Surprise Chapter!

I decided to post this Chapter a bit earlier and instead of Monday make it Sunday (which it is right now for me even though it is only 2 in the morning) for the simple reason that I was very excited while writing this and couldn't wait to once again post something for you guys.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

First of all I would like to thank all the lovely donators that continued to show their support even when I was gone and it was still unclear when (or even) if I came back.

Thank you very much matthew043, Cole H, Shizuyami, trent S (once again, love you bro), Thomas K, and Malik J

Second on the Agenda is how my new schedule of posting Chapters is going to look and I will reveal it now and do my best (can't make any promises as I don't sleep at night for about 2 days out of 7 each week because of work) to post the Chapter on the promised day, there might very well be a delay of 1 day from time to time, just warning you guys.

Monday: 1 chapter Azalon

Tuesday: 1 chapter Yokai Academy

Thursday: 1 chapter Azalon

Saturday: 1 chapter Yokai Academy

Sunday: 1 chapter Azalon

That is 3 Chapters of Azalon and two Chapters of Yokai Academy each week.

This means Wednesday and Friday will pretty much be my days off (well not really as I will still write on those days but just not post anything here).

BONUS CHAPTERS CAN VERY WELL APPEAR RANDOMLY SO IT CAN HAPPEN THAT ON SPECIAL OCCASONS I WILL RELEASE MORE THAN ONE CHAPTER PER DAY FOR AZALON OR YOKAI ACADEMY, THIS HEAVILY DEPENDS ON MY MOOD OR HOW MUCH I AM ABLE TO WRITE WITHOUT IT TURNING INTO CRAP!

Alright now that that is out of the way I will give you a quick recap of what happened the last 10 or so chapters as some of you might need it after such a long break.

Makoto and friends have started to participate in their first siege and upon arriving at the stronghold our MC is the Captain of a 100 (127) man Squad, the infamous Squad 40.

Trying their best to defend the heavily damaged second gate, one bloody battle after another nearly breaches the Stronghold and only the persistent fighting of the 'Undying' as some might call him and his Squad of crimson eyed fanatics keep everything from breaking apart.

As the final battle commences and the commanders of both armies clash in an epic contest of power the Sarachec army decides to finally retreat and stop the siege.

Celebrating with the rest of his men our MC wakes up without any memory as to what happend with both Lilliana and Sharon beside him naked in the bed.

now then, shall we continue our dance?

-----

Chapter 65: Aftermath

Makoto's current situation could be called more than a little strange.

Even after understanding everything that Sharon told him about last night, his brain just wasn't able to catch up.

Still in a daze he looked to his right where his red haired angel was sitting and enjoying her breakfast.

Turning his head left he could see Lilliana doing the same even though she sometimes sent a few glances his way which Makoto chose to ignore for now.

Sighing deeply he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

No matter how many times he went through it, it was a situation completely outside of the norm or his expectations on how women generally functioned.

Could he understand what happened? Yes.

Could he understand Sharon's point of view to allow something like this?

No, no matter how hard he tried to put himself in her shoes.

And to begin with, had anyone even asked for his opinion on this?

Sure, it was true that looking at Lilliana's naked body had excited him a bit and now that she was sitting next to him his mind couldn't help but peel away the already useless layers of clothing that she was wearing...

Stunned by his own thoughts he shook his head and decided to concentrate on more pressing matters.

With eyes locked on the untouched sandwich on his plate he felt a bit uncertain for what the future might hold.

While he was staring holes into his food, the men around him in turn glanced his way a couple of times as they would have to be dense like bricks not to see the difference from a day ago.

Before, Makoto had only seated himself besides Sharon each day which already fueled the jealousy of many as they had no way to vent any of their pent up stress in times of war but now he was sitting between 2 girls and both seemed to practically be stuck to him even though there was clearly enough space on the bench.

Just seeing the small Lilliana looking towards Makoto with red cheeks and a happy expression was enough to make some of them see red as faint trails of bloody tears appeared on their cheeks while they angrily chewed their food.

Even Sanja didn't dare to say anything this time around as she watched the situation unfold before her with big eyes.

She knew that Lilliana decided to sleep Ingame instead of logging out for a few hours but it was crystal clear that something big happened while she had been gone.

Finally closing her mouth, Sanja looked at the also baffled Makoto with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she slowly connected the dots.

"So, how did you guys sleep last night?"

The question alone was like a bombshell and made the other 3 sitting on the table flinch as if they had been physically attacked while the surrounding soldiers instantly perked up their ears as to not miss a single word.

"W-What do you mean Sanja?"

Lilliana asked while letting out a nervous laugh.

The surrounding men all had the same solemn expression on their faces that seemed to say "oh you know what she is talking about" but no one dared to speak their mind.

Showing a rather dirty grin, Sanja leaned forward and didn't even bother to whisper as Lilliana's reaction clearly amused her.

"Judging by this new seating order something definitely happened between last night and this morning.

Do I also have to mention how Lilly looks a lot happier than before? You could say she is practically 'glowing' as if... no nevermind.

Now I do wonder what could have made her so happy last night that she can't help but look at Makoto every two seconds."

