Beyond M-Eclipse: Easy Mode LIVE

———Kenni———

…Now that I think about it, compared to Karra I don’t really have as many reasons to stroll around the campus. Sure, some facilities are opened up for us to use, but unlike her I’m not really looking to absorb all the information this place has to offer, and we don’t even know if we can even enter again once it opens up… That should be the case, but it’s hard to be sure.

“And that’s why we both should cooperate on that front.” Karra finished talking.

“Eh. If you say so.” I said, not seeing why I should refuse. It’d be the first time we even fought each other… ever, really. Before the whole Mythical Eclipse incident there was basically zero reason people should ever fight. “You know how the setting screen works, right?”

“Of course I do.” She said before walking to the glass panel… It’s basically a touchscreen on a stand, what would you call that? “Just stay in the training field, I’ll handle the settings.”

“Hopefully you didn’t rig anything.” I said as I walked towards the middle of the training area.

…She doesn’t really respond and continues to tinker with the setting. She’s getting real serious here.

…Can’t we just choose to gang up on that guy or something? If he has trouble fighting Karra alone, then he’s toast if the two of us jump him. Is this a matter of pride? Street creds? If that’s the case should I even bring it up?

“Alright! Get ready!” Karra announced as she ran into the area.

*Shine*

The barrier appeared and that’s the cue for us to start fighting. Let’s see how brutal it’ll get!

———Jeff———

“If I remember correctly, Japanese like to call it TS, or TSF. It’s probably not something you’re into anyway, I’d imagine.” He mentioned, and yeah, I don’t see the appeal.

“Of course I don’t. Why did Qyunda even bring that up though?” The part still confuses me a bit.

“How should I know?” Jass said, sounding rather dismissive. Weird, it feels like he should’ve had more to say… Whatever, it’s not like I’m good at figuring things out.

“...By the way, Jass. Do you know anything about where Karra and Kenni have gone? They’ve been kinda quiet in the group chat recently.” I know Kenni was here in the VC yesterday, but it feels like they’ve been absent where they shouldn’t have been. Maybe I’m starting to get a bit worried and paranoid.

———Kenni———

*Grab* *Fly*

“Wha-!?” She screamed out involuntarily as I finally managed to grab her by the leg and flew up high.

*Throw* *Crash*

“AGHH!!!” I threw her straight into the cold ground below and she screamed out in pain.

*Shine*

“It’s over! [Rain of Light]!” I announced as I prepared a few energy attacks aiming right at her from up high in the sky.

*Blast* *Boom*

…Did that do the job?

*Leap* *Evade*

“Whoa!” She quickly recovered and jumped up to my level and tried to punch me right in the face, but thankfully it’s pretty easy to avoid when I can stay in the air and she-

*Spin* *Kick* *Crash*

“Ack!” What the hell was that!? She managed to propel herself towards me while still in mid-air, kicking me right in the face and sending me flying towards the barrier and tumbling back down to the ground. “Okay. Wasn’t expecting that…”

———Jeff———

“I don’t know.” He dismissively said as he pulled out a small vial of… is that health potion? Did he smuggle that in? “So how long were you expected to stay here exactly?”

“A few days more. That’s all I really know.” I answered, still frustrated about being stuck here.

He silently gave me the vial without saying anything… Welp, bottoms up!

*Gulp*

He quickly took the vial back without saying anything once I downed the whole thing.

“In other news, it seems like the owner of those helicopters were found.” The what… Oh! Right, those helicopters that tried to get into the school.

“So who exactly sent them?” I asked, wanting to know who was that much of a daredevil.

“It was… Well. Allegedly someone who works with the state’s governor, but no one really knows if it was the case of acting independently or not.” He answered. Pretty high up in the hierarchy, I guess. Then again it looks like none of this was actually officially approved. “Honestly, it seems like quite a bit of a mess on their part.”

“They’re lucky there isn’t any real casualty. I could imagine them getting into a lot of trouble otherwise.” I can’t help but remark. That place is such an unknown… thing, that it feels like anything could happen there.

“True. Real lucky for them that…” Jass said before trailing off. What was he about to say? “Huh… Now that I think about it, how did they survive?”

“Probably by parachutes right? After their helicopters were shot down?” I thought that was what happened?

“Ah, right, of course.” He replied, not sounding too convinced. “I would’ve thought a place like that would have the defense set to overkill. You’ve seen the diagram, right?”

“Those sci-fi sounding devices? I guess those should’ve vaporized them… Yeah actually, if those were what were used to destroy the helicopters, how are they unscathed?” I don’t think a giant energy cannon will simply damage metal, it would probably melt them and anyone inside in a flash. Were they that lucky?

“Beats me.” Jass said, clearly having just as much clue as I do, none at all. “Maybe a different defense system was triggered? There were multiples.”

“So we just don’t know, right?” I said, not seeing this conversation going anywhere.

I’d rather go smash some monsters or just do some light workout in general. Not getting to move is bullshit!

I wouldn’t be surprised if Karra is training something fierce, maybe fighting something in a dungeon?

