As soon as Bob said that Arvid charged forward, arm pulled back. He threw his fist forward. Xiong Huang raised her finger, blocking the fist without even looking towards him.

“Stand back, my comrades! This is no normal foe!”

Elise engaged her full helmet, her core beginning to glow brighter when Bob placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Confused Query: Commander Bob?”

“Just observe for now. It’s dangerous for strangers to fight as a group.”

“Acknowledgement: Understood. Elise engaging observation and analysis mode.”

Arvid held back, throwing fist after fist at the very edge of his range, beyond the reach of the shorter girl. Left, right, left, right. Quick short jabs, over and over. Xiong Huang yawned, a finger blocking each fist as it came, without even sparing the man a glance. Then, as one fist came towards her, Xiong Huang pushed lightly against it.

Arvid’s arm swung backward, pulling his body with him. He spun around once as he stumbled back, losing his balance and falling on his butt.

Xiong Huang finally turned her head, just enough to glance at him from the corner of her eye.

“That’s twice you’ve disrespected me today, boy. The next time, you’re getting hurt, whatever your boss says.”

Arvid grimaced and nodded.

“My apologies.”

He pulled his sword from his back, holding it in front of him with both hands.

“The one chosen by destiny calls upon the ancient pact…”

The sword began to glow.

“Let the power of the forefathers imbue the most worthy of the line…”

The glow illuminated his body.

“That the sons of Ragnar lay low their foes…”

A gust of wind burst through the room, Arvid’s hair fluttering about. He lifted the sword high above his head, piercing towards the roof.

“That our saga may be sung eternal!”

A final gust of wind and light surged forth. Arvid stood, his body and eyes glowing with golden light. He crouched down, then shot into the air, leaving a dented tile on the floor below. He lifted his sword high, filling it with all his power. The sword shone, brighter and brighter, filling the room with light.

He let out a ferocious shout as he fell from the sky, bringing down his sword with all his might.

BOOM!

A great explosion blew through the room, sending gale force winds tearing through the room. The others gasped and held up their hands, shielding their face from the light and wind.

When they looked back up…

There stood Arvid, muscles bulging, sweat dripping from his brow. The glow around his body and sword began to fade.

In front of him stood Xiong Huang, completely untouched. A single finger lay against the edge of a trembling blade. She let out a yawn.

“So the power of your ancestors, immortality through legacy and legend? Not bad…for a mortal.”

She bent her finger and lightly flicked it up. Arvid’s sword flew from his hands, spinning through the air before stabbing into the ground. Arvid fell to his knees as the glow left him.

“But a borrowed power is no power at all. You stand before true immortality with a pale shade of it. You rely on the strength of your betters. I faced the heavens alone…and defied them!”

Xiong Huang lightly tapped Arvid’s forehead and the large man flew back, sliding across the floor.

After this, Kiyosuke stepped forward, drawing his blade. Xiong Huang raised an eyebrow.

“Approaching so soon after your friend went down? Points for bravery. Points off for stupidity.”

Kiyosuke frowned.

“I’m not like the others.”

Xiong Huang yawned.

“You know? Every other applicant to my sect says that. Try to come up with something more original, will ya?”

There was a metallic clang in the air as Xiong Huang continued to yawn. Several kunai fell to the floor.

Kiyosuke vanished, black shadows zipping across the room and around Xiong Huang’s position. She seemed to be standing still, yet sparks and flashes appeared all around her.

“I’m sure you’re proud of running around. But you know what that would make you at my sect?”

Xiong Huang sneered.

“An outer disciple. At best.”

Kiyosuke appeared in front of her.

“Phantom slash.”

Xiong Huang slowly moved her finger behind her, blocking the flash of light from that direction.

“Too slow, and entirely broadcasted.”

She slowly dragged her finger forward. Kiyosuke gasped as an arc of light cut him in two…

A puff of smoke revealed a log cut in half.

And behind Xiong Huang a groaning Kiyosuke went flying.

“Substitution technique? It only works on foes of relative parity. Against an overwhelming foe? Just a waste of your energies.”

Kiyosuke grunted as he rose to his feet.

“Not yet!”

Xiong Huang let out a sigh.

“Boy, you’re beaten. You don’t have half the strength of the last guy. Your speed is nowhere close to me. And none of your tricks will have any effect given the difference between us. Back off before you get hurt.”

“I’ll never back down! Not when true power is finally in front of me! So I won’t stop until I see the limits of your power! The kind of power I need for my revenge!”

Xiong Huang’s eyes widened. Kiyosuke pushed off the ground and vanished. Xiong Huang lifted her finger.

And slammed Kiyosuke into the ground.

