Prologue

It was one of those occasions where you could literally feel the excitement in the air.

It was infectious.

The sound of people cheering and laughing, the smell of various foods wafting through the cool winter air, and the sight of people dancing along to the music that flowed down the various streets and shops making up the market square. It was almost impossible not to feel at ease with such a festive atmosphere, an aura of good nature and lively crowds of the numerous common folk. Even those who would normally keep to themselves felt the need to join in, expanding the exuberance well beyond the confines of inner Arcadia.

Of course, while the common masses enjoyed the parties and joyous celebrations, there were those who had no real care for any of it.

Kurona Pendragon was one of those individuals.

During the same time everyone was out partying and letting loose for the holidays, the young pink haired female wandered the various streets, donned up in black armor. When the people were dancing and drinking, she was checking alleyways and calming down those who had gotten far too drunk for their own good. If clashes and arguments arose, she was the first one there, quickly breaking it up and maintaining the harmonious atmosphere as much as possible.

She hated it.

Though unable to admit it aloud, Kurona despised it down to her core. Babysitting others, keeping up order and civility because some idiotic knuckleheads didn't know how to keep themselves in check. It was late afternoon and the day was still pretty young. By all means, she should be out and about, bathing in the festivities just like everyone else and living out her limited youth. Yet here she was, forced into menial guard duty once again because of bullshit responsibilities and the utterly ridiculous "pride of a hero" lecture from her parents. Instead of cruising the streets trying out the various food stalls, she had to wander around making sure the drunkards didn't cause any scenes. It was enough to drive anyone up a wall. Kurona wasn't any exception either as she was well near her wits end. There was only a small sliver of self control left in her, and it was the only reason she had yet to fold anyone into origami cranes.

Of course, that was before the incident happened, the one that lead her to her current situation.

Near the edge of the Market located in the inner section of Arcadia, the pink haired maiden had stumbled unto a scene of sorts that was almost impossible to mistake. A cloaked individual standing over a woman with a bag clutched to his chest. It was almost as if the gods had blessed her with a way to relieve her own stress and anger, a quick vent that would get her through the rest of the night.

"Give it back to her, remove the hood, and I'll let you walk away." Kurona Pendragon let out a small exhale as she reached for the sword attached to her hip, bright red eyes locked onto the concealed individual before her. She wasted no time getting to the point. "Refuse to comply and I'll be forced to deliver your punishment here and now."

The world was full of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. This was something that the young Kurona was quite aware of and why she would, more often than not, ask questions before jumping to any sort of conclusion. However, the scene that had just taken place in front of her seemed so clear cut that she didn't even hesitate to call it out. A person with a black cloak covering his head and face clutching a shopping bag, a collapsed woman on the floor looking up in fear and discomfort, and onlookers who were quickly backing away from the situation. With the added addition of two daggers strapped to the assailants waist, Kurona had little doubt of what she had stumbled upon. In that particular moment, all hesitation fled and she quickly took action. It also didn't help that she REALLY wanted to knock off some pent up aggression.

"I'll say it one more time," Kurona said as she slowly pulled out her sword, the black metal almost absorbing the sunlight as it made its way out the scabbard. "Drop the bag, remove the hood, and we don't need to come to blows."

"While I'm not opposed to fighting against a Hero, how about we don't." A boyish voice rang out from the individuals hood. Kneeling down, the male placed the bag onto the floor. "We can resolve this peacefully. Wouldn't want to hurt any bystanders."

The young lady didn't bother to give her surroundings a once over, already fully aware of where they were. Raising her sword, she pointed the tip towards the cloaked man's chest, her long pink hair ruffling in the light breeze.

"Remove your hood, deviant." Her tone left no room for objections, making it clear what her intentions were. "Lest you wish to have your arm parted from your body."

In the Kingdom of Arcadia, there were two laws that were punished heavily with little to no leeway or pardons if broken. The first one was the crime of r*pe and murder. Two actions so unforgivable they were combined as one and given the exact same outcome if performed.

Death by torture.

The second one was theft. Depending on the severity of the crime committed, one could lose anything from a finger to a whole appendage such as an arm or leg. This was done in hopes that every time the perpetrator glanced at their missing limb(s), it would cause them to stop and think about their own actions.

While Kurona understood what needed to be done and why it had to be dealt with, she wanted to give the thief a chance at redemption instead of an outright punishment. The boys quick compliance in dropping the bag and his seemingly unwillingness to put other people's lives at risk only strengthened her need to give the man benefit of the doubt. While most others would have immediately dealt out the appropriate action, she decided to hold back until the criminal either followed her requests or completely denied them. If there was a chance at a peaceful resolution, she was all for taking it regardless of what other people thought. Even if she badly wanted a fight, she wasn't going to risk the lives of others if the youth followed her orders and removed his disguise.

