The clash of steel and the cries of the battlefield surrounded Yuki, but her focus remained razor-sharp. Her blade danced in the chaos, each strike precise, each movement calculated. Yet even the greatest warriors can falter, and she felt the air shift behind her—too late to turn, too late to defend.

A blade was arcing toward her, death a breath away.

Then, a sickening slash sliced through the chaos, followed by a guttural scream that pierced the din of battle. Warm blood sprayed across the ground behind her.

Yuki spun around, her eyes widening as they fell upon you. Your katana was buried halfway through a man’s shoulder, his lifeless body crumpling to the ground as you pulled the blade free with practiced ease. The blood dripping from the steel was a stark contrast to the calm determination etched across your face.

"Thank you," Yuki said, her voice steady despite the storm raging around you both.

You nodded once, your expression unreadable, before turning back into the fray without hesitation.

For a fleeting moment, Yuki watched you disappear into the chaos, cutting through enemies with the same effortless precision she so admired. She felt a surge of gratitude—and something deeper—well within her chest.

But the battlefield was no place for such thoughts. Tightening her grip on her blade, Yuki turned back to the fight, her resolve stronger than ever. The war wasn’t over, and she owed it to you to make it out alive.