Other Side of the Raid
Cherry Blossom Diplomacy (part 2)
📻 BBN Transmission Log
World: Post-Comet Earth
BBN Podcast: Latest Character Interview
📡 Chapter Navigation
⬅️ Previous: Cherry Blossom Diplomacy (part 1)
➡️ Next: [Coming Soon (04.12.2025) - Subscribe for Updates]
📚 Series Hub: Complete chapter list and series info
Previously on “The Other Side of the Raid”
Chapter 6, Part 1: Cherry Blossom Diplomacy
Aria arrived at Haneda Airport for her first official diplomatic mission to Japan, greeted by Minister Minamoto and a formal delegation amid falling cherry blossoms. Her visit began with a traditional tea ceremony at an ancient temple, where her Federation translator continued to maintain the illusion of her Japanese fluency. The diplomatic formalities proceeded smoothly through meetings at the Ministry building and an evening banquet at a restored historical mansion, where Aria carefully navigated cultural protocols while concealing her various secrets. As the evening concluded, Minamoto-san hinted at more serious matters to discuss, asking if she had encountered any unusual Dungeon situations.
The following day, in a private cafe meeting, Minamoto-san made a deeply personal request—to recover his sensei’s armor and katana, the latter designated as a National Treasure. His sensei had been Japan’s first official Explorer and one of their first casualties. The request put Aria in an awkward position, knowing she could easily retrieve the items through her portal abilities but unable to reveal this capability without raising suspicion. Before the conversation could become more uncomfortable, they were joined by Kaoru Yoshida, Guild Master of the Asakusa Thunder Guild and leader of the Neo Tokyo Raiders, who spoke in rapid gaming terminology about a “broken dungeon meta” near Senso-ji Temple.
Kaoru explained the bizarre phenomenon Aria had been sent to investigate—bosses at the Senso-ji Dungeon were self-destructing before combat could even begin, instantly dropping loot without any battle. Aria agreed to observe the phenomenon firsthand with the Neo Tokyo Raiders as support. At the shrine, she met the rest of Kaoru’s team—Ryusei Nakamura and Hina Matsumoto—along with Misaki, a shrine cat who immediately demonstrated the same cryptic awareness as other felines in Aria’s life. When Aria whispered about speaking privately later, the cat reacted with startled dignity, surprising everyone present.
Unfortunately, another party had just cleared the dungeon, forcing them to postpone the investigation. Kaoru pivoted to giving Aria a Guild tour instead, where she spent the rest of the day sharing carefully edited Explorer stories with her new companions. By evening, Aria returned to her hotel knowing she had multiple complications to address—Minamoto-san’s impossible request, the self-destructing boss mystery, and an inevitable private conversation with yet another cryptic cat.
Key Takeaways:
Aria successfully navigated complex Japanese diplomatic protocols, maintaining her translator’s cover
Minister Minamoto personally requested the recovery of his sensei’s armor and National Treasure katana
The Senso-ji Dungeon bosses are self-destructing before combat, which is the Federation problem Aria was sent to investigate
Aria met the Neo Tokyo Raiders: Kaoru Yoshida (Guild Master), Ryusei Nakamura, and Hina Matsumoto
Misaki, the shrine cat at Senso-ji, showed awareness of Aria’s hidden nature when she whispered about speaking privately
Another party cleared the dungeon first, postponing the planned investigation
Aria faces the challenge of helping Minamoto without revealing her portal capabilities
A private conversation with Misaki awaits to discuss matters beyond human understanding
Cherry Blossom Diplomacy (Part 2)
Time to find out what this mysterious shrine cat knows about our dungeon situation. At least he seems more formal than Mr. Wiskers’s organization.
Aria opened a portal from her hotel room directly to the Shrine in the middle of the night. On the other side, she found Misaki waiting alongside a young man she recognized from tending the garden earlier that day.
Misaki: “Ara... our visitor reveals unexpected talents, ne?” He observed calmly, his gaze fixed on the closing portal. “Perhaps Misaki-san’s first impression requires adjustment.”
Aria: “I assure you I’m entirely human,” she replied, acutely aware of the intense aura emanating from the quiet gardener. “Though I do have a rather unique connection to Vaeloria.”
Misaki: “Ah, now the pieces align more clearly,” his whiskers twitched thoughtfully. “The winds speak truth after all.”
Aria: “Tell me about the Dungeon bosses. Why are they choosing death over combat?”
Misaki: “This Dungeon holds secrets unlike the others,” he began, his tail moving with measured grace. “Where other locations host beings from distant stars, our halls shelter youkai - the ancient spirits of Japan.”
Aria: “Youkai? The spirits from Japanese legends?”
Misaki: “Indeed. When magic touched your world, we gained solid form. When the Dungeons appeared,” he gestured elegantly with his tail, “we claimed this sacred space as our own.”
