Redeveloping the Ten Shadows Technique

The view returned to Rover.

After she finished discussing the Day-Switching Ceremony with Mornye, something suddenly went wrong at the research institute.

The researchers discovered an intruder near Haiveisha, the Academy's humanoid weapon. As Haiveisha went berserk, some of the Research Institute's equipment also failed.

Most of the people at the Research Institute were researchers. Even with vehicles to get them out, there was no guarantee those "bookworms" could stop Haiveisha.

"We've pulled up the surveillance footage near Haiveisha! There's a student there!"

Inside the Research Institute, Rover and Mornye saw the student on the monitor.

It was Lynae.

"Bad news! A magnetic storm of Void Matter has contaminated the Research Institute's train power supply, and it's stopped! There's a student aboard!"

At the same moment, Mo Bai appeared on another monitor.

"This is the new student recommended by Hei Black Shores!"

Once they identified Mo Bai by his appearance, several researchers went pale.

Black Shores, the world's largest organization fighting Threnodians, had helped build Star Torch Academy.

As an Academy devoted to finding ways to fight Threnodians, it was bound to lose the occasional student.

It sounded cruel, but this was the world they lived in...

Threnodians lurked everywhere, and the wailing never stopped.

Academic research was hardly the only way to die. Someone could stay home, thinking they were safe, only to be killed by an unexpected meteorite the next day.

Some had proposed a theory: Threnodians and the wailing were both tests.

Trials to determine whether humanity was worthy of going farther.

Nothing more.

"Quick! Find a way to contact that new student!"

One of the Research Institute's instructors gave the order at once.

Casualties might be inevitable in the fight against Threnodians, but this was his first day at school!

If he died like this, Star Torch Academy would have to answer for it.

"That new student's magnetic tape doesn't have a terminal. We can't reach him..."

The researcher checking the surveillance footage trailed off.

It defied common sense. Not having a terminal in this day and age was almost unbelievable.

Fortunately, when they saw Mo Bai summon a shikigami and escape, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing what had happened, Rover volunteered to take one of the Research Institute's vehicles and stop Haiveisha.

Haiveisha's ultimate target was the Research Institute. Rover would not let her reach it.

Beep, beep.

On the battlefield, Haiveisha looked down at her blade after delivering a slash.

She seemed surprised by the result of that last strike.

Whoosh!

While Haiveisha was distracted, she sensed a threat behind her.

Clang!

She swiftly swung her blade to intercept the attacker, only to find that her opponent's strength rivaled her own, despite her being an artificial weapon.

Clang.

When she locked onto her target, she saw a Hei-haired, golden-eyed student.

"Rover?!"

Lynae recognized her at once. Rover had arrived in a vehicle and launched a surprise attack from the air.

But Rover did not respond to Lynae's surprise.

On her way there, she had seen Haiveisha attack Mo Bai.

He had come here for a friend, only to meet that fate.

But Lynae's presence here made no sense. It contradicted the reason she had given for leaving Mo Bai and Rover earlier. Something was suspicious...

Rover did not want to suspect a friend, but right now, she had to look at the situation rationally.

Rover was formidable. With Lynae's help, she brought Haiveisha to her knees, leaving her no threat for the moment.

But that did not mean it was over.

"..."

Neither of them spoke after defeating Haiveisha.

Normally, Lynae would have greeted Rover like an overexcited golden retriever.

But they had just watched Mo Bai disappear.

And the person responsible...

"So why are you here now?" Rover asked bluntly.

Lynae clenched her fists and lowered her eyes.

"I..."

Whoosh!

Just as Lynae parted her lips to explain, a shadow not far from them stirred.

It suddenly deepened into something like black mud.

Rover immediately drew her Swift Blade. Then, as if remembering something, she sheathed it and ran over.

"Pah! I nearly suffocated myself!"

Mo Bai emerged from the shadow, gasping for air.

An instant before Haiveisha's attack hit, he had hastily developed a new use for his Ten Shadows Technique.

The technique was fundamentally about interacting with shadows. After turning the Divine Dogs partly into shadows earlier, Mo Bai had gained a deeper understanding of his ability.

So at the instant his enemy's attack was about to strike, he had sunk into a shadow.

It sounded like an unbeatable trick, but it had limits.

Inside the shadow, Mo Bai had felt as though he were drowning. Holding his breath was the only way to stay there longer.

All he could do after that was pray the Academy sent help soon.

Mo Bai's grasp and use of his ability still left much to be desired, so he had to rely on someone else.

Fortunately, help had arrived.

"Whew. Rover, you're here. Thank goodness."

Mo Bai breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Rover standing before him.

Then he noticed the robot's body nearby.

It was riddled with bullet holes and sword wounds, the latter especially conspicuous.

Yeah, Rover really is extraordinary.

"Mo Bai, are you all right?"

Rover was relieved to see him unharmed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, Lynae! You still owe Rover and me an explanation for standing us up!"

After answering Rover, Mo Bai looked past her at Lynae, hoping she would step in and ease the awkwardness.

After all, he had chosen to part ways with Rover earlier, only to land himself in this embarrassing mess soon afterward.

But when he looked at Lynae, the usually sunny golden retriever wore a grim expression.

Had something happened between her and Rover?

But hadn't they just fought together?

"What happened here?!"

Just as Mo Bai was puzzling over it, the Research Institute's scholars finally arrived.