“Identify yourself,” a robotic voice demanded. It came from the two people clad in black armor that stood at the vault door. 

Akira didn’t reply. There was no point in answering and potentially giving away crucial information. She decided to just stand still and watch. Erica did the same, shifting her spear a little in her hands. 

“Why are you here?” the voice asked again.”State your business immediately.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Akira raised her hand to her ear and brushed past the earpiece hidden there. Then with barely a thought, her tapped on the mental bond that connected her and Yuki.

‘Yuki, we have some trouble,’ she said.

[I know,] Yuki replied. [I’m on my way. Hold tight.]

‘Alright.’

“I will not warn you again,” the robotic voice said. “State your business immediately and identify yourself.”

‘Why are they acting like they’re a part of the security around here?’ Akira thought, her eyes narrowing. 

A few moments of silence passed. The two clad in black armor drew swords from their waists. One took up a defensive stance while the other pointed their blade at Akira.

“Your time is up,” a different voice said. This one was deep and quiet. A man. “We will give you ten seconds to reconsider your decision. One.”

Akira’s grip tightened on her blade. It would be a little bit before Akira could expect backup in the form of Yuki to come. She didn’t know if there were more than the two people standing in front of her. There was also the slight problem that she didn’t even know who those two were.

‘This might make a bit of a racket,’ Akira thought.

[Make as much as you want,] Yuki replied. [I’ll be there as soon as possible. Within two minutes at most.]

‘That’s a lot of time to make noise.’

[I know.]

“Ten,” the man finished calmly. “Have you changed your mind?”

Akira didn’t reply and merely stared at the two armored people that blocked the exit. Erica stayed silent as well, her eyes unwavering and calculating.

“Hmph. I thought so,” he said. 

With that one of the two in black step forward while the other drew upon their mana. Then the one that step up disappeared. Akira blinked and immediately raised her own blade. Another blade impacted it seconds later and Akira’s eyes narrowed. She pushed back and widen the space between her and the now visible attacker.

‘This isn’t someone to take lightly.’ The strength behind that blow and the speed it came with told Akira that she needed to be careful. ‘Just delay. There’s no need to go crazy just yet. Let’s see how this goes.’

The person disappeared again and Akira caught a flash of metal off to the corner of her eye. She parried the blow, the person now visible again. It seemed that he was using quick bursts of speed to close the gap. Akira didn’t know if the man could maintain it and was merely conserving energy or that he could only manage that much.

‘Let’s go with conserving,’ she thought.

But no matter how fast the person went, as long as they slowed enough for Akira to catch him moments before his attack lands, she was able to parry it easily. After a few more blocks, she decided to test a counter. Sliding past the slicing blade, she thrusted out with her own sword. It hit nothing as the person easily evaded it. 

‘Hmm. I’ll hold back then. Let’s see if he decides to ramp up his attack soon.’

Akira reserved herself to only playing defense. Her eyes wandered to Erica who was busy defending against the second guard. It seemed that Yuki had spoken to her as well as she seemed to be holding herself back as well.

Then Akira’s opponent stopped a few feet from her. She could feel his eyes observing her carefully though they were hidden by the man’s helmet. He twirled his sword slowly.

“Interesting,” he said. “Why have you taken the gem?”

‘Oh he noticed. So he knows what is supposed to be in the room and what is not. And isn’t a guard. And can’t be a family member since they are all at the house.’

“Or really, the gems,” the man said with little sigh. “Tell me. I think you know who we are. I sure know who you two are.”

Akira sighed as well. ‘Of course. Shikaku.’

“Not talking, hmm? I guess that’s only natural. I wouldn’t talk either if I was in your position, but I’m the evil bad guy here so it’s only natural, isn’t it?” He laughed for little. “We can make this very simple and easy. Give me the jewel you have. And you can go on your merry way. I won’t stop you.”

Akira shook her head.

“Immediate reply?” The man tilted his head. “Not even going to consider it?”

She shook her head again.

“Wow, I got rejected fast. Why do you even want those jewels? I don’t think they’ll really help you in anyway. Especially you. You’re an earth attribute. That’s a naturae jewel.”

‘Hmm?’ Akira’s eyebrow shot up. The man could see her attribute. It was possible that he detected it from the minute amount of mana she used outside the vault door, but that was extremely unlikely. ‘That’s problematic.’

