The four seas were calm, and the Thousand Isles still.
It was as though nothing had happened. The sun rose as usual, all things carried on as usual, and the entire Endless Sea had not changed in any way because of the outcome of a decisive battle.
Or rather, the changes had come so swiftly that they had yet to reveal themselves.
A photograph of that mountain of corpses had spread across Wild Bazaar without anyone promoting it. So many familiar faces had been pieced together there, dead beyond recognition. Caruso, the Spokesperson of Misty Reef; Dead Sentry, notorious throughout the Thousand Isles; and even nameless figures from unknown Waste Ruins—few noticed that Deep Azure, rumored to have often cooperated with East City Wild Bazaar, had not appeared for a long time. As for the broken rapier planted beside them, it was an infamous signature assassination weapon of the Horn-Cutting line...
The decisive battle that had seemed to conclude the day before had, in less than half a day, turned into a life and death struggle after both sides tore off all pretenses. They had even disregarded the rules and attempted an ambush assassination, only for Seven Cities to emerge overwhelmingly victorious from the scheme, while the Misty Reef and Iron Hook factions returned in crushing defeat. They had lost thoroughly, in both reputation and substance. Now that Misty Reef had lost its Spokesperson, it had fallen into utter chaos. The elders of the family could only barely suppress the situation, while the younger generation below had already begun entertaining ambitious thoughts, each preparing to make a big move. Even if Seven Cities did not kick them while they were down, a violent internal conflict would be unavoidable.
An era of vibrant life and fierce competition was about to rush