Aria: “But you still utilize the Dungeon systems - the avatars, the crystals?”
Misaki: “That lies at the heart of our predicament. But perhaps Veracitrin should explain further,” he indicated the gardener with graceful deference.
Aria: “You have humans working within the Dungeon?”
Misaki: “Oh no, this is no human. Veracitrin is our final Boss - an Asura of ancient lineage.”
Veracitrin: “I am honored to make your acquaintance,” he said with perfect formal precision, executing a flawless bow.
Such impeccable manners from a legendary warrior spirit.
Aria: “The honor is mine,” she replied, attempting to match his formal bow.
Veracitrin: “While we once craved combat with burning passion, we have come to realize that battles through the avatar system lack true honor,” he explained with dignified gravity. “We remain eternal, while the devoted who worship at this temple risk true death in facing us.”
I wonder if knowing they’re part of an interdimensional broadcast would make this better or worse.
Veracitrin: “Moreover, those strong enough to survive repeatedly employ identical tactics,” he added, a note of warrior’s disappointment in his voice. “Better to disable the avatar than participate in combat devoid of honor.”
Ah, now there’s the real reason - they’re bored with predictable fights.
Aria: “It sounds to me like what you need is a worthy challenge,” she said, matching his warrior’s pride with her own. “I would be honored to face you in true combat, Veracitrin.”
Veracitrin: “While I doubt you will prove different from the others, I accept your challenge with proper respect,” he declared with formal dignity.
Misaki: “Before steel meets steel, let us proceed inside and activate the avatar system for both participants,” he advised sagely. “This way, Veracitrin need not hold back from concern for your wellbeing.”
Aria: “You mean I won’t have to worry about permanently damaging your final boss,” she replied with a confident smile.
The three proceeded to the Dungeon’s final chamber, where other youkai gathered to witness the impending battle. Unknown to the assembled spirits, their combat was about to draw an audience of trillions across multiple dimensions.
The final chamber of the Dungeon stretched vast and ancient before Aria, its stone walls bearing silent witness to countless battles. Ancient Sanskrit scriptures etched into the walls pulsed with a faint golden light, casting shifting shadows across the chamber’s expansive floor.
Veracitrin: “Since you seek true combat,” he stated with warrior’s pride, “you shall face me as I am.”
Power rippled through the air as Veracitrin’s transformation began, each change flowing with the precision of a perfectly executed kata. His already impressive height extended to 226 centimeters as his skin deepened to azure blue, shimmering with golden undertones in the chamber’s light. Like a reflection in still water suddenly multiplied, three faces emerged in formation - the center maintaining its stern nobility, while to the right appeared a younger visage filled with alertness, and to the left, a slightly older face radiating ancient wisdom.
Three pairs of arms manifested with fluid grace, each immediately claiming its weapon with practiced familiarity. The main hands drew an ancient curved sword that sang as it cut through the air. The upper pair manifested next, left hand drawing an ornate yumi bow while the right reached for arrows that sparkled with divine energy. The final pair emerged from his mid-back, wielding a steel war fan for defense and a ceremonial mace that hummed with barrier-breaking power.
His armor materialized piece by piece - midnight blue plates trimmed with gold, connected by flowing silver and indigo ribbons that moved as if caught in a divine wind. The Sanskrit scriptures etched into the armor’s surface began to resonate with the chamber’s ancient power, their golden light pulsing in harmony with the walls.
Veracitrin: “Now we shall see if your confidence is warranted,” all three faces spoke with measured authority, maintaining the formal but direct tone of their earlier exchange. “Show me combat worthy of this sacred ground.”
Each weapon moved in perfect coordination as he assumed his battle stance, his movements carrying the weight of centuries of martial experience while maintaining the efficiency of a true warrior preparing for honorable combat.
This is more than just fixing a dysfunctional dungeon. Aria realized, adjusting her own stance.
This is about bringing the joy of real combat back to a warrior who’s seen too many predictable battles.
Aria initiated her assault with calculated precision, manifesting a ring of fireballs above her head. As they began to spin, the individual spheres blurred into a continuous ring of flame, transforming into what resembled a supernatural rotary weapon. The construct unleashed a barrage of smaller fireballs, each projectile precisely aimed at Veracitrin’s position.
The guardian moved with centuries of practiced grace, his multiple arms working in perfect harmony as he evaded the onslaught. His bow sang as divine arrows cut through the air toward Aria, forcing her into a complex dance of evasion across the battlefield. His curved swords established an impenetrable zone of close combat, their arcs leaving traces of golden light in their wake.
Adapting her strategy, Aria manifested floating swords of pure Creation magic, each blade acting independently as they sought openings in Veracitrin’s defense. His war fan moved with fluid precision, creating barriers of spiritual energy that deflected each strike while his own blades parried those that slipped through.
Need to increase the pressure. Aria analyzed the flow of combat.
