Chapter 1 The Black Knight will fight again

 “You have failed.”
Kureha blinked several times. She looked straight at the group of Police Academy’s professors standing behind her. Their job was to assess new recruits who had the potential to join the police force in its fight against crime. They had come today to observe one of their supposedly talented cadets who, despite all efforts, had apparently failed.
“I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?” a panicked voice echoed through the large hall.
“You have failed. Again.” repeated a bespectacled man.
Kureha’s shoulders slumped. She looked down at the special altar stretching out before her. All the recruits were attempting to summon their weapons there. Without a weapon, one could not call oneself a proper police officer.
She had seen this room countless times before, and she remembered every scratch and crack in the walls. The marble floor in front of her was etched with a special pattern. It was the energy flowing along this pattern that enabled the summoning of special weapons. This energy was supplied by a unique device that used ancient runes left by the elves. The device was positioned at the back of the room, facing the candidates who were trying to summon their weapons. It was a square, block-like object with cables extending from it and embedded in the floor.
The weapons themselves were no ordinary items.
They had once been wielded by great heroes and possessed extraordinary power. Those who wielded them were qualified to join the police special forces unit responsible for dealing with the most dangerous criminals.
“Understood. Thank you for your time,” she said, removing the gloves that had served as the connection device to the altar. She bowed to the professors, who had been standing by to observe and evaluate should a weapon appear. She knew she had wasted their time.
Before she left the room she bowed again.

***

Kureha sat down in the cadet cafeteria. Although she was surrounded by a large crowd, none of the conversations around her reached her. She chewed her food slowly, staring ahead with misty eyes. Her thoughts kept wandering back to that unfortunate morning when she had failed to summon her weapon.
“How was it today?” A tall, blonde man with golden eyes sat down at her table. One glance was enough for him to know the answer. “Okay. You don't have to say anything.” She didn't respond and sat still while munching on her lunch. He tried to catch her attention by waving his hand in front of her face, but it didn't work. Then he touched her cheek with his finger a few times. Her head bounced gently to the left, but her mind was still somewhere else. He sighed and decided to pinch her cheek.
“Aaa! It hurts! It hurts!”
“You're finally back,” he smiled, letting go of her cheek.
The moment she turned towards him, a small blush appeared on her face.
“Oh, Luke, it's you.”
“Who else did you expect?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a professor telling me that there had been a delay in my summoning, and that the weapon had appeared after I left the Weapon Chapel.”
“I’m sorry that I didn't live up to your expectations.”
“Don’t say such things. I’m glad that at least you sat next to me.” Her voice seemed firm, but there was a breaking sound hidden behind that firmness. Luke couldn’t force himself to smile when he heard it. It was evident from his quick look around that Kureha was being looked at with smirks or pity on the faces of some of the cadets in the cafeteria.

“Listen…” he began, but Kureha interrupted him.

“Say, Luke. Maybe there’s no weapon that could match my genius.” Her tone became more light-hearted. “What do you think?” she asked, as if she were seriously considering such an absurd idea.

“Mmm. I.. I don’t know. Maybe?”
“Don’t you think it’s strange that I can’t summon anything? I’ve tried about twelve times and still got nothing!”

“You have tried twenty-two times” he corrected her.

“Don’t add another ten.”
“I didn’t add anything. You extracted it.”

“Ugh! You're rubbing salt into my wound!”
“I came here to cheer you up!”
“I’m sorry. I know,” she said, crossing her arms on the table and resting her head on them. “I’m just tired. I’ve tried so many times... I’ll be stuck as a cadet forever.”
“You can always join a different section.” he suggested.
“No. That will never happen.” She sat up straight and looked Luke straight in the eye.

“You’ll never give that up, will you?”

“No. My mother was a part of Special Force.”

“And she died because of it. It is much safer to join..”

“No!” she screamed, slamming her hands down on the table so hard that the plates and cups shook. Everyone turned to look at her. Seeing that she was the center of attention, Kureha turned and said shyly, smiling: “I'm sorry,” then she turned back to Luke. “I'll join the Special Forces one day. It doesn’t have to be tomorrow or next year. I will join them and...”

“And find the one who killed your mother,” he finished. “I know. I realize that it's important to you. If I were in your position, I would probably do the same. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm worried about you.”
“Thank you. I'm grateful, but I'd rather you showed me your support than your worry." The moment she saw his eyes lowering, she realized she might have said something insensitive. She started waving her arms quickly. “I didn't mean anything bad by it! It’s just…!”

