[HI3] Protocol Stigmata

Chapter 20 - The Girl in a Wheelchair

The battleground now free from immediate threats, I couldn't help but release a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Finally cleaned up," I muttered, sheathing my blade.

Kiana, stretching her limbs, agreed, "Mhm... That should warm me up for a bit."

As we contemplated the next move, Mei, her katana back in its sheathe, expressed her uncertainty.

"This is the place indicated by the sensor. But I don't see anything. Perhaps the sensors malfunctioned."

"Mei! Wait," Bronya's voice interjected.

Startled, we turned our attention to Bronya, who was focused on the east. "Bio-sensors detect vital readings 50 meters to the east."

I squinted my eyes in the indicated direction and spotted a girl in a wheelchair. "East? That should be..."

Mei followed my gaze, adding, "There's a girl in a wheelchair. This place is dangerous. We should save her right now," Mei suggested but then a single Jun-ninja emerged in front of us.

"What is a Jun-ninja doing here?" I muttered, slowly reaching for my blade but then Mei-senpai stopped me, "Mei-senpai?"

"Let me handle this," she said, drawing her katana.

She's gonna fight it alone? I mean I'm not doubting her strength.

I just nodded in agreement, turning to Kiana and Bronya. "Let's go!"

As we rushed towards the wheelchair-bound girl, Mei confronted the Jun-ninja. The zombie blocked her attack, and Mei, with an air of unparalleled coolness, said, "You're my opponent."

In awe, Kiana and I exchanged glances, sharing a mutual appreciation for Mei's prowess.

Woah, What a cool line! Saying "You're my opponent" in a serious tone makes me want to become a samurai now!

Himeko-sensei's voice echoed through our comms, "Target located."

Perplexed, I questioned, "Target? But I thought we were looking for the Gem of Desire. We only found this girl?"

Himeko clarified, "Intel from the Oceania Branch confirmed the girl as the Gem of Desire."

Our focus shifted entirely to the girl in the wheelchair, the enigmatic Gem we had come to retrieve.

Certainly, here's a revised and more expressive version:

---

"E-erm... A girl huh...." I stammered, caught off guard by the unexpected revelation.

"Uhm... I'm... I'm Wendy," the girl in the wheelchair introduced herself, her voice gentle and somewhat shy.

Himeko interjected once more, "Allow me to explain. Three years ago, the Oceania Branch implanted the Gem of Desire into Wendy's calf. The aim was to meld the Gem with her tibia to achieve Herrscher-grade powers."

"I guess this Wendy should be pretty powerful. But she's a girl on a wheelchair," Mei remarked, taking a few steps towards us.

"Eh? Mei-senpai?" Kiana turned to her, curious.

"What is it, Kiana-chan?"

"What happened to the zombie just now?"

"Hm? I killed it," Mei responded casually.

Kiana and I exchanged a worried glance, silently agreeing that provoking Mei was a terrible idea.

"Wendy was Oceania's best Valkyrie. She might have become the 4th S-rank Valkyrie of this generation. But she still couldn't handle the gem's power."