𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧

10 - turns out i'm REALLY bad at fighting

Y/n had no idea how she managed to survive these past few months, it was a mystery even to herself.

She would venture outside the Assembly every week for commissions, and then bravely facing off against countless murder machines in the Hidden Palace of Guizang Formula. But when it came to fighting with her bare hands, Y/n might as well have been a leaf in the wind.

That being said, Y/n had other skills that made up for her lack of physical prowess. She had a talent for sneaking around, avoiding enemies by any means necessary. And when there was no other option, she could use her powerful burst to eliminate a single target with deadly efficiency.

Killing came naturally to Y/n, though it was hardly surprising, considering her father's reputation.

However, her luck ran out today. She had managed to avoid most of the enemies that crossed her path, but now she had no choice but to face them head-on.

Y/n was ambushed by an army of bandits. They had appeared out of nowhere, and Y/n had no time to react. The attackers were swift and relentless, and before Y/n could escape, she had already taken a few blows to the head. Y/n was left bleeding on the ground, dazed and confused. She could only hope that someone had seen the attack and saved her.

***********
(Y/n's pov)

I opened my eyes, to find that I was inside a domain. Xiao was staring at me from across the room.

"You're finally awake," he said.

I felt a sudden surge of adrenaline as I got up to my feet. Seriously, how am I not dead yet? I had no idea. It's a miracle that I'm still alive, considering all the dangerous shit I've done. I felt a sudden warmth fill my body as if my life was being restored.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am." I looked around, taking in the scenery of yet another adepti's domain. "What happened? How did I get here?"

"Bonanus rescued you during her patrol yesterday. You're currently in Mt. Aocang. You're lucky you're still alive," he said, "That was quite a heavy blow, and it would kill most ordinary mortals. But you're going to need to be more careful in the future. You can't just go around doing dangerous things without any protection."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, "I suppose I'll have to actually learn how to use a weapon now..."

Xiao deadpanned, "Yes. I have no idea how you managed to last this long without learning how to fight. You've completely healed, and you are free to leave the domain. Follow me."

I followed the yaksha out of the domain as I gasped at the view. The mountain where the adepti dwells is a peaceful place, surrounded by nature, and untouched by human hands. I can't help but be in awe of such a place.

It would be surrounded by peace and quiet, but—

"—But you see, dear Cloud Retainer, the clockwork mechanism can be improved with a small adjustment in the gear ratio."

I stared, wide-eyed at the person Guizhong was talking to. Is that Cloud Retainer's human form?

"One disagrees. The efficiency of the device would only decrease with such an alteration." She said.

Meanwhile, Morax sat with the two, sipping his tea, his face betraying no emotion. He seemed content to simply watch the two argue, enjoying their lively banter as he took in the stunning mountain scenery around them.

"Ah, but you fail to account for the increased torque it would provide, my dear Cloud Retainer," said Guizhong.

"One's apologies, but one cannot agree with your reasoning. The mechanism's purpose is not to provide torque, but to maintain a stable rotation."