Meanwhile during Shinji and Kieran's fight at the city gate,a once bustling hub of activity, stood empty and silent. The only sound was the echo of footsteps, a steady cadence of leather on stone. The footsteps were light, almost delicate, yet they seemed to carry a sense of purpose. Each step was deliberate, as if the person walking was aware of every movement.
As the footsteps drew closer, a figure emerged from the distance. A woman with long, flowing black hair walked towards the gate. Her hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of night, and her eyes seemed to gleam with an inner light.
She wore a simple white tunic, cinched at the waist with a leather belt. A sword hung at her side, its scabbard worn and well-used. The woman's movements were fluid, almost graceful, as she walked towards the gate.
Two men, who had been standing nearby, couldn't help but stare. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, nudged his companion, a lanky individual with a mop of messy hair.
"Hey, man, look at that lady!" the bearded man whispered, his eyes fixed on the woman's long black hair. "She's a real beauty, isn't she?"
His friend's eyes widened in agreement. "Whoa, she's a stunner!" he breathed. "I mean, just look at those eyes... they're piercing!"
As the woman approached them, a third man, who had been standing in the background, spoke up. "Hey guys, I think I know that lady from somewhere."
The two men quickly turned to him, their faces stern. "Quiet, act natural," the bearded man hissed. "She's coming in this direction."
The third man nodded, but it was too late. The woman had already approached them. "Sorry to bother you," she said, her voice melodious, "but could you point me in the direction of the guild?"
The two men, still staring at her, spoke in unison, their voices trembling with excitement. "Don't worry, we'll escort you there... we'll protect you from harm... we'll carry you on our backs if you want!"
She smiled politely, but firmly. "I'd rather you just pointed me in the right direction."
The two men looked at each other, their faces falling in disappointment. The bearded man spoke up, his voice filled with longing. "But... but we want to be near you... we want to bask in your beauty!"
His friend nodded in agreement, his eyes shining with adoration. "Yeah, we'll be your knights in shining armor... your personal bodyguards!"
She raised an eyebrow, her eyes piercing. "I think you've got the wrong idea," she said, her voice firm but amused.
The man in the background, who had been watching the exchange, stepped forward. "Wait a minute," he said, his eyes narrowing. "You're Sakura, one of the Three Heroes, aren't you?"
Sakura nodded, a hint of a smile on her face.
The man's eyes widened in surprise. "What brings you to a small city like this?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Sakura's expression turned serious, her eyes gleaming with a hint of determination. "I'm looking for someone," she said, her voice low and even.
The two men near Sakura froze, their faces pale and silent. They looked like they had been turned into statues, their mouths hanging open in shock.
The man in the background raised an eyebrow. "Who might that be?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Sakura's gaze turned to him, her eyes piercing. "Someone I need to find," she said, her voice firm but cryptic.
The man nodded, his eyes never leaving Sakura's face. "I see," he said. "Well, the guild is just down that street."
As Sakura turned to leave, she paused and looked back at the man who had given her directions. "Excuse me," she said, her brow furrowed in curiosity. "But where is everyone else? And why are the city guards not at the gate?"
Just then, cheers erupted from the direction of the city arena, growing louder with each passing moment.
The man chuckled and nodded towards the arena. "That would be because everyone in the city today went to watch the guild team vs team fight. They're all cheering on Kieran, the city's strongest adventurer. He's fighting against a new rookie adventurer who's said to be very powerful."
Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly as she thought to herself, "The Kai I heard about is an SSS rank adventurer... and if it's really Zayn, I don't think he would be wasting his time fighting an S rank... so I don't think it's him."
She turned back to the man and smiled politely. "Okay, thank you for the information."
With that, she continued on her way to the guild, leaving the man and his two friends behind.
As soon as Sakura was out of earshot, the man turned to his two friends, who were still frozen in place. "Okay guys, she left. You can stop freezing now... or whatever it is you're doing."
One of his friends finally snapped out of his trance-like state and spoke up, his voice shaking with excitement. "M-man, did you see her? She's so beautiful! I think I'm in love!"
His other friend nodded vigorously, his eyes wide with wonder. "I know, right? I've never seen anyone like her before. I think I'd die happily if she just touched my hand."
The first friend's face turned bright red with excitement. "Touch your hand? Are you kidding me? I'd die if she just looked at me again!"
The man chuckled and shook his head. "You guys are something else. But be careful, I've heard she's not one to be trifled with."
