Reviews:
Cobalt Striker Gundam: Yes! I know who just arrived to fight Rei and It's going to be awesome at last.. And just who In the world Is the woman In that photo just what's her connection to Rei and that paper He had when he was talking to Rutger? Also who is Oliva Soleil? is part of the Kiseki saga In the past with Librel or Crossbell?
It's an OC! I made only a few to fit my version of the story! Only way for the mystery to be revealed is to continue reading! Please look forward to it!
Guest:
Mysterious assassin my foot!
Gotta admit, this meeting happened way earlier than expected but I am glad to see you-know-who this early in your story.
Who is Soliel by the way? An OC? I can not find anything on her
She is an OC for the story! And yes, you-know-who really is meant to appear early on in this. Whether they'll make a constant appearance in chapters... I'll keep that a secret.
Heng Dani:
if i can imagine like a game, Rei is deuteragonist or Co-Protagonist right? and the pov between two always rotate if they are separated?
Yup, yup! Though that'll only be the case when Van and Rei are acting separately or other circumstances. They are the main P.O.V. but other characters *cough* Elaine *cough* will also be given the treatment when needed.
gamer611:
Thank you for another interesting chapter because the tension that is present in the story is really starting to build up nicely.
The Van and Elaine content was very well down because I could feel the tension between the two as you captured their characters from the game nicely with both of them feeling very conflicted over their mutual situation with each other. Olivia Soleil is a neat addition to the story especially with the way you wrote out her fighting style and I can't wait to see how she interacts with Rei.
The Rei content was also exceptionally interesting as he finally found a lead in his quest for answers and I have high hopes for the woman who was described in the photo shown to him.
On a funnier note, I would not be too surprised if Thorndyke from the game was the type of guy to not give a damn if he was threatened the way he was in the story.
Out of curiosity, in regards to Hrunting's size is it oversized like Xeno's bladerifle from the game or is it something that can feasibly be held in one hand for close range combat?
I can see him as that kind of person lol. And thank you for your kind words! She'll play an important role in the story, especially for Rei, but that's all I can say for now. For Hrunting's size, the best comparison I can give would be like Laura's sword, but slightly bulkier to fit the special mechanisms of Hrunting.
Blood trickled down Rei's palm as he held his assailant's blade tightly with his left hand, scowling in discomfort and irritation. Thanks to his instincts kicking in, the man caught the killer blade just in time, protecting his visage at the cost of wounding his palm. Despite the hood covering his attack's face, the ex-jaeger could see their shock through their sky-blue orbs.
"Ah..." They verbally expressed their surprise with one word, their voice feminine in tone. "Why didn't you use your blade to block my attack? Or dodge it?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because my hand moved before I could do anything else?!" He growled and let go of the aggressor's sword, immediately swinging Hrunting upward in its longsword mode as he knocked them back.
The mysterious assassin was pushed back by a few rege, but they quickly regained their balance as they started to sheath their ebony blade in a slow motion.
Rei switched back to rifle mode, loading a golden brown septium bullet. With a pull of a trigger, the bullet escaped its muzzle as the projectile flew across the highway. Its earth septium shell began to dissolve quickly, transforming into an earth needle.
The owner of sky-blue hues giggled and sheathed their blade as Rei's orbs widened.
Before the projectile could get close to his assailant, the septium bullet suddenly split into halves right before his eyes. The man didn't even see them draw their blade!
His eyes narrowed as the former Zephyr jaeger shook off his shock and returned Hrunting to its standard mode. Firing bullets won't work on this opponent. If slicing his bullets like tofu was a piece of cake for them, fighting his assailant from a distance isn't an option for him.
Not to mention how the mercenary's instincts told him it would end badly for him if he attempted to continue fighting from a distance.
The animalistic drive within Rei whispered in his ear as the hooded figure started making their way toward him. The dark-haired ex-jaeger reeled his blade and got into a stance, taking in air as he buried his foot on the ground.
"Let's let loose..."
The two appeared in front of each other the moment a breeze passed by them. The hooded assailant swung their ebony blade as Rei bent his body to the left to avoid it. He followed up by swinging his own blade as it clashed against his opponent's, sparks flying. As the two sword wielders continued to graze steels, both soon leaped away from each other's zone of attack.
"You have quite the swing."
"Heh. I could say the same to you." Rei mockingly clapped his hands, receiving a giggle from the hooded assassin. "Tch. Are you even taking me seriously?"
"Oh, I assure you I am. It's been a while since I faced someone who can put up a challenge." Rei felt a vein pop out in his forehead, kicking off the ground and lunging himself toward his foe. They easily met his blade with theirs as a smirk crossed their visage. "A scowl doesn't suit you. What's got you so mad?"
"Take a wild freaking guess!"
Rei activated Hrunting's Septium Charger using a preloaded bullet, the blade extending as blue energy coated it, forcing the attacker to pull back. Their smirk disappeared as the mercenary grew his own on his visage. He made a swiping motion with his wounded palm as the blood from the cut splattered on the hooded assailant's face, obstructing their vision.
"Ah!"