Creation magic flowed through her hands, materializing twin machine guns that immediately began spitting bullets enhanced by her power. Veracitrin’s war fan spun with impossible speed, creating a shield of spinning steel and spiritual energy that transformed her barrage into harmless sparks. Rather than pause to reload, she discarded each weapon as it emptied, instantly manifesting replacements in a continuous cycle of creation and destruction.
For five minutes, their battle transformed the chamber into a deadly ballet of projectiles and parries, neither combatant gaining a decisive advantage.
Veracitrin: “We appear to be equally matched at range,” he observed with warrior’s appreciation, all three faces showing different aspects of respect. “Shall we test our skills in closer quarters?”
Aria: “As you wish,” she replied, allowing her floating arsenal to dissipate. Her fiery ring weapon slowed its spin before fading away completely.
The chamber fell momentarily silent as Veracitrin deliberately tossed aside his bow and arrows, the divine weapons disappearing in a shimmer of golden light before they could touch the ground. Aria paused, focusing her Creation magic into a more personal form. Her fingernails extended to 40 centimeters, gleaming with an otherworldly sheen that spoke of impossible hardness.
Veracitrin: “Adamantine nails,” all three faces registered surprise tinged with approval. “A rare and elegant solution.” The nails’ tips scraped the chamber floor, leaving deep furrows in the ancient stone.
What followed was a whirlwind of close combat. Aria’s enhanced nails sliced through Veracitrin’s ceremonial mace like paper, rendering his battle fan unusable even as his enchanted swords held firm against her assault. The guardian’s martial prowess showed in every movement as he landed several precise strikes with his bare hands, each hit carrying the weight of centuries of combat experience.
The tide turned when Aria’s adamantine nails found their mark, disabling one of Veracitrin’s arms. In a final gambit, he attempted to grapple her with his remaining limbs, but Aria saw the opening his aggressive move created. Her final strike was precise and devastating, turning the ancient guardian into a shower of dissipating energy that left behind only a gleaming magical crystal.
That...that actually worked. Aria realized, breathing heavily as she surveyed the aftermath of their battle.
After the fight, Aria found Misaki with Veracitrin in his human form outside the Dungeon. Both seemed energized by the recent combat.
Misaki: “Ah, such an elegant display of combat prowess,” he observed, tail swishing with approval. “Like watching cherry blossoms dance in a spring storm, ne? Far more engaging than our recent encounters.”
Veracitrin: “You fight with true warrior’s spirit,” he declared formally. “Perhaps I have judged modern Explorers too hastily.”
Aria: “The avatar system provided a safety net that regular Explorers can’t access,” she admitted with a touch of regret. “But there are still ways to push them beyond their comfort zones in battle.”
Veracitrin: “While each group brings their own approach,” he noted with dignified contemplation, “they invariably settle into predictable patterns.”
Aria: “Exactly,” she replied, a knowing smile playing at her lips. “The key is to force them to adapt by changing your own approach.”
Veracitrin: “I fail to grasp your meaning,” he said, maintaining perfect posture despite his confusion.
Aria: “During our fight, you demonstrated mastery with various weapons,” she explained. “But when forced to fight empty-handed, your strikes were particularly impressive.”
Veracitrin: “In all my battles, even in defeat, I have never been disarmed,” he admitted with quiet reflection. “This was my first experience fighting without weapons.”
Aria: “Consider facing future Explorers with different weapon combinations,” she suggested. “Or sometimes with none at all. As you proved, our natural weapons can be equally formidable.”
His enthusiasm for combat has certainly returned. Vaeloria should be pleased with this outcome
Veracitrin: “An intriguing proposition,” he said thoughtfully, his warrior’s pride evident. “It would both challenge their tactical thinking and allow me to explore different combat arts.”
Aria: “Speaking of tactical variety,” she turned to Misaki. “Perhaps rotating the other bosses’ positions within the Dungeon would keep Explorers more engaged.”
Misaki: “Such changes would increase the challenge significantly,” he mused, whiskers twitching thoughtfully. “Though perhaps that would bring more satisfaction to our youkai nature, ka?”
Aria: “Oh, before I forget,” she produced a note from her pocket. “There are some items belonging to a fallen Explorer that I need to retrieve.”
Misaki: “Few have fallen within these sacred walls,” he said solemnly. “Misaki-san shall ensure their belongings find their way home.”
After receiving the lost items, Aria opened a portal back to her hotel room, leaving behind a shrine cat and an Asura who seemed far more energized about their duties than before.
Mission accomplished - both returning the lost items and revitalizing a unique Dungeon. Though I wonder what Vaeloria will think of the changes we’ve proposed...
📡 End of Transmission
Oliver here - That was quite a chapter! Our dimensional frequency is picking up intense emotional resonance from Aria’s world. What did you think of her decision? The comments below are buzzing with theories from other interdimensional travelers...