“You want me to be by your side in your endeavors?" he said, a sly smile playing on his lips.

Her face turned red.

“Yes... if it's not a problem...” she admitted shyly. Then her eyes widened, and she added, “As a friend, of course!”
Luke smiled at her.

"Miss Kureha!" A firm voice called out from behind them. They both turned around. It was a muscular man in his thirties wearing glasses. He was one of the professors assessing Kureha during her weapon summoning ceremony. "I would like you to come to my office. It's important."
“Understood, Professor Loi,” she said, standing up. Then she felt someone grab her sleeve.

"Hey, maybe you were right about that delay," Luke whispered.

"How great would that be?" she answered with her eyes glistening.

***

Professor Loi’s office was quite big. On the left side were shelves with books, and on the right side was exercise equipment with sunlight shining on it from the window. His desk was in the middle of the room, close to the wall. At the heart of the room stood a small table with couches on either side.

The side closer to the books was sat on by Kureha, and the opposite sofa was sat on by Professor.

"It's about my summoning today, isn't it?"

"Yes, it won't be an easy conversation," he said, furrowing his brows.
There was no delay.

She lowered her head.

"I understand."

"I'd like to inform you that the academy won't allow you to try summoning again."
The words echoed in Kureha’s ears. She lifted her head, disbelief painting her face. Her hands started trembling.

"Why?" she asked in a strangled voice. The professor let out a small breath of worry.
"It's true that when you first came here, you were registered as an exceptional talent. Not only was your mother the wielder of the great sword Durandal, but you yourself showed great potential during the tests. Numbers don't lie, but in your case..."

"Please don't finish," she asked, her voice breaking.

"As your professor, I must tell you that you have been assigned to the Technology Section."

She wanted to disappear. To lose her hearing ability and act as if nothing happened. She didn’t want it to end like that.

“However,”

When she heard Professor Loi’s voice, she lifted her head, a small glint of sunlight reflecting in her eyes.

"As your uncle, I understand your position. But know that you’re not the only one who wants to learn the truth about Remi’s death. I've said it many times, but just like you, I don't believe my sister committed suicide." He spoke slowly and gently. "I want to learn the truth, too. That’s why I’m still looking for clues in her case. That’s why I’m waiting for you to join me.”

Kureha smiled lightly.

"I know."

"I'm glad. I won’t tell you to give up on getting the same position your mother held in the Special Forces.”

A warm smile appeared on Loi’s face, and Kureha mirrored it.

“Then?”

"For now, you won't be able to summon a weapon, but I have an idea."

“Really!?”

"I registered you for another examination. If you prove that you can still summon a weapon, it means the mistake is not yours, but the machine's. The Elven Summon system is old and, in my opinion, needs maintenance. That will be a good excuse to address it.”

Kureha couldn’t contain herself. She stood up and ran to hug her uncle tightly.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
"Okay, okay. But leave me some room to breathe!"
She released her uncle and jumped around.

"I'll inform you about your examination schedule at a later date."

"Okay! Thank you again! You’re the best uncle!”

"Sometimes I think that I spoil you too much. You’re lucky I’m a professor here...”
"Yep, I'm well aware. Nepotism is on my side.”

“Don’t say such things.”
"Then I'll change it to 'My family’ is on my side.'"
"Sounds much better."

Before leaving her uncle’s office, she bowed.
“I’m really grateful for this chance.”
No sooner had the doors closed behind Kureha than Loi's face took on a sour expression.
"I don't want to drag you into this world, but I need more allies. Am I doing the right thing, Remi?" He came closer to his desk and looked at a photo of a group of people. In the photo, he and his sister, who was holding a baby, stood in the middle, smiling happily.

