Wu (6)

Chapter 6: The Dance of Shadows and Swords

The two girls locked eyes in an intense standoff, the air thick with unspoken tension. The white-haired girl's expression shifted, her anger barely restrained, ready to explode at any moment.

Laznoire: (internally) (In any confrontation between women, the one who seizes the first momentum wins.)

With a calculated move, Laznoire broke the silence.

Laznoire: What's a teenager like you doing here?

The white-haired girl blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected question.

Laznoire: You should know this is a restricted area. You can't be here without supervision.

Her tone grew sharper, each word hitting like a verbal lash.

Laznoire: Are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you have a rendezvous here? What exactly were you thinking?

Laznoire pressed on, her voice unyielding.

Laznoire: Even mercenary groups don't dare to venture here alone. So what's a single teenager like you doing in a place like this? Answer me clearly, or I'll report this to your school.

(internally) (A barrage of questions—an effective tactic to overwhelm and divert attention from my own mistakes.)

Kallen: I… I'm here to train...

The white-haired girl's voice was meek, barely a whisper in the stillness of the night.

Laznoire: (internally) (It seems she's guilty of sneaking in here alone.)

Laznoire's eyes narrowed.

Laznoire: Tomorrow morning, I'll personally escort you back to the city. Don't think you can wriggle out of this.

Kallen: But!!! If I don't improve, I'll fail!

Kallen's outburst caught Laznoire by surprise, her voice laced with desperation.

Kallen: After all, I'm just a human. I'm not stronger than the other races here, but I want to prove that being human isn't a disgrace!

Laznoire: (internally) (Okay… I don't know what to do next. I'll just follow the protagonist's lead—bullshit my way to victory.)

Laznoire: So, you want to train to become the number one in your school?

Kallen: Yes…

Laznoire nodded slowly, as if contemplating her next move.

Laznoire: I see… then let me help you with that.

Kallen: Eh?

Kallen's eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken off guard by the offer.

Laznoire: Despite being a doctor, I'm also a training instructor. I can help you identify your flaws and improve.

The white-haired girl looked uncertain, unsure of how to respond.

Laznoire: (internally) (Don't give her a chance to think. Push forward until she's too deep to back out.)

Laznoire: (internally) (I can't use my old name—it would attract too much attention. I'm certain the Lenoir bloodline still exists; my brothers are like rabbits, after all.)

Laznoire: Noire Lenoir. Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Kallen: Kallen Kaslana, the future number one strongest—remember that!

Laznoire: Fine, but for now, you should sleep. Tomorrow, I'll see just how strong you really are.

Kallen: Yes!

As the pale-blond girl settled onto the balcony, the moon's faint light casting long shadows, she watched as Kallen, still dazed, finally surrendered to sleep.

Noire: (internally) (I hope this gamble pays off. Don't disappoint me, Kaslana.)

The night dragged on, but sleep eluded Noire. She sat in the darkness, waiting until the first light of dawn crept over the horizon before waking the sleeping girl.

Noire: Wake up.

She shook Kallen gently, rousing her from sleep. Kallen groggily blinked up at Noire, momentarily disoriented. Instinctively, she reached for her gun, but Noire was quicker, pinning her to the bed.

Noire: Don't even think about pointing that thing at me. We talked last night, or did you forget?

Noire's voice was calm, but there was a steely edge to it. She released Kallen and stepped back to the balcony.

Noire: (internally) (Miscalculation… I interrupted her… alone time, and she was vulnerable last night. Now that she's clear-headed, she's probably more suspicious of me.)

Noire: (internally) (Why can't I seem to get anything right? Ever since I've been in this body, everything's been off… it's frustrating when things don't go as planned.)

She let out a heavy sigh, basking in the early morning sunshine.

Noire: I guess I'm immune to sunlight after all...

The sound of footsteps brought her back to the present. Kallen stood behind her, eyes narrowed.

Kallen: How did you get here? I locked the door. There's no way you could have appeared in my room.

Noire revealed a newly crafted grappling hook made from her blood, hidden beneath her sleeve.

Kallen seemed slightly reassured but kept her hand close to her gun.

Kallen: You look younger than me, so let me ask—why are you here?

Noire: (internally) (She's sharp—too sharp to be alone without a party.)

Noire: Hunting high-level mutants for some quick cash. And for the record, I'm older than you.

Kallen: You're not… human?

Noire: Vampire.

Kallen: I see...

Despite Kallen's outward calm, Noire could tell she was still on guard, not ready to lower her defenses.

Noire: You should eat something. We've got some creatures to hunt.

Kallen: Are you here for my blood?

Noire: Not at all. I smelled blood and, as a doctor, I came to help. But it looks like you've already patched yourself up. Let me change the dressing so there's no risk of infection.

Kallen: I see…

Kallen still seemed confused, her mind reeling from the night's events. She began searching for her things, eventually pulling out an energy bar.

Kallen: (internally) (My bullshit level must be pretty high to pull this off.)

Kallen: Here!

She tossed the energy bar toward Noire. Noire caught it with ease.

Kallen: You need to eat, right?

Noire: Not really, but I appreciate the gesture.

Noire opened the bar and took a bite.

Noire: (internally) (It's not bad… but it's repulsive to my taste. I shouldn't waste it, though.)

The two ate in silence, the quiet only broken by the sound of approaching enemies.

Kallen: Houkai Beasts!

Noire: (internally) (Houkai? Is that what they call them now?)

Kallen pulled out her guns, dual-wielding them with practiced ease as she launched into battle. Her movements were fluid, a deadly dance of bullets, kicks, and punches.

Noire: Martial arts with guns? Impressive. But those are standard weapons—it'll take her forever to bring them down.

Noire scanned the battlefield.

Noire: Ten Seraphs, four Knights, three Chariots.

As if on cue, a Chariot-type mutant lunged at Noire.

Kallen: Noire, look out!

Noire: Worry about yourself.

With a swift slash, Noire's sword emitted a crimson wave, slicing the Chariot in half mid-air. The beast disintegrated in a burst of red energy.

"Energy Wave" - Gathering energy into your weapon and releasing it at the perfect moment to create an invisible slash. If there's special energy in the weapon or the user, it becomes visible.

The remaining beasts, sensing Noire's power, redirected their focus on her, charging with reckless abandon.

Noire: (internally) (Tch… I've attracted their attention. Their suicidal tendencies never change.)

She tightened her grip on the sword and slammed it into the ground, causing a crimson explosion that obliterated the enemies within range.

"Energy Smash" - Gathering energy into your weapon and releasing it upon contact with the ground to create an invisible explosion, damaging enemies within range. If the user or weapon contains special energy, it becomes visible.

Kallen: Awesome!!!

Noire: ???

Kallen: Teach me that! I want to learn how to do that!

Noire hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Kallen closed the distance between them, her eyes wide and pleading.

Kallen: Please!

Noire: (internally) (So the basic energy techniques didn't survive… how much has humanity forgotten?)

Noire: Fine… but first, let me correct your fighting style.

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an Auxiliary Chapter will be released, it contains Races that exist in this fanfic I won't tell the complete lore of the world just yet

P.S Stop giving me Power stones because my updates schedules won't be affected no matter what, so please give it to the ones that deserve it not me