An Astral is the absolute pinnacle of nature, being able to manipulate and transform energy as it sees fit to produce extraordinary results. When a human possesses the abilities of an Astral, the skills acquired result in the individual rising to a class of their own. No normal human should be able to challenge an Astral user.
So as Grace's head burst through the nearby drywall she couldn't help but wonder what the hell was happening.
Unparalleled speed, tremendous might, despite clearly not possessing an Astral, the blonde warrior who towered above Grace Matsushita was clearly no ordinary human.
Holding her wooden staff in one hand, Grace's eyes immediately lit up with a bright shade of green, allowing her to revert her position to how it was before being slammed through the wall. Even with the reversion of her own position, Grace's body still remembered the pain of the blonde attacker's impact.
Ignoring the pain, she spun on her heels, appearing behind the blonde woman in an instant. Her staff struck out with the intent of catching her attacker off guard.
But the blonde warrior was quick. Almost impossibly so.
In the moment her staff should have made contact, the woman ducked low, dodging Grace's strike by a hair's breadth. Her icy-blue eyes locked onto Grace's position as she pivoted, sweeping her leg in a wide arc. Grace barely managed to leap over the kick and swung her staff downward in retaliation.
The wooden staff whistled through the air, aimed at the blonde's exposed side, but at the last moment, the woman twisted her body, avoiding the blow by a fraction. She counterattacked immediately, her fist crashing into Grace's ribs with brutal force.
Grace let out a gasp of pain as she was thrown back, but before her body hit the ground, she activated Reversion again. She reappeared in the same spot she had been standing just before the punch, but her body still shuddered with the memory of the pain. Her breath was ragged, but she couldn't let it stop her. Not now.
The blonde woman lunged forward with an overhead strike, her speed blinding. Grace barely had time to bring her staff up to block. The force of the impact sent tremors through her arms, and she quickly reversed her position again, retreating behind her opponent.
Disoriented from the sudden shift, the blonde woman stumbled for just a second, and Grace seized the opportunity. She charged forward, swinging her staff in a wide arc aimed at the woman's exposed back.
But just before the strike landed, the woman dropped to the floor in a smooth motion, rolling away from the blow and back onto her feet. She dashed forward with impossible speed, slashing out with her sword which grazed Grace's arm.
Grace cursed under her breath. Blood trickled down her sleeve as she reeled back, activating Reversion once again. The blonde warrior, however, was catching on.
Each time Grace reverted her position, the woman adjusted more quickly. Her movements were becoming calculated, precise. Grace swung her staff again, trying to create space, but the woman stepped inside her guard, slashing at her side.
The cut was shallow, but the sting sent Grace stumbling back. She reversed her position once more, appearing to the side of her attacker, but this time, the woman was ready. She spun around just as Grace materialized, driving her knee into Grace's midsection before Grace could react.
Grace gasped, doubling over as the air was forced from her lungs. She activated her ability again out of instinct, reverting to a standing position. But the blonde was already there, swinging her sword in a sharp arc. Grace narrowly avoided the blade by raising her staff, but the woman's strikes were coming faster now, more relentless.
Grace: You really wanna kill me now huh… Mary?
The loss of blood and pain from multiple impacts was beginning to take a toll on the young girl. She took a minute to catch her breath, reading her opponent's name tag for the first time. For some reason the name seemed unfitting.
Claire: You wouldn't have any clue what it is that I want.
Grace: Fair enough.
The fight blurred into a chaotic dance of reversals and counters. Claire slashed and struck with savage precision, while Grace continued to use her Reversion to escape each near-fatal blow. But it was taking its toll. Every time Grace reversed, her body still carried the pain of every cut, every hit. Her movements were slowing, and her energy was draining.
Finally, Claire broke through. As Grace activated Reversion one last time, the woman anticipated her move, appearing at Grace's side just as she reappeared. With brutal efficiency, Claire swept Grace's legs out from under her and delivered a powerful strike to her shoulder with the hilt of her blade.
