The following letter has been taken from the private collection of A.W. Warner, Lead Scientist of the A.R.A. Department of Advanced Biochemistry. Sensitive information has been redacted.
----------------------------------------
Warner,
I hope this message finds you well.
As we discussed in our previous exchange, I am writing to update you regarding the new shipment of Bm-A Serum 86-B currently en route to Raleiv. Should everything follow the schedule, we can expect its arrival in approximately two weeks.
However, I must express some concerns that weigh heavily on my mind. What exactly is your intention for this particular batch of Serum? As I have previously mentioned, Serum 86-B has been classified as unusable; its efficacy is nonexistent, rendering it essentially worthless in any application. Given this classification, I find myself puzzled as to why you would request this specific variant. What possible purpose could it serve in the ████████████████████‘s ongoing projects?
On a more positive note, I am pleased to report that our research on the serum formulations has been progressing exceptionally well. The experiments involving Formulas 39-A through 72-B continue to yield impressive results, demonstrating efficiency levels that are surpassing our initial expectations. We anticipate a significant influx of new soldiers who will be equipped with the corresponding Magicks derived from these successful formulas, which should greatly enhance our operational capabilities.
Everything is moving smoothly.
J.W.
----------------------------------------
I can’t stand that bitch!
Saori’s thoughts when it came to Riya could not be any clearer. Saori’s very demeanor soured and she tensed up at the mere mention or sight of Riya, as if Riya’s very presence inflicted a deep-seated irritation upon her. The way Saori’s usual jovial rhetoric and tone swiftly rotated completely, her usual friendliness and patience dissolving into sharpness and impatience whenever Riya was involved, intolerant of anything regarding the other woman. It was evident that Riya despised Saori just the same, her usual laid-back, indifferent behavior around peers becoming high-strung and combative when Saori was present. Even the most socially inept half-wit could scrounge up an ounce of reason to avoid the warpath of those two. The constant, tumultuous feud they had, characterized by harsh, scathing words that flew back and forth like arrows in a relentless exchange, never quite hitting the target.
If Saori had it her way, the other girl would never even have gotten the chance to be a battalion commander for the Armina Magick Army. Saori had gone to great lengths making an effort to convince Colonel Ira Ivanova, their brigade leader, that Riya had proven to be too hot-headed and irresponsible with her company, and would not be a good fit for a battalion. Unfortunately, Riya had established herself as a skilled mage and fighter, a reputation earned long before Saori herself had even joined her current division of corps. Strangely enough, Riya had only been promoted recently, a month or so after Saori, despite being a much stronger contender.
It made sense though, how Riya became a bataillon commander. She had long been a valuable asset to the army, her skill with mana and swift action in the field had made her an indispensable asset. Her response times often made her the first to arrive on the scene, and she had an uncanny ability to swiftly solve conflicts, leaving no room for debate or delay. Riya’s approach was akin to a firework: rapid, explosive, and bursting with raw energy she rushed into battle with immense power. It was rather astonishing, her grit, and even Saori could admit, rather begrudgingly at that, it was a marvel Riya had managed to have gone so long without receiving formal rank recognition for her exceptional skills.
In stark contrast, Saori’s approach was grounded in meticulous planning, control, and flawless execution. Her strategy was all about precision—carefully orchestrated maneuvers designed to strike the enemy at their most vulnerable and maintain a tactical advantage. Anything could go wrong at any moment. Saori emphasized minimizing risk, every move calculated precisely to prevent any unexpected activity. What Riya had in firepower, Saori had in strategy. Play the long game, stay in formation, never stray from the plan.
Saori sighed deeply as she gathered her long, pale blue hair into a high ponytail, a routine that helped her concentrate. Saori had fairly long hair, the tips of it touching the top of her thighs when down. A single section towards the front had been intricately braided—fidgeting with her hair had become a habit that helped her think. Saori’s hair had not always been blue; once upon a time it had been jet-black, a color she hadn’t seen since she enlisted in the military a decade ago, at the age of nineteen. Now, at twenty-nine, her hair had gone completely blue, which had become her new natural color.
Fifteen years ago, Magick- a groundbreaking serum developed by military scientists from the nations of Armina and Rigo- had been perfected and immediately began military use. Upon military entry, soldiers would be injected with a variant of the serum, based on what was needed at the time, initiating several shifts in their bodies. The serum could grant extraordinary abilities, those of which had only existed in fantasy up until then. Soldiers could harness and manipulate electrical energy, exceed the natural limits of the human body, or even control elements such as light, air, and the blood within others’ veins.
However, the powers granted by the serum were notoriously difficult to control. Mana would often surge uncontrollably in multiple directions, rendering it challenging to harness effectively. To counteract this, soldiers were provided with personalized, intricate weaponry, through which they could channel their mana.
In addition to these enhancements, the Magick serum caused notable physical changes. One such alteration was the immediate transformation of the pigment in one’s irises, a change to unnatural, vibrant colors that seemed almost unsettling at first—too bright and intense to harmonize with the face, as if they were glowing. Saori had gotten used to it after a while. Not only did the eyes of the Magick-Soldiers change, but their hair did too. Initially, it was completely unnoticeable, hair maintaining its original color. But as time progressed, the roots began to grow into an entirely different color. A vibrant hue of any unattainable color by natural means decorated any newly grown hair, until eventually, with seasonal trims, hair would be overtaken completely with the new color.
