Lawless City

Lawless City (無法むほう 都市とし) is a city renowned for its infamous reputation as the global epicenter of criminal activity and vice, characterized by its sprawling slums where illicit and corrupt practices flourish with impunity.

This city finds itself in an unending power struggle, a relentless contest of dominance, among the formidable Three Monarchs, widely recognized as the most notorious figures who rule this urban domain. Each monarch holds sway in one of three territories, marked by towering structures that overshadow the surrounding architecture.

In the wake of Shadow's unorthodox interference in recent events, two of the monarchs met their respective fates: one chose to abdicate, while the other met their end by regicide. In the aftermath, Yukime emerged as the sole and unquestioned ruler of the Lawless City.

History
As far as known up to the present date, the enigmatic Lawless City has endured through the annals of time, its true origin shrouded in obscurity. While the city's history remains an enigma, it is imperative to note that the reign of the current triumvirate, consisting of Elisabeth, Yukime, and Juggernaut, was not its initial governance. Crimson Tower was the first edifice built in Lawless City, acting as a lair and refuge for the remaining vampires. Centuries later, the other monarchs arrived amassing power, wealth, and territory. Each ascended to power under distinct circumstances. Once firmly established, they or their loyal followers undertook the monumental task of erecting the towering symbols marking their respective territories within the city's boundaries.

Red Moon Incident
After their defeat at the Bushin Festival, Quinton and Goldy venture into Lawless City for honor and wealth. The death of Elisabeth, the Blood Queen, by their hands would accomplish that goal. The two reach the Crimson Tower, but a guard hinders additional progress. The guard introduced themselves as the White Demon, the watchdog of the tower. The two men engage in combat against this unknown warrior, undeterred by his appearance. Their fate became sealed once swords crossed. Quinton and Goldy lost the fight and their chance at redemption.

Later, Claire aggressively proposed an excursion to Lawless City. The Royal Knights were planning a subjection force due to The Blood Queen’s increasing influence outside Lawless City. Claire supposed it would give Cid needed additions to his sparse resume. Encouraged by the imminence of physical motivation and the Eminence in Shadow opportunities, Cid follows her to the slum city. Refusing to haggle for two damaged Dark Knights, Claire advances with him to the Dark Knight Association headquarters in Lawless City. She states, in simple terms, that Cid should behave himself and confine his actions to outside the base. Cid heeds this advice by going off on his own to explore.

Cid meanders down the cramped streets, enticing pickpockets to try their luck, only to steal it back with a hefty profit. The residents look unimpressed at the sudden appearance of a ghoul and start to beat it up. Cid began to quietly chortle, amused by the violence. The insistent drubbing ceases when the ghoul, changing red, initiates a violent counterattack. The ghoul’s life bloodily ends when a mysterious redhead wearing a cocked hat bisects the monster. She warns Cid to evacuate with ominous statements about a rampage and a red moon. Before parting ways, Cid asks for her name and she calmly complies. Mary reveals her occupation as Vampire Hunter and asseverates her mission to kill The Blood Queen. Another smile and laugh creeps into Cid’s face as he contemplates the potential Eminence prospects.

As day turns to night in Lawless City, the red light district becomes animated. The standard activity has devolved into violence with the presence of a ghoul. Marie finds herself saved from death by Shadow. Shadow, taking a lesson from Beta, says Mary’s lines verbatim, warning of a rampage and the blood moon. His additions to the plagiarized statement are a few original words, his name, and the iconic catchphrase. The mysterious Shadow then vanishes into the night, gaining a quiet thank you from Marie.

The Dark Knight Meeting adjourns and Cid is missing. Claire races through the streets endeavoring to ascertain his location. She notices a ghoul feeding on a body of a black-haired body. Claire desperately flings herself at the ghoul and kills it. Embracing the mutilated corpse, she laments over her past failures and the lost future. A strange red-haired woman approaches Claire and introduces herself. Mary says she saw two boys that match Cid’s description. One boy was abducted as a sacrifice for the Blood Queen; the other was giggling in the corner over the bloody sights. Claire dismisses the latter and joins forces with Mary to storm the Crimson Tower.

