The masked man, known as 002, moved with a blinding speed, his figure a blur as he charged straight towards me. The intensity of his actions was magnified by the piercing blue glow emanating from his eyes, a reflection of his twisted intentions. Here we go again-! A single strike will surely leave me breathless!As his evil smirk etched itself deeper onto his face, he launched a powerful fist towards me, his knuckles aimed to strike my very core. Oh shoot! This might be my end! Move-! But before his blow could land, 001, the valiant warrior with her shimmering white sword, swiftly intercepted and parried."055, now!" commanded 001, her voice resolute and filled with unwavering determination. So she's the leader? No! That's not what should be on my mind right now! I need to help them...In a breathtaking display of agility and grace, 055, who had been silently perched on the ceiling, dove down with twin daggers gleaming in her hands. They are warriors, a warrior who faces this ki

"You—!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with disbelief and anger as I swiftly assumed a defensive stance to block the masked man's incoming attack.Alright, I just need to buy some time...but are they really coming? I sure hope so. I can handle a good ol' punch-for-punch showdown, but when it comes to keeping Ayaka safe, I'm at a loss. So, for now, I'll face this guy head-on and brainstorm solutions as I go. Gotta think on my feet and make it work!With lightning reflexes, I managed to intercept his strike, but the impact sent me hurtling through the thick tangle of tree branches, my body soaring through the air, carried away for miles. The world became a blur of green and brown as I desperately clung to consciousness.Hold on a second, how is he still alive? Wasn't he supposed to be toast when that facility burned down? Oh yeah, right, he's some sort of weapon! Well, guess what? So am I! My body's reacting differently this time around. I can definitely put up a fight against him, but defe

It's been 8 days since the king declared that I'm now part of the Order. But there's still a chance to change that if I purposely lose the duel. The king even gave me his sword, thinking it wouldn't be fair for a kid like me to fight an Order's warrior. "Hey Kazu, you there?" I heard a voice accompanied by a knock on my room's door. I've been cooped up in this room for eight days, forbidden to leave the palace and only allowed to train indoors. The room has a fancy chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a large red curtain on the window, and a set of kitchen tables and chairs near the chimney in the corner. "Come in, Ayaka," I replied, staring at the ceiling as I lay on the bed. And with that, the door opened."I was just wondering... I haven't seen you train even once..." Her boots made a thudding sound as she approached the side of the bed."I know you're strong, but facing a warrior from the Order is no joke," she added."So you're here to lecture me?" I turned my head to look a