Exploiting their temporary loss of vision, Rei knocked the eastern blade off their hands with one swing and tackled his opponent to the ground. His tackle caused their hood to fall, long silver hair coming out and covering most of their— her face. Without the pressure and tension of fighting a skilled assassin, Rei took note of his assailant's feminine curves and visage, ignoring his life essence in her eyes anyway. The ex-jaeger pointed the tip of his blade close to the side of his assailant's neck while keeping a firm grip on their left shoulder as his amber eyes narrowed.
If it weren't for the fact this girl fired a wave of killing intent in his direction, he might actually compliment her pretty face. Well, he threw that thought out of the window after her little stunt.
"Hey... that was a dirty move." He could hear the amusement underneath her annoyed voice as his right eye twitched slightly.
"Oh please, you're an assassin, right? You should know how we folks fight." He squeezed her shoulder tighter with his injured palm, though it didn't seem to affect her.
"You're right, you're right. I suppose it's my fault for trying to cut you?"
Twitch.
The smile plastered on her face and how casual she was acting irked the mercenary. The emotional whiplash Rei experienced was causing his head to throb and his grip to loosen. Is her head screwed on right?
Any hostility Rei felt for the girl vanished as he heaved a deep sigh.
The ex-jaeger felt a thug to his sleeve as he looked at the one who tried to cut him with an exhausted look. The (not so) innocent smile she was putting on creeped the man out a bit, thanks to the blood splattered on her face. She looked like she had murdered someone recently... which would be true if she had killed him.
"Can you wipe the blood off my eyes, please?"
"..."
Her nonchalant request and polite tone were met with a stunned expression from Beowulf. Wasn't she trying to kill me? Or at the very least hurt him before? He was perplexed how easily she could ask such a thing from her target.
Sensing no ill intent from the silverette anymore, the man shook his head in resignation and wiped off the red covering her eyes before he got off the woman, distancing himself from her while taking out some bandages.
The silver-haired assassin opened her orbs, smiling when her vision cleared up as she dusted herself off. She stretched her arms out, sky-blue hues glancing at the mercenary. As she picked up her blade and sheathed it, the woman walked up to Rei and tapped his shoulder.
He peeked over his shoulder, annoyed. "What?"
"Want me to patch that up?" She asked while her eyes watched him bandage his wounded palm.
Rei blinked once, then twice, eyes shifting into a slight glare as he fully faced the silverette.
"Are you serious right now?" She simply tilted her head; obliviousness was written all over her face. "You attacked me with the extreme killing intent earlier, and now you're offering to help me with my injury? What kind of assassin are you?!"
"I'm technically a jaeger." The woman corrected, catching Rei off guard.
"...Say what now...?"
The supposed jaeger giggled as she placed her hands on her hips, puffing her chest out. "Soon to be vice-commander, too! Oh! But I have to do more training with my Zeroth Form before I take on that promotion test. Commander wouldn't hesitate to punish me if I took it unprepared..." The sky-blue-eyed woman's expression became one of nervousness as she placed a hand on her chin, pondering and mumbling various battle plans to herself.
Rei could only stare at her with a dumbfounded look, soon pinching the bridge of his nose as fatigue came home to him.
He wasn't tired from fighting. But he was deadass tired from dealing with this woman's carefree attitude and instantaneous mood changes. Rei could already feel a migraine incoming. The ex-Zephyr jaeger plopped down on the ground, running a hand through his hair.
"I have so many questions I don't know which one to ask first..."
His grumbling pulled the silverette out of her muttering as she blinked twice, a grin crossing her visage.
"How about as a prize for knocking my odachi off my hands, I'll answer some of your questions~."
"Name and affiliation?" Rei asked without missing a beat.
Grinning, the woman answered in kind. "Shizuna Rem Misurugi, a member of the Ikaruga."
Her response prompted an eyebrow raise from the former jaeger. Both her name and her affiliated group sounded eastern, and Rei swore he heard of the name Ikaruga. The most common rumors were about them being an active group of assassins or samurais, whatever those were. It was obvious his assailant was a girl after his quick inspection, but her clothes were nothing like what he assumed an eastern assassin would wear.
Shizuna wore a black combat suit: a sleeveless top with a floral petal symbol on the right side and black leggings, black armor with golden accents that covered her knees with her footwear having an opening for her toes. Contrasting the dark color scheme of her outfit, the woman had a sleeveless silver jacket with a hood while her hands were covered with black fingerless gloves and wrist guards. The lengthy scabbard of her odachi was strapped around her waist to complete her whole attire.
If Rei was being honest, he expected an all-black attire with helmets or a mask to hide her face. Except for her dark combat suit, the woman's jacket did not look like traditional eastern garb. If they fought in the darkness of the night, her jacket would stick out like a sore thumb. His amber jewels noticed the shimmer of the jacket's material. Whatever it was, it was likely a high-grade material if it could produce such luminosity.
"Hey... If you're not gonna make a comment, ask another question." The silver-haired swordswoman frowned with a glare that was playful yet deadly.
The man reconsidered his opinion about her fashion sense after witnessing her expression. How could he forget this woman's brief display of experienced combat skills and ability to remove her presence completely earlier? The shine from her jacket wouldn't matter if she could erase her presence from being detected.
