After a deadly encounter with a pack of Grimm, Sakuya continued her journey, her boots scuffing against the dirt path. The forest was a blur of green and brown, but her senses remained sharp. A thin wisp of smoke caught her attention in the distance, a faint, gray plume rising into the clear sky.
"A camp. People might be there." she said
Proceeding with her usual caution, Sakuya moved silently through the thick underbrush. The air grew heavy with the rancid scent of spilled liquor and unwashed men. She peered through the foliage to see a group of bandits sitting around a crackling bonfire, their loud, drunken laughter echoing through the quiet forest.
"Hahaha! We did good, boys!" one of them yelled, taking swigging from a cup filled with beer
"Yeah, the buyer will be happy with this batch," another slurred.
A frown touched Sakuya's lips. "This batch?" she thought, a sense of unease washing over her. "They were already drunk, and it wasn't even midday." She thought as she stayed hidden, observing.
"The buyer really likes these Faunus, especially the women and children," a man said with a lecherous smirk.
Sakuya's blood ran cold. She clenched her fist, nails digging into her palm.
"Yeah, we can have some fun with them first. The shipment is still days away," another added, adjusting his pants.
That was enough. The rage inside her was a hot, burning fire. Sakuya stepped out from the trees, her presence a jarring contrast to their celebratory mood. The men stopped talking, their heads whipping toward her.
"What? Who are you?" one of them stammered, his hand going for the dagger at his belt.
A low chuckle escaped Sakuya's lips, her ruby-red eyes glowing with an eerie light.
"A Semblance?!" the leader cried out, his eyes widening.
Sakuya's smile. "Oh, I will savor this," she said. As a theme song played
"Music? Where is that coming from?" the leader asked, bewildered.
Sakuya took a step forward, her voice a calm, chilling whisper that was barely audible over the beat. "When in doubt, you take action to the villain in your game. But once Karma gains traction, you will know who to blame."
Her eyes blazed a brilliant, crimson red. She pulled out a single, silver knife and threw it.
"Light Speed C. Ricochet," she murmured.
The knife spun through the air, moving at an impossible speed. It struck one bandit in the chest, then bounced off, ricocheting to another man's neck, and then another's. With each deadly rebound, a bandit fell, until it was blocked by the leader's sword.
Sakuya frowned slightly. "If you blocked that, then let's see you block this."
She snapped her fingers. Three rows of polished muskets materialized behind her, their muzzles aimed squarely at the remaining men.
"What the hell are you?!" the bandit leader shrieked, his face pale with terror.
A small, serene smile touched Sakuya's lips. "Just a passing maid."
"Die."
The muskets fired in a single, thunderous volley, tearing through the remaining bandits. The forest went silent, as the bandit fell She let out a long sigh, the tension finally leaving her body. The music faded, and she patted down her outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles. "Best to calm myself," she muttered, "I don't want people looking at me like I'm a crazy psychopath."
She walked toward a large, wooden crate sitting next to the bonfire. She pushed the lid open and gasped, covering her mouth in shock. The container was filled with terrified, huddled Faunus children and women.
"Help me, please…" a weak voice whimpered from the bottom of the pile. A young boy, no older than seven, crawled toward her, his face bruised and his clothes torn.
"My dear Lord," she whispered, her voice full of sorrow. She carefully lifted him from the container.
"Don't worry. I will help you," she said, her hand glowing with a soft, green light.
"If I stop time, I can reverse it," she thought. It was a risky move, but one she knew she could pull off. Time around the boy seemed to freeze, and in a blink, his wounds vanished.
"Wow! I'm healed!" the boy said, his little face lighting up with a grateful smile.
Sakuya gave him a soft smile in return.
"Miss, can you help the rest? Please! Help them!" the boy begged.
"Very well." She closed her eyes, and a wave of her aura radiated out, a warm, comforting light that seemed to ripple through the clearing, healing the rest of the Faunus.
"So, do you have anywhere to go?" Sakuya asked a woman who seemed to be the eldest of the group.
"Our village was attacked by them. All the men were killed, but the women and children were placed in the containers," the woman said, her voice trembling.
"I can take you to a nearby city. You can start fresh there," Sakuya offered.
"There is a city nearby. It's called Vale," the woman said, her eyes welling up with tears of relief.
"Good." Sakuya paused, her expression turning pensive. "I have a question."
"What is it?" the woman asked, confused.
"What continent are we on?" Sakuya asked, her gaze steady.
The woman blinked. "Eh?"
"What continent are we on?" Sakuya repeated.
"We're on the continent of Sanus. We're near Vale, as I said," the woman answered, her confusion evident. "Why would a Huntress like you ask a question like that?"
"Oh, okay. Thank you for the information," Sakuya said with a knowing smile.
"Shall we move, then, miss?" the woman asked.
"Yeah, the sooner the better. Also, grab all the gear from the bandits. I have no need for their stuff you guys can have it," Sakuya said, gesturing to the scattered weapons and supplies.
"Okay, miss. I will tell the others," she said before running toward the group, the hope in her stride renewed.
At the void
"Damn it all," the being grumbled, a disembodied voice echoing through the endless silence. "Some upstart god has decided to send not one, but two reincarnators to the same world for my entertainment. Oh no, no, no. I will not allow that." With a flick of its consciousness, the being sent a notification, a pulse of energy that would only be received by its chosen soul, Sakuya. It also provided a little "help," to her