Jeff exhaled deeply, finally free to step into the simulation grounds. His hands adjusted the straps of his weapons as he muttered under his breath, "Now I can practice in peace."
But peace, as usual, had other plans.
Just as he reached the entrance, a figure slid into his path swift and confident, blocking his way with a deliberate step. A young woman dressed in crimson stood there, her long hair tied back, eyes glinting like sharpened steel.
"Greetings," she said smoothly, her voice carrying both poise and something unsettling beneath it. "My name is Danjin. Tell me about any injustice you've encountered, and I'll get it dealt with. You can't think of any? That's good."
Jeff froze, his heart sinking. His eyes flicked over her crimson uniform, the blade at her hip gleaming faintly under the light. Oh, fuck. It's the infamous Danjin. Out of all my rotten luck…
He cleared his throat, trying to keep it polite. "Uh… hello. My name's Jeff. Is there a problem, miss? I… kinda need to get to the simulation."
Danjin tilted her head, watching him closely, almost like a hawk circling prey. She must've caught the flicker of unease in his voice, because her lips curved into a half-smile.
"Worry not," she said softly, but there was a strange glimmer in her eyes, "my Crimson Blade will not harm you… as long as you haven't done anything bad."
Her words should have been reassuring, but Jeff's skin prickled instead.
"I really gotta get going now," Jeff muttered, sidestepping, trying to slip past her.
But Danjin moved effortlessly, blocking him again, like she'd been waiting for that exact attempt.
"I saw your fight with Uncle Yhan," she said suddenly, her voice rising with excitement. "That was splendid. I haven't seen anyone fight like that before. It was… elegant. Beautiful. Mesmerizing."
Her eyes widened, her tone trembling on the edge of something unhinged. That poised calmness began to crack, revealing the battle-maniac underneath.
Jeff stared, uneasy. What a crazy woman. Why can't she just leave me alone? I don't like where this is going.
Then her lips curved wider, too wide. "Let's have a fight."
Jeff's jaw dropped. "Oh, hell nah. I'm just here to try the simulation."
Danjin clasped her hands together, leaning closer with a pleading sparkle that didn't match the manic glint in her eyes. "Come on. Pretty please?"
Jeff narrowed his eyes, folding his arms. "No."
This ranger is pretty damn stubborn, he thought, exasperated.
He tried walking past her again, quick and firm, but her hand shot out, gripping his wrist like a clamp. Her eyes lit up as she tugged slightly. "Pretty please."
Jeff raised a brow, annoyed now. "…Seriously?"
Danjin's voice softened, coaxing, but her excitement was obvious. "What about this—" she leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret, "I'll join you in the simulation. That way, I can see firsthand how you fight Tacet Discords. We can practice together. That's why I came here in the first place."
Jeff blinked, caught off guard. He weighed his options—fight this crazy red ranger here and now, or… let her tag along and get this over with.
Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "…You know what? Fuck it."
Her eyes lit up like fireworks. "You won't regret it."
Her grin was wild, triumphant, and Jeff instantly regretted everything.
The doors slid open with a low hum, and Jeff stepped inside, his boots echoing faintly on the metallic floor. The training hall was vast holographic panels lining the walls, faint blue light pulsing through the grid-like flooring.
Damn… this place looks exactly like the game, Jeff thought, his eyes scanning the room with a mix of awe and wariness.
Danjin walked in beside him, her crimson blade strapped to her hip. There was a dangerous energy about her, like she thrived in places where other people would've been cautious. She spread her arms dramatically.
"Welcome, Jeff," she said, her eyes practically glowing. "To our state-of-the-art simulator. With this, we can conjure any Tacet Discord stored in our database whenever we want. Nothing beats the real thing, of course…" Her grin widened. "…but this comes close."
Jeff raised a brow. "Is that so?"
"Here, let me show you."
She tapped her terminal, and in a blink, four holographic Tacet Discords materialized snarling, their grotesque outlines flickering between data and reality.
Jeff let out a low whistle. "Holy hell… that's neat."
"Now," Danjin said, her battle-hungry eyes glinting. "Show me what you're made of."
Jeff didn't hesitate. His Static Mist pistol materialized in his hand with a crackle of blue light. Two quick, precise shots, clean headshots shattered the first pair before they could even move. In the same breath, he swung his Emerald of Genesis into existence, its blade humming as he dashed forward, cleaving through the remaining two with a single sweeping arc.
The room fell quiet except for the faint hum of his weapon.
