[Wolf Lord+ | Draft] Arc 1 - Chapter 28 - Painful Lessons

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------------------- Start of Pre-Chapter Author Note (Patreon-only) -------------------
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Hello everyone, LunaWolve here!

Welcome to the draft release of Chapter 28 for y'all.

As always, a quick reminder that this chapter is still in the process of being workshopped by me and that this is simply the first-draft.

Apparently me saying that chapters will be shorter again was a fucking lie... so yeah. Enjoy!

I'm looking forward to hearing your first impressions and opinions on this chapter. \o/

I hope you will enjoy it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- End of Pre-Chapter Author Note (Patreon-only) ------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thea’s eyes snapped open as she abruptly found herself standing next to the equipment rack of the arena. Her vision still blurry from the reset and legs shaky, she stumbled slightly as a torrent of coughs escaped her lungs.

While her body was, naturally, in pristine condition after the reset, the sheer memory ingrained in her brain from her final moments was causing an adverse reaction, before her body had time to recognize her current situation.

Steadying herself and taking a deep, ragged breath, Thea looked over to Isabella, who had walked back to her starting position, while leisurely wiping off Thea’s blood from her chainsword.

Thea shook her head in amusement, before slowly starting her walk towards her own start point inside the arena, ‘She’s utterly ruthless… Didn’t even check on me after the reset…

Adjusting her plan on the way, Thea added an underlying strategy to it, ‘I can’t try to defend against her while stationary… I’ll need to move a lot more, otherwise I’ll die in the first seconds of the next round again…’

Opting to keep conversation to a minimum, as she felt that Isabella and her were beginning to form a kind of connection through their unspoken agreement to keep talking to a minimum, Thea simply readied herself for the second round, by equipping her two vibroknives and taking her mid-stance.

‘No point in adopting the low-stance,’ Thea thought, ‘She'll dismantle me before I can land a single blow, just like last round. I must first learn to weather her onslaught before I consider retaliation or an offensive move.’

With a mental affirmation of readiness, the familiar holographic countdown materialised between them. As the buzzer signalled the commencement of the second round, and Isabella lunged forward in a move mirroring the start of the first round, Thea activated her Ability.

'Sensory Overdrive.'

Instantaneously, Isabella's movements appeared to decelerate as Thea's perception heightened.

With Isabella still about ten metres away, Thea used this moment of seeming respite to evaluate her next move. But even at this distance, she couldn't ignore the palpable pressure emanating from Isabella's flawless stance and formidable physique. It was as if she was already locked in an intense, life-or-death melee with the muscle-bound Marine.

Dispelling those thoughts with a concerted effort, Thea meticulously scrutinised Isabella's advancing manoeuvres while simultaneously beginning to retreat.

As Isabella finally closed the gap, her chainsword poised to strike, the air seemed to hum with tension.

Their weapons met in a chorus of metallic clashes and grating scrapes, creating a symphony of combat. Isabella’s chainsword - ferocious and ruthless - clashed against Thea’s vibroknives - keen and swift. Their movements wove an intricate pattern of attack and counter; Isabella pushing relentlessly, Thea striving to match her rhythm and force with every fibre of her being.

Each movement Isabella made was decisive and powerful, her chainsword arcing in lethal trajectories, threatening to rend Thea apart at any misstep. On the other hand, Thea's movements were all about fluidity and precision. With the vibroknives in her hands, she danced on the edge of the storm that was Isabella, parrying, dodging, and sidestepping to avoid the fatal embrace of the chainsword.

Briefly after their initial clash, Thea activated her Ability once again, certain that without the heightened Perception granted by it, she would rapidly fall to Isabella’s increasingly complex patterns of attack.

‘Sensory Overdrive.’

The air inside the arena was filled with the whirring of the chainsword and the distinctive hum of vibroknives, an eerie soundtrack to their intense clash.

Every time their weapons met, sparks flew and the air shivered with the sheer force of their collision. Isabella, a whirlwind of devastation, pushed forward, the chainsword leaving trails of scintillating sparks in its wake, while Thea, akin to a leaf in the storm, attempted to ride the wave, her vibroknives leaving a network of vibrant contrails as they deflected, parried and sliced through the air.

Despite the round having just commenced, Thea could already feel herself being pushed to the brink. Her breaths grew laboured, and rivulets of sweat began to trace their way down her back and face, glueing her dirty-blonde fringe to her forehead.

She quickly realised that her plan of simply retreating was not going to work out, as the additional mental overhead of planning her backwards footsteps in advance, despite the massively heightened capabilities her Sensory Overdrive provided, was taking its toll on her ability to keep track of Isabella’s movements.

Her vibroknives clashed against Isabella's chainsword in rapid succession, as a renewed series of clashes commenced, the sharp ringing echoing throughout the arena.

