I Hope You Can Understand

James shook her hand back, it was soft but strong, peaceful but not harmless. It's warmth surprised James at first, but it didn't show in his response. "My name is James, what do you want," He was short and concise with his words, and if that didn't get his intentions across, surely the sword in his hand would give her a clue.

"Look, I know that i'm an invader, and you have no reason to trust me yet, but-" Shen Ziran was cut short.

"Then I hope understand why I have to do this," James has spoken, yet his form had already flickered and his fist was now mere inches from her jaw. However, at the last second, his fist was blocked by a lean forearm, neither of them were able to push forward.

"Looks like she really does have a tempered body on our level, huh," Conor was a little intrigued, but not necessarily surprised. They both used the power of their bodies to separate themselves by about five meters

"Regardless, she has to know that I pose a serious threat to her life," James didn't dare to play around with this girl, he had even considered outright killing her until she showed initiative and sincerity.

"If she wanted Alex dead, he would've been dead. She must want something else, but I won't let her take me lightly." He mumbled to himself as his readied his silvery sword to battle.

"Honestly I can't say I blame you, however, you might not like how this turns out for you sweetheart," Shen Ziran chuckled as she casually took out a thin rapier. She clearly didn't seem to be taking James seriously, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Greenish-blue light started radiating from the blade, and she stood in a counter stance, waiting for James' approach.

"Sweetheart my ass, don't talk cute to me," James' body flashed with an orange glow and he hurtled once more towards Shen Ziran. His sword slashed down onto her, but when his blade met hers his strength felt like it was being diverted to the side. In the end. His strike was parried and he was struck with a counter stab to the waist. The two separated once more, but this time James had a hole in his side that was incessantly spurting blood.

"I don't know, I think the nickname suits you," She immediately charged forward, continuing her assault. This time, James predicted her movement and blocked her stab with the flat of his blade, his free hand pushing on the other end to support it. Then, he pulled something unexpected; he disappeared from behind the blade, leaving it there, and sent a fist flying at Shen Ziran from her right side once more. The young woman was hit and thus sent flying through multiple street lamps and ruined some of the pavement on the highway. "Ugh... You pack a punch, don't you little boy,"

Her quips were ignored as James finally released his thunder streaks, twenty into each of his legs, ten into his mind. He vanished and reappeared before Shen Ziran before she could react and stood on he shoulder while pointing the tip of his blade to her neck, "That's enough. Just tell me what the hell you want from us, if you're not here to kill and loot us."

Shen Ziran sighed. Come to think of it, she certainly does that a lot. "Long story short, I fled from an influential figure after humiliating his bratty son so I need a place to stay where nobody is under his influence. That's where you guys come in."

"Then explain why you speak our language," James immediately probed her with more questions.

"I have a language artifact helps me learn almost instantly through writing. Anything else?"

"How did you know we were native to this planet?"

"My name is Shen Ziran, yours is fucking James. You're wearing clothes that i've only seen on natives. I've never seen anyone else with a language artifact like mine yet you were speaking the native tongue. Not to mention you have the aura of someone who isn't shackled by heaven and earth, which all of us are." She was getting tired of these questions

"If you knew I was able to progress and quickly eclipse you in power, then why would you approach me and make an enemy of me," James still felt unsafe around this girl, as was evident in his tone.

"Actually, we were the ones that started the beef here, she was completely docile until we attacked her," Conor spoke very matter-o-factly in his partner's head.

"I never said we had to be enemies sweetheart." Shen Ziran winked at James, showing off her vibrant orange irises.

"Read the room will you?" James was getting annoyed with her constant flirting.

"Sorry, it usually works on the boys whenever i'm in a sticky situation. Old habits die hard," she gave a chuckle, and she clearly wasn't as sorry as she said she was.

The blade was pulled away from Shen Ziran's neck as James stepped off off her shoulder and helped her up. He didn't say anything as he gestured for the girl to relax. Minutes passed in silence, before the sound of quick footsteps could be heard in the distance. "He's here, we can get moving soon." James shouted to Alex, who sat further down the highway. The scrawny boy nodded and stood up to gather with James and Shen Ziran.

Obviously the approaching footsteps were Whit, and seeing as there was one set of footsteps, there shouldn't have been anyone tailing him. Upon his arrival, Whit looked at Shen Ziran, at James, and once more at Shen Ziran. James simply gave him a nod, clear in its implication, 'I'll explain when we get back'.

Shen Ziran looked rather confused, "Are they exchanging messages with their Soul? No they're too weak for that..." Little did she know that these were two teenage boys born and raised on Earth, lifelong friends simply needed to nod or make a hand gesture for these things.

James turned back to Shen Ziran, "Just follow me," She didn't need to be told twice, as she turned to follow the three boy's now fleeting figures.

'I think I got lucky, these guys seem alright. Sure, the one is quiet, but it's better than a loudmouth. The leader is a pretty domineering, but I guess it's cute. That last boy seems passion driven and aggressive at first glance, but something tells me he's as sensible as the rest of them." Shen Ziran appraised each of the boys as she ran behind them.