The three went back to the cerebral matrix. Akino walked in front of the two.

Akino: So, first is we’re going to force in some martial art techniques in you, then we’ll test it out. Sounds good?

Lyka: Yes, that’s fine.

Akino touches Lyka’s forehead with her index finger. Light came out of her finger, then it went inside Lyka’s head. After that, Lyka backs off a little bit, seemingly having a headache.

Akino: You alright?

Lyka: I’m – I’m fine…

Akino: How is it?

Lyka: Wow… is this, how you fight in close combat? Jiujitsu, taekwondo, Muay Thai, krav maga, they all look deadly despite relying only to the body!

Akino: You want something else?

Lyka: I’m not sure… anything you have on swordsmanship?

Akino: Depends on your sword, you have to think first of the kind of sword you want to use.

Lyka raised her right arm, and a silver broadsword started to materialize. But not any ordinary broadsword, it’s over a meter long, a sixth of a meter wide, and a handle for two hands. Lyka effortlessly swings that sword with a gentle smile.

Lyka: Good old memories…

Akino: That’s – nice!

Alexa: Is that your sword? But we didn’t find any sword like that in the tribe settlement.

Lyka: My mother’s bound sword. I usually see it wielded by mother when she’s sparring with father. When father left us, she gave it to him.

Akino: Hmmm… broadsword fighting from medieval?

Alexa: Kendo sounds awesome!

Akino: Scottish longsword techniques might work as well.

Akino repeated placing the information inside Lyka, after that Alexa activated ten moving test dummies, all equipped with riot shields and stunning batons.

Lyka: Is this the test I’ll be taking?

Akino: Go on, we’ll be watching.

Alexa: Yeah, I’ll be cheering for you!

Lyka: Thanks!

Lyka rushes towards the test dummies. She begins tearing the riot shields, dodging the batons, kicking and parrying the test dummies’ attacks as the two watches in awe.

Akino: She’s awesome, isn’t she?

Alexa: Heh~?

Akino: Cut off that smug face of yours. Wait a minute, you should have set the test dummies into fantasy monsters, right? Going easy on her?

Alexa: Hey, stunning batons can hurt badly, and riot shields are harder than the standard medieval shield.

Akino: Come to think of it, the knight she mentioned… must be something hard to beat…

Alexa: So, you want me to make her prepare on her second round with that guy?

Akino: Make it harder.

Alexa: Gotcha!

The test dummies suddenly vaporize. Lyka looks at them with a very confident smile.

Lyka: Is that all?

Akino: No darling, we’re just getting started.

Lyka: D – Darling?!

Alexa: YIEEE!!!

Akino: Goddammit…

Bipedal mechanoids, five meters tall, all armed with missiles and guns. Armed androids appeared as well, heavily armored and wields high caliber firearms.

Lyka: Are these –

Akino: The mechanical military that we have.

Lyka: I think this is not fair!

Alexa: You can beat them! Use your magic or something!

Lyka started attacking the machines. Swinging her sword to split them in half, crushing their legs with her kicks and punches, deflecting the missiles and bullets with her bionic arm and sword. She manages to finish off the forty machines in five minutes.

Alexa: Wow, she’s indeed very fast.

Akino: Yeah.

Lyka approaches them, sweating and catching her breath.

Lyka: This – is – supposed to be – a virtual world… why am I feeling tired?

Akino: I set the settings wherein your body could still feel all the stress happening inside here. When we go back to the real world, your body should be already familiar with this scenario.

Lyka points her sword towards Akino and grins, full of confidence.

Lyka: How about a round two?

Akino: Hahaha! Sorry about that, you’ll have to defeat more of those guys.

Behind Lyka, another set of machines spawned. They all have humanoid appearances, and wields plasma-type weapons, fifteen humanoids in total. Additionally, a huge spider-like machine spawns, sixteen meters tall and has six legs, equipped with heavy cannons and machine guns.

Akino: Alexa, you spawned that?

Alexa: Yeah! From that old game in your laptop? With the main character as a samurai looking machine dude?

Lyka: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

Akino: Defeat those, and you’ll have your round two.

Irritated, Lyka dashes to the machines and begins swinging and casting spells to destroy them. A very rough twenty-five minutes passed, and still the giant robot-spider is still standing strong.

Alexa: Go for the legs!

Akino: It’s opposing her sword strikes, like ‘parrying’ it.

Lyka: Ugh! This damn thing won’t die!

Akino: Look for its weak point!

