Deception: A Tactician's Card

Snow Versus Intruder and Leen's Assistance

"This school is a threat. Commencing destruction."

"Hah! As if I'd let you!"

I sprinted to multiply the force while evading his chain attack and landed a flying kick aimed at his abdomen. He flew away as I landed, but he quickly regained balance and did a whip with that chain of his in a horizontal motion. The distance between us was considerably far, but for some reason the whip suddenly grows longer and hit me on my right waist.

"Gah!"

I was careless.

The force is tremendous and it sent me rolling to ground. I was able to stood up but I am applying pressure using my right palm on the damaged part. It really hurts! If it weren't for my training under Yukti's tutelage, I would've been a goner.

I won't grow if I can't beat this guy. I need to remind myself of everything I endured just to get up to this point!

"I'll test out my close combat skills if it's appropriate enough for battle. Here I go!"

I sprinted once more. I stopped midway and back flipped to evade the attack coming from this chain guy. The chain made a loud thud on the ground and accumulated some dust, scattering throughout the area. It's not that thick enough to reduce the visibility to zero, but I tried to use it on my advantage.

I extended my left arm and used my one and only rune card that could hit from a long distance.

"[Stun Sting]."

The rune card appeared and from it comes a projectile in shape of a needle that could paralyze the enemy upon impact. The speed is second only to the speed of sound. That secured my plan to first incapacitate that guy!

"Grr...!"

He could only growl.

This is my chance to enclose our distance and deliver a blow!

I immerged from the cloud of dust and perfectly hit his jaw with an uppercut.

"Guurk!?"

"Here's a follow up."

I quickly followed my preemptive strike with a roundhouse kick. He's not blown away like the last time, but I guess I made him suffer some damage. For some reason, his body is hard than before. My fist stings.

"Listen closely, Snow. In combat, it's not how powerful your attacks are but it's how you deliver your blows. A good attack to the vitals is better than an inaccurate power move", is what my mother said as she trained me.

Thank you for your lessons mother! I'm forever grateful to your dedication to train me to become what I am now.

"You seem to be made of metal just now. Sorry about this though. I've been trained to deal with beings like you. Now then, here I come!"

I know that my [Stun Sting] rune card's effect already dissipated, but I still sprinted towards this troublemaker to hit him.

"Hwa!?"

I immediately ducked. He's pretty fast! He threw a punch aimed at my face, thus I did my earlier movement. What I did next is something coming straight from a video game. I hit his abdomen with a series of punches and kicks, and ended it with a basic side kick.

"Ghuu..."

He flinched for a moment but he threw the chain and it shackled me by my leg. He then lifted me up with sheer force to slam me to the ground.

"No way I'll allow that."

While in mid-air, I used my [Teleport] rune card and went behind him.

"I don't know who you are, but you don't have the rights to destroy this place."

"Huh!? How did you—"

Too late, mister.

I leaped from the ground and flipped, before I delivered an axe kick on his head.

"Ghaaa!"

He fell on the ground with a thud.

I did it! Now, it's time to tell this to—

"[Levitate]!"

Huh?

I found myself floating in the air, encased in a bubble-like substance. This rune card should be from...

"Mister Andrew!?"

"Sorry if I came unannounced Snow. However, I need to have you not in your former position. Look. There's another one."

I turned my head to the direction of where I initially am and saw another one wearing the same outfit as the fallen foe and wielded a great sword. The sword itself was stabbed on the ground. If it weren't for Mister Andrew, I would've been dead.

I didn't notice both of their presence to be honest. Maybe I'm just too focused on defeating that other guy in our brawl.

"Thank you for saving me, Mister Andrew."

"Don't sweat it. Before I became a comedian, I was a medic of sorts. I've learned how save anyone and avoid casualties if it's possible. I never would've thought that a day would come that I need to engage once more in combat. Snow, I'll contact your sister, so give me some time."

"Thanks Mister Andrew. I wasn't able to contact her since I was forced to engaged to initiate the fight."

He nodded and started tapping on his cell card. Now, I need to stall some time before reinforcement arrives.

The great sword wielder sprinted towards, but not aiming at us?

"What the-"

He went diagonally from his initial position and ought to destroy the academy!

"As if I'd let you! [Levitate]!"

The swordsman was encased in a bubble, and was thrown about to the ground. The person however just stabbed his sword to the ground to stop the momentum and started sprinting again, aiming at the academy walls.

"Go, Snow!"

"On it!"

I ran towards the guy and kicked him away, separating him and his sword. The sword is common in the market; it's just a giant sword with the hilt covered in bandages, perhaps for a better grip. The thrown guy stood up as if nothing happened and started running towards me when he suddenly stopped, like some robot toy that got its battery drained.

Dumbfounded, I looked at Mister Andrew to see if he knew something about it, but he just shook his head.

In a short moment, the two enemies were sucked in a vacuum-like, centrifugal motion.

