Gunnr Descends

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the training ground. Furōkawa was on the defensive, sweat dripping from his brow as he tried to keep up with Emilia. She wasn't just fast; she was relentless. Her cursed technique, Super Hypertrophy, amplified her muscles with cursed energy, granting her both overwhelming strength and speed. Every punch she threw felt like a battering ram, and Furō could barely dodge or parry with his restricted power.

"Come on, Furō!" Emilia shouted, her voice cutting through the crisp air. She threw a feint with her right hand before driving a knee toward his ribs. "You're not even trying to hit me!"

Furō ducked and swung Onamazu in its oar form in a wide arc, aiming for her side. Emilia easily caught the oar mid-swing with one hand, her muscles rippling with cursed energy as she wrenched it out of his grasp and tossed it aside.

"Damn it!" Furō cursed, scrambling backward as Emilia advanced on him.

She didn't let up, closing the gap in an instant and landing a clean jab to his shoulder. The impact sent him skidding across the ground, his body groaning in protest.

"Focus!" Emilia barked, standing tall as she crossed her arms. "Your binding vow is limiting your output to 60%, but that doesn't mean you're useless. You've got tools—use them!"

Furō groaned, pushing himself up to his knees. "Yeah, well, 60% doesn't exactly cut it against you!" He glanced at Onamazu, lying a few meters away, and summoned his mist from the Bracelet of Haze to obscure the area.

The faint green fog billowed out, shrouding the clearing in a toxic haze. "Let's see how well you do blind, musclehead!" Furō shouted, his voice echoing through the mist.

"Cute," Emilia replied, her voice calm and unbothered. "You forget, I don't need to sense cursed energy to crush your defenses."

Before Furō could react, Emilia charged through the mist, her fists glowing with cursed energy as she broke through his defenses again. Her punch connected with his chest, sending him crashing into a boulder.

He coughed violently, clutching his ribs as the mist dissipated. Emilia stood over him, her expression firm but not unkind. "You're relying too much on your tools and your cursed technique," she said. "You need to learn how to fight smarter, not harder. At 60%, you're extremely vulnerable. Stop trying to outpower me and focus on tactics."

Furō glared at her but said nothing, frustrated by his inability to keep up. Before either of them could continue, a loud voice called out from the direction of the base.

"Emilia! Furōkawa!"

Both turned to see one of the Danish sorcerers, a younger woman named Darlene, sprinting toward them, her face pale with fear.

"What's wrong?" Emilia asked, immediately stepping forward.

"It's a Valkyrie!" Darlene gasped, struggling to catch her breath. "She's awake—Gunnr! She's heading straight for the base!"

Furō's eyes widened. "Gunnr? The second strongest behind Sigrun?"

Darlene nodded frantically. "We need to evacuate! She's moving fast—she'll be here in minutes!"

Emilia didn't hesitate. She turned to the other sorcerers in the distance and shouted, "Everyone, fall back to the secondary position! Now!"

The sorcerers scrambled to gather their belongings and retreat, leaving Furō and Emilia alone in the clearing.

"Wait," Furō said, his voice tinged with frustration. "You're staying? Emilia, I can handle this!"

She shot him a sharp look. "No, you can't."

Furō's jaw tightened, but she continued. "You're strong, Furō, but it's not enough. At 60%, you don't stand a chance against a Valkyrie like Gunnr. Even at full strength, it'd be a gamble."

He clenched his fists, conflicted. "So what? I'm just supposed to let you fight her alone?"

Emilia placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm but steady. "No. We're fighting her together. You're not alone in this, but you need to trust me and fight smart. If we screw this up, everyone here will die."

Furō stared at her for a moment before exhaling sharply and nodding. "Fine. But don't expect me to just stand around and watch."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Emilia said with a faint smirk.

The ground trembled as a shadow passed over them. Both sorcerers turned toward the treeline as a figure emerged, descending gracefully from the sky. Gunnr landed in the clearing, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore armor that gleamed with cursed energy, and in her hands was a massive bow, easily the length of a full-grown man.

She drew back the bowstring, an arrow of cursed energy forming in her grip. The sheer pressure of her presence was suffocating, her gaze cold and calculating as she assessed her opponents.

"Two of you," Gunnr said, her voice calm but laced with menace. "How fun."

Emilia stepped forward, cracking her knuckles as her muscles swelled with cursed energy. Furō pulled Onamazu from his back, the oar humming with toxic power.

"We'll see about that," Emilia muttered.

Furō grinned despite the tension. "Guess it's time to play smarter."

The air grew heavy as the battle began.