After finishing her little speech she attentively watched all 3 of her party members with hawk eyes and was delighted to see that her words indeed had the desired effect.

What she clearly wasn't aware of was the murderous air that had started to rise around them from some of the Soldiers that had grim expressions and crimson red eyes while slowly standing up from their respective seats and grabbing for a nearby weapon.

Having experienced life and death battles for nearly a week and being so close to returning to their loved ones naturally stimulated a lot of emotions and desires in their hearts but this was just too much.

Seeing Makoto showing off like this after possibly doing unspeakable things with these two women that seemed to be beauty itself reincarnated was enough to drive some of them mad with jealousy, especially after comparing both girls with their own wives it infuriated them even more.

Lilliana looked like a ripe tomato and again and again repeated the words "it wasn't like that" while Sharon seemed to have fallen for an uncontrollable giggle and Makoto just had a solemn expression on his face as he looked at the surrounding and armed men with empty eyes, pleading for their help.

He was a defeated man that was under a tight leash from his girlfriend and apparently Lilliana now too.

The Soldiers that had been about to attack Makoto stopped their steps and made up their mind when they saw the look in his eyes and once again decided to sit down.

It was clear now to everyone after seeing the scene that a fellow brother had once again fallen beneath the fangs of an evil witch and no matter how sweet it might look the real story was a different one.

Some of the Soldiers surrounding Makoto and his party even shed a silent tear as yet another one of them was defeated in the ever lasting war for dominance in a relationship.

They could already see how he would be dragged to a church by both of these demons sitting to his right and left, forced to participate in the incredibly dreaded shotgun marriage that had already transpired on nearly half of the Soldiers currently eating in the room.

Makoto didn't know if he liked the looks of pity he was getting now better or worse but at least he wouldn't have to fight with his own brothers in arms anymore.

Only the surviving members of Squad 40 had unwavering admiration visible in their eyes as they had seen their Captain in the defense of the Stronghold and couldn't imagine him to be at the receiving end of a relationship.

For them he was someone who had achieved the impossible dream, holding a beautiful flower in each hand was something that nearly every man at least thought about once.

…..

After eating breakfast Makoto gathered his men and put them in formation which sadly still showed a few holes here and there, reminding each and every one of them of the sacrifices that some of their comrades had to make to protect them.

Just looking at the back of his Squad was enough to make Makoto's face cramp up for a few seconds as he tried not to notice the empty spot where Farabello would normally stand.

It was still unclear as to how or when it happened but after the Sarachec Army departed they naturally had to burn the surrounding dead bodies of friends and foe alike, which was also the time they discovered the small mage as one of the dead.

Just remembering the cut open throat and empty white eyes was enough to fill Makoto with an uncontrollable anger as he had gotten surprisingly attached to the NPC.

It was also one of the reasons why he had intoxicated himself like that Ingame last night, an attempt to drown out the nagging guilt that he as the Captain of the Squad felt.

Noticing the change in his behavior, Sharon quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight, her face showing a tinge of worry.

He had naturally told her about how he felt, that it was his fault and no matter how many times she reminded him that they were not real people it didn't really help much considering that he had developed feelings for Sharon when he still thought of her as 'just an NPC' too.

It had surprised her to also feel a sting in her heart as Farabello was someone that she had gotten along with quite well with, before and during the Siege.

There was no way to revive a dead NPC so all she could do was support Makoto and maybe ease the pain and guilt in his heart by letting him know that she was there for him if need be.

Showing a thankful smile he squeezed back and was about to open his mouth when he felt a strange sensation from his other hand.

Lilliana was holding onto it and showed the same worried expression on her face, coupled with a light blush.

Just seeing the small girl clearly flustered but at the same time concerned about him was enough to warm his heart.

For the first time since he woke up did he feel thankful for how things had turned out in the end, even if he was unsure what the future might behold.

Tightly squeezing both hands, Makoto once again looked over the empty spots in his Squad with new determination slowly appearing on his face.

It didn't matter if it was stupid to feel disturbed or even sad about the NPC deaths, all that mattered to him was that this happened because he was not able to lead and protect his men properly.

All he really did was use a few basic tactics and fight like a berserker, nothing more.

Once again the desire to attain strength surged through him, both personal and influential strength was needed to lead Soldiers in this world.

With a new mindset on things and a new goal he looked to his right and left once again and was welcomed by the smiles of two angels.

I can't stay like I am right now.

That was the conclusion he came to after this war and after losing nearly half of the men assigned to him.

There was merit to everything as this experience once again re-forged the surviving men of Asuria, fueling their hearts with different desires.

As the morning sun slowly climbed the sky, Bharfas the Commander and the one leading them all finally appeared before them and only said two sentences that resounded in their ears like the sound of thunder.

"Move out! It is about time that you return to your families!"

…..

Deep in the lower layers of Elisante, hidden from most commoner eyes was a rather normal looking house where a family of 4 was currently eating dinner. The two little children again and again complimented their mother for her cooking skills while their father could only agree with a deep laugh.

This peaceful and heartwarming scene was shortly after broken into pieces by a loud banging, resounding from the front door.

