Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Nestra felt very good with herself for all of five seconds, basking in the vindictive light of her pride. Hah! She sure showed them, etc etc. Then reality returned in the form of a light hunger, and it was time to get stock.

She was hunted in a C-class world filled with ambush monsters and a termite army made of acid-spitting creatures whose fortress hid the exit portal. Arguably, not an ideal setup. She needed a plan, but first things first.

It was taboo to use human cores in most societies, or at least, it was taboo to treat it as just another piece of loot. Gleam cores came from gleams who’d mostly died a violent death since you had to be C-grade to build it, therefore, they were objects of grief. A life cut short. Some weapons or home shields were powered by the core of deceased family members but normally, this was set up in a will.

But this was a human emotion. For once, Nestra had no difficulties discarding her qualms here. It was her hunt. Strix had tried to kill her and failed, therefore, all of his stuff was hers. HERS!

“Woe to the vanquished,” she hissed in Aszhii.

Her hand formed void claws, ready to bury themselves in the headless torso, but then she reconsidered.

Why would she waste a perfectly valid chestplate?

“Wake up sleepyhead.”

Sashimi was still munching on Satoshi’s head under the horrified gaze of Valerian when she returned to the scene of the crime, so to speak. The healer didn’t wait.

“So… you didn’t react so I didn’t either… Is this normal?”

“That’s Sashimi, my hunting companion.”

Not a pet and certainly not a friend. The void shark was eyeing the remaining human with naked curiosity. Nestra frowned.

Valerian didn’t have void magic.

“Sashimi no! This one is mine!” she hissed in Aszhii.

But Sashimi wasn’t hungry, or rather, she wasn’t considering Valerian with just hunger. Nestra frowned. What was the seafood buffet on about this time?

The beast swam closer, maw dropping Satoshi’s half-chewed head. Valerian turned his head away with disgust. Nestra, though, got a very conflicting message from the weird creature.

It was greed. Sashimi coveted Valerian.

“You can’t have him. What’s so special about him anyway?”

As an answer, the shark sort of squirmed, then made hacking noises. Valerian saw that and stepped back from the approaching squall, and not a minute too soon.

Sashimi projectile vomited its stomach. And that was not a metaphor either. Nestra saw its actual gut before the void shark swallowed it back up. What remained on the ground was gastric acid and a mangled arm with a ‘handful’ of half-digested fingers. For once in her goddamn life, Nestra was actually shocked.

“Oh Riel. That’s… that’s my arm!” Valerian said!

Then to her surprise, he actually grabbed the ruined appendage to remove a watch from the wrist, attaching it to his newly regrowned hand.

Nestra shook her head, speechless. Inside of her mind, Sashimi’s thoughts came like door-to-door missionaries. Extremely unwelcome.

“No. For the last damn time, hunt your own shit you lazy main dish!”

Meanwhile Valerian fastened the watch on. It had to be really good to resist void shark stomach for more than a couple of minutes. The wiggling emergency snack moved away, but then she looked behind Nestra with wary curiosity before disappearing into the void.

Nestra turned on herself, expecting to find some assassin bug at a distance. Damn things interrupting her looting.

Walking down the incline at a leisurely pace was the last person Nestra would have imagined seeing now. Of average size, built like a fencer and striding with casual elegance was an androgynous form in armor, face hidden by a ceramic mask in the shape of a fox. A long sword rested on her back, the elaborate handle long enough to accommodate two hands. Dark brown eyes peered out from the small holes with calm interest. More tellingly, Nestra tried to feel for mana and got… nothing. Even with her horns bare. The intruder was a blank, a perfectly composed silhouette that betrayed nothing except for predatory grace. Nestra knew from their previous encounter that Fox Mask was a manakinetic, but that level of control was insane.

And it was Fox Mask. She was absolutely sure of it. The very same thief she’d chased with her squad before she disappeared into the portal, the same thief Special Affairs was pursuing all over Threshold. Now that thief was here, in the flesh.

Nestra’s only prayer was that Fox Mask would merely be a C-class. Any higher and they stood zero chance.