And with this new color, came a new social order within the military. The length of your hair became a symbol of your experience and rank. Shorter hairstyles were often viewed with skepticism, as they indicated that the wearer had only recently joined and had opted to cut off all their original hair rather than gradually trim it. This was looked down on immensely. In contrast, longer hairstyles, which required regular maintenance and were often worn up to avoid inconvenience, signified higher status and greater respect. Gender difference in popular military hairstyles became obsolete; hair length and style became an indicator of experience and authority, rather than gender.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Saori had just returned to the Armina military base after a two-month intensive retreat in which she had dedicated her time to training a group of new military recruits. Although Saori was glad to be back, this unfortunately meant her brief vacation from Riya was officially over. Not even two days had passed since her return, and Saori could already feel Riya’s antics grating on her nerves. Determined to focus on her own training, Saori headed to the gym, hoping to find some solitude after her time with the eager recruits. However, to her dismay, she discovered Riya had beaten her to it. The sight of Riya, rapidly striking the training targets, made Saori’s stomach churn. She would have preferred to face an entire army than endure another training session with her. With a heavy sigh, Saori turned on her heel, deciding to abandon the gym to seek out a secluded area where she could concentrate on honing her abilities without interruption.
As she wandered the expansive grounds of the military base, Saori thought about how to best train the powers she possessed. The variant of serum in Saori’s veins allowed her to manipulate temperatures, enabling her to drop the ambient temperature around her to bone-chilling lows. With a mere thought, Saori could summon sharp icicles that would pierce the hearts of her foes, creating a lethal advantage in battle. Additionally, she could conjure frigid gusts of snow and wind, obscuring visibility and providing her with precious moments to reposition or escape, as well as freeze the space around her- creating ice that could entrap opponents easily.
Saori’s fingers instinctively found their way to the holster at her waist, where her favorite weapon resided. She retrieved the sleek, high-powered gun, its intricately carved surface gleaming even in the dim light of the base hallways. As she walked, Saori meticulously polished the weapon, making sure to keep it in its best condition. This gun was not just a tool; it was an extension of her will, specially designed to channel her mana through its chamber, giving her the power she needed to take down hordes of enemies in combat. With it, she could infuse her Magick into a controlled and predictable force, transforming her uncontrollable natural abilities into calculated movements in the heat of battle.
After polishing it to perfection, Saori finally admired her gun, its smooth surface gleaming under the soft light. Satisfied with her work, she carefully slipped the weapon back into its holster, and continued forward on her search. As she walked, her eyes caught sight of a small group of her subordinates engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument. Among them were Captain Markus Meyer and Captain Ximei Yáng, two of the five soldiers under her command who had been appointed to the rank of Captain—an esteemed position just below her own. Each Captain was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing approximately two hundred soldiers from the larger thousand that fell under Saori’s command, executing orders for large-scale operations with precision and authority.
At the center of the dispute, Markus and Ximei were animatedly bickering, their voices rising high above the usual ambience of the base. Saori was just about to move on and continue her search for a peaceful training area when Markus’s sharp gaze locked onto her.
“Hey—Lieutenant Saori, Ma’am!” he called out, his voice putting a temporary halt on the fight.
Markus was a tall, bulky man of German origin. He had wavy orange hair, often in a man-bun, the startings of a beard, and a square-shaped face. Despite his imposing physique, he was known as a ‘gentle giant’; outside the battlefield, he wouldn’t harm a fly. When Saori first met him eight years ago, she would never have guessed he would ascend to the rank of Captain. During training, he hesitated to raise a weapon against others in training and only used minimal power when needed.
That perception shifted dramatically the second Markus stepped onto the battlefield. Against a real enemy, he was merciless. He would not hold back against an opponent, especially anyone in Rigo’s army.
As Saori approached, Markus casually slung an arm around her shoulder, flashing her a wide grin. This was another characteristic of his—an apparent oblivion to the very concept of personal space. Saori internally groaned but maintained her composure. She turned toward him, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes?” She replied, with an undertone of exasperation
“A few of my soldiers have claimed the rec room for an event tonight,” Markus explained, his voice rising with frustration, “but Captain Yáng here has decided to use it for her own soldiers, even though I had already reserved it!”
Seriously? Saori thought, incredulous. They couldn’t work this out on their own?
Captain Ximei Yáng scowled. She was a short, fierce-looking woman of Chinese descent. Her straight, purple hair was neatly tied up in a bun, and she often wore a soft gothic outfits that contrasted sharply with the military uniform worn by most of their comrades. Ximei often complained about her soft goth style, claiming she’d wear traditional goth if it wasn’t so hard to maintain in a military setting. Her unique aesthetic had quickly become part of her identity, and no one could imagine her in anything other than black.
“I didn’t see your name on the list,” Ximei shot back, her voice laced with defiance.
Saori rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. I don’t have time for this.
“How about you both just use the rec room?” Saori suggested, attempting to mediate the situation. “It’s large enough to accommodate an entire village; I’m sure it can fit both of your groups without issue.”
Markus reluctantly pushed off from Saori, a deep sigh escaping his lips. “I guess I’m fine with it…” he mumbled, clearly still displeased.
“Whatever,” Ximei scoffed, crossing her arms in a huff.
Saori couldn’t fathom how this had become such an issue. Why couldn’t they sort it out themselves? Did she really have to step in for every minor conflict? Just as she turned to leave, determined to finally get on with her training, Markus snapped his fingers, drawing her attention back.
“Right,” he exclaimed, his voice laced with a sudden urgency, “I was supposed to tell you—Colonel Ivanova is holding a meeting in her office in two hours. She says it’s important.”
Why wouldn’t you mention that from the start? Saori’s frustration surged as she processed Markus’s casual mention of the meeting, especially after he had prioritized the rec room drama. Without further comment, she spun around on her heel and began making her way to Colonel Ira Ivanova’s office, her mind already shifting gears. Saori always made it a point to arrive early, and today would be no exception.
----------------------------------------
> A/N: Hello! ^^
>
> I've wanted to write a webnovel for a while, so I decided to do it! I hope you like it! I'll try to upload weekly, but im busy so no promises!