What Are You?

Reloading her rifle, the red knight expressed her disbelief, "I can't believe she's making all of us look like kids... What kind of monster is she?"

Catching her breath and still in awe of the masked woman's abilities, the silver knight nodded in agreement. "You're right. Even though we're attacking her simultaneously, she doesn't seem to be breaking a sweat. She's operating on a whole different level."

"But no matter how strong she is, everyone has their limits. We just need to keep pushing until she tires out!" declared the red knight, determination burning in her eyes. She cocked her rifle and unleashed a barrage of bullets towards the masked woman. However, the woman effortlessly dodged each projectile while simultaneously blocking the golden knight's slashes, evading the blue knight's shots, and parrying the black knight's arrows.

"...My, I can hardly believe what I'm seeing," the silver-haired knight murmured in disbelief, her usually jovial tone now tinged with astonishment.

Determined not to be outdone, she joined the ongoing fight. "Ha!" she swung her sword with all her might, only to find it meeting empty air.

"Samantha, let's attack her together!" the golden knight proposed, hoping that their combined strength could finally break through the masked woman's defenses.

"Agreed!"

The two knights moved in unison, their swords aimed at the masked woman. Yet, once again, she effortlessly blocked their attacks and effortlessly pushed them aside.

"Oh my, this is becoming ridiculous," the silver knight remarked, regaining her balance after being shoved away.

"...This person...is truly skilled," the golden knight murmured in awe. If this masked woman was this formidable, it made her wonder just how powerful the other members of her organization must be.

The golden knight took a step back and raised her hand, signaling for the other knights to cease their attacks. The onslaught came to a halt, and despite facing five skilled members of the Knight's Order, including a captain, the masked woman still appeared unruffled, not a drop of sweat on her brow.

"...Who... no, what are you?" The golden knight posed the question, fully expecting not to receive a straightforward answer. "You possess incredible skill, and it's clear that your abilities extend beyond mere swordsmanship," the golden knight continued. "So, let me ask you this: despite your remarkable prowess, what has led you down this path? What could possibly drive you to commit such acts?"

"There's nothing for me to gain by answering your questions. You're merely wasting time and breath," the masked woman replied dismissively.

"Celia, enough with the questions. Let's overwhelm her together! This woman is infuriating me!" The red knight couldn't contain her frustration any longer.

The golden knight, sighed softly. "You know as well as I do, Rhia, that even if we were to fight her with all our might simultaneously, we wouldn't stand a chance."

"Tch! You don't have to state the obvious, Celia," The red knight retorted. She knew deep down that the five of them stood no chance against the masked woman. Even though the blue knight had managed to injure her calf with a bullet, the masked woman continued to fight as if the wound didn't exist. Moreover, she effortlessly blocked and evaded their every attack. What infuriated her even more was the fact that the masked woman could defeat them all in an instant if she wanted to. It felt as though she was toying with them, relishing the struggle. But in reality, the masked woman had no interest in them at all. She was merely biding her time, waiting for her brother to accomplish his own mission.

Locking gazes with the masked woman, Celia implored, "Please, tell me. If you won't answer, then reveal your organization's true purpose. Who is the one commanding it?"

"I've already told you, you're wasting your time and breath. You won't get any answers from me," the masked woman replied icily.

"If that's the case... then prepare to die," declared the golden knight, determination flashing in her eyes. She raised her weapon, signaling the four knights to unleash their attacks upon the masked woman.

The black knight swiftly released a barrage of arrows, each aimed with deadly precision. However, the masked woman effortlessly evaded and deflected them all. Even when the black knight increased the intensity, shooting volleys of arrows, she couldn't land a single hit. As her quiver ran empty, she realized she needed a different approach.

"Eliana... give me... a gun," the black knight requested in a drowsy voice. It almost sounded as if she were half-asleep, or perhaps that was just her usual tone.

"Ah! H-Here you go, Nyx!" the blue knight, stammered, caught off guard by the sudden address. She swiftly tossed a revolver to the black knight, who immediately pulled the trigger.

Yet, the masked woman remained unfazed. The increased firepower did little to deter her. Bullets whizzed through the air, but she deftly dodged them all while simultaneously parrying the golden knight's and silver knight's attacks.

"This is unreal... She's just too powerful," the golden knight muttered, her disbelief palpable. It was inconceivable to her that a single individual could fend off five skilled knights without sustaining a single hit.

"You hit the nail on the head," the silver knight concurred, launching herself into another assault, only to be met with the masked woman's unyielding sword. "No matter how much I try to make sense of it, it's just so unnatural. There's no way someone could simultaneously fend off five knights without so much as a scratch. This one is a pure monster, Celia," she admitted.

"I dislike labeling someone as a monster, but I can't help but consider her as one. Her extraordinary skills and unwavering composure make her seem otherworldly."

"No matter!" exclaimed the red knight, her frustration evident. "Even if she is a monster, all we have to do is subjugate her!" She fired her rifle, but the masked woman swiftly evaded the bullets, skillfully eluding each shot. "Seriously, she's just pissing me off! Why isn't she attacking us when she could easily finish us off? Is she stalling for time or something?"

"Well, well, well~! Look at you, Miss Impulsive, showing a hint of intelligence. Despite how dense you are, you occasionally show some intelligence. I can't believe you actually figured out that she's stalling for time," the silver knight remarked, her voice tinged with genuine surprise. However, beneath her words, the silver knight harbored a feeling of frustration. She, too, had realized that the masked woman was deliberately stalling for time, but the reasons behind her actions remained a mystery.

