"Still no response?" the acting captain asked.

"None, sir," replied the communication officer. "We've tried multiple channels and frequencies, but there has been no sign of any incoming transmission."

As far as the communications officer could see, the communication systems were functioning properly, but there seemed to be complete silence from the other end. The aetherial power source and other power sources that powered everything in the base were at full capacity, ruling out any technical issues.

The communications tower stood tall and proud, its array of antennas reaching towards the sky. Despite its impressive capabilities, it remained eerily quiet, as if the airwaves themselves had gone silent.

"Damn it," the acting captain muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his voice. He had been trying to establish contact with the command center at the base for hours, hoping for some kind of response or guidance. But all his attempts had been met with nothing but static and silence.

Ever since the lilac-haired samurai, Reiko, arrived with an explosion, the soldiers from the principality have been unable to eliminate her despite their best efforts. After she destroyed the barrier they created, the soldiers were left defenseless and powerless against her relentless attacks. And when the tides turned and the soldiers finally had the means to fight on equal ground, Reiko escaped to the narrow and complicated streets of the base, disappearing without a trace.

As they searched for her, squads of soldiers split up and scoured every nook and cranny of the base, hoping to corner Reiko. However, this made it difficult for them to coordinate their efforts and communicate effectively. Without a clear plan or central command, the soldiers became disorganized and vulnerable to Reiko's stealthy attacks. The lack of coordination allowed her to continue evading capture and wreaking havoc on their ranks.

But just as the soldiers were starting to lose hope, a set of heavy footsteps they recognized echoed in the central plaza. The soldiers turned their attention towards the sound, their spirits lifting as they saw their commanding officer, Aiden Fyrien, with his hulking frame towering above the chaos.

"What's the situation here?" Aiden bellowed, his voice carrying authority and reassurance. The soldiers quickly regrouped around him, their confidence restored by his presence. With their commanding officer leading the charge, they were ready to turn the tide of battle and put an end to Reiko's reign of terror.

"Sir! A woman named Reiko intruded on the base and has been causing havoc," one soldier reported, his voice filled with urgency. "She's highly skilled in manipulating Ki and has an absurd amount of power. Furthermore, she managed to destroy a holy barrier that we thought was impenetrable. She retreated to the streets of the city, leaving chaos in her wake. Our forces are scattered and struggling to contain her."

The commanding officer's eyes narrowed as he processed the information, a fiery determination burning in his gaze. "I'll go," he declared, his voice filled with unwavering resolve. "Inform the remaining troops to regroup at this plaza immediately. Stand by until I arrive."

"Gauntlets and Greaves of White Fire." As the words left his lips, aether gathered on his arms and legs, forming gauntlets and greaves that burned with a brilliant white flame. The commanding officer's transformation was complete, radiating an aura of power and confidence. With a nod to his comrades, he leaped into the air, leaving behind a trail of scorching white fire as he soared towards the heart of the chaos.

***

"Gyah!" "Urk!" "Ugh!" "Kuh!" Grunts and cries of pain were the last sounds that echoed through the labyrinthine streets as Reiko once again ambushed her unsuspecting enemies. For quite a while now, she has been using hit-and-run tactics on the divided forces, exploiting the narrowness and complexity of the streets to her advantage.

She dived into the shadows, disappearing from sight as her enemies desperately searched for her. And when they least expected it, Reiko would bind them with their own shadows, rendering them helpless and at her mercy.

"It seems you've been taking care of my men," a deep voice echoed from the skies above. Reiko looked up to see a figure with gauntlets and greaves with fire emitting from them hovering in the air. "But now, it's time for you to face a true challenge," said the figure, General Aiden, his voice filled with confidence and a hint of arrogance. Reiko's eyes narrowed as she assessed her opponent, realizing that this battle would not be like any she had faced before.

"Oh my, you look quite formidable," Reiko replied, her voice sounding sensual and composed. "Compared to the boys in your army, you might actually last longer than them," she said with a sly smile.

"For a woman capable only of controlling Ki, you seem to have quite the audacity," General Aiden scoffed, his arrogance dripping from every word. "Know that I am a Grand Master, a level 6 martial artist who could use both Ki and aether to defeat my opponents. Though I must admit, to be able to destroy an aether barrier with Ki alone is quite impressive. Hm, how about joining the principality? We could use someone with your combat prowess and control Ki to rid the world of inferior beings?"