“Still not going to answer, huh. Oh well. At least I can say that I tried.” He raised his sword again. “Let’s do this the old fashioned way then.”

Akira only raised her own blade in response. The two of them gazed at each other, neither of them wavering. The man leaned forward and shot himself forward. He didn’t disappear this time and his speed was slower. Akira block the incoming attack with relative ease, but narrowed her eyes as she realised what had changed.

‘He’s moving at a constant speed now. It seems that he’s putting in a little more.’

They went at it again, Akira raising her own speed to match her attacker. She tested the waters when she could, striking out with quick stabs. Most of them hit nothing or were blocked. Some the man let through and bounced off his armor.

‘That’s bad.’

As the seconds passed, Akira began to wonder just what the man was trying to do. He should know that the level of attacks he was launching wouldn’t be able to do anything to Akira. So there must be another reason. There were only a few Akira could think of. The man might be trying to do a battle of attrition, but that seemed unlikely. Another possibility was that he was simply observing Akira. That seemed the most logical. 

‘I’ll just use very basic moves then,’ she thought. ‘That’s all I need right now until the man tries to actually do something.’

Her eyes flickered towards Erica who was still fending off the other person. Based on her movements and her overall aura, she was bored but controlling herself wonderfully. Akira refocused her attention on her own attacker. She didn’t know how much time had passed.

‘Yuki should be here any moment now.’

Then the man stopped again. He motioned to the other enemy and they stopped as well, making space between them and Erica. Erica didn’t bother to chase and pulled back as well.

“Alright. My time is limited,” the man said. “I’m sure you understand. So let’s get this over with right now.”

He held his sword with two hands, the blade straight in front of his helmet. Akira watched as mana flowed out from him and into the sword. Behind the helmet, two glowing spheres appeared, red and ominous. He was planning something. And Akira didn't want to find out what.

Without any hesitation, Akira dropped onto one knee and slammed her hand on the ground. Chains erupted from the ground around the man, but the other black clad person knocked them away swiftly.

“Get him,” Akira said, her voice rising. “This can be bad if we don’t.”

Erica nodded and shot forward with her spear as Akira summoned more chains. The other person blocked them all with ease, encasing the man with a barrier while parrying Erica with their sword. Akira sighed. It was too late now.

The man slashed his blade and a shockwave erupted from it. Akira braced herself against it, her feet slipping slightly. She locked her eyes on the man whose blade was now glowing a dark shade of grey.

“One last chance,” the man said quietly. His voice rumbled like thunder. “You are a worthy opponent. I do not wish to harm you right now at a time when such is unnecessary. Hand me the ring or just the jewel and you can keep the ring. Then we will leave.”

“I can’t do that,” Akira replied. There was no point in being silent anymore. “You’re going to have to take it from me.”

‘He was trying to locate the jewel during our exchanges,’ she thought. ‘And he found it.’

“I sincerely hope you don’t regret this in the future,” the man sighed. “Till another day.”

Then he dissipated into the air, not a trace of him left behind. Akira’s jaw clenched and let loose a wave of mana to try and detect the man. She couldn’t find him. All she could feel was normal air. Alarm bells rang in her head. This wasn’t a normal opponent. This was someone that was something she had never fought before. 

Her breathing quickened. Her heart pounded. Her eyes flickered about, but she knew it was for nothing. She wouldn’t be able to block the next attack. 

“This is just a warning,” a voice whispered in her ear. “Do not oppose us.”

Her eyes widened and she growled as she raised her sword. The voice laughed. 

“It’s useless.”

Clang

A body appeared in front of her eyes that held two knives in their hands that trapped the blade that was inches away from Akira. Then with a quick slash, the air rippled and the man appeared again a few feet away. A person stepped forward, wearing a black suit with flowing brown hair. 

“Oh, someone new?” the man said.

“Sorry I was late,” a soft melodic voice said. “I had to arrange a few things upstairs. Diana is a bit perplexed right now.”

“Yuki,” Akira smiled. "Took you long enough."

Yuki turned back and smiled. His brown eyes, though, were filled with concern. 

“Only a few minutes passed. Are you okay?” Yuki asked. 

“Yes. I wasn’t going to be a few seconds ago though.”

“I know. Let’s take of this right now.” Yuki turned and faced the man that was watching the two of them. 

“Take care of this?” the man repeated. “Hmph. This has become a little more interesting.”