Each of her blocks was met with a powerful counter-thrust, forcing her to expend a tremendous amount of energy just to deflect or avoid it. Her muscles screamed in protest as she pushed against the relentless force of Isabella's onslaught, the vibrational energy of her opponent's weapon reverberating through her own and into her arms.

Thea once again activated her System Ability, knowing full-well that if she miss timed it and it ran out, causing her to suffer the perceptive backlash, she would die.

‘Sensory Overdrive.’

In an effort to throw off Isabella's rhythm, Thea changed the pattern of her steps, trying to infuse unpredictability into her movements. But Isabella was a seasoned warrior; she read Thea's erratic footwork and adapted swiftly, continuing her relentless offensive.

An underhanded swing from Isabella forced Thea to leap back, narrowly avoiding the chainsword's lethal edge.

She could feel the air whip against her skin as the weapon passed by, an uncomfortably close reminder of her vulnerability. She scrambled to regain her balance, desperation starting to cloud her focus.

Isabella, however, showed no signs of relenting.

Using a quick step to follow Thea’s leap, Isabella closed the distance between them, before her chainsword came down upon Thea’s unbalanced form once again. With a mad scramble and a last-ditch effort, Thea managed to deflect the strike to the side, barely missing her left arm and leg by a hair's breadth.

Before she could breathe a quick sigh of relief however, having deflected the potentially lethal follow-up, Isabella’s armoured fist suddenly bore down on her chest. Eyes wide, with no time to react, Thea braced every muscle in her body for the inevitable impact.

Then, the armoured fist collided with her body.

A force that seemed to eclipse all of her past experiences of getting hit - even getting shot by the Stellar Republic soldiers during her assessment - pushed relentlessly through her entire torso.

Despite the protective qualities of her light armour — its frontal reactive plating detonating in an attempt to absorb the impact — the sheer force of Isabella's punch, compounded by her superhuman strength, was potent enough to drive the air out of Thea’s lungs and send her hurtling backwards with a sickening crunch of shattering bones.

It was akin to being hit by a speeding vehicle. The metallic taste of fear filled her mouth as a crushing pain radiated from her chest, spreading through her body in a wave of agony. Her vision swam as her body obeyed the momentum, sent tumbling and ultimately sprawling across the arena floor. Despite her every instinct screaming to fight back or get up, the overwhelming pain left her disoriented and unable to move.

Underneath her armour, she could feel something being terribly wrong.

Her ribs felt as though they'd been shattered, a jagged symphony of agony with each shallow breath she attempted to draw. Each throb of her heart echoed the pain, and she was acutely aware of the wet, sticking sensation spreading beneath her armour - a sure-fire sign of internal injuries.

As she lay there, gasping for breath, Thea could only stare up at the domed ceiling of the arena, a sense of dread creeping into her heart, just as her Ability ran out and further emphasised her dire situation, as she was hit by the perceptive backlash of having her Perception forcefully reduced back down to it’s usual level.

With no other recourse, Thea summoned the remnants of her strength to turn her head sideways before expelling the contents of her stomach onto the arena floor — a viscous, blood-laden substance, more than anything else.

Her vision was smeared with the tears of intense pain and discomfort. All she could discern was a vague silhouette of the towering armoured figure above her, eclipsing the overhead lights of the arena.

The last sound to fill her ears before everything succumbed to darkness was the chilling crack of her helmet and the bone-jarring crunch of her skull as Isabella's heavy-armoured boot brought a swift end to her torment.

—

Moments later, Thea’s eyes snapped open once again, as she stumbled to regain her balance from the reset. This time around, she felt a strong, steady arm reach out to help her.

Surprised, Thea looked over to see Isabella lend her a helping hand, as she gestured towards the nearby changing benches, indicating to take a quick seat.

More than happy for a brief moment of respite, after what felt like the worst hours of Thea’s life, despite only having been a couple of minutes at most, she quickly followed her squad members recommendation.

Sitting down, Thea ripped off her helmet, before taking a couple of deep, unimpeded breaths.

The back-to-back destruction of her lungs had left Thea with an acute understanding of how wonderful it was to breathe freely, after all.

As Isabella sat down on the bench opposite of hers and took off her helmet, Thea could see beads of sweat evident on the other woman’s forehead. Inwardly celebrating the fact that Isabella had actually not simply walked over her without exerting any effort, Thea’s mood rapidly rose back to acceptable levels.

“I have to say, you’re extremely slippery… Definitely one of the hardest opponents I’ve faced in the UHF so far, when it comes to actually killing you,” Isabella offered, a genuine look of respect evident on her face.

Chuckling self-deprecatingly, Thea lightly shook her head in amusement, “Ha… I really don’t feel like that’s much of a compliment, considering how utterly outclassed I am. I was hoping I’d be able to land at least a couple of hits, but I can barely even stay alive. Without my Ability, I’d be completely helpless…”

At the mention of her Ability, Isabella’s eyebrows jumped a few centimetres.

