Chapter 64: A Sparring Match of Unfortunate Strikes
From Rovel's observations, Kiana's Gun-Fu was a style built on a simple but effective premise: her legs were for close-quarters combat, while her dual pistols controlled the medium and long ranges. In theory, equipping her with superior firearms would dramatically increase her offensive power from a distance.
In practice, however, her guns served more as a support tool. She used suppressive fire to restrict the movements of agile opponents like Mei, or as a feint to close the distance on defensive, turret-like fighters such as Bronya. The so-called "Gun-Fu" was, at its core, a set of techniques developed specifically to complement the Judgment of Shamash in its hand-cannon form. It wasn't particularly refined and paled in comparison to the sheer depth of Hua's Cun Xin Fist Style.
Ultimately, it all came down to the raw, overwhelming power of the Kaslana bloodline.
Even though Kiana was a clone of the original Kiana, who was now known as Durandal, she seemed to have perfectly inherited the Kaslana family's extraordinary Honkai Energy resistance and their monstrously powerful physique. Had she inherited their Stigmata as well? The original game's plot never mentioned it, so it was highly unlikely.
"Here I come!" Kiana wasted no more time on words. In a blur of motion, she closed the distance and snapped a kick straight at Rovel's face. She must have sensed that he was no pushover, because she put considerable force behind the blow.
"Dissipating Force." Rovel shifted his weight, turning his body just enough for the kick to whistle past his ear. In the same fluid motion, his hand shot out and clamped around Kiana's ankle.
He was just about to neutralize the force of her attack when—
"Ah!"
A strange, sharp cry escaped Kiana's lips.
The sudden contact on such a sensitive spot sent a jolt through her entire body. Her muscles went slack, her strength vanished, and she stumbled forward, collapsing directly into Rovel's arms. His own hands moved on instinct, one wrapping around her waist to support her.
"..." Raiden Mei watched from the side, her expression unreadable.
"..." Rovel froze, his mind blank.
The position they found themselves in was deeply awkward. Kiana's right leg was now hooked over Rovel's right shoulder, her left leg barely supporting her weight, and her entire body was pressed flush against his. One had to admit, her flexibility was astonishing, and her body felt incredibly soft...
Meanwhile, a scorching heat spread from her ankle where his hand was still firmly gripping it. A faint, pleasant scent of cherry blossoms seemed to emanate from him, a fragrance from the Three-Year Sakura sachet he carried.
Their eyes locked. For a fleeting moment, both of them completely forgot they were in the middle of a sparring match.
Three long seconds passed before reality crashed back in. They scrambled apart, their movements clumsy and rushed.
"Damn it... Again!" Kiana's voice was deliberately loud, a poor attempt to mask her flustered state. The persistent blush coloring her cheeks, however, was a dead giveaway of the turmoil she felt inside.
Trying to regain the initiative, Kiana fired a volley of rubber bullets from her pistol as she charged forward once more.
"Chaotic Thunder!" Rovel simply raised a hand, unleashing a wave of crackling energy that intercepted every single projectile, blasting them out of the air.
"Dissipating Force: Ink Chrysanthemum!" His body dissolved into a stream of light, and Kiana's follow-up attack struck nothing but empty air. Before she could reorient herself, a series of light, consecutive strikes from Rovel landed all over her body.
"Hahaha... that tickles!" Kiana clutched her waist and stomach, breaking into laughter.
If even Mei's True Shadow Flash couldn't inflict any real damage on her, the Ink Chrysanthemum technique—a skill designed to completely disperse impact force—was utterly useless. It felt less like an attack and more like he was just... tickling her.
"..." Raiden Mei's silence was heavy.
"..." Rovel lowered his hands, nonplussed.
"..." Fuyama Chizuru, who had been observing quietly, looked on with a mixture of confusion and amusement.
Feeling the weight of their combined gazes, Kiana's already flushed face deepened to a crimson red. She wished a crack would open in the dojo floor and swallow her whole.
"Aaaah! You're making me so mad!" Feeling as though Rovel was deliberately toying with her, Kiana threw aside all restraint and attacked with her full strength.
Rovel, now combining the Dissipating Force technique with the Clear Mirror Sword Intent he was still learning to master, found that he could easily weather her furious onslaught.
Kiana, on the other hand, grew more and more frustrated. Every one of her powerful strikes landed squarely on his body, yet each time it felt like hitting a bundle of soft cloth. The force simply vanished, leaving her with no purchase, no impact, nothing.
"You're so annoying!" she roared, leaping high into the air and bringing her right leg down in a devastating axe kick.
This time, Rovel raised his left arm, meeting the strike head-on.
