here, then I would stand on grounds for a potential tarnishment of my character in the Arch Captains eyes.

It is not like my character is positive here anyway, but I think that more trouble would come my way if that was the case. Though, my lack of an adequate response prompted a reaction from the woman. Once again, the annoying sting of her shattered blade dug more into my skin.

"I understand. Let's just say that I have no vendetta against this place. Although you have sought me out to harass me, and I have been discriminated against. I assume that will be a trend in the future."

"Heed my words. If you raise your blade against Astana, then I will introduce you to mine for the final time."

The warning of the Arch Captain hit me like a splash of ice water. Had I been a lesser man, then perhaps I would have tolerated her blatant threat. The scent of iron became more prevalent in the air.

Carried by the light breeze peperring our body, that same red broth dribbled down the hilt of Vanya's weapon. Though, in this case, she had not initiated it. It was nothing more than a mere annoyance, but I had performed a magic trick for the now surprised elf. My palm had made her blade disappear.

A scoff escaped my mouth as I loomed over the smaller woman. Likely, she had encountered this type of thing, but she held my eyes driving in the sincerity of her warning.

"You will not like the outcome of that encounter. I am Mark. I will do whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want. You can introduce your blade all that you would like. Just ask your friend what happened last time that I was attacked."

"I am not them -"

"But I am him."

Vanya would look perplexed at my response, but that seemed to be enough to satisfy her. At that moment, the blade that had made its home in my palm had been removed. I couldn't prevent the ever growing smirk from stretching across my face. I could have given the Cheshire cat a run for his money in that regard.

With my hand free from the blade, I began focusing on closing the wound that had opened up. Sure, it was my fault, and I wanted to try to intimidate her, and that didn't work. I could sense that perhaps this approach was not the best one. Her eyes locked onto my own before I found myself staring at the back of her silver hair.

"I will be keeping my eye -"

Although I could assume the following words in her statement, something more pressing popped up. The rowdy people inside of the building became even more rowdy than before. At one time, it was peaceful enough that I and Q could converse with each other. Now, the shouts of the drunkards inside were enough to gather both of our attention.

Although I wasn't much of a party guy since I didn't really have much time due to the work schedule that I had, even I knew that something out of the ordinary would have happened to provoke such a response. It was like a wrestling crowd popping for an event transpiring within the squared circle.

Vanya saw that this was likely something that she had to be a witness to, but I found myself blocking the doorway into the building. If the burning eyes weren't an indicator of her thoughts of my actions, then the frown was. I don't know why, but I felt the need to run interference. It was a compulsion, out of instinct. Actually, It was similar to the feeling that I had when encountering that crystal cluster inside of the cave earlier today.

"What are you doing?"

What was I doing at that moment indeed? I had no clue and functioned merely on the whim of a sudden compulsion. I began racking my brain in that moment in order to best answer her question.

'Let's use that strength of yours to have some fun in this world like we did in Infinity Unleashed.'

The statement that I said to Q just minutes earlier rang inside of my brain like a gong. It was then that an idea appeared into my mind, and my years of life spent consuming superheroes and anime media came together. Staring into Vanya's eyes, my body tensed, causing the fist of my non-dominant hand to clench. Noticing the sudden change, Vanya too tensed up, and instinctively, she jumped back a few inches.

"Say, I have questions for you now as well, Mongrel. I want to know why Kitsunes are deemed as demons. Everything. Explain, and I just might spare this city any calamity."

Although I did not really hold any desire to do anything to this city, I felt that playing to this narrative in her mind that I was a threat was a solid idea. After all, I proudly proclaimed that I would be The Devil himself. I doubt she understood what I meant, but she should be able to piece together a version of that being in her mind.

The response I got was something that I did not expect. Recoil scattered throughout my body, and my head was displaced from its original position. Although there wasn't any real pain, it was like a brick wall running into me. When my senses came back together, the fist of the Arch Captain had imprinted itself onto the side of my face.

My eyes widened as the woman landed a stiff blow onto me before I had been able to react. I was flabbergasted as I genuinely did not see her move at all, but now her fist had been acquainted to my face. Yet, there was one thing that she did not expect, nor did I.

"I eat those for breakfast.", I proudly proclaimed when I returned to my senses.

Unlike the powerful blows of the Lynx, Vanya did not send me flying. It was a good thing, too, since I would have been launched through the glass of the doorway and garnered more attention than I would like.

Hell, there was not even an indentation in my skin from her attack, but I decided not to counterattack. Instead, my hand moved up towards my face, and out of instinct or disciple, Vanya bounced back once again. My goal was to fix the placement of my glasses on my snout, and once I accomplished that, they went back to their natural place behind my back.

The Arch Captain was indeed fast, but my smirk revealed that we both discovered my edge over her. Her face went blank as she observed my actions with the utmost of care, but there was not much to analyze. I was winging it on the spot.

"You are no normal demi-human. Who do you work for?"

"So it seems, but that is to be expected. I had planned to keep it a secret, but you are… different from the rest as well. You do pack quite the punch, and your speed is definitely superior to my own. Perhaps you could defeat me here if you are willing to endanger the non combatants here. Sure, there are heroes of the battle here, but I am merely a construct. Expendable.", I fabricate.

A sense of excitement fueled my actions and began crafting my role in our narrative on the spot. Considering that she would not know that outright, I was free to say and do whatever I wanted. As such, I chose to portray myself as a more serious figure. My tail puffed up, like a scorpion's tail, and hovered over my shoulder.

"I will choose to ignore your attack on me, but I suggest that you keep your nose out of my business. An eye on me will likely get put out."

I started with a firmness to my tone to showcase to her that I was serious. It seemed to strike a chord to her as her stone brow turned liquid before my eyes. My suggestion turned it into a wrinkle. I would continue,

"There is darkness hiding in plain sight in this city. I have only been here for half a day and I already can see it. The fact that you have been here longer and either is complicit or ignorant to it is equally as shameful."

"What are you talking about?"

'I got her..'

"You are an Arch Captain, a pillar to this city, but you refuse to save your city from itself. Your town leader is sick and sequesters herself in her manor of gold. Yet, I bet that people who look like me die sick in the streets. They are looked down upon and demonized, and I bet those that are sick of it are destroyed, and now their destroyers are celebrated as heroes. Yet, the ones they fight for are spat upon and ignored by those in power."

To her, my words must've seemed like the ramblings of a madman, but since Mordred was suspicious of Claire, then that meant that we would be watched further. This is my chance to put pressure on that foul-smelling bastard and his asshole brother. I must turn the determination of their guard dog onto them and steer it to bite the hand of her master.

"Ya know, if she was here, then I would curse that, Lady Ana. Too bad she isn't."

The eyes of the Arch Captain widened to near cartoonish lengths. Her serious demeanor crumpled as she ate my words up like she was starving. I could see it in her eyes that she didn't trust me, but I was indifferent to it. I could care about it, but I chose this path. I did what Mordred wanted me to do. I leaked that secret to one of his high-ranking soldiers