"Heh! I've always had a good head on my shoulders. You're just underestimating my intelligence," the red knight boasted, mistakenly interpreting the silver knight's sarcastic praise as genuine.

"Well, good for you, I suppose," the silver knight retorted, her tone hinting at her true feelings. "So, Captain, what's our plan?"

The golden knight paused, her gaze fixed upon the enigmatic figure of the masked woman. "We must continue fighting. She will tire even—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a powerful explosion erupted from the east. The knights turned their attention towards the source of the blast, witnessing a vivid display of fire and smoke that transformed the night sky into shades of crimson and orange.

"What in the world?" the golden knight exclaimed, her confusion mounting. She struggled to comprehend the unfolding chaos. "Is this the doing of your organization?" she demanded of the masked woman, her anger seeping into her voice.

The mysterious woman, shrouded in a mask, let out an icy tone, "Well then... I suppose it's time for me to play my part."

In an instant, she appeared right in front of the formidable red knight, catching her off guard.

"What?!" the red knight exclaimed, reflexively aiming her rifle at the masked woman. But before she could even pull the trigger, her weapon was swiftly seized by the masked woman's powerful grip. The rifle was abruptly turned towards the blue knight, and three bullets were discharged in rapid succession. The blue knight cried out in pain as one of the bullets found its mark, piercing her shoulder.

"Ahhh! I..." The wounded blue knight dropped to her knees, clutching her injured shoulder in agony.

"Damn you..." growled the red knight, her anger seething. Yet, before she could retaliate against the masked woman, a lightning-fast fist collided with her face, sending her hurtling through the air.

"Ughh!" The impact of the punch was so intense that the red knight felt as if her head might be torn off. She crashed to the ground, disoriented and in pain.

Witnessing her comrades' peril, the golden knight cried out in alarm, "Rhia! Lia!" Driven by urgency, she sprinted towards the masked woman, swinging her sword as soon as she was within striking distance. It seemed inevitable that her blow would connect, but to her surprise, there was no resistance. It felt as though she had struck nothing but air. In reality, she had missed her target—what she hit was just an afterimage created by the masked woman's incredible speed. "Wha—?!"

Before she could regain her composure, a piercing scream echoed behind her.

"Nooooo!!!"

As she turned around, her heart sank at the sight of the blue knight still on her knees, defenseless, while the masked woman unleashed a powerful kick directly to her face. The blue knight's helmet shielded her from the full impact, but the force of the blow sent her sprawling through the air.

"Lia!!!" the golden knight cried out in anguish, her voice filled with desperation.

"Celia!" shouted the silver knight, urgency lacing her voice. "Behind you!"

The golden knight's mind raced as she processed the warning. Just moments ago, the masked woman had been standing right in front of her, but now she had somehow materialized behind her. She sensed the imminent danger, feeling the cold steel of the woman's blade inching closer to her neck in agonizing slow motion. 'Evade it! Evade it! Evade it!!!' her mind screamed, but her body remained frozen, paralyzed by fear. It was only when the red knight, who had regained her footing, grabbed her arm and forcefully yanked her away that she managed to break free from her immobility.

"Pull yourself together, or you'll be..." The red knight's words trailed off as another devastating blow landed on her face, knocking her helmet off and sending it crashing to the ground. She lay there motionless, likely unconscious from the impact.

"Shit! Why are you doing this?!" the golden knight bellowed, her voice filled with frustration and anger.

"You don't need to know," retorted the masked woman, her voice cold and detached. Without hesitation, she swiftly readied her silencer and fired three shots. The bullets found their mark, striking the black knight.

"Ouch... that hurts..." groaned the black knight. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she was forcefully launched into the air. The impact of the unseen blow sent her sprawling. "Ugh!"

Through the haze of confusion and pain, the blue knight struggled to rise, only to find herself face-to-face with the masked woman once more. Fear and desperation consumed her as she pleaded, "N-No... I-I don't want to get hurt anymore! P-Please, I'm sorry I hit you! I-I won't hit you anymore, so please, don't hit me!"

But the masked woman remained unfazed by her words. Without a hint of mercy, she pulled the trigger, the silenced gunshots reverberating through the air as she mercilessly shot the blue knight's legs. Again and again, the bullets pierced her flesh, each shot accompanied by agonizing screams of pain. The blue knight's voice grew weaker with each successive bullet, until finally, after the last shot rang out, she slipped into unconsciousness.

The sight before the silver knight was utterly absurd and surreal. She couldn't bring herself to believe everything that was unfolding. "N...No way..." she stammered, struggling to accept the reality that confronted her. But before she could even process the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind, something unimaginable occurred. In a horrifying twist of fate, she watched her own head detach from her body, hurtling through the air.

"N-Noooooooooo!" the silver knight let out an ear-piercing scream, her hands instinctively reaching for her neck. To her astonishment, her head was still intact, securely connected to her body. What had just transpired? Was it her impending death that she had witnessed? Or was it merely a vivid glimpse of her life flashing before her eyes? She grappled for answers, but before any clarity could surface, the masked woman materialized right before her, closing in with deadly intent.

The silver knight instinctively raised her arms, attempting to shield her vulnerable neck, but the masked woman's intentions were far more calculated. Her clenched fist struck with an astonishing force, driving into the silver knight's armored abdomen. Despite the protection of her armor, the impact was so powerful that the silver knight's consciousness faded in an instant.

"...C-Captain... Sh-She's dangerous..." was her last words before succumbing to the void of unconsciousness.