It was only when Uli asked about Aiko''s whereabouts that they had realised she was missing from the group.


    Their breathing was quick and short as they continued running, "I hope nothing has happened to Aiko!" Bethany shouted out.


    "You and me both!" Uli responded, without pause, the two darted right around a corner.


    One of the Nebula Pincer launched its multiple tendrils from its carapace towards Sachika, she, in turn, performed a side twist crossing her bladed gauntlets across her chest using the extended blades running up her forearms to slice the many tendrils coming towards her.


    With her left hand, she grabbed hold of one of the Nebula Pincers claws attached to its carapace.


    Sachika pulled back her right arm then sent a strong jab attacking using the small blade extended over her fists to impale and destroy the creatures core.


    "One down!" Sachika shouted.


    "Okay!..." Hibiki replied with a big smile on her face "...I''ll take out the second one!" she used Essence Cloak to a means to bait her enemy into making a move then ultimately leaving themselves open to an attack.


    Chi-Sun with her daggers ready charged the third Nebula Pincer.


    Beforehand, Chi-Sun had a Coordinator infuse her daggers with explosive shard skin.


    Thankfully for the Familiars and Coordinators that were fighting the Nebula, the battle was going in their favour. However, that didn''t mean there weren''t any injured nor casualties on their side.


    Sachika looked to her left seeing a medic tending to one of the injured Familiars.


    Around Sachika various Familiars and Coordinators were finishing off the last scraps of the enemy.


    Behind them, one of the Nebula Pincer was fidgeting on the floor.


    Chi-Sun noticed it, pointing it out to her surrounding comrades. They readied themselves for what will happen, the creature continued to fidget until suddenly stopped. Without warning the carapace bursts to open spurting out the liquid gel and a human girl.


    It was only until the gel started to slide off the body that the Familiars and Coordinators nearest to the girl noticed she was completely naked, except there was a diamond shaped crystal pulsating on the girl''s chest between her breasts.


    Opening her eyes, the girl slowly stood up unfazed that she was stark naked in front of a crowd. As Sachika looked into this girls eyes she noticed a lack of humanity in her, as if the girl was stripped of such things.


    "W-Wait a minute..." Chi-Sun stammered quietly to herself, "...s-she''s a student from the South Korean Branch"


    Hibiki glanced towards her friend, "Are you sure? How can you be certain?"


    "I saw her around the campus a few times" Chi-Sun replied her eyes widened from the realization.


    Suddenly the girl before started to change, the outer shell of digitized armour started to form over the girl.


    It wasn''t long before the transformation had finished, the girl had digitized metal armour that was separated by orange energy currents, the helmet had two orange jagged markings for where the eyes would be, and two tendrils hung down the girls back.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there."Wait a minute..." Chi-Sun tone had gotten shakier at this point "...this could be the Essence Form that I heard about which under development and research!"


    The others didn''t respond, or to be precise they were too focused on the girl before them.


    Before they could react the girl lunged at them with the intent of killing them without mercy.


    "Ma''am a pack has separated from the main group heading deeper into the campus!" One of the female operators called out.


    "Show it to me!" Mistress Daiki sternly replied.


    Upon the screen, she could see a group of four girls in Essence Form using Tachyon to move further into the academy. Mistress Daiki could only think of one reason they were coming deeper into the grounds.


    "Send Ashina and her team down to Sub Level Three!..." the Mistress shouted, "...spare anyone you can to intercept that group!"


    The team of female operators nodded giving out the Mistress'' orders to the appropriate teams.


    With new-found determination, Sachika wanted to kill her enemy, but before she could an open broadcast came over her headpiece.


    "All units, a pack have splintered off from the main enemy force heading deeper into the academy any available units are ordered to engage them immediately!"


    Hibiki shouted out towards Sachika, "Sachi let''s go!"


    Glancing at her friend Sachika responded, "We can''t leave!", she turned to notice one of the enemy girls charging her.


    "Just go!" Chi-Sun grunted in annoyance at Sachika''s reluctance "You''re the fastest Familiar here, and Hibiki has the most effective Essence Cloak ability here..." she charges into battle "...so just go!"


    Sachika bit her lip feeling annoyed that she had to abandon her comrades, finding her resolve she looked to Chi-Sun calling out to her, "You better not die!"


    Chi-Sun laughs, "Please! If I was at my best I''d be showing up right now!"


    Smiling Sachika turned towards the academy both she and Hibiki rushed towards the enemy splinter group using their respective abilities to get there faster.


    "This is Mistress Daiki, girls by any means necessary you must stop that splinter group they can not be allowed to get to Sub Level Three"


    Sachika glanced at Hibiki upon hearing the last few words, "Sub Level Three?"


    "I don''t have time to explain just make sure you stop that group, I''ll try and get any support I can to you!"


    And with that the connection was cut between the girls and the command centre, Hibiki looked to her friend as the continued running down the corridor, "Did you know that there were levels going underground?"


    "No, I hadn''t a clue that there were multiple levels underground at this academy" Sachika replied, as far as the two girls were concerned all they knew was the campus and academy along with the facilities they supplied. It was only until now that the duo finds out about the underground levels in the academy.


    In the distance the two of them could see one of the figures from the splinter group, however, they weren''t heading to the centre of the grounds like they originally they thought this one was headed towards the infirmary. With a burst of energy, Sachika started sprinting as she turned around calling out to Hibiki, "Hurry we got to catch up to them!"


    Sachika came to a T-Junction in the corridor, before she knew there was a strong tug on her collar and Hibiki screaming her name.


    Slightly winded, Sachika came to seeing the heated ionized hole in the wall where bits of metal and plaster drip off the wall into a gloopy texture.


    Before she stood Hibiki, as vapour vented from the left side of her body. It wasn''t long before her and left arm and a part of her side torso started to fall off, the sound of sticky melted flesh tearing could be heard as a part of Hibiki''s body flopped to the floor with a loud thud. There were only a few seconds of squirting blood before the superheated temperature closed off the exits to the veins and arteries.


    Hibiki smirking coughed up blood that splashed on the floor, she turned around looking to Sachika as blood dripped from the corners of her mouth. "You...owe...me...one...now...Sachi" as soon as she finished she dropped to the floor upon impact blood spurted out from her injury.


    Sachika could only sit there tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, she didn''t want to believe what just happened.