"Oh, what an honor it would be to join the principality," replied Reiko, a hint of amusement in her voice. "But I refuse." As the words left her lips, her form blurred like a haze, and she disappeared, leaving behind only a faint trace of her presence.

"Shit!" the general exclaimed, his eyes widening as he realized that he had been duped by Reiko's illusionary technique. He quickly raised his guard and scanned the surroundings, prepared for any potential attack. And then the hairs behind his neck stood on end as he felt a sudden chill in the air.

General Aiden turned around as fast as he could to block the wakizashi that was aimed at his back. Sounds of metal clashing against metal filled the air as the fiery white gauntlet and the gleaming blade of the wakizashi collided.

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"Guh!" General Aiden grunted in exertion, his muscles straining against the force of the attack. With a swift motion and using the thrusters on the gauntlets, he pushed Reiko back, at the same time widening the gap between them in the air.

Clap-clap! "Oh my, you blocked my surprise attack?" Reiko taunted, a smirk playing on her lips. "But that's just a greeting from me. Shall we dance?"

"Don't mess with me, bitch! I'm going to kill you!" General Aiden's voice dripped with venom as he launched forward with flames spewing from his gauntlets and greaves, leaving a trail of white sparks in his wake.

"Holy Fire Arts, Silver Flame Smash!" he shouted as the silver fire engulfed his fists, intensifying the heat around him. The intense heat radiated from General Aiden's blazing fists, creating a scorching aura that seemed to distort the air around him. The flames danced and flickered with an otherworldly intensity, casting an eerie glow on his determined face.

"Anooo! Who're you punching theeere?" Reiko's voice called out somewhere, interrupting his fiery display. Startled, General Aiden turned around to locate the source of the voice. He saw the lilac-haired samurai adopting a cute pose, although her smile couldn't hide the mockery in her eyes.

Heh. General Aiden smirked, unperturbed by Reiko's mockery. This time it was he whose figure blurred and disappeared into thin air. Reiko's mocking smile quickly faded as she realized General Aiden had vanished, doing the same thing she had done earlier.

Crap. Reiko cursed under her breath, realizing she had underestimated the general and his abilities. She quickly scanned her surroundings, searching for any sign of General Aiden. A speck of light caught her attention, and she squinted to get a better look. As she focused on the speck, it began to grow larger and take shape, and her eyes widened in horror as she realized what it was.

"Holy Fire Arts, Blazing Silver Roar!" the general's voice boomed through the air as a brilliant white streak of fire shot towards the building where Reiko was standing, melting everything in its path. Before the white beam hit her, she scrambled to dive into the shadows, reappearing on another building, her heart pounding in her chest.

From her new vantage point, Reiko watched in awe as the destructive power of the attack reduced the previous building to a smoldering pile of rubble. The intense heat radiating from the wreckage made her shudder, realizing the true extent of the general's power. She knew she had to come up with a plan quickly if she wanted to stand a chance against such a formidable opponent.

So that was an act earlier, hm? Reiko's mind raced as she analyzed the general's abilities. His being caught off guard and attacking in a straight line was all a ploy to hide his true strength. She realized that he was intentionally luring his enemies into underestimating him, only to unleash devastating power when they least expected it.

"Aha, hahaha! Hahahahaha!" Reiko's laughter echoed through the empty streets of the base as she finally found an enemy she could go all out against. She had been craving a worthy opponent for so long, and now she had found one in the general.

The knights protecting the princess and the bandits on the abandoned fort weren't strong enough to satisfy her thirst for a fight to the death. Reiko had been yearning for a challenge that would truly test her abilities and push her to her limits. The general, with his cunning tactics and formidable strength, seemed to be the perfect adversary to fulfill her desire for an exhilarating battle.

"Sly Fox, vanish." Reiko whispered the command, and the wakizashi on each of her hands vanished into thin air, leaving her unarmed. "Lightning Wolf Arts: Breath of the God-Beast, Lightning God-Beast Transformation. " As she uttered the incantations, her Ki changed to electricity, crackling and surging through her body. Lightning enveloped her arms and legs, forming an ethereal armor that resembled the paws of a wolf.

"Are you done?" Aiden, the enemy general who had been watching Reiko's transformation, sneered. "Sorry about that, general," Reiko replied with a smirk. "Kind of rude of me to underestimate your abilities, huh? But don't worry, I won't hold back anymore."

