Prologue (Arc 1) | Skylight

"Ugh, new day, same me..." Said Tsubasa in annoyance as she woke up with an irritated look on her face.

Tsubasa was a normal 17-year-old student who spent most days without any excitement or anything. Living alone in Tokyo, she couldn't help but feel bored and unfulfilled. It's not that she didn't make an effort on her assignments or projects, but in reality, she was underwhelmed by the boring, mundane tasks. Most other students can't comprehend how relaxed Tsubasa is while she's excelling in her classes without making any effort to succeed. Even Tsubasa herself has no idea why she's so 'talented, as everyone around her claims.

"Oh yeah, there was that lecture today."

It was 12:00 noon... A supposed lecture on the philosophy of astronomy is taking place just as Tsubasa wakes up. "Damn, another hangover!" She exclaimed to herself. Tsubasa was never too interested in ordinary courses of study such as science, art, or finance. However, there was one exception: astronomy and cosmology. Tsubasa wouldn't miss them for the world. She glanced at her messy wardrobe, and her fiery eyes met something that resembled a Detective outfit. She looked again at her alarm clock, which hadn't woken her up, and saw that she still had 30 minutes to go to the lecture. "I know what I've got to do now."

She went back to sleep anyway.

You can exaggerate the number of hours you've slept. 1 hour? 3 hours? In Tsubasa's case, you can't even call it a nap.

14 hours later...

"What a fulfilling nap that was!" Tsubasa exclaimed happily. And to her surprise, it was 12:00 a.m., which happened to be exactly the time when the constellation Cassiopeia was clearly visible, so even a cell phone camera could capture its beautiful presence. "It was all calculated," the girl said confidently. She quickly grabbed her telescope and looked at the cosmic wonder in the night sky.

"An incomparable beauty... I wonder if something cool would happen if I aligned with such divine stars."

In the middle of the night, Tsubasa raced into the noisy silence. A car channel can be heard in the distance as Tsubasa tries to catch up with the 'Fainter Stars'. Without even glancing at it and thinking about what might be ahead, she couldn't care less. Tsubasa was driven to do the most absurd things for no reason.

Finding herself in an open field of grass and desolate buildings, she finally reaches out to the night sky, hoping that one day something 'cool' will happen. She recites these words: "Please, make my dream come true! Kami-Sama!" A childish attempt, but not a single gleam remains in the girl's eyes.

The skylight above her began to glow brightly the moment she turned her fist away from the sky. "What a sight!" Tsubasa heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Um, ok, that's a little too much kami-sama!" "HEY, WHY IS EVERYTHING TOO BRIGHT? IS TRUCK-KUN NOT AVAILABLE?" Closing her eyes, she pierced through the light of the Aurora. The confused girl collapsed on the meadow, not understanding this strange turn of events. But then a voice appears...

"Listen, little girl, I didn't want to do this, but something has happened in the world of YOUR... I can't be here this time because it's us. There will come a time when you realize that picking up the pieces is the last thing you want. There's not much time to explain, but every time we try to break this cycle, we end up back where we started. So this time, follow your heart, your mind, and your soul. You'll understand it all in due time. I was closer than my predecessor. If we don't stop, SHE will figure out what we did. You aren't who you think you are. You're

The voice, full of distortions and hoarse words, was gone.

Tsubasa could vaguely remember what that was all about. She opened her eyes and found herself in a new world.

"What the fu..."

Phase 1: The 13th Star Etched In History

Whoa, whoa, WHOAAAA!" Tsubasa had never seen such a turn of events. Tsubasa fell into a fit of madness and couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She found herself in a meadow with grassy fields, under a bright but different sun. To Tsubasa's dismay, she finds that her fall into another dimension has left her in a safe state, all things considered. Her body is as if it had remained untouched, but the thought of the shining light stings her memories. "What happened, anyway? What's going on here? Ah, my body seems unharmed, and I'm relatively fine...too fine." As Tsubasa continues to ponder her current situation, she also addresses her confusion about her surroundings. "What is this place anyway? None of this makes any sense. I'd better find my way around here."

