(Katsuo POV)
Facing Malenia, Blade of Miquella, in the simulator, brought back memories of countless defeats. My record against her stood at 1-34, but this time, I felt different. My training over the past month, advancing to Apprentice Core - I, had significantly enhanced my abilities.
I breezed through her first two phases, with some mishaps due to the new Air Manipulation, but overall, my enhanced skills and improved stamina made the difference.
As Malenia entered her third phase, she transformed with six wings protruding behind her. Her new move, Scarlet Flowers, exuded Scarlet Rot, and would bloom into a devastating Scarlet Aeonia if left unchecked.
"You persist still?
Very well.
Embrace the final bloom of rot.
I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella.
In my shadow, none shall stand," she declared.
To counter her third phase, I maintained distance using air manipulation to create gusts that pushed me back whenever she closed the gap. Coating Sanchomo in tri-elemental energy, I launched a series of Judgment Cuts.
The added air manipulation made them faster and more unpredictable. My summoned swords attacked from multiple angles, creating openings for my primary strikes. Enhanced Shunpo allowed me to dodge her rapid, deadly attacks, making my movements fluid and unpredictable.
When she used Scarlet Flowers, I stayed constantly on the move, using Enhanced Shunpo to avoid the flowers and prevent them from blooming. Air manipulation dispersed the rot while fire incinerated the flowers before they could fully form.
In a decisive moment, I combined all my abilities into a single, powerful attack. With Sanchomo coated in tri-elemental energy and enhanced by air currents, I executed a series of rapid slashes, each hitting with devastating force. Malenia staggered, her form flickering as the combined might of my attacks overwhelmed her. With a final, decisive lunge, I drove Sanchomo through her, the blade crackling with fiery, electric energy.
As Malenia's form shattered, dissolving into a cascade of scarlet petals, the battlefield fell silent. The oppressive aura of her presence lifted, and I stood victorious at last. My record against Malenia was now even at 2-34.
"Third phase or not, I've finally conquered you," I muttered, feeling the weight of countless defeats finally lifted. This victory wasn't just a personal triumph; it was a testament to my growth and the power of relentless training. I felt more prepared than ever for the challenges that lay ahead.
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(Hank POV)
Exiting the portal with my teammates, I took a moment to appreciate the group I had come to trust so much.
John, our half-dwarf tinkerer, always had a gadget or two up his sleeve to get us out of tight spots.
Damysus, the half-giant guardian, was our shield, both literally and figuratively, his massive frame and unyielding strength a constant reassurance.
Valerie, our dhampir sorceress, was the brain and the magic behind our operations, her spells often turning the tide of battle in our favor.
And then there was me, Hank the human, playing the role of midguard, balancing between offense and defense.
Valerie had tried to bring Natalie into our fold, but Natalie was more of a scholar, preferring missions that involved creating life-saving medicine or vaccines rather than the gritty, combat-heavy work we often faced. It was a shame; she had potential, but everyone had their niche.
I had once suggested naming our group "Hank and the Three Musketeers," a whimsical idea that earned me a solid smack on the head from Valerie. She found it embarrassing, though I thought it had a certain charm.
Being regular "Cleansers" – a term John and I had coined for our line of work – came with its perks. One of them was the ability to rent a room in our base. I had rented a modest room, costing around 50,000 points per month. It wasn't extravagant, but it was comfortable and provided a necessary respite from the constant danger of our missions.
As we settled back into our routine, I couldn't help but think about the nature of our work. Each mission was a step towards maintaining the balance, a task that required constant vigilance and unyielding resolve. Our latest mission had been tough, but we had pulled through, as we always did.
"Hank," John's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You spacing out again?"
"Just thinking," I replied with a smile. "We did good today."
"Yeah, we did," Damysus rumbled, his deep voice full of satisfaction. "Let's hope it stays that way."
Valerie nodded, a rare smile gracing her lips. "We've got a good team. Let's keep it that way."
"But man, those goblins sure were tough," I said with a bit of exhaustion.
John chuckled, adjusting his gear. "Yeah, tougher than they look. Did you see the size of that chieftain? I thought Damysus was big, but that guy was a real monster."
Damysus grinned, his large frame blocking out the light from the overheads. "It's not the size that matters; it's how you use it. And we showed them how it's done."
Valerie rolled her eyes but there was a fondness in her voice. "You and your one-liners, Damysus. But you're right. We handled it well."
We walked down the corridor towards our rooms, the adrenaline from the mission slowly wearing off. The base was bustling with other teams coming and going, each with their own stories and battles to face. It was a constant reminder of the vastness of our task and the importance of our role.
"Look, a Chosen," John said, pointing at a man with an obviously flamboyant attire. He wore red armor seething with aura and carried a trident. He was followed by two more regular members: an archer in striking blue leather armor and a vanguard in grey heavy armor.
