Welcome back Ladies and gentlemen! I received 2 PMs asking me when I was going to update some of my stories; how convenient that they chose the 2 stories I was already writing chapters for.

I would like to give a warning however; due to my physical condition, I have been awarded with specialist speech-to-text dictation software. For both of the chapters uploaded today and from now on, my writing will involve a large portion if not be entirely made of text produced by this software. This will explain any discrepancies and quirks compared to my ordinary writing style. Anyway, let's go!

Super hero time!

Takumi: Do your best Harry! I guess the stakes aren't the same as ours, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it your all!

Harry: I'd say. All I have to do is make good food, you have to save the world!

Takumi: You'd be surprised how much the little things can change the world.

Harry. Yeah. Let's both change the world in our own ways!

T + H: The story begins! With a magic touch!

Emily Wood gave a small hum as she looked to her rapidly depleting pile of books; only a few more left to return and then the bulk of her work was done for the evening.

Brushing back the brunette ponytail that threatened to fly in her face as she moved down the ladder, Emily brushed off her hands. No more getting herself dirty with oil and food stains – now, the worst was the tiniest amount of dust when one of the other volunteers had yet to finish cleaning.

A younger Emily would've been rather apathetic to the idea of working at a library. After all, she had a perfectly reasonable job at a restaurant and while it wasn't the most rewarding experience, it managed to pay the bills. She, her husband and little Beth had been able to live comfortably. Besides, with the amount of work the library needed, she didn't want to be the person who had to tackle the mess.

But then Takumi Yuu had appeared, a bright faced young man who charged forth with an unbridled enthusiasm. In seemingly no time at all, the library had been completely transformed into a bibliophile's paradise. Through the man's efforts, a place devoid of life and love became a place where people were happy to work and enjoy themselves, the children going from dreading visits to actively requesting them to attend Takumi's whimsical readings and activities.

Slowly, the locals became re-enamoured and proud of their library once more. While she wasn't one for books herself, even Emily had occasionally borrowed the odd novel here and there. A disappointment, a blot on the beauty of the town, had become an interesting place to visit and it was all because of Takumi.

Her appreciation of the man only grew when he and his little girls started to come out to the park, playing with Beth. Though Emily loved her daughter like no one else, she had been naturally a bit disappointed when she lacked the same extroverted attitude her mother and father held. With the library restored, Emily had thought that Beth would never leave; both a blessing and a curse in disguise.

But then Takumi had played with her and all of the other children in the park, along with those strange little white haired girls that he claimed had come to the library without a home or parents to return to. By helping draw Beth in to play with all of the other children and occasionally bringing books for them to read out in the sunshine, he had helped Beth become a more open person. Emily would be forever grateful for that.

Their friendship had grown from there, a friendship that eventually had Emily accepting the job of managing the library when Takumi had suddenly declared that he would be leaving for an undetermined length of time. It had come out of nowhere, but he had apparently been invited to assist with a religious group and it meant moving away temporarily, if not permanently. After all that Takumi had done for her daughter, the least she could do was cover for him.

Turned out, the pay was better for a significantly better job. Now, Emily thought she would be hard pressed to return the role back to Takumi when he came home. Sure, she may not have been able to do the strange shows he did with the same energy, nor did she have the same effortless knowledge of the library's layout, but she was getting there and enjoying it the whole time.

Looking to the fancy yet crazy book dispensing machine Takumi had used as part of said shows, Emily let out a sigh, looking to the sky.

"I wonder if Takumi's having a fun time?"

Takumi, in actual fact, was having a rather pleasant time sleeping. Despite the rather rough conditions they were being forced to endure, it didn't feel as such at all. The grass was softer than any blanket, the morning breeze cool, yet not too cold as to bite at his skin. It was why he was so disappointed when the calls of birds above brought him out of his dreams.

Wearily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the brunette was met with a rather strange sight; the birds he had were not simply above them, but also sitting right before Guojiu and Dongbin doing what could only be called some sort of demented game of charades. Needless to say, Takumi had to knock the side of his face to make sure he was truly awake.

