Go Big To Go Home: A Kaiju-Fighting Isekai LitRPG (Book 1 Complete!)

"So, ahem, question. How do we get out of this form?" Nya broadcast through their Armour Cores.

"Turning it off in five seconds, brace yourself," Mikayla counted down, then severed the connections provided by her Demigod status. Black Knight Duplex and Moonlight Masquerade broke apart, collapsing into Mana-dust and depositing the four students on the ground.

They looked up at the warped corpse of the Dahu, then at the destruction that had been wrought around them.

"We should do a sweep of the area. It's highly likely that some of the other monsters from the level factory escaped in the commotion. To say nothing of the

pirates,"

Nya commanded. "We'll split up and search. The guards will be here soon, we'll enlist their aid,"

"Yep. Sure," Sekki looked half dead on his feet, but nodded, already pulling out his bow again.

"Nya's right. We're not done yet, it's search and rescue time. Everyone has potions, right?" Mikayla pulled a pair of Health and Mana restoratives from her best and downed them, watching her vital energies tick back up towards full. Her friends did the same, Sekki pressing his hands to his back with an audible crack as he perked up.

"Then let's go," Nya started off, then hesitated and added, "If we get split up or lost, we'll meet back at Leishun Manor at sunrise,"

<=====}—o

It wasn't until the sun was creeping over the horizon that they finally found themselves making their report in the office of Lord Sang. Mikayla felt dead on her feet, but satisfied.

The ruler of Leicheng was thoroughly unimpressed. "The four of you were gone for

eight hours

, and I have several civilian casualties, monsters loosed in my city, and half of Leicheng's docks district has been demolished. Not to mention; the Wave Carvers are in the wind. While they have no doubt suffered great casualties, many of them escaped. And unless we were supremely lucky, the assassin you went after will be among them. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Sir, you can't reasonably blame us for the pirates being stupid enough to run an illegal level factory

and

hold smuggled monsters

inside the city,"

Sekki argued. "The Dahu ate meat contaminated with the Kaiju's Clutch and grew out of the pen they were keeping it in, if we hadn't been on site to stop it Leicheng's losses would have been far greater,"

Lord Sang folded his arms. "And I suppose it's merely a coincidence that this happened while you were there,"

"Naturally," Sekki was a good liar. Unfortunately, his three allies weren't, and their squirming confirmed everything that Lord Sang had already suspected.

He sighed. "I suppose I can take some solace in the destruction of this organisation, no matter how messy it may have been. But what about the actual mission that you four were supposed to be on? Did you find any incriminating evidence?"

"Indeed," Sekki growled. "The assassin's escape matters little. Why go after the blade when we know the hand that wielded it?"

Lord Sang frowned. "Short-sighted. But we will discuss that later. Go on,"

"We used technology from my world to make copies of the evidence we found," Mikayla pulled up the images on her phone and handed it over. "If the text is too small, you can spread your fingers like this to zoom in, or swipe left and right to look at other pictures," A couple of quick demonstrations told Lord Sang all he needed, and he started working his way through the images. A faint scowl touched his lips as he worked out that he needed to use the touchscreen by touching his knuckles to it, since his claws didn't have the body heat needed for the screen to detect his touch.

They could tell the moment he reached the note they'd found. His brow furrowed, then his eyes widened and his nostrils flared.

After a long moment, he held up the image towards Sekki. "Can I assume you will testify that this is authentic and has not been forged?"

"I saw the original myself. It is probably buried in the rubble, but it shouldn't be too hard for a forensics team to locate it,"

"There won't be any need for that. I trust your word, if not your

judgement,"

Lord Sant seemed to have aged a decade just for having read the message they'd copied. "Wei," he gestured to a maid who'd been waiting at the edge of the room. "Fetch my wife. Immediately. This changes things,"

<=====}—o

The four students had settled on a couch at the side of the study as they waited for the arrival of Lord Sang's wife. Mikayla expected this to be an enlightening encounter; Lord Sang had been much more level-headed and . .

tolerable

than she'd ever expected from having known Geum. Had he inherited his personality from his mother? Or was his horrible attitude simply the result of being born rich and privileged?

Lady Sakhalin Leishun burst into the room amidst a cloud of elaborate silks. Shining yellow eyes were set into a face so heavily layered in patterns of makeup that Mikayla could barely identify her original skin tone. Her hair was split around her horns into two flowing sheets of black that cascaded down her back and seemed to blend into the patterns of the robes that would have dangled on the floor if not for an attendant chasing after her and holding the hem above the ground.

"I heard all about the fiasco that happened down at the docks. I'm so distraught," There was barely any emotion in her tone, and what little was there sounded anything but distraught.

Sakhalin swept around the desk and leant on the arm of her husband's chair, nuzzling into his shoulder. "Darling, you must be beside yourself. If there's

anything

I can do to -"

Lord Sang's hand lashed out and wrapped around her wrist in a vice-like grip. "Why did you do it?" he quietly asked.

"I haven't the faintest clue what -"

"Does this look familiar?" Lord Sang held the phone up to her face. "Because I can recognise your handwriting,"

The words died in Sakhalin's throat. Mikayla knew exactly what she was reading.

