Yuxia ran along the long corridor, her daggers at the ready. Whether or not she still had the element of surprise did not matter to her anymore; this was no longer about the enemy. It was about her, and all that she sought to protect. Her eyes hardened with intense focus, though they glanced at the small figure running ahead of her all too occasionally.

Henrik stopped running and pointed towards an inconspicuous door ahead. Yuxia immediately reached for her grenade pouch but hesitated. No. It can’t be that easy.

A small flash of movement was her only other warning.

She darted to the side, lifting Henrik away just in time from the slashing steel. Small sparks bounced off the ground as the sword left a gash on the ground. The Red Clover held her daggers in front of her, standing between Henrik and her enemy. Firdaus scowled back at her. He had shed his armour, making him look a lot smaller than what she was used to. But she could not let looks deceive him; he was still a formidable foe with that long sword in his hand.

Firdaus charged forward without a word. Yuxia immediately raised her daggers to block his incoming sword, but their blades never met. Her body tensed up instinctively as his palm found her forehead instead. A glaring glow emanated from his eyes.

It was the most uncomfortable, most violating feeling Yuxia had ever felt.

A strangled scream left her gaping mouth as her life flashed forcibly before her eyes. Firdaus’ mental grip stretched into the deepest parts of her brain like hundreds of tiny worms, staining every memory and overriding her will. She tried her best to resist him, but she felt weaker by the second. Her legs gave way as her eyes rolled to the back-

The feeling left abruptly. The slightly dazed woman collapsed to the ground, groggily watching a small boy jump up and swing his fist at the man. Firdaus staggered from the hit, but it was not enough to knock him off his feet. Henrik leapt towards a nearby wall and kicked off it, using the momentum to deliver a second strike, but Firdaus had already read his movements.

The boy flew backwards from the spinning kick and crashed to the ground motionless.

“HENRIK!”

The Red Clover moved faster than she ever had before, bolstered by rage and desperation. Her opponent deflected her rapid slashes, moving almost equally as fast.

But only almost.

Her dagger finally found the back of the swordsman’s wrist and sliced it open. Firdaus yelled in pain, dropping his sword and clutching his injured hand. Yuxia turned around and ran towards the door Henrik pointed to, seizing the narrow window of time. She jumped forward, her boot aiming near the door handle.

The Red Clover did not have the time nor the patience to examine the room. She leapt over the broken door and rushed towards the armour seemingly stuck to a large microphone. Her fingers stretched for it, but she felt a tug on her hair before they could pry it out. Yuxia screamed in pain as she was flung away from the control panels.

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“Finding this familiar, Sergeant Yuxia?” a dry voice grated her ears from behind. She turned to face Firdaus, fully expecting him to be walking menacingly towards her like he always did. Her eyes widened in surprise to see him leaning against the control panels instead.

“You’re no hero,” he continued. “You’re barely even an innocent person. So that’s not why you’re doing this, aren’t you? Deep down, you’re afraid. Afraid of losing everything you love because you weren’t strong enough to protect them. You take the offensive everytime to prevent even the possibility of losing.”

“You think you know me just because you’ve been in my head?” Yuxia tried to snap back, but her voice only wavered.

“I know you because I’m just like you.” He stood up. “So why won’t you understand that I’m trying to protect what’s left of the world? Generations of enhanced mutates will spawn from the mutation wave, and their unchecked powers will bring about the end of the world. For the sake of humanity’s future, there must only be one enhanced bloodline to rule perfectly with his ability. No one else is worthy, except mine.”

“You’re blinded by your own ego. Mutate or not, those people are my family.” Yuxia’s voice raised as she got up to her feet. “I’ll fight to protect them, and I’ll die if I have to.”

Firdaus smiled and drew his sword. “Then may the best man win.”

The two figures danced around each other, parrying and lunging in perfect coordination. The swordsman’s movements were exceptionally spirited, complementing the precise and determined strikes of the vigilante.

With a deft flick of his wrist, Firdaus twisted his sword and knocked the daggers out of Yuxia’s hands. The Red Clover seized the chance and kicked the sword out of his hand as well. The pair raised their hands and immediately engaged in hand to hand combat.

Yuxia’s confidence wavered. Though she was top of the class in close quarter combat, her opponent had the benefit of superior strength and power. Firdaus did not let up, his fists a blur as Yuxia desperately blocked them. Firdaus’ strikes grew more ferocious as the Red Clover backtracked. She ducked to the side, avoiding a powerful heel kick from her assailant.

A loud crash was followed by whirring sounds slowing down as the control panels broke from the force of the kick.

Gotcha, you bastard.

The Red Clover immediately reached for the armour and ripped it off the damaged equipment. She flung it away victoriously, failing to notice the man lunging towards her. The two opponents crashed onto the ground. Yuxia tried to push herself back up, but the enraged enhanced gripped her wrists tightly and pressed her back down. She screamed in shock and pain as he sunk his teeth into her collarbone.

“Now you’re one of us.” Firdaus gritted his blood stained teeth and squeezed her neck forcefully. “Go to hell, monster.”

“After… you.” Yuxia reached around him and stuck a grenade on his back. The pressure on her windpipe loosened momentarily just as Firdaus realised what had just happened. She seized the chance and kicked him upwards before he could do anything.

The grenade exploded.

A sharp pain shot through Yuxia’s body as the shockwave of the blast hit her, despite already being partially shielded by Firdaus’ body. Blood splattered from her mouth just as the floor broke beneath her.

She fell.