Sore, Bruised, and Confused
Pain.
That was the first thing Usa-hime felt when she woke up.
Her entire body ached. Muscles she didn’t even know she had screamed in protest as she sat up in her bunk. The sparring match with Zyra had left her covered in bruises, but somehow, she felt good.
Like her body had changed.
She flexed her fingers, remembering the fight.
How she had moved—faster than she should have. How her kicks had shattered metal.
Her mind still hadn’t caught up with what had happened.
"Maybe Kuro was right," she mumbled, rubbing her temple. "Maybe I really am—"
BZZZT!
Her wristband vibrated—a message flashing across the holographic screen.
COMMAND SUMMONS: REPORT TO MISSION BRIEFING IMMEDIATELY.
Usa-hime blinked. "Huh?"
She had barely been here a few days. Why would command want to see her?
A knock sounded at her door.
Kuro’s voice came from the other side. "Rise and shine, newbie. We got a situation."
Before she could respond—
ALARM SIRENS BLARED THROUGH THE STATION.
Under Attack
"WARNING: BREACH DETECTED. HOSTILE FORCES INBOUND."
A mechanical voice echoed through the halls.
Lights flashed red as lockdown protocols engaged, sealing certain areas of the station. The cold metallic walls shuddered as klaxons blared, their shrill cries rattling Usa-hime's skull.
Usa-hime stumbled to her feet. "What the hell is happening?!"
Kuro grabbed her wrist, yanking her into the hallway. "No time to explain. We’re under attack."
Cadets rushed past them—some panicking, others already arming themselves. Battle-ready cadets snapped weapons from wall lockers and darted into defensive positions. Energy rifles hummed to life, plasma blades flickered like lightning in the dim emergency lighting.
Usa-hime’s heart pounded. "Attacked?! By who?!"
Kuro’s ears twitched. "Not sure yet. But they’re inside the dorm sector, and they’re not here for a social visit."
"What does that even—"
A deep, metallic BOOM shook the walls.
The floor trembled beneath her feet. Dust rained down from the ceiling, and for a second, she swore she felt the whole station tilt. The air filled with static, thick and sharp like a brewing storm.
Something was coming.
Something big.
"I don’t have a weapon," Usa-hime stammered.
Kuro grinned, sharp teeth flashing. "You are a weapon."
Before she could argue—
The wall at the end of the hallway exploded.
The Enemy Appears
The shockwave hit first, slamming Usa-hime backward into the wall. She gasped as pain shot through her ribs, her vision spinning. Through the smoke and falling debris, she saw dark silhouettes stepping forward.
The armored figures emerged—hulking alien warriors clad in dark red exosuits, their faces hidden behind sleek, skull-like masks. Crimson lights glowed beneath their armor, pulsing like demonic hearts.
Their blades hummed with plasma energy, crackling like unstable lightning. Their movements were calculated and deliberate—these weren’t just random attackers. They moved like soldiers. Hunters.
Their leader, taller than the others and bearing a jagged scar running down his helmet, stepped forward. His gaze swept the corridor like a predator seeking prey.
"No survivors," he growled to his soldiers.
Panic swept through the cadets. Some bolted back down the hallway, others froze in place.
"MOVE!" Kuro barked, dragging Usa-hime to her feet.
But before they could run—
The lead warrior’s gaze landed directly on Usa-hime.
"You," the warrior snarled, stepping forward. His crimson visor gleamed. "The child of the Ghost Hunters."
Usa-hime’s blood ran cold.
"What are you talking about?!" she gasped.
The warrior’s blade ignited with a hiss. "Your parents thought they could hide you… but you can’t outrun destiny."
Before she could react—
He lunged.
Usa-hime felt her muscles tighten—her instincts screaming—
And suddenly, her body moved on its own.
She twisted aside as the plasma blade sliced the air where her head had been. The heat stung her skin, but she kept moving. The warrior struck again—
Faster this time.
But so was she.
Usa-hime ducked, her legs coiling like springs. When the warrior lashed out a third time—
She kicked.
Her foot struck the warrior’s armored chest—
And sent him flying.
He smashed into the wall with a sickening crunch, leaving a crater in the metal. Sparks danced across his armor as he groaned, trying to push himself up.