"I see, how fortunate. Tell your master then that we will make haste to the mountain peak. If so many have managed to find their way to our island, then there are clearly issues to be had…" Guojiu sighed, rubbing his face as the birds squawked what hopefully was some sort of reply.

Takumi watched as both immortals threw the birds to the air so they could join in the gradually growing flock above before the birds flew away at speeds unheard of by any normal species. Just another quirk to add to the ever elongating list the islands had.

"Ah! So, you awoke!" Dongbin loudly remarked, Takumi nodding as he rose from his resting place. "I'm afraid you've just missed a very lucky message. Looks like everyone's getting together again!"

"Really? What happened to there being only one person who could call such a thing?" the librarian questioned, brushing himself off as the elder immortal gave a sharp laugh.

"What, did you think we just talked to birds for fun? We may have lived for more than centuries, but we haven't gone mad just yet." Dongbin replied, his face sobering up, if just a small amount. "The one who controls the birds of this island, she's apparently been watching things happen. Another of us have met with a bunch of strange girls, meaning that an island that should be invisible has been found by thirteen people. Apparently, the others aren't attacking either, so she's decided that it's safe for everyone to meet. You lot and whoever the others have found are going to have to stay locked up while the meeting occurs though."

"Locked up?" Takumi repeated, a small bead of sweat running down his face. That didn't sound fun at all. "But if we promise not to attack, then what's the point? It's not as if anything can hurt anyone here anyway."

"There are painless ways to cripple and injure people, even kill. To satiate the others, all cautions must be taken I'm afraid." Guojiu spoke up. "Then again, from what I've heard of your interaction with Tieguai, perhaps it would be more to keep him away from your group."

"Hmph. I hope you haven't forgotten that you tried to do the same thing Cao Guojiu, or do I have to teach you a lesson!?" Xuanzang spoke up teasingly, the rest of the group appearing from behind.

"Here, a drink to you!" Takumi looked down, a steaming cup of tea held within the hands of smiling Nursery Rhyme. Well, it was certainly easier for him to do than drinking from the pond nearby, an act that was probably why his Servants and the others had all disappeared. "All of the pretty birds are flying about, it's like they're dancing!"

"Well, it's not as if we have a choice then, do we?" Takumi sighed, taking the cup into his hands. It wasn't as if being locked up in a normal cage was the worst that could happen, not when everyone was capable of incredible magic that could potentially do much worse. "I suppose you'll want to lead the way then. Just be careful, we don't know who these other people are. For all we know, they could be working with the very person we're trying to stop. Even if they don't seem like they going to attack, it's probably best to exercise caution."

"Who do you take us for?! We not just some random old men, we can defend ourselves!" Dongbin exclaimed pridefully. "If I remember correctly, the bird said that the girls were under careful watch. Let's just say… They're in good hands."

Takumi, under normal circumstances, would have been a little more concerned about the way Dongbin said that. As it was however, there were far greater concerns to deal with. Namely, those girls they had talked about.

If anything were to happen, his servants will be able to handle them. At least, that's what Takumi liked to believe. But then again, it might not be enough; they were fighting against a literal God. Angels and devils were one thing, but they only held a fraction of what God should be capable of. If Takumi wanted to be able to withstand the might of Gonggong…

He looked down to his heart, hand gently hovering over it. Right now, there was nothing more than a simple human heartbeat. If they truly wanted to defeat a God, Takumi would have to unlock the power that was held within. The power he knew was held within but couldn't actually access.

Takumi took a sip of his tea. Delicious and almost obnoxiously sweet, no doubt from whatever magic Alice had used rather than any actual sugar, yet with a slight bitterness. The librarian could only hope it could give him the energy to continue onward.

When they said the group would be locked in a cage, Takumi assumed it would be one of two things. One, it would be a rather rustic design: perhaps a few bits of bamboo tied together, enhanced by whatever magic the immortals deemed necessary. Two, it would be a needlessly elaborate, perhaps even gaudy, mess of jewels and precious metals. With the sheer amount that was present on the islands, Takumi wouldn't put it past them.

It was why, when they eventually made it to the peak once more, he and all the others were pleasantly surprised to find that neither were the case. Instead, they had simply been moved into what seemed to be a perfectly empty room, no sign of any cage or restraint at all. It was clear that such a sight made the Doctor and Charles-Henri rather nervous, and rightfully so.

