Hey everyone! I don't know if you know this manga or not, but I really think it's good! There's a lot of violence (it revolves around a lot of wars) but for some reason it still has a plot (kinda) and it's so interesting! And dramatic! Anyway, in my story the main is a girl instead of a boy. And what happens because of that change is something you have to read and find out.

Narration

Disclaimer: I do not own Ares in anyway. I do own Athena.

This story is about the heroes of a small country that are born but are slowly headed towards extinction. The main setting for this story, the Chronos Kingdom is… surrounded. To the west is the Radink Alliance, to the east, the Silonica Kingdom. At their southern border is the Isiris Kingdom. In this country war does not cease… But for 10 years, Chronos has somehow found peace…

One day, a girl came to Chronos on the year 237; her name was Athena.

"Tample Mercenary huh?" Athena browses over a recruitment ad. "Wow, room and board with food. It definitely sounds like a good offer," she muses as she rolls up the ad. 'Especially since I have no money and no place to go…' "Guess I'll have to find a way there. I hope they'll at least let me try out despite being a girl…" It would not be the first time someone has not taken her seriously because of her gender, but Athena has faith in her abilities. She is confident she can make the tryouts, as long as they give her the chance.


"Tample Mercenary ad?" notes a boy with short blond hair, dark blue eyes, and a leaf in his mouth. "Room, board and food eh…" 'I've got no money and no place to go so I guess I'll just make my way there…'


Athena is passing by a random café when her stomach starts to growl. "I really am hungry, but I don't have any money." GURGGLE… "I guess that's a sign that my stomach doesn't really care…" So Athena enters the café calling, "Excuse me, can I have some food?" As she looks around, Athena notices there isn't a soul in the room.

"Child, do you even have any money?" the old man in charge asks.

"I'm sorry I don't." She really is.

"You really think you can get food without any money?" the old man lectures, 'This kid's lucky she's a girl or I would have already kicked her out…'

"… Maybe?" Might as well try her hand at luck…

"Get Lost!" He really throws her out… right into the blond haired boy.

"Ow…. He could of at least just asked me to leave…" Athena pouts.

"Hey, get out of my way…" After all, why shouldn't he be upset that a girl literally came flying right at him.

"Hm? Oh, sorry!" She hadn't even noticed that she crashed into someone. 'Hm… he has quite the temper…'

'What a weird girl. At least she moved when I told her to.'


Athena is sitting on the street thinking about her annoying stomach reminding her of her hunger.

"Here, eat this." The girl who was behind the old man hands Athena a plate of food.

"Ah! Thank you!"

"You must have been starving to come into a restaurant without any money," she notes.

"Thanks! My name is Athena!"

"Why are you here? It can't possibly be for the Tample Mercenary ad right?"

"Hm? Actually the ad IS the reason I'm here," Athena replies while cocking her head to the side.

'Seriously? This girl wants to do something that dangerous?' the girl thinks before saying, "You shouldn't! A few guys from our village went there and they never came back alive! Plus, you're a girl! You won't stand a chance!"

"Is it really that dangerous?"

"Yes! You're still young, and really beautiful! Go find another job, you should be able to find plenty!"

"No thanks, could you draw me a map there instead?" Athena replies with an easy smile.

"You still want to go?"

"If I was afraid of dying I wouldn't have come. Besides it offers food and shelter."

"How are you at fighting?" she asks.

At this Athena has to smile. "I suppose I'm as good as the next guy. If you need anything just ask, I owe you for giving me food."

"No thanks, I guess I'll see you later," the girl says while waving goodbye.


Athena is lying on a grass field enjoying the peace when… "KYAAAAAA!"

"That voice! It was that nice girl who gave me food!"


"Why did you hit me?" she asks. Placing her hand on the wounded area.

"You don't know? Your dad didn't pay the rent, the rent," a man who seems to be the leader of the group of three men replies. They all have cruel expressions on their face.

"I'll pay the rent so please stop hurting my daughter!"

