"Elara, Alina—you can enter Amestris City now."

Luciel stood before the towering gates of Amestris, his eyes sweeping across the high walls where dozens of figures gathered. From his vantage point, he could tell that most of the city's strongest defenders were already on the walls. Inside, the defenses would be stretched thin.

"Okay," Alina replied softly. Hidden in the shadows beside her, Elara nodded in agreement.

Luciel's voice dropped to a whisper. "Go from the far side of Black Tortoise. Don't approach the wall directly—Skink will be waiting there."

"Understood." The two women exchanged a brief, steady look.

"Be back before dark," Luciel warned quietly, his tone low but firm. "If you're not… I'll come in after you myself."

Elara met his gaze, her expression solemn. "We'll bring Yanlu back before nightfall." She knew what his words meant. If Luciel had to enter the city personally, it wouldn't be a rescue anymore—it would be war.

"Then go," he said softly. "And be careful."

"Got it."

The two women took a deep breath, then dashed down the narrow city road, disappearing into the haze beyond the walls. The rescue mission for Yanlu had officially begun.

"Luciel, someone's approaching from Amestris City."

Mirean Moon's gentle voice carried from behind him.

"Oh?" Luciel lifted his gaze toward the horizon.

Several silhouettes had leapt down from the city wall, descending the slope toward the massive form of the Black Tortoise.

"Do you want them to come up?" Mirean asked, her tone light but measured.

Luciel thought for a moment, then nodded. "Let them. Whether they come as witnesses… or guides… it could be useful."

Mirean smiled faintly. "Then I'll go greet them."

He shook his head. "No. Let Gao Cao and the others handle it. They've been trained for this."

"As you wish."

Her lips curved slightly, that faint, knowing smile dancing between elegance and amusement.

---

At the foot of the colossal rock tortoise, Liergu led a small team of assassins—Nijisha's unit.

Nijisha herself wore a strained expression. The situation was beyond her control. None of them could defy the flying corpse's command; any who had tried were already dead, their bodies poisoned as an example.

"Relax," Liergu said flatly, his tone neither harsh nor kind. "As long as I'm here, no one will harm you."

His voice carried quiet confidence, but the team behind him still shifted uneasily. They weren't afraid of battle—they were afraid of the ancient beast looming before them.

"Yes, sir," Nijisha answered, forcing calm into her voice.

Liergu's eyes flickered with boredom. He stepped forward until he stood just before the enormous creature's front claws.

Then, from above, a clear, melodic voice drifted down. "You should move aside."

He looked up and caught sight of Mirean Moon, standing high on the creature's shell.

"Interesting," he murmured.

A spiraling path—half ladder, half staircase—had been carved into the tortoise's rocky side, zigzagging upward toward what looked like a city built on its back.

"It seems we go up from there," Liergu said, his curiosity piqued. "Let's see what kind of person commands such a creature."

Rumble!

The Black Tortoise suddenly crouched, the ground trembling beneath its enormous weight.

"Fall back!" Liergu barked, pulling his team away instinctively.

Clack—BOOM!

A stone gate embedded in the creature's flank began to open, splitting apart with a deep, resonant groan.

Standing on the rocky stairway beyond was Gao Cao, his expression calm and composed.

"Are you coming up?" he called out.

"Y—yes!" Liergu stammered, adjusting his animal-skin hat with embarrassment. For a brief moment, he'd thought the beast was preparing to attack.

Gathering his composure, he led his team toward the gate, their boots crunching over gravel as they approached the fortress embedded in the creature's body.

"Welcome to Black Tortoise," Gao Cao said evenly, bowing his head just slightly. "Please, come inside."

Though young, he spoke with the poise and confidence of a seasoned soldier.

Liergu raised an eyebrow. "Black Tortoise City? There's an entire city on this beast?"

"Yes." Gao Cao's answer was simple, steady.

Liergu's eyes gleamed. "Then I want to see what kind of city could exist on the back of an ancient monster."

"I promise it won't disappoint," Gao Cao replied.

"Lead the way," Liergu said, his tone brisk but respectful.

