Selene VS Deren

Night had fallen, blanketing Nova Academy in darkness punctuated by faintly shimmering stars scattered across the sky. A gentle breeze carried a chilling air, biting at the skin. The normally bustling campus had quieted down, leaving only a handful of cadets still training or taking in fresh air.

Inside her room, Selene sat silently on her bed, staring blankly into space as her mind drifted.

Deren's words echoed relentlessly in her mind. —"What's the point of dying as a hero?"—

She clenched her fists tightly. Anger burned within her—not just anger toward Deren, but also toward herself. Why did his words affect her so deeply? Why did she feel angry and yet… fearful? Fearful that perhaps there was truth in what he had said?

Sighing heavily, she stood up, pulling on her jacket. She needed fresh air, something to calm her thoughts before their duel began.

As she left her room, she bumped into Revand in the dorm hallway. Revand, heading back to his own room, gave her a puzzled look.

"Selene? Where are you going this late?"

Selene glanced back with a blank expression. "Just getting some fresh air."

Revand observed her briefly but didn't probe further. "Don't stay out too long; we still have training tomorrow."

Selene nodded and continued walking, leaving Revand standing there momentarily before he finally entered his room, sensing something unusual but choosing not to dwell on it.

Meanwhile, in the Rank D dorm, a soft alarm sounded.

Deren reluctantly opened one eye and sighed deeply. He sincerely hoped this was just a bad dream.

Lazily, he got up from his bed, yawning widely. "Why did I even accept this challenge?" he muttered, rubbing his face.

He walked to the sink, washed his face, and stared at his reflection in the mirror. "If I win, I can sleep peacefully without any more disturbances… This should be quick."

He hastily tied back his hair, grabbed a jacket, and left his room, unaware that his roommates would soon come looking for him.

Shortly after Deren left, Kael and Ryn headed to his room, planning to chat before bed. But upon opening the door…

It was empty.

"Huh? Deren's not here?" Kael asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ryn crossed his arms. "Odd. He never goes out this late. Did he finally decide to train?"

Kael excitedly patted Ryn's shoulder. "Maybe he got tired of being lazy and decided to change!"

Ryn frowned. "Impossible. We're talking about Deren."

They exchanged glances before beginning wild speculations.

Kael raised a hand dramatically. "Maybe… he's on a secret mission! A shadow agent pretending to be lazy but actually a master strategist!"

Ryn gave him a flat stare. "That sounds like a cheap novel."

"But think about it, Ryn! Deren always avoids trouble and never gets hurt! He always knows how to evade difficult situations! It must be part of a bigger plan!"

Ryn rubbed his temples. "Or maybe he just went out for a midnight snack?"

Kael nodded thoughtfully, then gasped suddenly. "WAIT! What if… he's secretly meeting a girl?!"

Ryn flinched. "Now that definitely sounds like a cheap novel."

Kael was fully committed to his theories. "But think about it! If he's not training, eating, or sleeping… what else could he be doing?!"

They paused, eyes widening in realization.

"…Wait. Don't tell me…"

Kael swallowed nervously. "MAYBE HE WAS KIDNAPPED BY GHOSTS!"

They stared at each other tensely.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! THIS ISN'T A HORROR STORY!"

After a moment, though, they considered the situation more seriously.

"But… what if something really did happen to him?" Ryn murmured, furrowing his brow.

Kael grew uneasy. "You don't think… a Metavore took him?"

Both felt a chill run down their spines. Metavore infiltration was rare, but not impossible.

"We have to find him!" Kael shouted.

Ryn nodded. "Yes! If he's really in danger, we must find him before something terrible happens!"

Without hesitation, they rushed out of the dorm to search for Deren, unaware that the truth was far simpler—Deren merely wanted to finish the duel quickly and get some sleep.

Deren and Selene Fight

The Nova Academy sky was sprinkled with stars, the moon illuminating the quiet night. A gentle breeze whispered between the academy's grand buildings, most cadets having retreated to their dorms. Yet, far from prying eyes, a secret duel was about to unfold.

Deren strolled casually towards the agreed-upon training arena, inwardly groaning at his poor decision.

"Why did I even agree to this? I should be comfortably asleep right now…"

Yawning again, he walked lazily, hands deep in his pockets, feeling lethargic with every step. Even the chilly night air couldn't shake off his sleepiness.

"Selene seriously doesn't know how to relax… Why does everyone always need to prove something? Why work harder when they know the world is harsh?"

Deren shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.

"But if I hadn't accepted, she'd never leave me alone… Well, I'll just win quickly and go back to bed."

Reaching the open arena, he saw Selene already there, standing ready with fiery determination.

Selene stared at Deren as he approached leisurely, her eyes sharp and full of determination.

"You finally came," she said.