“I’m glad you mentioned it, because I was seriously wondering how you were even able to keep up this well. But with that crazy Perception Ability of yours, it all makes sense now… Was the end of the first round a result of it running out? You suddenly stumbled, when you really shouldn’t have, based on the rest of your performance.”

Simply nodding to indicate that Isabella had properly deduced the reason, Thea’s face turned serious, before she addressed her squad member again, “Tell me honestly, Isabella: What am I doing wrong? I know my Attributes aren’t made for close-quarters-combat, but I should still have enough Strength and Dexterity to at least stay alive. You’re way more experienced than me, that much is obvious, but even then… Why can’t I even survive until support arrives? I hate feeling helpless like this…”

A deep frown appeared on the hulking woman’s face, as she absent-mindedly flicked beads of sweat from her forehead. After a brief moment of silence, Isabella spoke up, her words measured and slow, as if she was weighing each and every one of them carefully, “I pegged you as someone extremely smart… But it appears that you are still too inexperienced to find your own inadequacies, despite their obvious nature… Let me ask you this, then: What is the purpose in your choice of weapon and stance?”

Caught off-guard by the question, Thea hesitated for a moment, then began, "Well, I chose the vibroknives because of their versatility. They're light, fast, and they don't limit my mobility. As for my stance... I chose it because it allows me to react quickly and adapt to different combat situations..."

Isabella listened to Thea's explanation in silence. As Thea finished, she began to pace back and forth across the floor of the arena, the clinking of her heavy armour echoing ominously.

Finally, she stopped and turned to face Thea again.

"Your choices sound logical, but they also reveal your lack of understanding in close-quarters-combat. A weapon and stance are not just tools to react to an opponent, but should also express your own way of fighting. I don’t feel the connection to your way of fighting at all, as if you were merely going through the motions, with no passion regarding the style of fighting you chose. While the motions are clearly ingrained into you, undoubtedly through years of training, they don’t feel like they’re part of you.

“Rather… It seems to me, like your stance and choice of weapon is something you picked up from somebody else. Like a mentor, an idol or potentially a parental figure, although based on your… circumstances, I doubt that last one would be the case. Your Attributes are primarily focused on Perception, followed by Dexterity, yet you’ve seemingly chosen a pathway that demands a high amount of twitch-movements and speed, which are governed by Strength. By the Emperor, your stance and choice of weapons would fit my build more than it does yours! So… Tell me, Thea, what is your way?"

Thea's eyes widened as realisation hit her as forcefully as Isabella's armoured fist.

She had been emulating Lt. Frost's stance and choice of weapons ever since she had seen her in the initial challenge trial!

Thea had never even tried to develop her own combat style, because she believed she had already found the perfect fighting method in Lt. Frost, who had defeated an enemy Ace effortlessly. However, she had overlooked the most crucial aspect of weapon and stance selection: Compatibility.

This was the very thing she had criticised Astra for during their Practical class, yet she herself had been bypassing the issue, relying on her superior Attributes, combat experience, and System Ability to claim victory, again and again!

Thea instantly knew she would have to sincerely apologise to Astra for her glaring hypocrisy when they met again.

The stark revelation sent waves of regret and self-reproach coursing through Thea. The idea that her last two years of diligent close-combat training had possibly been for naught left her reeling. How could she have been so blind, so foolish to think that she could simply adopt another's style without considering her own individuality?

Every sweat-soaked practice, every bruise and injury she had endured during her relentless training sessions, they all seemed pointless now. The sheer magnitude of the time and effort wasted in pursuit of a misplaced ideal felt overwhelming.

Thea found herself on the precipice of despair, staring down into the abyss of self-doubt and frustration. A whole vista of combat possibilities lay before her, yet she found herself paralyzed, clueless as to where to begin or what to do.

Confronted with such overwhelming uncertainty, the first tendrils of despair began to take root in Thea's heart. Yet, despite the chaos of her thoughts, one thing became crystal clear - a lesson that James had persistently imparted upon her whenever she felt trapped in a corner, unable to move forward - she needed to ask for help.

Swallowing her pride and taking a deep, steadying breath, Thea turned to Isabella, her cyan eyes reflecting a mix of determination and vulnerability. "Isabella," she began, her voice a touch hoarse, "I...I think I need your help. I don't know where to start... Can you... Will you help me find my own way in combat? You’re vastly more experienced than I am and I don’t know where to start… I’ve spent the last two years training a style that I somehow didn’t even realise wasn’t meant for me and—"

“It’s okay, Thea, I understand. Yes, I will help you,” Isabella interrupted what had begun to spiral into a bout of self-doubt in Thea's speech, an array of complex emotions flickering across her face, which Thea was unable to decipher.

