I neither accepted nor declined the woman's offer. I just walked into the room, and immediately, their eyes locked onto me with an intensity that was both unsettling and intimidating. The way they stared was deeply unnerving—almost palpable. None of them resembled the typical warriors or assassins I was used to.
They radiated an aura of formidable skill and experience, a stark contrast to my own one-year tenure as a magic knight. I felt like a novice among seasoned veterans. I was still green compared to them.
"Uh, excuse me..." I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I lowered my head in a gesture of nervous respect.
In an instant, someone appeared right in front of me. It was the woman I had seen practicing her blade earlier. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a voluptuous hourglass figure and ample breasts that accentuated her powerful presence. Her bobbed golden hair was striking, with red streaks woven through it, giving her a fierce and commanding look.
"You're the one who might join us as a new member?" she asked.
"I-I haven't decided yet..." I stammered.
"You haven't decided?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. She scanned me up and down, sizing me up as if assessing my worth. "Well, I don't quite understand why the Master wants you in the Shadows, so I'm going to test you."
"Test me?" I asked, confusion clear in my voice.
"Exactly," she said with a nod. "What's your schtick?"
"Uh?"
"What's your main weapon?"
"Uh, I usually use blades, and sometimes firearms," I said, my voice trembling with uncertainty.
"Then use whatever you prefer," she said, her grip tightening around her blade. She held it up with an air of readiness. "Now, choose who you want to fight."
"Eh?"
I swallowed again, steeling myself. I wasn't really ready, but what choice did I have? I gave her a nod.
The woman I was up against nodded in return, her breasts bouncing and swaying in sync with her movement.
"Then..." the golden-haired woman said, her voice slicing through the tension as she raised her hand and brought it down decisively. "Fight!"
I shot forward, propelled by my incredible speed, a talent I was certain few others could match. Like a flash of lightning, I darted behind her, aiming to strike with the blunt edge of my blade. My intention was not to harm her, but to test her defenses.
But just as I was about to land the blow, I felt a jarring impact slam into me.
What?!
In a heartbeat, I was sprawled on the ground, my face pressed against the cold floor. The force of the strike was disorienting, and I had no clue where it had come from. The woman, meanwhile, stood motionless in the exact spot where she had begun, her expression unchanged and her posture unwavering.
"T-That isn't fair!" I shouted at the golden-haired woman. "Y-You can't help her!"
"Huh?" the golden-haired woman replied, looking genuinely confused. "But we didn't."
"Huh? B-But..."
As I stared at her, I suddenly noticed something crucial.
"It's just that unfair of a competition," she continued, her tone almost matter-of-fact. "A fast fighter against a tanky one. Even the most skilled couldn't penetrate an impenetrable tank."
I saw now that ten shields were floating around her in mid-air.
"Her skill allows her to multiply the items she's holding and levitate them around her like an extra set of arms. Her ability also strengthens the material tenfold, making those shields ten times harder. Like Lady Gabrielle, she's an impenetrable tank."