And what was she even doing here?

Valerians had long realized her unease and he was now standing at a distance, Strix’ weapon bare.

Nestra slowly unsheathed her own blade but Fox Mask didn’t care. She stopped at a distance with a light step and a complete lack of concern.

“Well, this is a major disappointment,” she started with a flat voice.

Her gaze inspected the corpses of Satoshi, then Naomi with polite interest. Nestra now knew for sure who’d ordered the hit on Valerian. Well, she didn’t know, but she knew it had to be an enclave. That’s what that Special Operations guy had said anyway. Fox Mask’s gaze briefly went to Valerian before settling on Nestra. At this point, she tilted her head to the side.

“Well well, and who, or rather what might you be?”

“Rude,” Nestra deadpanned.

“Ah, a transformation power. Unusual. Now, time is of the essence so I believe I shall be direct. I take it that you object to me capturing the good Valerian of House Nephrite here? I promise you that he will be sedated, and that no harm will come to him.”

“Robbing ssssomeone of their freedom is harmful,” Nestra reproached. “Let us go.”

“There isss always a choice.”

“You know, dear Valerian, you could do a lot of good out there.”

“I will not be taken as a slave to the mainland… or an enclave,” the gleam replied with a knowing look.

Silence spread across the clearing. When it was clear neither Nestra nor Valerian wouldn’t yield, Fox Mask nodded. Once.

“Well, I suppose this is it. I am not ready to burn the village down, so I will… have to insist, even though I stand on the wrong side.”

She unsheathed the sword at her back. It was an old thing, an ‘espada ropera’ that predated the incursion, but the enchantments on its straight blade were definitely functional. The hilt was a delicate, fine work though dulled by age. Nestra felt a shiver crawl up her spine, her instincts screaming that this was dangerous, very dangerous. She remembered the way the woman fought, back when she’d faced her as a baseline. Clean, efficient when Nestra was more vicious and aggressive.

Then she’d been so fast, there had been no contest. Nestra could only hope this wouldn’t be the case this time.

Mana warped around Fox Mask. It was the only warning Nestra got to strike as well, countering the first attack with the power of desperation. By some miracle, the blades clanged together. Fox Mask’s alpha strike went wide. Nestra didn’t wait to see what would happen. She struck with a roar. Fox Mask deflected the powerful strike with a precision that bordered on perfection… but she hadn’t accounted for Nestra’s strength, and so she was pushed back.

Nestra breathed hard as the two fencers faced each other. This… had been too damn close. Fox Mask was using mana to help herself move! But… Nestra was fast. Barely fast enough to hold on.

Valerian’s buff filled her body with power. She felt rejuvenated.

“Oh? A fellow practitioner, I see. I apologize for the cavalier attitude.”

The woman saluted. Nestra returned her own.

Nestra rotated and struck. Her blade hit only air but Fox Mask’s attack was aborted, so Nestra used momentum to close the distance. Her lunge was deflected. Not caught by surprise then. Nestra pressed on anyway, using her superior strength for a flurry of blows. The Scornful Crescent warned her not to give her foe time to develop attacks because, and it was sad to say, Fox Mask was simply better. Lunge, deflected in tierce. Three stabs deflected, the last leading to a counter that Nestra countered as well. Step back, overhand blow that Fox Mask sidestepped easily. Too easily. Nestra pivoted and struck up immediately, pressing her muscles to the limit to reverse the motion. Fox Mask stepped back then countered immediately. Nestra was forced to retreat though she felt something hit her armguard. Just a glancing blow. It failed to penetrate her skin.

Fox Mask pulled back. Seeing her blade unsullied, she hummed.

The enchantments on the blade flared to life. Not good. Nestra aimed a bolt where she thought Fox Mask would strike.

The woman changed course mid charge and the dot went wild. For the first time ever, Nestra missed.

“What a strange language,” the fencer said offhandedly, stabbing towards Nestra’s chest. Nestra somehow managed to slam the blade up so it bit in her shoulder instead. This time, her resistances were not enough to stop the sharp pain coming for her. She gritted her teeth and struck back. Horizontal slash.