Spatial manipulation? Time dilation? Distortion of reality? That would be a better hypothesis if it were theoretically proven, Tsubasa thought to himself. "But this is proof? Or I've been reading too much fictional nonsense." Tsubasa was the type of person who could rationalize any situation if there was any reason that made sense, but this wasn't considered; even she couldn't dismiss the reality of the situation as something normal. "First, what's the deal with this ominous big tower?" In the distance where Tsubasa was, there was a huge floating tower, the top of which was hidden in the clouds, while the bottom seemed to be directly above a city. Tsubasa's first response would be to be in an unfamiliar place, but that wasn't the only strange thing about her surroundings. Somehow the air, or rather, the atmosphere itself, felt familiar and sensitive. "Have I been here before?" To make sure, Tsubasa bit her tongue with her single sharp fang on the right side of her mouth (yaeba) without hesitation. OUCH, OK, OK, THIS IS REAL" (she nodded to herself).

Besides the city, the tower, and the grassy fields, only the mountains and the blue sky were visible. All the while, Tsubasa sat cross-legged and embraced the warmth of the meadows, and it felt like second nature that she did so without even a hint of knowledge of what had happened to her. Tsubasa's face was serious, as she couldn't help but inquire about the nearby town. "If it leads me to a better understanding of this place, then I'll hunt for that knowledge". With this unwavering determination, Tsubasa made her way to the city. The city was in sight, but it would be some time before she reached it on foot.

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"If not a hallucination, then an illusion created by my subconscious? This is racking my brain. For what reason am I here in the first place?". Tsubasa didn't much mind being 'summoned' to an alternate universe (as she suspects). Booding like this isn't any better, she thought to herself. Incomplete information is worse than having no information at all. That was one of Tsubasa's famous principles that made her so unique and smart compared to her classmates. " If the basic principles of natural physics are negligible here, does time even work here?" She pulled a pocket watch out of her right pocket (which she always carries with her to look cool and distinguished). "As I suspected, time works differently here". The hands of the pocket watch were stiff, and the longer Tsubasa examined it, the more the watch finally did something unexpected. "Why is it turning backward?" Tsubasa seemed genuinely shocked and outraged by this. The seconds and minutes ticked by, and the hands of the pocket watch turned in the opposite direction as intended. "This is getting out of hand, even for me." Tsubasa put the watch back in her pocket to ease her grief over this realm. Tsubasa gets tired when she walks for at least three hours at a time. Her slowness came mostly from the strain of unanswered thoughts, and she wasn't the athletic type in the least. She settles down on the flat and gentle ground while a cold yet warm breeze of that mysterious air flows in and out through her nostrils. She admitted that breathing this unfamiliar air made her calm and tired.

Unable to control her breathing, she embraced the heavenly aria and then quickly fell asleep.

"Mistress? Mistress? It's the time of the season, oh my." Tsubasa heard soft calls for her. She hesitated to answer, hoping the old man would disappear. " Mistress? I've got food." Tsubasa awoke from her slumber when she heard this. At least she had the decency and courtesy to entertain this stranger who called her 'mistress." Slowly, she opened her eyes. The man sighed with relief when he saw her awake. Tsubasa was even more tempted when the subject of food came up. The old man with a bald head looked at her with a worried look. Tsubasa replied with a calm and reassuring smile. He didn't seem like a bad person. If Tsubasa had to describe himself, his position would probably be that of a city dweller or a local merchant. "I'm a plant merchant, so no hard feelings". The man introduced himself as a grain merchant, moving from town to town to sell goods and make contacts. "Why would a young girl like you lie down at this time of year?" The man stared at him in confusion and asked, "And where do you think you come from? I've never seen clothes like that before." Although Tsubasa is indeed from another universe, she couldn't help but feel offended that this man would make fun of her fashion. A slightly embarrassed expression can be seen on her face. "Well, you know, haha, I'm not exactly from here."