———Karra———

*Smash* *Strike*

I swung my fists down on her head and followed up with a knee right in her face.

*Grab*

I grabbed her by the throat and then-!

*Throw* *Crash*

“Argh!” She groaned out loudly once she hit the wall with the back of her head, bouncing off the barrier and falling onto the hard ground face-first. She slowly staggered back to her feet with her face bloodied. “Y-You know, I’m not exactly a melee fighter… Kinda unfair ain’t it?”

“...Then what do you call the last ten minutes?” I said, not believing her at all. Sure she might be more powerful with spells, but since she also knows how to utilize her mana to passively boost her parameters like I do, she’s no slouch when it comes to close-quarters combat. “Also, I’m more of a mage as well. We’re in the same boat.”

*Shine*

“Are we really?” She said with a smirk as the arena lights up again and heals any injuries we have. With Kenni now standing upright with any visible damage done to her being gone. The blood smear is still there though.

Both of us quickly change our stance, once more restarting the battle.

…

*Dash* *Grapple*

“Why don’t you let go first?” She said with a passive-aggressive tone as our hands met and pushed against one another.

“That’s my line!” I said as I put more strength into pushing her back!

*Sparkle* *Shine* *Shake*

““HAAAA!!!””

———Jeff———

“Malk already got the sneaky treat by the way, so no need to worry about him.” Jass mentioned.

“That’s good to hear…” I muttered, now remembering that he is probably insanely bored right now like I am. We just have our phone and that’s it. “You know, I never heard that Qyunda had super regeneration until the incident… Jass?”

“Hm?” He was spacing out for a bit as he stared out the window. “What is it?”

“I was surprised that Qyunda has something that cheat-like up her sleeve.” I repeated what I said.

“Huh. That. Yeah, she’s pretty lucky…” He said while averting his gaze, looking out the window again.

“Did something happen outside?” I asked, unable to get a good view from here.

“Nothing important. I just remembered something.” He said, not looking like he’s actually gonna say what that is. It sounds important if he’s spacing out like that.

“...Care to tell?” Might as well shoot my shot.

“No.” Welp. I tried.

———Karra———

*Thud*

“...Got any stamina left? Even a single percent?” Kenni asked, despite both of us falling on the ground very unceremoniously. I think she should know we pushed ourselves to the absolute limit at this-

“You two sure weren’t pulling any punches.” Huh!?

“W-Wiina?” I tried to move around but my body is so weak and numb at this point, it’s best I don’t. What is she doing here at this hour?

“Let’s get you two elsewhere first.” She said, with me still having a hard time even moving my head.

*Lift*

“Be a little gentler can’t you?” Kenni complained as both of us got carried on her shoulder, carrying us to a section of the training room that’s more like an infirmary… How many infirmaries are there?

“Really need to put a leash on you two.” Wiina muttered as she closed the door.

“The hell does that mean?” Kenni asked, trying to antagonize her already.

“From how I see it, you two are pushing yourself to the brink as a form of training, exhausting both your stamina and mana. It’s a dangerous way to go about it.” She began lecturing us. “I know you two abuse the healing system that’s in the training ground setting so neither could accumulate too much damage, but even that has its limits.”

“What do you think you are, our mom?” Kenni said, not sounding all too serious about it.

“...I think I’m a bit too young for that role.” She humored that question of hers before walking over. “Anyway, I need you two to rest for a long while. I’ll go check the combat log.”

And there she goes… The combat log?

“Huh, didn’t know that was a thing.” Kenni remarked.

“Yeah, first I’ve heard of it.” I replied. “...By the way, how sore is your body right now?”

“It’s probably better to ask which part isn’t.” She snarked back. Her attitude sure doesn’t change despite the pain she should be feeling throughout her body. Mind you, it’s not like I’m not feeling it myself, but at least I didn’t pretend that even my neck and vocal cords don’t feel numb too.

“You two seriously go for the neck multiple times.” Wiina barged in with that remark. Of course that’s the first thing she commented on. “If I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought you two were planning to kill.”

“Just thought that was the most effective way to win.” Kenni shamelessly admitted it.

“Can’t deny that.” Wiina said before walking over to us and putting her hand on my neck. “Need to make sure those aren’t actually damaged.”

…Did anything happen? It’s hard to tell besides a bit of foreign mana I felt.

“Should be good enough.” She said not long after the ‘examination’.

“Aaaa… Oh! My throat is a lot better now.” Kenni remarked. “By the way, can you do something about the muscle soreness and stamina? I’m all out of juice here.”

“I’d rather you two just take a long nap. If I can be honest with you two, you should cut down on the brutality and more on keeping pace. It’s not exactly a race.” She continued with the lecture. “Exercise isn’t exactly about exhausting yourself as fast as possible. It’s about being consistent, being resilient. With how you’re doing it it feels like you two will accidentally kill each other at some point.”

“Care to give some pointers on how much we should hold back?” Kenni asked in response. She sure is quick with them, I barely get to say anything.

“I could give you some bullet points, I suppose.” She said before taking a few steps back, probably thinking up something to say.