The Silver Knight:

The forest wasn't the best place for his abilities...

There were so many trees and rocks to keep track of that they limited his speed! Besides, he didn't possess Captain Tash's Saniya-tracking senses to make his job more manageable.

His heart fluttered with pressure. What if he would miss the bard by going too fast? Or perhaps he was going too slow? Was leaving the Lycan Squad a good call? What about the Yūrei?!

No, he couldn't run further like this! He needed a breather, a few moments to catch his breath. But his colleagues were fighting for their lives while he was on break. This wasn't fair...

But what else could he do? To wield light magic, one must be at peace of mind, free from any emotion to hold them back, as Namadi's gift guided the user's body. As much as he wanted to push himself, in this state, he was worthless.

He gradually calmed his pounding heart with deep, slow breaths. He reminded himself what capturing those fiends meant for Sayama, Stella, and the bright future he was sure he could contribute to its fruition. As the sparks of determination flew through his being, Asra gathered his Saniya, emptied his mind, and then tapped into another burst of Lightspeed, evading through the mighty conifers that populated the area!

The speed of light searching continued for a few minutes until an unassuming tree he was about to sidestep spun unnaturally, pressing him to stop in his tracks. His choice to keep his hearing suppressor on proved to hold downsides by a rogue, thick agglomerate of stiched-up vines slamming at the right side of his helmet!

The hero flew onto a tree, crashing into the thick bark with such intensity that he pulverized a sizeable chunk. He needed to collide with yet another so his body would cease its inertia, and so he did.

Asra touched the struck spot, feeling the concerningly deep dent it caused. Fortunately, his visor's features were still working as intended, though it probably wouldn't resist another attack of such potency.

The Human considered toning down the sound suppressor, controlled by a dial on the left side of his helmet, so he could hear and react to an incoming ambush. However, since the bard knew his exact location, he was close enough to observe him. That meant the Daien's song was especially dangerous from such a close distance, capable of numbing his senses at the slightest slip.

Of course, there were two more possibilities. The bard could be Saniya-sensitive or expand his senses through the vegetation, just like Hōkō. However, the guard sincerely doubted the Daien was nearly as skilled as the elder, who was the only known wielder of such a high-level technique. Besides, Asra needed to wrap this up before the Lycan Squad could be injured to the point of compromising their mission. Time was of the essence...

Emptying his mind again, the hero leaned down and placed both hands on the ground. Golden Saniya cruised around him as his body shook and flickered with a blinding light like a second layer of skin. His energy swelled further with each passing second, not bothering with how much would remain once this spell was done.

No concern was welcome. Asra was one with the light. One with Namadi...

"LIGHTSPEED: MARK TWO!"

An overwhelming, almost divine glow pierced and ravaged through the shadows! A second sun has descended upon the Earth, determined to inflict justice upon the agents of chaos and injustice! Before a butterfly could flutter its wings, he flashed through miles on end, flickering his radiating self next to every tree, rock, or hole he'd find on his crusade.

The Human sun's energy threatened to fade until his piercing eyes glimpsed a familiar primate scurrying away from the bastion of righteousness. A fruitless effort, as his body was smashed against a tree with a similar result to what he had done to the guard. Call it poetic justice. Or police brutality, it's your pick.

The shard of Namadi's glory slowly flickered back into The Silver Knight, his cape keeping the glowing outer layer for a few more seconds before joining the trend. His body begged to rest, his muscles throbbed with fatigue, and his bones threatened to pulverize at any second. However, he was resolved to keep his glorious, unshaken posture, puffing his chest, knuckles on his hips, and his golden cape highlighted by the perplexing moonlight.

"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, CRIMINAL!" He proudly shouted as he rotated the dial to regain his hearing. "YOUR POOR CHOICE OF ARTISTRY APPLICATIONS IS NO MATCH FOR SAYAMA'S BRIGHTEST DEFENDER!" He did not flinch as he fought through the agony of pulling off his signature pose. Balancing oneself on one foot was not ideal in this physical condition. "THE SILVER KNIGHT!"

He bit his lip, his leg trembling and aching beneath his weight. "Please, let this end..."

The Daien groaned, reduced to a semi-conscious state while his bamboo flute rolled a few inches away from his fingers. His mouth moved, but no voice came out. Well, nothing audible, at least.

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The hero let out a huge sigh, regretting his lack of restraint. Before he leaned in to hold the criminal over his shoulder, a black vine wrapped all over his arm, squeezing and worsening the pain. A high-pitched, feminine giggle reverberated between the trees as he was pulled by the Yūrei.

"No, no, no..." He hissed, wrestling control against Hari-onagu. His arm pulsed with the excruciating effort, and his feet lost more of their hold on the ground with each pull. He gathered what remained of his Saniya for one last act of defiance, but it was short-lived.

Right! The Silver Blaster™! Asra's grasp on the weapon faltered, but it did not slip his fingers. He shot twice, one at his binding and another directed at Hari-onagu herself. She shrieked as the golden projectile struck her shoulder.