Cid, now returned to the Dark Knight association, fails to locate his sister. He does not give it much thought and decides to sleep. After awakening, he discovers a dark sky during the day and ghouls rampaging in the city. Armed with the keywords Mary gave him: “Rampage,” “Crimson Moon,” and “Blood Queen,” Cid races off to the Crimson Tower. Shadow crosses paths with Marie again and Claudia, the dark knight leader of the Blood Queen subjugation detachment. He provides vital assistance against the hordes of ghouls and saves their lives.

Two other forces converge on the Crimson Tower, Yukime the Spirit Fox and Juggernaut the Tyrant. All three trespassers collide with one another, forming a three-way deadlock. Shadow is the first to break this standoff, dismissing such actions as juvenile. Yukime and Juggernaut do not pursue him. Yukime stays for a second to thank Shadow for saving her workers and gives him an open invitation to visit her. The watchdog, White Demon, acknowledges the strength difference and allows Yukime and Juggernaut to pass without incident. His hostile restraint diminishes when Shadow appears. The White Demon's decision to attack was his final act. After Shadow decollates the watchdog, he scrambles up the face of the Crimson Tower, making a beeline for the treasure room.

Claire and Mary tumble into the Crimson Tower basement and encounter Beta. The buxom elf recommends a cease-fire. Her objective was to verify a hypothesis that vampires and the possessed are consanguineous, not to fight. Beta asks the reason for their assault. Claire confesses that her brother was kidnapped, drawing a reaction from a previously hidden figure. Claire, in turn, questions Beta about a possible cure for the possessed. The elf equivocates, stating that Claire has nothing to worry about. The two excavators depart, leaving behind a reprimanding Beta, brought on by 666’s actions. Killing any minions in their path, Claire inquires about Mary’s vampire knowledge. She disregards such questions, stating that everyone has their secrets. After a retort about her interest in the possessed, Claire ceases cross-examination.

The slayer and the sister arrive at a room where sounds of violence can be heard. The two agree to observe and then decide on action. Juggernaut is engaged in combat against vampires inside the room. Noticing someone at the door, Juggernaut attacks, forcing Claire and Mary into battle. He quickly overpowers Claire and fatally wounds Mary. Mary unexpectedly places her mouth on Claire’s lips, drinking the blood that formed from her injuries. Using her now-revealed vampire powers, she attempts a counterattack on Juggernaut. It proves futile as the Tyrant once again overpowers Mary. All hope is lost, Claire waits for her death. It did not happen. Shadow, appearing in the middle of the feud, uses his boot to construct a new window, assisted by Juggernaut's body. It is met with fierce dissent from the Tyrant as gravity takes effect.

Mary, now admits her connection to Elisabeth. The Blood Queen did not hate humans. Her dream was to make a haven where vampires and humans could co-exist, but reality was not kind to that idea. Abstaining from blood caught up with her on the day of the Red Moon. She rampaged for three days, destroying countries in the process. Elisabeth felt only death could atone for her actions, driving a sword through her chest, but Mary could not find the resolve to burn her body and left the Queen in a suspended state.

Cid, stuffed to the brim with coins, finds his way to the top of the tower. Shadow makes an elaborate entrance, killing Crimson and supposedly resurrection. Confused by the absence of the Queen, Cid supposes her existence was a fabrication or she is somewhere else. He leaves just in time to miss the twitching body.

Claire and Mary, by this time, have completed their climb only to find a newly resurrected Blood Queen. They were too late. The Queen lashes at the pair, impaling Claire in the process. Out of nowhere, Beta, 664, 665, and 666 step in to subdue the progenitor, giving the team a fighting chance. They seem to be winning, but Mary warns that the Blood Queen is not at full strength. Yukime and Juggernaut join the allies in the struggle for life against the powered-up queen, but Elisabeth’s strength proves too much for the eight to handle. Salvation appears in the form of Claire, now possessed by Aurora. The Blood Queen and the Witch of Calamity battle for supremacy. Aurora lands a critical blow in the fierce duel, but the Queen recovers fast. Reaching her maximum potential in Claire's body, Aurora yields back control. Her maneuvering has bought enough time for Shadow to make his grand entrance.