The hallway went silent.
"What the hell…?" Kuro muttered, staring at Usa-hime. "Did you just—?"
The other warriors snapped out of their shock. They surged forward, blades igniting, teeth bared.
"RUN!" Kuro shouted.
Usa-hime’s legs were already moving, her instincts pulling her faster than her mind could comprehend. The red-armored soldiers thundered after them, their blades cutting through walls and doors like paper.
Her pulse roared in her ears, her body surging with that strange, overwhelming energy.
I can outrun them, she thought. I can—
Ahead, the corridor split into two.
"Go left!" Kuro barked.
But Usa-hime barely heard. Her vision blurred as a burning heat surged through her veins. Her muscles felt tight—almost electric.
"Usa-hime! Snap out of it!"
The sensation swelled to an overwhelming surge, like something inside her was about to explode.
The First Kill
The red-armored warrior lunged—fast.
Too fast.
Usa-hime barely had time to react before the alien’s plasma blade came slashing down, aiming straight for her neck.
Move!
Her body acted before her brain could process it.
She twisted aside, barely dodging the burning arc of the blade. The heat licked at her skin, close enough to singe her uniform.
The alien recovered instantly, adjusting its stance with terrifying precision. It was a trained killer.
And she was its target.
“Why is it after me?!”
The warrior lunged again.
This time—she countered.
She didn’t think, didn’t hesitate—she kicked forward.
Her foot collided with its chest.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled through the hallway as the alien launched backward like it had been hit by a railgun. It slammed into the wall, the impact denting the metal plating.
Gasps echoed from the other cadets.
Even the enemy soldiers hesitated.
Usa-hime froze, her breathing ragged.
She had felt the impact—the sheer power in her legs. This wasn’t normal.
The enemy warrior groaned, shifting against the wall. It was still alive.
Her heart pounded.
She had never killed anyone before.
Could she?
The warrior snarled and pushed itself up.
No choice.
It moved to attack again—
Usa-hime spun and kicked.
CRACK.
The alien’s helmet shattered.
Its head twisted unnaturally.
It collapsed.
Dead.
The first kill of her life.
And there was no time to process it.
Because more were coming.
The Station Burns
“Fall back! Regroup at the armory!” an instructor’s voice barked over the station’s intercom.
But the enemy was everywhere.
Explosions rocked the station, sending metal debris and shattered glass flying. The once-sterile halls of the Hunter’s Academy were now a war zone.
Screams filled the air as cadets fought for their lives.
Some were cut down instantly—no second chances.
A group of recruits tried to flee down a corridor—only to be gunned down by a squad of enemy warriors.
This wasn’t a drill.
This was war.
And Usa-hime was in the middle of it.
“Usa-hime!”
She snapped out of it as Kuro grabbed her arm.
“We have to move—now!”
More warriors stormed into the hall, cutting down cadets with ruthless efficiency.
Kuro dragged her forward, weaving through the chaos.
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A plasma shot whizzed past them, melting a chunk of the wall.
They turned a corner—only to stumble into another battle.
And this one wasn’t going well.
Zyra’s Last Stand
Zyra was losing.
She fought like a demon, her fists crackling with electric energy, but she was surrounded—five enemy warriors pressing in.
She had already taken hits—her uniform torn, blood dripping from a cut on her forehead.
But her eyes still burned with defiance.
An enemy swung—a massive warrior with four arms and an energy hammer.
Zyra dodged—but barely.
The hammer grazed her side, sending her stumbling.
The warriors closed in.
One raised a blade to finish her off.
Move, Usa-hime!
Usa-hime launched herself forward.
Before the warrior could strike—
She jumped—higher than she should have been able to.
Then—she kicked downward.
The force of her kick caved in the enemy’s skull.
The warrior collapsed instantly.
Zyra stared, wide-eyed.
“You—”
“Later!” Usa-hime shouted, grabbing Zyra and pulling her away from the other enemies.
The warriors turned toward them—furious.
They charged.
Kuro snarled. “I’ll hold them off! You two—go!”
“Are you crazy?!” Usa-hime shouted.
“Less talking, more running!”
Kuro drew twin daggers and vanished in a blur of shadow.