***

Kureha walked through the corridor, waving her arms energetically and smiling widely. She was scared for a moment, but fortunately, everything turned out well.
In the future, I have to speak up for someone in a similar situation. No matter how you look at it, it's unfair that I'm getting all this help thanks to my connections.
As the daughter of Remi Thornlee, a hero known for capturing dangerous criminals, Kureha was admitted into the police academy immediately. They wanted to see if she had her mother's talent. She underwent various tests and examinations that revealed she could connect to the Elven Summon, just like her mother, and try to obtain a legendary weapon. Her first summoning was made into a show. Many professors and students came to watch. However, nothing happened. No matter how hard she tried, not even a knife appeared. She stood still for a while until her uncle ordered her to leave the altar. After everyone left the chapel, they checked the machine, thinking it might be malfunctioning, but that wasn't the case. The machine was fine. Everything was connected. They tried again and again, but to no avail. After the eleventh time, a written inquiry had to be submitted by Kureha to organize a short summoning for her. By the eighteenth time, only Professor Loi and his friend, who specialized in the summoning procedure, were there to observe her efforts. This time, she had to prove that she still had potential and that nothing was wrong with her. She clenched her fist and walked straight ahead with pride. She planned to come home today earlier. After all, her father was waiting for her with a freshly made dinner. She crossed the enormous gate that led to the academy’s grounds and turned left. She decided to walk instead of taking the bus today. She put on her headphones and searched her phone for an appropriate song for how she felt at that moment. With the right soundtrack, she could imagine herself turning the tables and proving that she was indeed the talent they were looking for. The moment the music started to play, she fell into a dreamlike state. She didn't see much going on around her and skipped happily toward her home. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice someone coming her way. They bumped into each other. Kureha and the other person both fell onto the sidewalk.
"I'm sorry. I should have been more careful,” the girl said, bowing.
"It's okay. I wasn’t paying attention either.” The person she bumped into was a boy dressed in a dark blue suit, probably a teenager. His bangs looked like they hadn’t been cut in a long time. They were hiding his eyes. What is more, he was holding a lot of things. A suitcase was next to him, and folders and papers were scattered around. When Kureha saw the mess, she knelt down and helped collect it.
"Here you go," she said, giving the boy everything she had found on the ground.
"Thanks," the boy said, smiling politely, and went on his way.
Then, a bright light blinded her left eye.
On the ground, she found a small, silver USB flash drive. “What is this?” She realized it might have belonged to the boy she had just met, so she tried to go after him. Unfortunately, he had disappeared.
"Maybe he'll come back for it. I'll leave it with the lost and found. It should be somewhere around here,” she said, looking around until she found what she was looking for. However, before she could reach it, she was caught. Someone dragged her into a deserted alley and put a handkerchief over her mouth.
What the...?
She felt heavy and couldn't keep her eyelids open. Suddenly, she felt herself slump. The person who caught her quickly hid the handkerchief in their pocket. He looked around carefully and sighed with relief when he realized that no one had seen it. As they came out of the alley, an elderly man stopped them.
"Is everything okay with the lady?" asked an old man.
"I think she's just under the weather. Do you know where the nearest hospital is? I’ll take her there,” answered the same young boy to whom Kureha had wanted to return the flash drive.
"It's far away. Maybe we should call an ambulance. She lost consciousness, didn't she?"
"Nah, don't worry. This girl is like a little lamb with a weak constitution. I'll call a taxi and take her home."

“Do you know this lady?”

“Yes, I do. She’s a very talented student at the police academy,” the boy answered.

"Oh, okay. I'll wait for the taxi with you. You know, I’m worried,” the old man said. The boy's face twitched at his words. He placed Kureha on the closest bench and took a phone and a small pen out of his pocket.

"Please sit down next to her. I’ll call for a taxi.”

"Okay." The elderly man listened. He looked at Kureha and tried to check on her. The boy did not see his excessive worry favorably. While observing every move made by an elder, he pretended to write the number on his phone with the pen.
“It’s ready.”

"That fast?"
"Yes, as fast as you'll lose consciousness, you nosy old man." The boy touched the man’s neck with the pen. Electricity went through the old man’s body, making him let out a little scream. His body went limp. The boy fixed it so that it looked like he was asleep. Fortunately, nobody was near the alley.
“Now, where is my ride?”

No sooner had he finished the question than the taxi driver pulled up next to him. Someone dressed in a brown suit, with their face hidden behind a white mask with a six-pointed black star in the place of the right eye, came out of the driver's side of the car and helped the boy put Kureha in the backseat of the car. The boy sat in the passenger seat and happily announced,
"To the academy! Let's go! Woohoo!”
"I see you got a very interesting key, Tiger," said the one behind the mask. Despite sounding hoarse, their voice was pleasant.
"Nah, she's just a failure. But even a failure can be useful, right? That's much better than a regular key."
“Couldn’t agree more.”