"Fine," As his hand ran through his black-colored locks, the ravenette suddenly closed the distance between himself and his fellow mercenary, eyes squinting into an annoyed glare. "Why the hell did you attack me? I haven't done anything to earn the Ikaruga's hostility. Heck, I'm pretty sure I haven't encountered anyone from your group!"
"Oh, actually..."
Uh oh, why did Rei feel like her answer was just going to make him pissed?
Shizuna tilted her head and closed her eyes, arms crossed.
"I was meditating in the forest when I sensed something interesting nearby. I decided to check it out and spotted you on the highway dealing with a few monsters." Before Rei could manage to blink, Shizuna somehow appeared close to his face, her lips twisting into a grin. "You have a unique combat sense I have never seen before. From how you move and fight, I could see just how unrestrained your instincts were, like their shackles made by the human body were forcibly removed to let them run wild."
He flinched at her words and stepped away. The sense of hostility from the Ikaruga assassin was not present. Yet Rei felt agitation and displeasure at her observations, a similar feeling he would get when hostile intent washes over him.
"How the—mph?!"
Shizuna pressed a finger against his lips as her sky-blue eyes turned dull; a blank emotion colored the depths of her orbs.
"You're an interesting person. I wanted to see how strong you were and what your abnormal instincts could do; that's why I engaged. Observing you helped me understand that your body is used to performing split-second actions during combat." The silverette revealed as she pulled her finger away. Her grin grew wider when Rei grew a scowl.
"That's impossible. How could you tell just from observing me?"
"During our battle, you confirmed my observations yourself. Whenever you evaded my attacks, you always dodged my blade by a few reges." She emphasized her point by making a pinching gesture with her fingers. "Oh, I was swinging my odachi quite fast as well. The scouts of the Ikaruga couldn't keep track of my attacks when I swung at that speed. But for you to be able to react and dodge like the way you've been doing earlier... Your body must have experienced many close calls for it to grow accustomed to reckless evasions, correct?"
"That's—"
"Is your split-second evasion a conscious decision? Or perhaps that's just how your instincts work?" The woman interrupted him as she stepped closer, the scowl on Rei's countenance deepening. Her lips leaned close to his ear. "You have no control over your instincts, do you?"
Her soft yet cold voice sent shivers down his spine like a chilly breeze of an approaching blizzard. His heart rate accelerated as his vascular organ pounded against his chest. His amber hues twitching, instincts screaming and roaring from within him to take action.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
She is dangerous!
SWIPE...
"Ah, it looks like I have upset you. I'm sorry."
The momentary adrenaline Rei felt vanished as he blinked, noticing his right hand about to claw the jaeger's face. It would have connected if it weren't for Shizuna intertwining her fingers with his. It may look romantic in appearance, but the woman had a crushing grip on the dark-haired ex-Zephyr.
"Just... who the hell are you?" Rei barely formed a glare due to his confusion and wariness toward the Ikaruga swordswoman.
Slowly releasing her hold on him, she flashed the young man a cheery smile.
"I already told you! I'm Shizuna Rem Misurugi— a member of the Ikaruga and soon-to-be vice-commander." An audible 'ah' left her lips when realizing she had forgotten an important detail. "Whoops, I almost forgot. I'm also a practitioner of the Black God One Blade school!"
[03/ 19/ S. 1204]
-17:30-
Central Station Street, Capital City of Edith
The door to the Bracer Guild opened as Elaine and Olivia left the building together. After the mess in the waterway and the blonde's unexpected reunion with her long-lost childhood friend, the two resumed their duties until they finished their remaining requests for the day. Despite her emotional state back in the waterway, Elaine remained professional enough to complete the requests of her clients without any problem.
The ash-haired swordswoman glanced at her fellow bracer, eyeing her features to check whether she was thinking about a certain man or not.
Since the two were now done with work, Olivia could see exhaustion leaking from the woman's visage, both physical and emotional. Her frown was not ignored, with signs of her baby blues appearing as if she was in a daze.
The former Auclair maid's lips curled into a sympathetic smile as she tapped Elaine's shoulder, snapping her out of her stupor. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?"
The blonde-haired woman sighed, rubbing her temple. "Is it that obvious?"
"Sweetie, you only make that face when you're thinking about him, and it's usually when you're upset."
"I'm sorry, Livia." She said softly without facing her senior. "It's a bit difficult to think of anything else after getting to see Van again... It's just..."
"I know, Elaine. You don't have to say anything more." The older woman stroked the younger one's head, much to the blonde's embarrassment. "How about I buy you a drink? I found this lovely bar in the Riverside Area."
"Maybe next time. I was planning on doing an evening patrol later." Elaine smiled apologetically. The older swordswoman could do nothing but shake her head, followed by a smile of her own. "We can go this weekend if that's all right with you?"
"Of course it is. I expected that kind of answer anyway." She chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Elaine. Please don't push yourself too hard."
As her junior bobbed her head in understanding, Olivia left Elaine to her own devices before heading for the Riverside Area. The blonde-haired bracer fished out her orbment, then dialed the number of a certain CID agent. The ringing of her device was short-lived when her friend picked up at the second ring.
"René? I'd like to have a talk with you after I'm finished with my patrol later."
Frustration, perplexity, wariness, and stress were all put into a little package for the ex-jaeger. Shizuna Rem Misurugi was his assailant, the one who attacked him and fought with intense bloodlust. He had no reason to act all friendly around her, right? He should have remained hostile despite the friendly demeanor and smile the woman was displaying.