The old man shook his head in confusion. Before he could ask any more questions, Tsubasa attacked him with her own barricades. "And what is this place?" She pointed to the large city with the ominous church steeple. The old man looked in amazement at what she had just said. "Young lady, are you perhaps still a little dizzy from sleeping? Maybe I should have let you sleep after all." "Sorry, I can't think straight," Tsubasa chortled to herself, trying to hide her suspicions. "Well, if you really don't know..." yes, I COMPLETELY FORGOT", Tsubasa quickly replied. "This city is nothing but the dragon heart city of the great 'Ryuken'. The man spoke with passion as he looked at the city in awe. "I'm sorry, did you say 'dragon'?" Tsubasa took a step back and raised his arms in shock. "Young miss, is your head doing itself any good?" She diverted her gaze from him with a pout. "So there are dragons there?". Tsubasa raised an eyebrow, confirming, "Of course, there aren't! Haha, they haven't existed for centuries!"

The old man chortled to himself. "This city is based on the cruel battle between 'Ryuken' and an evil swordsman, 'Grandmaster, centuries ago. "Why does this sound so familiar?" She thought to herself with great pain and frustration. She was snapped back to 'reality' as she remembered the most important thing... "Do you have anything to eat for a young girl like me?" Tsubasa beamed with widened puppy eyes and a polite posture, holding both hands together. The old man tossed her a bag of bread and potatoes. She immediately thanked him and began munching on the potatoes. "Take care of yourself, little one! This year's seasonal feast will be something to behold!" Before she could ask him again, he trotted off with his horse while her mouth was stuffed with food. "Wait a minute!" Tsubasa said, "Take the other horse to town!" Tsubasa extended her arm to him, which the man mistook for a farewell greeting.

sigh*

"Dragon Ryuken? Have I heard that before?" Her only train of thought from her conversation with the kind old man stood out, with even more questions than before. She furrowed her eyes in exasperation and placed her right hand thoughtfully on her chin.

"Giddy up!" ~

Arc 1 | A Detectives End

Phase 1 | The 13th Star Etched In History

"Oi, GET BACK here, thief." A man bellowed with angst and frustration, hurling an apple in a busy district square. The apple missed its target, hitting a passerby instead. People around him gasped in surprise as the man continued to chase after the thief, determined to retrieve his stolen belongings. "Getting thieved by the best ain't all bad, right, mister?" a petite yet scruffy-looking girl said with a naughty smirk. The infuriated man could hardly hear her, as expected in a busy market with commuting civilians. "Why is it always YOU? The man shouted, his voice filled with exasperation and desperation. The girl shrugged playfully, her mischievous eyes glinting with amusement. "Guess I just have a way of finding trouble," she replied, disappearing into the crowd before he could respond. Dammit, those apples weren't easy to crop out last season!" "Curse you, Riven," he muttered under his breath, his frustration evident in his clenched fists. He knew that dealing with Riven's mischievous nature always resulted in chaos and unexpected challenges. As he watched her disappear into the crowd, he couldn't help but wonder what trouble she would stir up next. The thief dashes off from one roof of a building to another. "What's his problem anyway?" The Riven let out a sigh of tiresome awe. Welp, with these apples, I'll get through the day with no problem," Riven thought to herself. "Seriously, I can't catch a break here; being a thief for anyone else would be a gruesome job". Especially if they don't possess my Divine Aptitude for Swiftness' and Stealth," Riven muttered under her breath. She leaped gracefully onto the next rooftop, her nimble movements a testament to her exceptional skills. "Let's see here... nope, already robbed him, already robbed her... seriously, that guy has nothing?" The girl was exasperated by the complaint. She pretty much robbed everyone on Cobblestone Street, the marketplace that lies on the outskirts of the infamous Dragon Heart city. She lay down on her back with her gaze facing upwards in a hollow abandoned shack she takes refuge in. Her face was covered by a large sheet of paper that had information on the people she robbed and potential heists. However, "there's nothing else on here." Either people I've robbed before have left this dumb place or they hired city guards, and since I'm famous in these parts, other people have been spreading awareness about me. Riven let out a cry of annoyance. She then got up to snipe at any potential threats from her vantage point in the shack. With her skilled marksmanship, she carefully scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs of movement or suspicious activity. Riven knew that staying vigilant was crucial to ensuring her safety and success in future heists. potential victims for a good robbery.(That was days ago.) Since then, Riven has managed to lay low and avoid any confrontations. However, she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, a constant reminder of the attention she had inadvertently attracted. Determined to maintain her reputation as a skilled thief, Riven continued honing her skills and devising new strategies to outsmart her adversaries.Crap, I'm just about to run out of bread and meat". "Come on, anyone would do at this point; since it's the 'holy' season, everyone with the good stuff has left town." Just as the hopeless thief was about to lose all hope and settle for garbage. She spotted an unusual character in the distance. "What weird clothes that girl is wearing!" Riven held a glimmer of hope when she finally saw someone to rob. "You know what they say, people with weird clothes have gotta be packed with cash!" Riven got up and set her eyes on Tsubasa. "Ha ha ha, sorry child, today you'll have the honor of being robbed by the Thief of Cobblestone Street!"

