Shinaka stood there, preparing herself for yet another battle. Ever since the day Akadia took over, Shinaka and other Armenthians, including some of the elite guards that were captured, were forced to serve Akadia. Thanks to the collars they're wearing, they can't defy their new masters.
She has no idea what is happening with her comrades, and it had made her worried about their safety. However, Priad had assured her that they were being treated well and no harm has come to them.
Other than that, Priad had only been focused on his preparations for the upcoming invasion. Focusing his efforts on training her, and occasionally other side projects that would have helped later on.
For the past few days, Shinaka been training with a realistic simulation. She had fought the same kind of battle where a lot of enemies with weaponry that was strange and unknown to her.
A drone flies high above them and creates a simulated world around the two of them. Enemies then appear around them in their hologram form, surrounding them and with their rifles ready.
The battle finally started. The enemy soldiers began firing their rifles at the two of them, but Shinaka used her speed and strength to destroy them while preventing harm to Priad.
She then uses her resonance ability. Her eyes began to glow with bright lights, and her speed became quicker. She dashes through the simulated battlefield, cutting down the enemy quickly.
But there is one enemy that she can't fight off against. One of the enemies was a Swordsman whose skills and power were greater than hers. Even with all her might, she couldn't fight him off.
Eventually, the Swordsman won the battle and stabbed her in the chest. Despite this being a simulation, it still hurts like the real thing.
"That's enough"
After the declaration, the simulated world dissolved back into the training field. Dissolving both the mess and the dead enemies Shinaka had killed.
Priad then walked over to Shinaka and offered her a hand.
"You're doing better than the last time. Well done"
She breathes heavily, recovering from the pain. Then, she took his hand and stood up.
Ever since the first day of her training, Shinaka expected Priad to be hard on her, scolding her for the poor performance. Yet for some reason, he hasn't done that. Priad had been strangely nice to her, only giving her constructive criticism and advice as if he wasn't in a hurry to make her strong.
"Let's take a break for now" Priad suggested while pointing to a bench behind him.
Shinaka nodded, and the two would make their way to the bench Priad pointed out. He then grab a bottle of drinking water and gave it to her.
"You did better, but it looks like you're struggling with that one opponent"
She took the bottle and immediately gulped most of it down. Afterwards, she gasped "Forgive me, sir Priad"
"Don't worry, I already expected it. Anyway, what have you learned this time?"
Shinaka ponders about it momentarily before telling him "Their battle formation. It seems that they're fighting in a certain way to keep me... Distracted"
"But you didn't seem distracted back then. What caused you to lose against that one?"
"It was... I don't know. Immense strength. That enemy, he was... Stronger. I don't know how to explain it, but her skills outmatch any martial arts techniques that I have learned"
After hearing that, Priad chuckles. Despite wanting to talk back, Shinaka held the urge, still afraid of what he might do through her collar.
"You're right about that enemy being strong. That's because she's not an ordinary resonance user. She's one of the goddess's champions. One of the strongest warrior to ever exist in the entire galaxy"
Her eyes widened in fear "Strongest?"
She felt a sudden chill hearing that word. Shinaka had fought strong opponents in the past, and comments like this were easily ignored by her. She was, after all, part of the elite guards, the best of the best among the warriors of Lamria.
But Priad is not from this planet. This means that this simulation and his words carry some weight.
"Not only that, but they also fight differently from one another, so they're unpredictable. I doubt you'll be able to reach their level. Not in the few days we have left"
She looks down, disappointed at her lack of progress. Of course, if she purposefully loses the fight, Akadia will be defeated, and their people will be liberated. She isn't afraid of dying, but she is fearful of the other consequences.
Lamria would be forced to join the Federation in their war and their people would be conscripted to join the war. No matter the outcome, her people will always be conquered by the new invaders or their current ones.
Her disappointment slowly turns into despair as she continues thinking about it.
"Say, Shinaka. Have you ever been to space before, to other planets?" Priad asked, interrupting her inner thoughts.
She perked up, snapping back to reality at the sudden question.
"Not yet. I've lived here my entire life, and we haven't had the chance to explore thanks to the isolation"
"It's a shame that the one chance you'll have will be a more perilous battlefield, somewhere out there"
Shinaka looks down, lamenting their poor fate as possible disposable soldiers, or worse.
Priad then continued with a hopeful tone "But I don't plan on going to battles alone. There are opportunities for us to be more than who we are,"
The sudden change of tone gained her attention, making her look up towards him again.
"Shinaka, do you want to go out there and explore the stars with me or do you simply want to stay here and hide away from what the universe has to offer?"
It was a question that never came up to her. Perhaps everyone was comfortable living here, undisturbed by the war, and the least of their problems were the rebels led by Yami Tanaka.
"What... Would you have me choose, sir?"
"Anything. This is your choice, Shinaka. But no matter what you choose, you can't make things go back to the way it was" Priad then points to his neck, signifying the collar that she is wearing "And don't worry. You're free to give your own opinion. I won't limit you on anything"
His generosity surprised her again, even so far as to allow her to express her opinion. She had initially expected that he would abuse the collar to make her train hard or perhaps use her for his human desires, should he desire them.
"If I were to choose to explore, would you also take my people there?"
Priad smiled confidently "All of them. For better or worse, I'll take you there" He then stands up, offering his hand to Shinaka "But we have a long way to go. I don't have much authority as an Akadian Trooper, and I have much to achieve before I can climb the ranks and make that a reality. So, ready to continue?"
The corner of her mouth raises into a smile as she takes his hand and stands up as well "I understand. I will do all I can to help, sir Priad"
"I'll be counting on that"
The simulation drone once again flew over them and recreated the simulated world over them. As enemies begin appearing around her, Priad puts on his helmet and steps back to allow her to fight.
Shinaka takes out her sword and takes her battle stance, readying herself for the fight.
"And Shinaka"
"What is it, sir?"
"You don't have to call me sir every time. Just be casual around me"
Her eyebrow raises as she turns to him "What do you mean by... ?"
Yet at this moment, the simulated enemies began firing their rifles at her. Luckily, she was quick enough to dodge them, though with a couple of grazes on her arm.
"My bad"
Despite the grazes, she recovered and began slashing away at her enemies. With a pout, she replied to him "That could have killed me, sir"
Priad put on his helmet to hide his face from her "Sorry"
As battle after battle was fought throughout the simulations, Shinaka's skills improved. Not only that but Priad's tactical insight towards her fighting skills, as well as plans for her to counter the various types of enemies while protecting him. His preparations for the upcoming battle seem to be going smoothly, as he will soon be ready to execute his plan to survive and win.