"Dannyou! First your tartner, now this?!" The bony creature stepped out of the shadows, her eyes twitching with inextinguishable wrath. Her pale torso was slightly exposed by a tear in her kimono. He had a fleeting glimpse at Captain Tash thrusting her paw through the Yūrei's stomach. Judging by how fast it took to regenerate, her skill in body magic was not to be trifled with...

"All that for a disgusting Hunan!" She snarled. "You deserve what's coning to ya!"

The woman screeched as thick patches of hair swirled and lunged at him. He was about to shoot another blast until-

SLASH! Blue sparks flew between him and the hairy sea, cutting the tendrils with imperceptible speed! After a few seconds, the electric currents subsided, revealing the form of Captain Tash.

The Wolf shifted her eyes at him. "Right in the nick of time." Asra picked up the slight tone of amusement lingering in her words. He supposed he deserved it.

Before he could thank her, her attention returned to the Yūrei. "Keep my associate out of this." She waved her paw at her, then at herself. "I'd rather keep this between you and me."

Hari-onagu's eye twitched. "How quaint. Did you niss ne that nuch?!"

The captain unsheathed her claws and lowered to stand on four legs. "Heh. What can I say? I'm still itching for someone to relieve my anger." The blue sparks returned, her fur bristling with excess energy. "Oh, and keep your eyes and hair on me. I'd hate to see all that work to close that hole being for naught..."

Asra slowly stepped toward the unconscious bard, his eyes fixed on the upcoming duel. The Yūrei hovered her hand over the torn section of her dress, her breathing audible and shallow as her still massive mane contorted violently.

"YOU DITCH! I'LL TEAR YOU ATART!"

What came next was a violent yet strangely graceful and flashy dance of sparks and weaponized follicles. The captain kept relentlessly striking with lightning-enhanced slashes from her hands and feet. However, the pale woman's defenses and reflexes were flawless, not leaving a single opening to exploit while counter-attacking with her natural weapons.

Fortunately, the Wolf had the terrain advantage, using the trees as platforms to evade attacks and momentarily hide her presence. When the Yūrei desperately searched for her opponent, she was suddenly zapped by a rogue group of lighting bolts, only strong enough to throw her off-balance. Three more times, the process repeated, pushing Hari-onagu's fury to dangerous levels. What was Tash's plan?

Having the time to analyze it, Asra finally understood how her hair worked. As long as her strands were stagnant, she could harden their structure to become impenetrable shields. That meant she couldn't attack and defend simultaneously.

The Human briefly locked eyes with Tash, who climbed the tree he was resting on. A sense of understanding formed between them as her paws were coated with a white aura. She was charging up for a decisive attack.

A sizeable portion of Hari-onagu's hair wrapped around a tree. Gritting her teeth, she grunted as the mighty plant was uprooted by her mighty black tendrils.

"YOU CAN'T ESCATE AFTER I TEAR EVERY TREE OF THIS DANNED FOREST!" She roared, throwing the conifer at another and tumbling them to the ground. Then, she prepared to do the same thing to a second one. "COWARD!!!" She flailed her gigantic improvised weapon at its siblings, clearing the area with each fallen tree.

Tash retreated from her hiding spot while Asra pointed his blaster at the cultist. A faint, golden light emitted from the muzzle while his fingers wavered on the trigger, waiting for the right time. His muscles cried for rest, even with the slightest effort, but his determination cried louder. The captain already had ample reason to despise him, and most likely, she did, yet she still counted on him!

After creating a clearing spanning three square feet by sheer rage, Hari-onagu's movements became slower and more sluggish. Her chest visibly expanded and retracted, but her grip on the tree remained unchallenged.

That was it! It was all or nothing!

The shot connected to his target! But... the blood-curdling scream that followed made him lose his grip on the Silver Blaster™. The shot wasn't intended to be THAT painful...

That was when he saw... The Yūrei clutching her eye, a red stream pouring out from her hand...

The screeching persisted. Guilt and fear threatened to burst Asra's mind into pieces. Her remaining globe twitched and locked onto him, tears falling on the ground, hissing with venom.

"HOW..." Her entire body spasmed before she sprinted towards him, hand outstretched to inflict her pain onto him. "DARE YOU!!!"

Asra winced, closing his eyes in anticipation. However, he was taken aback by a loud, cracking sound, mixing with Hari-onagu's screams of agony. When he opened them back, he saw the pale woman engulfed by an electric aura, violently convulsing on the dirt. He couldn't shake off the horrifying imagery as tears streamed down his cheek.

He wasn't sure what emote his visor was showing at the moment if one at all. He wasn't sure if he cared.

He heard Captain Tash's steps approaching them. "You did good, Knight. Could do without the eye-popping, but I'm sure she can heal that back."

That last remark did make him feel better, for all that was worth.

The electricity surrounding the Yūrei faded away as fast as it came, leaving her limp with her bleeding face mixing with the dirt.

"I'll see what I can do for her." The captain assured. "Can you carry the bard?"

No overly dramatic comment. Only a nod.

"Good. The sooner you get on with it, the better."

The Knight sluggishly pulled himself to his feet and dragged his body in the still-unconscious Daien's direction. Once again, before he could get his hands on him, a voice crept into his... mind?

"What a brutal display... Are you happy with yourself?"

A chill coursed down his spine. Why were his hands trembling so much...?