Clang! Chang!
The sound of the metal clashing echoed in the training hall. I leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the sweeping strike of the training robot.
The robot lowered its body, and with a burst of speed it instantly closed in. The fists approaching me with a blur of speed.
Swoosh! Clang!
I kept a tight grip on the twin blades, blocking and counterattacking the robots attack.
Every time I dodged one of its powerful blows, I felt my muscles tense and burn with exertion. But I pushed forward, not caring about any of that.
"With the absorption gacha skill, I can grow stronger quickly..." I muttered, side-stepping a punch and slashing at the robot's arm, "... but this growth speed is still not enough."
The robot whirred, its sensors locking onto me as I darted around it. It swung again, faster this time, forcing me to parry the strike. The force of the impact made my arms numb. I could feel my stamina waning, but I had to keep going. My mind was racing with thoughts of what was to come.
'The second-year arc is already dangerous,' I ducked, dodging another blow. 'And with that entity's interference, I have a really bad feeling... It's going to be even worse than before.'
Coating the dagger with mana, I rushed in. With a fluid motion, I sliced through the robot's defense, severing its arm.
Thud!
The robot stumbled backwards, sparks flying from the damaged joint. 'Good, my whole power ranges from E- to E rank but not a solid E.' I looked at the robot, surged forward to finish the fight.
Buzz! Buzz!
I froze mid-strike, narrowly avoiding the robot's counterattack as the buzzing from my smartwatch broke my concentration. My gaze flicked to the device on my wrist, the screen flashing repeatedly with notifications.
"Who the fuck is messaging me at this hour?" I muttered, dodging another attack from the robot before deactivating it with a command on the control panel nearby.
Panting heavily, I stepped back and glanced at the time. It was almost 6 AM. Sweat dripped from my forehead as I wiped my face with the back of my hand. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
Buzz! Buzz!
The watch buzzed again, flashing a name I wasn't expecting.
'Ezreya'
Her name appeared repeatedly in the notifications, with message after message asking if I was okay.
[Ezreya: Jadel, are you okay?]
[Ezreya: You're fine, right?]
[Ezreya: I hope you're fine.]
[Ezreya: Message me if you see this.]
[Ezreya: Call me as soon as you see this. I'm worried about you.]
My thoughts shifted away from the fight as I stared at her messages. Concern? From her? I wasn't used to anyone genuinely worrying about me, especially not someone like Ezreya.
"What do I do?"
Buzzzz! Buzzzz!
My watch buzzed again, and the holographic screen lit up, showing the incoming call from Ezreya. 'She must have seen that I saw her messages.' I took the call.
"Hello"
("Jadel, are you okay? Were you injured? It's nothing serious, right? Where are you? Can I come to see you?")
'So many questions.' Her words came fast; one after another, I was bombarded with so many questions. But I could tell she was genuinely concerned about me. And the concern in her voice felt... strange.
I wasn't used to this. But a small part of me felt a flicker of warmth at her words, knowing someone cared about me and my well being.
"There are so many questions. What should I answer first?" There was no reply for a moment.
("... Are you okay?")
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine; it's been two days, right?"
("I… I'm sorry")
"Hmm, for what?"
("It's been two days since the incident. I didn't know something like that happened until Efline told me.")
'Wow, her network information gathering is really slow, huh.'
"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault." I reassured her, though I wasn't entirely sure why she felt so guilty.
("But…) She paused for a second, seemingly thinking something ("Can I come see you?"
"Nah, you don't have to trouble yourself; I'm perfectly fine."
("But–") She hesitated, but I cut her off before she could finish.
"I said I'm perfectly fine. You don't have to be concerned."
("…") There was no reply from her.
She fell silent again. I realized I might have been too harsh, especially when she was just trying to check on me.
"You weren't stammering when you talked to me. Did you become a confident girl in just a few days?" I said, trying to lighten up the mood.
("H-h-h-how c-could I s-stammer?… I was afraid something might have happened to you."
'She genuinely cares about me, huh, but I'm sorry.'
"You don't have to be afraid; I'm perfectly fine, and you can meet me another time."
Suddenly she became really happy and chirped like a little girl ("Really?! When can I meet you? is it soon?")
"I will tell you the time when I'm free; right now I'm a little busy."
("It's a promise then.")
"Yeah, yeah, it's a promise. Anyway, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."
("Bye, see you soon")
The call ended, leaving me staring at the now silent room. "Sigh, poor girl." Leaving all the thoughts of her, I slumped back against the wall, feeling the mix of exhaustion and uncertainty.
I had grown stronger, and I knew I would become even stronger, but something deep inside me told me it still wasn't enough.