Barely managing to stifle her surprise, considering the initial cold reception Isabella had held for her, Thea looked at her squad mate with wide eyes, "You will…? I mean… Thank you, Isabella…! I don’t think I could have asked for a better teacher…”

Isabella simply nodded in response, an inscrutable look on her face. Her stern visage softened just a bit, a shadow of a smile playing on her lips. “Don’t thank me yet, Thea. This won’t be easy. Training is gruelling, and I won’t go easy on you. But if you’re determined and willing to put in the effort, I believe we can find something truly amazing for you.”

"Then let's start from the beginning," Thea said, determination shining in her eyes. "I'm ready to learn, Isabella."

Isabella nodded, a glimmer of respect in her eyes.

"Good. That’s the spirit… First things first, you’ll have to entirely get rid of your knife-focused style. Knives aren’t made for a Perception and Dexterity focused person like you. Your speciality lies in mobility and your extremely keen senses. Your weakness is your speed and power. The most logical conclusion for what your weapon should provide here should be obvious, even to a novice…”

Isabella’s voice trailed off, clearly prompting Thea to finish the thought and answer.

"Range... I need a weapon that allows me to use my mobility and Perception to their fullest, while covering for my lack of speed and power with the added benefit of range," Thea said, her voice steady as understanding dawned on her. The words felt right as she spoke them, and a sudden sense of clarity washed over her.

Isabella nodded, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Exactly. You need to make sure your opponent can't reach you before you've already struck them. Your goal isn't to overpower them, but to outmanoeuvre them. To wear them down from a distance, strike at their weak points, exploit their openings. You must strike quickly and retreat before they can retaliate. Your weapon and your fighting style must echo this approach.

"Furthermore, opting for a two-handed weapon can compensate for your power deficiency. The extended reach and the leverage that a longer weapon provides, along with the strength harnessed from both your arms and your body, can supplement your swing power. This not only counterbalances your weak points but also accentuates your overwhelming strengths, that being your ludicrous Perception, when we take into account your Ability. A weapon like a glaive, for instance, could work very well for you."

Her mind racing, Thea considered the implications of Isabella's words.

The entirety of her approach to combat needed to be rethought. She would have to unlearn the habits she'd ingrained over the past years and start anew, but the prospect didn't intimidate her... It excited her.

For the first time since stepping into the arena with Isabella, she felt a spark of genuine hope. She wasn't trapped in a style unsuited to her, she was merely misguided. And now, with Isabella's help, she could rectify that.

Her optimism dimmed, however, as she pondered the impracticality of lugging around a cumbersome two-handed glaive alongside her other weapons. Hauling such a hefty weapon, specifically intended for emergencies where close combat was unavoidable, seemed neither practical nor effective.

Frowning, Thea expressed her reservations to Isabella, "I agree with your rationale, but the logistics of carrying around a glaive on my back worry me. I plan to bring at least two different rifles on the assignment, provided I can afford them, of course. But if I also need to transport a massive two-handed glaive... I can't visualise its use in close combat, nor can I picture an efficient way to carry it… I can’t exactly have Lucas carry my weapons for me, I’m the Scout, after all…"

To her delight, Thea's concerns were greeted with a confident grin from Isabella, who gave her a thumbs-up and responded in a teasing, pedantic tone, "Good insight! This is the kind of thoughtful consideration I expect from my students, Recruit Thea!"

Thea had never envisioned the stern, battle-hardened Isabella having such a light-hearted side to her personality. Caught off guard by this unexpectedly whimsical trait, Thea erupted into hearty laughter, prompting a soft chuckle from Isabella in return.

Isabella, however, soon regained her usual stoic composure and continued, “Humor aside, your concerns are insightful, though they betray your lack of experience. There's a wealth of weapon manufacturers out there, each focusing on different aspects - some prioritize power, others utility, and some champion compact designs.

"Back on Xenoria, my home-world, I served under a mentor during my stint with the Vidirin Private Security Company. An ardent polearm user, she always extolled the virtues of her weapon's extended reach and leverage in combat. And she wasn't wrong. I remember the countless times I found myself defeated by her... it still gives me the chills.

"One day, I voiced the same concern to her that you just mentioned: 'How does one transport a large two-handed polearm?' Her response was far from what I had expected. She seized her cherished spear and snapped it over her knee, splitting it into two parts.

"I remember being flabbergasted, as she had always treated her spear with nothing but reverence. You know… She later confessed that my reaction provided her with years of amusement… That woman… Unbelievable…!”

Shaking her head at the memories, a slight smile visible on her face, Isabella continued.

“As it turned out, she hadn't broken her spear at all. It was a product of a company called Vortech Modular Arms, which as the name suggests, specialises in crafting modular weapons, primarily of the melee variety.

"Her spear was essentially two separate short-spears held together by powerful magnets, allowing her to disassemble and reassemble it at a moment's notice. This gave her the versatility of two smaller weapons and the option of a single two-handed polearm for open battlegrounds. The fluidity with which she transitioned between the two was truly remarkable... She saved my life more times than I can count… The only reason I’m here now is because of her, you know…?"

