3rd PoV :
It is the return of your narrator, my job is to tell you the story. I just have to read the script sent by the author.
Let's start! So, where were we last time... Ah! Yes, a fight between Nightmare and Herrscher.
The two stared at each other, one was getting impatient while the other waited for her enemy to make a move. You can already guess who started to throw a sword immediately at her enemy who perfectly dodged it.
Our protagonist did not wanted to admit it but her lips were trembling. She may have extreme confidence in her abilities but if she failed to do a single move then she'll have more than just bruises all over her body so this time, it was the moment to go all out. Use all her artillery at her disposition and maybe break boundaries.
After the perfect dodge of the clone of Kurumi, she immediately started to shoot at Senti who managed to block and dodge most of them. She had luck to fight a clone since they cannot use Zafkiel, but if there's a clone then the original is nearby.
This is maybe a distraction so she can try to consume Shido. She thought but then immediately focused on the battle.
"Tch." She was obviously annoyed by that, she now not only needed to protect herself but Shido too. Taking a recently formed sword in her hand, she rushed with great speed to the clone.
Swinging the sword near the head, trying to behead to which the clone managed to block at the last moment. But it wasn't the only thing that also tried to behead her, an illusion of Senti rushed 3 seconds after the first blow. Unfortunately, the clone saw it coming and shot the illusion. Senti was somehow shocked by the high reaction speed the clone had but since the illusion got quickly eliminated, red feathers started to float in the air.
Senti footsweeped the clone, formed her spear and planted it immediately in the stomach of the clone, then the feathers transformed into sword. She moved her hand and gave a thumbs down, letting the all the swords pierce the clone. Senti was right now in state of "How the fuck did I managed to do that!?", an understandable state after all. She won against a clone of Nightmare, it's not as impressive as beating the real one but still it's an accomplishment nonetheless. Give her some credits everyone!
Although, Shido -who watched everything from the background- had his mouth open, from pure shock and fear for what happened. Blood was all over the place, it was really brutal all those swords immediately piercing her. He thought it was the real Kurumi until he saw another one coming from the shadows. "Finally! The real one is here. I started to be bored fighting that clone."
He heard Senti says, still shocked by how she seem unfazed fighting a spirit as strong as Kurumi. He started to believe in her over the top abilities though he could feel something was off from Senti. He can't explain why but still.
"Soooo, why are you trying to kill me Kurumi? Am I threat to your plans?" Senti mocked with a smirk, she tried to hide that sensation of fear. But it didn't fool Nightmare, not to say it in a cliché way but the sweating on her forehead wasn't from the fight with the clone.
Nightmare saw how unfazed Senti mostly was during that fight but she started to sweat when she saw the true Kurumi. She only scoffed, knowing that Senti is scared and she'll use that knowledge to her advantage.
'Guess I'll rely to my instincts…I should have trained with my powers before.' Senti thought while having a sad face, sweat on her forehead. 'Or I could flee but that would let Shido alone and knowing her plan then I can't do that.'
She also knew the AST will come in some minutes if she don't finish this quickly.
'I don't even know how to use my Herrscher power completely, only my weapons and Fu Hua's power engraved in my mind. I could use Edge Of Taixuan…No, too powerful and destructive. Fenghuang down is essentially the same but weaker than my Herrscher powers…'
*BANG*
Kurumi shot with her musket, the bullet only grazed the left cheek of Senti thanks to her last second dodge. She had a stunned expression. "Hey! Don't do that! That's not fair!!!"
Kurumi giggled like a maniac before shooting with her musket and gun only for Senti to dodge everything creating many illusions thanks to Fenghuang Down.
Meanwhile...
"It seems we have underestimated her capabilities in terms of combat." One of the crewmembers of Ratatoskr with a tint of surprise while Kotori was completely focused on the fight with an incomprehensible expression. "Everyone, stay focused, we'll get a lot of information about Herrscher thanks to that fight."