But her observations and the chill she gave the ex-Zephyr shook him more than he realized. It was as though Shizuna planted a seed of fear in the man by abusing his abnormal instincts. Rei would convince himself— convince his mind, he was safe, but his body and instincts told him otherwise.
That's why he questioned himself why Shizuna, the jaeger who attacked him a couple of minutes ago, was now happily following him while reading a book.
Rei rubbed his palm against his forehead, glancing at his back as he saw the eyes of the Ikaruga jaeger glued to her... novel? He just assumed it was some kind of book. There were eastern words on the cover and what looked like... a masked warrior?
"Hmm? Are you interested in what I'm reading~?" She asked with a bit of a giggle, noticing his eyes on her.
"That's the last thing I would be interested in, woman..." The dark-haired mercenary clicked his tongue, shooting her a half-lidded glare. "Why are you following me? If you're gonna stalk me, at least do it from a distance!"
"It's called a manga! It's kind of like a storybook of the east!"
And she completely ignored everything he just said. The silverette simply walked to his side while pointing at her paperback.
"Why do I even bother...?"
The ex-jaeger continued walking as the silverette followed him, pointing at the pictures of her manga. Shizuna enthusiastically shared a summary of what she was reading. But Rei had no interest... and he couldn't keep up with everything she was saying. The only thing the mercenary could remember was her rambling about the main character transforming into a masked warrior.
It was safe to say he didn't understand a thing of what Shizuna was talking about.
He grumbled when he noticed midnight blue gradually replacing the orange hue of the sky. The man would have arrived at Edith by now if he didn't encounter any problems...
But not everything in life will go as planned.
Shizuna returned to reading her manga once she was done explaining the plot to Rei, who tuned out most of her explanation.
"If you truly must know why I'm following you, I have business in Edith as well." He groaned at her reason. "But besides our common destination, you've completely caught my interest."
His amber eyes narrowed sharply for a second, softening as a groan parted from his lips. "Oh, do what you want. I don't care anymore!"
"I will! Thanks~!"
As the assassin giggled and resumed reading her manga, Rei had to keep himself from lashing out in annoyance. Doing something stupid was the last thing he would do around Shizuna. The merc sealed his lips shut as the two strolled down the path to the capital.
"By the way..." The silver-haired swordswoman suddenly began. "What should I call you, Mr. Mercenary? You never told me your name, and I don't think it's fair when I told you mine."
"Why do you wanna know? Ya gonna put me on your hit list?" He grinned wryly in response, earning him a pout.
"I thought it was proper manners to tell your name after someone tells you theirs."
The childish, sulking tone Shizuna used contrasted with the chilling, soft voice that came out of her lips earlier. It was throwing Rei off, and he didn't like it. She gets all serious and scarily perceptive one minute, then playful and a bit of an airhead the next. How can someone not feel exhausted from seeing her mood change so fast?
An idea came to mind while the eastern woman comically pressed him for his name.
"How about if I tell you if you beat me in a race to Edith? If you win, I'll tell you my name. If I win well, I'll think about my prize when I do."
Shizuna stopped in her tracks as a smirk crept its way across her countenance, closing her book. "You don't want to tell me your name that much? My, how rude." Her facial expression showed no signs of hurt or offense. "But all right, I'll play your little game. This is far more interesting than simply strolling to the capital with you."
"Heh, better watch it, or I might ask you to do something perverted as my prize." Rei cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders as Shizuna did some stretches of her own.
"Really now? I don't mind; if you actually win, of course." She stated smugly, irking the ex-jaeger as his right eye twitched.
"I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face..."
The woman laughed in amusement, both taking their running stance with Rei raising three fingers. The dark-haired mercenary buried his foot on the ground as he gathered the necessary energy to start off with a burst of speed. Shizuna gripped the handle of her eastern blade, crouching down and assuming a stance.
"Three."
Dark orange and silvery-blue aura began to leak out of the two.
"Two."
Adrenaline began pumping through the man's veins, eyes narrowing as the evening breeze brushed the two's cheeks.
"Go!"
Both sword wielders vanished from their spot as gusts of wind took their place, leaving cracks on the ground. Rei sprinted as fast as his body would allow him to go, pushing his human body to the very limit. Beowulf may not be the fastest in Zephyr, but he was still a speedy mercenary in his own right. But it didn't matter how fast he was in Zephyr when Shizuna was outspeeding him by several arges.
Her speed was unnatural, almost inhuman in nature. Rei was unfamiliar with the stance she took earlier, but his gut told him it was the reason for her insane speed. She was fast, faster than him, he'll admit. The ex-jaeger would go as far as to say her technique was a cheat because of how much of a boost it gave her!
The animalistic instinct within the ex-jaeger told him how much of a threat Shizuna would be if she were to become his enemy again.
And he completely agreed.
'I don't understand her at all... Wait, do I even want to understand that crazy woman? She attacked me only because she found me interesting and to confirm her observations! Ugh... it doesn't look like she figured out who I really am considering how she acted earlier, but..."
His musing was cut short when a pack of wolflike monsters came running in their direction. The Ikaruga swordswoman and ex-jaeger whipped out their blades as they continued to keep their feet active.