***

When they finally arrived close to the academy, they parked next to the park behind it and waited for sunset.
“Check if the girl woke up,” ordered the masked one.
"On it," said the boy called Tiger. He took out a penknife and ran it through the girl’s calf. The cut wasn’t deep, but it would make her react if she were conscious. She still had a peaceful, sleepy expression. "The little lamb is very asleep." He answered, licking the blood from the blade.
"Good. Because we’re going in.” He got out of the car and opened the trunk. He took a suitcase and handed it to the tiger. "I'll take the girl."
"Okay!" With a simple movement, he opened the suitcase and retrieved a folded axe. In his hands, the axe reverted to its original form. Its enormous size was on full display as it shone in the moonlight.
"We're going in from behind. There shouldn't be any officers around today, if that idiot is right."
"No worries. He wouldn't lie. He’s too scared,” Tiger reassured him with a vicious smile. The masked man didn’t show his face, but his hand twitched a little. He directed his gaze to the academy and stood still for a while. The sudden wind blew his white hair slightly.
“Are you feeling nostalgic, Snow?” the Tiger asked.
“Yes, I am,” the masked one admitted. He ran his hand through his hair. "Anyway, let's move on. We don’t have much time.” He took Kureha out of the car and slung her over his shoulder. He gave a hand signal to the tiger, who understood immediately and went to check the surroundings first. After verifying that there was truly no one in the vicinity, Snow hastily made his way to the rear entrance without a sound. He carefully looked around, searching for something. He spotted what he was looking for on the ground: a small, square plate.
"Tiger, come."
"Yes?"
“Take the girl’s hand and make her wrist visible to this thing.” Snow nodded toward the plate. Tiger did as ordered.
"Uuu. There really is a number,” he said, rolling up Kureha’s sleeve with one hand. The number shone, as did the plate. It took less than a second for the gate to open. They quickly went in. Tiger was ready to continue their mission, but Snow stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.
"Wait. There's someone." He noticed a light in one of the windows on the left. "Wake the girl up and make her tell us where the chapel is. I’ll check who it is.”
"Okay." Tiger took Kureha from Snow, who silently headed in the direction of the light. The boy entered the building with her on his left shoulder and an axe in his right hand. He leaned the girl against the wall. Once again, he took out a penknife and ran it through the existing wound, but she didn't wake up. He sighed.
"Ugh, I need water to dilute the antidote before I give it to you. It would much easier if you just woke up. What a pain!" He walked away. When the sound of his footsteps disappeared, Kureha opened her eyes.

***

For the first time in her life, she was thankful for her inability to feel pain. Upon awakening in the car, she opted to feign sleep and eavesdrop on the conversation, potentially seeking an opportunity to escape. She didn’t expect her leg to be cut. Thanks to her numbness, it didn't hurt when it was cut, but at the same time, she didn't know how deep it was. She was surprised when she learned that they were going to the academy. If they needed to get into the chapel, then it made sense that they had to get their hands on a student from the special course. As a student of this course, she had a code on her wrist that opened every door related to her program. That’s why she was the key. Of course, they could have chosen a different student, but...
I would be a very good option. If their aim was the chapel, it would be easy to pin the blame on me. They called me a failure, which means they know I can't get my weapon. Should someone encounter me in proximity to the altar, they would naturally infer that I was attempting to summon once more, despite my explicit prohibition.

Kureha kept track of her kidnappers' every movement. She felt relieved when one of them left and thanked whoever lit a light somewhere on the academy grounds when they went in. The moment the other one called Tiger disappeared was exactly the chance she had been waiting for. She opened her eyes and looked at her wound first. It looked terrible, but after examining it for a second, she decided it was better to make it worse than to lose her life. She stood up and looked around. The guard’s office, where all monitoring is stored, should be in the next corridor on the left. She went there, going in as silently as she could. Just as she had guessed, there was no one there, and the cameras were turned off. Kureha took out her phone to record the moment she found the switch and turned the cameras on again. Then, she left the room and closed the door behind her. She returned to the main corridor. Fortunately, the tiger boy hadn’t returned yet. She ran quickly, blood dripping from her wound.