Thea’s brows furrowed as Isabella concluded her tale, as her squad mates voice had taken on an unfamiliar, sombre tone, almost hinting at a tinge of... guilt?

Before Thea could figure out how to react to this situation, as social encounters involving deeply personal emotions were not quite her specialty yet, Isabella visibly shrugged off her sombre thoughts, the well-worn mask of stoicism quickly reappearing on her face.

"Anyway," Isabella continued, her voice returning to its usual matter-of-fact tone.

"I’d recommend you to check out a glaive from Vortech Modular Arms. That should address all your concerns. You could have two short-spear-sized glaives for rapid, close-quarters combat, and also have the option to combine them into a longer, two-handed version for engagements in more open spaces."

Isabella's suggestion deeply resonated with Thea, as it truly did remove all downsides she could find about the recommended weapon type. With no idea how to get the conversation back to the previous, personal, level she decided to simply let it rest for now.

The fact that Isabella had opened up to her to such a degree was more than she could have ever hoped for with a single sparring session, so she didn’t want to risk pushing her luck. Instead, Thea focused on the promised help, eager to fix her misguided stance and weapon choice as fast as possible.

The practicality of the modular glaive as described by Isabella was enticing, and it sparked a newfound interest and anticipation in her. Finally, Thea nodded, her cyan eyes glimmering with resolve as she made her decision. "Let's do it," she confirmed, her tone holding a measure of excitement that was absent before.

Rising from the benches, the pair moved in unison towards the equipment racks. Nestled amongst a variety of melee weapons, Thea's gaze found a standard-issue vibroglaive. With slight hesitation, she reached out and grasped the weapon. Its weight was substantial, a testament to its lethal potential, yet it was balanced in such a way that it did not feel burdensome in her grip.

A subtle grin began to trace itself across her face as her fingers explored the weapon. The glaive's shaft was sleek yet sturdy beneath her touch, an amalgamation of deadly beauty and efficient design. An unspoken connection seemed to form between her and the weapon, a sense of compatibility she hadn't ever felt with her previous armaments. 'I think I can handle this...' she mused, the thought reverberating with newfound confidence and determination.

—

The arena took on a new atmosphere as their training session commenced. Thea was no longer just a challenger, someone to beat; she was a learner seeking guidance from her mentor, Isabella. At the same time, Isabella was no longer just another recruit, no longer an opponent to beat; she was a guide, a veteran sharing the fruits of her hard-won experiences.

Isabella started by demonstrating the basic movements associated with wielding a polearm: the wide sweeping strikes that could keep multiple enemies at bay, the swift, thrusting attacks intended for single, powerful opponents, and the spinning manoeuvres that blended offence and defence.

Then came the time for Thea to attempt these movements herself. Isabella watched with a critical eye, occasionally offering pointers and corrections. "Remember," Isabella's voice echoed in the arena, "the glaive is an extension of your arm, of your will. You need to make it move as if it were a part of your body, otherwise your heightened Perception will become a hindrance, more so than an advantage."

Thea tried her best to emulate the movements Isabella demonstrated. It was an entirely new world of combat for her, and it felt like learning to walk again. But every stumble, every misstep, was a lesson. She could feel herself growing with each passing minute.

It was a painstakingly slow process, but she was making progress…

—

Two hours later, Thea was drenched in sweat, her arms aching from the unfamiliar movements and the exertion it caused on her muscles. Yet her eyes shone with a fierce determination. She knew she had a long way to go, but for the first time, her fighting stance felt right. She hadn’t realised it until today, but using Lt. Frost’s stance had left her feeling unfulfilled, almost empty, whenever she used it, despite the pride she put into having learned and adopted it.

This new stance she was piecing together in her head now however, despite its extremely early stages, felt like it was part of her very being; a uniquely fitting way of fighting just for her. This newfound sense of direction was more comforting than anything she had felt before when it came to close-quarter-combat and she couldn’t thank Isabella enough for her help in this endeavour.

Just before those feelings of gratitude could grow into an articulated sentence however, Isabella, her face bright with anticipation, cut in, “Alright, let’s test your new style in a rematch. Remember, focus on your own way of fighting. Let’s see how far the couple hours of training have gotten you.”

Thea’s smile froze at the painful memories of her earlier spar with the lumbering close-quarters expert before her, but she could not deny that she definitely wanted to see how she would fare in a real fight with her new style.

It was thoroughly undercooked, downright basic in every regard and lacked any sort of finesse, but nevertheless, it was distinctively hers.

With a nod of determination, Thea wiped the sweat from her body, using a nearby towel provided by the DDS, and stepped into the arena's centre.

The DDS's forced realism settings meant they couldn't just reset to a fresh state post-training—they had to spar in their current, post-workout condition. But they had both trained hard, Isabella also unaccustomed to a polearm as her primary weapon, leading to a similar level of fatigue.

