The Dance

A soft, slow, and deep breath could be heard, as if Aria was in harmony with the rhythm of the universe. Each inhalation filled her lungs with the moist and fresh air of the palace, while each exhalation released the tensions built up within her. As she immersed herself in this state of serenity, a warm and comforting sensation enveloped her entire being.

However, the silence was shattered by desperate footsteps and bestial growls, echoing through the palace walls, triggering a state of alertness in both young women.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Emily was supposed to be the impulsive one," Aria thought as her green orbs remained fixed on the creatures.

Aria couldn't help but doubt herself as the Fuzz approached.

"Watch out!"

Hilda's cry snapped her out of her thoughts, and she saw a three-meter ball of fur rapidly approaching her. The creature wielded a club in its hands, raising it high towards the sky before swinging it forcefully at Aria.

She couldn't even react to what was happening, and the Fuzz catching her off guard delivered a direct blow to her side. The impact was brutal, causing Aria to release all the air from her lungs before being sent flying towards one of the pillars.

"Damn it!"

Hilda couldn't contain a cry of despair as she realized she had misjudged Aria's abilities. She tried to move quickly to help her, but...

"Ugh..."

The wounds she had suffered were taking their toll at that moment. Hilda felt a strong dizziness that forced her to fall to her knees on the ground. She spat out blood, feeling the pain intensify within her.

"Tch... seems like I made a grave mistake..."

She realized that using the Astraforge in her previous confrontation with the Fuzz had exacerbated her injuries and the pain she was experiencing. She pounded her fists on the ground, feeling powerless in those moments as a cloud of dust formed where Aria lay.

Meanwhile, the three remaining Fuzz moved swiftly, surrounding Aria within seconds. Their audible growls filled anyone who heard them with despair. It was evident that they wouldn't give up until they had taken the young silver-haired girl's life.

In a fleeting instant, a powerful glow emanated from the dust cloud, causing not only Hilda to be surprised but also instilling absolute terror in the Fuzz present. The creatures, who previously appeared defiant and aggressive, now recoiled in terror before the immense and unearthly energy they seemed to sense.

"What the hell is that?"

Hilda murmured to herself as she witnessed this scene.

[Syncronization with Astraforge detected]

[Syncronization at 100%]

[Syncronization at 999%... catastrophic error]

[Syncronization at -%... Syncronization at 5% detected]

"O-ouch... my head..."

The young girl's soft voice resonated in the air, becoming audible to those present. For a brief moment, it seemed as if time stood still for everyone after witnessing something unimaginable. Or had they simply imagined what had happened?

Silence, a sepulchral silence, seized the scene, enveloping everyone in complete stillness. Not even the growls of the creatures could be heard, nor the racing heartbeat of Hilda.

However, that suspended moment in time was abruptly interrupted by a thunderous roar followed by a shockwave emanating from the dust. The body of one of the creatures was forcefully propelled into one of the pillars, piercing it as if it were made of paper.

The astonishment on the faces of the others was more than evident.

What had just happened?

Within the swirling dust cloud, Aria could be glimpsed with one leg raised, evidence that she had just delivered a powerful kick to one of the Fuzz.

"I-I didn't expect that," Aria said, surprised by her own strength, as she looked at the unconscious Fuzz lying among the rubble, unaware that one of the remaining creatures would launch a powerful swipe at her. Aria quickly moved her head and body to the left, evading the attack that caused the dust to rise again due to its intensity.

"I didn't remember them being so slow," she thought, her body enveloped in a dazzling glow that seemed to consist of the cosmos' stars descending around her like small comets leaving luminous trails in their path.

Without giving them time to react, Aria spun her body, delivering a powerful kick with the heel of her foot against the creature's arm, causing it to emit a cry of pain as its bones shattered from the impact.

Her movements flowed with surprising grace and elegance, her body feeling as light as a feather, a sensation that was very familiar to her. In a quick instant, she propelled her body forward, performing a front flip while her foot rose powerfully in an arc of grace and strength. With millimeter precision, her heel descended forcefully, striking the creature's head with full impact.