I hope this letter finds the Wave Carvers well.

My sources tell me that business has been quite lucrative recently, and I hope that you are grateful for this continued state of affairs.

I have need of the resources that are at your disposal. There are guests at my husband's manor, so this is an opportune time to send your finest assassin. Her name was Juniper, correct? I have need of her services.

I want my husband's little floozy killed. The leopard beastwoman. The fact that he invites that animal to share his bed sickens me to my stomach. If he refuses to perform his filial duties, then I see no reason that he should enjoy the privilege that is the company of my lessers.

Whomever you send, ensure that they do not forget to cover their scent. With so many animals in my dear husband's retinue, they might be able to sniff out the culprit if the appropriate measures aren't taken.

I am aware that you might be hesitant to commit your resources to an operation that does not benefit you, so be warned that I will look poorly on any failure to carry out these instructions. If you cannot accomplish this simple task then I might need to reconsider the terms of our arrangement. It would be quite unfortunate if the guards were alerted to your operation.

I wish you all the best and look forward to our next opportunity to catch up and share stories of our successes.

Yours, -S

The author of the letter choked, stammering out denials that no one listened to.

"There's just one thing I don't understand," Lord Sang stared deep into his wife's eyes. "Why did you want Jinsil to die?"

Sakhalin's lips twisted into an ugly sneer, pure hatred bubbling up in her eyes. "Because I wanted to see you grieve! I wanted to see you just as heartbroken as you made me when you decided you wanted her more than me. When you

put a child in her,"

Mikayla's eyes widened.

Nya gasped.

Keldryn's ears shot up.

All three turned to Sekki, who didn't look surprised at all by the revelation. "So it was all about me all along," he simply muttered.

"If you weren't happy with the state of affairs, why didn't you just tell me?" Lord Sang demanded.

"So you could pack me off to some quaint estate in the country, safely out of your way and removed from the seat of power? Intolerable. This castle is my home too and I will not leave it while you yet remain, even if the only place to which I could send you is

a coffin!"

At a genuine loss for words, Lord Sang could only stare as Sakhalin continued. "But that would have been too quick, too merciful,"

"I had it all figured out. I knew you wouldn't believe the Han party killed your furry little concubine. That you'd let them run free, and give me a day to relish watching you wallow in grief. And then I was going to kill you, too. With you gone, I'd be in charge, and no one would stop me from arresting the murderers who so shamelessly took advantage of your mercy, and seeing that they face justice. After that, I'd just have to arrange an accident for your little

bastard

," Sakhalin fumed.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"And you would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for us meddling kids and that dumb Dahu," Mikayla glibly added.

Her friends cast her confused looks, and she raised her hands, mumbling, "Sorry. Joke from my world, I couldn't resist, it was too perfect. I'll explain later,"

Lord Sang took no notice, rising from his chair and pinning her against the window behind his desk.

"It wounds me that you have been nurturing these feelings. That you did not feel that you could discuss this with me," he softly said, staring into her eyes. "But my feelings are irrelevant. You have betrayed me. You have harmed the house of Leishun. This is not a crime that I can forgive,"

"There's still a way," Sakhalin hissed.

A pencil-thin eyebrow quirked. "What do you mean?"

"Geum is still the legitimate heir. You haven't recognised the bastard as your son yet. He can still become the next Lord Leishun . . so long as you and I both die!"

With a violent motion, Sakhalin threw herself backwards. The window exploded around her, and she dragged Lord Sang with her as she fell into the abyss below.

Mikayla gasped.

Keldryn futilely tried to go after them.

Nya was only a second behind him, screaming, "No!"

Sekki, who'd been standing the closest, threw himself towards the window, shouting,

"Father!"

A wall of golden light erupted beyond the window.

By the time Mikayla had reached the window, an Armour Core at full size had manifested outside the window. It was the same brilliant gold as Geum's Great Gilded Joust, but with massive spikes that jutted upwards growing from its shoulders and helmet in a way that evoked three massive crowns without

technically

being just that. Thick robes were woven together over several layers of tight armour, ending in knee-high boots that bristled with buckled and faux fur lining. A cape that hung to his feet carved furrows into the ground of the estate from its sheer weight.

There was something about this Armour Core that was different to almost every other Armour she'd ever seen - with the sole exception of the Black Knight itself. Thinking about it, she realised - the first Armour Cores had been designed as replacements for actual suits of armour, so they cleanly and accurately evoked realistic medieval protective suits. By contrast, modern Armour Cores made better use of the medium, warping and twisting in ways that would be impossible for real metal. Even Moonlight Rose was styled more after a ranger's leathers than proper armour.

Lord Sang's Armour was from the first generation. It had to be some kind of family heirloom. Out of sheer curiosity, she Identified it.

[SANG GWANDAEHAN LEISHUN - ARMOUR CORE: GREAT GLORIOUS LORD]

. . that was certainly a name. And she'd thought 'Great Gilded Joust' was pretentious.

Great Glorious Lord raised its arm, and the four students saw that Sakhalin was dangling from its hand, her arm pinched between its fingers.