Basic Fighting: Block!
The sudden, solid impact was a shock to Kiana's system. Having thrown her entire body into the attack, the abrupt stop sent her completely off-balance.
In that split second, Rovel saw his opening. He drove a palm forward, aiming an "Inch Force: Mountain Collapse" at her abdomen.
However, as the unbalanced Kiana tumbled forward, the palm strike he had intended for her stomach ended up... somewhere else.
A soft, yielding sensation met his fingertips.
Rovel's expression froze.
Kiana's expression froze.
"You... You...!" She clutched her chest, her breathing heavy and ragged. Her indignation was so great it almost seemed to make her... bigger.
"I..." Rovel stared at his own hand, a look of utter bewilderment on his face.
If he were to claim this was all a complete and utter coincidence, would a single person in the world actually believe him?
"Humph!" Kiana glared at Rovel's dazed expression, stomped her foot hard on the wooden floor, and stormed out of the Kendo Club in a huff.
[You have defeated Kiana Kaslana! Gained 10,000 EXP!]
The system notification barely registered. Rovel was still questioning the very fabric of his existence.
'Was that a fight, or was I flirting?' a soul-searching question echoed in his mind.
The world, however, was not about to let him off the hook so easily.
"Mr. Ruobai~"
A deceptively sweet voice, laced with the chill of the underworld, sounded from right behind him.
Rovel shuddered. A cold sweat instantly soaked through the back of his shirt.
"Mei... Mei, I... I won..." Forcing a smile so stiff it felt like it might crack, he slowly turned to face her.
"You..." Raiden Mei's voice was terrifyingly grim. To Rovel, it felt as if a tangible black aura was slowly spreading out from her, consuming the very air in the dojo.
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for judgment.
"You should still go and apologize to her."
Suddenly, Mei's tone shifted, and the oppressive aura vanished as if it had never been there.
"Eh?" Rovel opened his eyes, confused.
"I know you definitely didn't do it on purpose, Mr. Ruobai," she said, her voice gentle again. "But... Kiana is a girl, after all, and you accidentally touched... Anyway, you should go apologize quickly!" Raiden Mei urged.
"Ah, oh..." Rovel nodded dumbly. He glanced at Mei, asking softly, "Will you be alright here by yourself?"
"Don't worry, I've recovered. It's fine." Raiden Mei stood up to show him she was okay. She hadn't been seriously injured in their earlier spar; her calves had just been a bit strained, and the short rest had been more than enough.
"Alright then, I'll go apologize. Mei, please take care of yourself," Rovel said, before turning and hurrying in the direction Kiana had gone.
As for Fuyama Chizuru, she had already slipped away when Kiana had stormed out.
It seemed Kiana hadn't returned to the Aikido Club. Instead, she had left Chiba Academy entirely. Sensing the faint trail of aura she'd left behind, Rovel followed.
...
"Boss, give me ten baskets of steamed buns!" Kiana's voice boomed through the small eatery.
Before long, a tower of ten bamboo steamers was piled on the table in front of her.
Kiana channeled all her grief and indignation into her appetite, frantically devouring the food before her. Under the shop owner's stunned gaze, she polished off all ten baskets in just five minutes.
With a full stomach, her mood instantly improved. The unpleasantness from the dojo was pushed to the back of her mind.
"Kiana."
Hearing her name, Kiana turned. Her face immediately fell as the memories she had just managed to forget came rushing back.
"What do you want? I'm warning you, this lady is not to be trifled with!" she snapped, striking a clumsy combat pose.
"I came to apologize. I'm sorry... for what happened just now," Rovel said, his apology sincere and direct.
Seeing his earnest expression, the good-natured Kiana found much of her anger dissipating. Still, she crossed her arms and turned her head away with a sniff, not about to forgive him so easily.
"Is that all? Don't you have any sincerity in your apology?"
"Of course I do! Oh, right." Rovel held something out. "This is your student ID. I picked it up on the way."
"Ah..." Kiana fumbled through her pockets and realized it was indeed missing. "Th-Thank you," she mumbled, taking the ID with a blush.
"And this." Rovel produced a neatly wrapped gift box. "I found a piece of clothing while passing through the commercial district. It looked like it would suit you, so please take it as an apology gift. Also... Happy Birthday."
Hearing his last words, Kiana froze for a moment, stunned. "Thank you," she said again, her response almost subconscious.
"Open it and see if you like it."
Kiana carefully opened the box. Inside was a stylish orange and white jacket. She loved it at first sight. When she tried it on, the size was a perfect fit.
"That outfit is called 'Lost Traveler'," Rovel explained with a small smile. "I hope you like it."
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