CHAPTER 1 — PART 12: A KITTY AND A DRAGON?

"Shizue! Blast that thing into smithereens!!" I yelled as I stabbed a massive Blighted in the chest.

"Shut up!! Don't give me orders, pig!" Shizue made a red magic triangle and sent a triangular blast of fire.

It immediately engulfed the Blighted, scorching its ethereal body.

I had already dodged away before the fire reached me.

Shizue began to pant in exhaustion.

"Hey! You just cast three of those attacks. Why are you tired already!?"

"Shuddup... It's not my fault your mana tank is... like the damn ocean..."

"It's not my fault yours is a puddle in a back street..."

Yuna-san hurried next to me. "Are you okay, Yami-san? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Hey! I'm the one who needs your aid here! Yuna-san!" Shizue barked, a bit exhaustedly.

"O—Oh, sorry! [Heart Beam!]"

Yuna-san struck a silly little pose, forming a heart with her hands, and a pink outline of a heart traced its way to Shizue, aiding her.

It was the first time I ever saw Yuna-san's powers, and truth be told... it was hella cute.

"Not bad, there goes one Blighted out of 100." Someone's tail slapped the floor, a bit irritated.

We were sent to patrol the city and help people in need.

This was the job of Battle Maidens. We were like walking heroes, trying to save people... well, heroes-in-training.

And we had a teacher with us. At school, some teachers specialized in one element, skill, or role. This teacher specialized in combat and strategy.

Ryuna Kobayashi was a cool swordswoman with incredible speed, even faster than my own.

She wore a battle kimono. Only the top part was a kimono. She wore black pants and black leather combat boots. She had a scar over her right eye and a toothpick on her lips.

She was probably the coolest teacher I had ever seen on campus...

One random day, I was brainstorming ideas with Amai in the main park. I wanted to get stronger as fast as possible, but nothing came to mind—just training regimens from old users of Oracle.

And out of nowhere, this teacher attacked me.

I was so damn fast I couldn't even react. Granted, she got me from behind, but still... silent and deadly. So fast.

Her dark blue eyes had such a glint of power that it shook me a little.

"Slow," she said.

I figured as much, but come on! She got me from behind!

"That wasn't fair, you know?"

"Fair in battle does not exist. You either die or survive."

Wow... she was edgy, but she was telling the truth. A Blighted does not think, nor does it have intelligence. From what I read and heard, they just attack randomly. So being ready for a stab in the back is probably best for my rear.

"You're right, I guess I had my guard down inside a school where my teachers suddenly never attack me."

She flinched a bit, then coughed to regain some dignity.

"Hmph. I just wanted to test you, and you failed."

I materialized a light sword.

"Test me again, but this time face me head-on, sensei."

Her lips curled slightly, pleased with something I couldn't place.

"Very well, Yami. You get a point."

She paused and slowly unsheathed her jet-black katana. The blade was like staring into the abyss, and it gleamed with a strange blue light. I knew that with one slash, my arm would probably get cut off... so I should be careful...

"A point? For what exactly?"

"That's a secret. Maybe one day you'll know."

I have a really bad feeling about this...

"!!!"

A third of a second passed. The next thing my senses caught was her blade coming down at my face.

It was so fast.

So incredibly fast, I could barely react.

"Ghhht!?"

I survived thanks to one of Amai's old owners. An old samurai had reacted to a similar attack by tilting his head back a little.

Ryuna-sensei seemed surprised, but that surprise turned into a predatory smirk.

"Another point."

I clutched my head hard.

"Master, that move was way beyond your capabilities. Your body can't handle advanced movements yet; you might feel excruciating pain." Amai started rubbing the inside of my mind somehow, easing the throbbing a little.

"[Dragonic Rupture!]" Ryuna-sensei made an incredible cut. An azure dragon burst out of her blade, rolling through the air with the wind and rushing right at me.

"Shit..." I raised my light sword and katana to block the dragon.

CLANG!

The dragon's teeth sank into my guard, barely holding back as I struggled not to get swallowed by it.

"You can resist my Azure Crocodile? One more point."

"That's a dragon!!"

In a flash, she appeared right behind me. I felt her massive killing intent.

Fast!!

But I had already expected it. I knew she would try this. Like, my back was open for her.

My legs stomped the grass hard, and I twisted away from the slash, letting the dragon bite down on her instead.

Ryuna-sensei grinned in a predatory way, and her dragon form dissolved into steam.

"You were ready for that. Impressive. One more point. It seems you have a high combat IQ. Are you maybe a brainiac? No... I saw your speed against Oharu; you're a speedster. And yet... you have no experience in battle."

Do video games in a realistic VR count as experience? But I won't tell her that...

She paused and narrowed her eyes at my katana.

"Oracle. I see it now. An impressive combo: the Oshima heir and the Divine Sword of Memoria."

"But they are no match for us, right, Ryuna-dono?" a cocky teenager said from Ryuna-sensei's sword.

"Ugh... It's you..." Amai materialized and hung from my back, her little head peeking over my shoulder. She looked annoyed.