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"Giddy up!"

After a strange encounter, Tsubasa regains the energy needed to venture on with her proclaimed answers. The horse left behind did leave Tsubasa in a spiral of confusion. "So horses exist in this world?", "Nothing out of the ordinary; I mean, it really is just a 'horse.". She continued to examine the hoofed mammal as if something unforeseen were to happen. "It's nice that he's well domesticated, but was it really ok for the owner to leave him here in my care?" Tsubasa had literally just met the man, and he offered a horse so abruptly. She didn't understand the value of objects and animals in this world, yet even without her great intuition, she could tell that horses must have decent value, especially coming from someone who looks like he can barely live on his wages (no offense, old man). While Tsubasa was in heavy thought over something trivial, The horse began to poop itself where it stood. "How putrid and unpleasant!" Tsubasa shifted her head away from the direction of the pooping mammal, yet her gaze still lay on it as she was still curious as to how horses excrete waste. The smell of the waste could not be compared to anything unpleasant that Tsubasa had smelled. Either this entails that she lived quite a lavish and solitary lifestyle... Or simply, the smell of the horse is plain repulsive. "Ok. I can see why he left me with such an inexplicable organism". After being left in a daze, she finally let go of her thinking pose and proceeded to mount the horse. Oh, sweet mercy, it's even worse up close". No matter how hard Tsubasa tried to conceal the horrid smell of the horse's poop, it still had no adverse effect. Tsubasa had used the ropes on the horse's saddle to secure herself tightly, hoping that the ride would distract her from the overwhelming stench. However, as the horse began to trot, she realized that no amount of physical restraint could mask the nauseating odor that seemed to permeate every inch of her being. the horse to get them moving toward the peculiar city. The average racehorse speed is approximately 40 to 44 miles per hour, but this horse seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. Tsubasa couldn't help but wonder if the horse's sluggishness was a result of its exposure to the foul stench or if there was something else going on. Regardless, she knew she had no choice but to endure the agonizingly slow journey toward the city. mph (64 to 70 km/h). The rigidly trained animals can reach it in less than 20 seconds. However, most of them can't run faster than 20 to 30 mph (32-48.5 km/h) on average with a rider on their back. Tsubasa had heard stories of horses reaching incredible speeds, sometimes even faster than cars. She couldn't help but compare those tales to her current situation, where this horse seemed to be barely moving. It made her wonder if there was something wrong with the horse or if it was simply exhausted from the foul stench in the air. Regardless, she knew she had no choice but to endure the agonizingly slow journey toward the city." So why doesn't this horse move even a quarter of that speed?" Tsubasa expressed her complaint about how unbelievably slow this horse is. To be precise, this horse best describes itself as being a 'crock' (broken down horse). It looks like it's been through a lot. She noticed a lot of slash wounds and scars left on the horse. She was so fixated on her situation that she couldn't spare the thoughts of others around her. "Even I have an ounce of compassion to empathize with a horse". She said this as she attempted to slowly unmount herself. She slowly tried to unfasten the seat buckle tied around the horse's neck. And as she did, the horse began howling in obstinate agitation. This caused it to move at high speeds. WAHH!" Tsubasa yowled alongside the shrieking animal. The horse and Tsubasa dashed off towards the city at great speeds beyond that for a 'crock'. Tsubasa hung from the handle of the seat, letting her legs circle backward through the turbulence caused by the horse. "That's the spirit!" She remounted and gave the horse a few compliments, still feeling bad for causing him grief. But the horse didn't seem particularly offended. All Tsubasa did was leave with a satisfied smile. Moments later, she entered a place that seemed to be on the outskirts of town." So this is the so-called Dragon Heart City of Ryuken..." She said with a serious tone.In a new world, Tsubasa knew that nothing could be overlooked so lightly.