She slowly crouched down, placing her head near Kiyosuke. Kiyosuke let out a groan, lifting his shaking neck.

“Not yet.”

“...I’m annoyed now. Revenge, was it? Boy, I met someone just like you once. A man hell-bent on revenge. Do you know what I did to him?”

Kiyosuke finally raised his head, blood dripping from his nose.

“I beat his face in until you couldn’t recognize him, then I stabbed him in the heart with his own blade. Now, unless you want your quest to end right here and now, stand back up so I can beat you.”

Kiyosuke grit his teeth. His entire body shook. But he slowly lifted his upper body upon his trembling arms, then stood upon his shaking feet. He took deep breaths as he stood. Xiong Huang stared at him for a second.

Then she swung her finger up across him.

Something like a machine gun sounded throughout the room. Kiyosuke cried out and flew through the air, landing with a heavy thud. Bob swore and hit a button on his wrist. Medics ran into the room and immediately began tending to the boy.

Bob opened his mouth.

“Don’t. Say. Anything.”

Bob slowly closed his mouth.

Saydaa took a step forward. Bob raised an eyebrow at her.

“You sure you want this? She’s not in a good mood right now.”

Saydaa flashed a grin.

“Oh, she’s super scary. But it’s not about power, is it? We don’t have to beat her…we just have to touch her.”

Saydaa turned forward, as her eyes started to glow.

“Boys, boys always take the dumb approach. Let me show you how it’s done.”

Saydaa flicked a finger, her eyes glowing ever so slightly. A small piece of debris slowly rolled towards Xiong Huang’s foot.

Xiong Huang sighed. The debris vanished, reappearing in the air, Xiong Huang’s finger curled around it. She flicked her finger, Saydaa crying out in surprise as the piece lightly tapped her head.

“Girl, your power is blaring like a neon light. Work on your control, a trick that shoddy only works on apes and fools.”

Saydaa grit her teeth and raised her hands, her eyes glowing brightly this time. Several of the metal tiles damaged by Arvid and Xiong Huang’s earlier fights lifted into the air, breaking into dozens of pieces.

“I’ll show you blaring power!”

Saydaa clasped her hands together and the metal pieces shot forward. Xiong Huang yawned, barely moving as metal pieces clattered to the ground around her. Saydaa’s eyes flashed and dozens more pieces joined the barrage.

Xiong Huang ignored these as they passed harmlessly through her.

“Like I said. Work on your control. Shoddy illusions like that won’t work on anyone with working eyes.”

Saydaa clenched her teeth.

“The attack is on…”

Saydaa screamed and clutched her head. Xiong Huang frowned.

“That was dumb. Opening a direct line to someone’s head? Worst possible way you could’ve tried that. You’re lucky I caught it in time. We train to resist such incursions, if my normal, passive counters had triggered, you’d be dead right now.”

Saydaa slowly lifted her head, glaring at Xiong Huang.

“THAT HURT!”

Xiong Huang shrugged.

“Don’t fight if you don’t want to get hurt, girl.”

Saydaa placed her hands out to her sides and lifted into the air. Wind began blowing around her as her eyes glowed brighter and her hair began to float around. Faster and faster the wind blew, until a cyclone raged around her. Saydaa drew her hands back, then thrust them forward.

The cyclone surged forward as Saydaa dropped back to the ground. It grew and grew until it reached the roof of the room, pulling in all the loose debris. The roaring gale approached, threatening to engulf the thin woman entirely. Xiong Huang lifted her finger, and casually swung it left to right.

A powerful arc of wind blew along the line her finger drew, bisecting the cyclone. The cyclone twisted and dispersed, leaving the air in the room calm.

Except for the arc of wind which continued into Saydaa, knocking her to the ground with a cry.

“Not a bad amount of power for a mortal but sloppy and unfocused. You’ve never actually done this before, have you?”

Nana fell to her knees, trembling.

“S-She’s so strong…i-it’s impossible.”

Elise took a step forward, core glowing. Bob again placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I think we’re done here.”

“Request: Commander Bob, Elise requesting permission to engage.”

Bob frowned.

“You’ve seen what she can do, Elise. You’re just going to get hurt.”

“Acknowledgement: Correct. My threat analysis indicates a near 0% chance of success for this unit. Light damage guaranteed, moderate to severe damage is highly probable.”

Bob furrowed his brow.

“Then why are you requesting permission to engage?”

“Explanation: This is a training procedure with a minimal chance of permanent damage. My simulations indicate an attempted engagement offers significant potential improvements to combat protocols.”

Bob stood still for a second and then sighed, dropping his hand.

“Miss Ueno.”

“B-Bob-sama?”

“You should fight with Elise.”