With only the slightest sound of a click to warn them, huge pillars of light began to ascend from the floor, only Xuanzang left free as the Servants and those of the church were forced together inside the box of pure magical energy. Each pillar seemed to be alive with the energy that ran through, incredible if serial patterns flowing through them like some sort of alien language. If Takumi were a braver man, he would have tried to touch; as it was, the librarian could only watch in muted awe.

"This kind of magic… I'd be hard-pressed to find something of this calibre even in Tian." Liangyu commented in subtle appreciation, just as entranced as every other. "I'm sure if young Alice was a little older, she would be driving herself mad trying to decipher this."

"Knowing her, she probably already could do something like this and simply hasn't told me." Takumi replied, trying to hold back the half-amused sigh. Considering all the surprises that Takumi had faced, it wouldn't be an unprecedented revelation, that's for sure.

As it was, Alice was sitting with her own cup of tea, and in fact a whole tea set with a bright smile on her face. The tiny girl wouldn't have looked out of place at some fancy English garden party, despite essentially being in a temporary prison. It was just a shame that Jack wasn't so receptive to Alice's pleas for her to join the tea party.

"I suppose there's a reason why Xuanzang has been excluded from our containment?" Charles-Henri remarked. GuoJiu merely gave a shrug in response, shaking his head.

"She's one were familiar with, you see. Having had the pleasure of meeting her multiple times before, we see no reason to doubt her integrity." The general explained, somewhat apologetically. "It is as we said before, the only reason you have been locked up simply to satiate those who are cautious of your presence along with the sheer number that have appeared upon our island."

"Hey! We're coming voluntarily, you really have to manhandle us like this!?"

The conversation was interrupted with an indignant voice, the yell punctuated by the sound of several bodies colliding with the ground. That was quickly followed by another burst of energy saturating the floor and rising to form another cage, this time containing a quartet of girls while another dusted off her hands outside the restraints.

"Ah, if it isn't Lan Caihe!" Dongbin boisterously greeted, the elderly man eagerly approaching the young girl and throwing his arms wide, only to find himself hugging the air. "Come now, surely we answer one familiar that you'd refused to hug me!"

"I don't care about familiarity. You're just a pervert." Came the harsh retort of Lan Caihe, refusing to look in the elderly man's direction, much to his disappointment. "These are the intruders. Where is everyone else?"

"They will be making their way here shortly. My friends have been keeping careful watch over them." Explained yet another voice, belonging to the beautiful woman who entered through the door, a gentle flick of the wrist causing the bird resting upon it to fly away.

She was a different kind of beauty to the angelic appearance of Gabriel. Whereas Gabriel could be described as the most seductive essence of Western maturity, the latest arrival surely deserved to be called the epitome of Asian beauty.

Delightfully lithe and yet not so much so as to be unhealthy, a waterfall of luscious black hair rolling down her back, pale skin with more beauty than a pearl; Takumi simply couldn't help it. Raised as a Japanese man, who had always known of the ideal called a 'Yamato Nadeshiko', he couldn't help but see perfection in her.

Though she was currently busy with quite a lot of work, Gabriel paused, turning her eyes to the sky. There was no reason for her to think of such, she couldn't help but feel as if she was being judged. No, impossible – she was an archangel and one step down from the head that. No one would be idiotic enough to try and judge her, even with her more open personality.

"They always are, He Xiangyu." Guojiu calmly answered, his tone saturated with both respect and a small hint of amusement as he bowed in her direction. "You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to simply visit us occasionally. So long have you kept yourself isolated that I feel if it weren't for your beauty, I would scarcely remember your face."

If He Xiangyu was affected by the general's words, then she did not show it. Instead, she found it best to simply smile at his words. It was a simple gesture, no more than a simple quirk of the lips, yet there was no man in the room who could hide the flutter that suddenly appeared within their hearts.