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"So this is the so-called Dragon Heart City of Ryuken..." What lay afoot was an enormous-looking structure that appeared to resemble an ancient gate. The reason Tsubasa suspects it's archaic is due to how outlandish it looked compared to everything else. With no knowledge of this new world, how could anyone assume anything? To further clarify and solidify her point, Tsubasa touched the gate with her index finger and started to slowly loiter her whole hand. Her point in this is to reaffirm what the old man from earlier had mentioned. "Four centuries. This gate was made four centuries ago.". A proper estimate of the word 'few' would lie between numbers three and four. "The gate should last another five to seven centuries". The gate sure was old; it had ailings of rust and moss, which were noticeable but not enough to describe the gate as its main feature. The gate contained sigils engraved into it. Tsubasa could not make anything out of it since these sigils aren't like anything she has seen before. Tsubasa never doubted what the old man said, even though he wasn't too interested in the specifics per se. She was so curious about the gate that she didn't even notice that right in front of her was a parade of civilization. "So that's what that noise was." As sharp as Tsubasa is, she fails to see the most obvious of things; she is very bound to discover knowledge until she knows everything she could possibly gather herself. If not, she would always confine herself to her study or a library. Once Tsubasa took notice of the crowd of people in front of her going about their lives and commuting into business, trade, and travel, she said, "Oh right, the gate wasn't even closed, to begin with". Tsubasa realized that she had been so absorbed in her studies that she hadn't even noticed the bustling city outside her window. She marveled at the diversity of people and activities, feeling a sense of excitement and curiosity. It was as if a whole new world had opened up before her eyes, and she couldn't wait to explore it further.

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Tsubasa enters the city.