Deren stretched his shoulders slightly. "I told you I'd come, didn't I? I just want to get this over with and go back to sleep."

Selene scoffed. "You really haven't changed at all, have you?"

Deren shrugged. "If I changed, the world would probably be in trouble."

Selene crossed her arms. "Then let's make this more interesting. I want to make a bet."

Deren raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of bet? If you win, what do I have to do?"

Selene stared at him seriously. "If I win, you promise to start putting more effort into training seriously, stop being lazy, and quit pretending you don't care."

Deren regarded her for a moment before chuckling softly. "So, you want to change me?"

"I want to prove you're wrong," Selene responded firmly. "That not every hero will be forgotten and sacrificed. And that you, Deren, are more than someone who just wants to avoid trouble."

Deren sighed. "Interesting, but I won't lose."

Selene gave a faint smile. "We'll see about that."

Deren yawned again. "If I win, you stop bothering me. No more training invitations, no more lectures about 'becoming better' or whatever."

Selene clenched her fists, then nodded. "Fine. That's fair."

Deren smiled lazily. "Then let's begin."

Without further warning, Selene charged forward with incredible speed.

Deren casually shifted his feet slightly, effortlessly dodging the swift slash aimed at him. Selene followed up with a series of rapid, precise sword swings.

Yet, Deren evaded each one with minimal movement.

Horizontal strikes, diagonal slashes, sudden thrusts—all struck only empty air.

Deren stood, hands still in his pockets. "Seriously, are you just going to keep swinging at me like this?"

Selene narrowed her eyes. "I won't stop until you fight seriously."

Deren shrugged. "I am serious... serious about ending this quickly."

Selene's gaze sharpened. She began altering her attack patterns.

Selene leaped into the air, then plunged downward at high speed.

Deren calmly sidestepped, but Selene anticipated this move. As soon as Deren dodged, she unleashed a follow-up strike from an unpredictable angle.

Deren was momentarily surprised but still managed to evade by stepping back.

Selene didn't relent, continuously pressing Deren and swinging her sword, offering no chance to rest.

Deren started to feel mildly irritated—not because he was overwhelmed, but because Selene genuinely gave him no opportunity to relax.

"This is becoming annoying," he muttered.

Selene smiled faintly. "Good. You're finally feeling cornered."

Deren snorted. "I'm not cornered, just bored."

Yet deep down, he recognized that Selene had elevated the fight.

Deren finally drew his pistol from its holster at his waist and a hidden degger from his sleeve.

"Alright," he said lazily. "I'll be slightly more serious."

Selene stared at him sharply. "So you're finally going to fight properly?"

Deren shrugged. "No. I just want this over with."

He fired a single bullet into the ground, sending dust and sand flying, obscuring Selene's vision.

In an instant, Deren dashed to the side, using the distraction to close the gap. Selene recognized his attack, but too late—Deren was already beside her, the tip of his degger hovering just millimeters from her neck.

Selene froze, her heart pounding.

"If this were a real fight, you'd be dead."

Selene flinched. Deren stood beside her casually. With a simple motion, he could have ended the fight.

But instead, he simply stood there, demonstrating just how easily he'd avoided all her previous attacks.

Selene grit her teeth and swiftly spun around, striking again. But Deren had already stepped back before she could land a blow.

"Alright, enough playing around," Deren yawned again. "Why don't you use your Core weapon now?"

Selene tensed. "I don't need my Core to beat you."

Deren smirked faintly. "Oh? Afraid I'll win if you do?"

Selene's eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm just making sure," Deren said casually. "I wouldn't want you to claim you lost because you didn't use your Core."

Selene clenched her fists. She knew Deren was provoking her, but something about his tone made her feel belittled.

Deren stepped forward, staring blankly. "So, what's it going to be? Do you want to keep fighting seriously, or is this enough?"

Selene tightened her grip on her sword.

"…Fine. I'll use it."

Selene stared sharply as Deren spoke, walking toward her with casual steps. Determination shone fiercely in her eyes.

The quiet training arena filled with the turbulent aura of power. Selene's sword glowed brightly with a pulsating blue light as Core Etherion energy surged through it. The air vibrated gently, responding to the energy coursing through her.

Deren observed her casually. "Good," he thought, "finally getting interesting."

The silent arena filled with intense, swirling energy. Selene's sword radiated vibrant blue, and her body emitted waves of Etherion energy. The air trembled slightly, resonating with the power now unleashed within her.

"Let's see if you regret underestimating me, Deren!" Selene declared before charging forward with greatly increased speed.

Instantly, Selene's attacks became even harder to predict. Her movements were more fluid, each step leaving a faint impression on the ground. Her speed and power had significantly increased.

Yet Deren continued evading effortlessly, analyzing her attacks with minimal effort.

Horizontal swings, diagonal strikes, thrusts—everything struck nothing but air.