"After all these years, I would like to believe you would have learned, dear Guojiu. I am not one for socialising, unlike some we know." The woman tittered gently. "As it is, I wouldn't exactly say any of us could be referred to as sociable. Am I so wrong, to prefer the attention of animals? Compared to some of our compatriots, they are far easier to come across and hold no qualms with listening to this quiet girl's words."

"It's not as if we hold qualms as such…" Guojiu began, only to find his speech drowned out by a cacophony of voices.

"How drab! If this is what counts as a banquet nowadays, and I fear we have truly lost our way! Guolao! It appears we have need for your drum once more!" bellowed a particularly muscular man, hair of forest green peppered with specks of blue, almost like how a typical human would find their hair turning grey with age.

"I think you'll find, Xiangzi, there is a time and place for everything, or do not remember the message that was sent to us all? We have many an intruder and for an island that is meant to be impenetrable, that is a grave concern. Do you not agree, Quan?" Answered another, though this time, he was barely more than skin and bone carried upon a mule.

"It would have been bad enough that I was just one. Was good enough men, this many people could equate a deadly army. We are fortunate that they do not attack us… That is, they have led us to believe they do not wish to attack us. Their intentions have yet to be proven." Concluded the third, perhaps the most unsightly of them all with his protruding belly exposed for all to see, his scratchy beard and balding head doing him no favours.

"… It is more the fact that some simply prefer the sound of their own voices." The general ended lamely with a sigh, turning to the prisoners. "Might I introduce you all to Han Xiangzi, Zhang Guolao, Zhongli Quan and Lan Caihe. Save one, we are the ones who form the eight immortals. Though I hoped the introductions could be under better circumstances, I'm afraid that this is the warmest greeting we can give for now. I'm sure once we have your situation sorted out, with the return to a more appropriate atmosphere for this meeting."

"Oi! I hope you're not trying to start this without me!" A particularly grouchy voice declared, Takumi trying his best to bite back his annoyance.

Li Tieguai; the librarian had hoped there would be some reason why the grouchy immortal would be unable to attend. Of course, it was always going to be unlikely when the man said he would be waiting for them near the meeting hall, but Takumi could dream.

"Look at you lot now… I sent you off to socialise and here you are, locked up. Where did today's youth go so wrong?" the crippled man teasingly lamented, paired with an exaggerated cackle. "Least you're not out causing trouble, eh? Who knows what kind of tricks people like your lot have bubbling away in their minds? Especially ones like you…"

It was clear to all where his eyes were looking, Jack's own narrowing in unspoken annoyance. Even so however, the small Assassin refused to leave her position within the centre of the magically formed cage behind the safety of her Master.

Fortunately, they would not come to blows on that day. Not because either side weren't willing to continue provoking the other; much the opposite in fact. Tieguai felt little remorse for his actions and so long as he desired the exorcizing of Jack, Takumi and his Servants would never cease in their protection of the little Heroic Spirit.

No, it was more the knife that had suddenly found its home in Tieguai's arm, the immortal staring incredulously at the steel digging into his flesh. In place of the jovial conversation occurring around them, the room was suddenly plunged into silence as all tried to comprehend just what had occurred.

"D-D-Danzo!" it was only natural that Osakabehime would be the first to break, her surprise coming forth as a horrified mess of a cry. "What on earth are you doing!? You're gonna mess up the whole plan!"

Not that it seemed to elicit any reaction from Danzo as the shinobi slowly lowered her throwing arm, a blank expression clear upon her face. It barely even looked as if she recognised what she had just done, let alone felt any sort of emotion.

"…Annoying." Was all that escaped her lips, almost as lifeless as her actions if it weren't for the slightest hint of bitterness that escaped the Shinobi.

"…That should be impossible!" Said Xiangyi, the immortal scrambling back like a frightened squirrel; it was far from the mighty image of an immortal that the rest of his kin portrayed. All signs of joviality that had been present before were immediately erased, changed for pure terror. "Teacher, what's going on!? Nothing should be able to penetrate the magic of those cages let alone penetrate the magic of this very island! We never should have given the strangers the chance, execute them now! Immediately!"

His words were barely given any consideration however, not by the other immortals. Tieguai himself seemed less bothered by the attack and he was intrigued in all honesty, a disturbing level of mirth on his face as he poked and prodded the kunai buried within his arm.