The bustling streets were filled with a diverse array of people, each going about their own business. The vibrant atmosphere and energy were infectious, leaving Tsubasa with a sense of anticipation for what lay ahead. She couldn't help but be drawn to the various shops, cafes, and street performers that lined the sidewalks, eager to immerse herself in the city's unique culture and experiences.She wasn't too fazed by what lay in front of her. Tsubasa had always had an adventurous spirit, ready to embrace new challenges and unknown territories. As she navigated through the busy streets, her excitement grew, knowing that this city held countless opportunities for her to discover and explore. She had already anticipated a medieval-like world based on the many novels she'd read. Though she is surprised to see stalls introducing magic. She strolled past a stall that had a child juggling fireballs in more ways than one. This left Tsubasa rather perplexed; even though she read up on many novels that included the application of magic, she would never have guessed she would end up in one herself. She, of course, would like to get a better look at the fundamental usage of magic, but the ever-busy crowd shoved her away: "It doesn't matter if it's in this life or the next. Crowds are crowds. Tsubasa found herself extremely frustrated as she lacked the physical strength to stay in one piece. The crowd paid no heed or attention to the young, fragile maiden; not even a simple apology was encountered. With a few more of these that went on for another hour, Tsubasa finally found herself in a district that would allow her some breathing space. "I hate this place," she said aloud, not that anyone would or could notice. "Yeah, same here, pal!" Another voice came from above, and a hooded figure dashed into Tsubasa, causing her to stumble and falter on the stone ground."Ack!" Tsubasa grunted as the strong and fast figure attacked her out of nowhere. And was shoved into an alleyway away from the crowd. The figure in front of her had an obscure appearance; his or her face was covered by a baggy hood, and its cloak covered the body. However, Tsubasa obviously picked up that this opponent was indeed small; the size of someone isn't something anyone could hide with mediocre clothing. Tsubasa's reaction time was definitely a weakness that placed her at a worse disadvantage, especially with how fast this enemy is with such a petite body. Tsubasa's height is 5'5, so roughly, her opponent was a few centimeters lower. Yet the difference in strength was as clear as day. When she got attacked, in a split second she noticed the abnormal vibration in the air as the speed of her opponent clearly fluctuated the orientation of the winds, meaning she was using magic. Tsubasa was powerless, as it is unknown to her whether she has any magical ability to combat anyone. In the many novels, she's read, it's situations like this where she 'awakens' her powers. "Come forth!" Tsubasa bellowed as if something were to come out of her hands that reached out toward her current adversary.Nothing happened. The opponent stood in front, while Tsubasa remained on the cobblestone ground in a pitiful state. "HAHAHA!" Tsubasa was very shocked to see that nothing in the slightest materialized from her reaching hand (like in most anime). All she got was a belittling amount of laughter from the oppressor. "What are you even doing, noble?" The shrouded figure unsheathed her concealed face from her baggy hood. All Tsubasa could see was a female child looking joyful. The child continued to laugh at Tsubasa until her stomach ached, which lasted for a while before she even rolled on the ground, as Tsubasa's action was the funniest thing she experienced. "Come forth!" The child mockingly imitated Tsubasa in the same serious tone and died laughing.This lasted for 5 minutes.Although Tsubasa could have escaped while the child was distracted, she simply had no obligation to, as she doesn't seem like a threat and would likely just get caught again. When the child finally calmed down, Tsubasa stood up and walked to her. "Finished laughing at me?" The child made direct eye contact and grinned innocently; the next moment she leaped onto Tsubasa, causing her to fall to the ground once again. HAHAHA, STOP IT!" Tsubasa struggled to push the child off, her laughter now turning into frustration. She realized that she needed to find a way to assert her authority and put an end to this chaotic situation. Tsubasa burst into laughter as the child tickled her abdominals so fiercely. Which wasn't intended; in reality, she was just finding pockets to pick and snags to steal. "Huh? You don't have any Denarios?" "WHAT EVEN IS THAT, AND WOULD YOU STOP TICKLING ME?" Just as Tsubasa was about to ask the child about Denarios, she noticed a glimmer of mischief in the child's eyes. The child suddenly stopped tickling and looked at Tsubasa mischievously, saying, "Denarios are magical coins that grant wishes. But I guess you don't have any, huh?" Tsubasa demanded, and the little thief halted her tickling attacks. They both sat down idly in the alleyway in silence, waiting for one of them to speak and kickstart the odd aura of each other. Tsubasa spoke first, finally... "I'm Seijuku Tsubasa, but you can call me Tsubasa". The child returned her introduction. "I go by many names. Some people call me a runt, a rat, or a good-for-nothing miscreant, but my name is Daphne, though I'm more well known as the 'Riven' and the 'Cobblestone Street Thief!" Daphne said in pride as she smirked to herself with both her eyes closed.Upon hearing this, Tsubasa just smirked back in glee. "Impressive aliases, Daphne," Tsubasa replied, her smirk widening. "I can already tell we're going to have quite the adventure together."

Arc 1 | A Detectives End

Phase 1 | The 13th Star Etched In History

"Daphne..."

Daphne is the name of a flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae that has a pale pink color. Just like the Daphne in front of me...

Tsubasa had thoughts when hearing the name 'Daphne'. They resembled each other in similar colors and had a rather toxic personality. Upon closer inspection, the girl who names herself 'Daphne has pale-pink hair and violet eyes that poison the glare. "So what brings you here anyway if you're so broke?" Daphne spoke with a curious posture, with both arms holding her waist and a single eyebrow raised. Well, you see, I'm actually looking for answers, as you might say. "Answers?" Daphne cocked her head sideways as she was even more confused by that strange response from Tsubasa. "To be blunt, I'm very lost," Tsubasa admitted truthfully that she hadn't the faintest idea where her answers would be found, even when she got to the city. "So you ain't here for the upcoming festival in the Inner city?", "Festival...the old man did mention something like that," she murmured to herself. Tsubasa thought through that vague topic, recollecting her memories from before she encountered many bizarre decorations when she entered the city. "This festival...could you tell me more about it, please?"