Elisabeth, the Blood Queen, destroyer of counties and Shadow, the nuclear man who lurks in the darkness begin their showdown. The two seem evenly matched in high-speed combat, but Beta feels something is amiss. He appears slightly larger, but that was likely her imagination. The issue is the length of the battle and Shadow is rooted in place, not counter-attacking. She concludes that his inaction, reminiscent of being bogged down by weight, is because Beta and the others are behind him, all wounded. The Blood Queen lands a decisive hit, knocking Shadow into another room. Shadow gets up from the blow and walks out of the gold coin-littered room. He approaches slowly, perfectly countering every attack. The rampaging queen stops her onslaught for a second once Shadow is within touching range. One final moment of lucidity to ask another for death with her actions. Purple energy converges and swirls around Shadow's blade. Mary screams, pleading for another way and possible paradise. Elisabeth glances at Mary gently as a deep voice says ATOMIC. RECOVERY. The red claws and black sword make one final clash, awashing the tower in a purple light. Everyone wakes up later to find their injuries healed and the Crimson tower leveled to the ground. Beta wishes Mary and a crimson-haired girl luck on their haven and departs.

Claire makes her way back to Cid. A mark on her hand remains, indicating Aurora’s presence. Cid believes Claire to be in her chunibyo stage and vows to support her in any decision. Turning to leave, Cid notices a presence. The face is behind a black parasol, but crimson hair is visible on the girl. She bows deeply to him.

Great Trading Company Conflict
With the destruction of the Red Tower and the defeat of its Monarch, only two monarchs remained. Yukime, the Spirit Fox, received information regarding a shadow war the Major Corporate Alliance was planning to wage on the Mitsugoshi Company. Calculating the potential monetary and personal gains, Yukime asked Shadow for a collaboration to bring both companies down. The Alliance leader, Gettan was her ex-boyfriend and she could resist the chance for revenge. Accepting the invitation and becoming apprised of the situation, Shadow cooperates, keeping his reasons for assistance secret.

Armed with a new outfit, provided by the Snow Fox Corporation, and a new alias, John Smith, he and Yukime machinate to crush both companies. Smith proposed to cause a "credit crisis" by introducing counterfeit notes into Midgard Kingdom’s economy. The MCA’s bank notes simplicity would allow mass production. Yukime articulated the potential problems of such a scheme but soon realized its true potential after some contemplation. They agree to begin circulating counterfeit bills in the Midgard capital.

When the counterfeit notes began to be distributed throughout the capital, Shadow Garden soon realized the counterfeiter's intention to ignite a credit crisis. Given Midgard's new acceptance of fractional-reserve banking, a credit crisis would incite a bank run which could result in their bankruptcy. This combined with the continual attacks on Mitsugoshi Company’s transport wagons, Shadow Garden assumed it was an MCA plot. To combat the convoy attacks, the "numbers" (664, 665, 666) were to act as caravan guards. The trio were defeated on their mission by the mysterious man, John Smith. Recognizing Smith’s strength, Alpha dispatched Delta to defeat the hindrance. Delta’s noise was not to be underestimated and she recognized Cid after a few skirmishes. Fearing his identity and plans would be compromised, he halted Delta’s attempt to report the new development to Alpha. He told her that he was on a “confidential secret mission” that only he could do, and to avoid any trouble, he improvised a counter mission for Delta. He ordered her to go to Lawless City, and “hunt” the leader of the Black Tower called Juggernaut, in exchange he would grant a wish within his reach. Delta happily accedes to her Boss's order. She bulldozes her way into the Lawless City and locates the Black Tower. Delta makes quick work of Juggernaut, with some collateral damage.

The sudden disappearance of Delta incited the greatest fears of Shadow Garden. Losing core member, misattributing Delta' s absence as death, emphasized the serious treat John Smith posed. Alpha took the initiative and went to confront John Smith. During that event, the Corporate Alliance discerned the credit crisis (by Shadow Garden’s rumor mill), but believing that it was Mitsugoshi, the leaders ordered subordinates to go and inspect everything. The order was quickly eliminated by John Smith, leading to a confrontation with Alpha. Face to face, she learned the truth. Anger, rage, pain, and sadness crushed Alpha’s heart. She asked why he did all this, to which he replied that he was “doing what needs to be done”. Alpha, demonstrating her new abilities, attacks the man she cares about most, but in the end, her efforts are futile. As consciousness failed from Alpha, she wondered what she did wrong and wished for a chance to make it right.