"We meet again, Oracle."

Ryuna's sword materialized next to her. He was definitely a teenager in his rebellious phase. He wore a black leather jacket, tight black pants, and black leather boots. His hair was spiky and wild, colored blue, and his eyes were black too.

"Ao..." Amai sighed, annoyed. "My name isn't Oracle anymore. I'm Amai now."

"Amai? Your wielder gave you a new name?" Ao immediately looked at Ryuna with puppy eyes. "CAN I HAVE A NEW NAME?"

Too... loud...

"I think Ao suits you." Ryuna didn't even think about it. Maybe she's bad at naming things... yeah, she called that dragon a crocodile.

"Oh, really? Then that's fine."

Is he that easy...?

"You're still easy as ever, Ao." Amai sighs.

"Shaddup! I only trust you and Ryuna-sama, I mean... Ryuna-dono." Ao barked, a few veins popping on his forehead.

"Do you know him, Amai?" I had to ask.

"Yeah, we go way back... I guess you could say we're friends," Amai said reluctantly.

"Friends?"

Her tone didn't help me believe her.

"I never thought the Divine Sword of Memoria and the Blade of Blue Dragon would be friends. One more point."

Ryuna looked at me again.

"Why did I get another point!?"

Well, that's how I met Ryuna-sensei, and now she has been assigned to my squad. For such a strong teacher to lead such a weak squad is a little shady.

Back in the city, I looked at Ryuna-sensei.

"Ryuna-sensei, why were you assigned to my squad, and more specifically, to me, Shizue, and Yuna?"

"Classified information."

"Mother pulled some strings, huh?"

Ryuna flinched a little, her cat ears perking up.

"It seems I must cut off your tongue, Yami."

She slowly began to unsheathe Ao.

"Wait, hold on!"

"I jest. Was it not obvious?"

Her sarcasm really sucks...

"Yes. Oshima-dono asked me to keep an eye on you. Since you carry Malice, I must not let you use it."

"Malice... I've heard that before. What even is Malice?"

"It's complicated to explain right now. I'll tell you later, after we clear this street."

Ugh... there were a lot of Blighted around. One was twitching its head at an incredible speed... what the hell were they, anyway?

So many questions to ask, but no time to answer... well, at least for now.

One Blighted suddenly blitzed toward Yuna. I didn't hesitate and stepped in front of her.

"Stand back, Yuna-san!"

Clang!

I parried the claw.

Clang!

I blocked the next blow.

Then I kicked the Blighted away hard, making it crash into a bunch of others like bowling pins.

"Are you okay, Yuna-san?"

"Y-yes, Yami-kun... I'm fine!"

Ryuna noticed Yuna blushing and let out a soft groan.

"Minus one point."

"What the hell do your points mean!?" I barked, annoyed.

Focus, Yami! The Rift is still open. You must eliminate every single Blighted to close it! Amai brought me back to focus.

I suddenly felt Ryuna's reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Stand back, Yami. Let me end this."

I stood behind her and watched as she unsheathed her Divine Blade, Blue Dragon.

A soft inhale.

Then a deep exhale.

"[Dragon Style: Aka Slash!]"

She cut the air so fast that a blue energy arc shot across the street, cutting through cars and Blighted alike. Then the Rift split in half, ending the threat.

The aftermath looked like a huge canyon had split the street.

Wait a minute... did she say Aka? That means red. The attack was blue!

"Amazing..." Shizue was baffled by that raw power.

"Woah..." Yuna was astonished too.

Ryuna looked at me with a proud grin, almost as if saying, "I'm better than you." That made my eye twitch a little.

I expected as much. She is one of the few women I respect, after all.

"Not bad, Ryuna-sensei. But wasn't your job to just watch over us? And ours to clean up?"

Her grin vanished immediately, and her cat ears flattened.

"I forgot."

"You can't just forget your job!!"

Shizue laughed weakly, fidgeting with her skirt.

"I guess... mission accomplished?"

"I suppose, yeah." Yuna seemed fine with it.

"Don't let others do your job!!" I retorted.

"Another point," Ryuna added.

"Stop it with the points!!" I barked again.

The three of them began walking away casually.

"There's this new bakery I want to try. Do you guys want to come with me?" Yuna smiled gently.

"Sure." Ryuna-sensei nodded nonchalantly.

"Are you paying?" Shizue followed behind them.

"Oi!! Don't just ignore me!!" I barked out loud, but they were gone. I could only sigh deeply.

I'm going to murder all of you...

I was being left behind, so I made my way a bit hurriedly behind them.

Then.

Subtle.

Faint.

Miniscule.

Pressure?

Heaviness, maybe.

Ryuna-sensei and I felt something odd; both our eyes began scanning the area, yet... nothing or no one was around.

It was strange to say the least, definitely annoying.

"You felt that too, Yami? Another point." Ryuna nodded approvingly.

"Damn it with your points..."

Unbeknownst to me, I was being watched from far away, maybe from the highest skyscraper.

A man.

With no magic.

But an iron-clad will...

A will that I'll soon learn about.