He kept his hands casually in his pockets. "Impressive," he said calmly. "Using Core Etherion to enhance physical strength, reflexes, and endurance. But…"

He noticed a crucial flaw.

Selene wasn't controlling her power properly.

Every strike caused the blue energy to flare uncontrollably, making the Core light on her sword appear unstable.

Selene grew increasingly frustrated. Deren still showed no signs of strain.

"Are you just going to dodge forever?!" she snapped angrily.

Deren shrugged as he dodged another swing. "Maybe."

Selene jumped back suddenly, inhaling deeply, channeling all her energy.

Deren narrowed his eyes. What's she planning now?

The Core energy surged into Selene's blade as she unleashed a devastating forward strike, sending a powerful blue energy slash slicing through air and ground.

"SLASH!!"

The energy attack hurtled rapidly toward Deren, cutting deeply into the earth.

Deren, still relaxed, merely raised his degger with one hand.

Selene stood panting, confident her attack had landed.

But the impossible happened.

Deren swung his degger toward the incoming energy slash… and deflected it.

The energy slash flew harmlessly aside, exploding against a distant building, leaving a large gash in the academy structure.

Selene stared, eyes wide with disbelief. "Impossible…"

"Wh-What…?"

Deren sighed deeply, spinning his degger lazily in his hand. "Your technique isn't bad, but your control still needs work."

Selene gasped, realizing she had exhausted her energy. Her strength was drained completely.

"Am I really unable to control it properly…?" she thought, breathing heavily.

Before she could react further, Deren suddenly appeared behind her.

Deren Teaches Selene

In an instant, Deren swept Selene off her feet, sending her crashing onto the ground with a swift, simple maneuver. He stood over her with an indifferent expression.

"The fight's over," he declared, sounding utterly bored.

Selene lay on the ground, eyes wide open—not from pain, but from sheer shock.

How could this be? she thought. Defeated... so easily?

Deren glanced down at his own injured hand casually, then returned his gaze to Selene.

"There's something I want to know," he began calmly, observing her carefully.

Selene lifted her face, determination flickering in her eyes despite her exhausted body.

"What exactly is your goal?" Deren asked plainly. "Are you fighting just to prove yourself out of revenge?"

Selene tightened her fist but remained silent.

"You can't answer that, can you?" Deren noted calmly, as if he had anticipated this reaction.

Selene's silence persisted. Deren sighed lightly, looking up at the darkening sky before continuing.

"You know, humans and Metavores aren't that different. Humans consume each other too. Just look at what happened to you and your father. You're trying to prove yourself to people who don't even care about the truth. Do you think they'll accept you just because you're strong?"

His words pierced deeply. Selene remembered vividly how her father had been accused of betrayal despite his sacrifices.

Yet, instead of breaking her spirit, her eyes sharpened with determination.

She stared at Deren intensely. "Not everyone is like that. I'll prove it. I'll become someone who can't be brought down by mere words."

Deren studied her briefly, then chuckled, clearly amused.

"You really are stubborn."

He rested his hands on his hips and continued, "But you know what? So far, I've noticed you're hurting yourself trying to prove your worth. You're chasing strength but losing yourself."

Selene looked down at her trembling, wounded hand. He was right.

"If you continue like this," Deren said with mock pity, "you'll waste your life trying and never accomplish anything."

Selene looked up, eyes burning. "Then I'll keep trying until I succeed."

Deren scoffed lightly. "Too slow. I hate waiting."

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.

With a faint smile, he leaned closer. "I'll help you a little."

Selene furrowed her brow, skeptical. "Why would you help me?"

His lips curled into a mysterious smile. "Simple. I just want to see if you can truly back up your words."

"And what's the catch?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing complicated," he answered, eyes piercing into hers. "I'm just curious if you're worth my time."

The tension faded from the training arena, replaced by a quiet agreement between the two. Now, they stood not as opponents, but as teacher and student.

Selene hesitated. Deren… teaching her?

Ignoring her confusion, Deren casually grabbed Selene's sword from the ground and removed the Core Etherion embedded in its hilt. A faint blue glow emanated from the crystal as he held it effortlessly.

"Watch closely," he instructed, lifting the Core higher.

Selene could only stare in silent amazement. Could Deren truly teach her how to control the power she desperately needed?

Core Training

Deren raised the Core slightly higher, causing its gentle blue glow to intensify.

"A little higher," he said quietly.

Selene stared intently, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Let me show you," Deren replied simply, extending his left hand and smoothly channeling the Core's energy into his palm.

Selene's eyes widened. The soft blue energy flowed gently along his arm, like water following its natural course.

Suddenly, without saying a word, Deren grasped Selene's injured hand. She flinched, startled.

"W-what are you doing?"

She gasped as warmth spread across her skin. Blood that had been dripping from the wound slowly stopped, and before her eyes, the open wound rapidly began to close.

