Chapter 89. You Want Me to Die?
"What's going on?"
The Matra and the Thirty members looked at the scene before them, their expressions darkening considerably.
Less than three minutes had passed, yet the Thirty members who had been sent ahead as the vanguard had already been defeated?
There were more than fifty of them.
Although none possessed Visions, their strength was by no means weak. To deal with them so quickly—
That was not something that could be accomplished without genuine skill.
Just who were these people?
The Scholar leading the group was Firnas, a Sage of the Kshahrewar Darshan.
He had come here under Azar's orders. Knowing that Faruzan had been present earlier, he had specifically come to suppress her.
Although Faruzan was a legendary figure from more than a century ago, she was still ultimately a Scholar of Kshahrewar.
Her prestige was undoubtedly great.
However, prestige and status were two different things.
As far as the Akademiya's hierarchy was concerned, Faruzan was still beneath the Great Sage. In terms of official standing, Firnas believed himself to be in a superior position.
Furthermore, they belonged to the same Darshan.
As a Sage, Firnas believed he possessed both the authority and the qualifications to force Faruzan to back down.
But now—
Looking at the scene before him, Firnas did not see the troublesome Senior he had expected.
Instead, he saw a group of Eremites standing openly in place, completely unafraid of either him or the forces he had brought.
'Damn you, Azar.'
Firnas was not an idiot.
The moment he realized these people showed no fear whatsoever, a sense of unease quietly rose within him.
Originally, he had assumed the greatest obstacle would be Faruzan.
Along the way, he had already prepared countless arguments and explanations. He had intended to persuade that Senior from a hundred years ago.
But now—
Persuasion no longer seemed necessary. The issue before them had become far more straightforward.
It was simply a question of whose fist was harder.
After all, if these people could effortlessly deal with more than fifty Thirty members, then there was no reason for them to fear the Matra and Thirty under his command.
Although Firnas was cursing Azar endlessly in his heart, he still stepped forward and looked at Futsu Mitama with a serious expression.
"Do you know the laws of Sumeru City? In broad daylight, you dare attack the city guards? I advise you to surrender immediately. Do not make pointless attempts at resistance. Otherwise, don't blame us when our blades show no mercy."
While Firnas spoke, the remaining Thirty members had already begun clearing the surrounding area.
Merchants and passersby within the Grand Bazaar were forcibly driven away.
A battle was likely to break out here soon. Naturally, unrelated civilians could not be allowed to remain.
"Are you sure they didn't attack us first?"
Futsu Mitama chuckled softly. Looking at Firnas, he said calmly,
"They didn't say a single word. They came straight at us and attacked. And now we're not even allowed to defend ourselves? Are the laws of Sumeru City really so unreasonable that people are expected to stand still and wait for danger to strike?"
Had those fifty-plus Thirty members approached peacefully and attempted negotiation, then even if a conflict had eventually erupted, matters would never have escalated to this point.
Instead, they charged in without warning, clearly intending to forcibly apprehend Futsu Mitama and his companions.
No one would remain calm under such circumstances.
Especially not Ai-chan.
The fact that she had merely incapacitated them rather than killing them outright was already an extraordinary act of restraint.
"Absurd!"
Firnas immediately waved his hand.
"Where's the proof?!"
Firnas merely waved his hand, his meaning obvious.
"What evidence do you have?"
Although he knew that this group had been targeted under direct orders from the Lady and that, given her methods, she would undoubtedly resort to such crude measures, he could not admit it openly.
The Matra were watching.
While Cyno was indeed missing, the Matra remained exceptionally "reasonable" individuals.
For him, a Scholar(Sage), to forcibly mobilize them and bring them along to conduct arrests had, in a sense, already crossed that line.
"Is this what the Akademiya's Scholars are like? Truly disappointing."
Kuki Shinobu shook her head slightly at the scene before her, feeling somewhat speechless. Having followed Futsu Mitama and witnessed countless grand occasions, she had met many influential figures from various nations.
People such as Jean, Ningguang, and Kujou Sara were all courteous and measured. Regardless of the circumstances, they would never issue arbitrary commands.
Watching Firnas indiscriminately condemn them without hearing a single explanation made Kuki Shinobu feel as though she were seeing the shadows of the former Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission once more.
"Indeed."
Sangonomiya Kokomi also nodded faintly.
