Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

One step.

It was only one step. Hua could get it over easily. Yet, compared to the difficulty of fighting honkai beasts and staying alive in the battlefield, it was something she could never do.

'When did it start? From senior's reprimand?'

Way back then, she could see Aleph's concern for her. Just her 'reckless' act of saving her best friend Carole without any further plans was halted by him.

Had she proceeded to do so, she would have ended up like her original self—the Hua who ran away in defeat… and fear.

Once again…

"I…"

Hua's voice halted abruptly. From the way it shook, Aleph could tell she wasn't as calm as she seems on the outside.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

It was akin to a wall.

'What should I do? Can things become like now if he…'

Her fears overwhelmed her mind. The surgery done onto her, as well as the implantation of "Garuda" made her mind extremely clear. 

Aleph once described it as a "spiritual aptitude" of sorts. It was a power that lied in one's mind. 

At first, she held a misconception that it 'improved' her mental state.

The moment she told him about it, the latter gave out a reply:

"That's the effect brought by stronger power. It gave you more confidence, didn't it so?"

Her mental state became dozens of times better compared to her before she joined Fire MOTH.

Now, she clearly understood it.

When it came to other matters, she was still the same as before.

'I… I…'

Her thoughts passed by extremely fast. Only five seconds passed in reality. Nevertheless, it created an awkward silence between them.

"...It's nothing. Please forget about it."

Hua chose to run away from the problem.

Her back faced Aleph's silent gaze.

'...She is much like me.'

He thought of how he used to put these kinds of interpersonal matters behind the back of his mind. If it weren't for the time he was 'cornered' by Mei and Kurumi, and later on by Mobius, he would not have made up his mind that easily.

Ironically, Aleph saw his previous shadow in Hua.

'It shouldn't end like this.'

If there was one thing he learned throughout the course of these past twenty one days, it was to take the initiative.

He stood up from his seat and grasped Hua's right wrist. The latter stopped walking and looked at him in a startled gaze.

She was wearing a plain attire, white t-shirt and jeans. The sense of touch and warmth from his hands was clearly felt by her.

Hua's pair of blue pupils met a pair of golden eyes.

"What is it? We've been through this before." Aleph slowly said. "I only found out about your matters in the frontline when I went there myself. Please. If it isn't personal…"

"...It is personal."

She bit her lower lip. The pace of her heartbeat was enough to make her think it would come out of her chest at any given moment. That was how nervous she was.

"I…"

Hua averted her gaze from him, but it was of no use. She could still feel his gaze.

It was then. She remembered what Carole told her.

"There are things that would've been over had you talked with him. This is my honest opinion."

Unlike Hua, Carole was used to being frank. She did not like how others wasted time in what should've been resolved with one talk. She had seen this numerous times to her friends who had problems with their relationships. 

In the end, all that was left were regrets.

"Don't make that same mistake."

Though hesitation filled a portion of her mind, Hua decided to heed her friend's words.

"I like you, senior. Not as a friend, but something else."

Her words were brief and concise. Her face made it seem she was calm, yet the slight tremors in her voice said otherwise.

She was still facing sideways, her back facing Aleph. Her mind entered an unprecedented calmness.

It was broken when she was gently pulled to his chest. Her cold hands contrasted the warm feeling she felt when her back touched Aleph's chest.

"You must know… that I am what others call a scum…"

Hua did not even give him a chance to finish what he wanted to say.

"I am aware. It is fine with me."

The moment she made up her mind, her mind blanked. She wasn't plagued by any of her worries anymore. Therefore, everything she said did not have any filters—that she was fine by being one of Aleph's girlfriends.

Upon hearing that, Aleph no longer had any other thoughts than to cuddle with the gray-haired girl in front of him.

*****

"Ara. I did not come out for a while, and you already have another girl."

Aleph led Hua out of the shelter. The latter was holding the former's pinky finger. 

They were currently heading towards the return ship Mei deployed to them.

The 'evolutionary process' was over. Hua had to return to her designation.

At this moment, Aleph's shadow momentarily wavered.

"Now, I am unsure about what I am doing." She said. "I am not talking about your actions. It's the other Spirits I brought with me."

"...Ah."

Half of him heaved a sigh of relief while the other half went to more serious business.

"You said that your enemy spanned through possibilities… or rather, the parallel worlds you have said. At the very least, it was on par with the First Spirit, if not stronger."

Hearing Kurumi's explanation, Aleph understood what she planned to do.

"You are planning to bring more help…"

It wasn't exactly difficult to wake these slumbering Spirits up. Great Sage had done an analysis during the time Kurumi recovered using his own energy.

Simply put, it's a matter of forming a certain 'connection' with them and passing any form of energy to activate their 'basic sustenance' inside their Sephira Crystals. It was at that time did Aleph realize that his fragmented Sephira Crystal came from Kurumi's world—from the First Spirit, to be precise.

"Let's talk about it later."

"Um."

Soon, Hua left with the return ship.

Zoom-!

"Elysia's next… but I might have to change my plans after that."

Thinking of the reports of increased honkai beast activities, Mei mentioned to him in the past few days that the councilors slowly asked for his presence. Their reason was to curb the unease, strengthening the fact that Fire MOTH has 'someone' on their side who could control the situation.

In short, it was a public demonstration.

"Being high-key… well, the situation requires it."

Aleph's body floated to the sky once again.