One of his friends leaned in, a conspiratorial look on his face. "Yeah, I've heard that too. They say she doesn't allow any man to touch her. Can you imagine? I mean, I'd love to try my luck, but I don't think I'd survive it."
The other friend nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've heard she's got a mean right hook. I don't think I'd want to be on the receiving end of that."
The two friends continued to gossip and speculate about Sakura, completely forgetting about their surroundings and the man standing next to them.
The man rolled his eyes good-naturedly and chuckled. "You guys are something else. I'm surprised you didn't faint on the spot."
Sakura arrived at the guild hall, which was surprisingly isolated. The large hall was empty, except for three guild members who were chatting idly near the reception desk.
As Sakura approached, the three guild members quickly fell silent, their eyes fixed on her in shock.
One of them, a young woman with a nervous expression, stumbled backward, her eyes wide with wonder. "I-I'm dreaming, right? You're... you're Sakura, one of the Three Heroes!"
The other two guild members nodded in agreement, their faces pale with awe. "What is someone like you doing here?" one of them asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Sakura looked at them, her eyes serious. "I'm looking for someone. Where can I find the team called the Nobles?"
The guild member quickly replied, "They're currently at the city arena, but one of their members is in the healing room."
Sakura's eyes narrowed. "So where is that healing room?" she asked, her voice urgent.
The guild member pointed down a nearby hallway. "It's just down there, second door on your right."
With a swift nod, Sakura took off running towards the healing room, her movements so quick that she seemed to disappear from sight.
The guild members watched her go, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"I still can't believe it," one of them whispered. "Sakura, one of the Three Heroes, just walked into our guild hall."
The other two guild members nodded in agreement, still looking stunned.
Sakura burst through the door of the healing room, her eyes scanning the space until they landed on a young woman with long, flowing pink hair, who was sitting in one of the healing beds. Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the woman's unfamiliar face.
Lila froze, now panicking. "Wait, you're Sakura, right? I'm a big fan!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
She sprang out of bed, forgetting about her injuries, and ran to the door where Sakura was standing. "Sorry to ask, but can I hold your hand?" she asked, her voice trembling with fan-girl enthusiasm.
Sakura looked at her, a hint of amusement on her face, and held out her hand. "Of course," she said, smiling.
Lila grasped Sakura's hand, her eyes shining with excitement. "I'm such a big fan of your work, Miss Sakura!" she gushed.
Sakura smiled politely and asked, "Sorry to ask, but are you a member of the Nobles?"
Lila looked at her, still starry-eyed, and answered in a low voice, "Yes, I am a member of the Nobles. Why are you asking?"
Sakura smiled. "Okay, then you can help me out. I was looking for a former friend of mine who goes by Zayn Kaito Thompson, who was the leader of the Nobles. So, might you know him?"
Lila's expression changed, and she replied in a low voice, "Sorry to say, but our team does not have anyone called Zayn, and the name Nobles was a name that Kai, our team leader, came up with."
As Lila finished her sentence, she suddenly fell to the ground, clutching her side in pain. Sakura quickly spotted what was wrong and rushed to her side.
"Don't worry, my healing skills are the best there are, so let me heal you," Sakura said, placing her hands on Lila's shoulders.
A warm, golden light began to emanate from Sakura's hands, enveloping Lila's body. The light pulsed with a gentle, soothing energy, and Lila's eyes widened in amazement as she felt her injuries begin to heal.
As the healing light faded, Lila looked up at Sakura with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. Sakura helped Lila to her feet, and Lila took a deep breath, testing her newly healed body.
Sakura watched her, a thoughtful expression on her face. "So, I guess this Kai of yours isn't Zayn?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Lila's expression changed, and she looked thoughtful. "Maybe it might be him, since Kai lost his memories and doesn't remember anything from his past."
Sakura's face lit up with a glimmer of hope, and she smiled. "So, would you please take me to him?"
Lila's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Sakura, her mind racing with thoughts. "Could the Sakura that Kai was thinking about really be this one?" she wondered.
A pang of anxiety shot through her chest, and she felt a sudden surge of possessiveness. "No, no, no... this can't be happening," she thought to herself, her mental tone turning frantic. "Kai's finally starting to open up to me, and now this legendary adventurer shows up out of nowhere?"
Lila's eyes clouded over with a hint of jealousy. "I won't let her take him away from me," she thought, her mental tone turning fierce. "I've grown to care for Kai so much, and I know he feels the same way about me. I won't let some stranger from his past come in and ruin everything we've built together."
She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression turning resolute. "I'll have to be careful, make sure she doesn't get too close to Kai. I'll protect him, no matter what."