No complaints aired as they squared off for their second sparring session.

Holding her new weapon, a standard-issue vibroglaive, Thea felt an unfamiliar yet exciting connection.

The weapon was vastly heavier than what she was accustomed to with her knives, yet it balanced perfectly in her grasp, the centre of mass just where it needed to be for swift, broad swings. The broad blade that tapered off into a viciously sharp spike, gleamed under the arena's lights, its razor edge humming with subtle vibrations that promised devastating force.

The shaft, made of an ultra-strong, T1 alloy mixture, felt both robust and flexible, absorbing shocks and allowing for quick transitions between attack and defence. Running her fingers along it, she once again admired the simple yet effective design. The grip was firm and slip-resistant, moulded to accommodate a two-handed hold but with enough flexibility to be briefly wielded single-handedly if needed.

With the weapon in her hands, Thea felt a surge of exhilaration, mixed with a hint of apprehension. This was more than just a tool for her—it was a symbol of her new path. She had always relied on imitating others in the past, but this weapon was uniquely hers, a tangible reflection of her resolve to find her own way in combat.

As she stood there, the arena's slight background noise faded into nothingness, the world narrowing down to her, Isabella, and the gleaming glaive in her hands. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body thrumming with anticipation and energy. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing mind, Thea assumed a ready stance, the blade of her glaive pointing towards the ground, her gaze locked onto Isabella.

As they both mentally confirmed their readiness, the holographic countdown appeared between them once again.

When the countdown struck zero, the resonant hum of the buzzer echoed throughout the arena, marking the commencement of their rematch.

As the sound still reverberated in the air, Isabella sprang into action, propelling herself forward in her characteristically aggressive manner. Her feet barely seemed to touch the ground, her movement a testament to her raw power and unwavering determination.

Having already witnessed Isabella's signature opening manoeuvre twice before, Thea was poised for it this time around. She remained patient and composed, waiting for the opportune moment to make her move. As Isabella closed the gap between them to a mere ten metres, Thea invoked her Ability.

'Sensory Overdrive.'

Time around her seemed to decelerate, the world blurring into a languid haze. Immersing herself entirely in her newly adopted weapon and fighting style, she prepared to engage Isabella the moment she trespassed into her weapon's range…

Even as time slowed, Thea could feel the raw energy radiating off Isabella, could see the confidence etched in every line of her form. She watched, her heightened senses picking up on every small shift of Isabella's body, every spark from her chainsword as it hummed in the silent expanse of the arena.

Thea gripped the glaive tighter. Its polished surface glistened under the harsh lights of the arena, the intricate crafting along the blade reflecting a shimmering dance of light and shadows. It was not just a weapon—it was an extension of her.

However, Isabella was the veteran here, her movements fluid and anticipating every move Thea was about to make. Her chainsword whirred ominously, carving an arc of sparking light in the air as she lunged forward, aiming to break through Thea's guard.

Thea swung her glaive in response, the world still moving in slow motion for her. The large weapon moved in a sluggish, wide arc, failing to meet the precision and speed of her past knife-work. However, the length of the glaive afforded her a critical advantage she'd never experienced before: Reach.

She intercepted Isabella's lunge, her glaive meeting the chainsword mid-air with a harsh clang. Metal met metal, sending tremors down both their arms, but Thea managed to keep her opponent at bay. The extra distance provided by her weapon meant that she had a larger window to react to Isabella's attacks, giving her precious time to adjust her moves.

Even as she felt the struggle of wielding her new weapon, she could also sense a burgeoning connection. A harmony between her actions and the weapon’s responses that she had never felt with her knives. It was easier to hold Isabella off now, the extended reach of her glaive proving more suitable to her style of combat, one of reactivity and observation, rather than aggression and speed.

Her proficiency was far from ideal, her movements still clumsy and unfamiliar, but the glaive was already proving to be a better fit for her than the knives. It was more than a tool, simply designed to kill—it was a partner. And in the dance of blades that ensued, she found herself beginning to flow with it, rather than against it.

After the first three exchanges, Thea immediately activated her Ability once again, knowing full-well that without the added Perception afforded to her by it, Isabella would run her over in an instant.

‘Sensory Overdrive.’

Despite the glaring difference in their weapon sizes, the spar did not devolve into a mere exercise of kiting either. Isabella was no novice, and she understood the dynamics of close-quarter combat exceptionally well.

Even as Thea used her glaive to maintain distance, Isabella was ready, her chainsword flashing, parrying and redirecting Thea's strikes with fluid precision. The veteran had faced long-reach weapons before, and her strategies were sharp, backed by years of combat experience.

The glaive might have been Thea’s newfound partner, but her dance with it was still an awkward shuffle. Her rhythm was uneven, her steps unsure. She managed to hold her own, but it was clear that her movements lacked the finesse that came with mastery. She was able to keep Isabella at bay initially, but with each clash of their weapons, her inexperience began to show more and more.