Danjin's eyes sparkled like a kid staring at fireworks. "What kind of fighting style was that? And those weapons—"
Jeff holstered the pistol, giving a small shrug. "Got them from Uncle Wei."
"Uncle Wei?" Her expression softened for a fraction of a second. "That explains the craftsmanship. I visit him myself when my Crimson Blade needs repairs."
Jeff chuckled. "So he even know you huh that makes sense."
He tilted his head toward the terminal, curiosity tugging at him. "Your turn, Red. Show me how you fight."
Danjin's lips curled upward into something between a grin and a challenge. "My pleasure."
Jeff keyed in four new Tacet Discords. The creatures spawned with guttural screeches, claws scraping against the grid floor.
Danjin's demeanor changed instantly. Gone was the polite, almost teasing woman. In her place stood a predator.
With a sharp exhale, she unsheathed her Crimson Blade. Havoc energy flared along its edge, sizzling like fire trapped in steel. Then she moved—blindingly fast.
Her first swing split a TD clean in half, scattering holographic data like shattered glass. She pivoted, eyes wild, slicing through the second with an upward strike, her crimson hair whipping across her face. The third tried to pounce—Danjin ducked, slid low, and carved through its abdomen before it hit the ground. The last roared, but she was already behind it, her blade flashing in a brutal arc that cleaved its head clean off.
The simulation flickered. All four collapsed.
Jeff stood frozen, his mouth slightly open. What the hell… That was scary. And she wanted to fight me earlier? I'd be cooked.
Danjin turned to him, cheeks slightly flushed, chest heaving from the exertion. But her expression was pure glee, like a child desperate for praise.
"Did you see that, Jeff?" she asked, her voice breathless, eyes shining.
Jeff blinked, then gave her a small smile. "…Yeah. You're amazing. Didn't think a Jinzhou ranger could hit that hard."
For the first time, her manic grin softened. She looked almost bashful at the compliment, her eyes darting away for a second.
"I have to be strong," she said, tightening her grip on her blade. "Because wherever I go, I vow to vanquish evil. Whether it lurks in daylight or hides in the dark. It's easy to cut down an enemy with one swing, but eradicating evil is never that simple. One oversight…" Her eyes hardened, that manic gleam returning. "…and it silently regenerates, ready to strike again. That's why I must uproot and shatter every trace of it."
Jeff studied her carefully. Out loud, he said, "What an admirable ideal."
But damn… she sees the world in nothing but black and white, he thought, unsettled.
Danjin suddenly smiled wide again, almost bouncing on her heels. "Let's crank things up."
Before Jeff could protest, she jabbed her terminal. The room pulsed with light—and twenty Tacet Discords roared into existence, surrounding them in a perfect storm of fangs and claws.
Jeff's eyes bulged. "Oh, hell no. What the fuck?!"
Danjin's grin widened, her crimson blade humming with bloodlust. "Let's go! This is just the warm-up!"
Jeff groaned, lifting his pistol as his stomach sank. Oh my god… I regret everything.
The hum of energy filled the air as Jeff materialized his Cosmic Ripple Rectifier, the weapon floating steadily behind his back, pulsing like a second heartbeat. With a flick of his wrist, beams of concentrated light tore through the battlefield, scorching Tacet Discords in their path. In his other hand, the Static Mist pistol barked with precision, each shot fired with soldier-like control. He kept his distance, covering angles, providing support like he'd done countless times before.
But Danjin—she was a storm.
With a wild grin plastered on her face, she charged headlong into the swarm. Her blade cut arcs of silver in the chaos, slicing through Discord after Discord as if they were paper. Each strike landed with terrifying elegance, her laughter echoing between blows unhinged, manic, almost intoxicated by the fight.
She looks high asf, Jeff thought grimly, squeezing off another burst of shots. Is she… getting off on this?
When the last Discord dissolved into smoke, Jeff lowered his pistol, only to see Danjin extend her hand, Resonance surging like wildfire. The ground trembled.
"More!" she shouted, her voice sharp with hunger. Her eyes gleamed unnaturally as twenty more Tacet Discords materialized, screeching into existence.
Jeff's jaw tightened. Damn it.
She dove in again, blades flashing, Resonance exploding in quick bursts that shredded the creatures before they could even react. Jeff's eyes widened, breath caught in his throat. Damn… she's good.
But she wasn't done.
"We need to up the difficulty a bit," Danjin smirked, almost giddy.
The air split open. Thirty more Discords—larger, more twisted than the last—crawled out.
