Ambush at Dawn [Part I]

I think I'm going to give up on finding Sakurako's family. I mean, she's practically a child, despite herself being 17, and she has no recollection of anything. Apparently, this is the second time she's seen the outside world. Strangely enough, she slightly remembers the first time, but can't remember the details. Sakurako knows basic stuff but can't remember the complicated ones.

Sakurako also speaks in small intervals and she speaks like a caveman. It would be around 5 PM in the other world. I'm here, trying to find out more about the Dragonoid girl I found.

'Alty~! Sakurako hungry!'

This girl has adapted a weird nickname for me. I don't know how she came up with "Alty," but I guess it's not the end of the world if she calls me that. It is embarrassing though. No one came up with a nickname for me when I was "Tatsuya." At least now I know the pain of having an embarrassing one.

Ah, forgot to mention that she's been referring to herself as "Sakurako" and in third-person. I don't know why she does. Maybe it's something to do with her amnesia. (I named her Sakurako, but only temporarily–it seems like she's taking it as her name though.)

Now I kind of regret feeding that lunch to the wolves.

'Are you now?'

'No!'

She ran across the field, laughing triumphantly. The fact that she's older than my current body and has a childish personality is... practically the opposite of me. Damn, I wonder if this is how my parents felt when I was a child.

I better get back to the village, before anything happens. But I can't leave this girl randomly. Maybe I can have the people in the village take care of her. Right now wouldn't be a good time. I can ask her to meet up with me when it reaches dawn, can't I?

'Hey, Sakurako, I'm going to have to leave you.'

Sakurako stopped and the smile on her face disappeared all too suddenly.

'Eh?'

'Ah, ah, ah, no, no! You can come to visit me in the village tomorrow! Umm... ha, I have it! Tomorrow at dawn! Come to the village to visit me tomorrow at dawn!'

I had to come up with a plan quickly before the Dragonoid would lash out and cry. It's already happened once before, and I don't want it to happen again. Sakurako wasn't about to cry, but she was pouting.

'So, Alty leave Sakurako now?'

'Yes. I'm sorry, Sakurako.'

I stood up, nervously and proceeded to pat her on the head before leaving. Man... kids are scary.

[x]

«WARNING. UNIDENTIFIED SUBJECT APPROACHING. MASTER ALTAIR, AWAKEN.»

A loud voice boomed. Usually, if I was sleep-deprived, I would be able to sleep through it, but this voice practically burst through my whole brain. I jumped out of my bed and leapt to the other side of the room.

'Eh?! You're Zyn's child, right? There's no way a levelless brat could move like that.'

There was a man in a dark cloak standing in front of my bed. I've heard that voice before in this village, but I couldn't pick out who it was. Taking a peek at the window slightly, I could see that the sky was mostly dark, but was tinged with vague oranges.

This guy is definitely someone from this village. Let's find out who it is.

(Identify!)

[Name: Carlos

Lvl: Level 21

Age: 37

Race: Human

Evolution: Superhuman

Skills: Shadow Magic, Earth Magic, Frost Magic, Thought Acceleration, Mutilate, Physical Enhancement, Stamina Recovery, Cellular Regeneration, Compaction, Killing Intent, Void Step, Space Manipulation, Energy Blade, Martial Arts Mastery]

Level 21?! Not only that, it's Carlos! I thought I–oh, I didn't use Identify on him... But what's with these skills?! They seem too overpowered! Space Manipulation, Compaction, Martial Arts Mastery?! There's no way I can beat him, at least I don't think. His evolution is... Superhuman. As the first in the evolution line of Demons, I'm not confident.

'Now, kid! Let's dance!'

Carlos threw his arms in front of him and shadows floated around in his cloak. They jumped out at me. I jumped in the air and surrounded myself with a solid ball made of Battle Threads. The ball was blown back into the streets and unravelled itself.

He didn't give up. A few more shadows flew toward me, but I warded them off with Bladeworks–I used it on my body. Next, the space around me distorted itself. It was probably from that Space Manipulation skill. I don't want to know what'll happen if I get hit with it.

Activating Physical Enhancement, I leapt backwards and a "POP!" sound filled the atmosphere. It wasn't any ordinary Space Manipulation. He must've added that Compaction skill to it to cause more damage. That'll tear a limb or two off.

«Assessment. If you get hit by the combo of Space Manipulation x Compaction, half of your body will cease to exist.»

So, it's like that. It's like some sort of deletion magic... Yeah, I seriously cannot get hit by that! Cold air starts reeling in from around him. He must be one of those Augmenters. Augmenters are people who take mana from the atmosphere and use it to their advantage.

'Frost Territory.'

The ground became ice and froze up. My feet got caught in the ice too. I couldn't escape it. With an AOE attack like this, the battle was practically decided. Ice crawled up my legs and froze my arms and torso. My head and neck were the only things that weren't frozen. Now, I really know I'm fucked.

Carlos swung his arm out–transparent blue energy cloaked it. It was like a sword. Energy Blade skill.

'Now–'

He drew closer to me, with his energy blade pointing at me. My heart started to beat faster. Faster than anything that has happened to me in both lives. I was facing death, once more, not too long after dying. C-crap... It's near my nose.

'...ty~'

A distant scream. Carlos stopped.

'Hmm? Did you say any last words, kid?'

'N-no. That wasn't me.'

I looked upward and so did Carlos. From the sky, a silhouette bigger larger and larger. I already knew who it was from the scream. Carlos leapt backwards–the ice on me and around me broke. I was free. In front of me was a small girl with pink hair and wearing a rag. Damn, I can't feel my arms.

She turned around and shook me.

'Alty! Play with Sakurako! Play with Sakurako!'

'Yes, yes, I will, after I beat this guy.'

'Hm?'

Sakurako raised my arm and inspected them. I didn't see them myself, so I didn't know the condition of them up until now. Some of the skin had been ripped off because of the dry ice. Chills travelled down my back. Dark energy emerged from the small girl.

'Alty. Who hurt you?'

'Oh, ah, that guy.'

I pointed at Carlos.

'I see.'

She let go of my arms and turned around. The girl I knew, Sakurako, was like a completely different person now. It was almost unbelievable seeing the amount of killing intent is being emitted from her.

'Then, I'll have to kill you.'

'Fwahahahaha! Try it, little lady!'

The man in the black cloak clasped his fists and shadows cloaked them like gloves. The shadows flowed like liquid nitrogen. Level 6 Dragonoid vs Level 21 Superhuman, who would win? Even though I wanted to believe in one, the other was bound to win.

This match would be completely one-sided.