As they entered, Gao Cao handed each of them a small folded leaflet. "This will serve as your entry pass. No inspection needed for first-time visitors."

"Oh?" Liergu unfolded it curiously. Inside were several empty spaces and a single stamped mark in the corner: First Trial Passed.

"Interesting," he said under his breath. He quickly realized the blanks were meant for their names.

"Do you have enough beast spars with you?" Gao Cao asked casually, almost playfully.

"A few," Liergu said, not sure where the question was leading.

"Then I wish you a pleasant visit," Gao Cao replied, stepping aside as the passage behind him opened with a heavy creak.

"So mysterious," Liergu muttered, his intrigue deepening as he motioned for his team to follow him up the staircase.

The stone steps led them higher and higher until the air grew cooler and thinner. The sound of moving mechanisms echoed faintly within the beast's massive body.

Thud—Bang!

The lift mechanism engaged, the inner gate shifting open.

A man with sharp eyes and a steady voice stood waiting. "Everyone, this is the Hanging Pavilion" he announced. "If you wish to continue, please leave your weapons here."

Nijisha's expression hardened. "Impossible," she said coldly. For an assassination squad, weapons were more than tools—they were extensions of themselves. Entering enemy territory unarmed felt like suicide.

Before the man could respond, Liergu raised a hand. "Do as they ask. Hand everything over."

Nijisha hesitated. "Captain—"

"If they meant to kill us," he interrupted, "they wouldn't bother with formalities."

She clenched her jaw, then nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Those willing to surrender their weapons, please come forward," the guard—Zanyan—said firmly.

Liergu stepped into the Hanging Pavilion, his eyes scanning the interior. The design was clever—tight angles, high vantage points, and multiple guard stations. Any foolish invader would be dead before they even reached the stairs.

"Please place your weapons in those cabinets," Zanyan explained, gesturing toward a wall of wooden compartments. A clerk waited behind the counter with meticulous precision.

"Do it," Liergu ordered.

Nijisha removed three short daggers from beneath her cloak and laid them on the counter, her movements precise, reluctant.

The staff member stored them carefully, then handed her a small wooden tag. "Use this number to reclaim your weapons later. Lose it, and the weapons stay here."

Nijisha blinked. "Oh." She turned the tag over, noting the number carved into its surface.

Zanyan nodded approvingly. "Now, your entry leaflets, please."

Liergu frowned but handed his over. "What now?"

"It's part of Black Tortoise City's entry protocol," Zanyan replied, dipping a seal into ink and pressing it firmly onto the leaflet.

Liergu glanced down. The words Second Trial Passed glistened in fresh ink.

"So that's how it is," he murmured.

"You may proceed," Zanyan said, stepping aside to reveal the next passage.

Liergu sighed under his breath. "Even entering Amestris isn't this complicated."

Zanyan's lips twitched faintly. If you weren't the first outsiders to visit, he thought, the procedures would be far stricter—no hoods, no cloaks, real names required.

Still grumbling quietly, Liergu led his team up the final staircase.

When they emerged, the sight before them stole their breath.

A vast platform stretched out, gleaming under the filtered light. Before them rose the city gate of Black Tortoise, its walls massive and fortified, rivaling the grandeur of Amestris itself. Beyond the gate stood towers of distinct designs—sleek, elegant, and formidable, each radiating a unique presence.

Liergu stood there in silence for a moment, then let out a low whistle. "Heavily guarded," he muttered. "Three trials just to get this far. It's harder to enter this place than the Sacred Land itself."

Behind him, Nijisha exhaled, her earlier tension melting into awe. "So this is Black Tortoise City…"

Liergu's expression softened into a grin. "Yeah. Let's see what kind of miracle they've built on the back of a monster."

As they walked toward the towering gates, the air around them shimmered faintly with energy—the heartbeat of the living fortress beneath their feet.

Somewhere deep inside the city, Luciel waited, his calm gaze fixed on the horizon. He knew the storm was coming.

Whether today ended in peace or in flames… would depend on whether Elara and Alina returned before nightfall.

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