Zyra groaned, clutching her ribs. “I can still fight.”
“Can you run?” Usa-hime countered.
Zyra grit her teeth. “Tch. Fine. Let’s go.”
They ran.
Trapped Like Rats
The halls of the station were collapsing.
Fires raged, smoke clogging the air. The once-sterile metal walls were scorched and broken.
Usa-hime and Zyra sprinted through the chaos, leaping over fallen debris, dodging plasma fire.
“Where’s the evacuation point?!” Usa-hime shouted.
Zyra clenched her jaw. “Upper sector! But we won’t make it unless we clear the hangar!”
Another explosion shook the station.
The ceiling caved in behind them, cutting off their path.
Then—a deep voice rumbled from ahead.
“Running won’t save you.”
A towering figure stepped into their path.
A general.
His red armor was heavier, reinforced with black plating. Unlike the others, his mask wasn’t sleek—it was a monstrous skull, its teeth carved into a permanent snarl.
The other warriors stopped.
Even they respected his presence.
Zyra’s breath hitched. “Oh, shit.”
Usa-hime felt her chest tighten.
This wasn’t just a soldier.
This was a predator.
And he was here for her.
“You’ve been marked,” he said, stepping forward.
His glowing red eyes locked onto hers.
“You are the child of the Ghost Hunters, aren’t you?”
Usa-hime’s blood ran cold.
He knew.
He knew who she was.
She clenched her fists.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
The general chuckled. “You will. Soon enough.”
He moved like lightning.
Before she could react—his hand was around her throat.
Pain exploded in her body as he lifted her into the air, squeezing hard enough to make her vision blur.
Zyra lunged forward—only for the general to backhand her away like she was nothing.
Usa-hime’s vision swam.
She was going to die.
She wasn’t strong enough.
Her parents were right.
She wasn’t a fighter.
But then—
A voice whispered in the back of her mind.
A voice that wasn’t hers.
“Do not break.”
“You are more than this.”
“AWAKEN.”
Something inside her snapped.
And then—everything changed.
The Edge of Death
The general’s grip tightened around Usa-hime’s throat.
She could barely breathe.
Her vision blurred, the sounds of battle fading into a distant hum. Her body was shutting down.
“Is this it?”
Her fingers clawed weakly at his armored hand, but it was like trying to break steel.
Zyra groaned from where she lay on the floor, struggling to get up. “Damn it—let her go, you bastard!”
The general ignored her.
His glowing red eyes stayed locked onto Usa-hime, studying her.
“You don’t even know what you are, do you?” he said, voice deep, almost amused.
He squeezed harder.
Pain exploded in her skull.
Her lungs screamed.
Everything was fading.
But then—
Something answered her pain.
A pulse.
A deep, ancient power, buried inside her—awakening.
A voice whispered through her mind, clear and commanding.
“You are not weak.”
“You are not prey.”
“RISE.”
Her body convulsed.
A surge of heat exploded through her chest, spreading to every limb, burning through the pain.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Then—
A blinding blue light erupted across her forehead.
A crescent moon symbol burned into her skin, glowing like a star igniting for the first time.
The general stiffened.
His grip loosened—just for a second.
And in that second—Usa-hime moved.
The First Surge
She didn’t know how she did it.
One moment, she was being choked—the next, her hand shot forward, gripping his wrist.
A sudden shockwave of cosmic energy blasted from her fingertips, sending cracks splintering through his armor.
The general snarled in surprise.
Usa-hime’s entire body felt different.
Her veins burned with starlight, her muscles thrummed with power.
She didn’t just feel stronger—she felt unstoppable.
Her eyes snapped open—now glowing silver.
The general lunged to finish her off.
But this time—
She saw him coming.
Her body reacted on its own.
She ducked, twisting free from his grasp with inhuman speed.
Then—she struck.
Her knee slammed into his gut, sending him skidding backward.
The gathered warriors froze.
Their leader—their unbeatable general—had just been forced back.
Usa-hime exhaled, the cosmic energy still surging through her.
She had never felt this alive.
She could win.
She could—
PAIN.
A fist slammed into her ribs, lifting her off the ground.
Her vision exploded with white.
Then—AGONY.