***

"Little lamb, it's time to rise and shine." Tiger returned with a small bottle in his hand. "I finally have the magical potion that's much more effective than a kiss from a prince!" he announced cheerily. "Little lamb?" Against the wall where he had left her, there was nothing. His cheerful smile disappeared and was replaced by a grimace.

“Sleeping Beauty can’t wake up without help. Don’t you understand that, Little Lamb?!” He threw the bottle on the ground, breaking it, and started breathing heavily. "Snow will be mad. He will be very mad." He took his head in his hands. His eyes were clouded. He ran around like a mad cat, then threw himself violently onto the floor. His face touched the cold tiles.
"Huh?" He felt something on his cheek. He touched it with his finger and licked it. "It's Little Lamb's blood!" he happily exclaimed as he stood up and, like a carnivore with glistening eyes, looked for more red droplets. He followed their trail straight on.

***

Kureha tried to reach Professor Loi's office. She would be safe in there while trying to contact someone. After all, she could hide behind the bookshelves. There should be enough space. She had already sent the message with the attached video to the professor, hoping he would read it. Unfortunately, when she was close, she heard a voice she wished she didn't have to hear anymore.
"Little lamb, where are you?" The melodic question echoed through the hall. He was close. Kureha wanted to find a place to hide, but this particular corridor had nothing to offer. The professor's office was also pretty far away.
"Oi! Where are you?!" She heard a loud slam against the wall and the breaking sound that followed it. "Okay, okay. I’m calm. Sorry for this sudden outburst!" He returned to his gentle tone.
He had some kind of a weapon with him in that suitcase. How else could he make so much noise? It had to be something big.

She ran as fast as she could. It was hard to catch her breath. The enemy was getting closer and closer. He shouted, his playful voice clear:
“Where are you, my little lamb?”
She stood at a crossroads. If she went straight, he would catch her before she could reach the office. The rooms on the right are closed off, and some flowers and vases are placed on pedestals. The closest place she could hide in was the altar in the corridor full of statues on the left. But isn't that precisely the place those people were looking for? She couldn't let them in. Then, a crazy thought came to her mind:
If she summoned a weapon, she could stop them.
She had failed twenty-two times before, but maybe the twenty-third time would be her saving grace. It was worth trying.
The enemy chasing her made so much noise that it was easy to pinpoint their location.
He’s quite close. If I distract him and lure him to the right, I’ll be able to safely reach the altar.
She grabbed her phone from her pocket.
I’m sorry.
Then she threw it straight into the vase that was standing at the beginning of the right side’s hallway. Immediately after the phone left her hand, she ran straight and hid behind one of the sculptures of past great officers in the corridor of fame that led to the summoning chapel.
“There you are!” The enemy went straight to where they heard the sound. "Little lamb, you left your phone! How will you call for help now?"
That’s a very good question.