"Shido, try to stop them." Kotori said only for him to be baffled by what she said and whisper-shouted at her. "Are you insane?! It's suicide!"
"Don't worry, we'll give a signal for when you have to act."
He only sighed in complete disbelief, yes he can now summon Sandalphon but it won't even do anything against those two spirits who are far stronger than him. He prepared himself, ready to act at any moment, hopefully this will turn out well...
Back to the fight...
Senti seemed tired, without proper training she couldn't do anything especially when she's fighting dozens of clones.
Taking out the last clone using her broadsword, piercing immediately in the head without any mercy, she looked at her hand full with blood and her eyes widened.
Has she killed that many clones, she don't even know how much she killed, adrenaline did the work not her. Some tears fell off her cheek, she didn't realized that since her new life she did many wrong things.
She stared in front of her and watch Kurumi approach her slowly, Senti put her hand in front of her and said. "Time out... Time out! Can't we do a deal or something...?
"Ara? A deal? I wasn't here to kill you in the first place, only to tire you out and have a talk together, between fellow 'spirits'." She said with a tint of malice, showing a sadistic smirk.
"Heh... I'm okay to have a talk with you... It'll be better if we were alone so let me do a trick." Senti put her left hand in the air and did a finger snap, using Fenghuang Down, she created an illusion of an entire new place. Two chairs opposed to each other could be seen and Senti took one while Kurumi did the same.
(A/N : If you guys want to know what it looks like, then look at what I've put in the beginning, yeah that image you see. That one, great.)
"So what do we talk about?" Senti tried to keep up her facade of an invincible warrior yet Kurumi could see right through it.
"There is no need to get to the point that fast, take a break, I'll admire the scenery." Kurumi answered calmly, she was the one in control here so she could do whatever she wants after all.
Senti crossed her legs and puts her head on her hand. She didn't know what to do, what to think, in what situation has she puts herself in. 'If only Fu Hua was here...'
She used an illusion to create her favorite tea and drank it slowly, it's a tea Fu Hua loved and so does she. She calmed herself down while drinking it, she was ready now to talk.
"We can talk now. I'll start with what I want, a peaceful life meaning I don't want you to ruin my life. Simple and easy. If you accept, I'll help you for whatever you want."
'Fuck, I'm an IMBECILE. Now, she can ask whatever she wants! FUCK!' Though she was angry in her mind, only a deep frown could be seen on her face.
"Well... How about this? I know one thing about you and it's that you are no spirit but you show an immense amount of Reiryoku energy. You only have the similarities to a spirit meaning you could help me on something." Kurumi said and Senti's eyes widened, she was surprised to hear that but she guessed that fooling Kurumi would be quite complicated after all.
"Amazing, you're a perceptive one Kurumi but I know what you want." Senti retorked and Kurumi only smiled in return, as if she knew what Senti was going to say.
"You want to consume Shido to then return in the past and take out the first Spirit, this way no more space quakes right? I could help for I do not really care, like you said I'm not a spirit meaning I won't be affected." It's a win-win situation for the both of them, Senti will leave peacefully and Kurumi will achieve her goal.
Kurumi softly giggled while getting up from the chair, she approached Senti slowly and put her hand on Senti's shoulder. "We got ourselves a deal Hua, but do not break it or else you'll suffer the consequences, continue to work with Shido and help him seal those spirits, okay?"
Senti only nodded and Kurumi did the the same while having a smile full of malice. Senti got up and once again snapped her fingers, the illusion disappeared and the two find themselves back in the park. Kurumi disappeared into the shadows and Senti didn't move from her place, Shido ran to see her and looked at her unreadable expression.
"Hua? You're alright?" Shido asked only to hear silence, not a single word could be heard. "Shido! Her happiness meter is going down! What the heck happened?!"
Shido only did one thing he could think and it was hugging the seemingly broken Hua, he started to hear something and it was Hua crying, she returned the hug and used the shirt of Shido to wipe her tears.
