The girl kept swinging her blood needles at me, her fury escalating with each attack. "I won't take orders from a commoner like you! My mood is terrible, and I'm going to kill you right now!" she screamed, her voice trembling with near-hysterical rage.
Luna, standing behind me, looked panicked. Her voice quivered as she called out, "Navigator! What should we do?! She's completely insane!"
I remained silent, unfazed by the chaos. Instead, I stood still, observing the girl with a blank expression. My mind was busy processing the increasingly bizarre situation.
Why is she attacking me? Did she just call me a commoner? Has she lost her mind entirely? Is this how she always is, or did I just happen to catch her at the worst possible moment?
She attacked again, the blood needles hurtling toward me at incredible speed. But once again, the system's screen popped up with the same warning: [Warning: Friendly fire is not allowed]. The needles shattered before reaching me.
I glanced at the warning screen and then back at the girl, who looked increasingly frustrated. Her hands trembled as new blood needles formed in the air around her. She glared at me, seemingly searching for another way to harm me.
Behind me, Luna was on the verge of tears. "Navigator, do something! She won't stop trying to kill you!"
I ignored Luna for a moment—not because I didn't care, but because I was starting to realize something. I… wasn't afraid. Not in the slightest.
On the contrary, I felt… amused? Excited? The sensation bubbled up in my chest, making it hard to suppress a smile. What was wrong with me? Why was I enjoying this? This girl was clearly dangerous, but watching her futile attempts to hurt me felt… amusing?
I almost laughed. Seriously, what was this? She was furious, Luna was panicked, and I… felt like I was watching a ridiculous play. The girl looked so helpless against me. Her blood needles couldn't penetrate the system's protective screen, and with every failed attempt, her anger only grew at something completely beyond her control.
"Why… why can't I kill you?!" the girl screamed again, her voice thick with frustration. Her fists clenched, and the blood around her swirled wildly, forming even more needles that she launched at me. The result? The same. Everything shattered before reaching me.
I looked up at her, my expression relaxed. "Are you done?" I finally asked. My voice was calm, almost as if I were speaking to a friend.
She froze momentarily, seemingly unable to believe what I'd just said. "What?"
"You've tried several times, and none of your attacks have worked. Maybe you should take a break?" I couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
The girl glared at me with a hatred that felt almost tangible. "You… dare to mock me like that!" She readied another attack, but this time I raised a hand.
I stood still, letting her continue her relentless barrage of attacks. The blood needles flew at me again and again, all to no avail. The system's warning kept appearing: [Warning: Friendly fire is not allowed].
I sighed and opened the system screen. "Alright, who are you, really?" I muttered, pulling up her unit profile. Her furious gaze remained locked on me, but I chose to ignore her for a moment.
The information appeared before me.
---
Elizabeth Bathory "Blood Countess" (SSR)
Role: Damage Dealer/Burst
Level: 1
Abilities:
Active Skill 1 – Blood Slash
Active Skill 2 – Crimson Needles
Passive Skill – Blood Feast
Ultimate Skill – Blood Maiden of Death
---
I tilted my head, reading the details casually. "So, you're a pure damage dealer, huh? Level 1, but with skills like these, you have serious potential," I said, more to myself than to her.
I turned to her and smiled. "Congratulations. You're the first true DPS SSR unit in my team." I chuckled softly, unable to hide my excitement.
The girl glared at me with an indescribable fury. "You… you dare laugh at me?!" she shouted. Her face turned crimson with rage as the blood around her spun wildly, forming larger and sharper needles.
She launched another brutal assault, even faster than before, but once again, the system's shield stopped everything. I remained motionless, standing there with a relaxed smile on my face.
"You know, that attack might have been scary if I weren't protected," I said, watching the needles disintegrate in the air. "But now, it just looks like a futile effort."
Her face flushed even redder, this time perhaps not just from anger but from sheer frustration. "Shut up!" she screamed, stepping forward and attacking again, this time with her bare hands. But I still didn't move, simply smiling calmly.
The longer I observed her, the more entertained I felt. What exactly was I feeling? Fear? No. I felt... happy? Amused? I wasn't sure, but the entire situation was oddly tickling.
I took a step forward, slowly approaching her. "Hey, calm down. There's no need to be this brutal. We can talk."
But she stepped back, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing? Don't come any closer!" she shouted, her voice now sounding more like a warning than a threat.
I stopped, gazing at her curiously. "Why? Are you scared?" I asked, half-jokingly. But her reaction surprised me. She genuinely stepped back again, and even the blood swirling around her seemed to lose its control.
With one last effort, she yelled, "Stay away from me!" and swung her hand, attempting to slap me.
I caught her hand easily. Her fingers were cold, almost like ice. I stared into her eyes, now filled with fear—a stark contrast to the courage and anger she had shown earlier.
"Why are you so scared?" I asked softly, leaning in closer to her face.
She said nothing, her breath coming in shallow gasps. I studied her, trying to understand what had brought her to this state. What I found was something… fascinating. Deeply fascinating.
"You know," I began softly, my voice lower than usual, "I've encountered plenty of crazy girls like you before. Girls who always want to rebel, refuse to be controlled, and think everyone around them is beneath them." I smirked, watching her expression slowly shift. "But do you know what? I actually really like that type."
She fell silent, not saying a word, but I could feel her hand trembling. I looked at her casually, my smile unwavering. "From your title…" I glanced briefly at the system screen beside me. "'Blood Countess,' huh? So, you're a noble? That fits perfectly. A crazy girl with high status? I like that."
She tried to pull her hand away, but I tightened my grip, leaving no room for escape. "Are you scared?" I asked in a tone bordering on mockery. "Weren't you just so eager to kill me? Where's all that bravery now?"
She opened her mouth, perhaps intending to say something, but only air escaped. I lowered her hand slowly but still didn't release it. With my free hand, I lifted her chin, forcing her to look directly at me. "You know what's even more interesting?" I whispered. "I really enjoy crazy girls. The more you resist, the more I enjoy this."
Her eyes began to glisten with tears. "I... I'm sorry," she finally said, her voice trembling. "I... shouldn't have attacked you…"
My smile widened. "Oh, you think an apology is enough?" I asked, letting my hand drop from her chin but keeping my gaze fixed on her. I then turned to Luna, who stood not far behind me, her face pale as a sheet.
"Luna, step outside," I ordered calmly.
She hesitated. "B-but…"
"Step outside," I repeated, this time with a firmer tone. "I want to speak with her privately. Nothing will happen, I promise."
Luna bit her lip but eventually nodded reluctantly. "A-alright…" With hesitant steps, she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.
I shifted my focus back to the girl in front of me. "Now we can talk more calmly," I said. I stepped closer, tilting my head slightly. "Do you know what we're going to do now?"
She didn't respond, only looking at me with a mix of fear and confusion.
"We're going to start a correction session," I said in a tone that was almost playful, but my smile betrayed no hint of jest. "I want to ensure that you understand your place in this team. And more importantly, you understand your place before me."
She swallowed hard, her body trembling slightly. I stared at her more intently, feeling satisfied with her reaction. "Don't worry," I continued, lowering my voice to a whisper. "I'll make sure you never forget this session."
The room grew quieter than ever, filled only with the sound of her shallow breathing. I wasn't in a rush, savoring every second of the tension lingering between us.
***