Reiko's words served as the bell that signaled the start of an intense battle. With her newfound electrified armor, she turned into a blue bolt of lightning, darting towards Aiden with unparalleled speed and agility. Fiery white gauntlets and greaves met electric blue claws as the two exchanged blows that echoed through the battlefield. Sparks flew and crackled in the air, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

"Holy Fire Arts, Ivory Phoenix's Descent!" Aiden shouted, raising his leg high into the air. As he brought it down with incredible force, a blazing flame erupted from his foot, leaving a trail of scorching flames in its wake.

"Lightning Wolf Arts, God-Beast's Ascent!" Reiko answered with a fierce roar, her lightning-clad arm swinging forward. As the raging white fire and pulsating electricity collided, a powerful shockwave reverberated through the surrounding area, shaking the ground and sending sparks flying in all directions.

The two combatants stood locked in a fierce battle, their powers clashing with intense energy. The air crackled with electricity, and the scent of burning flames filled the arena, creating an atmosphere of raw power and determination. Each strike was met with an equally forceful counterattack as they pushed their limits to gain the upper hand.

However, the tides of the battle began to shift as Aiden had an inexhaustible reservoir of aether with the bracelets and anklets on his limbs, allowing him to tap into the aetherial power source and unleash devastating attacks that overwhelmed his opponent.

"This is the end! Holy Fire Arts, Ivory Phoenix's Roar!" Aiden shouted, his voice echoing through the battlefield. A ball of white flames materialized in his hands, growing larger and brighter with each passing moment. Once it reached its peak, the general thrust his hands forward, releasing a torrent of scorching white flames that overwhelmed Reiko in an instant.

The torrent of silver fire blasted Reiko backwards, sending her crashing into buildings and leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. The impact was so powerful that the ground shook beneath them, causing debris to rain down from the crumbling structures.

As the flames finally died down, Reiko slowly rose from the wreckage, her body battered and bruised. "I commend you for surviving my attack." General Aiden's deep voice boomed from the smoke-filled air. Looking up at the towering figure of General Aiden hovering in the air, Reiko hung her head down in exhaustion and pain.

Seeing Reiko's defeated state, General Aiden descended to the ground and approached her, keeping a safe distance. He had a sinister smile on his face, relishing in her suffering. "You may have survived my Holy Fire Art, but would you survive being bombarded by my relentless army? Your resilience is impressive, but I assure you, this is only the beginning of your torment."

Soldiers of the Principality from the surrounding area began to gather, their wands all pointed at Reiko, ready to unleash a barrage of spells. The air crackled with anticipation as General Aiden raised his hand, signaling the soldiers to hold their fire.

"Fire!" General Aiden commanded, and in an instant, a cascade of spells erupted from the soldiers' wands, hurtling towards Reiko with unstoppable force. The sky was filled with a dazzling display of magical energy as the onslaught intensified, leaving no escape for Reiko amidst the chaos.

Or that's what was supposed to happen. But their wands never responded to their chants, leaving the soldiers in a state of disbelief. Panic and confusion spread among them as they frantically tried to troubleshoot the sudden malfunction. It was as if their connection to the aetherial power source had been severed, leaving them defenseless against the impending danger.

"What's the meaning of this!?" General Aiden boomed, his voice filled with frustration and anger. "Fufufu," Reiko chuckled. He glared at her, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Do you have any idea what's going on here?" he demanded, his tone dripping with accusation. Reiko's laughter only grew louder, her amusement apparent.

"General, you said you have an army at your disposal," Reiko finally managed to say between fits of laughter. "But I have mine too." Her words were the signal for the ninja girls to reveal themselves. As Aiden's eyes darted around, he realized that he was surrounded by a group of highly skilled ninja girls, their weapons glinting in the moonlight. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him momentarily speechless.

"I also have a very cute daughter who cut your aetherial power source," Reiko added with a mischievous smile. Aiden's eyes widened in shock as he realized that not only was he outnumbered, but his source of power had been compromised.

System Alert: Abyss’ Darkness Consumption had reached dangerous levels.

At that moment, in an unknown place, a notification popped up on a holographic display. A dark, ominous, and foreboding aura emanated from Reiko as she stood there at the same time the notification appeared, her mischievous smile turning into a sinister grin.

And although Reiko survived the encounter, he wasn't the adversary who would put her in grave peril and possibly cause her first death.

To learn more about how things came to be in this situation, the hands of time would need to be turned back.