The Barrier Master

Lian Everheart had always felt like an outsider in her own family. Born into a high-class clan of ki users, renowned for their mastery of barrier techniques, she was expected to follow in their footsteps and become a powerful Sentinel.

But Lian was different from her siblings and cousins. She was kind, gentle, and timid, lacking the courage and confidence to fight in battle. She struggled to use barriers to their full potential, often failing to create or maintain them under pressure.

Her family was always disappointed in her, especially her father, who was the head of the clan, a Grade 1 A ranked Sentinel, and a former squad captain. He would often scold her, compare her to others, and pressure her to improve.

Lian felt crushed by his harsh words, but she never gave up. She wanted to prove herself to her family, to show them that she was worthy of their name. She enrolled in a Sentinel training Academy, determined to become a Sentinel despite her nature.

She graduated from the academy as a Grade 3 C ranked Sentinel, the lowest rank in the C category. She was assigned to Squad 7, led by Captain Kira. A woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. A Grade 1 A ranked Sentinel.

Her squadmates were not very friendly or supportive of her, often mocking her for her weakness and incompetence.

Lian tried to ignore them and focus on her missions, but she felt lonely and isolated. She wished she had someone who would understand her, who would appreciate her for who she was, not what she could do.

One day, she was sent on a mission to rescue one of their comrades from the underworld, a dark and dangerous realm where evil creatures roamed.

The information she was given stated that she would only have to deal with some hell low-level beasts that could be easily defeated with her skill level. She accepted the mission, hoping to prove her worth to her squad and her captain.

She entered the underworld through a portal, armed with a sword and a communicator. She followed the signal of the missing Sentinel, hoping to find him alive and well.

But when she reached the location, she was greeted by a horrific sight. She saw him lying on the ground, his body torn apart by claws and teeth. His blood stained the dark soil, his eyes wide open in terror. Lian felt a surge of fear and sadness, but before she could react, she heard a loud roar behind her.

She turned around and saw a gof roup creatures called Death guardians, also known as Hell guardians. They were strong enough to pose a great deal of trouble for a Grade 1 B Ranked Sentinel. They were giant creatures with high strength and durability.

They were shaped like gorillas, with sharp claws, fangs, and a skull like a mask on their face, and red eyes that glowed with malice. They had noticed her presence and were charging towards her, ready to rip her apart.

Lian panicked and tried to create a barrier around herself, but her hands trembled and her techniques faltered. The barrier was weak and unstable, barely able to withstand the impact of the death guardians.

She screamed and swung her sword, hoping to fend them off, but it was useless. The sword bounced off their thick skin, leaving no mark. The death guardians clawed and bit at her barrier, cracking it with every attack. Lian felt her life slipping away, as she realized she had no chance of survival. She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

That miracle came in the form of a man with brown hair, who appeared out of nowhere and jumped into the fray. Lian felt his presence and opened her eyes. She was amazed.

"Who is that?" She thought as she watches him fight.

He unleashed a barrage of fireballs and flames, hitting the death guardians with precision and force. He moved with grace and speed, dodging their attacks and counterattacking with skill. His name was Reinhart, a Grade 1 B ranked Sentinel from Squad 1, the elite squad of the Sentinel Corps.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked. He looked at her with concern and kindness, his red eyes shining with warmth.

"You got yourself into some real trouble here. I was training nearby and I felt your energy."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," he smiled at her.

Lian was stunned by his appearance and his actions. She had never seen him before, but she felt a surge of gratitude and admiration for him. He knew jumping in to fight so many guardians at once would be suicide, for someone with his rank.

But he jumped in to save her without hesitation. He was different from the other Sentinels she had met, who were cold, arrogant, and selfish. He was warm, humble, and selfless. He was everything she wanted to be.

"Th... Thank you so much," she stammered, as tears welled up in her eyes. "You saved me, you saved my life."

"Even though you almost died because I was weak," she wiped the tears rushing down her cheeks

He smiled and shook his head. "Don't mention it. Besides, you're not that weak. You managed to hold on until I got here. That's something to be proud of."