Grace collapsed to the ground, her staff clattering out of her grasp. Blood oozed from several cuts along her arms and torso, her body trembling from exhaustion. Claire loomed over her, breathing steadily as if the battle had been nothing more than a warm-up.
Grace tried to stand, but her legs refused to cooperate. Claire raised her leg, preparing to knock Grace unconscious.
Then, suddenly, a loud crash reverberated through the abandoned office room as a boy dressed in an oversized security uniform, came barreling through the wall, sending debris flying everywhere. Claire hesitated, her attention snapping toward the source of the noise. Grace, despite the pain, blinked through the haze, catching a glimpse of the fallen boy.
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As the dust settled from the wall Thomas had crashed through, Claire's eyes snapped to him, her instincts kicking in. She moved without thinking, rushing toward his fallen form. But before she could reach him, a sharp voice cut through the air.
???: Tora!
Claire barely had time to react before an old warrior lunged at her with terrifying speed. His katana gleamed, energy along its edge. Claire's sword came up just in time to block the first strike, but the force behind it sent a shudder through her arm.
The man's eyes were sharp, unrelenting. He didn't hesitate, his katana flashing in a blur of motion as he pressed forward, attacking with a ferocity that belied his age. Claire parried, her movements just as precise, but she was forced back, step by step. Each time she thought she'd adjusted to his rhythm, the man's stance would shift.
Old Man: Taka!
With a burst of speed, Claire's assailant pivoted, his katana sweeping horizontally. Claire barely ducked in time, feeling the air whistle above her head. She countered with a low strike toward his legs, but the warrior danced out of reach, his reflexes impossibly sharp.
What the hell is he?
Claire thought, her mind racing. She had never fought someone this old who could keep up with her—let alone match her blow for blow.
Except of course…
His fighting style was erratic yet fluid, constantly evolving. His shouts weren't for show; each time he yelled out he seemed to alter his entire body, increasing his speed, strength, or agility in an instant. Claire was relentless in her counterattacks, but his swift transitions kept her from gaining the upper hand.
Old Man: Ōkami!
The man's body seemed to coil like a spring, his katana slicing toward Claire with predatory precision. She blocked, but the sheer force behind the strike rattled her to the core. Before she could recover, he shifted again.
Old Man: Zō!
Claire had no time to brace herself. The man's stance widened, and his next stomp was like a shockwave, the ground beneath them trembling as he charged with the full weight of an unstoppable beast. His katana came down with the force of a sledgehammer, and Claire was thrown off balance, her defenses shattered.
The blow sent her crashing through a nearby office wall, wood and drywall exploding outward as she tumbled into the adjoining room.
Claire's vision blurred for a moment, the impact disorienting her, but when her eyes refocused, she found herself staring at an entirely different scene.
A group of businessmen were seated around a long, polished table, stunned by her sudden entrance. Papers scattered into the air as the boardroom turned into chaos.
Claire: Excuse the intrusion.
Claire politely raised her hand in apology while rolling on the ground, barely avoiding another stomp from the crazed attacker.
Claire: I'd suggest taking the exit to your left.
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Thomas groaned as he struggled to push himself off the floor, his entire body aching from the impact of being tossed around like a rag doll by the old man. Every movement sent jolts of pain shooting through his limbs, but he knew he couldn't afford to stay down. Not now.
As he attempted to stand, a sudden blur of motion caught his eye. The dark haired girl, still battered and bruised from her fight with Claire, was rushing toward him, her staff raised. The cuts and bruises covering her body didn't seem to slow her down. Thomas barely had time to roll out of the way as her staff slammed into the ground where he had been.
Panting, Thomas got to his feet, narrowly dodging another swing.
She's fast, but not very precise.
Her attacks were wild, almost desperate, but her speed made up for her lack of finesse.
Thomas saw an opening and lunged, hoping to knock the staff from her hands. But just as he was about to strike, Grace's eyes flashed with that eerie green light again.
In an instant, her body flickered and reappeared behind him, disorienting him just long enough for her to land a solid blow to his ribs. Thomas stumbled, gasping as the pain surged through him.