In contrast, Isabella danced with the graceful brutality of a seasoned warrior. Her chainsword was a natural extension of her body, moving seamlessly with her as she twisted and spun, stepping in and out of Thea's reach. She was a whirlwind of kinetic energy, challenging Thea's attempts to maintain distance.

Every time Thea swung the glaive, Isabella would dodge or parry, then swiftly step into her guard, shortening the distance between them to where her chainsword held the advantage.

Thea found herself on the defensive more often than not, pushed back by Isabella's relentless advances.

Once more, as she figured her Ability was about to run out, Thea reactivated it preemptively.

‘Sensory Overdrive.’

With each passing second, Thea found her footing becoming a bit more steady, her swings a little more sure. She was gradually learning, adapting to the range and weight of the glaive. Yet Isabella was still the veteran, her relentless barrage not giving Thea a moment's rest. The struggle was evident, but so was the spark of potential in Thea's eyes. She was still growing, learning, and in her hands, the glaive began to hum with untapped promise.

Just as she felt a surge of confidence welling up within her, Isabella abruptly shifted gears. The pace of her attacks increased manifold, each move so fluid and connected that it became a ceaseless flurry of strikes.

Isabella didn't give Thea a moment to reorient herself. Her chainsword flashed with deadly precision, each attack a lesson in economy of movement, designed to keep Thea off-balance and prevent her from using the glaive's reach to her advantage.

With a swift, calculated feint that left even Thea, in her heightened state of perception, nearly incapable of reacting, Isabella evaded Thea's thrust. She expertly closed the distance, encroaching upon Thea's sphere of control until the glaive in Thea's hands became nearly ineffective. In a blur of motion, Isabella's chainsword carved a swift, ruthless arc of energy.

The flat side of her chainsword struck Thea's wrist, disarming her with a jolt of force, leaving her completely open to the onslaught. Isabella capitalised on this opening, her motion remaining fluid as she performed a full pirouette. 

The dance-like motion culminated in a perfectly executed swipe, the chainsword slicing through Thea's neck with the sickening noise of its teeth ripping, tearing and crunching flesh and bone alike, and ending the sparring session in a decisive instant.

The last thing Thea heard was an entirely new sound from the system - a slightly altered version of the Ability level-up chime.

The glaive clattered to the ground, the harsh metallic ring echoing through the training area.

Isabella stepped back, deactivating her chainsword with a click, her calm, measured breathing contrasting sharply with the grotesque sight of Thea’s slumped, decapitated body.

—

A brief moment later, Thea’s eyes snapped open once again, as she found herself stumbling slightly near the equipment racks of the arena.

The first thoughts that ran through Thea’s confused mind were, ‘Fuck… I really need some kind of neck-protector or something…’

In front of her inner eye, a blue box hovered, almost taunting Thea.

[System]: Vitality has increased by 0.01 points.

Shaking her head to dispel those distracting thoughts, while simultaenously closing the System notification, Thea strode back towards the arena's centre.

"You did well. Scarily well..." Isabella began, her voice carrying a note of genuine admiration. "You forced me into second gear to crack your defence. It's almost daunting, the progress you've made simply by changing your weapon and receiving a couple of hours of instruction...Try not to improve too fast, okay?" She added, her tone playfully chiding.

Feeling the timing was right, Thea responded, "Thank you, sincerely. Without your guidance, I'd still be ineffectually wielding knives...I owe you, Isabella. If ever you need something, let me know. I'll do my best to help. Thank you."

A hint of a frown flickered briefly across Isabella's face, sending a pang of apprehension through Thea. It was replaced almost immediately by a soft smile. Then, to Thea's surprise, Isabella simply said, "No."

Startled by the blunt rejection, Thea couldn't help herself from stammering, "...No? What do you mean, no?"

For the first time since their paths had crossed, Isabella held Thea's gaze. "Not 'Isabella.' If you're going to be my scout, I can't have you yelling a four-syllable name. By the time you get to '...BEL-LA, WATCH OUT!', it'd be too late. From now on, call me 'Ella.' And don't worry, I'll let you know when I need assistance. Now, let's finish this sparring session. I'm getting hungry. This time, I'll show you what I'm truly capable of."

With the unexpected change in Isabella's demeanour and her newfound nickname, Thea found herself smiling genuinely. Nodding, she responded, "Alright, Ella. I'm ready when you are."

Inwardly celebrating like never before in her life, outside of the day she got accepted into the UHF, of course, Thea had to do her utmost not to skip towards the centre of the arena, but rather walk briskly instead.

As she moved, a flicker of curiosity sparked within her, 'Does this mean we're friends now? I mean, I've been given a nickname to use... But haven't we skipped a few stages… like nearly all of them? Aren't there supposed to be shared experiences and finding common ground involved? Does she need to come up with a nickname for me as well…?!' Her mind was abuzz with questions, matching the quickened pace of her steps.

