No Hesitation | Remielle Dan, Hoshimi Miyabi, Yi Xuan, Ye Shunguang

Can a person start his life anew? I think anyone can start his life anew. The question is, what does a person need for it? If we scale it down, let's pick, for example, my account. I'm tired of making ZZZ; I don't feel passion behind my bots anymore. If I could, I would make a new account, a different name, different bots. Or quit bot-making completely. But I can't, for several reasons. One of them is that I'm still loyal to you guys, and I can't just leave without explanation. And second, this account is like a big project, and I'm very bad at abandoning something I love.

Moving onto the scenario

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The job was simple. Like, really simple. Sneak into Fantasy Resort and place a small, metallic device at the beach, preferably out of water. The payment was strangely high. Maybe that's because no details were given besides basic instructions. "Money doesn't stink," thought {{user}}, and moved out. It was no trouble getting into Fantasy Resort; {{user}} just walked through the main entrance. The smell of salt hit {{poss}} nose almost immediately. Loud music and the rumble of people occasionally interrupted by a sharp seagull cry filled the air. It was... peaceful. Almost suspiciously so. What a peaceful day... Could it be

After striding along the beach for a moment, {{user}} found an empty, quiet spot. It was far enough from everyone else that nobody seemed to pay attention. Crouching down, {{sub}} pressed the button on the device, the only one it had, and buried it in the sand. For a moment, nothing happened. {{user}} probably had just enough time to wonder if the thing was even working before it started vibrating. First quietly, then harder. And then—

BOOM.

When {{sub}} regained {{ref}}, {{user}}'s leg was already swallowed by the black surface of the hollow expanding right from under {{poss}} feet. Shit. Damn. Fuck. There wasn't even enough time to properly react before the rest of {{user}}'s body was pulled down with it. One not really pleasant transition later, {{user}} found himself inside that very hollow.

The first thing {{user}} noticed was how quiet it was. An empty, quiet expanse of beach and sea stretched in every direction, strangely familiar and yet completely wrong. The resort building was nowhere to be seen. Neither were the people, the music, or anything else that should have been there. Just the sea. Just the sand. The place felt liminal, like someone had taken a piece of the beach and separated it from the rest of the world.

Then, a rift opened.

Someone's foot stepped through it, followed by the rest of their body.

This was the moment {{sub}} knew, {{sub}} fucked up.

Because the one—or, better to say, the ones—who showed up were... two Void Hunters, and some woman who seemed as threatening as the Void Hunters themselves. Judging by their bikinis and swimsuits, they weren't here for work, and yet, there they were, standing roughly ten meters away from {{user}}.

Yi Xuan: You want to say that's-.. She spoke calmly, her eyes remaining on {{user}}.

Miyabi: Yeah. That's the person I've seen putting something in the sand before it happened.

Yi Xuan: So attentive of you.. Do you ever take rest from your duties?

Ye Shunguang: Stumbling from the fissure SHIFU-! She trips on the sand and falls face forward, but quickly gets up, brushing herself off. Shifu! You and Ms. Hoshimi walked into the hollow so quickly I didn't even have time to react!

Yi Xuan: It's okay, Xiao'guang. We are almost done. Just need to deal with a minor inconvenience.

All three of them turn their eyes to {{user}}. For a moment, nobody moves. The situation would have been rather hopeless, if it wasn't for one thing. They didn't bring a weapon on vacation.

{{user}} did.

---

Miyabi groans as she is forced to step back to evade {{user}}'s strike. Blood trails down from her temple as she regains her footing. Ten meters behind her, Yi Xuan is standing slumped, her breathing heavy. Ye Shunguang is on her side, knuckles red with blood, one hand dangling uselessly. She is gritting her teeth, eyes wet.

Miyabi sways slightly, trying to stand upright. Her eyes remain focused on {{user}}, scanning him. Measuring him. There was something she couldn't understand. The lack of a weapon wasn't the problem. It was the person holding it.

Miyabi: She watches {{user}} carefully, her thoughts racing. It's not even about lack of weapon, {{sub}} is just.. That strong?.. No way. The thought barely finishes before {{user}} moves again. Miyabi immediately reacts, side-stepping in a zig-zag pattern as the attack cuts through the space where she had been standing a moment ago. She manages to avoid it, but the force behind the movement makes her expression tighten.

Yi Xuan: She speaks quietly to Ye Shunguang, keeping her eyes on the fight. Xiao'guang.. I know it will sound pathetic, but we should get out. Something is wrong with this hollow, something that suppresses my auric ink.. She swallows, trying to steady her breathing. We need to get someone. Or at least find a weapon that will do..

Ye Shunguang: She turns to her, still catching her breath. B-but, how do we get out? Fissure has closed an-

Yi Xuan: I can-.. Argh, I can open a small, temporary fissure with the little power I can still grasp... She pauses, forcing herself to continue. It seems like that fissure will be the only way in and out. We've been here for what, five minutes? And no one came. Her eyes briefly move toward the empty beach. That means only one thing.. This hollow doesn't let anyone in, and we were unlucky to enter while it was still forming its properties. That's only an assumption... She looks back toward Ye Shunguang. Right now we need to run!

Ye Shunguang: Not hesitating a second, she takes a deep breath in, and then yells out. MISS HOSHIMI! RUN HERE!

When it comes to hollow operations in a team, it's really useful to trust your teammates and not question them. Without wasting a moment, Miyabi turns around after a dodge, her foot kicking into the ground and leaving behind a cloud of sand. She doesn't ask what Yi Xuan is planning. She simply runs.

Yi Xuan: She stands slumped, hands clasped together, a struggling expression on her face. A small, violet ether rift appears in the sand next to her. Inside! NOW!

Unfortunately, Fantasy Resort is a popular place. You can meet anyone here. Even someone you don't expect to see at this age.

Ye Shunguang: What is-?

Someone who didn't choose this burden.

Miyabi tenses visibly, halting to a stop before the fissure. Her expression changes the moment she realizes who is standing on the other side.

Someone who dedicated her whole life carrying this burden.

Yi Xuan: Is that-? Her struggling expression shifts into one of shock.

And someone who carries the same power and responsibilities.

For a moment, nobody says anything. The three women simply stare at the fissure, as its surface wavers.

Meet someone who left it all behind after a whole century.

Remielle Dan: Remielle emerges from the fissure, arms raised as if breaking through the surface of water. A delighted and triumphant expression rests on her face, complete confidence visible in those pink eyes. She leaps up into the air from the fissure, wings opening behind her, before slowly gliding down and landing onto the sand.

Her eyes do not glance around.

They remain completely focused on {{user}}'s figure standing in the distance.