The facade of an invincible she made was now completely broken, now she was seen like a child crying because she lost in a game, if only she was stronger, if only she trained, if only she didn't overestimated herself... That was her train of thoughts right now.
She knew what to do, help Shido seal the spirits then help Kurumi achieve her goal. But to do that, she needs more POWER. She will seek MOTIVATION to do that. She pushed Shido away from her, some traces of tears could be seen on her cheeks. "Thank you... Shido..."
She blushed slightly while having a little smile but that smile faltered when the AST arrived. She was not in the mood to play with them, she'll take them out as quick as she can. She saw a blue haired girl and knew who she was, Mana Takamiya, a strong opponent that was always looking for Nightmare.
"It's a shame that Nightmare fled away but it doesn't matter, I'll find her later. My problem is you, Herrscher." The cold killing machine said, she follows orders like a lapdog. Plus the way she was looking down at Senti was annoying her.
Senti's patience was already low at the time so she had not hesitation but the moment she was ready to act, she was already stabbed by Mana...
Everything faded to black...
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Later in the night...
*Knock knock*
"Who is it?" Fu Hua said only to hear a quiet "it's me Fu Hua..." from Senti. She opened the door and saw the bloodied and tired Senti in front of her. "Yo…how's it going…?"
"I should be the one asking that. What happened?" Fu Hua softly asked and let Senti enter the house but she almost fell on the floor. "Let me take a shower… and I'll explain later…"
Timeskip...
Senti got out the bathroom, only having a towel, she couldn't care about being embarrassed right now. She got into her room and took some pajamas, once she was dressed, she got to the living room and sat next to Fu Hua on the couch.
She had a serious look on her face and started to explain the main things. "So there was this moment I got stabbed by that blue haired bit-I meant girl. But I managed to to live thanks to Fenghuang Down, well it's not like I got really stabbed..."
Flashback!
The body of Senti was on the floor with a large hole in her, blood was obviously leaking out.
"Next is Nightmare" Mana said as she flew away, searching where Nightmare could be. Shido had a stunned expression on his face, he knelt near the lifeless body of Senti, he held her head as if he was trying to wake her up. Everyone in the Fraxinus was shocked, one of the strongest spirit died in front of them like she was nothing.
AH! No, she isn't dead obviously, they're all seeing an illusion made by Fenghuang Down, what an amazing divine key.
End of the Flashback!
"And that's how I managed to get here, as stealthy as a cat." Senti finished explaining as she was now laying her head on Hua's lap, she was relaxed to say the least though her recent experience with Kurumi managed to give her a trauma…
"Can you do me a favor?" She nodded and Senti quickly replied with an even more serious look. "I'm putting my ego aside right now because I want you… to train me."
"I never thought that one day the invincible Herrscher of sentience would ask me to train her." Hua said sarcastically but then nodded, she doesn't mind at all to help her. "But why? You have the memories of all of my fights."
"Yes, but I can't rely on memories and reflexes to fight my enemies, who knows what the future keep? I need more power!" Senti exclaimed while slowly clenching her hand. Her eyes glowed a blood red color.
"Well, at least you're motivated. This is what you need if you want to train and get more powerful. We'll do that tomorrow, for now, you should rest after such an eventful night." Such wise words from Fu Hua, Senti got up from her lap and went to their bedroom, some well deserved sleep would ease the pain.
She was now in her bed, Fu Hua sleeping near her. She felt at peace and was ready to sleep until she felt like she couldn't move nor even talk, not knowing what was happening she was only trembling in fear.
The feeling of being grabbed by some kind of invisible force made her scream internally, it felt like shadowy hands were keeping her from moving. She remembered who could do that type of things and it was only Kurumi.
Her traumatic experience with her was now in her mind, what could she do, what can she do now?! She can't even move nor talk, how can she call for help here?!
She now saw Kurumi walking out of the shadows, holding her flintlock pistol, she was approaching her slowly. Cold sweat ran down her forehead and Kurumi put her pistol on it but the moment when she was about to shoot, she heard someone yelling at her.