Before arriving in Sumeru, she had been quite curious about the Akademiya Scholars. In her imagination, the Akademiya was a place devoted to wisdom, and the people who emerged from it should naturally be polite and reasonable individuals.
Unfortunately, reality seemed rather different from what she had expected.
"How dare you!"
One of the Scholars accompanying Firnas immediately shouted in anger after hearing Kuki Shinobu and Sangonomiya Kokomi's remarks.
"What status or identity do you possess that gives you the right to question Lord Firnas?! A bunch of barbarians who only understand brute force! Do you truly think you're important figures?!"
The moment those words fell, Black Aila's crimson eyes flashed. Her first instinct was to rush forward and slap him several times.
How dare he speak of Young Master and the others in such a manner? Who did he think he was?!
Fortunately, Futsu Mitama had anticipated her reaction. He placed a hand on Black Aila's shoulder, signaling for her to calm down.
"Evidence?"
Futsu Mitama stepped forward.
Looking at Firnas, the Matra, and the Thirty, he spoke calmly.
"I don't need to provide evidence, because I am the evidence."
With those words, he removed the mask and robe concealing his appearance. He no longer intended to hide his identity.
He laid all his cards on the table.
At the same time, Aila and Black Aila discarded their own masks and robes.
The disguises had been uncomfortable from the very beginning. Now that they were finally rid of them, everyone felt considerably more at ease.
"Finally, I don't have to wear this thing anymore."
After throwing aside his robe and mask, Futsu Mitama looked at the stunned Firnas and his entourage and spoke calmly.
"Well then, now it should be my turn to ask. What status and identity do you possess that gives you the right to question me?"
As soon as those words were spoken, Futsu Mitama drew the Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami from the void.
Purple lightning flickered within his eyes. A terrifying divine pressure erupted from his body and swept across the entire area.
"Rumble—!!!"
Dark clouds rapidly gathered above Sumeru City. Purple lightning flashed amidst the storm clouds.
At this moment, Futsu Mitama stopped concealing himself completely. He laid all his cards on the table and directly revealed exactly who he was.
"You! You! You!!!!!"
The Scholar beside Firnas widened his eyes. His face turned pale, and his body involuntarily staggered backward.
There was no helping it.
He knew exactly who Futsu Mitama was, and he understood that the other party's status stood far above his own. More importantly, he fully understood the implications of the words he had spoken earlier.
He had questioned the status and identity of Futsu Mitama's group.
Now that the other party had revealed his identity, it was their turn to explain their own.
But what identity could they possibly claim?
Firnas was a Scholar then a Sage.
In terms of position and status, he was comparable to the head of the Tenryou Commission in Inazuma.
But who was Futsu Mitama?
The next Raiden Shogun of Inazuma.
If one searched throughout Sumeru for someone whose status surpassed his, the only person who qualified would be Lesser Lord Kusanali within the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Yet they more or less knew their own circumstances. There was simply no possibility of asking Lesser Lord Kusanali to step forward and resolve this matter for them.
"!!!"
Not only was that Scholar panicking, but even Firnas's breathing became noticeably heavier.
Taking a deep breath, he bowed toward Futsu Mitama.
"So it is you who has graced us with your presence."
Anyone with even a little status would recognize Futsu Mitama's appearance. As for whether he was genuine or an impostor, that possibility did not even cross Firnas's mind.
How could such a presence possibly be faked?
The divine pressure radiating from Futsu Mitama alone was enough to make Firnas's entire body tremble.
He had a distinct premonition. If the other party were to direct genuine hostility toward him, that terrifying pressure would likely intensify several times over.
At that point, merely remaining standing would become an impossible luxury.
As for the Thirty lying unconscious on the ground, Firnas did not mention them at all.
In truth, if it were not inappropriate for him to leave now, he would have turned around and escaped this troublesome place immediately.
'Azar, you…'
Firnas cursed the Great Sage countless times in his heart. As a man who prided himself on wisdom, the fact that he was swearing internally to such an extent was enough to show just how furious he truly was.
Had it not been for him, he would never have found himself in such an awkward situation.
The Matra and the Thirty who recognized Futsu Mitama immediately relaxed their vigilance. Many lowered their weapons and quietly began exchanging words among themselves.
Some of those standing farther back even slipped away from the scene altogether.