"How about we add who can kill the most monsters on our way to Edith into this little competition of ours? Whoever kills the most gets another prize?"
"Oh, you're on!"
Hrunting burst to life with an amber hue as ice encased the ebony odachi. With feral grins glued on their faces, the two charged at the pack and started hacking through them as icy blue and heated orange engulfed the highway.
...
Stepping into the city entrance with a ragged breath, Rei wobbled as he leaned against a wall, legs feeling numb and nonfunctional. He took in breath after breath, eyes darting to his right to see the eastern assassin stretching her legs with no signs of exhaustion. Unlike the mercenary's sweaty visage, the woman hardly looked tired. Any sweat she built up amounted to a small shot of vodka, amusingly different when compared to Beowulf's two liters of sweat!
Rei found himself grumbling, occasionally groaning as well. He already knew Shizuna was stronger, but the sight of her not sweating up a storm after how running that much was ridiculous! She unintentionally rubbed salt in his wound by slaying the most monsters back on the highway.
She won the race by a few seconds after him and killed the most monsters on their way to the capital...
Now, he had to give her another prize other than his name...
Shizuna reveled in her victory as she threw Beowulf a V-sign with a grin on her face, her silver mane shimmering under the moonlight.
"It looks like I won both competitions, Mr. Mercenary. Now, how about you tell me your name first before I demand my second prize?"
"Ha... fine. But let my... ha... lungs get their fill... ha... of air first." He said between pants, getting up from the ground as he dusted himself off. "Rei... Rei Liafall."
A thoughtful hum left Shizuna, closing her optics with her earlier grin morphing into a ghost of a smile.
"Rei, huh? Your first name sounds eastern. Do you have any eastern relations?"
"I wouldn't know. I was left in the care of a jaeger corps in the Empire when I was a little runt. The only memory I could remember was my mother carrying me through a wasteland. I have no memories of my father or if I have one." He answered, causing Shizuna to flinch for a split second.
"I..."
"Don't feel bad for me. You didn't know any better, and I'm used to answering similar questions before, so don't worry about it. I've always answered them the same way... I'm fine." His furrowed brows went against his statement, a hand subconsciously curling into a fist.
"Even so, let me apologize for asking an inconsiderate question." The smile that crossed the woman's lips was different from her previous ones. Her eyes softened, playfulness fading as understanding and sympathy took over.
The coldness and darkness formerly in her sky-blue eyes now seemed like an illusion. The warmth they held confused his senses. Rei lowered his guard to think for a moment, processing the change of the Ikaruga assassin.
Sighing, he shook his head, letting a wry smile appear. "I already told you you didn't know any better. I really don't understand you... " He mumbled, ignorant of Shizuna's perplexed expression. "Anyways, what do you want for your second prize? If it's mira you want, you'll have to wait a few days before I can pay up."
"No thanks, I'm good on mira. Give me a minute; I wanna think carefully of what I want." Shizuna said, stroking her chin in thought.
The ex-Zephyr shrugged as he got back up. As soon as the warmth Shizuna gave off vanished, his instincts were back in a high alert state, warning the mercenary to put his guard up. Rei took the opportunity to walk with Shizuna around Edith to avoid wasting any time while she pondered on her prize.
He recalled Thorndyke's words to him when they parted. A man called a Spriggan resided in Edith. The general manager suggested Rei look for him if he wanted any help. Where should he begin looking for the guy—
"I got it!"
The dark-haired man almost fell from his former assailant's declaration, turning to her with a perplexed albeit annoyed stare.
"What?"
"I want to exchange contact info with you!"
He stared at her, dumbfounded at her demand. "You want to what...?"
"I want to exchange contact info with you." She repeated with mild annoyance, giving him a look of her own. A smile ran across her features as she placed her hands on her back. "I said I was interested in you, remember? We'll be able to keep in touch if we have each other's numbers. Not only that, we can meet up whenever I'm in the capital to spare since I'm only one call away!"
Only if he's going to settle in the capital permanently!
"B-Back up! You know that's impossible, right? We're both busy with our own thing, and I'm basically a wanderer who can't stay put in one place. We won't be able to meet up so easily." And is she forgetting that it's Rei who decides if he wants to meet up and spare?
The pout Rei received from her made her dissatisfaction known. "Oh, fine. I still want to be able to contact you whenever, though."
"Do I have any right to ask you for something else?" Beowulf asked a pointless question.
"Not unless you want me to snap your blade in half!" She beamed with such innocence he wanted to puke.
"Urk..."
Exhaling in resignation, the mercenary brought out his orbment as Shizuna let out a delighted giggle. The woman brought an orbment worth raising an intrigued brow: the fifth-generation battle orbment: ARCUS. It was the same model Rei used.
"You're using an ARCUS, too, huh?"
"Yep. I see you have one as well. I'm aware the ARCUS units are technically in their prototype phase, but they still get the job done." The two flipped open their devices, exchanging numbers. "Wanna know how I got—"
"Nah." He responded with a blank tone. The Ikaruga swordswoman probably got it through... not so legal means. Not that Rei could talk.
"Rude. You didn't even let me finish..."
