~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~
The air in the training hall vibrated with raw energy as Rey and Lady A resumed their fight.
Rey kept his breathing steady, his mind razor-sharp, and his body moving like a well-oiled machine. He activated his arsenal of Non-Exclusive Skills, his [Battle Aura] flaring with power.
The faint glow of [Grand Combat Application] honed his movements, while [Grand Weapon Mastery] made the blade in his hands an extension of his will.
Lady A smirked, her purple aura intensifying as it surged around her.
The corrosive energy began to eat away at the floor beneath her feet, leaving a scorched trail wherever she moved.
"You're keeping up well," she said, her voice tinged with approval. "But how long can you last?"
Rey returned her smirk. "Longer than you think."
He pushed forward, matching her blow for blow. [Battle Sense] heightened his awareness, allowing him to anticipate her movements and react with split-second precision. Her strikes came faster and harder, but his counters were fluid and unyielding, like water meeting fire.
Lady A leaped back, her aura swirling violently around her.
"Not bad," she said, her tone laced with challenge. "But I'm not done yet."
With a sharp breath, she increased the intensity of her purple energy.
The corrosive aura expanded, distorting the air around her and making the ground crackle ominously.
Rey felt the shift immediately.
The oppressive weight of her energy bore down on him, and yet he didn't falter. Instead, he let his own Battle Aura surge, its bright crimson hue brightening as he ramped it up to match her ferocity.
Their clash resumed, the hall now echoing with the sound of blades meeting energy and footsteps thundering across the floor. Sparks flew with every strike, and the ground beneath them cracked and splintered.
Rey moved with calculated aggression, his skills weaving seamlessly together to create a relentless offensive.
Lady A gritted her teeth, her fascination with Rey growing.
'How is he still keeping up?' she thought, her admiration tinged with frustration.
She stepped back, her aura flaring as she gathered energy in her hand. The purple light coalesced into a dense, crackling sphere, radiating destructive power.
"Let's see if you can handle this," she said, her voice firm.
She hurled the projectile with deadly precision, the energy tearing through the air toward Rey.
Rey's grip on his blade tightened.
He took a steadying breath, his stance shifting. Instead of attempting to destroy the energy, he chose a different approach.
As the sphere neared, he slashed upward with perfect timing, his blade meeting the projectile with an explosive clash. The impact deflected the energy, sending it careening back toward Lady A with unexpected force.
Her eyes widened in surprise as the blast knocked her off her feet.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~
She flew backward, slamming into the wall with a resounding crash. Dust and debris fell around her as she slumped to the ground, momentarily stunned.
When she looked up, Rey was already standing in front of her, his blade poised just inches from her throat.
His expression was calm but unwavering, his dominance in the fight now undeniable.
Lady A blinked, then let out a small laugh.
"You win," she said, her voice laced with a mix of defeat and amusement.
Rey lowered his blade and extended a hand to help her up. She took it, rising to her feet with a wry smile.
"You're better than I thought," she admitted, brushing dust off her clothes.
"You're not bad yourself," Rey replied, his tone light. "But next time, maybe don't hold back so much."
"You noticed?"
"Yeah… and it sucked."
"Don't worry." Lady A chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Next time, I won't."
"Next time?"
Rey raised a brow as he looked at her, causing the lady to realize what she just said and what it implied. She appeared flustered for a moment, but quickly recovered and shrugged.
"Survive your front line march and maybe I'll consider it."
"Okey!"
The tension between them eased, leaving behind a quiet sense of mutual respect.
"I'm Angie, by the way."
"Ahh… Angie…" Rey didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed. "Nice name."
"Pfft! Sure."
The tension in the room shifted as Lady A, now Angie, turned to Rey with a smile. "Alright, you won the spar. Now, ask your question."
Rey exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable as he prepared to speak.
"It's linked to what you were going to ask me earlier," he began, his voice steady but laced with an undertone of vulnerability. "You simply remind me of someone."
Angie tilted her head, intrigued. "Who?"
Rey hesitated, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
Memories he had buried deep resurfaced, and he wondered if he was ready to confront them. After a long pause, he steeled himself and finally said,
"A girl called Alicia White. You might not know her, but you really look like her."
Angie's eyes widened in genuine surprise, her confident demeanor momentarily faltering.
"Alicia?" she repeated softly, as if testing the name on her tongue.
Rey nodded, his gaze steady. "Yes. Do you know her?"
Angie reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a small photograph.
"She's my cousin," she said, her tone tinged with both surprise and sadness.
She held the picture out to him.
"This is us."
Rey took the photo, his breath catching as he looked at the image. It was unmistakable—Alicia's bright smile and warm presence radiated from the picture. But what shocked him even more was the striking resemblance between her and Angie.
"Alicia never mentioned having a cousin," Rey murmured, almost to himself.
Angie sighed, her smile bittersweet. "That doesn't surprise me. We weren't very close growing up. She loved cats, and I loved dogs. We'd argue over the smallest things, like which was better. It was kind of our thing."
Rey couldn't help but chuckle, the idea of Alicia arguing about pets painting a vivid picture in his mind.
"Sounds like her," he said, his voice soft.
Angie's expression grew somber as she continued. "Alicia and her classmates went missing after they went on an excursion. The authorities believed it was an accident, but before their bodies could be found…" She trailed off, her gaze darkening.
"The Dragon Emperor arrived," Rey finished for her, understanding dawning on his face.
Angie nodded. "Everything changed after that. The search efforts were abandoned, and the chaos that followed swept over everything."
Rey swallowed hard, the weight of her words settling heavily on his shoulders. He glanced at the photo again before handing it back.
"I see."
Angie tucked the picture away carefully, then turned back to Rey with a curious look. "How did you know Alicia?"
Rey hesitated, his mind racing.
He had avoided thinking too deeply about his connection to Alicia for so long, but now it was staring him in the face. How was he going to explain to Angie that he was one of those supposedly dead classmates of Alicia?
Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a sharp buzz interrupted them, followed by a crisp voice over the intercom.
"Lady A, report to the briefing room immediately."
Angie winced, glancing at the nearest speaker.
"Duty calls," she said with a sigh. She turned back to Rey, offering a small smile. "Looks like we'll have to continue this conversation another time."
Rey nodded, watching as she strode toward the exit. As the door closed behind her, he found himself alone with his thoughts.
He clenched his fists, staring at the ground as emotions he had buried began to surface.
'I miss you… Alicia.'