The more she looked at him, the more she couldn't help but feel a spark of hope, a flicker of attraction. She wanted to know more about him.

He helped her up and escorted her back to the portal, where they parted ways. He told her his name and his squad number, and wished her good luck.

She told him her name and her squad number, and thanked him again. He smiled and waved, and disappeared into the portal. She smiled and waved, and watched him go. She felt a pang of sadness, but also a surge of determination.

She decided to become stronger, to improve her skills, to climb up the ranks. She wanted to impress him, to join his squad, to fight by his side. She wanted to repay him, to protect him, to love him.

She worked harder, completed her missions, earned her rewards, and improved her reputation. She also improved her barrier techniques, learned new abilities, and mastered new skills. She became proficient in barrier utilization, healing, and telepathy.

She became a Grade 3 A ranked Sentinel, one of the best in the Vanguard. She was transferred to Squad 1, the elite squad led by Captain Byakuya, a S ranked Sentinel. She was reunited with Reinhart, who was now a Grade 2 A ranked Sentinel and the vice-captain of Squad 1.

He was still the same as before, still strong, still kind, still selfless. But he was also different, different from the first time she met him. He no longer cheerful.

She later discovers that He had lost his best friend, Leo, a Grade 2 A ranked Sentinel and his partner, in a mission gone wrong. According to the Intel she got, they had been ambushed by a group of enemies, who had killed Leo and wounded Reinhart.

He had barely escaped with his life, but he had lost his smile. He blamed himself for Leo's death, he hated himself for surviving. He became distant from his squad, from his friends, from everyone.

He only focused on his missions, on his duty, on his revenge. He didn't care about anything else, not even himself.

Lian was heartbroken to see him like this. She wanted to help him, to make him smile again. She tried to talk to him, to comfort him, to cheer him up. But he ignored her. He didn't remember her. He had saved many people in the past, and Lian was just one of them, one of the many.

But she didn't give up. She continued to approach him. She hoped that one day, he would remember her face, and he would smile again.

A year later, Reinhart led an army on an S Rank mission outside the galaxy, against a powerful Demon Lord. Reinhart was the only survivor to return.

He survived, he was broken. He returned to the Vanguard and applied for a leave of absence, a long and indefinite leave of absence. While these events took place, Lian was in the hospital, recovering from the injuries she got from a mission.

Reinhart became a teacher at a prestigious school named Rakuzan, a school for young and talented ki and mana users, and also those unable to use these elements.

When Lian returned, and heard the news, she was shocked. She decided to ask Byakuya, to also grant her a leave of absence, similar to Reinhart's. Byakuya refused at first, but she remained persistent till she convinced him.

"Who would've thought he'd gained such an admirer among his squad mates," Byakuya smiled softly as he approved Lian's request.

Lian joined Rakuzan as a teacher. She met Reinhart again, but he was still the same as before. He was still distant from people, and still didn't recognize her. But she didn't mind.

She began to approach him. Reinhart would often remain silent or give her monotone replies. Despite getting a discouraging feedback, she would still always smile at him. Sometimes they'd walk home together.

One day, after school, she offered to walk home with him again. On their way home, she engaged him in a conversation with her usual joyful spirit.

"So how was your day?" Lian smiled and asked

"Fine," Reinhart replied, his voice low and emotionless

"Mine was kinda tough," Lian continued

"I'm still not used to teaching yet."

"And kids can be a tough crowd."

"Some of them are fun though," she laughed softly

Lian continued to speak while smiling and laughing. She brought up different topics.

When they arrived at Reinhart's place, he opened the door to his house and looked at her, "You know, you remind me of a girl I met once,but I can't recall her name."

Lian's eyes widened as she heard these words from Reinhart. She was filled with joy and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I wonder where she is now... " Reinhart looked up at the sky.

"I hope she's doing well."

He shifted his gaze back to Lian and saw the look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Reinhart asked.

"No... Nothing... " Lian stuttered as she replied. She immediately waved goodbye to Reinhart and ran off.

As she ran, she smiled gently while wiping her tears, "He remembers..."