Strangely enough none of the members of this household seemed to be startled by this sudden disturbance as the father calmly stood up and opened the door.

Before him stood a group of rough looking men and women in dark clothes and armed with weapons of all kinds while their eyes darted around in an alert manner as if they expected a surprise attack any second now.

"Evening ladies and gentleman, how may I help you?"

The father asked with a calm voice accompanied by a warm smile, not even the slightest trace of fear was visible in his eyes as he saw this group standing on his doorstep.

One of the men took a glance at him before speaking in a low voice.

"Our employer is here for the event and we heard this was the place to go to."

"Well whoever told you was indeed right and there is no need to keep your voice down, the entire layer has been bought by us and even the guards look the other way so you don't have to worry when you conduct your business here or simply want to enjoy the show."

The father replied together with a brilliant smile as he stepped to the side and invited the group into his home.

The group of a dozen or so nodded towards the still eating family before entering another room as they followed the man.

The air around them was quite tense as the father leading them stopped before a simple looking wall and started to form a few different signs with his hands as traces of mana streamed down his fingers.

With a low booming sound that was only audible in the room the wall slowly retracted and gave way to a wide corridor that lead deep down into the bowels of the earth while being occasional lit by torches.

Turning around the man gave a low bow to the group as his lips parted once again.

"I welcome these honorable guests to the Undercity, may your business transpire quickly and darkness hide your secrets."

This before simple looking man and father of two in the group's eyes quickly transformed into a cold looking man with a wicked smile plastered on his face as he showed them his real colors but still kept the respectful bow.

It was clear to him that these dozen newcomers were here for the first time so it was only proper that he gave them a little taste of how the world beneath the city really looked and worked, after all this was no place for fools or cowards.

Clear gulping sounds could be heard as the group passed the man and made their way down into the unknown.

With each step the air around them seemed to grow colder and worry as well as fear was clearly visible in their eyes but they were after all only here to protect their employer and not because they normally associated themselves with these kinds of circles.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking a faint noise reached their ears and slowly but surely got louder as they continued down this endless corridor.

The noise increased until it was clear to them that it was the sound of life, the clear buzzing of thousands upon thousands of people.

Soon enough the corridor before the group opened up and an open gate that looked like it had been there since the beginning of time showed them a rather ridiculous picture as they passed through it.

In what looked like a gigantic underground cave system, countless houses, huts and even mansions had been built without any care for room or foundation as they could clearly see the surrounding rock being chipped away at certain parts of the undergound city to make more room for the new buildings and structures that were being built.

It was a city that was constantly expanding deep beneath one of the Capitals of the continent, Undercity.

A place for rogues, thieves and shady business men to thrive and live in.

Market stalls selling illegal wares like stolen equipment from adventurers or gold from different nobles was being put boldly on display as well as foreign objects or artifacts that would have brought great change and prosperity for the public changed from one shady hand to the next in Undercity.

Mercenaries hired for dirty work, Assassins, political influence and even the highly illegal slaves could be bought in a place like this.

Slavery was something that had been a thing of the past for many years now but in dark and unrestrained places like this they still showed up from time to time as human cruelty, even if it was in reality just a bunch of NPCs, was one of the rare things one couldn't get rid of no matter how hard you tried.

This was also an exciting place for PK'ers or otherwise notorious players who could hide their crimes well enough and make it past the city guards.

Arenas that showed brutal mass fighting to the death, brawls at nearly every corner and even one or the other murder was clearly visible for the group to behold as they looked down at this City where everything was legal as long as you had the strength or money to obtain it.

Suddenly a hand started to push the group apart as a small man dressed in simple clothes and wearing a pair of clouded glasses that gave him the image of a mole appeared while looking down at the chaos before his eyes with a devilish grin.

It was none other than Finn, the shady Merchant that Makoto had put under contract and asked to organize a few Soldiers that would fight for his house.

Looking at the men and women around him he opened his mouth and a dark voice filled with a hint of anticipation escaped his lips.

"Rosy and Thurter will stay with me, the rest of you spread out and talk to the mercenaries, fighters and also slave traders to come here, tell them Finn sent you and tell them it will be worth their time."

Nodding once the group split apart except for Finn, a woman who looked like a classical female Amazon warrior with two long-swords on each side of her hip as well as a man dressed in complete black with empty, death like eyes.

Watching his bodyguards do his bidding, Finn couldn't help but smile once again as a sinister glint appeared behind those clouded glasses of his that nearly covered half of his face.

A whisper only audible for the two people next to him made them both flinch in fear as his voice was tinged with an otherworldly darkness and fanaticism that seemed to scream to the heavens.

"You asked for a small loyal force, I will give you an army that will die for you!"

-----

Well, isn't that something?

Hope you enjoyed this little slice of Azalon that some of you seemed to have been missing in their lives. :)

PS: My new PC arrived and after once again getting a somewhat flawed product (took me 4 hours and a lot of rage as well as hardware and software fixes later) I now have a beast Computer that fits each and every one of my needs, YUS!

Also, here is a random YT link for those of you who are bored: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWynPcFRzWU

Abbadon out!