It was a cold night. The moon in its full glory lightened the surrounding. Today was the supposed competition between future Pandora's . She was supposed to be there with other candidates like her fighting for their lives to save humanity. Though personally she cares only about fighting, after all she herself spent most of her life just surviving and in this world surviving means to fight. Whether it be scraps from the nobles or the academy, it mattered not.
She was the strongest in her academy and the only ones that can save humanity and so she was to fight no matter the hardships. For the sake of herself, she has to fight. For the sake of others, she has to fight. At least, that's what she though until this night which put a question to her struggle, a question to her very existence. For the first time, she had met someone stronger than her. However, that itself is not the issue, there were individuals much stronger than her. But the person who challenged the very concept of Pandora's and their struggle, standing in front of her like a cruel tyrant but still with an aura of a klutz was a man.
Black hair, wearing a sleeveless black jacket. Underneath the jacket she saw a business attire protruding outwards. She bafflingly looked as the mysterious individual beat four students without much trouble and with great speed even throwing her off. After all, today was the day of competition, some of the students might have known that couldn't beat her in a fair fight and decided to pull her out of the academy and try to stop her until the end of the tournament.
She felt bitter about not getting to participate in the tournament. The event itself would allow to exhibit her worth to others and gain some recognition. But the hope was slowly and slowly fading as if a dream.
Under the cold moon light, she saw the boy with shallow dark eyes. Uninterested, calculating. His posture ideal, movement without a waste. She felt as if watching a master of arts performing in front of her.
With a thud, the boy in front of her fell the last of his opponents.
The boy standing before four fallen students looked at her. She noticed his hawkish stare trying to pierce through her.
"You must be acquainted with them, judging by the similar uniforms" asked the mysterious male with a smile on his face. His comforting actions allowed to get her bearings straight.
"...yes. They were ill acquaintances. Here to stop me from entering an event." she answered grimly knowing the competition would start at any moment. The boy watched her calculatedly and finally spoke, "I can take you there.".
She herself was against the very thought of spending a moment longer with another person beside her. But her mind racked with questions after questions betrayed her actions and she relented to his proposal.
"...a protection mission. good, good. At least some thing...this world... are commo... as ygg..." She couldn't hear his whispers clearly and decided to vocally accept his proposal.
"We will spend time until we get back to your academy. Where are my manners, let me introduce myself. You can call me, Momon." The boy spoke calmly with much confidence ending with military bow of his head.
"Satella. Just Satella"
She answered cordially.
"umu..."
"..." She awkwardly looked at him with cold eyes. 'Was he expecting her say something?' she abashedly looked down to hide her embarrassment.
*silence*
"...let us get going then. I hope you keep up" the boy looked haggard as if he sustained some grievous injuries.
She ran before him, trying to judge if what she had seen earlier was reality or illusion she increased her own speed to inhumane level but the boy continued to follow her without any exhaustions or distress.
Satella gave up on trying to make any sense regarding this boy and focused on getting to the academy quickly.
...
With a map in her hand, satella took before leaving the dormitory, she ran crossing a large forest. The large forest got her lost a few times. The dark moon shone on top of her acting as a light as they both moved at high speed. The boy behind looked not one bit weakened, moved as if enjoyed the journey through the forest.
He smiled as if experiencing nature for the first time in his life. Taking deep breaths sometimes, or getting lost in thought watching a lake or nearby pond. She felt like taking a curious child to a theme park. The thought itself disrespects the fact that the said boy managed defeated highly trained opponents without any experience.
"Are you sure? This is the right way" spoke the boy cynically after seeing satella hold the map upside down.
"Yes" Satella spoke with solemn confidence just to face another dead end.
"I give up " She slumped down her shoulders looking at the map as if stuck in a never ending maze. Momon smiled mysteriously looking at her and continued following her.
Soon after, she started to get exhausted. The place they were lured was very very far from the academy. At this rate satella would, drop down even before getting a chance to fight.