Any intelligent person could see that a battle was unlikely to occur.
More importantly, Futsu Mitama's background was simply too terrifying.
Why remain here? To challenge him?
That would be even worse than challenging the Great Sage.
At the very least, they believed they might stand a chance against the Great Sage.
But against Futsu Mitama? Wouldn't that be the same as fighting the Raiden Shogun?
He was the next Raiden Shogun.
The Shogun of Inazuma herself had personally acknowledged him.
In other words, in their eyes, he was effectively the Raiden Shogun.
Fighting an Archon?
That was not courage.
That was suicide.
"Hehehe, still pretending?"
Futsu Mitama sneered. Looking at Firnas, he said,
"Call out the Great Sage, and The Lady and the Fatui. I know this entire matter was orchestrated by them. To be honest, I originally intended to enjoy the scenery of Sumeru City. I didn't expect such an entertaining performance to be waiting for me."
"Since that's the case, I'm done playing along."
Before meeting the Great Sage, Futsu Mitama had deliberately kept a card hidden.
His intention was to provoke the Fatui and the Lady.
There had been a reason he secretly infiltrated Sumeru City in disguise.
After all, his appearance was far too conspicuous.
Under normal circumstances, concealing himself had been the correct choice.
Now that his cover had been blown because of this incident, it was only natural that his mood would not be particularly pleasant.
Of course, Futsu Mitama was certain that the Lady had not informed the Great Sage or the Scholars of his identity. If she had, then even if they possessed ten times more courage, they would never have dared send people to arrest him.
Still, this was one of the Lady's usual tricks. She always liked using such petty methods to disgust her opponents.
Futsu Mitama had long since grown accustomed to it.
"This... this..."
Firnas found himself momentarily speechless.
Inwardly, he had already cursed Azar the Great Sage who was manipulated by the Lady and the Fatui countless times, yet he still did not know what he should say.
Should he openly admit that this matter might connected to the Lady and the Fatui?
Wouldn't that be equivalent to telling both Futsu Mitama and the Matra beside him that he, a dignified Sage of the Kshahrewar Darshan, was being ordered around by a Fatui Harbinger?
Even Azar the Great Sage was manipulated by outsider?
Yet if he denied it, would that not mean openly standing against Futsu Mitama, the future Raiden Shogun of Inazuma?
"What? Nothing to say?"
Black Aila stepped forward. Her crimson eyes glowed ominously as she spoke in a distinctly unfriendly tone.
"If you cannot provide an answer, then all of you will remain here and apologize to Young Master."
The instant her words fell, Black Aila activated her authority over shadows. Countless dark tentacles erupted from the ground around her.
Their sheer number alone was enough to send chills down one's spine.
Even some of the Matra and Thirty elites who possessed Visions felt an indescribable sense of danger.
If Futsu Mitama's divine pressure created a suffocating sense of oppression—
Then the shadow authority Black Aila now displayed produced a direct sensation of life and death.
There was no escape.
This beautiful, emotionless little maid was unimaginably powerful.
Firnas accompanying scholar immediately whispered and said, "Lord Firnas, you'd better speak quickly."
At this moment, a core member of the Thirty swallowed nervously before lowering his voice and whispering to Firnas,
"This is not an attack we can block. If she really launches an attack, then we will definitely die. I have never seen anything this terrifying."
Hearing this, another Matra with some standing also stepped forward and quietly pressured Firnas, saying,
"He's right. I've seen many terrifying attacks before. But with this attack that resembles tentacles, even if I gave it my all, I could probably only withstand the first wave. And after the first wave, there are still far too many tentacles."
Black Aila's move instantly intimidated everyone present. Although most of the people here did not know what an Authority truly was, they possessed sufficient judgment to understand one thing—they could not contend against it.
As a result, they decisively chose to back down.
—
Firnas also fell silent for a moment. In the end, he chose to compromise. He really became a scapegoat in this ordeal.
"Lord Futsu Mitama, please calm your anger. Regarding this matter, I will give you an explanation. For now, could you give us a chance? I will inform you of the full story."
Although Firnas felt extremely aggrieved at this moment, he had no choice but to yield.
"No need. Just take me to see the Great Sage Azar first."
Futsu Mitama merely smiled, indicating that he wanted to meet Great Sage Azar directly, as he was the root of everything. Although Firnas was indeed a Scholar, his status was still not comparable to that of Great Sage Azar.