"How about you put the sword away and we can-" the hooded figure reached towards his hip as he talked, prompting Kurona to go on the defensive.

"Everyone, scatter!!" Kurona screamed out an order as she pulled in her blade, red eyes glowing as she activated a skill. A red aura surrounded the sword as the female leaned forward. "Fortification."

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Hero Class

Basic Skill - Fortification (Active) Grade 7:

Increases the users Agility and Strength by 475% for a complete 3 minutes. Afterwards, user will receive a 200% reduction of both stats for 45 seconds.

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Screams of terror and panicked shouts could be heard as those close bolted in all directions, retreating from the area as quick as possible. No one dared to remain, not even those curious on how the fight would play out. The vast majority knew who Kurona was and were aware just how serious she was when she demanded a clear area.

(("Alright you dumbass.")) Kurona frowned, eyes fixed onto her target. (("You better not die from this."))

Exhaling, the pink haired maiden blasted from her spot, swinging her sword downwards towards the cloaked man's right arm. She was certain that, at least to the figure, she had become an entire blur that was difficult to even trace, let alone react to. She wasn't sure what the opponents Class was, but Kurona was confident in the abilities she slaved away on every single day, in what she poured her heart and soul into.

BOOM!!

The ground cracked as the attack was halted in it's tracks, the sword prevented from completing its swing down. Two daggers, one white and one black, held them at bay, much to Kurona's disbelief. Beneath their feet, the stone cracked and caved further as the opposing sides wrested for control of the clash, neither one willing to give a single inch to the other.

(("He BLOCKED it??")) Kurona frowned as she pushed down with all her might. (("How? Did he use a skill?? Absorption? Negation? What class is he? How the hell is he able to match my strength???!! Actually, how the hell did he even BLOCK it?"))

Millions of questions flickered through Kurona's head as she decisively backed away from the struggle. She had been so confident on landing and finishing the fight in that single hit that she hadn't thought of anything past that point. Confused and unsure of herself, she took the brief moment of separation to gather her jumbled thoughts and emotions to better calculate what her next move should be. Whether she liked it or not, a three minute time limit had begun the moment she activated her skill. In other words, she either had to finish everything up within that frame or book a hasty retreat and let the deviant become someone else's problem. If she failed to accomplish those two options, then she would be the one facing defeat, not the assailant.

"So...are we done?" The concealed individual asked, holding his arms out to the side. "I kinda have better things to do."

(("Tsk. Fine.")) Kurona let out a sigh, ignoring everything her opponent had said. Holding her sword to the side, she shot forward once again, swinging her sword toward the cloaked man's left side. (("First things first. Figure out his Class."))

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal echoed around the lane as the two warriors clashed with each other over and over again, Kurona unrelenting in her rapid assault. Every connected slash sent shockwaves of energy rippling in all directions, shattering windowpanes and cracking wood from the sheer force of them alone. The ground cracked with every exchange, the blows crackling like thunder in the clear afternoon sky. If the pink haired woman had been going for a silent end to the skirmish, she had already passed up the opportunity to do so as she continued her onslaught. The only thing left to do was to put down the deviant and make it clear whose fault the damage to the surroundings had been.

Of course, that was much easier said than done.

A full minute had passed since their little skirmish started and in that time, Kurona had learned only one sure thing about her opponent throughout that whole time. A small fact that threw a wrench in her plans.

(("He's faster than me,")) Kurona grit her teeth in frustration as she slashed her sword once again, only to be parried with the flat side of a dagger. (("And just as strong."))

Though the hooded stranger had been playing defense for the entirety of the fight, the way he ran and just how casually he manipulated his blades to block and deflect showed the enormous skill gap betwixt them. His fluid movement and unorthodox fighting style were unlike anything Kurona had seen before, flaunting attack patterns and evasive maneuvers that seemed impossible but were executed flawlessly. It was as if she had returned to her toddler days training with the veteran Knights, just learning how to properly handle a wooden sword. In terms of pure swordsmanship, the thief was undoubtedly in a class of his own. When paired with his superior speed and rivaled strength, the young maiden wasn't feeling too good about her own decisions.

If it wasn't for the glowing eyes beneath the deviants hood, indicating an active skill in use, she would've been forced to change tactics.

(("Moves quickly. Specializes with daggers. Great at taking evasive action.")) Kurona leapt onto the side of a nearby structure and followed the cloaked man onto the roof of one of the two story buildings making up the street. (("Must be an Assassin Class. No Knight or Hero worth their title would downgrade their weapons, let alone steal groceries from civilians."))

"So, can we stop this?" The figure asked, his boyish voice carrying a polite tone. "I really do have somewhere to be. If you'd just listen for a second, we can clear up this obvious misunderstanding."

"There isn't any need for talk. We're well past that point." Kurona lifted her black sword up into the sky, pointing the tip straight upwards. (("I'll have to use magic to even the playing field."))