She crashed through a wall.
The Fight Turns
She gasped, barely able to process the sheer pain rattling through her bones.
Her newfound power hadn’t made her invincible.
The general was still stronger.
He cracked his neck, stepping toward the hole in the wall where she had landed.
“Ah,” he mused. “So that’s what you’re hiding.”
Usa-hime struggled to stand.
Her ribs throbbed. Her vision blurred. The moon symbol still glowed, but her body was breaking down.
She had no control over this power.
And the general wasn’t holding back.
He moved like a blur.
A punch—straight to her stomach.
She vomited blood.
Another strike—her side.
She felt something crack.
Then—a brutal uppercut to her jaw.
Her head snapped back—stars exploding behind her eyes.
She collapsed to the floor, coughing.
“Pathetic,” the general scoffed.
His massive boot slammed onto her back, pinning her down.
“You have power, girl,” he said. “But you don’t know how to use it.”
He pressed harder.
Her body screamed.
The glowing moon symbol on her forehead flickered.
Was she going to die here?
No.
No.
No.
Something inside her refused to give in.
She was not weak.
She was not prey.
She was a hunter.
The Cosmic Explosion
The moon symbol blazed to life.
A massive energy pulse erupted from her body, shattering the ground beneath her.
The general stumbled back, shielding his eyes as the entire room shook.
Usa-hime pushed herself up.
The air around her rippled with cosmic force.
Her pain faded beneath the surge of pure power.
And then—she moved.
Faster than light.
Before the general could react—she was in front of him.
Her fist glowed with starfire.
And she punched straight through his armor.
The impact rippled through his entire body, a shockwave exploding from the point of contact.
The general gasped—his first real sound of pain.
His armor cracked apart.
For the first time—he staggered.
He looked down at his ruined chestplate, then back at her.
And he laughed.
“You… really are their child,” he murmured.
Then—he disappeared.
A teleport beacon activated, pulling him away in an instant.
The other warriors vanished with him.
The attack was over.
But it had only been the beginning.
The Aftermath
The emergency sirens blared across the station.
Medics rushed in. Cadets groaned from their wounds.
The battle was won, but the Academy was devastated.
Usa-hime collapsed to her knees, her breath ragged.
The cosmic energy faded.
Her moon symbol dimmed.
Her body ached beyond belief.
But she was alive.
And she knew one thing for certain.
This war?
It was about her.
She wasn’t just a cadet anymore.
She was a target.
And soon, every hunter in the galaxy would know her name.
Aftermath of the Attack
The air was thick with smoke and blood.
Emergency sirens wailed across the station as security teams and medics rushed through the ruined halls of the Hunter’s Academy.
Usa-hime sat on her knees, panting. Her entire body ached. Every breath burned.
The battle was over.
But her war had just begun.
The enemy hadn’t come to destroy the Academy.
They had come for her.
And they would be back.
Whispers of the Unknown
“You’re telling me you fought a general of the Crimson Dominion,” Zyra muttered, arms crossed.
Usa-hime, still slumped against the wreckage, groaned. “Fought is a strong word. More like… survived.”
Kuro knelt beside her, golden eyes sharp. “The way you lit up back there? That was not normal.”
Usa-hime sighed. “Yeah. I kinda noticed when I punched through his armor.”
Zyra scowled. “And that mark on your forehead? You don’t even know what it is, do you?”
Usa-hime hesitated.
The crescent moon symbol.
It had appeared in the heat of battle, unlocking something inside her. Something vast.
But the truth was…
“I have no idea,” she admitted.
Zyra and Kuro exchanged glances.
“Well,” Kuro said, standing, “we better find out. Fast.”
Summoned to Command
They didn’t get a chance to rest.
An urgent message flashed on their wristbands.
CADET USA-HIME INOUE. REPORT TO COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY.
Usa-hime’s stomach twisted.
The Academy’s command center?
She had been here for barely a week, and now she was being called to meet the leaders of the Hunter’s Union.
This was bad.
The Council of Hunters
The command center was a massive war room, lined with holographic maps of the galaxy. At the center stood a round table of the Academy’s highest-ranking hunters.
Captain Rygar was among them.