Hearing Futsu Mitama's words, Firnas's expression twisted once more. In the end, he glanced at the writhing tentacles beside him before nodding powerlessly.
"Alright. But before that, I hope to use the Akasha to report this matter."
Futsu Mitama nodded and did not refuse.
Because he wanted to see whether, after he and his companions had completely "exploded" onto the stage in Sumeru City, they could draw out Il Dottore and Scaramouche.
If they could be drawn out, then the events from half a year ago would finally come to an end.
Firnas used the Akasha to report the arrival of Futsu Mitama and his group in Sumeru City.
Before even receiving a reply, he looked at Futsu Mitama respectfully and said, "Please follow me."
At this point, Firnas had already given up. Faced with a prominent figure such as Futsu Mitama, even with his status Sage, he could no longer maintain it.
Moreover, he had already reported everything. Now it was Azar's turn to have a headache, not his.
Thinking of this, Firnas actually felt a trace of schadenfreude. Because he genuinely wanted to see how Azar intended to face Futsu Mitama.
When Firnas compromised and prepared to lead Futsu Mitama to meet the Great Sage, Black Aila also silently withdrew her Authority.
'Did you find anything?'
Aila glanced toward Black Aila, asking whether she had discovered anything after using her Authority on such a large scale.
Previously, after entering Sumeru City, they had concealed themselves completely, let alone released any aura or used Archon Authority on such a broad scale.
Now that Black Aila had utilized her Authority over shadows, she should have been able to investigate many things.
After all, the Authority of Shadow was not only formidable in combat, but also exceptionally effective when it came to gathering intelligence.
Thus, Aila asked whether Black Aila had discovered anything.
Black Aila shook her head slightly, indicating that she had found nothing.
A trace of doubt flashed through her eyes.
Because just now, she had conducted a large-scale investigation through her Authority, even using Young Master's divine pressure as a camouflage.
Yet she had still uncovered nothing.
Futsu Mitama saw Ai shake her head and immediately understood what she had done.
He could not help but sigh.
"It seems the main cities of the various nations are not simple. Mondstadt City is like this, Liyue Harbor is like this, Inazuma City is the same, and now it seems... Sumeru City is not simple either."
The main cities of the Archon nations all possessed direct divine protection.
Not to mention that, even on his first day in Mondstadt City, Futsu Mitama had already sensed that the city itself was extraordinary.
If he were to unleash some large-scale attack within Mondstadt City, it was highly likely that it would trigger the contingency measures Venti had left behind.
As for Liyue Harbor, there was even less that needed to be said.
Anyone who had lived in Liyue Harbor for a long time knew just how thoroughly Morax protected the harbor.
Outside Liyue Harbor, violent storms could rage endlessly, yet within the harbor itself, the sun would still shine brightly. No matter how severe the weather became, it would never enter Liyue Harbor, as though an invisible hand shielded the city from all external disturbances.
As for Inazuma City— there was even less need to elaborate.
Aside from a few areas where the Electro Element ran rampant, as long as one did not anger the Archon, everything was fine.
Besides, those who understood would naturally understand. Those who did not understand could not be helped.
And now, it seemed that Sumeru City was no simple place either.
After Black Aila used her Shadow Authority to conduct an investigation, she had found absolutely nothing.
In itself, that was already an unreasonable result.
One had to understand that Black Aila stood among the strongest beings beneath the Archons, and she wielded complete Archon Authority.
Yet even so, she had failed to uncover anything.
On one hand, it might mean that Il Dottore and the others were hidden extremely well.
On the other hand, it might be the legacy left behind by Maha Rukkhadevata that had granted unimaginable benefits to the Akademiya.
Meanwhile, under Firnas's guidance, Futsu Mitama and his group were heading toward the Akademiya.
—
On the other side—
Great Sage Azar also received Firnas's report.
His expression instantly became extremely grim. Without any hesitation, he immediately headed toward the meeting room.
Clearly, the situation had already exceeded his expectations.
Before Futsu Mitama arrived, he had to prepare an appropriate response.
If the visitor had been someone else, or merely a so-called divine attendant, then with his status, Azar could have simply turned them away.
As the highest administrator in Sumeru, second only to the Archon, Azar's status could indeed be described as exceptionally noble.