Fox Mask was forced to block. The shorter woman was pushed back though the mana surrounding her prevented her from careening away. Nestra called for lightning and charged.

Had to use that opening.

She engaged her enemy in a flurry of furious blows. All of them were blocked but some energy leaked from the strike, and Fox Mask was forced back with a hiss. Finally, Nestra had her. As Fox Mask veered away with mana, Nestra followed with momentum.

She struck and released the electricity charge at the same time. Low to up. To the heart.

Fox Mask had no way of escaping.

And so she didn’t. A massive, transparent shield took the brunt of the electricity while a desperate parry pushed Nestra’s tip away from Fox Mask’s torso. Rather than countering, Fox Mask disengaged.

Nestra used the opportunity to check her wounded shoulder. It didn’t hurt yet but… Oh.

It was closed. The wound was closed. A quick glance back showed a very focused Valerian. He was healing her in real time.

Well, that changed things now didn’t it?

Nestra returned her attention to Fox Mask, who was now standing casually with her finger tapping the nose of the fox. It was so weird that Nestra stopped, wondering what was going on.

The index finger stopped tapping. It slowly pointed towards Nestra.

“I knew you were familiar. That style… Police girl.”

Cold terror crawled up Nestra’s spine.

“You look much better now.”

The fear in Nestra’s heart reached a paroxysm, that was, until she remembered a fact she had completely forgotten in the heat of the moment. It wasn’t just that she was an awakened Aszhii now. That just gave her a chance to fight back.

It was that she wasn’t the only Aszhii around.

If Sereth allowed Fox Mask to come in, that meant that Nestra had a reasonable chance to win. She wasn’t just being toyed with.

So long as Valerian kept healing her, Nestra could play the long game. Her recent growth might have made the Aszhii more awkward, but in terms of physical power and mana reserves, she was confident she could all her own.

“It would be unwisssse to .”

“Oh, our secret is safe with me. I hope I didn’t share something I shouldn’t have?”

“I know who she is,” Valerian growled, “and by all means, try to share.”

“I understand your animosity, and will take your warning to heart. I know when I am outclassed. I know very well, in fact.”

She moved her blade through the air. It whistled.

“But I interrupted one of the best duels I’ve had in years for frivolous reasons. Do try to kill me please.”

Nestra went back into the fray. She barely dodged one of Fox Mask’s stabs and felt a piercing pain under her ribs, but then her savage sweep crashed against the other fencer’s ribs, pushing her on the ground.

Nestra let Valerian’s magic work on her, too afraid to see how hurt she was. Fox Mask used the opportunity to pick herself up. By the time she was upright, Nestra’s bleeding had stopped.

She filled her limbs with electricity and attacked again.

The mana was hard on her nerves, but Valerian’s efforts meant Nestra could just give it her all the entire time without pause. She leaned into the natural savagery that was her nature, tempered by the edge of the Scornful Crescent. Slowly, her onslaught pushed Fox Mask back until the woman’s limbs shook with every strike. Nestra knew she couldn’t win through skill alone. The other woman was older, better trained, more in control of her body. So Nestra used her superior strength to smash. Her. Down. Hit. After. Hit.

Thing was, Fox Mask didn’t seem bothered at all. Nestra still kept her guard up, leaving a few openings unchallenged because they felt like traps. Maybe she could have won. Maybe not. She didn’t need to take a risk there.

Nestra really thought she was winning, but Fox Mask took all of her remaining mana and blurred. Nestra’s instincts screamed. She momentum back, feeling it was useless, then she used immovable and waited.

The blade missed her heart, but it plunged in her left shoulder to the bone. Pain made her scream. Grey blood flowed, oxidizing to crimson droplets as it fell. A second wave of pain followed the first. Fox Mask was trying to rip her sword off the wound but Nestra’s resilient flesh still made it a little hard.

