Chapter 360: Speed vs Displacement

"Aww.. What’s wrong? Can’t feel your cheeks?" The young beauty sheepishly smiled, enjoying every second of tormet inflicted on Kyle.

’Her speed, it’s faster than Troy. That must mean her ability is speed enhancement.’

That was the only suitable logical explanation he went with this exact moment. Noting how her speed blurred beyond normal view, yet her movements left no trace.

[I doubt that. According to the readings being picked up from her heat signature, there’s an irregularity in her movements pattern.] Snow boldly hinted, making Kyle raise a brow standing upright.

"Back for more I see.. Well, at least you have the honour of dying by my hands." Koyuki chuckled with a cocky grin, slowly approaching Kyle.

’Weird.. even with advance hearing at this short distance there’s no trace of her steps or aura.’

Possessing a speed ability was considered a special talent to obtain. Focusing on agility and efficient precision, making such ability users deadly and feared.

’Can’t hit what you can’t see!’ As they say dealing with such troublesome ability.

But there was some flaws with speed type ability, mainly the lack of physical power behind such aggressive speed. Which despite not being a big issue, was made up with fitting yet loose beast gears.

"Don’t give up on me now filth, we haven’t started the fun part yet." Taking a step forward, the readings on her chest surged faster than average. Indicating her ability was in use, alongside a possible skill.

Bang!

The same light bang sound, that whispers like a puff of wind was picked by Kyle’s ear. Prompting the sudden movement of his body the exact second.

"Wrong move." The little hair connected on his arms stood straight, at the shift in temperature. Drawing his attention behind, towards the warning signal.

Tilting his head to dodge, snow’s voice quickly ran in his mind. Persistent on ducking down, which he obeyed using the momentum from earlier.

’He sensed me?’ For a brief second there was a look of doubt on Koyuki’s face, immediately replaced with a frown.

Using her legs, she attempted to kick Kyle in the chest but he was prepared.

[Shadow Walk activated!]

Before the attack connected, his body was engulfed by his own shadows. Now one would’ve expected the kick to pass through, but in reality.. It was a different scenario!

Bam!

His body was forcefully sent flying back into a round desk, splitting it into two equal parts. Traces of red liquid dripping from the side of his mouth, feeling the impact from such force from a weak body.

[Kyle! Watch out!] Snow inwardly screamed making him roll away, just in time before Koyuki appeared in front. Leg descended on one half of the split desk, further splitting it into several pieces.

’Her power scale is on par with mine despite having a speed ability? And how the hell did her attack still connect despite in shadows!?’ Kyle grunted quickly up on his feet, taking a small leap back.

Judging from her suit, her speed grew to astonishing feat the moment it starts reading rapidly. Then comes the smoke puff sound, and an attack within the millisecond.

[That’s the thing. I’ve finished analyzing her data and there’s no signs of a speed ability detected.] Snow blurted out, while directing Kyle to take 2 steps back.

Just in time before a small dent was made to the ground, where he previously was.

"Impressive~ He’s amongst the few that can actually read Koyuki irregularity." Takumi hoshino commented, with a rather awkward smile.

Just like everyone present he was dressed in an expensive yet formal attire. Wearing a cross reference of lab-coat-meets-officer’s coat in deep navy. Lightweight synth-weave with reinforced shoulders and a tablet holster built into the sleeve. Glowing circuit patterns run down the inner lining, visible when he moves. Field engineer vibe over parade general.

Proclaiming his status as not just any noble but a respected general.

"You say that to everything you get a thrill out of, then you begin weird experiments." A female by the name of mei kusakabe rolled her eyes, earning a light ’hmph!’ from takumi.

Unlike tekumi she wore a muted teal scholar’s coat with wide sleeves over a fitted bodysuit. Subtle circuit patterns along the cuffs for data access. Reading lenses fold into collar. Looks like a professor who could also lead a regiment.

"I only do such for scientific purposes.. A woman would never understand." Tekumi shrugged his shoulders in defense, earning an awkward glare from Mei.

"He’s not evading her strikes, she’s toying with him." Yumi calmly spoke with an indifferent expression.

At first glance one would’ve mistaken her for a man with her appearance, but her personality matched with her strict look.

Her clothes were different from the other females, leaning more into a man’s perspective. Making one question the truth about her gender.

Strict tailored black uniform with crimson piping and a high collar. No cape, no excess fabric. Knee-high armored boots and reinforced belt for sidearm. House crest laser-etched into shoulder plate. No-nonsense, disciplined.

