In a pleasant, deep evening, the forest stretched out in quiet layers of shadow and silver light. The stars above shone through the thin canopy, while a cool breeze whispered through the leaves.
Far from the small camp where Yuna and the boy now slept soundly beneath blankets of woven cloth, Aoi stood alone beneath a tall cedar, her arms crossed.
Her sharp eyes flicked through the trees, gaze calm but alert.
"Come on," she called out, her strong voice cutting through the silence. "Show yourself."
She shifted her stance, boot scraping softly against the mossy ground. Her head turned slightly as she glanced left, then right.
"I know you've been watching us... even before we got here."
For a long moment, nothing moved.
Then—a faint shift behind the nearest line of trees. A cloaked figure leaned against the rough bark, half-hidden in the shadows.
"How did you know?" the figure asked, voice low and smooth, touched with surprise.
Aoi grinned, one hand resting lightly on her hip.
"The way you smell," she replied, eyes gleaming. "You reek of fear and bad intent. Feels like shit."
Her words landed with a mocking edge, sharp as any blade.
The figure stiffened.
"Kill her now!" it shouted, voice snapping through the trees like a whip.
In an instant, the quiet night shattered—branches rustling, shadows moving fast around Aoi as unseen figures began to close in.
The first figure burst forward—cloak flaring, blade flashing in the starlight. The slash came fast—low and wide, aimed to catch Aoi across the side.
But Aoi was faster.
In one smooth motion, she sidestepped the arc of steel and snatched the attacker's shoulder with a sharp grip. Using the force of his own charge, she planted her boots and twisted her body, pushing off the ground.
With a controlled spin, she shifted behind him in a blink—her shoulder and full weight slamming hard into his back.
"Guh—!"
The man's breath burst out as his body crashed into a thick tree trunk with a heavy, cracking thud. Bark splintered from the impact, and he slumped to the ground in a daze, gasping.
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Aoi's eyes narrowed—a throwing knife spun toward her head, fast and precise.
She tilted her head slightly, the blade slicing past her cheek by a hair's breadth—close enough for her to feel the cold bite of wind in its wake.
Before her boots had even settled, two more figures darted in from the left and right—one with twin daggers, the other with a hooked blade.
Aoi smiled.
As the first lunged with a high slash, Aoi's body shifted like water—ducking low, letting the blade pass over her shoulder. At the same moment, she planted her palm against the attacker's thigh and swept her leg sharply, knocking him off balance.
The second figure came fast, aiming for her exposed side.
Without fully rising, Aoi arched backward, twisting at the waist—her body bending almost unnaturally as the hook passed inches from her ribs.
In a single flowing motion, she planted both hands to the ground and kicked upward—heel striking the attacker's wrist. The blade spun from his hand into the air.
Aoi rolled through the motion, coming up in a crouch—eyes gleaming, a playful smirk curling her lips.
"Too slow."
A sudden shift in the light caught Aoi's eye—a shadow falling fast across the ground.
She glanced up, instincts flaring.
Above her, a shadowed figure descended from the treetops, a massive greatsword raised high overhead. The blade gleamed ominously in the starlight, poised to strike her down in a single crushing blow.
Aoi's smile widened.
"There you are."
In an instant, her stance shifted—muscles coiling like steel beneath her skin. Her arms tensed, the lines of her well-toned frame tightening. Her abs hardened beneath the curve of her midriff, each breath steady, controlled.
The blade came down with a thunderous force—aimed to cleave her in two.
Aoi didn't dodge.
With a sharp breath, she raised both hands—palms open—and caught the greatsword mid-swing.
CLANG—!
The impact sent a deep tremor through the ground. Dust and loose leaves burst outward in a shockwave.
Aoi slid back an inch, boots digging into the earth—but she held firm.
"Tch—heavy... but not heavy enough."
Her fingers dug into the blade's cold steel. Veins traced lightly along her arms, her shoulders flexed under the strain. A low, gritted chuckle rose from her throat—grinning even as the weight of the sword bore down.
"You'll have to do better than that."
The figure above wavered in surprise, shifting uncertainly.
Aoi's grip tightened.
Aoi's grin sharpened.
"Too slow."
Before the figure could press down harder with the greatsword, Aoi shifted her weight and shot her elbow upward—slamming it hard into his forearm.
"Tch—!"
The attacker's arm jolted, loosening his grip.
Aoi didn't waste a second—her body flowed in tight motion. She pivoted sharply and drove her elbow again, this time crashing against the side of his cheek.
Crack—!
The figure reeled sideways, teeth gritting.