But no matter how noble his status was, it could never compare to that of an Archon.
And Futsu Mitama was, for all practical purposes, equivalent to the Electro Archon.
Faced with such an existence, how could Azar possibly be in a pleasant mood?
Although he genuinely wanted to say, "This is Sumeru, not a place where you can act as you please."
The Electro Archon stood behind the other party.
Meanwhile, the Dendro Archon did not stand behind him.
Moreover—
Even if he brought out that useless Dendro Archon, whether she could defeat Futsu Mitama was an entirely different matter.
"Oh."
Along the way, the Lady happened to appear before Azar.
Wearing a gentle smile, she said, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
The moment Azar saw the Harbinger appear, his anger immediately erupted. Firnas had already informed him of everything through the Akasha Terminal.
As a result, Azar directly pointed at the Lady and cursed furiously.
"You stupid woman!! How dare you drag us into this?! I gave you the token! Not so you could offend people! You!!! I must have been blind to ever trust you!"
It had to be said that he was indeed the Great Sage.
As he pointed at the Lady and cursed her without restraint, the gentle smile on her face vanished instantly.
No one would remain in a good mood after being cursed while someone pointed directly at their face.
Moreover, the Lady herself possessed a notoriously bad temper. The moment Azar pointed at her and berated her, her expression immediately became terrifying.
A bone-chilling wind spread from her body.
"What do you intend to do?!"
"Protect the Great Sage!!!!"
"Protect the Great Sage!!!!"
Several guards personally responsible for Azar's safety immediately stepped forward and surrounded him.
All of them possessed Visions.
These were elite warriors personally cultivated by Azar. The moment they sensed something wrong with the Harbinger, they immediately drew their weapons and pointed them toward her.
Their strength was considerable. If they had been weak, Azar would never have kept them by his side.
However, the people surrounding the Harbinger were equally formidable.
Two Electro Cicin Mages stepped forward, radiating a dangerous aura.
Several attendants accompanying the Harbinger also unsheathed their weapons and glared at Azar with hostile expressions.
The moment Lady Harbinger gave the order, they would immediately strike and kill him.
What Great Sage? How dare he insult their Harbinger?
He was simply asking for death.
The commotion quickly escalated.
Several members of the Thirty responsible for patrolling the Akademiya also arrived and silently surrounded the area.
Meanwhile, Fatui agents hidden throughout the Akademiya emerged from the shadows one after another and aimed their weapons at the Thirty.
The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.
"Stand down!" x2
At that moment, both Azar and the Harbinger simultaneously reprimanded their subordinates.
In truth, both of them understood very clearly that if fighting broke out now, the situation would completely spiral out of control.
Neither of them was a fool.
Naturally, neither intended to do something so irrational.
Hearing their respective leaders' commands, everyone silently put away their weapons and withdrew.
"You. Come with me."
Although Azar was furious, he ultimately suppressed his anger and entered a nearby meeting room.
"Hehehe~~ dare to curse me."
The Lady's breathing had become somewhat uneven.
For so many years, no one had ever dared point at her face and curse her like this.
So what if I set you up? I set you up because you deserved it! A bunch of useless fools obsessed only with wisdom!
You deserved to be set up by me!
At this moment, not only did the Lady feel no guilt whatsoever, she even felt she had not gone far enough.
In her eyes, Azar deserved to be set up far more severely.
Soon, the Harbinger and Azar entered the meeting room. Besides the two of them, only their trusted confidants followed.
Everyone else remained outside.
No one else was permitted to enter.
Bang!!
The door slammed shut.
A perfect reflection of its owner's fury.
"Speak. What exactly are you trying to do?"
Azar glared at the Lady and said coldly,
"I never knew we were supposed to offend Futsu Mitama!!!"
Azar knew perfectly well about the hostility between Futsu Mitama and the Fatui. What he had never expected was that he himself would one day be dragged into a direct confrontation with Futsu Mitama.
Even if he had three times the courage, he would never willingly provoke someone like Futsu Mitama.
Just earlier today, he had still been celebrating the success of the experiment.
As long as the divine canned knowledge from the Desert was recovered, the God Creation Project would truly reach completion.
Sumeru would welcome a new Archon.
They would no longer need to rely upon that Lesser Lord Kusanali, who was neither proficient in wisdom nor combat.