"My gut tells me you didn't get it by going to the Reinford Company and asking for one." Rei deadpanned, Shizuna puffing her cheek at his response.
Both pocketed their orbments while the two continued their little stroll around the capital. As they walked on the streets of what looked like the administrative area of the capital, Rei wondered what business his former assailant had in Edith. Was she hired to protect a person of power? Accepted a contract to eliminate some politician? Those were all pretty likely...
Shizuna surveyed her surroundings; her eyes momentarily shifted to a sharp glare before the woman pulled her hood over her head.
"I have to get going. I found the place where my client wants to meet up." Under her hood, a small smile graced her face. "See you around, Rei~."
"Wait! Shit, there's something I need to ask you!"
As the winds of the night blew past the pair of mercenaries, the silver-haired woman disappeared without waiting for her counterpart's farewell, leaving a single petal of cherry blossom. Rei knew better than to pick up the petal, but his instincts compelled his hand to take it.
"Dammit, I forgot to ask her about the picture..." The ex-jaeger grumbled with a frown, sighing as he released the petal from his hold, letting it be carried by the breath of the capital.
The street lights illuminated the district, the cherry blossom entering the fading darkness. His amber orbs spotted a bundle of ash grey hair, glowing thanks to the moon and the well-lit surroundings, a woman coming into view.
Both emerald and amber stared at each other with caution and curiosity, sizing each other up. They gazed at each other's clothes, faces, and the weapon they had with them, respectively. Save for the fact the woman possessed swords, she didn't look like a regular swordswoman. Oh, he can't forget the way she's dressed.
"Excuse me, I don't think I've seen you around the capital before. Are you perhaps lost?" The ash-haired woman asked softly.
"You could say that," Rei said with a shrug.
"If you need somewhere to be, I can take you there if you want. I'm a bracer." Her smile perfectly hid how she kept her guard up. Rei saw no openings in her form.
"I mean, I appreciate the offer," As his fingers brushed his dyed locks, Rei shot the woman a challenging smirk. "But would you help me if I told you I was a mercenary?"
Winds bellowed as the merc pressed his fingers between a blade close to his neck— the bracer's blade. The woman kept a cool face, smiling all the while, yet the former Zephyr could see aggression in her visage. She was fast, Rei thought. Maybe not as fast as Shizuna, but normies would have no chance of keeping up with that speed. Thankfully, no one was around their vicinity to witness the commotion.
"That depends... Do you have any plans on harming anyone tonight?" He knew what she wanted to hear so he obliged.
"No. I'm not a fan of dragging civilians or the innocent into my messes." Rei removed his fingers from the blade and raised both hands. "If I was planning to harm anyone tonight, it would be someone of power. Hmm... Maybe the president would grant me an audience?" He taunted in a dark tone, grinning.
To Rei's surprise, the woman lowered her blade as she chuckled.
"That does sound plausible, but your face and words are telling me a different story." She pointed out, her lips curling into a grin.
The dark-haired merc frowned. "What do you mean?"
"No mercenary in their right mind would say such a thing in front of bracer unless they have an ulterior motive or they are incompetent. Also, the way you smiled looked fake, as if playing a role for a purpose." The woman still smiled as she circled around Beowulf. He had to admit he was feeling chills from her assessment. "Were you trying to provoke a reaction out of me to see what kind of bracer I am?"
A click of the tongue. What were the chances of meeting another perceptive woman in a single day? Rei expected a passive-aggressive reaction at most but not this. She remained cool, even when he insinuated harming the Republic's leader.
"No average bracer would have been able to resist snapping back at me after hearing me suggest harming Rocksmith or civilians for that matter." Rei shook his head and then shrugged. "Good for you for keeping yourself composed, I guess."
"All I did was study your face and words. I still have a lot to learn if I want to get that promotion." She brushed him off with a good-natured chortle.
Rei quirked a brow. "S-rank?"
"That is one of the many goals I want to achieve in the future. But for now, I'm currently going for the A-rank promotion." She wasn't A-rank already? Could've fooled Rei.
"You'll probably be promoted soon then. You got the qualities of an A-rank, in my opinion."
He received another chuckle from the bracer. Was he that amusing to her? "I cannot believe I'm being praised by a mercenary. But you have my thanks."
"I was hardly praising you." The dark-haired merc grumbled.
"Moving on... Now that I know you're a mercenary with no intention of harming anyone tonight, would you like me to escort you around the capital as a tour guide? Or do you have a destination in mind already?"
Rei pocketed a hand, eyes shifting to the corners of the administrative district. "That won't be necessary. All I need are the directions to the entrance of Edith's underworld."
Her eyes blinked in surprise as she pursed her lips in thought. It was understandable she wouldn't give an immediate answer. Rei was a mercenary, and she was a bracer. Telling a hired gun the entrance to any country's underworld was a bad idea, especially if it came from a bracer—
"Okay. I'll give you the directions to the Dark-Light District. It isn't complicated; you just have to follow a particular path underground."
...
...
...Eh?
The ex-Zephyr's right eye twitched, not in annoyance but stupefaction. "You're really planning on telling me the directions...?"
"That's right. Why are you surprised? I thought that's what you wanted?" She crossed her arms, perplexed.
"It is, but... wow." He wasn't sure whether the woman was naïve or not.