EHHHHHH, You don't know what the festival even is?" Daphne spoke in outrage as if it were really something everyone would know. Tsubasa spoke with her face and gave her a serious yet calm expression. "You can't be serious. Even someone with really weird clothes would know". "Are my clothes that weird?" Tsubasa replied, shocked and a bit disappointed. At the moment, Tsubasa was wearing black trousers, a dark green shirt, a black zip-up jacket, and a maroon detective hat. Objectively speaking, her clothing choice is no doubt very strange; Tsubasa had no need to be conscious of fashion, but for some reason, she felt offended by that comment. "The festival is a commemoration season of the Great Battle between two legendary arch dragons, Ryuken and Kyurem". "Where Ryuken triumphed and defeated the evil Kyurem!".

Ryuken to Tsubasa sounded really familiar; however, Kyurem didn't ring a bell to her.

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While she was still in her train of thought, a large soundwave echoed through the plaza, which caught Daphne and Tsubasa's attention. "What was that sound?" "Dunno, not my problem!" With that said Daphne immediately dashed off the scene to who knows where, leaving Tsubasa with even bigger problems.

"Divine Aptitude of Swiftness"

HEY, GET BACK HERE!" No matter how loud Tsubasa raised her voice, it was no use in calling out to the speedy thief. Once again, Tsubasa found herself alone to figure out the current situation. The sound was nearby with absolute certainty, yet Tsubasa still needed to find a good approach. Tsubasa is very fearless and curious. Which compels her to investigate what intrigues her. This is a valid reason why she idolizes detectives at such a young age.

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"Damn, that little runt." Tsubasa was cut off by yet another sound coming from the same direction. She halted herself at the edge of the alley, where Daphne ditched her to save her own skin. All she could see was a dust-filled street; the dust cloud had obscured Tsubasa's vision of anything that could have created such an unpleasant sound. The best thing to do in such a situation is to simply wait for the dust to disperse on its own. "The sound definitely sounded like something that was broken. " But even if I could figure out the culprit, there's nothing much I can do about it. Tsubasa sighed in frustration, realizing that her options were limited. She couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at Daphne's betrayal, but dwelling on it wouldn't solve anything. Instead, she decided to focus on finding a way out of the alley and continuing her pursuit of the truth. Tsubasa thought this through rationally, as throwing her life in danger wouldn't do her any good, so she decided to turn to the authorities, who can do something about this current situation. "There must be some sort of police here, right?" She escaped the alley to follow the crowd. "Hup". The crowd had dispersed quite quickly, and Tsubasa hadn't even encountered anyone yet. She began to sprint as she caught a glimpse of a shadow of someone. "WAIT A MINUTE!" Tsubasa shouted exasperatedly at the silhouette. The person emerged from the shadows and replied with a "Hm?" Both of them stood in front of each other, with Tsubasa panting with her gaze lowered to the ground and both her hands on her kneecaps. "Are you alright, young girl?"

Tsubasa finally looked at the person in front of her and looked in awe. The person appeared to be a woman in knight-like armor, and her angelic voice soothed Tsubasa's frustration instantly. Her hair was scarlet red, which was tied in a ponytail style; her eyes were sky blue; and she was also rather tall in comparison to Tsubasa. Um, wherever you're trying to go, I suggest you call in reinforcements," Tsubasa said in an exasperated tone. "I'm here to investigate the noise just now, so I'll be on my way; please follow that direction to the Inner City". The women pointed to the district leading to the Inner City. "With all due respect, ma'am, you don't know what you're up against; even though you look like you can fight, I'm positive that you should consider bringing reinforcements to up your chances". As arrogant as Tsubasa may sound, she said this to warn the armed women, who appeared to be knights of some sort (she has a sword). "Oh? You are doubting me?" The woman said it cheerfully and tousled Tsubasa's head like a cat begging for food. "You shouldn't worry about me, young lady! I am well endowed with the title of GrandMaster after all if you haven't heard of me, which I find surprising". "GrandMaster?" Tsubasa cocked her head to the left in confusion. Well, that does sound a bit reassuring." "Could you perhaps lead me to a police building so I can report on this sudden matter?" The women just stared at Tsubasa blankly. "Police?" Ah, right, these people wouldn't know what that is, huh? "I mean people who help others in danger". "That's very vague; we have many people, myself included, who do that. Could you be referring to the guard regiment instead?" Now that does sound like the police equivalent of this world... "Yeah, that". "Hm, the closest one is in the Inner city, so I suggest just leaving the case to me". "Alright, if you insist..." Tsubasa felt utterly defeated, as she felt she hadn't contributed as much as she could have. The women then leaped into the air faster than Daphne left the scene. Which sure was surprising for Tsu, as she already considered Daphne extremely fast. "What is with these people?" Every person I meet won't stay long enough for me to get any good information! Tsubasa is still lucky that she hasn't succumbed to the brink of madness that unfolds before her... "Damn that woman, who does she think she is?" Tsubasa was genuinely upset. It's like everyone was supposed to know who she is. GrandMaster, my ***."