"And here I thought she'd actually be reasonable," The man muttered to himself as he readied his daggers. "Damn Hero."

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Hero Class

Tier 2 Lightning Magic - Blue Coat (Grade 6):

Covers the users weapon in a magical current to increase striking speed by 200%. Can cause paralysis so stabbing yourself is not recommended. Continuously drains mana while active.

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"I call upon the heavens to answer my call," Kurona raised her free hand and gripped her wrist as visible arches of bright blue electricity began to encircle her blade. "Encompass my sword, grant me your power and allow me to bestow justice upon those who have wronged the innocent."

Slashing downwards, the sword erupted into a dazzling display of bright blue sparks. Strips of lightning flickered and danced around the blade, tendrils of energy tickling the air surrounding it.

"I shall be the one to smite those who are unworthy." Kurona glared in the deviants direction with glowing eyes, the blue light from the sword giving her a much more menacing appearance. "Lightning Magic- Blue Coat!!!"

(("I should have a full minute left with Fortification. I have more than enough time to activate another spell.")) Kurona held the sword at the ready and burst forth with as much acceleration as she could muster. (("I just need to keep him on his toes for a few seconds in order to complete the chant."))

Without a second to spare, the pink haired warrior closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. This time around, she didn't bother thinking about anything other than the fight at hand and swung her blade downwards.

Crack!!! The roof beneath them shook as the sword stopped just shy of connecting with the top of the building. Having felt no contact, Kurona quickly stopped her attack and switched direction, swiping upwards in a diagonal line. This was once again met with air as the figure nimbly dodged, narrowly making contact with the sword as it passed.

"Oh, that's very good." The masked man said in approval, his tone clearly filled with amusement. "Looks like a Grade 7. That's quite impressive considering its a Tier 2."

The female grit her teeth and exhaled, willing herself to go faster. Pulling her sword in, she thrusted in rapid succession, aiming for every open vital point on the opponents body. It was clear that she had completely forgone going for a mere arm and was now out for the man's life, her desperation taking hold and pushing her to complete the task before her time eventually wore out.

"No, not a Grade 7," the man said as he quickly dodged the succession of strikes, no longer using either one of his daggers. "A Grade 6? Okay, that's actually pretty insane, even for a Hero."

Kurona let out a sigh of relief as she finally managed to finish her preparations, exactly when the deviant was busy talking. A smile spread across her visage as she pulled her sword back for a split second.

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Hero Class

Tier 2 Lightning Magic- Electric Aura Lvl 3:

Increases the users movement speed by 300%. Drains mana continuously while active. Has a 30% chance of self-paralysis upon deactivation.

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Almost immediately, Kurona felt her body get three times lighter as thin arcs of blue light flickered around her body.

"A dual casting???" For the first time, the hooded youth sounded slightly unsure and a bit shaken. The laid back persona instantly switched to one of caution as he raised his daggers. "Did you do a whole ass chant in your own head? Do you know what could've happened if you messed that up??"

Zap! Disappearing from her spot and reappearing in front of the deviant, Kurona drove her sword towards the man's chest. "Who cares."

"Well I do."

The pink haired maiden didn't even blink during that final transaction, and she still missed what had happened in that singular instant. One moment she was there, about to plunge her lightning coated sword into the thief's chest, and the next she was standing there with a black dagger pressed against her throat, the blade piercing naught but the cold afternoon air. There had been no sound nor any indication of him moving the slightest bit. It was as if he teleported from one spot to another, moving far faster than any eye could possibly make out. If he wanted to, all the deviant would have to do is press and pull the knife and Kurona's journey would officially be over. Just like that, the fight was over before it could even register.

"Sorry I had to do that to you," The deviant said, holding the knife against the Hero's neck as she deactivated the lightning surrounding her sword. "You just really caught me off guard with that spell and I activated my ability on reflex."

Kurona couldn't even form a full thought, let alone speak as she slowly sunk to her knees, the strength leaving her body as her time finally ran out. The once glowing red eyes dimmed and the black sword she carried clattered to the cracked stone roof. In every sense of the word, she had been completely decimated, in skill, swordsmanship, and magic. Though the boy continued to speak to her, she couldn't hear anything except her own heart drumming in her ears, her eyes seeing only red.

"But look. If it's not too much trouble, I'm gonna head out," The youth deactivated his own skill, the glow beneath the hood disappearing as he retracted the two daggers. Quickly resheathing them, he hastily backed away. "I'm not fond of leaving you alone out here after what just happened but I'm running very late. This time, I'll let the guards help you and I'll make it all up to you some other time."

Kurona fell onto the floor, exhaustion taking over, her eyes quickly closing as she fell into a deep sleep.

"I'm sure we'll meet again Hero," the figure said to himself as he turned away. "I'll see you at the Academy."

Without another word, the user disappeared into the darkness, vanishing without a trace.