Noting his perplexed expression, the bracer closed her eyes and elaborated. "In case you cause any trouble for anyone in the Dark-Light District, I know where to find you. Make sure you behave yourself if you don't want me to "escort" you to the guild."
Rei retracted his previous thought, grinning at the ash-haired bracer. She was full of surprises that he couldn't help but find amusing. "No promises, but I'll try to be on my best behavior."
"I suppose I can accept that." She acknowledged before telling him the directions to the entrance of the Dark-Light District.
Rei would have to rely on a map to navigate to the different districts if the entrance was outside of the administrative area of the city. Luckily for the ex-jaeger, there was an underground path he could use to get to his destination.
"Seems simple enough. Thanks."
"No thanks necessary. However, please don't forget my words about causing any trouble."
"Yeah, yeah. Cause any trouble, and I'll get "escorted" to the guild, right?" Air quotes were made by the mercenary, eliciting an amused headshake from the woman.
The two exchanged farewells before departing for their respective business. As the ash-haired bracer walked toward a hotel, Rei looked over his shoulder and briefly stared at her retreating form. The bracer (as much as Rei hates to admit it) stirred his interest. He missed the chance to ask for her name too.
Oh well, she already left him to his own devices. If the Goddess wills it, they might meet again. But for now, important matters need his attention.
...
The Dark-Light District, the underbelly of Edith unknown to regular civilians. A place for people of the underworld to come and meet each other, cutting loose and relieving stress. Its residents ranged from no-good lowlifes to individuals trying to get by in life by working in a bar or some shady establishment. It was a motherload of services and items that aren't exactly... legal. One of the perfect places for intel gathering, buying products that are hard to come by for the right price and checking the state of the underworld of Zemuria.
Amber optics shifted from person to person, noting their ethnicity as the dark-haired mercenary took in his surroundings. The stench of booze entered his nostrils, the flashy signs advertising "stress-relieving" services, and the black-market dealers' sales pitch that rang throughout the district caused a grin to form on his face.
Rei Liafall was back in familiar territory.
The young mercenary began to survey the area, making mental notes of the shady businesses being run around the underground district. Hmm… He might come back to meet with one of those black market dealers whenever it was necessary. As he continued exploring, Rei spotted a weapons shop near a pub as a thought lit up in his head.
He made his way to the shop while taking out his blade rifle from his Zephyr days.
A mask-wearing man in a welder's apron was performing simple cleaning to the display weapons as Rei cleared his throat, causing the man to stop and turn to the merc.
"A new face? What can I do for ya tonight? Maintenance? Repairs? Or are ya looking for a new weapon?"
"Actually… I was wondering if you can salvage parts from this big guy." Rei presented the blade rifle, the masked man wincing at the sight.
"Oof. I'll have to take a closer look at it. That weapon of yours must have gone through hell to end up in that state…"
Beowulf sighed as the weaponsmith inspected the firearm, mumbling inaudible observations under his mask.
"I see, I see… I can salvage most of the internal parts. That good with ya?"
The dark-haired ex-jaeger's lips tugged upward, happy some parts of his shared work with Xeno could still be recovered. "Very."
With a nod, the masked man got to work and began disassembling the weapon.
"I have two more requests if you don't mind," Rei said, gaining the attention of the Dark-Light District dweller.
"If I can make it happen, shoot." He chuckled with his eyes glued to his work.
A grin stitched itself on Rei's face as he retrieved several firearm parts from his coat. The masked man froze, eyes widening under his mask as he dropped his tools. Perfect.
"These are the state-of-the-art firearm parts from Marduk! One of my contacts did inform me about them, but I thought it was a mere rumor!" He exclaimed, picking one of the parts up in awe. "H-How did you get these?"
"Oh, come on, man. You should know how guys like us get things." Rei grinned, almost feral in nature. "My hands were feeling a bit tingly back when I was in Marduk headquarters~."
"T-That takes some balls, stealing parts from a company like Marduk…"
"Steal is such a strong word. I prefer if you say I 'borrowed' it from Marduk."
"What have I gotten myself into..." He grumbled before shaking his head. "What do you want me to do with these parts? I don't think I'm skilled enough to incorporate these parts to repair your weapon."
"I don't want you to repair it," The former jaeger received a confused look from the masked man, chuckling. "I want you to use the parts from Marduk and my old blade rifle to make a new gun."
A pause. The weaponsmith's gaze fluttered to the parts in his grasp and the ruined firearm on his counter. Excitement pumped in his veins as he set the pieces down, clenching his fists.
"Heh. I'm probably crazy for wanting to make a weapon out of parts that are likely still in their testing phase, and the fact I could get taken down for creating a weapon out of them… but to hell with it! Fine! I'll build you a gun like no other, and I'll blow your expectations away!" He declared. His mask did not hinder the fire that raged in his eyes.
"Ahaha! Looking forward to the finished product!" Rei grabbed the masked man's hand and shook it firmly.
"Heh heh. What about your second request?"
The dark-haired mercenary pulled his hand away as he hummed, eyes closing as he caressed his chin.
"Any idea how to contact the Spriggan?"
