4

The sound of boots echoed in the corridor, growing louder, as Maylan instinctively took a defensive stance. The Hegemony of Astralis had arrived earlier than expected. Their presence was not a surprise, but the speed with which they had found the place surprised him. They must have followed his trail, perhaps even used a sophisticated tracking device to locate his katana.

Maylan exchanged a glance with Kid, who was already ready to act. The divine knight did not seem disturbed, his posture calm and controlled, but his eyes shone with a piercing light.

— We need to act quickly. They won't come just to capture you. Kid swallowed hard. And they know that I am still alive.

Maylan felt a shiver run down her spine. It wasn't just a skirmish. The Hegemony had greater objectives.

Without another word, Kid rushed towards the door. Before he pushed it, he turned his head towards Maylan.

— Remember, the Ether is your ally, but it only responds to those who are calm.

Maylan nodded. It was his moment. If he really wanted to learn how to fight, he had to adapt to this situation. No room for panic. He had to remain master of his emotions, of his mind. That was where the true power of the katana resided.

The attack of the soldiers of the Hegemony

The doors of the building crashed under the assault of the soldiers. They were there: a unit of three heavily armed soldiers, wearing the black armor of the Hegemony. Their presence imposed a chilling authority, and the air seemed to grow heavier with each passing second.

Maylan watched the soldiers enter the room with cold control. They carried energy shields and precision weapons, impulse rifles ready to pulverize everything in their path. Their faces were hidden behind armored helmets, but the air around them exuded a palpable tension.

— Capture them alive. The voice of their commander, a sergeant with a sharp gaze, pierced the silence. He gave orders in a clinical, detached manner.

Maylan tensed, ready to react. Kid hadn't moved an inch, but his hands were firmly gripping the hilt of his katana.

— We need to make them understand that this is not just a simple prize theft. It's a hunt. Kid murmured these words as if he were talking to himself. But his eyes were fixed on the soldiers.

The soldiers took position, their weapons deployed. They made a coordinated move, the sergeant heading towards Maylan, two other soldiers forming a cover barrier.

Maylan didn't waste a second.

He drew his katana in a fraction of a second and plunged into action. His instincts took over, but this time, he focused, seeking to connect his mind to the Ether, to use the energy around him. He was no longer just a bounty hunter. He was a man who had found a new form of power.

The confrontation

The first soldier in charge rushed at him, his energy shield glowing with a bluish hue. He struck with a dry violence, his shield sparking as Maylan deflected his blow with the katana.

The impact was violent, but Maylan felt centered. He felt an instinctive reaction, as if the katana's blade lived through him. He turned around, sweeping the air around him with a speed he had never known.

He felt the Ether vibrating within him, amplifying his movements. An intense concentration occupied his mind. The soldier tried to counter with a series of strikes, but Maylan dodged them all with incredible agility, a continuous flow of calculated movements. He was faster. He felt the Ether supporting him, surrounding him, and he reacted instinctively.

A katana strike shattered the soldier's energy shield, and in an instant, Maylan sent him crashing to the ground with a mental push, a small but powerful gesture of telekinesis. He was not fully in control of this power, but he now knew that the Ether could help him defend himself.

But he didn't have time to savor his victory. The sergeant, more agile and more determined, lunged at him. He dodged the first attack, but the impact of the sergeant's energy sword vibrated in the air. It was metal on metal, a brutal clash.

Maylan took a few steps back, his heart racing. He wasn't ready yet to face this type of opponent, but he had no choice. Kid was there, and he knew he had to show him that he could defend himself alone.

Kid watched the fight, his gaze focused, but he did not intervene.

The turning point of the fight

As the sergeant prepared to deliver another decisive blow, Maylan closed his eyes for a moment. He felt the Ether slip into him, more powerful, more fluid than ever. This living energy was not simply a weapon; it was an extension of his being, a forcethat was just waiting to be set free.

He focused his mind, and the force of his katana exploded, creating a wave of energy that spread around him. The sergeant, surprised, was thrown off balance by the impact and found himself propelled backward. The other soldiers were also pushed by the force and fell to the ground.

Maylan did not let his victory distract him. He immediately turned to the other two soldiers who were quickly getting back up. He knew he had to buy time to prepare for the next assault. He focused, tightened his grip on his katana, and once again concentrated the energy of the Ether into his blade.

The fight was far from over, but Maylan was beginning to understand something crucial: he had the power to change the course of this battle, but he still needed to control his power.

An unexpected help

As Maylan was preparing to defend herself against the two remaining soldiers, a dull explosion shook the room. Kid, without warning, threw himself into the fight. He was fast, faster than Maylan would have thought possible. His katana danced in the air, blocking the soldiers' attacks with disconcerting ease.

Maylan felt a strange relief upon seeing Kid intervene. But he couldn't rest. He had not yet reached his goal. Kid wasn't fighting for him; it was up to Maylan to finish this fight by himself.

As Kid neutralized the other two soldiers in a flash, Maylan focused one last time on the Ether. He felt an intense heat spreading from his blade to his hands, then throughout his entire body. He was ready.

With a single fluid motion, he leaped forward, dodging a final shot from the sergeant's weapon. He sliced through the air, and in a fraction of a second, the sergeant found himself disarmed, his hands bound by the force of the Ether. Maylan had not killed, but he had neutralized the threat.

Silence fell. Kid, already on his feet, turned his gaze towards him with approval.

— Well played.

Maylan, panting, lowered his katana.

He had won.