Though those words ought to be said with a smiling grin, her expression was cold as ever, but it thawed when he suddenly jumped into her embrace.

Ash's hands unconsciously reached for her katana, her eyes glinting with crimson energy, but it all paused when she looked down at him, finding his head snuggled softly against her.

'It's just a...hug.'

The dangerous glint in her eyes faded, her fingers moved away from the katana hilt scattering his hair gently around.

"I guess that's a yes."

She said, watching Everlearn part from her embrace, a faint pink dusting his cheeks, but his eyes held relief.

Deep relief.

"You took so long, hmph!"

He said, feigning anger.

"It was a long mission, can't help it," she replied, burning her cigarette completely and throwing the stalk down the building.

"You seem to be doing quite well here, though, even causing some trouble here and there," she said, as Everlearn rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't causing any trouble. Just a little skirmish here and there. I coudln't help it," he said, using her own words against her.

"Wanna come in?" Everlearn asked, bringing out his green card and sliding it on the reader as the door opened.

"Is smoking allowed?" she asked, bringing out her cigarette box, and Everlearn's eyebrow twitched before he replied.

"Just this once. This once," he repeated, and she grinned, entering his room.

Once being a student herself, Ash knew the dorm room layout and wasn't much surprised by what she saw.

But what took more of her attention was the setup desk.

"You got some electronics with your Newcomer points?" she asked, moving to the revolving seat and switching on his monitor.

"Yes," Everlearn replied.

"Why would you buy that, dummy? Most spend it on Bionic fluids and Defense Gadgets," she said, flicking his forehead, and he winced slightly in pain.

"I'm more of a Mech Designer than a Corer, so I need the monitor more," he answered.

"And speaking of gadgets, I made something," he said as he turned his attention to her.

She watched him dip his hand into his pocket and bring out a simple cube.

Her expression was confused as he handed it over.

"Nanotech?" she asked in quiet surprise.

"Try squeezing it in your palm..." Everlearn said, and Ash clenched her fist, only to watch a layer of blue nanotech bloom over her hand, soon enveloping it up to her wrist.

Looking at the center of her palm, she saw the gathering energy of photons, already powered up.

"If you widen your palm, it'll let out a beam."

"It destroyed my training room's entire wall this morning."

"Thankfully, it's been fixed," he said, and a glint crossed through her eyes as she looked at the nanotech on her palm.

In the next instant, Everlearn watched as her second hand suddenly appeared in the path of the nozzle, and then, she widened.

"Wait, don't!"

BOOOOOOOOM!

An explosion rang out through the living room, and Everlearn unconsciously shut his eyes.

She had released it in his living room!

But then, he couldn't help but notice he ought to have been thrown off his feet by now, yet was still standing.

Opening his eyes, he found Boss Ash's left left palm wide opne in the path of the photon beam.

His jaw fell.

She had released it on herself!

But when he looked into her other palm, he saw though skin had been peeled off.

Still, no sign of blood could be seen.

Instead, was a shimmering layer of nanotech that quickly rearranged itself, and soon, new flesh was out in the span of five seconds.

It was almost like she never sustained an explosion strong enough to blow open a wall within her palms.

"A direct shot to the head, and it'll knock out any W-grade Corer with less than 70% fusion," she mused before turning to him.

"You built this yourself?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Yep. Gathered some of the materials from the waste area."

"The waste area?"

She asked, and Everlearn nodded.

"It's not stated on the map, but there's an application that can run through and build a scan, then narrow down on it," he said, his hands quickly operating the keyboard.

She saw it, the location of the wasteland, even the entire map of the building.

"You really are more of a Mech Designer," she admitted, clenching her fist, and she watched the nanotech ripple off her arm, soon forming a simple cube in her palm.

"Cool, no?" Everlearn said, filled with pride, looking at the shocked light in her crimson eyes.

Even the mighty Boss Ash was blown away by his tech creation.

"As much as I'm not easily impressed, building a tech that can knock out most of the Newcomers from waste scraps and in less than four days of arrival is quite impressive," she said, her hand reaching out and rubbing his hair once more.

"You're supposed to smile when you do a head rub," he said, but her eyes were as cold as ever.

"There's something important I came to ask," she suddenly said, her gaze turning focused.

"And what is that?"

"It's been three days, right? Meaning you can undergo a fusion process tomorrow."

"Are you really planning on undergoing Core fusion?" she asked, and Everlearn nodded.

"But your talent... You may die,"

Ash said, her voice firm and ringing continuously in Everlearn's head.

"I won't."

His words echoed after breaking the silence, and she paused.

The way he said it, it was filled with conviction and confidence.

"My talent may be poor."

Yes, even a D-grade talent in X-Guard was still poor.

"But I won't die."

"Promise me," she said, looking into his eyes, and he vowed.

"I promise."

A slight exhale of relief left Boss Ash's lips, and in the next moment, she dipped her hand into her pocket, bringing out a crimson card.

"When you go to the Core Fusion Lab, walk to the front desk and request to meet with Lady Erendel."

"If you show them this card, they'll allow you access to her. Give the card to her, and she'll understand."

"If you reach there tomorrow and they say she's not around, then don't undergo the fusion," Boss Ash instructed, folding the card into his hands.

For some reason, he felt her hand slightly sweaty, and he looked up into her eyes.

Though they were as cold as ever, in their deepest depths, he could still see that emotion.

Worry.

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