After a successful campaign, Yukime reveals her full backstory and motivation. Shadow Garden could only wait for the imminent collapse of their organization. The members felt that their lord had abandoned them for being useless. Beta, armed with a decoded note from Cid, announced that their Master had not discarded them. He did all this to strengthen Shadow Garden and drive out the Cult’s influence in the city. Shortly after, Delta timidly returned from her lord's secret mission. All that was left was to redirect the economic meltdown and save the company.

Gettan finally discovered who had, according to him, planned everything. He challenged Yukime, his ex-girlfriend, to a grudge match. Yukime won but lacked the courage to kill him. Seizing the opportunity, Gettan used Tears of Diablos to increase his power, managing to seriously wound Yukime’s chest. John Smith emerges triumphantly, saving Yukime and defeating the Diablos-fueled beastmen.

After Yukime’s wounds are healed by John Smith, she recalls that he was the one who saved her in the past. Thanking the debonair gentleman and leaving him to his curious digging, she made her way back to their base of operations. There she encountered an empty vault and Alpha. Alpha revealed the connection between Shadow Garden and Mitsugoshi Company. She noted Yukime’s surprise, admitting Shadow's compartmentalization and true plan. Yukime’s aim was never monetary, meaning the betrayal was not of great importance. Alpha suggested an alliance between Shadow Garden and Snow Fox to further monopolies and trivialize underworld relations. Yukime formally agrees to this arrangement.

Governance and Economy
Lawless City stands as a sovereign city, detached from any nation, and bears the ominous distinction of being among the world's most perilous urban centers. Its distinct aura combines the characteristics of an expansive slum, fostering an environment that thrives as a breeding ground for criminal activity. Within these city limits, no wrongdoing or even the shadiest of undertakings remains uncharted, openly endorsed, and normalized, marking a routine occurrence

In stark contrast to conventional cities and nations, Lawless City lacks any semblance of moral order, security, or a functioning legal system. Within its confines, citizens frequently engage in a litany of illegal activities, including but not limited to abuse, murder, harassment, robbery, rape, prostitution, slavery, contraband smuggling, and more. Occupations that contravene common legal or moral precedent make up the vast majority of the working population. A poverty-stricken life is held by the vast majority of citizens, with only tower occupants avoiding the squalor. While the city maintains its perilous character during daylight hours, the dangers escalate exponentially under the shroud of nightfall.

In this city, the sole governing law is "Might." Every resident living there, regardless of age, gender, race, or species, is subject to this unyielding law. Survival hinges solely on one's ability to wield force and employ any available means to shield oneself from the relentless challenges of their environment. The powerful inhabitants establish and enforce their own rules within their domains, though a semblance of order remains somewhat deficient across the city as a whole. Some who are weak congregate under the strong, with the intent of amassing strength or wealth for self-sufficiency (e.g., prostitutes in brothels). This transition rarely occurs as motivation is lost over time.

Monarchs and its Towers
Lawless City is separated into three legislative territories (White, Black, and Crimson) and each is governed by one leader. These leaders are known as the Three Monarchs. Each controls approximately a third of the city, some specializing in illicit activities for capitalistic purposes. Yukime is now the sole monarch in Lawless City.

White Tower
Yukime the Enchantress : Yukime rules the White Tower (白しろ の 塔とう), where everything related to prostitution and sales of some is directed.

In this lawless area of the city, he handles everything related to prostitution, as well as sexual appointments, some restaurants (regardless, whether they are illegal or not), the sale and purchase of slave girls for those who want to have their own sex girls or cute maids, and as well as the sale of famous furs. Although most of said area is governed by Yukime, the branches of said place are also scattered in small areas of the Lawless City, in order to gain and attract the attention of those who visit their places, although at the risk of risking their personal, due to the constant power struggle of the monarchs, to see who would control their Zone.

Although although the issue of the sale and purchase of sexual servants and slaves in said areas governed by the leader of the white tower is handled, it seems possible that the girls who work in said places can win their freedom to leave that place and live outside the Lawless City if they like, without their Boss yukime being bothered, as was the case with Marie, who after being saved by Shadow, during the Red Moon incident, she went to try earn a better life in Orianna's kingdom.