"You should have said so sooner. But it's too late! Cause I already like your daughter!" He takes hold of the girl's wrist.

Athena crashes in yelling, "Take your hands off her you creep!"

The blond boy happens to still be eating there and recognizes her voice. 'Her again?'

"And who are you?" the leader asks

"Someone that girl helped, that's all."

"That's it? And you want to take the three of us?" The man smirks. 'Heh, I'll just use the usual scare method.' "Do you know where this scar came from?" he asks while pointing the scar out.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Athena is seriously wondering if these guys are just stupid.

"Have you ever heard of the 'Red-Eyed Swordsman'? I got into a fight with him. Of course, I won! The bastard ran so fast you couldn't see his feet."

That catches both Athena and the boy's attention. 'The Red-Eyed Swordsman…' she thinks before saying, "Yeah right!"

"You've got some mouth for a girl with a pretty face like yours. Kill her," the man orders as the other two men rush at her.

Athena just takes out her sword with a smirk on her face and cuts down the first guy within a second, then blocks the second's sword. Problem is, the jerk takes his hand out and punches her face. Athena crashes into a table, but can only bring herself to laugh. "Die, Bitch!" he yells.

But when he swings his sword down, she is already in the air above him, shocking all but the blond boy. "You die!" she declares, as she comes down. Her sword going right down the middle of his body, killing him instantly. "Only one left to go." Athena hears a sound behind her and sees the man grabbing the girl's hair. "What are you doing?"

"Can't you tell, if you move I kill her," the man threatens.

"Cheater!"

He can't believe she just said that. "Cheating? This is the way the world works girly. Now put your weapon down!"

"Grr…" Athena grits her teeth thinking, 'How am I going to save her now?'

Athena doesn't have to. The blond boy simply takes out his sword and slices the man without even standing. The poor girl is terrified as she covers her eyes thinking he's going to cut her too. "I agree with her. Like you could ever beat the Red-Eyed Swordsman."

Athena stares at the boy, contemplating.


"Thank you for the help!" the old man says gratefully

"It's no problem! I was just paying back what I owed!"

"Owed?" The old man doesn't remember giving her anything…

"It's nothing to worry about dad!" the girl interrupts. She'd be in trouble if her father finds out she gave away free food.

"It seems you two are traveling somewhere. Where are you going?"

"To the Tample Mercenaries!" Athena and the boy state at the same time.

Now both of them are surprised.


Athena steps onto the top of the hill with the boy at her side "Whoo, I'm tired…" 'Coincidentally, I ended up coming this whole way with this guy…' she looks upon the grand structure before them "That must be the Tample Headquarters."

Athena and the boy walk to the entrance, but two soldiers stop their progression. "Girl, what business do you have here?"

"What else would I come here for? I came for this." She shows the flyer for the Tample Mercenary tryouts.

"Heh, a little girl like you?" The soldiers weren't taking her seriously at all.

"Yep!" she says with a smile.

"This isn't a place for everyone. It's very scary here!"

"I know. Can you please move out of my way now?"

"You do know you have to pass a test to get in here right?"

"A test?" She tilts her head to the side.

"Tsk, tsk… You didn't even know that and you came here… These days, people from all over come, so we need to pick the best!"

"That's right! You have to last 3 minutes against a B-class soldier! You look as if you won't last 10 seconds, so get lost girly!"

"No," she replies stubbornly with a smile.

"You guys talk too much," the boy finally says. "Move before I cut you open!" He is already reaching for his sword.

"Why you little… fine, don't say we didn't warn you. Do as you wish, cause you'll be the ones sorry once you step inside."

Another examinee is hit in the face and knocked unconscious. The examiner looks over to the clock "1min and 30sec, you fail. Next!"

Athena looks over and says, "That must be the testing area, let's go."


Above the testing area an intimidating man is watching the possible new recruits as they are tested. "How many have passed?"

"There are 14 that have passed in this section, commander!" the man next to him says.

"14…"

"439 have passed throughout the entire testing phase."