The impact was devastating. The power behind that kick unleashed a sound that resonated throughout the room and shook the creature's brain. The Fuzz's face would bury itself in the ground as Aria landed with elegance atop its head, displaying perfect balance, as if performing a show amidst the chaos.

The remaining Fuzz stood there completely bewildered by what they witnessed. Aria's actions had sown doubt in the creature, causing it to retreat slowly. However, its attention was so focused on the small Aria that it failed to notice another presence until a large hand firmly gripped its shoulder.

"Good night."

Hilda exclaimed before delivering a precise strike to the creature's face, defeating the last of the Fuzz with surprising ease.

Exhausted, Aria wobbled and fell to the ground. Hilda approached her and extended her hand to help her up. "You did well," Hilda said with a smile.

Aria stood up, trembling slightly from the adrenaline.

"I thought you were dead. You're quite resilient, little one."

"I don't even understand what just happened, but I'm glad to be back among the living."

Aria smiled genuinely, while Hilda laughed lightly at those words. The imposing woman let out a sigh of relief, realizing that she had made a grave mistake. She now understood why her companions used to say that she was terrible at training newcomers.

Yes, she had only just realized that she was a terrible teacher.

***

Both young women were walking once again through the narrow corridors, being careful with their steps and staying alert to any movement.

"The strange holograms that appear in front of our eyes seem to be connected to something in our heads, like some kind of neural implant. That's why it can assess the state of our bodies," Hilda continued to inform Aria about the situation they were in. She now understood where those strange messages were coming from, but it didn't explain the reason behind the synchronization error.

"What does the synchronization percentage mean?"

Aria asked, directing her gaze towards Hilda.

"I've already told you, it reflects how much Astraforge we can use. The higher the synchronization, the greater your power will be, but you have to be careful. Sometimes it's possible to use more Astraforge than your body can handle, and... boom!"

As Hilda said this, she made a bomb gesture by opening her arms to the sides, causing some confusion in Aria. Did they explode because of the amount of energy, or was she just trying to be funny? But she understood that it was dangerous to use more than you could handle.

"I still haven't fully grasped Astraforge. There are aspects related to this energy that are a complete mystery," Hilda commented while scratching her cheek, feeling somewhat embarrassed that she couldn't be of more help.

On the other hand, Aria would simply smile softly.

"Don't worry, for now, it's more than enough to know how to use it and survive."

She expressed, trying not to let Hilda get discouraged by something like that. Knowing that she could survive thanks to this information was sufficient. Unfortunately, the information she truly desired couldn't be obtained. Emily never made it to that dimension with her, and according to Hilda's words, she might have ended up in a safer place.

She tried to stay positive. Emily was a smart young woman; she would surely be capable of surviving on her own. Although this didn't mean that Aria stopped being worried.

***

"We're close, watch your steps and don't stray too far from me," Hilda spoke in a low voice, scanning the surroundings cautiously.

"Okay, okay,"

Aria complied with her words, although she didn't fully understand what Hilda was looking for. As she had mentioned, she wanted to find a creature to defeat it, but why would she do such a thing? It seemed like she was taking risks just for the sake of it, but since Aria didn't know her well, she tried not to interfere in her affairs.

As she walked, her green eyes caught sight of a strange gleam.

"What could it be?" she wondered as she made her way towards the shimmer, unaware that she was venturing into a different corridor from the one the redhead was in.

After a few steps, she came across a white sphere covered in fur that seemed to emit a beautiful and captivating ethereal glow.

"A Fuzz?" It appeared to be a member of that species, but its color was completely different from the others.

Without warning, a message appeared before her eyes once again, providing more information about what was happening.

[Divine Fuzz.] [Palace Ruins Boss.] [Threat level: 4 stars. No further information available about this creature.]

"Wha...!"

"You must be kidding..."

Aria stepped back, surprised and overwhelmed by what she had just witnessed and what the presence of that creature could signify.