Black Tower
Juggernaut the Tyrant : Juggernaut, ruled the Black Tower (黒くろ の 塔とう) with pure innate strength. (now the tower was left inactive, since Juggernaut died at the hands of Delta, by Shadow's capricious order).

In said Zone around the black tower, everything related to the sale of illegal weapons and equipment, along with chemicals, drugs, the sale of slaves, among other things, is usually handled in an industrial manner (as seen in the reports). trailer previews), said place was run by Jugernaut, where he ruled everything with brute force, unabashed instinct, and partly intelligence in a commercial way.

It is speculated that all those who work in said place, together with their trading points, manage in a strong, orderly and well-protected manner the merchandise that they sell and usually buy, under the hard and savage gaze of their boss, while at the same time These, upon entering their service, begin to be corrupted by the greed and arrogance of the place.

Red Tower
Elisabeth the Blood Queen : Elisabeth ran the Crimson Tower (紅くれない の 塔とう) as their queen, where vampires and their relatives, the ghouls, lived (now the tower was destroyed at the hands of Shadow).

The red tower was built as the headquarters, lair and refuge for the last vampires who survived the hunt for their race and species, at the hands of humans, more than a thousand years ago, but during a moonlit night, they took a strong power of this and with the strength and uncontrolled frenzy of the vampire Queen, Elizabeth, they managed to destroy 3 entire countries in just 3 days of the red moon, but after Mari defeated Elizabeth (without being able to destroy her heart as such), the vampires remaining, they took the body of their queen, and strengthened themselves and kept in the Lawless City, building their mighty tower, knowing him as the third leading force of the city, and therefore the most powerful of all, above the others. who ruled the black and white Towers, waiting for the opportunity of another red moon, so they could revive their vampire queen,

It is not known as such what the vampires dedicated themselves to directing or governing in their respective area as such, but it is intuited that they dealt with slaves, using them as food in order to continue existing, in exchange for allowing (ignorantly) that the residents They could live something close to their dominions. This is seen when the White Demon, who challenged the rulers of the red tower, to kill their queen (not knowing she was dead), easily lost the battle, but instead of killing him, the vampires let him live, like a guard dog at the entrance, letting only Queen Elizabeth's servants, relatives, guests, and those who were strong enough to defeat or kill, the "dog" of vampires.

As is known, the red tower was the first tower built in the Lawless City, with the arrival of the remaining vampires, becoming the first tower to rule over the city as such. Until the arrival of the other monarchs centuries later, the vampires showed disinterest in fighting land and disputes, against these monarchs, since according to them, they did not represent problems at all, and that did not interest them, but always keeping their territory well protected, against those who wanted to take them away or kill them.

Location and Layout
Official Eminence in Shadow media delineates Lawless City along the Midgar Kingdom's Northwest border and the Velgalta Empire's East border. The Lawless City is treated and seen as a gigantic slum. Huts and shanties line the roads, the foul stench of garbage permeates the air and sloven citizens meander around town. But, what prominently stands out the most in the city are the three enormous skyscrapers towering above its streets, the White, Black and Crimson Tower.

Culture and Demographics
Lawless City distinguishes itself from typical slums, for its residents are no ordinary vagrants; instead, they are relentless hunters, their eyes gleaming with predatory intent as they stalk their prey within the urban landscape. Throughout the day, the sounds of merchants haggling echo down crammed alleys, with occasional violence to enliven citizens' squalid existence. The citizens have become accustomed to these harsh conditions, growing stronger with each passing day, rendering themselves far from easy targets. To those deemed weak, venturing into this city renders them nothing more than prey in the eyes of its formidable residents.

When night falls on the Lawless City, the most crowded area is invariably the Red-Light District (色街, Iromachi?), which is the bustling place where many scantily clad women saunter up and down the streets and try to patronage. Many do not think about the outside world, which to them is just an illusion and all they have to do is forget everything by indulging themselves in drowning in the transient pleasures of the night.

Lawless City is home to a diverse array of races, rendering it a multicultural city. The total population is unknown at this time, but not all citizens are there consensually. Active and free slaves are part of the ongoing population. The absence of formal regulations grants its inhabitants unparalleled freedom to pursue their needs, unencumbered by employment restrictions or segregation. People who only look from the outside fail to comprehend the complexities of Lawless City. One needs authentic contact for an accurate impression. The view can change from a desolate slum to a miscellaneous city with a multicultural fusion. The total population is undisclosed, but not all citizens are there consensually. Active and free slaves are part of the ongoing population.