Back with Athena, "Hm… I wonder when our turn will happen. What do you think?" She looks behind herself to the boy, whose name she still doesn't know.

"…I don't know, but I don't feel like waiting for you so let me go first." He even sends her a glare to finish his statement.

"Okay." Athena isn't even fazed by his glare.

'What the hell? Everyone at least hesitates under my glare… why is she unfazed?'

Athena looks over to the testing area to see another boy around their age go up. "Hey, look. He looks about our age too."

"Fail! Next! Here is your practice sword." A man says as he gives the practice sword to the young boy.

The young boy has a green and white beanie hat over his jet-black hair. He skin somewhat tanned but he still doesn't look like much of a fighter. He looks at the sword with distaste "Can I use something else?"

"Why?"

"My weapon is this." He pulls out a dagger connected by a rope from his bag.

"Sorry, it's a rule that we use practice swords."

"Damn. Guess I can't do anything if it's a rule." The boy takes the sword without any more complaint.

"BEGIN!"

"Uah~…." Athena is amazed by his performance.

The boy is simply dodging all of the attacks, but the way he does it seems almost graceful to her. His style for dodging seems similar to her own style.

"3 minutes over, you pass!" a proctor yells.

"Eh?" The boy seems surprised it is over so soon.

'This guy's not normal…' the proctor thinks as he pants.

"Hm… the three minutes went by so fast…" the boy muses as he walks away from the platform.

"Hey, do you think he even thought about attacking that entire time?" Athena asks the boy.

"No, not once."

"Yay! You finally spoke to me without being mean!" Athena jumps as if she won a war by herself.

"Uh… Ok…" the boy is confused by Athena's personality once more

'He didn't attack on purpose! An unnecessary trait among mercenaries!' The commander thinks as he watches the battle

"SHIFT CHANGE OF B-CLASS SOLDIER!" A different man comes in and looks over the remaining applicants.

"Hm… 6 left, and among them a girl… about 10 seconds each. I'll be done in less than a minute!" He says confidently and arrogantly.

"What a jerk…" Athena mutters. "I'd rather deal with you any day." The boy doesn't give her a reply.

The man is true to his word for the first 4 applicants. "Hmph… so weak. If you can't last 3 minutes against me then what are you doing here? Some pathetic soldier in the battle that grabs the ankle of another, is that what you're going to become?!"

"This guy talks too much…" Athena yawns.

"Those of you who passed too, if you're scared then get the hell out!"

"That bastard" the passers say unanimously.

"WHO'S NEXT?" Michael smirks since it is finally his turn.

When he takes the practice sword he says, "A practice sword… Are the Tample Mercenaries a bunch of kids that play with these?"

The entire area is silenced by his insult. 'Heh, an interesting kid!' The commander can't help but smile

"Want to go a round with a real sword?"

"You little punk!" the man sneers, "I want to use a real sword too, but the commander is watching so we can't"

As the smack talk is going on Athena thinks, 'Commander? What's a commander?'

"That's too bad!"

Athena stands up thinking, 'This match won't last long, so I'd better get ready now.'

"Hoho, brat. Your name?"

The boy blankly looks at the man. "Names are unnecessary for those that live by the sword"

Athena is confused by his statement. "'Names are unnecessary for those that live by the sword'… does he not have a name?"

The black haired boy is crouching as he says, "What's he so confident about that he's babbling about something like that?"

The examiner growls, "Spouting out nonsense like that, your death will be everything but painless." He grabs a hold of the practice sword

The boy just smirks.

"Begin!"

The examiner runs towards the boy sword ready and yelling. The boy just swings his sword down on his head and knocks him out instantly, surprising all that are watching except Athena. She already understands the boy's strength.

Michael smiles a cruel smirk "You couldn't last 1 second against me. What did you think you could do here?" He leaves the stage to give the sword to Athena.

She smiles while receiving it. "Thanks! And great job on knocking him out, he deserved it." Her smile too bright and innocent for anyone to believe she is about to try out to be a mercenary.