"There was an assassin in my home. You should have realised I would be wearing my Core Controller at all times," Lord Sang boomed.

Sakhalin struggled, shouting something accusatory. Great Glorious Lord began to shrink, but slowly, a careful and controlled descent that gave time for the guards mustering around its feet to form up.

"We should -" Mikayla started, but Sekki was already gone.

<=====}—o

By the time they'd made it down the many flights of stairs and into the front gardens of the Leishun Estate, Sakhalin had already been bound, her arms tied behind her back. She'd also been gagged, not that that stopped her from trying to shout muffled protests.

"Sir! Are you alright?" Sekki slipped through the guards like a ghost, easily making his way to his father's side.

"Completely. But thank you for your concern," Lord Sang's face was a stony mask as he turned to regard the four students. "Sekki . . we'll talk later. Privately. The four of you are dismissed. Go and get some rest and food. And

bathe,"

He minutely raised an eyebrow. "You clearly need it,"

"Thank you for your consideration," Nya bowed, taking her two teammates' hands and leading them away. Mikayla glanced back as Sekki lingered, seemingly unsure of what to say.

<=====}—o

"Hey," Mikayla sat down on a couch near where Sekki had collapsed. It was late in the afternoon, they'd all had a good sleep, and he was awake but hadn't moved from his spot. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired," he simply responded.

"Yeah, well. We've got class tomorrow," Mikayla gently reminded him. ". . Do you think you'll be able to attend?"

Sekki laughed humourlessly. "Maybe some normalcy is exactly what I need. I certainly don't want to be in Leicheng right now,"

"Don't force yourself. Politics class is not for the faint of heart," Mikayla weakly joked.

Sekki didn't respond. His eyes darted back and forth in that way that indicated someone was viewing the System. Mikayla had a hunch that he was doomscrolling, if such a concept existed in this world.

"I never knew she hated me so much," he finally said.

"Yeah?" Mikayla gently invited him.

The dam broke. "Lord Sang - my father - and my mother - he - they - Sakhalin was a political marriage. I wouldn't presume to ascribe feelings to my father - I don't know if he ever loved her or if he even really loved my - no, I think he did, he was always much kinder than he ever really needed to be - and, and maybe if he hadn't been, then . ." He trailed off, feline fangs sneaking out of his mouth and chewing on his lip.

Mikayla wrapped a consoling arm around his shoulders. "I . . I wish I could help. I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to make you feel better,"

Sekki laughed, a harsh and choked noise. "Somehow, that admission means more to me than any number of consoling words," He adjusted his position, leaning against the edge of the couch. His tail snaked into his lap, and he idly played with its tip. Yellow eyes met Mikayla's brown.

"Thank you. Through all this, you have been a truer friend than I could have ever asked for,"

Heat rose to her cheeks, and she smiled. "You know . . my one goal for my time at Cloudscraper was to make friends. To break my old habits of being a reclusive bookworm. So . . it's probably stupid and inappropriate of me to say, but hearing that you think so makes me feel really happy,"

Sekki's roguish smile resurfaced, his fangs glinting. "I'm honoured,"

They lapsed into a contented silence for a moment, but it couldn't last. There was a question gnawing at Mikayla's mind.

"So . . how do you really feel about Geum?"

"He's my brother," Sekki answered simply. "Even if we can't ever publicly admit that, have to keep up the charade of me being his personal servant . . You're asking if I resent him for being the Leishun heir, rather than me? Or if I intend to lay his mother's crimes at his feet?" He sighed, burying his face in his hands. "He's an ass. He's entitled, snobby, constantly drunk on vainglory, somehow convinced of yaoguai racial supremacy despite having lived with me since he was three years old," Sekki harrumphed, his leopard-spotted tail lashing in a very catlike fashion. "I blame his mother for that one,"

"Yeah . . well, hopefully this whole thing teaches him that she's not a good role model,"

Sekki let out a harsh chuckle. "If the sun and moon can share the sky, then maybe Geum can figure it out. He's an idiot . . but I love him," Sekki sighed, tilting his head back and lifting his gaze to the heavens. "And maybe that makes me the real idiot,"

"I don't think there's anything stupid about loving your family," Mikayla weighed in.

". . I just hope he'll forgive me for my role in exposing his mother's crimes,"

"I'm sure he will," she reassured him. "If he really considers you his brother, then he won't let this ruin your relationship,"

Sekki chuckled. "I do hope you're right,"

<=====}—o

That night, Mikayla settled into her bed back in Cloudscraper, exhausted from the events of the weekend but unable to stop turning them over in her mind.

She sat bolt upright. "Damnit!"

"What's the problem?" Nya asked.

"That elf! Who said something weird when we arrived at the Leishun estate. I was going to go and look for her but after everything that happened I completely forgot! Damnit!"

"Ah. That's a pity, especially as I doubt we'll be welcome back there for some time," Nya commiserated. "It's probably not a massive loss, though. How much of worth could one stranger really have to say?"

"You are nowhere near genre savvy enough if you're discounting the wisdom of random old people," Mikayla muttered as she slumped back into bed.