Yet before the God Creation Project could even succeed, the Harbinger had already created a massive problem for the Akademiya.
Futsu Mitama had specifically requested an audience with him and demanded an explanation.
An explanation? What explanation was he supposed to give?
Azar was utterly bewildered.
"That is not my concern."
The Lady had clearly lost her patience as well.
She sneered.
"I have already completed the task given to me by Il Dottore. I am now returning to Mondstadt. If you have any complaints, go find Il Dottore yourself."
If possible, the Lady would never have wanted to provoke Futsu Mitama either. But Dottore had used his authority to force her into drawing Futsu Mitama out from the shadows.
Now that he had been drawn out, her task was complete. It was time for her to leave Sumeru and return to Mondstadt.
The reason she sought out Azar was simply to learn Il Dottore's next plan before departing. Yet the moment she met him, Azar had pointed at her face and cursed her.
"Leaving? Where do you think you're going?"
Azar sneered.
"You caused this mess. Our experiment is on the verge of completion. It absolutely cannot fail at the final moment. In that case, you had better solve the problem you created."
The experiment had reached its most critical stage.
In Azar's eyes, although the Fatui had provided experimental materials and plans, they remained outsiders. The moment the experiment succeeded, he would naturally discard them.
Now the Harbinger had dragged the Akademiya into crisis for her own selfish purposes.
Naturally, he had no intention of protecting her.
Hearing Azar's words, the Lady's eyes curved.
She slammed her hand onto the table and stared directly at him.
"You want me to die?!"
The Lady understood better than anyone how much Futsu Mitama hated her.
Putting everything else aside, after she had revealed information about Black Aila, Futsu Mitama had wanted to sever her hand and wished he could kill her outright.
Now that the Black Aila incident was over, the Lady knew perfectly well that if she truly appeared before them, she would undoubtedly die.
In Mondstadt and Liyue, Futsu Mitama had refrained from killing her entirely out of respect for others. But now, the cooperation between the Fatui and the Akademiya was practically public knowledge.
Would Futsu Mitama spare her out of consideration for the Akademiya?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
The Lady was even willing to swear upon the name of the Anemo Archon. If Futsu Mitama encountered her inside the Akademiya, he would not even need to act personally.
His two maids alone would immediately kill her.
At that point, regardless of whether Il Dottore intervened, she would be in extreme danger.
"You reap what you sow."
Azar's meaning was clear.
The trouble she created had nothing to do with him.
"What a joke!"
Coldness filled the Harbinger's eyes.
She had no intention of listening.
If the Tsaritsa herself ordered her to die as part of a greater plan, she would accept death without hesitation.
But a ridiculous and clownish death like this?
That was absolutely not what she wanted.
A chilling aura spread from her body. The Harbinger was genuinely enraged.
She could not kill Azar.
But teaching him a lesson?
Surely no one would object.
"You intend to attack me?"
Azar showed no fear whatsoever. Looking directly at the Harbinger, he said coldly,
"If you dare make a move against me, then you will not leave this place alive today."
As he spoke, Azar activated the Akasha Terminal he carried.
Whir—!!
Emerald-green energy swept throughout the meeting room.
An indescribable pressure descended upon the Harbinger and her attendants.
Within the Akademiya, Azar feared no one.
The title of Great Sage was not merely a symbol of authority. The powers and taboos he wielded exceeded ordinary imagination.
Azar's guards also watched the Harbinger and her companions vigilantly, ready to attack at any moment.
"Don't make things difficult for me."
La Signora glared at Azar and issued a final warning. She understood perfectly that she could not yield. The moment she gave ground, today would become the day of her death.
Azar laughed.
Looking directly at the Harbinger, he said,
"You are the one making things difficult for me. Why did you insist on provoking Futsu Mitama in the Akademiya's name?! You created trouble for us. And now you want to walk away without consequences?"
"Where in this world does such a good thing exist?"
Clearly, Azar intended to make the Harbinger take full responsibility. Whether she lived or died had nothing to do with him.
"Difficult? Then let's stop pretending!"
La Signora directly flipped the table.
She no longer had any intention of speaking peacefully with Azar. Although the power Azar had just displayed was intimidating, intimidation was still only intimidation.
If things truly escalated—
Il Dottore and Scaramouche would stand on her side.
And in that case—
The advantage would belong to her.