His single glowing eye locked onto Usa-hime the moment she stepped inside.
“So,” he said gruffly. “You’ve made quite a mess.”
Usa-hime swallowed. “I—”
“Silence.”
The voice came from the head of the table.
A tall woman in gleaming silver armor—Commander Lysara.
She was the highest-ranking hunter in the Union. A legend.
And right now, her piercing violet eyes were locked directly on Usa-hime.
“You’re the reason the Dominion attacked,” she said bluntly.
The words hit like a hammer.
Usa-hime tensed. “I— I don’t even know why they—”
“You’re not human, are you?” Lysara interrupted.
Usa-hime froze.
Her heart pounded.
She tried to respond, but no words came out.
Because deep down…
She already knew the truth.
She wasn’t just some girl from Earth.
She was something else.
Something the whole galaxy wanted.
A Dangerous Truth
Lysara turned to Rygar. “You knew.”
The grizzled captain sighed. “Had my suspicions.”
Zyra stepped forward, frustrated. “Can someone explain what’s going on?!”
Lysara’s gaze didn’t leave Usa-hime.
“You are not a normal cadet,” she said. “That symbol on your forehead—that energy you wielded—it is not human.”
Usa-hime clenched her fists. “Then what am I?”
Lysara was silent for a long moment.
Then she spoke.
“Your mother—Aoi Inoue—was not born on Earth. She is the last living descendant of the Celestial Bloodline.”
The room fell silent.
Usa-hime’s breath hitched.
“…What?”
Lysara narrowed her eyes. “The Celestials were an ancient race. Their bodies were infused with cosmic energy, granting them strength beyond mortal limits. But they were hunted. Exterminated. Their power was too dangerous. Too feared.”
Rygar crossed his arms. “They were wiped out centuries ago.”
“Not all of them,” Lysara said. “Your mother—she survived. She hid on Earth, changed her name. And she gave birth to you.”
Usa-hime felt lightheaded.
Her mother had never talked about her past. Always avoided questions.
Now she knew why.
Zyra frowned. “And her father?”
Lysara exhaled. “Renji Inoue… was human. But not ordinary.”
She turned to Rygar. “You tell her.”
Rygar sighed, rubbing his temples. “Your old man was part of Project Helios. An experimental program by the Hunter’s Union. They wanted to create super soldiers. Humans enhanced to rival alien warriors.”
Usa-hime’s blood ran cold.
She had heard of that program. Most recruits had.
Only a handful of subjects survived the process.
And her father was one of them.
“His abilities weren’t natural,” Rygar continued. “They were forced. Enhanced beyond what a human body should be able to withstand.”
He met Usa-hime’s gaze.
“That’s why you’re different. You have Celestial blood from your mother and engineered hunter genes from your father.”
Zyra muttered, “No wonder you hit like a damn meteor.”
Usa-hime didn’t answer.
Her fists clenched.
Her whole life had been a lie.
Marked for Death
Lysara’s voice turned grim.
“You are a living weapon, Usa-hime. And now, the galaxy knows.”
Her stomach twisted.
“They will come for you,” Lysara warned.
“The Dominion. The Warlords. Even those who call themselves allies. They will want your power, your blood. And they will not stop.”
Usa-hime’s hands shook.
She had barely survived one battle.
Now the entire galaxy wanted her dead?
She looked at Rygar. At Kuro. At Zyra.
She saw it in their eyes.
They were afraid.
Not just for her.
Of her.
She exhaled. Calm. Steady.
Then she lifted her head.
“…Then I’ll fight.”
Zyra blinked. “You what?”
Usa-hime clenched her fists.
“I won’t run. I won’t hide.”
Her silver eyes burned with new resolve.
“If they want me?”
Her voice was steel.
“Let them come.”
The Next Chapter Begins…
Lysara studied her.
Then, for the first time, she smirked.
“…You have your mother’s fire,” she said.
Rygar sighed. “Great. Another reckless warrior.”
Lysara turned to the council. “Prepare the cadets. The Dominion will not wait.”
The command center erupted into action.
But Usa-hime barely heard them.
She stared at the vast holographic map of the galaxy.
Helena. The Dominion.
The war was coming.
And now?
She was right in the middle of it.