"He’s useless to us like this, we’re better off finishing him here than risking your safety in his hands your Majesty." She added with clear discontent, learning of Kyle’s addition to the expenditure team.

Maintaining his calm yet deadly smile, troy’s eye never left the fight. "If I heard correctly you think the peasant that fought me and survived is useless. Which makes me weak, am I right?"

"N-no your highness. I di-dn’t mean it like that~ I was just-"

"Hahaha! You should see your face right now Yumi." Just as it seemed things were getting escalated, troy burst out laughing.

’Sighs.. I thought I was a goner there for a moment.’ A light sigh of relief escaped her mouth, along with some beads of sweat on her forehead.

"But, you should choose your words more carefully." Like a compass, troy’s face took a 180 degree turn. Along with an object whizzing past yumi’s cheek, grazing her skin just below her eye.

"Of course, king Troy." Her body reacted on instinct with a slight bow, which the former casually waved away.

The air in the hall still smelled of split synth-marble and ozone. Kyle wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes locked on Koyuki. She hadn’t moved since the last strike. Just stood there, head tilted, silver-blue coat fluttering even though there was no wind.

[She’s not using an ability.] Snow’s voice was flat, almost annoyed. [Her heat signature spikes before every step, but the pattern’s wrong for speed enhancement. It’s mechanical.]

Kyle’s jaw ticked. ’Mechanical how?’

[Ask her after you’re not dead.]

Koyuki smiled. That cocky, slow grin that meant she’d already calculated five ways this ended and none of them had him walking out clean.

"Still thinking?" she said, voice light. "Cute. Most people scream by now."

She stepped forward. No sound. No aura spike. Just a displacement of air that Kyle caught a millisecond too late.

Bang.

The puff of wind hit his ear a heartbeat before her leg came for his ribs. He twisted, used the momentum from Snow’s warning to drop low. Koyuki’s boot passed an inch over his head, cracked the air where his skull had been, and shattered the edge of the throne dais behind him. Stone and synth-fibre rained down.

[Told you. Not speed.] Snow said. ’It’s displacement. She’s venting energy from her suit cuffs. Micro-thrusters. Silent, brutal, and it makes her look like she’s teleporting.’

Kyle didn’t answer. He moved.

If she wanted to play on speed, he’d play on prediction. Kyle lunged low, feinting for her lead leg. Koyuki shifted, but this time he didn’t go for the leg. His fist came up, elbow locking, aiming for her sternum.

Raw strength vs raw strength. No abilities.

The impact landed.

Koyuki’s breath hitched. Her body slid back two feet, boots scarring the floor. For half a second, the smug look slipped.

"There it is," Kyle said, voice low. "You bleed just like the rest of us."

She grinned wider, wiping a thin line of blood from her lip. "And you finally hit like you mean it."

She came again. Faster this time. The thrusters in her cuffs flared, silent bursts of force that let her change direction mid-step. Kyle blocked one kick, ate another to the shoulder, and countered with a hook that caught her under the jaw.

Her head snapped back.

But she was already twisting, using the recoil to drive her elbow into his temple.

Bam.

Kyle stumbled, vision swimming. Koyuki didn’t press. She stepped back, letting him reset, watching him with the same expression someone used when testing a new weapon.

"Not bad," she said. "For a demon who fights like a brawler."

Kyle spat blood, rolled his shoulders, and grinned. It wasn’t pretty.

"Good. Because I’m not done."

He charged.

Koyuki’s eyes gleamed. The cuffs on her coat glowed faintly teal.

Bang.

The hall shook.

From the sidelines, Takumi adjusted his tablet, circuits flaring. "Ooh. Her limiter’s at 80%. He’s making her try."

Mei sighed, pushing her reading lenses up. "He’s also going to die if he keeps trading blows like that. Her displacement output is 1.7 times his strike force."

Yumi’s expression didn’t change. "Then he’s useless."

Troy said nothing. His eyes never left Kyle.

In the center of the hall, Kyle ducked under Koyuki’s strike, caught her wrist, and slammed her into the ground. For once, she didn’t redirect. For once, she hit the floor hard.

Silence.

Koyuki lay there for a second, staring up at the ceiling. Then she laughed.

"Finally," she said, breathless. "You’re fighting back."

Kyle stood over her, chest heaving. "Told you. We haven’t started the fun part yet."

And Koyuki’s grin said she was about to make it hurt.