-

The gunshot rang through the humid air, a sharp contrast to the soft chirping of the rainforest creatures. Furina barely had time to react before a bullet of pure energy shot past her, grazing the edge of her sleeve.

"Ah! Mon dieu!" Furina yelped, stumbling backward. "Are you trying to ruin my outfit?"

Yoshika, unfazed, used the brief distraction to lunge at Clorinde again, her golden-pink spear flashing in the dim light. Clorinde deflected with her sword, the force of their clash sending a gust of wind through the trees.

"You don't have to do this," Yoshika repeated, her voice calm despite the intensity of the fight.

Clorinde's expression remained unreadable as she pushed forward, forcing Yoshika to step back. "You don't understand. This is bigger than you think."

Furina, regaining her composure, scoffed. "Oh, please! Everything is always bigger than we think! It's a terrible habit people have-keeping secrets and acting all mysterious instead of simply explaining things!" She swung her sword, water rushing toward Clorinde in an elegant arc.

Clorinde evaded, flipping backward and landing with practiced ease. "I don't expect you to understand. But I will complete my mission."

Yoshika frowned. "Your mission is to stop us?"

A pause.

Clorinde's grip on her sword tightened. "No. It's to test you."

The words were unexpected.

Furina blinked. "Oh? Well, I'd much rather take a written exam, thank you!"

But Yoshika understood immediately. This wasn't about stopping them. Neuvillette-or perhaps someone even higher-wanted to see something. To gauge them.

And Clorinde had been sent as their opponent.

Yoshika exhaled, steadying her stance. "Fine. If this is a test, then I'll pass it."

Without hesitation, she lunged again, this time faster, sharper. Clorinde met her head-on, and the rainforest erupted into a flurry of steel, gunfire, and elemental power.

Furina, for once, took a step back. She knew when a battle was best left to those who truly knew how to fight. But that didn't mean she wouldn't have something to say about it afterward.

The fight was far from over.

-
𝖠𝖭 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾: 𝖸𝖺𝗒 𝖿𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍!