Wicked Reincarnation

Chapter 176: Attack 17

A while ago.

Just when Kil headed to the first layer after killing Xavi, Nana knew what this meant.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent, didn't I teach you that?" Timo threw another sword at Nana. Nana was barely able to dodge it. One of her wings was chipped, cut off by Timo and he gave her no chance to recover.

"Was I so bad as a teacher? Seemed like you learnt nothing," Timo stood straight in front of the Nana who struggled to stand.

Her body was bruised and she almost collapsed on the ground. Through half-lidded eyes, she, with her mouth open, heavily wanting to get more air, could only focus on the outline of Timo.

She once, even though she shouldn't admit, admired her teacher, trainer, who guided her to become stronger. This figure she respected, had one hand in his pockets while his other spewed light blue sparkles about to form his sword out of his life force engraved with electricity.

The loose outer robe that hung around his shoulders gave him an aloof and elegant vibe as if nothing could touch him, as if he reigned over everyone, stood above them.

"I'll give you one last lesson, properly pay attention to it, Nana," Timo formed a long sword that turned into a spear with sparks surrounding it like crazy. Timo's dead eyes followed emotionless how Nana steadied herself over and over again. She retracted her wings and didn't even heal herself.

Was it because she couldn't or because she didn't want to? It didn't matter to Timo, it shouldn't matter yet the hand that grabbed the spear almost shattered his weapon.

Once he realised it, he took back the pressure and released the tension. The weapon now hung loosely from his fingertips. He needed to get himself together, he couldn't be swayed by this fragile figure in front of him. Timo had killed many people, he had done so many horrible things, did he care for it? No.

Did it matter to him? Nothing did. Timo had long thrown away any regards for anything. Even training the students wasn't because he cared or cared for the private army, it was because Min ordered him.

Nana wasn't different. To him, in his eyes, Nana was a brilliant student that learnt fast. It was a shame she didn't join his army and worked under him. So, how did Timo feel when he found out Nana was actually part of the hidden families?

That cheerful and excited girl that grew under him, only used him to strengthen her power, was an enemy. An enemy he had to destroy. How did Nana feel about this? Timo wondered but everything in his mind ordered him to throw away any emotional concern he had.

Nana, on the other side, had a hard time to focus. Her head rung and the impact with the hard ground after Timo threw her did too much damage on her brain. Nana realised and she hated this realisation.

Even during her training with Timo, Nana found out about her weak body. She was barely able to stand her body being hurt. Was that why she had healing as one of her abilities and the other was for her to fly away from any harm. Wasn't it?

Nana chuckled self-deprecatingly. It was pathetic and pitiful. In the end, all she could do was to run away, back then and now that she thought she could do something, her own power mocked her.

Helping Lia? One of the hidden families? Who did Nana fool? Everyone but herself. But this time, she was at least trying not to escape.

Her power would be used for something else than just to get herself out of harm. Nana knew everyone thought her power fitted her because of her family, because of her desire to protect but in truth, her honest desires, the darkest hidden spot inside her, was revealed by her power.

She wasn't as good of a person everyone thought her to be, her siblings thought she was. Nana needed to prove herself. She wanted at least to be a little bit of help to Lia and the others who held their hands out to her.

Nana didn't hear everything Timo said but she could guess the meaning behind his words. She wondered what he thought about this situation but seeing his long spear, Nana knew he didn't care about the teacher-student relationship they had.

Time seemed to fly by fast. Nana needed to get back to the others and help them. She couldn't waste more time here. She focused on healing herself. She didn't have any attacking power nor had the brains like Xavi to come up with a plan, so Nana needed to find a way to get out of here. Even though-

Nana's lifeforce surrounded her and started to heal her faster from Timo's life force yet the perplexing thing was that Timo seemingly let her. He made no attempt to stop her. The shattered pieces of Nana's broken glasses stung her cheeks and left small red lines behind.

Without glasses, Nana's eyesight was pretty bad but she still took them off. They did more harm than good. Nana had tried to heal her bad eyesight but it wasn't possible for some reason.

Now Timo's outline was even more blurry and the desolate street they were in, in the second layer, could barely be seen.

It felt like the street was narrowing, the houses about to close in and trap her. Her head was vibrating and even while healing, she staggered. Timo only cut off her wing, threw her across the place and she was already rendered to this.

"What's wrong? Are you already done? I've expected better from you," for some reason, Timo couldn't stop himself from talking to her. He didn't know himself why he was doing this. Because he wanted to draw out time? Provoke her to get herself up and just fight him, so he wouldn't have to care about her pitiful form?

"Commander" Nana's weak whisper still reached Timo's ears.

Hearing the sadness in her voice, Timo finally knew why he felt this way. This emotion wasn't love, wasn't the same kind of love he felt for Maria, but this was what every teacher would feel for a dear student. Care and a little bit of protectiveness.

Timo sought to get rid of this feeling. He only took up the job because Min wanted him to. He only cared about Nana because she had potential. Timo fed himself these lies.

But being a mentor to someone and seeing them grow under their care was an inexplicable feeling. Yes, Nana gave Timo what he was denied. Timo now knew what he saw in Nana.

His little sister.

Finally admitting this, Timo hesitated. Only for a second though.

In this world, Timo only had one little sister. And it was not Nana.

Making up his mind, Timo wasn't benevolent anymore. He didn't wait for Nana to finish healing herself. Instead, he slowly approached her, his spear dragging across the ground, making a sound akin to grinding metal.

The noise made Nana aware that Timo was coming, even if she didn't see him until his shoes came into sight. Nana took a step back, then remained on the spot. She had no weapon or any ways to defend herself, how was she going to fight against Timo?

Right now, Nana had to buy time to heal herself, then-

She had a plan that might work out. It was simple but was easy enough to follow.

"Commander" Nana repeated, Timo stopped and looked at her tousled hair, her bruised face, her cracked lips and her worn-out body.

"Commander, being a teacher isn't easyright?"

Timo had no idea what Nana was hinting on.

"I know it. I guess if I were in your situationI I'd be disappointed too," Nana had to take a deep breath. Talking and healing at the same time wasn't ideal. She was really too useless.

"I have four siblings."

Timo flinched when he heard that.

"They're all much younger than me, theoldest is 10 and the youngest 4..."

Timo gripped his spear harder, wanting to raise it but couldn't.

"I had to leave them behind, all this time I pretended not to care about them because I needed to be strong butevery night, my heart shatters thinking about being far away from them..."

So, Nana had the same feeling as Timo. Nana understood what Timo was going through.

"I'm happy to be with everyone but I still miss them;" Nana raised her head and the tears glistened in the corner of her eyes. Timo seemed unfazed to her, his blank, indifferent eyes staring back at her.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," Nana had enough strength to stand up properly, "Is that if any of them I raised with so much care and time would stand against me as an enemy, I'd feel betrayed and hurt."

Nana wiped her tears away. Timo's blurry face didn't become clearer, "I'm not sure if you feel any of that, commander, but I hope you did see me as a student of yours."

Feelings were a fickle thing. Especially in a situation like this. Nana and Timo were enemies. Timo was someone Nana needed to get rid of. The same could be applied vice versa. Nana wouldn't betray Lia and the others ever.

But what Nana felt towards Timo was gratitude. Thankful, he helped her with her power when she fell down and was at her lowest because of it. Happy, that he brought out her potential and moved, he tried to do his best for her.

"Thank you," with these words that shocked Timo, Nana severed all ties with him. They were after all enemies.