"Sigh... What do I do now?" I muttered to myself, glancing back at the mechanical training robot.
***
***
***
Inside a room decorated with pastel colors and plushies of cute monsters, the atmosphere looked cozy and warm. The room screamed "girly," from the frilly curtains to the delicate floral patterns on the walls.
Two elves sat on a plush bed, engaged in a quiet conversation.
"So is he fine?" An elf asked, She has silver hair that cascades down to the bed. Her emerald green eyes, which looked like a forest, looked at the elf in front of her. It was Efline Jadel's cousin's sister.
Ezreya, the other elf, nodded half-heartedly. She shared the same silver hair, though hers was slightly shorter, framing her face. What made her stand out were her crimson red eyes that seemed to reflect blood and her sharp canines that resembled those of a vampire.
"He's fine," Ezreya replied with a small sigh, slumping back against the bed's cushioned headboard. But the sadness in her eyes didn't match her words.
Efline raised an eyebrow, noticing her friend's mood. "Then why the long face?" she asked, genuinely puzzled by Ezreya's lack of enthusiasm.
Ezreya fiddled with the edge of the blanket, avoiding eye contact. "It feels like he doesn't want me around... like he's not happy that I'm visiting him."
Her voice grew smaller as she pulled the blanket up to cover half her face, hiding the disappointment in her expression.
Efline blinked in surprise. "Wait, what? Then why were you so excited earlier, asking, 'Really? When can I meet you? Is it soon?'" She teased, mimicking Ezreya's voice and mannerisms and showing her the exaggerated version.
Ezreya's face turned even sadder as she buried herself deeper into the blanket. "I think... he was just trying to cheer me up. That's all."
"That basterd," Efline muttered, shaking her head in disappointment.
With a smile, she quickly reached over and yanked the blanket away, exposing Ezreya's face. Without warning, she grabbed her friend's pointed ears, which had drooped in her melancholy. "Come on, cheer up!"
"Kyaaaaaa!" Ezreya screamed in pain as Efline pulled her ears upwards, fixing them back up to their usual position.
"There. You look better already," Efline teased, releasing her grip. "Listen, if you want him to like you, you need to be confident! You're stunning, Ezreya. Who wouldn't fall for a beauty like you? I'm sure even Jadel can't resist your charm."
Ezreya's pale cheeks flushed a deep pink, and even her ears turned red as she quickly covered her face with her hands. Peeping out from a gap in her fingers, she asked, "R-Really? You think... he'd fall for me?"
Efline's heart swelled at the sight of her friend's adorable reaction. 'Gods, she's too cute. My heart can't take this.' With a mischievous glint in her eye, Efline gripped Ezreya's shoulders, leaning in closer. "If Jadel doesn't want you... I'll become your husband! I'd happily change my gender for you."
"Huh" Ezreya's expression changed instantly. She crawled back quickly, put up a guard, and looked at Efline with an expression that said, 'Are you serious?
"Don't look at me like that; it was a joke, a joke." To her words, Ezreya's guard only increased. Taking the blanket, she covered herself.
"It's a joke. I'M INTO GUYS!" Efline said loudly. "Sigh—I can't even joke with you."
Ezreya peeked out from under the blanket, her expression a mixture of relief and embarrassment. "Y-You shouldn't joke about stuff like that."
Efline chuckled, shaking her head. "Fine, fine. But seriously, cheer up, okay? Jadel might not show it, but I bet he appreciates your visits. You just have to be patient."
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room, a middle aged man sat in a chair. The holographic screen illuminating his face and showing his features. "So, did you find out who broke into the academy?" He asked the young man in front of him, his voice cold and authoritative.
The youth, who looked barely in his twenties, shifted uncomfortably before answering. "No, sir, the team we dispatched were all dead. But we found a trace of demonic energy in one dead body. If we hadn't thoroughly inspected the body again and again, we couldn't have found the trace. Whoever did this... he is a professional."
The old man's eyes darkened, his hand clenching tightly. "Demonic energy... So, it's their work, huh?"
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as if considering something deeply. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice low but commanding. "You can stop the investigation."
The youth blinked in surprise but quickly masked his reaction. "Yes, sir," he responded obediently.
"You're dismissed."
With a respectful bow, the young man exited the room, leaving the older man alone in the flickering darkness. The room was silent for a long moment before the man let out a deep sigh.
"Let's tighten the security tenfold this time. It's better than fighting the unknown and causing unnecessary casualties."
As he spoke, mana began to swirl around him, faintly illuminating his figure. His beard and hair started to glow with a soft light. And the room started to tremble under his pressure.
"Let's see how you filthy bastards break in this time."
Crack! Crack!