Thomas: Damn it—you're using that again.
He tried to turn, but Grace was already in motion, her staff coming down hard on his shoulder. He grunted in pain, feeling his knees buckle slightly under the force.
Grace: Who are you?!
Grace demanded between strikes, her voice laced with frustration.
Grace: What are you even doing here?
Thomas tried to answer, but every time he opened his mouth, Grace's staff found another target, forcing the breath from his lungs. He couldn't get a straight answer out, couldn't think clearly with the barrage of attacks.
Thomas: I don't—
He gasped, sidestepping a particularly vicious swing.
Thomas: I don't owe you any explanations!
Grace's eyes narrowed, and she swung harder, catching him in the side.
Grace: Then I'll beat it out of you.
Thomas coughed violently as he felt something hot rise in his throat. Blood. He staggered back, clutching his ribs, barely able to keep himself upright.
Thomas: I am so tired… of getting my ass beat.
With a surge of determination, Thomas charged straight for her, adrenaline numbing his pain. But just as he closed the gap, Grace activated Reversion again. Her body flickered, and before Thomas could adjust, her staff connected with his chest, sending him flying backward into a nearby wall.
The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. His vision blurred for a moment as he tried to steady himself, the weight of the battle pressing down on him.
This doesn't look winnable.
Ignoring the protests from his aching body, he scrambled to his feet and bolted for the hallway.
Grace shouted something behind him, but Thomas didn't stop. His legs carried him through the narrow corridors of the building, each step a reminder of how much his body was failing him. He ducked around corners, not looking back, just running.
But just as he passed the set of doors he had seen earlier, he skidded to a halt. Loud, panicked screaming echoed from inside a nearby conference room. The sound cut through the silence, sharp and terrified.
Thomas hesitated, every instinct screaming at him to keep moving, to avoid getting pulled into whatever chaos lay ahead. But the desperate screams on the other side of the door clawed at him, a sinking feeling forming in his gut. He gritted his teeth, fingers tightening around the door handle as he forced it open and stepped inside.
The conference room lay in ruins. A massive, lion-like beast loomed over the scene, its hulking frame covered in dark, matted fur that bristled with sharp, jagged spikes running along its spine. Muscles rippled beneath its coat, and its amber eyes burned with an eerie, unnatural glow. The beast let out a rumbling, guttural growl, low and menacing, sending a shudder through Thomas as he took in the creature's terrifying presence.
The room was chaos. Chairs lay splintered, tables overturned, papers strewn like fallen leaves. Businesspeople scrambled frantically, trying to find any escape from the nightmare that had descended upon them. Their terrified cries echoed off the walls as they pushed against each other in desperate attempts to get away. But the beast was everywhere—its huge paws, tipped with claws as long as daggers, tore through everything in its path.
At the head of the fleeing pack was Thomas's target, Margarett. Her face was pale, eyes wide as she tried to keep as much distance as she could from the monster. She darted around the wreckage, glancing over her shoulder, but each move she made seemed to bring her closer into the beast's line of sight. She stumbled, narrowly missing a swipe of the creature's massive claws, and let out a strangled cry as she scrambled to her feet, desperation etched into every movement.
The beast's gaze landed on Margarett, a growl rumbling deep in its throat as it fixed on her with deadly intent.
Without thinking, Thomas ran forward, his heart pounding in his chest.
No, no, no—
But the creature moved with unnatural speed.
In one horrifying leap, the beast lunged across the room, its jaws snapping shut around Margarett. She barely had time to scream before the creature's teeth pierced her flesh. Blood splattered across the table as her lifeless body fell to the floor.
Thomas froze, his legs giving out beneath him as he collapsed to his knees. His mind raced, but his body wouldn't move. He had been too late.
The image of Margarett's death burned into his mind, replaying in his head. The sight of her blood pooling across the polished floor left him shaking. He had failed.