It wasn't as if there was anything special about it. No matter how they examined the weapon, all they could find was ordinary, if magically created, steel. It was nothing close to what should be required in order to bring the enchantments of both the cage and the island, even in a Servant's hand.

"I'm sorry, real sorry for her!" Osakabehime wailed, already on her knees and bowing as deeply as humanely possible. "Please don't kill us, it will never happen again! We really did come peacefully, we don't want hurt any of you! PLEASE DON'T KILL US!"

"… I suppose it doesn't hurt to be foolish sometimes. We shall stay our hand this once." Dongbin eventually answered, arms folded with a pensive look on his face. "After all, it has allowed us to see that our defences, while certainly impenetrable to any human, is not so invincible against what could be considered inhumane. while it certainly doesn't explain how the island's inherent magic was defeated, it at least begins to explain the situation."

"Please forgive me, but I'm afraid I'm afraid I'm rather lost." Jeanne sheepishly admitted. "Though I am not in a class that may more easily identify them, I can still see that our fellow prisoners are… Like ourselves. What makes this Danzo so unique?"

"I believe I have an answer right here." Was what the Doctor claimed in response.

Said answer came as a pair of sunglasses that easily slipped onto the Rider's face. Takumi wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen and if he was honest, he still was quite befuddled when the buzzing noise so iconic to his sonic screwdriver began.

Danzo seemed to understand however, at least if the way that she suddenly straightened up meant anything. Though she remained silent, her eyes were transfixed on the Doctor's own. To add to the confusion of those surrounding, the shinobi slowly raised her right arm, one stiff wave before her limb fell to the side and the buzzing swiftly ended.

"I do not mean to question you, Doctor," Charles-Henri began slowly. "But I scarcely believe you have explained anything. Care to tell us what such a show was meant to demonstrate?"

"What it means is that my sonic sunglasses lack any biological functions. It can only communicate and manipulate machinery." The Rider Servant stated rather smugly. "What it means my dear Saber, is that we're not just dealing with a Heroic Spirit, but a heroic spirit that managed to develop what is essentially overcomplicated puppet – a robot that managed to achieve the necessary levels of fame. I could name a couple of examples, but they wouldn't fit; wrong planet and all."

"Not a robot… this body is that of a puppet's, nothing more." Danzo eventually replied, her stoic visage finally breaking as she allowed the smallest amount of surprise mar her face. Not that she allowed it to stick for too long, replacing it with an unreadable expression once more. "My apologies as well. Due to my unique nature I had wanted to see whether such defences would react o me. You may bind me in whatever way you wish to ensure your safety."

They were clearly in disbelief as to her sincerity, but the immortals were not to ignore such a clear and open invitation. With barely any effort from Dongbin, the shinobi found herself bound near entirely with glowing chain, her form left to awkwardly balance itself against the walls of her cage lest she fall to the ground.

"Suddenly, I see my precautions were not entirely unfounded." Xiangyu spoke in a melancholy whisper, eyes turning away. "My initial thoughts were that we would meet, you could explain your arrival and all would be free to leave. That is clearly not the case…"

"I-I still say we should imply kill them where they stand! The mere fact that they are here on this island is enough to make them highly dangerous!"Xiangyi retorted, far from recovered after his little outburst before. "One group attempts to murder us and actually managed to land a hit while the other is gallivanting around with a golem stuffed to the brim with foul souls! For what reason do we allow them to live!?"

"The very reason why I choose to accompany them, Xiangyi!" Xuanzang finally interrupted, disappointment plastered all over her features. "I know I can't talk for the others and the way that they attacked Tieguai makes them seem really suspicious, but the group under my command is definitely trustworthy! You have the word of the Jade Emperor!"

It was clear that the mention of the legendary ruler's name sparked intrigue in the immortals, the silent nervousness plaguing the librarian slowly beginning to fade. The actions of the other group may have put their lives at risk, so it was an immense relief to know that his own group would not meet the same fate.

