"Nadya!!"
My scream woke her up. Quick on her feet, she removed her hand from the ladder, immediately falling onto Elyisa.
"Kyaa!!"
Elyisa screamed, feeling Nadya's weight on her body.
She quickly grabbed Nadya, a trail of silver barely noticeable as the blade cut the air where Nadya's head was supposed to be.
I didn't think twice before grabbing Elyisa's leg and jerking her off the ladder. She fell down, clutching Nadya.
"Hupp."
Flexing my leg muscles, I jumped up. The ladder beneath me bent due to the force as my body propelled upwards.
In the next instant, I saw a hideous, ugly being with a cracked-open face and grey skin trying to get down from the open hatch.
"Krchhhh!!!"
He screamed as soon as his gaze fell on me, inching closer.
My body slowed down as I touched the finger ring on my hand.
Draupnir.
The ring instantly turned into a golden spear. My body stayed still for a second before falling down, but it was enough time for me.
{Aura Arts: Eclipsing Void}
The Aura within me surged like a storm, running through my body after a long time.
{First Form: Voidlance}
Jerking my hand back, I threw the spear at him.
The spear blurred, breaking the sound barrier and hitting that being straight in the head, blasting it away.
My body fell, but I adjusted myself midair, landing on my feet.
"Nadya!?"
Without thinking, I rushed towards her as she blankly looked at Linda's head.
"Are you alright?" I questioned, removing the strands of hair from her face.
She looked at me before bringing my hand and placing it on her chest. "...It's beating too fast."
"It's fine." Coming closer, I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly.
"I am still weak," she whispered softly, hugging me back.
"No, he was just lurking, trying to take us by surprise," I mumbled, rubbing her head.
"Thank you," she mumbled, leaving my embrace.
"Now, get up." Bringing my face close to hers, I gently kissed her lips before standing up.
"You want one as well?" I asked, glancing at Elyisa, who had a sullen look on her face.
"No, I am fine," she grumbled, standing up as well while I helped Nadya.
"What was that?" Nadya asked, composing herself, looking at the hatch.
"No idea," I replied, shrugging, looking up as well. "From now on, you guys will be behind me, no questions asked."
At my words, Elyisa tried to say something, but my glare stopped her.
"Now let's see what that was." I mumbled, grabbing the ladder before climbing it again.
This time, I was more cautious than before as I slowly reached towards the hatch.
I waited to see if anything else tried to attack from the dark, but nothing happened.
"Hupp!!"
Grabbing the side of the hatch, I quickly got in, tensing up my muscles, ready to fight.
...But there was nothing except the two headless bodies.
"Come in, both of you."
The light in the place flickered before illuminating the area, giving a clear view.
"...Ohhh."
I let out a startled voice as I looked around the white hall that felt endless.
In all directions, there was an empty white marble floor and nothing else.
"Target No. 7, escaped the pod."
The female voice of the computer that we heard before echoed around.
Ignoring the voice, I helped the girls get up.
"What is this place?" Frowning, Elyisa asked as she came up, followed by Nadya.
"Looks like some kind of empty lab?" Nadya commented, looking around.
Ignoring them, I moved towards the weird body that looked like a human but clearly wasn't.
Instead of hands, it had blades attached to it, its head blown off but its body still twitching.
...But most importantly, it felt like it was about to decay.
'...It would be a problem if too many of them attack at the same time.'
I thought as I looked up, a golden spear plunged into the wall above.
I willed it to come down, and it did, turning back into a ring and falling right into my hand.
"Target No. 7, escaped the pod."
"I wanted that spear," Elyisa grumbled, looking at the ring enviously.
"But I found it," I replied with a bright smile.
Of course, she should have been its original owner.
'Then again, was that game even real?'
"You don't even use it," she grumbled again. "Can't you give it to me?"
"Nope, not happening," I replied, shrugging as I looked around the place.
"Come on, you are too strong anyway." Walking close, she mumbled, "Just give it to me."
"Oh, I will if you give me your body." With a twisted smile, I offered.
She blinked innocently before asking, "Really?"
"No." Before I could reply, Nadya firmly said, "And stop seducing him, sister."
"When did I do that?" Turning back, she asked, "And can you please change the maid dress, sister?"
"Why, you don't like the fact I look good in anything?"
"No, I don't like what you are wearing."
"Like I care."
"Target No. 7, escaped the pod."
"Shut up, both of you." I ordered, glaring at them before walking in one direction. "We don't have much time, let's get out of here."
Nadya skied towards me before grabbing my hand, "It's been so long since I saw you using Lady Sylvia's arts."
"...I never get the chance to use it properly." I mumbled, feeling somewhat awkward.
[...You're just too lazy.]
'I mean, come on, I can fight against most of the students in the academy with my eyes closed. Why would I use a deadly attack there?'
[...Yeah.]
'Hey, Edda.'
[Yes?]
'Those orbs that store Star Energy...What use are they?'
[...You will know soon enough.]
'.....'
...I don't like that answer.
'...And how is that going to happen?'
[...Soon enough.]
'...Yeah, fuck it.'
"By the way," I shifted my gaze towards Elyisa as she grumbled, "how are we going to get out of here?"
"Sigh..."
Sighing, I closed my eyes and used Star Sense to make a 3D map of the area around me.
"Hmm?"
But as I looked around, something peculiar caught my attention.
Opening my eyes, I turned around and walked towards a wall.
"What happened?" Nadya asked, but I just gestured for her to follow me.
She did, silently moving behind me as I reached the wall.
I used Star Sense again as I touched the wall, my hands wandering around before a handle emerged from it.
"Just be ready, both of you." I instructed as I gently twisted the handle.
The wall moved, opening a path for us. I walked first, and the rest followed.
The light flickered again, illuminating the place.
"..."
I silently looked around, noticing that the place we were in seemed like a storage area for people.
...Or to be more precise, it was a place filled with bodies inside water-type capsules.
There were hundreds of them, sleeping peacefully as if dead.
But my instinct said they weren't dead but hibernating like those blood beasts outside.
And my suspicion came true as I noticed one of the pods tearing up.
"Target No. 18, escaped the pod."
The feminine computer voice echoed before more and more pods started to tear up.
The computer's voice echoed, but the numbers kept changing.
"..."
Looking at the mayhem around me, I gestured for the girls to walk back silently.
They moved slowly, and so did I. Before walking out, I gently closed the door behind me.
"I have one good news and one bad news." Leaning against the wall, I informed them, looking at the girls. "Which one do you want to hear?"
""Good.""
They both said simultaneously.
"Somehow, we are in the same building as your mother." I said, making their faces light up.
"Then what's the bad news?" Nadya asked, squinting her eyes.
BAAM!!!
The wall behind me shattered as something threw its entire body at it.
Looking at the girls, I smiled, "We are fucked."
BAAM!!!