Grace burst into the room moments later, her staff raised and ready to strike. But the second she saw the beast, the blood, and the bodies, her steps faltered. The rage she had been carrying moments ago drained away, replaced by a paralyzing sense of horror.
Grace: What... what is that?
Both of them sat frozen in place, unable to tear their eyes away from the monstrous creature, which now turned its attention toward them.
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Claire felt the cool A/C air biting at her skin as she stepped back, wiping sweat from her brow. The skirmish had taken its toll; a few cuts marred her arms, each sting a reminder of the old man's relentless assault. She pushed through the pain, her breaths coming in heavy bursts.
The old man paused for a moment, a glimmer of respect flickering in his eyes.
Old Man: I must say, you've got some skill with that sword, girl, reminds me of someone I once knew.
Claire: Now, would you consider turning the other way? Just as a token of good faith?
The man erupted in laughter, a deep, hearty sound that echoed through the clearing.
Old Man: Not a chance!
With a flick of his wrist, he lunged forward, his katana slicing through the air with terrifying precision. Claire barely managed to parry his first blow, the shock reverberating through her body. She quickly regained her footing, but the old man's relentless strikes were a whirlwind, a storm of blurring motion and deadly intent.
As they continued their fierce exchange, Claire began to realize that she was putting in far more effort than she had anticipated. Her muscles screamed in protest as she blocked and countered his blows, each parry pushing back against the sheer force of his attacks. It became evident that the old man was no ordinary opponent; he was a seasoned warrior, and Claire was feeling the weight of their duel.
Old Man: Kuma!
Without skipping a beat the man shoved his katana into the wall where Claire's head was a second ago, causing it to completely crumble under his intense strength. If Claire was hit by even one of the man's strikes she knew with absolute certainty her body wouldn't hold up. Deciding there was no reason to hold back anymore, Claire quickly raised her sword above her head. As the man went for another strike she parried, shifting the energy exerted from the man's sword softening the blow. While the impact was still harsh, she was able to take it in one piece.
Old Man: Ha! There's no doubt about it! You're definitely a disciple of Oskar huh!
When Claire didn't respond the man burst out laughing again, barely able to contain himself.
Old Man: If that's the case, I have no reason to go easy on you any longer! I'm sure Oskar told you about it. About my soul right? The soul of Kazuki Matsushita!
In an explosive movement, the old man raised his sword high, and with a voice that reverberated like thunder.
Kazuki: Seiryū!
The words hung in the air like a challenge, electrifying the atmosphere. Claire's eyes flickered momentarily as the katana erupted in brilliant blue flames, illuminating the surroundings in a surreal glow.
The first strike came like a bolt of lightning, and Claire barely managed to dodge, feeling the heat of the flames singe the air around her. Her heart raced, and she drew on every ounce of energy within her, channeling it into her movements to lessen the impact of his blows. Each clash of their swords sent shockwaves through her body, reverberating like an earthquake.
Kazuki smiled slightly. He was having fun now.
Claire's muscles burned, and she could feel her strength waning. Each movement became heavier, more labored. She was starting to realize the true extent of her opponent's power. With a determined growl, she pushed through the fatigue, launching a series of strikes in quick succession, her blade a flurry of motion.
But the old man laughed, the sound booming around them.
Just as she prepared for another strike, Kazuki suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing as he sensed something behind him. Claire followed his gaze and scowled.
Emerging from the shadows was a massive wolf-like beast, its body covered in sharp, glinting spikes that caught the light ominously.
Before the beast could even leap to attack Claire, the old man pierced its head with his katana, setting the beast aflame. He quickly turned his head to Claire, the smile on his face drained and forgotten.
Kazuki: You working with them?
Claire shook her head, her expression now icy.
The beast behind Kazuki began to raise slowly, ignoring the flames that had engulfed it. Without even turning his head Kazuki sliced the air behind him. For a moment it seemed that nothing had happened, but when Claire blinked, the beast's head was no longer attached to its burning body. Kazuki sheathed his katana and walked towards Claire, wiping black blood that dripped from his face.
Kazuki: Then this might be worse than I had thought.