Aoi's feet slid in smoothly—swaying right, her hips rotating with coiled force. Three lightning-fast left punches hammered into his exposed stomach—
thmp—thmp—THMP!
"Guh—!"
The attacker doubled slightly, breath knocked loose, eyes flashing in fury.
Snarling, he swung his right arm in a wild arc to catch her.
But Aoi was already in motion—bending her body backward in a smooth arch, the strike missing her by inches. The glimmer of sweat traced the curve of her abs as she dropped low, eyes gleaming.
The figure grunted, regaining footing, and yanked the greatsword free with a sharp pull—grip tightening.
"RAAH—!"
He swung the blade in a heavy, horizontal sweep—aimed to split the space before him.
But Aoi was gone.
A blur of motion—vanished from his line of sight.
"Wha—?!"
In a flash, Aoi blinked in front of him—body low, left arm pulled back, palm open, her smile fierce.
"Retsu Shō"
(Violent Palm.)
Her palm shot forward—force bursting outward in a violent shockwave.
BOOM—!!
The attacker barely managed to raise his greatsword across his body. The impact struck the blade with brutal force, sending a resounding crack through the air.
He was blown backward, boots skidding deep into the earth, furrows marking his path. Leaves and dust burst outward around him.
"Tsk..." he spat, breath ragged, adjusting his stance. "I'll take care of her myself."
His head turned briefly.
"Clean the other ones first!" he barked toward the shadows—ordering the remaining figures to move.
"As if." Aoi smirked coldly, eyes flashing.
Without hesitation, she lunged forward—body low, muscles flowing in smooth strides—aiming to cut off the fleeing figures racing toward the sleeping camp.
But a sudden shift in the air snapped her instincts to high alert.
A sharp hum—a slicing force screamed toward her.
"Tch—!"
In a heartbeat, Aoi twisted her body sideways—dodging just in time as a powerful crescent of slicing energy ripped through the space she had occupied a moment before.
The force of it grazed her side, wind howling past her ear as it carved deep into the trees behind—trunks splintering with a sharp crack.
She skidded to a stop, breath sharp, eyes narrowing toward the source.
"Tsk."
Her fist gritted tight, knuckles whitening—veins pulsing slightly along her forearm.
"Getting serious now, huh?" she muttered under her breath, eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.
Back at the camp, where the fire had burned low to a faint orange glow, Yuna's eyes twitched open, a subtle instinct tugging at her from sleep.
A faint sound—like distant steel, like rushed footsteps beyond the trees.
Her ears perked, breath catching.
She began to sit up, concern flaring behind her violet-gray eyes—was Aoi fighting?
But before she could fully rise, a hand gently pressed against her lips.
"Mmph...!"
Startled, her eyes widened—only to find the boy, now awake, leaning close. His movements were weak but deliberate.
One trembling finger rose in front of his own lips—telling her without words: shh.
His eyes had changed—light crystalline blue, glowing faintly in the dark. They held a calm focus far beyond what she had seen in him before—as if some deep instinct had awoken.
Yuna stilled, nodding faintly, her breath slow against his hand.
The boy's gaze flicked sharply toward the trees beyond the camp. He released her gently, then motioned with a subtle tilt of his head.
Together, moving with the utmost care, they slipped from their blankets, her fingers instinctively grasping his weak arm to steady him.
Low to the ground, they crept behind a thick cluster of bushes—nestling deep into the shadowed undergrowth.
Hidden beneath wide leaves, Yuna held her breath. The boy crouched beside her, posture fragile but alert—those crystalline blue eyes never leaving the treeline.
Above the soft sounds of the forest, the echoes of Aoi's fight carried faintly through the air—heavy impacts, sharp clashes.
Closer now—new footsteps approaching the camp.
Yuna's fingers tensed around the boy's wrist. But he glanced at her again, calm and clear—still urging: stay quiet... wait...
The two of them watched in silence—the night no longer peaceful, but full of unseen danger.
"Damn it..." Yuna whispered under her breath, eyes narrowing.
Through a gap in the leaves, her sharp gaze caught a glimpse of shadowed figures—closing in fast.
The way they moved—too familiar.
"They've already found us," she murmured, a flicker of frustration flashing across her face.
She pressed herself deeper into the cover of the bushes, her breath steady but tight.
A quick glance toward the boy—his crystalline blue eyes watching her calmly, silently.
"Sorry for dragging you into this," Yuna whispered softly, her voice low but sincere. "But I promise—we're not the bad ones here."
She held his gaze for a heartbeat—hoping he understood.
Then—her fingers moved quickly to her pocket.
