Ten minutes before Selene was poisoned—
"I need to find the captain and the vice captain… they'll know what to do." The petite girl says as she runs through the hallway, her breath uneven.
"Uh—vice head?!" she mutters as her eyes lock onto Selene locked in battle with Vicoe.
"Eek!!" she squeaks, her whole body freezing the moment she properly sees him.
"Who's that scary-looking guy fighting the vice head…?" she whispers, trembling.
"She needs my he—"
"No… no, I'll only get in the way." she cuts herself off, her legs shaking violently.
She stays hidden, watching—
Watching as Vicoe overwhelms Selene…
Watching as the poison takes effect…
Watching as Selene collapses to the floor, helpless.
"Do something, Penelope… DO SOMETHING!! That's your vice head!!" she screams internally.
A memory flashes—
Penelope standing stiffly in front of the fourth battalion headquarters.
"They really let anyone into the battalion nowadays." two soldiers laugh.
Penelope grips her shirt tightly. "Mom…" she mutters, tears forming.
"Pretty girls shouldn't cry, you know." a voice says from behind her, pulling off her helmet.
Penelope slowly looks up—
Selene.
"B-but I'm a failure… I'm a coward." Penelope cries.
"Didn't I just say pretty girls shouldn't cry?" Selene steps in front of her.
"Cowards don't sign up for a battalion. And failures don't get accepted. It takes a strong heart to do both… so raise your chin up."
Selene smiles, waving as she walks off.
"W-woah, it's the vice head!!" the recruits cheer.
"Vice head…" Penelope mutters, her teeth clenching.
—
Back to the present—
"Two minutes is enough time to kill you!!" Vicoe shouts, rushing forward with his needle-clad fist.
"It's my victory… my Absolute Art!!"
He strikes—
CRACK.
"What the—?!!"
A thick wall of wood erupts in front of Selene, completely blocking the attack. The needles shatter on impact, unable to pierce through.
"Get away from my vice head, you bastard!!" Penelope shouts, her voice shaking—but loud.
"Who the hell are you?!" Vicoe snarls.
The star-shaped fragments begin to circle him again.
"The same attack won't work twice! I'll just cover my eyes with my needles—"
Inside the wooden shield, Selene's voice cuts through—
"Explode… Star Walker. Ravage."
The stars don't flash this time—
They detonate.
A violent explosion engulfs Vicoe completely, the impact ripping through him and blasting him across the hall.
The shockwave tears through the air before settling.
Smoke clears.
Vicoe lies on the ground—burnt, broken, barely conscious.
"I… I've disappointed you… my lord…" he mutters weakly.
"Vice head!! Vice head!!" Penelope rushes forward.
Selene lies on the floor, a faint smile on her face as the battle finally ends.
WINNER: Selene.