"I'll see to it myself."

The little 'detective strutted off towards the districts that lead to the Inner City.

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"I knew hanging around that weirdo was a bad idea after all". Daphne contemplates herself in her thoughts, as she doesn't actually regret encountering Tsubasa. However, that's only on the subconscious side; in reality, Daphne is dumbfounded by her actual feelings and thoughts, which lead her into all kinds of trouble. No wonder she gets called awful names a lot. Daphne was still leaping from the roofs of small buildings to other buildings. She enjoyed the thrill of parkour and the sense of freedom it brought her. However, deep down, Daphne couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that her risky behavior was only fueling her reputation as a troublemaker.

"Argh"

A burst of rubble had appeared just like before when meeting with Tsubasa. Fortunately for Daphne, she had an ability called Divine Aptitude. That allows her to have precognition for an unspecified amount of time so that she can react before danger is within her scope of clarity. "HAHA, how about those stupid rocks?". The moment Daphne leaped to the ground as a reaction to being suddenly attacked Another burst attack came from below and actually landed a hit on her. Daphne's body jolted in pain as she crashed onto the ground, her divine aptitude failing her for the first time. It had hit her back especially hard, causing her to spit out a handful of blood that gushed out of her stomach. How am I being targeted? The attack was too abnormal to coincidentally attack her three times.

"Divine Aptitude of Artemis"

Daphne couldn't react yet again to another bombardment of attacks; this time it was more clear to her what actually caused it. She quickly noticed remnants of broken arrows where the attack happened; a single glance could immediately tell who the oppressor was. "I see. Fast projectiles. Only one person alive uses elemental arrows. SHOW YOURSELF, MS. SHARPSHOOTER!" A lady cloaked in maroon appeared before Daphne's call in anger. The lady's eyes blazed with fury as she unsheathed her bow, ready for another round of attacks. Daphne braced herself, determined to defend against the relentless assault. "Please refer to me by my proper name, little runt. The moment she was within Daphne's punching scope, she immediately used her divine aptitude to get close and land a clean hit. Artemis, you're going to pay for this." Artemis managed to dodge Daphne's super speed by pivoting a second before she was a hair away from her, and then Artemis hit Daphne's neck to knock her out. As Daphne crumpled to the ground, her vision blurred and her body weakened. Artemis then carried the ragdoll Daphne and sensed something quaint in the eerie, now desolate street where she had wreaked havoc. "Show yourself; you aren't concealing enough to get unnoticed.". "Yeah, that wasn't my intention, Demon worshipper ". Artemis taunted, her voice dripping with disdain. She surveyed the empty street, searching for any signs of movement or a potential threat. The air grew heavy with an ominous silence as she waited for a response, her grip on Daphne tightening.

Artemis felt a chill up her spine upon hearing that voice.

"Scarlet hair, sky blue eyes, and the famed Dragon Sword Ryuken by your hilt..."

"If it isn't Theresia Van Astrea, the current Sword Saint of this generation, I do not dream of battling you in any life yet, let alone in this one. You will meet your demise with someone who can satiate your bloodlust!"

"Until that day...I will be waiting for that when the time comes. However, I have only needed to unsheathe my sword on one person thus far, and I simply won't let you get away with that young girl you are carrying on your back"

Artemis grabbed her bow and shot an arrow towards the ground. Smoke and ash were the results of those arrows. She then made a break for it, as she knew fighting Theresia was a death wish.

"Divine Aptitude of Sharpness"