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"Wake up! Senti! Wake up!" Fu Hua yelled as she grabbed Senti's shoulder, making her move and looked at her.
"Huh…? What…?"
She had tears running down her cheeks, her eyes showed a feeling of despair, of someone who was powerless, someone that couldn't even fight her fate.
Fu Hua saw a broken child in front of her, it's not really the first where Senti wasn't in her usual mood but now she saw an entire new facet of her. Especially when Senti hugged her, her crying were now stronger. Fu Hua only returned the hug, trying to calm down Senti.
She guessed that what happened that night must have traumatized her but now she was sure, she won't pry to much into that, maybe the training will make her feel better…
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Senti P.o.V :
Tomorrow…
After that night, I had the worst sleep in my fucking life. This can't be… I thought I would manage against Kurumi but I was strongly wrong. In the Anime I wasn't as scared but after facing her… I don't know what I can do.
Thankfully, we've made a deal. I do not know if I will regret it. But if I don't want to die and live peacefully like I want then I'll need more power.
I looked at my left and didn't saw Fu Hua, she woke up earlier than me this time. I guess we'll start the training today. Though I'm not really in the mood but I don't care, all I need is to be stronger and learn humility, my arrogance got the best of me and I've suffered the consequences…
"FUCK! RAGHHH! FUCKING TABLE !" I yelled as my toe stumbled upon the low table, what kind of bad luck did I got…
Later in the morning…
"Before you start your training, you'll have to do me a favor." Fu Hua said with a little smile as I kind of helped her to make breakfast. "What is it?"
"I know you steal innocent people so you can pay what we need but if yiu want a peaceful life then you'll need to live normally meaning you need a job." I was flabbergasted, a job? I didn't even finished my studies in my past and here I need a job?
We finished preparing breakfast I putted everything on the table, Fu Hua went searching something in our bedroom, she came back and put a paper on our table. I took it and looked at what it was saying.
"Looking for new employee as waiter or waitress, no need to have skills to be employed, just follow our instructions?"
A job as a waitress? I mean I can do this but… I don't know man…
"I got this while you were on a date, I was looking for ingredients and a strange but friendly man came and gave me this. And yes, don't worry I was as discreet as a human could possibly be." She said as some sarcasm could be heard in her voice. I only glared a little at her to which she laughed softly.
"Very well…I'll shee that guy and you be'er hope 'at I get employed." I said with my mouth full but Fu Hua put her open hand in front of me in a "stop" motion.
"I understood what you said but please don't do this again." I sheepishly smile at my behavior but still, having to find a job, then train and attending to school is making my usual schedule busy.
But I do not have any other choice…
Timeskip…
I was walking to the location of the job, hoping that I won't mess up or embarrass myself. I saw a 'closed' sign but I still knocked the door, hoping that someone would open it.
"Ah! It must be you! The girl I scouted yesterday." I nodded, even though it was Fu Hua who got scouted but anyway. "Oh…your eyes are different from yesterday."
"Oh! Uhh, I wore contacts lenses yesterday for my bad view, I don't wear them today because I wanted to be as authentic as I can be." I lied, he doesn't seem to have caught that lie and I made a little sigh of relief.
"You seem quite stressed, is something wrong?" He asked with some worry, I only shook my head sideways and answered. "I just don't think to have the skills for being a waitress…"
"A waitress? You mean being in a maid café? I completely understand, after all it's a difficult and harsh world." I know… wait a maid café? HUH?!
"A maid café…?" What the hell, I'm confused right now, is this a prank? Is this some kind of sick joke?! "Yeah! A maid café! We just opened in town but don't worry we'll become the best maid café in Tengu!"
"Ehhhhhh?!"
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It took longer than I expected and yes I tried a little something so our protagonist can have character development.
And fuck it's hard to do but I'll manage and please tell me if I made some mistakes/errors.
Anyway thank you for reading and once again please vote if you want to support me!
Hail the Herrscher Of Sentience, my brethren.