"They look exhausted. Wonder what they fought," Valerie said with curiosity.
"I know those guys. They're the Elementals," I said. "Hey Aldwin!" I waved at the Chosen and approached them. My teammates then followed, with a bit of pensiveness.
"How does he know so many Chosens?" Valerie asked with a bit of surprise.
"He's Hank. Hank does what he does best: making friends," John quipped.
"That's what makes him a great leader," Damysus added.
"Hello Hank," Aldwin said, holding his trident.
"Hello there, Hank!" Mathilde, their vanguard, said cheerfully.
"Hello," Raina the archer said.
I smiled at them. "You guys look like you've been through the wringer. What happened?"
Aldwin sighed. "We were up against a dragon. A nasty piece of work, that one. Took us the better part of a day to bring it down."
"Wow, a dragon," John said, visibly impressed. "No wonder you look beat."
Mathilde nodded. "It was tough, but we managed. How about you guys?"
"Goblins," I replied. "Nothing as spectacular as a dragon, but they were tough in their own way."
Raina chuckled. "It's always the small ones that cause the most trouble."
Valerie looked thoughtful. "I guess that's the nature of our work. Different challenges, but we all push through."
We exchanged a few more stories and laughs, the camaraderie evident despite the exhaustion. It was moments like these that reminded us why we did what we did.
"Alright, we should get some rest," Aldwin said finally. "Good seeing you, Hank. Take care, everyone."
"You too," I replied. "Rest up, and we'll catch up more later."
As the Elementals walked away, I turned back to my team. "See? Making friends is easy."
Valerie rolled her eyes but smiled. "You make it look easy, Hank."
We continued towards our rooms, then a thought came to my mind.
"A dragon, huh. Wonder when we'll get assigned to that," I said wistfully.
"We don't even have a Chosen in our team, and you want to fight a dragon? Even their Chosen looked beaten and exhausted," Valerie remarked.
"Can't a man hope? If we continue with this momentum, in a few months we'll reach A-5 rank." I said hopefully.
"It's possible," John, with his genius mind, answered. "Both you and Damysus are currently B-2, Valerie at B-3, and I'm at B-4."
"See," I pointed at John, "even John agrees," I said.
Valerie sighed but smiled. "I suppose with hard work, anything is possible. Just don't get us killed chasing after dragons."
Damysus chuckled, his deep voice resonating in the corridor. "With you as our sorceress, Val, I think we'll be just fine."
We reached our rooms and bid each other goodnight. As I settled in, the thought of fighting a dragon lingered in my mind. It was a distant dream, but not an impossible one. With my team by my side, I felt ready to take on any challenge, no matter how daunting.
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(Hank POV)
An alarm then waked me up from my dream, I dreamt of fighting a dragon with my three musketeers namely, John, Damysus, and Valerie. We killed it then brought peace to the kingdom.
Feeling happy and refreshed, I got up did my morning rituals, stretched for a little bit, donned a casual attire, then headed to our common meeting place, John's big room.
As I was walking to John's room, I saw Katsuo, his face serious, practically robotic. I shouted at him, "Hey Katsuo!" And to no one's surprise he didn't even turn.
"He's in his 'robot' mode again," I sighed feeling my mood down a bit, "I hope he'll do fine." With my fists unconsciously clenched, I headed to John's room.
I made my way to John's room, my thoughts still lingering on Katsuo. His focus and dedication were admirable, but sometimes it felt like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders alone.
Reaching John's door, I knocked lightly before entering. The familiar scent of coffee and the faint hum of various gadgets greeted me. John was already at his workbench, tinkering with some new contraption, and Damysus was sprawled on the couch, reading a book. Valerie was by the window, gazing out thoughtfully.
"Morning, everyone," I said, trying to shake off the lingering concern about Katsuo.
"Morning, Hank," John replied without looking up from his work. "Got a new idea for a device to enhance our communication during missions."
"Sounds great," I said, taking a seat. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"
Valerie turned from the window, her eyes thoughtful. "We've got a briefing in an hour. Some potential new missions, I hear."
Damysus closed his book and nodded. "Hopefully something challenging but manageable. I'm not quite ready to face a dragon just yet."
I chuckled. "Don't worry, Damysus. We'll get there eventually. One step at a time."
As we waited for the briefing, I couldn't help but think of Katsuo again. "By the way, I saw Katsuo earlier. He looked... intense. More than usual."
Valerie sighed. "He's been like that since last month. I heard it was important. Maybe we should check on him later, see if he needs anything."
"Good idea," I agreed. "But first, let's see what missions we've got lined up. Maybe a good challenge is exactly what we need to keep moving forward."
The room buzzed with a mix of anticipation and camaraderie as we prepared for the briefing, ready to face whatever new challenges awaited us.