Early morning.
Hoshimi Miyabi arrived at the office.
"Vice Section Chief, I'm taking leave today to train. You'll handle the nine o'clock meeting for now."
After saying that, she began organizing the documents on her desk.
"Huh? Boss, what are you going to do?"
"Catch someone."
Tsukishiro Yanagi rubbed her forehead, sounding rather helpless.
"Then may I ask, Section Chief, do you have a plan?"
"Today, I prepared shackles."
Asaba Yuma whistled.
"Now that's something. Soukaku, do you think the Section Chief will win today?"
Soukaku, who had been stuffing a bun into her mouth, froze with her cheeks puffed out.
"I think the boss will win."
"You trust the Section Chief that much? Fine, then I'll bet on her failing."
"Impossible. As a member of the Hoshimi Family, she won't fail more than three times."
"Today is your fourth time going, isn't it, Section Chief?"
Adjusting her glasses as she handled the documents needed for the meeting, Tsukishiro Yanagi teased her.
"So this time, I'll definitely succeed."
Hoshimi Miyabi clenched her fist and spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Alright, alright. Good luck. Go get her."
"Thank you. Then I'm off."
With that, the three watched Hoshimi Miyabi stride out.
School.
Office.
Fu Hua frowned as she looked at Hoshimi Miyabi, who had come knocking again.
She seemed to have gotten used to it by now.
"Miss Miyabi, is the Anti-Air Sixth Division that idle? Why do you keep coming here?"
"This is training."
"But you're causing serious disruption to my life."
Fu Hua set down her pen and picked up the cup on her desk.
She unscrewed the lid and looked inside.
It was actually cold water.
With a sigh, she plucked a tea bag from thin air beside her.
She sprinkled a few tea leaves into the cup.
Just as she was about to get up to make tea.
Hoshimi Miyabi directly took out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed herself to Fu Hua.
Fu Hua calmly lowered her head and looked at the shackles around her wrist, puzzled.
"What is this?"
"Miss Fu Hua, your classes are over for today, so I'd like to take you back with me."
"That way, part of my training will be complete as well."
"Then let's go."
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Fu Hua decided to go with her.
However, she still decided to go to the water room first and make her tea.
Then Hoshimi Miyabi pulled Fu Hua toward her office.
The pedestrians they passed along the way were all astonished by the sight.
"Section Chief Miyabi, you've come... Th-this lady is?"
"It's nothing. A friend."
After greeting the staff on duty, Hoshimi Miyabi pulled Fu Hua into her office.
"Oh, boss, you're back! Ah! You succeeded!?"
"What? How did you succeed? That shouldn't be possible!"
Asaba Yuma, who had been sleeping sprawled across the desk, immediately got up at Soukaku's cry.
He quickly walked over to Fu Hua, rubbing his chin as he examined her.
"No need to be so surprised. I merely hope to complete her training as soon as possible."
Fu Hua waved a hand and explained.
"So you really are that armored girl?"
"Yes, I am."
"That's amazing. Who developed your armor? Can you tell me about it?"
Tsukishiro Yanagi, who had just returned from the meeting, was also surprised to see Fu Hua.
But after hearing Asaba Yuma's question, she furrowed her brow and leaned closer to listen.
"..."
After thinking for a moment, Fu Hua's expression went blank as she introduced herself without emotion.
"Shadow Knight: Moonbreaker, alias HDA-006."
"A prototype fourth-generation Valkyrie God-Slaying Armor."
Everyone present froze upon hearing that introduction.
"Valkyrie?"
"God-Slaying Armor?"
Frowning, Tsukishiro Yanagi considered those two brief descriptions before asking.
"Then..."
"May I leave now?"
Fu Hua's question left Tsukishiro Yanagi's words stuck in her throat.
Tsukishiro Yanagi knew Fu Hua's strength. Their side did not have the standing to sit at a table and talk with her.
"Wait, Miss Fu Hua. I have one more training exercise: another match with you."
"Then... please."
As she spoke, Fu Hua lightly shook her outstretched hand, shattering the specially made handcuffs.
She extended her hand toward Hoshimi Miyabi in invitation.
Looking at the shackles on the ground, now reduced to fragments, the four members of the Anti-Air Sixth Division were momentarily stunned.
"Thank you for accepting my request."
With that, Hoshimi Miyabi led Fu Hua toward the training grounds.
"A match like this is hard to come by. Let's hurry and follow them."
Seeing that there was a good show ahead, Asaba Yuma was no longer sleepy. He called out and followed after them.
"Yay! I'll grab some snacks."
Tsukishiro Yanagi smiled without saying anything. After putting away the documents in her hands, she followed as well.
Training grounds.
Fu Hua calmly looked at Hoshimi Miyabi, who stood on guard across from her.
She slowly clasped her fists in salute. Then, stepping out with her left foot, Fu Hua raised one hand high and lowered the other, taking her stance.
Hoshimi Miyabi tightened her grip on her sword, and the ends of her hair behind her faintly glimmered blue.
Her figure flashed, and she charged directly at Fu Hua.
When she was less than a body's length away.
Hoshimi Miyabi turned and drew her blade, driving it straight toward Fu Hua's throat.
Whoosh—clang!
Fu Hua swiftly struck out with her palm, deflecting the blade at an extremely tricky angle.
Then her other hand formed a fist and shot forward.
A sharp crack split the air, and the force of the punch blew Hoshimi Miyabi's bangs upward.
Fu Hua's fist stopped abruptly before her forehead.
Though the sword had been deflected, it was still deeply embedded in the ground nearby.
In less than a second, the winner had been decided.
Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes trembled.
She shifted her gaze from Fu Hua's fist to the demon blade still in her grip.
The two maintained their positions for a long time.
Hoshimi Miyabi slowly pulled out her blade and sheathed it.
Seeing this, Fu Hua slowly withdrew her stance as well.
But the next instant.
Miyabi suddenly drew her sword again, moving so fast that she left an afterimage.
Yet her blade struck only air.
Fu Hua had already flashed aside before her.
Her straightened palm pressed against Miyabi's throat.
The second move ended just as abruptly.
The three spectators outside the ring were thoroughly baffled.
The fierce battle they had imagined never happened. The outcome of each exchange was decided in a single move.
In the arena, the two women once again withdrew their stances.
Just as Miyabi prepared to launch her third move.
Fu Hua did not even give her time to draw her sword.
One palm pressed against Miyabi's scabbard, while the other struck at the air beside her cheek.
Inch Strength: Cloud Mist
The howling wind of the strike swirled around Hoshimi Miyabi's fox ears, and on the wall behind her in the training grounds.
A clearly visible palm print appeared.
Then Fu Hua slowly stepped back several paces.
After clasping her fists in salute, she placed one hand behind her back and asked.
"Miss Miyabi, have you gotten what you wanted?"
Coming back to her senses, Hoshimi Miyabi slowly bowed.
"Thank you for your guidance. Miss Fu Hua's strength is extraordinary. My skills are simply inferior."
Fu Hua's three moves had shown her three things.
If you strike first, you lose.
If you strike at the same time, you still lose.
If I strike first, you will not even have a chance to make a move.
Fu Hua shook her head and gave an impartial assessment.
"There is no need to belittle yourself, Miss Miyabi. Your sword is sharp, and it is fast as well.
"My talent is far inferior to yours. The reason you lost is simply that you lack the refinement of time."
"If I were your age and we fought again, I imagine I would be the one who lost."
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