What the heck just happened?

"Snow!"

"Leen!? Why are you here!"

"I got a message from Mister Andrew! He said to come as soon as possible! I used something similar to a [Teleport] to get here from my home!"

Ah.

I stared at Mister Andrew scratching his neck and showing an awkward smile.

Come on, Mister Andrew...

•••

"I see. So that's how it is."

I nodded in her reply.

I told Leen what happened earlier.

"There are two shady individuals, dressed in an outfit similar to those detective movies, and just rampaged the place. That's the gist of it, right?"

"Yes."

"Let me handle this. In the meantime, you should go at the front gate and face those who are coming."

Huh? Who's coming?

"Hmm? What's wrong, Snow?"

"Ah, no... I'm just wondering what you mean by that."

"Ah. I'll explain. There's a black vehicle fast approaching. Looking at the logo on its side, I'd say it's the Bureau of this country. Broki gave me a rune card that could allow me to see things from a distance, [Clairvoyance]. Well, just go. Give me a minute or so."

"Eh? What will you do?"

"Simple. Fix this place. I may be known as the one who invented those daily hygiene perks, but when it is needed, my skills is second only to my Broki when it comes to crafting rune cards. It's time for me to stop my Broki shouldering problems on his own. It's my way of seeing things. After all, he's the only blood-related family I have left."

This girl surely has the guts. Mister Andrew and I were in awe after hearing her words.

"Just as what I expected from the siblings. They're oddballs, but they lend a hand if needed. Very well, I'll welcome the guests. Snow, could you please come with me?"

"I'll take it as a compliment Mister Andrew", said Leen with a chuckle. "Go Snow, I'll handle this. [Receptacle: Rune Board]."

It's the same rune card Yukti used during our escape, the [Receptacle]. It stores any object the user desired to store. From it came a flat board, about the same size of a notebook, with nine dots on its surface. I don't know about its composition, but basing from its appearance, it's a wooden board.

"Okay Leen, we got this!"

•••

"Just as what I expected from the siblings. They're oddballs, but they lend a hand if needed. Very well, I'll welcome the guests. Snow, could you please come with me?"

Mister Andrew reassures Snow that I'll be fine. I'm happy about his statement. That oddball part is unnecessary though.

I could only chuckle. Mister Andrew is as humourous as ever.

"I'll take it as a compliment Mister Andrew. Go Snow, I'll handle this. [Receptacle: Rune Board]."

The Rune Board I'm carrying around isn't the one I used for my commercial stuff. This is my personal Rune Board.

"Okay Leen, we got this!"

With that, Mister Andrew and Snow left me and ran towards the front gate.

I then remembered what Broki told me last time.

"There's a lot going on. Honestly, I couldn't believe that some of the members of the Bureau's upper echelon would associate with those shady individuals. It's saddens me. So yeah, we can't trust the Bureau as of now, not until we purge the association."

Broki still had some lingering attachment to his former workplace. He had some friends there too, like Annie. For him to discover that harsh truth is depressing.

I think my brother is with the chairperson right now. They've been together for quite some time now since they're investigating this chaotic matter at hand. I'm often reminded by my brother not to insert myself in the chaos he's in but I just can't leave him be. After all, I'm his sister, not to mention that I'm also the first one he mentored, and I'll do what I can to the best of my ability to assist him in this new path he's barging through.

"Don't worry Broki, this'll be finished in a jiffy. Rune Board: Craft Access. User: Leen Cynth. Crafting rune card [Reconstruction], Dot V. Type, Disposable."

The board started glowing as I put my right index finger on top of the dot at the center. From it, my rune essence formed a line towards the north, south, east and west dots. I continued encoding the specifics of the rune card as I put in more rune essence from my fingertip.

"Rune card effect: When used, infrastructures and other non-living things will be restored gradually. The rune card will bear no deactivation code. Rune card effect set. Effect close. Craft rune card, engaged."

I slowly pulled up my finger from the board and just following it was a rune card under process. The rune essence started merging with it, marking its success.

I put my Rune Board back to my [Receptacle].

It's done.

"[Reconstruction]!"

I casted in to the whole school. Every infrastructures within the premises will be affected by this rune card.

Now, it's time for me to go inside and help the unconscious individuals inside, as Snow and Mister Andrew welcome those Bureau members.

I did help a severely injured student lying on the floor, unconscious. I put him on the infirmary bed for his comfort.

No, I didn't carry him. I just put my hand on his shoulder and placed him on one of the beds. The next thing I did is helping the faculty members. I just positioned them to look like they're sleeping on their seats. I feel sorry for having them experienced something traumatic (most faculty members who are here right now are non-combatants) so I casted [Memory Wipe] to all unconscious individuals within the school premises.

Now that everything is done, I'll go to where Snow and Mister Andrew are and greet those bastards.

"Don't worry about the academy, Broki. I'll handle this...and send", I mumbled as I sent a mail to him.