Michael decides to actually say something to her this time. "No problem… I'll be waiting so you'd better come!"

One of the other soldiers loses his temper. "Who the hell is next?! I'll be your next opponent! Getting knocked out by a new recruit! This is a disgrace to the mercenary name!"

"That'd be me!" Athena replies, completely ignorant of the venom in his voice.

"I'm really pissed right now so you better be careful!"

"Ok! Can I ask a question though?"

"What is it, girl?!"

"How many meals are we given?" She seriously asks.

"How the hell should I know?!"

"How are you a mercenary without knowing even that?"

"That has nothing to do with it!"

Over at the new recruits the black haired boy is laughing at the soldier "That B-class soldier has lost himself in his emotions."

"Since I'm the last one, can you just pass me without a test?" Athena doesn't really want to fight someone who has already lost control of his emotions.

"Why do you even ask!? Of course not!" The poor soldier is getting more and more mad.

"Too bad, I don't really want to hurt you. But I will if I have to."

"Hmph, a little girl like you is going to hurt me?"

"Yep!" Athena notices her shoes were untied. "Oops. Wait a sec, I need to tie my shoes."

The man doesn't, he already has his sword heading towards her head.

But it never connects. Athena moves the soldier's sword with the back of her hand at the last second, making it barely miss her. When she gets up, Athena pouts. "That was mean. Not to mention, you put so much power into it that if I pushed it even slightly lighter it would have still hit me."

The black haired boy laughs. "Yeah right! She had no problem moving that sword; even if he had the strength of five men she would have been able to move it."

The other boy smiles. 'He's right, she a lot more skilled than she gives off; must be her personality that makes her modest about her skill.'

The examiner smirks and licks the practice sword "Mean? Hmph! Does an enemy tell you, 'Hey, I'm going to attack', and then attack? You must always be ready in a fight!"

"I am! That doesn't give you right to attack before we even started!" She yells while stepping forward slightly.

"Ah, you're stepping on my coin."

That redirects her attention again "I did? Sorry about that." She says while looking down to check.

The examiner uses it as a chance to attack her again; attacking from the side. She does a back flip over the swing. "It didn't work the first time, why would it work the second time?"

The examiner reaches for his pocket 'Let's see if she can dodge this'

Athena notices his action "Hey mister, whatcha taking out of your pocket?"

"Take this brat!" he yells as he throws what he had hidden in his pocket.

"Ah! It's sand!" Athena yells in pain while covering her eyes.

"HAHAHAHA This is my victory!" he yells while baring out his sword.

"I guess it's over for that girl" the black haired boy says.

"Nope, it's not over yet," the other boy replies.

Over at the stage, Athena starts to smile and when the sword is centimeters away from hitting her she kicks the man in the face. "Take this!" she yells as she throws her sword at him.

"That girl, threw her sword!" a bystander yells in astonishment.

"You think I'd get hit by this?!" the examiner yells as he blocks the sword.

But Athena isn't trying to hit him with her sword, just avert his attention for a split second to run up to him. "No," she says as she uses the palm of her hand to push him back. "That is part of my passive style. You're not even worth using my active style," she says to taunt him.

"Do you really believe that?" the examiner says with a glare.

"Yep, and to prove it! I won't leave this square and I'll still beat you," she says pointing to the 2x2 square she is in.

"Heh, you'll regret that girly!" he yells as he takes his sword and charges to swing at her again.

She does the same thing as when he first attacked, using the back of her hand to make it miss her. Then she uses her palm to push him back, only this time, she hits the right side of his upper chest.

'What the? It felt hard to breathe for a moment.' The examiner thinks. Athena purposely hits where his lung is to send a shock wave to it and temporarily make breathing harder for him

"Did you feel it? I can do that to all of your organs, your nerves tom" she says, her smile gone and replaced with a serious expression.

"Shut up!" he yells to attack her again. Only for the same thing to happen, this time she waits for him to pass her and hits the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.

Athena and both boys pass the Tample Mercenaries Test magnificently.