So Nestra leaned in. She let the blade bite deeper and struck at Fox Mask’s wrist. The woman scrambled back, then she went for Valerian, but the scion of House Nephrite was ready. A subtle wave made Fox Mask stumble with perfect timing. Strix’s blade pinged on a hastily raised shield.

Then Nestra rammed her. Blood flowed from a wound on Fox Mask’s leg.

Nestra fell to the side, still bleeding heavily despite Valerian’s effort. Fox Mask snapped her fingers, blade reappearing in her free hand. Her leg bled profusely on the ground.

Just as calmly as before, Fox Mask tilted her head. She seemed to be considering her options.

Nestra prepared a bolt, just in case, but she wasn’t sure she could even land it. Not with Fox Mask’s mana control getting in her way.

Seconds ticked on until the expert fencer apparently reached a conclusion.

“I don’t think I can get you after all, not while you are Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!”

“I made a real effort, and I even got wounded. I declare that this is enough.”

She made to sheathe her blade.

“Unless, of course, you want to fight to the death? I would rather not.”

Nestra shook her head.

She didn’t want to kill Fox Mask. In fact, she wanted to face Fox Mask again after getting better. It wasn’t that Fox Mask was the deadliest opponent she’d ever come across. She wasn’t. She was, however, a blade master. Or mistress, whatever. And Nestra still had much to learn.

“Then I shall take my leave and report my failure. Now, if you will excuse me, I bid you a good day.”

The woman made to turn, hesitating one last time.

“It’s the second time you ‘thwarted’ my efforts, police girl. I hope we see each other again.”

“Will do my damn best,” Nestra panted.

She found she meant it. Without another word, Fox Mask left, slowly making her way up the slop back towards the entrance portal.

“You think they’ll stop her?” Valerian asked.

“I’m actually pretty sssure they don’t know she’s here,” Nestra replied with confidence.

They remained silent until Nestra was done healing, then before anything else could happen, they were forced to dispatch a small termite patrol.

It was a frustrating waste of time with minor gains but Nestra still took it.

“So, I wanted to ask. What was it about slaves?” she asked Valerian as they were cleaning their weapons.

He tsked. It was clearly not a happy thought.

“Enclaves and some mainland territories have a dearth of healers. It tends to be the case when one completely forfeits normal medicine because they’re gleams and totally beyond mundane things.”

“Such as running water.”

“You understand. Healers are but one more commodity people with deadlier powers tend to peddle if they can afford it. I assume I’m worth quite a bit as a healer. I am, after all, pretty good at it. I assume Fox Mask was sent to make sure my capture was going without a hitch.”

“I sssee,” Nestra replied, then after a delay because Valerian was clearly feeling down, “I’m sorry. This is a shitty thing to do to people and I’m ssssorry you were targeted.”

“Why, thank you Nestra, I mean, Crescent. I shouldn’t get used to it or I’ll call you Nestra in public. I would like to ask though… what now?”

Nestra looked around her.

There were two human corpses, half a dozen termites, and a dead crawfish the size of a small bus.

Technically, they could leave now. They already finished their task, which was to respectively survive and eliminate the TKers. Except, there was one thing missing.

Nestra took Satoshi’s core and ate it. More mana regen, which was a nice change. With this, all her abilities were in the C-rank range.

“We need to recover Sheryl’s body.”

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”

“If something took her, we find it, we kill it, and we recover what we can. And then, we should try to finish the world.”

“What, just the two of us?”

“Of course! You wanted to experiment? Let’s experiment now. It shouldn’t take more than a day.”

“But first, let’s eat! I’m starving.”

Valerian’s eyes lit up. He was obviously also in need of calories to offset all that healing. Freshly healed tissue tended to be more fragile as well so they ought to stop for a while.

“Oh, you have another sandwich?”

“No no no. Much better than that.”

Nestra pointed at the body of the guardian.

“I knew we would kill the giant crawfish thingie. I have brought all we need to make an étouffée, Cajun style. I even got us enclave Basmati rice!”

Somehow, her enthusiasm failed to reach Valerian though she wasn’t sure why.