The boy with her, noticed the strain satella was on.
"if you wish, I can carry you there." she stopped, shocked by such proposal. The feared being touched, the trauma in her childhood resurged. However, satella would never let some stranger know about this. After all, she would rather die than show weakness.
"no.." she instinctually resisted the very thought until momon started critically looking at her.
"hmm..?"
"I...please.. take me there...quickly." Sensing that he might find out. She immediately spoke her mind.
Momon slowly moved towards her and grabbed her shoulders. She braced herself . 'For the tournament'
"ah..." The touch was warm. The disgust she instinctually felt before was all alone. It felt as if she was normal.
Momon picked her up with his two hands and started muttering. She tried making sense of his words .But before she could do that Momon started running at extreme speeds reminding of a 3rd year technique she once saw being performed.
She silently got comfortable in his arms and slowly decided to enjoy the ride. The cool breeze is what she felt before satella decided to rest and conserve till her next battle.
...
"He looks promising" a women, standing on top of a tree wearing a white attire silently watched the battle.
Satella, one of the most promising candidates disappearing before the competition sent quite an uproar within the upper echo leans who wished to view the strength of their investments.
While she found Satella in the park before the attack. The mysterious boy bought her interest and that didn't disappoint one bit. He fought with precision and speed although she saw a dark aura surrounding him before disappearing after a second. 'Did he notice my presence?' she decided to think of it as him being extra cautious because the alternative is much more absurd.
She continued to judge his movements, attacks and every bit it astounded her to no ends. If she wasn't biased to Pandora's, she might have even called him the strongest of humanity. 'How did no one noticed him yet?'. Researchers would have flocking all over the world for even a single bit of his blood. She silently decided to keep the night under wraps and handle the incident privately.
'There must a reason, why no one has yet figured out his strength. Attacking him or capturing him might be dangerous'.
An Ereinbar Set was commonly needed for Pandora's to express their maximum strength. An Ereinbar Set requires a male to be baptized even then their use is very limited and even counter productive in battle, serving as nothing but meat shields. She remembered the times where young males of the academy where sent to their deaths to fight a meaningless battle against extradimensional beings. Their sacrifices bought parts of those beings and keep the world survive one more day.
'But the boy fought against trained students with just his body'. The boy's existence itself would be groundbreaking than any of those monsters. A male fighting toe to toe against a Pandora. The news itself is enough for others countries to declare war.
She couldn't stop herself from giggling like a madwomen. The institute can greatly benefit from this.
She continued watching the boy running behind satella. The fact that satella let the boy touch her even surprised her knowing her cruel past. Seeing the clueless boy and the direction dyslexic girl, margaret decided to help them out.
...
Momon moved at a random direction deciding to locate other people. After continuously running for a few minutes, he saw a lady in white dress with another women standing calmly in front of them. He approached them,
"Ano..."
The women instantly smiled and spoke.
"We were waiting for you." Momon thought as if she was talking about the girl in his arms.
"Are you from her work place?"
"Yes, I am principal Margaret, Head of the West Genetics. We were missing a candidate" Momon understanding the implications handed the girl to the lady approaching from beside principal margaret.
Seeing as his work done, momon decided to leave to not entangled with important individuals without a plan in mind. Just as he was about to run...
"I saw your battle" the women spoke eerily giving momon a feeling as if he about to get pummeled by his boss.
and so decided to act decisively and deny reality, "No, i was just passing by. Came across a helpless women and decided to lend a hand."
"Yes, your help was very appreciated. However, we would like to thank you more personally" She approached ominously.
"...no, I don't think that would be necessary." alarm bells started ringing on his mind, as momon started to think of some escape plans if the women decide to go ballistic. 'Accepting might be best and it can lead to some opportunities to know more about this world'. Deciding to commit to an uncertain gamble in a foreign world with unknown powers, momon decided to take on this bet.
"No, I insist" The women dragged him away while smiling creepily all the way.
The End~