She drew out a small metal-crafted circle—intricate in design, no larger than her palm. Fine engravings of interwoven lines covered its surface—runes and geometric patterns faintly glowing in the dim light.
She took a slow breath, focusing.
"Time to even this out..."
With a smooth motion, she pressed her fingers across its surface—the metal shifting with a soft mechanical hum.
The circle folded inward, its components sliding and clicking together, forming a fluid, seamless structure. As it folded, the metal merged into her palm and fingers, like liquid steel fusing with flesh.
In seconds, her entire right hand transformed—shimmering metallic silver with glowing blue lines tracing along the tendons and wrist. Faint yellow accents pulsed near her knuckles and forearm—energy ready to surge.
She flexed her fingers—a faint hum resonating with each movement, the surface shifting slightly like a living machine.
"Come on... just a little closer..." Yuna whispered—eyes narrowing, ready to act.
"Let's do this..." Yuna whispered, her voice barely a breath in the dark.
She glanced once more at her transformed right hand—metal shimmering softly, blue lines pulsing faintly beneath her skin.
"Mu," she added, almost like a personal invocation—calming herself, focusing her intent.
Her crystalline gaze sharpened, watching the approaching shadows.
Then—her fingers curled lightly, palm angled forward.
"Activate—Renzoku Dangan."
("Consecutive Bullets.")
A faint chime-like tone resonated from the metal as thin energy circuits lit up along her wrist and forearm—blue and yellow lines brightening in a rhythmic pulse.
The air around her palm shimmered faintly—building pressure, heat rising subtly in the space between her fingers.
Within the bush, the boy watched with wide eyes—silent, but clearly fascinated.
Yuna drew a slow breath—steadying her nerves.
"One shot at a time... precise..."
The first shadowed figure stepped into the edge of the camp—eyes scanning, unaware of the trap now set before him.
Yuna's stance shifted—ready to strike the instant they moved closer.
Two of the shadowed figures stalked through the outer edge of the camp—moving with low, practiced steps.
Their voices, sharp whispers beneath the trees:
"Where are they?" one asked, tone clipped with impatience.
"I don't know," the second muttered, eyes scanning the brush. "But... I think they're aware of us. Be ready."
They took another cautious step.
Then—shnk—!
A sharp, metallic release—like the hum of coiled energy snapping free.
From the darkness of the bushes, a thin streak of blue-yellow light burst forward—silent, fast.
CRACK—!!
The first figure barely had time to turn his head. The bolt struck him dead center—energy rippling across his chest and limbs.
"Ggh—AARGHH!"
His body convulsed violently—arcs of crackling electricity dancing along his armor and skin. Muscles locked, breath torn from his throat in a choked scream.
He dropped to one knee, twitching uncontrollably—joints seizing as sparks leapt from his fingertips.
The second figure recoiled in shock. "What the—?!"
Hidden behind the bushes, Yuna's eyes sparkled with excitement—violet-gray irises gleaming under the glow of her enhanced hand.
"It hit~!" she whispered cheerfully, a small grin curling her lips.
She lifted her right hand slightly—faint smoke rising from her metallic fingers.
With a playful flick, she blew the smoke away.
"Next."
The second figure lunged toward the electrified man, reaching instinctively. "What the hell—?!"
Shnk—shnk—shnk—shnk—shnk—!!
Without hesitation, Yuna's eyes gleamed—blue-yellow light pulsing brightly through her metal-lined fingers.
"Here's a few more—just for you~!" she chimed, voice light and almost sing-song.
A rapid burst of consecutive shots streaked out—crackling bolts zipping through the air.
Each one struck with pinpoint precision—slamming into both the staggering man and his panicked comrade.
Z-ZAP—ZAP—ZAP—!!
Both figures convulsed—electric arcs chaining between them, armor glowing as the energy trapped them in place.
"K-KHHH!!" "AAAGH—STOP—!!"
Yuna tilted her head slightly, smile widening as she watched them twitch and writhe.
A small, almost menacingly cute laugh escaped her lips—"Hehe~ ehehe~"—like a mischievous child playing with a new toy.
Hidden beside her, the boy's crystalline blue eyes widened. He glanced at her—bewildered, a bead of sweat running down his cheek.
"W-What... is she? Cute... or terrifying...?" he thought, unable to tell if he should be impressed, amused, or afraid.
Yuna caught his glance, still grinning.
"Ne~? Not bad, right?" she whispered cheerfully, fingers still humming with energy.
The boy blinked again—expression frozen between awe and slight fear.
"D-Definitely both...!"