Selene stared in astonishment. "W-what is this...?"

Deren smiled faintly. "Core Etherion isn't limited to destruction. It can also heal if you control its flow correctly."

Selene could hardly believe what she was seeing. Deren had just healed her wound—using a Core.

Selene stared at her now-healed hand in confusion.

"How... How do you know all this?"

Deren shrugged casually. "Maybe because I read. If you used your time studying the available research instead of chasing revenge blindly, you'd know what you're dealing with."

Selene clenched her fist. "So... all this information already exists?"

Deren nodded. "Most of it is hidden by the government, of course. Core Etherion is far more dangerous than people realize. That's why I'll show you how to properly use it."

Deren placed the Core back into Selene's sword, meeting her eyes seriously.

"Now, I'll show you the correct way to execute a proper Slash."

Holding the sword lightly, Deren calmly channeled the energy. Selene watched carefully.

With an effortless swing, Deren unleashed a focused, razor-sharp blue energy wave.

SHUUUUNG!

The wave crashed into the wall with incredible force, causing much more damage than Selene's previous attacks.

Selene stared, amazed.

"The secret is not wasting your energy," Deren explained casually. "Control it, focus it precisely, and you'll produce stronger attacks with less effort."

Selene gripped her own sword thoughtfully.

"Now, try it again," Deren encouraged with a relaxed smile.

The cold night air lingered, yet the atmosphere at the training ground had significantly calmed. Above them, Nova Academy's star-filled sky bore witness to their duel and subsequent lesson.

Selene remained standing in the middle of the arena, gripping her sword tightly, determination renewed.

Meanwhile, Deren glanced at the sky and sighed.

"It's past midnight," he muttered, yawning. "All I want now is to sleep."

Deren silently observed Selene's progress. She no longer allowed the Core energy to flow recklessly as before. The flow was steadier, her strikes more controlled, and although her attacks still didn't match his, she'd improved significantly in such a short time.

She's a quick learner, Deren thought.

Selene swung her sword again. This time, her Core energy attack flew straighter, without exploding uncontrollably like earlier.

However, its destructive power was still half of what Deren had demonstrated.

Selene frowned and tried again, determined to perfect it.

Deren sighed deeply.

"Enough already," he thought.

Deren clapped his hands once, the sound echoing across the arena.

"Alright, that's enough. I need sleep."

Selene turned towards him, dissatisfaction evident on her face. "Wait, I've just started to feel it."

Deren waved his hand lazily. "Not my problem. I've given you enough hints. The rest is up to you."

Selene looked ready to protest but realized Deren wouldn't spend any more time on training.

However, she still had one question.

"Deren... can I train with you again later?"

Deren paused, looking at her as if she'd just said something ridiculous.

"No."

Selene furrowed her brow. "What?"

Deren shrugged casually. "I already won, didn't I? Our deal is done. I don't need to waste more time on this training."

Selene looked slightly taken aback. "So... that's it?"

Deren yawned. "Yes. I only gave you a little help. I'm not your mentor, and I have no interest in guiding anyone."

He gave her a sharp look, making sure she understood clearly.

"I've shown you how to control the Core properly. The rest is your responsibility."

Selene remained silent but eventually nodded slowly.

Deren turned to leave but glanced back one more time.

"Don't forget, this stays between us."

Selene watched him carefully.

He smirked slightly, his voice sarcastic. "Don't be someone who betrays trust."

Selene narrowed her eyes, but Deren gave her no chance to respond.

Go Back To Sleep

Deren walked casually away from the training arena, his thoughts focused solely on the comfortable bed awaiting him.

"Finally, I can sleep."

But as he walked down the empty academy hallway, he spotted two familiar figures in the distance.

Kael and Ryn.

Deren raised an eyebrow. "What are they doing out this late?"

Kael and Ryn appeared worried, glancing around as if searching for something.

Deren sighed heavily. "Don't tell me they're looking for me..."

Quickly, Deren turned down another hallway to avoid them.

Meanwhile, Kael and Ryn continued searching for Deren.

Kael scratched his head, frustrated. "We already checked outside, and he's not there!"

Ryn nodded. "Yeah... he couldn't have vanished completely, could he?"

Kael tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If he's not outside... he's inside."

Ryn snorted. "That's obvious logic, Kael."

Ignoring Ryn's comment, Kael clapped his shoulder seriously. "So now we search inside the academy."

Ryn sighed. "Are you sure we won't get in trouble for wandering around this late?"

Kael smiled confidently. "Of course not! This is a rescue mission, Ryn! We can't let Deren disappear!"

Ryn rolled his eyes. "I think we'll just end up punished tomorrow..."

They re-entered the academy, oblivious to the fact that the person they were looking for had passed them by just moments ago.