Kureha made every effort to remain as silent as she could when she saw him vanish into the right corridor. Since she didn’t have time to look behind her, she decided to focus on the noise. If she heard the crazy bastard coming, she would hide behind one of the sculptures again.
Here it is!
She saw a small door that appeared to lead to a storage area. They looked like normal doors, but they actually hid a place that could save her. She opened them. But as soon as she did that, the alarm sounded. After all, she couldn’t enter without someone assigned to observe the summoning process. Any unauthorized visit immediately made a lot of noise to inform everyone around about it.
Damn it! Quickly!
She went in. Kureha approached the machine and looked around. She found a switch and turned it on. Everything lit up. Then, she noticed a cable that wasn’t connected to the ground. She quickly put it in its designated place. The machine started working, but her enemy was also coming closer. She could hear them clearly. She ran to the middle fast and put on the gloves. Her hands touched the marble. She took a deep breath.
I don't have time for incantations!
"Here you are, my little lamb!" The enemy appeared inside. "Wow! You found the Elven Summon for me! Thank you!"
Kureha clicked her teeth.
"COME!" she shouted as loudly as she could.
"Don't even try, little lamb!"
The enemy ran straight toward her. In their hands was a big axe, raised to fall on her.
Kureha froze in place.
I’m an idiot.
She closed her eyes. Because of that, she could not see the light that the marble floor's curves made.
But she heard a clang that made her slowly open her eyes.
The axe didn’t touch her. Instead, it had been stopped by a black sword. Before her stood a man wearing armor as black as his sword. His cape waved behind him from the collision's impact.
"What the...?" said the man dressed in black, surprised. He used his sword to push the enemy back and said, “Isn’t this a bit heavy for you?” the axe did look a little too big for the boy who was running after Kureha.
"Who are you? Oh! Are you the one Little Lamb was calling for?”
"Little lamb?" He looked behind him and noticed Kureha, who was looking straight at him with wide eyes. His attention turned to her bleeding leg. Meeting his gaze the girl asked:
“Who are you?”
“I don’t think it’s the right time for questions,” he answered, turning his attention back to the enemy standing before him. “You were the one that hurt her, didn’t you?”
"Maybe?"
"I would prefer a yes or no answer."
"Then yes."
Having heard the confirmation, he smiled. He adopted a combat posture and, after inhaling deeply, charged toward his opponent. With a swift movement, he made the boy lose his weapon. Tiger tried to run away but the back of the black sword hit him in the head, knocking him unconscious. It was quite anticlimatic.
"Wait! What if he has a concussion or dies?" screamed Kureha, who had seen the whole thing.
"You allow yourself to pity the one who tried to kill you? I see that you’re a good fellow."
"No! I mean, if something happens, how will we interrogate him?"
“You might be right about that.”
“Not might! I am!" Kureha ran straight to the boy to check if he was all right. She knelt down and checked the pulse. "It doesn't seem like anything's wrong, but it's better to wait for..." She didn't finish the sentence. In the blink of an eye, Tiger, who had been lying before her, disappeared from her view. "What the...?" Kureha looked up and saw the man in the white mask holding the boy by his collar a few meters away.
"Ugh, what a mess," he commented.
The Black Knight took a defensive stance. The masked one noticed.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything. I don’t plan to." He ignored Kureha and the knight and focused on Tiger whom he was holding with his left hand by the collar of the jacket. He ran his hand through his hair. When he lowered his palm, it looked as if he was holding something between his thumb and index finger. He spread his fingers, and a white blade appeared before him. The blade had a silvery shine while the handle resembled a black raven’s wings. The black knight was prepared to fight and protect the girl. However, much to his surprise, the blade was not directed toward them; it ran through Tiger's chest and pierced his heart. His body let out a shriek. At the instant it occurred, it was engulfed in a frigid, metallic glow and vanished. It looked as if the sword had devoured the boy’s body.
"At least he was useful for this." Snow's voice was cold. He turned his attention to the two people standing in the middle of the altar. "As you can see, because of unforeseen circumstances, nothing went as planned," he explained. He took a step closer to the knight, as if to examine him. "But it's not like it wasn't fruitful. After all, we confirmed that it is indeed possible to summon people with this old machine.”

The sound of sirens cut through the cold atmosphere Snow had created.

"I guess it's time to disappear," he said, turning around and waving his right hand before disappearing into the shadows.

Kureha felt as if all her strength had left her body. All she wanted was to sleep in her bed.
Right, father was waiting. I suppose the whole meal has gone cold. I’ll have to apologize to him later.

Police officers began flooding into the altar. Their presence ensured that Kureha wouldn't be able to come home for quite a long time.
"Hands up!" they commanded.

Kureha and the Black Knight both obliged. Then, one of the professors emerged from the crowd of police officers. It was Professor Loi. His eyes widened behind his glasses when he saw Kureha.
"Kureha, are you alright?" he asked. "Lower your weapons," he ordered.
"Professor Loi," she said, lowering her hands and trying to smile. "It was a series of unfortunate events."
"That much I can guess."

She stood up and brushed the dust off her skirt. Loi immediately noticed her leg and clenched his fist. "I'm sorry I didn't read your message sooner. The moment I saw it, I tried to react as quickly as possible, but it wasn't enough."
"Yeah, it could be worse, but thanks to—"

Someone’s scream interrupted her.
“Kureha! Are you all right?" Luke came through and ran straight toward her. He looked her over carefully, checking for cuts or bruises. His eyes stopped on her leg. "Someone call a medic! She’s injured!”

“Don’t worry. It looks bad, but I’m okay,” she said, trying to reassure the professor and Luke. "Thanks to him." She directed their gaze toward the Black Knight, who stood with his hands raised next to her.
“And who is that?” Professor Loi asked.

"Um... I think that's my weapon," Kureha answered, looking at them with a confused smile.
"Your what?!" the professor and Luke screamed in shock.