Governmental Interference
The Magic Swordsmen Association had set up a base to quell the chaos caused by the Blood Queen's underlings outside the city. The surrounding countries close to the Lawless City had suffered from similar damage. The temporary base was made for the assassination, not complete control. In this realm, no entity, be it kings, knights, or even the most formidable of monsters holds the power to intervene or exert control. It exists as an autonomous realm where anarchy prevails unfettered.

Inhabitants

 * White Demon (Deceased)
 * Marie (Previously)
 * Crimson (Deceased)
 * Natsu
 * Kana

Trivia

 * The fact that Goldoh Kinmeki gets captured easily despite his skills and powers shows not only how powerful Lawless City is, but also that the citizens have been doing this for a long time. Goldoh may not have been their first victim and there had been plenty of others that came by here and never came back.
 * Everyone who comes to the Lawless City wants to leave at first. But as time goes on, that desire dulls little by little when everyone forgets about it, which eventually the Lawless City stains them over with its colors by becomes assimilated into this city and makes them part of itself.
 * According to Perv Asshat, the Cult of Diablos has been trying to spread its influence in the Lawless City and they haven't been able to worm its way into the inner circle of any of its three warring lords.
 * In the Web Novel, Cid Kagenō have able to sense the peculiar smell of a slum that instantly stimulates his nose hair long when he entered the city as he look down upon the city street, as he claims that only people who’ve experienced it first hand know, but people who live in environments with dirty air have longer nose hair.
 * The origin of the lawless city is unknown to date, but it is speculated (according to the reading), that it was formed through the grouping of bands and groups of corrupt mercenaries, among more bad people, and corrupting others, They started with everything illegal for the public, like illegal sales, of all kinds of things.
 * The City without Law is catalogued, interpreted and represented for those who do not live in it or only visit it, as the very personification of corruption, disorder, prostitution, among all the bad things, of all the countries of the other world ( as far as is known).
 * It is unknown (as far as is known), why the kingdoms around "The Lawless City", have not been able, or even tried, to eliminate and dissolve the residents of the city as such, since as they Time passes, said City becomes more evident its corruptive power, but it is believed that said city is under the protection, only of its rulers, but also of the corrupt noble parts of the kingdoms, since they also make use of the things they get from that place, be it merchandise or information. (it is not known who these people are).
 * As far as is known, The Lawless City is not appropriated, or affiliated with the Cult of Diabolos, since the members of the cult as such, have not shown interest at all, in what happens in said places, unless the people from said place, begin to show themselves in the light of the public, and begin to generate problems for the plans of the cult.
 * During the finals of the Bushin Festival, both in the manga and in the anime, Duke Doem showed concern for the subject named Jimina Sehnne, believing that this was a resident of the underworld, since he is concerned that the inhabitants of said place decide go out to the public, since in general, these only usually bring problems.


 * The designs of the Lawless City towers, unlike those in the manga and light novel, which are like some huge skyscrapers that are not that wide, in the anime and in the game, are more distinctive, more detailed, and in a more cultural style with more difference from each other, aside from the respective color of each tower.
 * The design of the white tower, is of the Asian style, like a huge feudal castle of more than several floors, from Japanese folklore, which is the opposite of the manga that a huge tall tower not so wide.
 * The design of the black tower, is similar to a huge industrial plant, with several buildings that expel the smoke produced in the plant, with a central building in the middle, very high, which stands out, which is the opposite of the manga that a huge tall tower not so wide.
 * The design of the red tower, is identical to the wide and ancient construction of the tower of babel, from biblical history, with the difference that it is red, with some murals around the building, whose only visible entrance, It is through the door guarded by the white demon, which stands out, which is the opposite of the manga that a huge tall tower not so wide.
 * Another difference in the design of the Red Tower is that it is not red in color, as reported in the light novel or manga, but instead is gray in the anime and game, which is counterproductive to how it is portrayed and understood. (TBC in Anime)
 * It is speculated that the Red Tower was changed by nickname, instead of what it is called by color (according to the anime and the game), due to the fact that the blood of the victims who enter the place tends to be very colored. the place. (TBA in Anime)