“B-But…”

“Elise is correct. Ultimately this is a training exercise. Don’t worry about trying to win here. Treat this as a learning experience, do your best, and see if there are any lessons for you.”

Nana gulped but she nodded her head as her trembling slowed.

“Now come here. If you two are to have any chance, you’ll need a plan…”

After the group huddle, Elise stepped forward in full combat mode. Xiong Huang looked her over.

“Those are some cute toys. Do you even know how to use them?”

“Answer: This unit has been programmed with the latest in combat protocols, including full data on currently available weaponry.”

“Watching a simulation is not the same as knowing how to fight, little machine.”

“Acknowledgement: This is a noticeable weakness of current combat protocols. This unit is requesting assistance in removing this weakness.”

“Hm, well you know your place a bit better than the others. Come on then.”

Elise held up her arms. Panels opened all over her body, revealing weapons of all sorts.

And then she unleashed hell.

Machine guns lit up the room, filling the air with lead. Missiles launched from small panels, twisting towards Xiong Huang. Xiong Huang yawned, smashed bullets dropping the ground and missiles exploding in the air around her.

The panels closed and Elise brought her hands together, both palms pointed towards Xiong Huang. Her core grew brighter and orange-yellow lights lit up along her arms, forming a circle of light in the center of her hands.

The air hissed as a beam of light shot towards Xiong Huang. Xiong Huang lazily held out her finger, the beam colliding harmlessly into it.

The beam stopped and the lights on Elise’s arms faded.

“Mass Manipulator initialized.”

Elise’s hand now glowed with purple light as she pointed them towards Xiong Huang.

“Gravity push.”

Purple bolts fired from Elise’s hands and filled the skies, arcing around to approach Xiong Huang from all directions. These too collided into Xiong Huang’s finger, purple blasts appearing all around her. She raised an eyebrow.

“Curious, but that’s it. Still won’t do much against an overwhelming opponent, even if they couldn’t clear out the effect.”

Elise slammed her hands together and her core grew bright once more. This time purple lights lit up along her arms and a sphere of crackling purple light grew between her hands.

"Mass Manipulator at maximum power. Activating Singularity Protocol."

A single purple bolt shot from Elise's outstretched arms, slamming straight into Xiong Huang. The bolt shrank and vanished, then exploded into a black sphere with waves of purple light pulling towards it from around the room. The air howled and gale force winds surged towards the sphere, along with the loose debris scattered around the room.

And then the sphere began to move, revealing the untouched cultivator beneath it.

Xiong Huang lifted the sphere with her finger, then moved it above her head. She pushed on it lightly with her finger...

And the singularity popped, leaving the room silent and calm.

“Observation: Abnormal energy readings detected. Interference with gravitational fields unexpected.”

Xiong Huang shrugged.

“That’s just my qi’s natural circulation resisting a foreign energy. I’m not even doing it consciously. You'll need a lot more power than that to affect me.”

“Revelation: Previously undiscovered phenomenon observed and logged. Expressing Gratitude: Elise thanks you for the revelation.”

“You’re welcome. Now try to actually do something, little machine.”

Elise dropped her hands to her sides, blades extending from her wrists.

“Status Report: Ranged combat protocols ineffective. Engaging close combat protocols.”

Elise rushed forward, swinging her blades at Xiong Huang. These two deflected off the air near Xiong Huang, Xiong Huang’s movements not visible even to Elise’s enhanced sensors. Elise pulled up her elbows, her forearms pulling in, them exploding out in repeated stabs.

All of which were deflected.

Until she slipped a small ball into the air. That too was struck, and exploded into smoke.

A shadow dashed through the room into the smoke. Nana gripped her kunai, narrowing her eyes as she rushed towards Xiong Huang’s position…

Nana cried out as something impacted her stomach and she flew from the cloud of smoke. Elise flew from the other side, colliding into the ground with a metallic crash. Bob let out a sigh.

“I mean, that was pretty obvious. Especially since only one of you was trying to fight. You need better stealth and speed if you’re going to try something like that. I’m kind of disappointed since you were involved, Bob.”

Bob shrugged.

“Best we could do on short notice. And I’m not sure it would matter against you anyways.”

Xiong Huang raised an eyebrow.

“Then why bother with these brats?”

“They won’t be fighting against you.”

“Fair enough.”

Bob stepped forward and held out a hand. Xiong Huang sighed and then went to shake his hand…

And then felt something metallic poke her palm.

She looked down at her hand.

Sticking out of Bob’s sleeve was a metal finger.

She glanced down on the ground. Elise held up a hand. A hand with four fingers. She looked back up to see Bob smirking at her.

Xiong Huang closed her eyes, her veins bulging.

“You are…so…annoying.”