"Though I can't speak the other band of girls, I and Dongbin have had the fortune of meeting with these folks before our gathering." Guojiu spoke up, resolution in his tone. "To be protected by two personally selected by the Jade Emperor is no easily forged feat. If what they tell us is true as well, we are obliged to hear them out for our own safety, if for nought else. It could very well spell the end of this island."

"… Very well then. We shall hear your words out first, seeing as we have the most reason to trust you." Xiangyu eventually declared when it seemed no other would speak. "I trust you have someone who will speak for you all?"

Naturally, the words caused the Servants to part, making way for Takumi, Irina and Xenovia to reach the forefront and bear the numerous stares of people immortal and far more powerful than them. Honestly? It was becoming disturbingly easy for the librarian to return them.

"Honestly, for all the time we've spent here I still haven't found a nice way of putting this." The librarian began, a hand to his chin. "I'm guessing you guys know who Gonggong is?"

"Of course we do. Foul beast always seem to escapes whatever seals are put on him." Tieguai immediately spat, banging his crutch against the ground for added measure. "Let him come I say! Never before has he challenged us and should he do so, he will find himself defeated once more!"

"But he's going to take your eight immortal tool-things this time!" Irina called out, wrapping her hands around the bar as she stepped forward, only to find the mood of the room completely unchanged. "Shouldn't you be a little concerned that your treasures are going to be stolen or something?"

"Though I do not appreciate the way in which Tieguai has expressed it, I fear that what he claims is something I must agree with." Guojiu countered with a solemn visage. "Penglai is an island where brute force will not suffice and I doubt Gonggong knows of anything beyond brute force. Our Covert Eight Immortals are not merely tools, but an aspect of our very being. If a being like Gonggong wishes to steal them, he will struggle immensely."

"Can we be so certain? If the magics that protect us could be so easily deceived, what is to say Gonggong could not achieve a similar effect?" Xiangu questioned hesitantly, looking to the hogtied shinobi upon the floor without a single care for her situation.

Takumi was quick to nod his head in response. Though he wouldn't dare say it out loud, he was kind of surprised such a flaw could be left unnoticed for so long. Well, admittedly, it wasn't everyday that an island as isolated and protected from the outside world would come into contact with… a sentient puppet ninja (and that was something he was still getting his mind around as well). Now that they knew about it though, they could be a little less nonchalant about it at least.

"Fortunately for you my dear, I have been examining our defences and save for that little caveat, there is no reason for any other to be immune to the Island's abilities. Even that should find itself repaired before long." Dongbin was the one to answer his form gently aglow with an unnatural power. "Gonggong has not been able to penetrate such defences before and will fail to do so again."

His reassurances seemed to convince any who seemed even the tiniest bit close to having their minds swayed, all remaining calm save for the sour expression on Caihe and Xiangyu. A low sigh escaped both Irina and Takumi; there went any hope of a simple convincing.

"But the Jade Emperor was the one who tasked us with warning you and potentially helping out. Surely that means something?" Takumi pointed out. It was quickly made clear however that his point was being ignored, if the laughter that came meant anything.

"Helping out? I'm sorry I'm afraid I must've misheard you." Xiangzi spoke through his hearty chuckles that escaped him. You, and these measly spirits? Sanzang, I can understand, but I highly doubt what you are capable of stands up to our abilities. Honestly I can feel how weak you are now; I simply cannot fathom why the Jade emperor thought we couldn't handle ourselves, let alone that you would be able to handle what we could not."

"No, there's one thing!"

One would expect it to be one of the Servants to make the retort and technically such a retort wasn't wrong. However, it was not one of his group that had cried out Osakabehime, the Caster stepping forward shakily.

"That's the reason why me and Danzo came here! Well, not exactly why we came here, that was by accident… but because we wanted to get into contact with him! He holds a power that someone crazy is trying to take for their own!" she excitedly explained, so much so that she was left panting for breath once she was done. "But right now, that's not important. That Gonggong guy's meant to be a really deadly god, right? If you can use that power to get rid of him, then do it before he just takes us away from the island to kill us or something!"

Now that was a possibility. After all, to take someone hostage did not require pain and if someone was a heavy sleeper, they may not even waken if all pain is eliminated and therefore be easier to abduct. While the Immortals would be able to hide incredibly well an the number of Servants meant the humans of Takumi's group would be relatively safe, they were going up against a god-like figure; it wasn't a zero-sum possibility that they could taken and moved before they had time to react.