Having arrived at her usual starting position, she banished those thoughts as she focused down on her weapon once again.

As the countdown materialised, dwindled to zero, and was followed by the sharp sound of the buzzer, Thea's focus was wholly consumed by Isabella. She was determined to imprint Isabella's full range of skills and abilities onto her memory.

In her customary fashion, Isabella propelled herself from the ground with extraordinary force, launching towards Thea with startling speed. As she had done before, Thea invoked her Ability to afford herself some extra time.

‘Sensory Overdrive.’

However, her concentration was briefly snagged by the sound of an unfamiliar double-chime.

[System]: "Sensory Overdrive has reached Level 5."
[System]: "Sensory Overdrive has reached minor Mastery. Please designate a minor alteration for this Ability."

With an urgent mental-swipe of her hand, she dismissed the System notifications, returning her attention to the ongoing spar. She scrutinised Isabella's charging figure and felt a strange sense of reassurance - Isabella seemed less formidable than she usually did, almost unthreatening.

With a keen eye on the rapidly closing distance, Thea tightened her grip on the glaive, preparing to intercept Isabella's assault. However, something peculiar happened: Isabella didn't engage. Instead, she continued her charge as if heedless of the glaive's impending strike.

Thea's instincts screamed at her to take advantage of the opening, while simultaneously telling her to run. Unwilling to yield, she thrust the glaive forward, aiming directly at Isabella's unguarded head. To her disbelief, Isabella didn't dodge or counter the attack, merely continued her advance.

Just as the glaive's tip was about to make contact, however, it abruptly jerked to a halt in an utterly strange way. It wasn’t as if her glaive had hit a wall, a barrier, air or flesh. It simply ceased to move, with no counter-reaction of any kind.

The abrupt stop left Thea off balance, her momentum halted, her focus momentarily disrupted.

And then, Isabella was there.

Isabella's movement was sudden, a startling flash of speed as she closed the remaining distance. Her left fist swung upward, connecting with an intensity that was incomparable to their previous round.

Immediately, Thea could perceive the difference as the punch made contact - her heightened Sensory Overdrive amplifying her awareness of the subtlest changes in her surroundings. The force of this strike was exponentially greater.

A moment of profound horror flashed across her eyes as she processed the sheer strength behind the punch. The unformed thought 'FUC—' was ripped away as the brutal force of Isabella’s punch collided with her.

There was a deafening crunch, the sound of metallic plates fracturing, reactive armour discharging in desperate, ineffective defence. Isabella's punch, unrelenting and devastatingly powerful, tore through every barrier protecting Thea's body.

In what felt like a single instant, it pulverised bone and tissue, tore through her heart, and blasted out through her back, bringing with it a spraying viscera of gore. The sheer, horrific speed of the assault left Thea no time to fully comprehend the magnitude of the blow she had received before darkness overtook her once again.

—

Snapping open her eyes with a start, Thea’s previous thought finished ‘—K ME!’, as she stumbled backwards several steps.

Barely catching herself from falling, Thea quickly felt for her chest - happy to see that it was, in-fact, still there. Wide-eyed, she looked at Isabella who approached with a smile.

“Told ya I’d show you everything,” she offered with a shrug and a smug smile. “Let’s go eat, I’m hungry.”

Isabella quickly tore off her bloodied armour - exclusively Thea’s blood, of course - before heading out the training room, leaving Thea behind in a flabbergasted state of disbelief.

As she started taking off her armour, Thea brooded, ‘It seems that I have a lot to learn… That was definitely part of her Ability. Stopping the glaive and amplifying her attack… Some kind of kinetic absorption, maybe?’

Thinking about Isabella’s Ability suddenly made Thea stop dead in her tracks.

‘Wait. Wasn’t there something about Sensory Overdrive…?’

Calling up her Ability section and navigating to Sensory Overdrive, a new box suddenly opened in front of her…

[System]: Minor Mastery reached - Choose 1 out of 3 possible minor alterations for Silver-Rank Active-Ability ‘Sensory Overdrive’

[Sensory Overdrive α: At the end of the active duration, gradually decreases the Perception gained through ‘Sensory Overdrive’ to zero, instead of abruptly falling off.]

[Sensory Overdrive β: Lowers the Focus cost of subsequent uses of ‘Sensory Overdrive’ by 25%, if the active duration of the previous cast has not run out yet.]

[Sensory Overdrive γ: Enhances the initial surge of the Perception increase by an additional 200% when activating 'Sensory Overdrive', enabling a brief moment of even sharper focus at the onset of the ability's effect for the first 20% of the total duration.]

Wide-eyed, Thea stared at the options before her with no idea where to go from here.

“They have fucking alterations too, now…?” Muttering to herself, she decided to simply postpone the decision for later.

After all, Isabella wasn’t the only one who was hungry…