3. Departure

Acheron stood before Veldenava in her new outfit, her intense gaze fixed on him. The air seemed to crackle with tension.

"Umu, it suits you well," Veldenava said, nodding approvingly but feeling a nervous sweat form on his brow. His heart pounded, seeing Lucia the person he liked glaring at him with such intensity.

"Ahm, so what are you going to do now?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly as he desperately sought to avoid her wrath.

Acheron looked down, her expression softening slightly as she pondered. "I might go look for something."

"And what might that be?" Veldenava asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I don't know yet," she replied, a hint of uncertainty creeping into her usually firm voice. She decided she would search for something, even if it might not exist.

"I see," Veldenava said, feeling a pang of sympathy. She seemed so lost, yearning for meaning. He turned to Lucia, who had been watching quietly. "When will you leave?" Lucia asked, her voice gentle. Veldenava gave her a thumbs-up for her timely question. 'Good job, Lucia,' he thought.

Acheron gripped her long katana tightly, her gaze unwavering. "Now would be best," she said.

Just then, the doors burst open, nearly flying off their hinges. Rudra stormed into the room, pointing his finger at Acheron. "I challenge you to a duel!" he declared, drawing his sword with a flourish.

Acheron glanced at Veldenava, her eyes silently pleading for help. But Veldenava covered his mouth with one hand, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Very well," Acheron said, accepting the duel and stepping forward to face Rudra.

Rudra looked at her incredulously. "Why don't you draw your sword?" he demanded, frustration lacing his voice. Acheron stared back at him, silent and unmoved. Enraged by her calm demeanor, Rudra charged at her. "You'll regret this disrespect!"

He swung his sword overhead, aiming for a powerful strike, but felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Acheron had merely thrust her sword forward, striking him with the hilt. Rudra collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"That was rather quick," Veldenava remarked, amused. He had expected Acheron to defeat Rudra easily, but not quite in that manner.

"Rudra had a 0% chance of winning," Lucia said, using her ultimate skill to assess the situation.

Acheron bowed to Veldenava. "Thank you for everything. I'll be on my way now." She turned to leave, her steps measured and resolute.

Veldenava started fiddling with his fingers, looking a bit like a nervous schoolgirl. "She could have shown a bit more emotion," he muttered.

Lucia patted his head gently. "She'll have many adventures, I'm sure."

Acheron's journey had just begun. She walked for a while before coming across a town engulfed in flames.

"HAHAHAHA, everyone will know my name, Kubam, the new demon lord who will destroy the world! Muhohahaha," a maniacal voice boomed.

Acheron surveyed the chaos, unsure of her next move. Suddenly, she felt a tug at her leg. Looking down, she saw a small girl, tears streaming down her face.

"Hic, hic. Please... hic, help," the girl sobbed.

Kubam, the laughing figure, approached them. "Hahaha, what do we have here? A pretty woman. Bow before the new demon lord!" he commanded.

Acheron began to walk towards him slowly. "Hehehehahaha. What can you do? I am Kubam, the strong! Resistance is futile," he boasted.

Acheron continued past him, her steps unhurried. "Grrr, bow to me!" Kubam roared, turning to face her. Suddenly, there was a swift slash, and his head separated from his body, viewing Acheron from above as it fell.

Kubam's body collapsed to the ground, and Acheron continued on her way.

---

(Several Months Later)

A legend began to spread about a woman with a long katana, who traveled the world destroying evil wherever she found it. People called her the "Never-Stopping Blade."

Acheron wandered through a castle, holding a map. "Hmmm, lost again," she muttered, entering a room with a large, gothic-style bed. A woman with silver hair lay there, sleeping peacefully.

Acheron approached the bed and gently poked the woman's delicate cheek. The woman stirred, opening one red eye and one blue eye.

"Excuse me, do you know how to get out of this castle? I'm a bit lost," Acheron asked.

The woman blinked a few times. "Ah, yes. Go straight, then down three floors, and take the large corridor."

Acheron bowed and started to leave. Just as she was about to close the door, the woman realized someone had reached her without setting off any alarms. She rushed after Acheron. "Stop right there!"

Acheron turned, her expression as neutral as ever. "Yes? Do you need something else?"

The woman glared at her. "How did you get here?"

"I got lost," Acheron replied simply.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Do you expect me to believe that?" the woman shouted, her frustration evident.

The two women stared at each other in silence. Acheron, taller by several inches, looked down at the map again, clearly still confused.

The woman noticed something strange – she couldn't sense Acheron's presence at all, as if she wasn't there.

"Hmph, you should be grateful I haven't attacked you yet," she said haughtily, her nose in the air.

Acheron nodded. "You may state your name," the woman commanded.

"Acheron," she said, her tone slightly more animated than usual, though still monotone to others.

"I am Luminous Valentine. You should remember it well. You may call me Luminous."

"Hn," Acheron acknowledged with a nod.

"So, how did you get here, Acheron?"

"I got lost," she repeated.

Luminous walked over and looked at her map. "Firstly, you're holding it upside down."

Acheron flipped the map around without missing a beat. "And secondly, this isn't even a map of my city!"

Acheron folded the map and tried to hide it as if it didn't exist, mimicking Veldenava's behavior. She turned her head away, pretending the conversation never happened.

Luminous sighed. "Really?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Look at me," she commanded, and Acheron complied. Her gaze drifted lower.

Luminous suddenly realized she was unclothed and blushed furiously. 'Why am I blushing? I never blush.'

Seeing Luminous's embarrassment, Acheron tried to step back and run away, but Luminous's firm yet gentle hand stopped her.

"You're not going anywhere," Luminous said, a light surrounding her as she donned gothic attire. "Follow me."

---

(End of a chapter)