Perilous Arc |AU|

Genetic P.I. [Chap. 8]

We stopped briefly to drink and eat, but I didn't want to waste any time. While walking to the edge of the Green Zone I'd received the information I needed from Goodwitch. I'm looking for a Claude Redman, and I'd need a full hand print. She'd also sent a street map of Vale with the area highlighted.

The barricades were interesting to me. There wasn't just one, instead there were multiple set up between various buildings. All of them were ramshackle and looked like they could be deconstructed in moments to place back up at other points further on. The ragtag mix of older generation huntresses and huntsmen, civilian militia members and even the occasional Atlesian solider was an odd sight, though not unwelcome. Winter and I came to a stop in front of the barricade, and I largely ignored the whispers from the people around me.

"So, you coming with?" I asked, glancing at my companion from my peripheral. She seemed to preen at the question with her posture straightening.

"Of course. Perish the thought that I'd fail my mission because you disappeared on a suicide run." She said, moving her hair from her face. I snorted then motioned to the guards to open the gates.

"Nice priorities. Do what you want, I guess." I shot back, stepping through the gates when they opened, and peering above the wall at the watchman as the gates slammed shut behind us. He gave us a thumbs up, which made me smirk.

"I will." She affirmed, drawing her ornate saber from her side. "Any guidelines? This is your operation, after all."

I glanced at her, drawing Crocea Mors and equipping my repaired shield.

"Just don't slow down."

I smiled in amusement when she gaped at the audacity of my words, and took off in a sprint. Grimm weren't far, and the first to be slain was a Creep that was unfortunate enough to be closest. The tip of my sword impaled him, and without stopping I picked the Grimm up and slung him off my blade into the snout of a nearby Beowolf. It cowered back a few steps from the hit, and that was enough for me to take advantage. Its front legs were quickly severed and another step left its head bashed in from my shield. Several more Grimm met similar fates when we cleared the first street. As we made to cross a particular building, an Ursa rounded the corner and stopped right in the path of my charge. Without much thought I broke into a sprint, and as it reared on its hind legs and roared at spotting me, I leapt towards it. The tip of my blade pierced into the roof of its open mouth and rammed straight through the top of its skull. It fell backwards when I crashed into it, and I rolled off its smoking corpse to check on my companion.

A completely bisected Ursa lay on either side of her on the pavement, and I noticed how not a hair was out of place. She looked to be completely in her element. She smirked at me, and I frowned.

"... this power difference is disheartening." I stated candidly, blinking at the devastated trail of Grimm behind her.

"It comes with time, Arc." She said supportively, trailing the edge of her blade with a finger. "You're off to a good start already, believe it or not."

"Hm." I grunted, already turning to continue on. "I'll take your word for it."

We kept up pace through roads, sidewalks, and alleys. The further we went the more fluid the fights felt. Winter dealt with more advanced Grimm, while anything smaller was on my personal menu. Any shortcuts we took ironically took longer, due to the odd concentration of small fry lurking in the dark. They were cut down easily enough, but the time lost to them made the shortcuts unreasonable.

After jumping from the head of a Taijitu, I landed on top of a Beowolf and laughed as its legs were knocked out from under it. I thrusted down and Crocea Mors pierced it from the top, then I sliced forwards. From the center of mass, the Beowolf was now vertically bisected. I leapt from my crouched position on its back and instead faced the hissing approaching from behind.