Lyka sprints and encircles the machine. While holding the sword on her left, she casts a spell on her right hand. She closes her eyes and reopens, but it’s glowing now. Her teleports on the ‘thorax’ of the machine, and swings her sword multiple times, creating a slashed hole on the center of the giant machine, bringing it down.

Lyka: How’s that, you metal monster!

Alexa: Yup, she’s fast.

Akino: How did you know about it’s core location?

Lyka: Clairvoyance, I just learned it. Nice isn’t?

Alexa: You just learned it?

Akino: Ho~? You’ve got your own version of targeting system, huh?

Lyka: This ‘targeting system’ of machines are a bit of complicated. I enhanced my senses looked for the most heated part of that machine and the most protected. The legs are fully armored, but lesser compared to it’s thorax and a sensed heat coming from it, so I assumed it’s the location of its heart.

Alexa: Damn, ma’s learning very fast.

Lyka: Thanks!

Akino: Then, your fighting methods did improve. Astonishingly, in a short amount of time…

Alexa: Heh, you jelly?

Akino: I’m not! Oh – anyways, I’ll just check if you can use your interface without our help then we’re done here.

Alexa: You mean, her utility display?

Lyka: ‘Utility display’?

Akino: You can see it, but only on your peripheral vision.

Lyka: I’m seeing ‘Current Location: Cerebral Matrix’. It’s working, isn’t?

Akino: Yup, but before we leave, I’ll connect the two of you to my satellites. In case we got separated, we can track each other very easily. And I’ll reconfigure other things, then we’re outta here.

HQC-31 AND HQC-101: CONNECTED TO COM-SAT SYSTEM MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SENSORY ARRAYS: ACTIVATED REACTIVE BODY FIELD: ENGAGED VITAL SIGN MONITORING SYSTEM: ACTIVATED OFFENSIVE PROTOCOLS: ENGAGED DEFENSIVE PROTOCOLS: ENGAGED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM: ONLINE SAVING SYSTEM CHANGES

.

.

.

EXITING CEREBRAL MATRIX

Alexa: Show off.

Akino: What? That’s necessary.

While the two were arguing, Lyka concentrates on doing magic. A magic circle appears, and instantly the broadsword she used materialized. She grabs the sword by her left hand and points it at Akino. Akino looks at her, smiling and full of certainty that she will win this time.

Akino: Using magic without saying anything, huh? You sure adapting very fast.

Lyka: It’s actually pretty hard not chanting the spell… but sure, it does save time.

Akino raises her fists, covering it in grey metallic material. Lyka swings her sword, elegantly. The two dashed toward each other. Clash of fists and blade, speed and strength, determination and strategy. The fight goes on. Lyka, without saying anything, releases her shadow copies. On the other hand, Akino fends and pins the copies as she notices that Lyka was readying a magic attack from her left arm.

Akino: Ho? you forgot about your left bionic arm?

Lyka: I certainly remember it.

Akino: You – what?

A magic circle appeared on her left hand, but shatters in an instant. As the magic circle shatters, Akino could see in a fraction of a second that a huge energy condensing on her left hand, an impending explosion. However, Lyka prepares to use her left hand to punch Akino. Even at a three-meter distance, Lyka punches her left, faced towards Akino. The condensed magic energy was directed towards Akino, as if Lyka punched so hard it created a force. An explosion occurred, and Akino being directly hit by it, throwing her tens of meters away from Lyka. Lyka and Alexa rans towards where Akino landed.

Akino: That was strong…

Lyka: Heh! I won this time.

Akino: It’s a fair trade then. How did you figure that out?

Lyka: I’m thanking Alexa for that.

Alexa: Since it will only result in a violent explosion if she casts a magic on her left arm, I ask her if she could punch so hard that the direction of the explosion could change and be directed on the given target.

Akino: And that target is me… wait, I didn’t hear you two talk about that.

Lyka: Your communication method of talking with just your mind is surprisingly useful, especially when you’re talking to someone in a middle of a fight.

Akino: Wow, learning pretty fast, aren’t we?

Lyka: Thanks to both of you, I’ve learned this much.

Lyka assists Akino to stand up.

Akino: So that means you didn’t win against me.

Lyka: What?!

Akino: I mean, you cheated. You asked Alexa’s help.

Alexa: I voluntarily said it to her.

Akino: Still –

Alexa: Sore loser!

Akino: What the - ! Say that again, I dare ya!

Alexa: Loser jellybean!

The two started arguing, and Lyka watches them both. She smiled gently, and whispers to herself.

Lyka: Thank you…