God Eater: Shattered Dawn

Chapter 9: A step ahead

Sakuya's POV

By the way they were looking at each other, they definitely knew each other before this.

As I walked beside Lindow, I watched the girl with interest. There was no fear in her eyes as she looked straight into Soma's, just a calm warmth. No Death God stare.

I looked at Lindow, who gave me a rueful smile, reminding me of the mission at hand, before calling out to Soma, who promptly turned. Oh if looks could kill~

The girl chuckled at Soma before turning her attention to us. I tried not to stare, but I felt shocked. That eye...

I shook off my discomfort and smiled warmly at her and, after a moments hesitation, she smiled back.

"You must be Lupa, the new rookie, right? I'm Lindow Amimaya, this is Sakuya and of course you've met Soma here." Lindow pointed out each God Eater, with Sakuya giving a small wave and Soma merely a grunt.

"A pleasure to meet you." Though she spoke formally, her tone was sincere. Her voice was soft and melodical, like a lullaby.

Soma's POV

I watched Lupa interact with her teammates as we headed off to the area where the ogretails popped up on our field map.

At first a little wary, she soon began to relax as she talked with Lindow and Sakuya.

It was clear that she and Sakuya had made best friends as they walked a little behind Lindow and me, having a long discussion about battle tactics.

"Your girlfriend's pretty sweet." Lindow commented casually, glancing behind him at the laughing girl.

"Not my girlfriend. Not my problem."

"So...You wouldn't mind me getting to know her?" Lindow raised an eyebrow.

"Like I said. She's not my problem." I grumbled, scuffing the snow with my boot.

"Oach. Cold." Lindow sighed.

Lupa tensed suddenly, her eyepiece slipping across her face as she dropped into a battle stance. "Aragami up ahead." She called. I glanced up, unable to see very far in the snowstorm, before using my ears to cover the distance closed off from my eyes.

She was right.

Normal POV

"Hey!" Sakuya and Lupa exclaimed as Soma set off at a run, intent on reaching the ogretail alone.

Lupa shook her head, mumbling an apology to the two young adults before running after him.

"Kids huh?" Lindow shook his head with a weary smile before following suit with Sakuya.

Soma heard light footsteps behind him and turned to see Lupa at his heel, miraculously keeping up to his pace.

"Rule two of survival: strength in numbers." she tutted at him. "Do not forsake your teammates." Soma continued running, ignoring her.

A cocoon maiden spurted up from the ground in front of him and a sudden elbow in his side nocked him to the floor. No sooner than he had been moved, a laser shot through the air, at the spot he had just been standing in.

Lupa was upon the rooted aragami at once, relentlessly striking its ribcage till it was unbound. It attempted another laser attack, but this was easily dodged and I watched as the rookie slammed once more into the aragami, nocking it to the floor.

In the precious few moments it laid weakened, she transformed her god arc into devouring mode. The blade of her silver god arc receded; a huge monstrous gaping jaw replacing it as it chomped down on the downed maiden, finally ending the monster.