[03/ 19/ S. 1204]
-19:30-
Seiden District, Capital City of Edith
The familiar scent trespassed into the dark-haired Spriggan's nostrils, more potent and foul this time around. Van grunted his displeasure and leaned against the wall, pinching the cartilage of his nose. He had just recovered from the giant drome's foul odor an hour ago, and now he had to deal with this unavoidable stench.
He clicked his tongue, a gesture of annoyance. The fixer pondered why the smell of a wolf's carcass intensified tonight. It wasn't this bad whenever he picked up the stench; it was always faint. Van possessed a sharp and almost unnatural sense of smell, yet he found no signs of the source of the corpse in the district. Then again, the man doubted there would be any remains of a dead animal lying on the streets where civilians would be active. Even if there was one, someone would have informed an officer or bracer about their finding.
Unaware of it himself, the fixer stopped in front of the bulletin board. His gut pounded and stirred as his hues set their sights on the canvas of flyers and advertisements stuck on the board.
"Hmm…" His hand reached behind the mass of papers, taking out a piece. "I knew it."
The man's lips involuntarily formed a scowl after skimming through the contents of the request. His scowl didn't cover the traces of confusion he carelessly displayed.
"Morgan? Requesting to search for parts in the abandoned subway... But why would he need me there at this hour…" The masked weapons dealer usually requested his services during the day. But even then, the guy rarely makes 4spgs. Van scratched the back of his head, confused.
A sigh clearly meant to say a wordless "troublesome" departed from his lips. There was no use in speculating the reason further. Van might not take the job, but he'll at least hear the masked man out. The Spriggan quickly went straight for the abandoned subway.
Access to the abandoned subway wasn't exactly public knowledge. But the Bracer Guild, police, and the CID were all aware of the existence of the entrance. As of now, only government agents are able to access the subway.
But people like Van, who occasionally deal with the matters of the underworld, knew of a few locations that led to the abandoned subway...
A turn here, and a turn there. Eventually, Van arrived in an alleyway in front of a metal frame. He pushed it forward but felt some resistance. That was expected. The others weren't careless enough that locking the door would slip their minds. The Spriggan chuckled to no one but himself as he began to do his magic. Fiddling with the lock for a few seconds and...
Click.
"There we go." After unlocking the door, the dark-haired Spriggan went inside.
The stench of the monsters wandering the subway occupied the area. The odor didn't compare to the tear-inducing scent of the waterway from earlier. Instead of a nasty and stinky gelatinous blob, Van sensed a fair amount of monsters. His nose detected more were deeper in the abandoned subway line.
But Van couldn't dawdle over clearing out the small mobs. The man wasn't an officer of the law or the supporting gauntlet of the citizens. He was a Spriggan: a fixer who prioritizes his obligations.
The bluish-black man took off and darted toward the location written on the 4spg. Van only dealt with monsters that initiated an attack and made quick work of them. The scent of the monsters continued to take hold of his sniffer, hindering his senses from detecting anyone else that wasn't a monster.
"Tch. It looks like I'm still green..."
Shaking his head, Van ran through the subway line, evading any monsters that dared to attack him. He eventually reached a room full of debris and rubble. A train that was beyond repair lay on the floor, completely derailed from its tracks. He wanted to hear more details of his 4spg to determine whether he would accept it or not. Morgan was nowhere to be found. That jackass... requesting Van to help him when he's not even here!
"Is he seriously going to make me wait...?" He sighed and ruffled his locks. "He better be here in five minutes, or I'm outta here." His expression took a surprised look, a scowl soon forming. The smell of an all too familiar corpse enveloped the air as he swung behind him with his Stun Caliber, striking no one but the air. "Huh? There was—!?"
Van's blood ran cold when he felt the cold feeling of metal pressed against the back of his head. A bead of sweat streamed down the side of his face, but he kept it together, taking a deep breath to remain composed. Dropping his edgeless blade, the man raised his hands.
"I didn't sense any humans on my way here, but I won't blame the monsters. Still, I can't believe you were able to sneak up on me." The man confessed in mock exasperation. "The CID closed this area off. They made sure to prevent civilians or anyone stupid enough to think of going to this subway line from getting in. The bracers and the police shouldn't be able to get in here yet, so I'm guessing you're not just some civilian who managed to get inside?"
"Should I give Mr. Spriggan a prize?" A masculine and smooth voice chuckled in amusement as the sound of a gun being cocked reverberated around the area. "You're right. I'm no CID agent, bracer, or police officer. Those sound too lawful for the likes of me. Can't even say I'm just some civilian either."
"A guy from the underworld then? Gotcha." Van concluded. "Who exactly are you?"
There was no need to turn around to see the smirk that etched the countenance of the one behind the fixer. Van could practically feel a smirk directed at his back, but he paid it no mind. There was something far more important he needed to figure out: the stench of the wolf's corpse coming from the man behind him.
"Me?" Van felt his assailant push the muzzle forward. "Just a mercenary passing through."
I was supposed to get this chapter up much, much earlier, but irl kept me busy so apologize. A lot of Kuro 2 news as well, definitely killed my mood because of one particular scene, won't discuss it any further but it played a part in delaying this chapter. Thankfully I am back in full writing mode. I might rewrite some things in future chapters due to Kuro 2 news, but that still isn't final. Thank you again to those who have been reading. See you all in the next chapter.