Though he nodded, the librarian made sure to keep the outburst at the back of his mind; she had openly admitted she came because of the power he held and Takumi didn't like the sound of that. From the looks in Liangyu and Xuanzang's eyes, neither did they.

"I mean, we were really just brought along for the ride." One of the girls muttered from the side, all turning to where the red captain was leaning casually against the wall as she gave a yawn. "A real shame, we had a pretty sweet vessel and all… but then again, we wouldn't have gotten a drop of drink as good as the stuff this island has. Food's pretty good too."

"It's the variety. We've been eating the same thing for so long, something new is a treat." Her partner replied, carefully examining her weapon before taping it up the side of the cage. Not only did it naturally fail to do anything, the weapon itself was forcibly returned to its astral form, to which the ashen haired girl gave a low hum.

"You really… are far too comfortable." Jeanne was the only one willing to voice. "With the actions of your companion, your entire party came close to execution and it appears you couldn't care any less. I am honestly quite jealous of your composure."

"We're pirates; it hasn't been a good heist if there hasn't been twenty threats of death throughout." The blonde joked. "Besides, these girls told us they were here to ask for your protection; that and from the way you've acted, we can tell you're all pretty nice. You wouldn't let us die for no reason."

"You wouldn't let us die when we can help fight as well. We're the great pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read, we can keep up." Added her other half. "If you're fighting in the water, then we're your best bet."

"This is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous! There's no possible way Gonggong could be back! Nonsense, all of it!" Xiangyi concluded regardless, immediately turning away with a grand harrumph. "Even if he were, we can simply fortify the already existing defences and hide, he will be unable to do anything to harm us! I see no reason why we should remain any longer."

"This isn't just a threat to these islands, but the world! And he doesn't need to hurt you to take you away!" Takumi called out, but to no avail. The Immortals were far too stubborn, Tieguai following after with a massive malicious grin while the others slowly filtered out until only three remained; not even Dongbin seemed threatened. "Damn it… at least they're bolstering their defences somewhat…"

"That old man, I expected him to stick around at least…" Guojiu muttered in disbelief with a shake of his head. "For all of his joviality and wisdom, he always was too certain of himself, the same with many of my kin. His words hold the most power and Xiangyi is his direct student. With both of them being so unconcerned and the lack of any attack attempts they're too sure of the island's magics, especially with them having fixed the loophole that Danzo so readily demonstrated."

"What's our next plan? Their ignoring the warnings does not stop the threat from coming." Xenovia questioned in turn. "It would've been preferable if we could have the whole Immortal group's assistance but we're not defenceless, not with your power."

"I think… we're just going to have to wait for a miracle." Takumi muttered, placing his hand upon his heart with a frown. "I still can't call upon it. It's one thing if we could actively utilise it, but if we have to fight a god ourselves just hoping for a deus ex machina, we're going to die."

"if it is training to use your power, then we would be glad to assist you." Xiangu spoke up gently, Caihe at her side silent save for the smallest sound of agreement. "We will not allow any to come to harm, even if they will not acknowledge the danger. If our assistance can preserve this land, then you have it. We merely need to know what power you speak of."

"I don't really know how to describe it… It's just, this book with stupidly insane power that came from within me." Takumi explained eventually after a moment of hesitant silence.

It was an answer that had Xiangu tilting her head slightly in confusion, the pale skinned woman stepping forward slowly before Takumi realised that her hand was upon his chest and the librarian choked out an undeterminable noise.

It was drowned out by the gasp of shock and pain that came from Xiangu as she fell to the ground, pure magical energy dancing around her form.

And that's a nice place to end it. Next chapter, we have some answers and revelations, revelations that will finally explain why I chose chinese mythology for this portion of the story. Please, look forward to the next chapter and tell me how this could be improved. Ah, I should probably put something related to the halloween event, but I'm really just waiting for the Key Servant of EOR to be released. 320 SQ and counting: May luck be with me...

Super hero time! See you next time!