Jeff's eyes shot wide. "Oh, fuck—you've got to be kidding me!"
Danjin only laughed, that wild, manic laugh that made Jeff's skin prickle.
No time to complain. He sprinted forward, Rectifier beams slamming into the horde, his pistol cracking in rhythm. But as the Discords pressed closer, he holstered the Rectifier and pulled the Emerald of Genesis Sword, its edge glimmering with Resonance. Shoulder to shoulder with Danjin, he cut through the creatures, his blade carving wide arcs while she darted in with precise, brutal strikes.
The fight grew tight, the crowding suffocating. Jeff grunted in frustration, his sword nearly colliding with Danjin's swing. With a curse, he sheathed it mid-motion and switched back to his pistol, raising it with the calm, practiced aim of a survivor. Shots rang out clean and fast Leon Kennedy style, fluid, ruthless, and fucking efficient.
One by one, the Discords fell until silence returned, broken only by Jeff's ragged breaths. He staggered, sweat dripping down his jaw, his shoulders heavy.
Danjin, by contrast, looked exhilarated eyes bright, chest rising with steady rhythm, a grin plastered across her face like she'd just finished a pleasant jog.
"What a nice warm-up," she said with a casual laugh.
Jeff dragged in a breath, forcing a smirk. "That's… just a warm-up?" His voice rasped, disbelief laced with exhaustion.
Danjin tilted her head, watching him with the fascination of a child staring at a new toy. "How are you so good at shooting?" she asked, almost breathless in awe. "I've never seen anyone fight Tacet Discords up close like that with a pistol nonetheless it was graceful, elegant. You switched between Rectifier and sword so seamlessly, like the fight itself was a dance. It suits you. Honestly, I'm envious."
Jeff froze for a moment, caught off guard. A genuine smile tugged at his lips despite his fatigue, a warmth spreading in his chest. "You're pretty strong yourself," he admitted, voice low but sincere.
Danjin's grin softened into something mischievous, a spark lighting in her gaze. She chuckled under her breath. "Hehe… then let's continue. Fighting with you is just too enjoyable." She threw him a playful wink.
Jeff's stomach dropped. He forced a tight smile, though his thoughts betrayed him. I regretted ever coming here.
Four hours later, the simulation floor was littered with the fading remnants of Tacet Discords. Their roars had long turned into background noise, now dissolving into faint wisps of Resonance. Jeff bent forward, hands braced on his knees, sweat dripping from his brow and soaking the collar of his shirt. His chest heaved like a man who had run a marathon, lungs burning, arms trembling.
He glanced sideways. Danjin stood there, her blade casually resting on her shoulder, a bright grin plastered across her face as if they hadn't just slaughtered hundreds of Discords back-to-back. Not a bead of sweat on her just that unrelenting, dangerous spark in her eyes.
How the hell is this girl still energetic? Jeff thought, scowling to himself. Fuck this, I'm done.
Straightening with a groan, he raised a hand. "Hey, Danjin… I've got to go. I think I've practiced my weapons enough for today."
Her grin faltered, her brows knitting together in reluctance. "Aww, come on. Didn't you have fun? I had fun."
Jeff couldn't help but chuckle, despite how dead his legs felt. "Me too. But it's late and I've got to go home before I pass out right here."
For the first time all day, Danjin's energy softened. She lowered her sword, eyes darting to the floor for a heartbeat before flicking back up to him. "Then… can we practice again sometime?" Her voice carried a rare trace of vulnerability, almost shy.
Jeff blinked, then sighed with a small smile. He reached out, ruffling her hair with a light pat. "Sure. As long as I'm free."
Danjin's expression lit up instantly, her smile returning full force. She whipped out her terminal, thrusting it toward him like a kid showing off a new toy. "Wait! Let me add you to my contact."
"Alright, alright," Jeff said with a laugh, pulling up his own terminal. Their devices synced with a soft chime, sealing the new connection.
Closing his terminal, Jeff gave her a small wave. "Take care now and don't stay here too late, alright?"
Danjin saluted him playfully, her grin warm this time instead of manic. "You got it. Take care, Jeff. I really enjoyed fighting with you."
Jeff chuckled under his breath, turning toward the exit. "The pleasure was mine."
As he walked away, muscles aching and eyelids heavy, he let out a tired sigh. I had fun… despite how damn difficult it was.
With that thought, Jeff slipped out of the simulator, leaving Danjin's smile lingering in the glow of the holographic battlefield.