F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 35: Soren Vs A Soul Mecha Pilot.

Chapter 35: Soren Vs A Soul Mecha Pilot.
Vass screamed...
Golden soul energy tore out of him. It was violent and seemed uncontrollable.
As the flames exploded from his skin, the heat rolled upward and outward in waves, scorching everything.
The glass above burst, falling like rain, but a good chunk of it melted even before it reached the ground.
Trees immediately went charred, and even the water fountain was ruined.
Regardless, Soren was grateful for this.
Vass’s soul energy had managed to withstand Ivory’s, even though she was already a Soul Mecha Pilot.
Talent’s favorite... Shit.
Soren complimented.
What Vass was doing was nothing short of unbelievable.
Ivory was a Soul Mecha Pilot that could at least use the Sixth Form. The higher one’s form, the stronger they were generally perceived.
She was not just formidable.
She was a monster.
But Soren had dared to place Vass in front of her as an opponent.
Even with Vass’s talent as an SS-rank Soulbound warrior, he should not be able to withstand a well-trained and experienced opponent like Ivory.
However, Soren had noticed something the first time he met Ivory.
Chronovore, in his Glassheart, had stirred.
As far as Soren knew, the only time Chronovore stirred like that was when it sensed a delicious meal.
At first, Soren was not sure of it, but Chronovore had only eaten specific kinds of Shades.
Chronovore had devoured Vass’s soul, but that only happened when it was wounded by the Eldritch monster that attacked his town.
Next, it devoured Bulb, the Madman’s shade.
But Bulb had also been injured from that battle almost thirty years ago.
That was why the madman kept it in his toe.
In other words, Chronovore only fed on souls that were either significantly wounded or vulnerable.
The moment Ivory released her soul energy, Chronovore stirred again, sending its hunger signals in strong waves to Soren.
It could only mean one thing. Ivory’s shade was wounded. The fact that Vass could even withstand her attack showed that it was worse than he thought.
"How is he doing that?" Polystar asked in obvious confusion, "That’s a bloody Soul Mecha Pilot." He backed away from the force of the confrontation.
"Her Shade is wounded," Soren replied, "and it is bad."
’Wounded?’ Polystar was shocked by such an answer. "But how does the Shade of a Soul Mecha Pilot even get wounded?"
"How do you think?" Soren’s eyes moved to the suitcase.
Polystar stared at it too, coming to the same conclusion.
Then again, it only made sense.
This train was filled with experienced Soulbound Knights. It was made with the best security in mind.
Meaning that there were only two ways she would have been able to sneak the Eldritch soul onboard.
The first was if she hid it in her body.
Soren canceled that.
If she did, the other Knights would have still felt the eldritch.
Soulbound knights were known to be quite sensitive to Shades and Eldritch souls.
The only other place she could have hidden it was one that had a significantly high level of isolation
The Glassheart.
Yes. To bring the Eldritch parasite onboard, Ivory was willing to hide it in her Glassheart.
As expected, the Eldritch fed on her Shade.
Polystar’s eyes widened in realization. "Oh no." His jaw tightened as a potent mix of anger and sadness flooded his sense of reason.
Shades were not just partners of their warriors. They were those like Polystar’s family that saw them as unfortunate beings—people.
What Ivory did in Polystar’s heart was the same as feeding homeless people to lions.
It was unforgivable.
Soren literally saw a drop of a tear fall from the noble boy’s eyes before he kicked against the ground, rushing for Ivory.
Polystar bounced off a charred tree, barrel rolling in midair, above the confrontation between Vass and Ivory.
His fingers became green and sharp—leaves rained down as deadly projectiles.
~Ratatatata
Ivory sensed the danger, waving her hands to stop the attack.
~Tssik
It bounced off her malleable soul energy.
But Polystar was not satisfied—attacking again and again.
However, Ivory was indeed too strong. She was able to take the pressure Vass placed on her while effortlessly defending against Polystar.
Polystar bounced off another wall again, launching to attack, but Soren suddenly pulled him by his shirt, and in good time too, as an attack was coming his way.
Boom
The wave of Soul energy she sent his way curved the wall in like a plate.
"What the hell are you doing?" Polystar questioned, already raising one of his blades to Soren’s throat.
"Same thing I want to ask you, leaf-brain." Soren smacked his head.
"How dare you—"
"Shut up and listen. Our opponent is not a novice. She is a formidable Soulbound knight with years of training and battle experience." He yelled through the banging sounds of soul energies clashing against one another.
"I know you are mad about the way she treated her Shade. But if we attack carelessly, we will be done for. Get it!?"
Polystar still had his frown, but he understood.
"Good, we attack from the flanks together—"
—A silhouette suddenly appeared behind Polystar.
Ivory.
"Not bad, Soren, very good leadership qualities," she complimented, smirking lightly, "but...it’s too late."
Her right palm expanded. And like an engulfing basin, it grabbed Polystar by the head.
The boy in glasses did not even understand what was happening, but the look he saw reflected at him in Soren’s eyes sent a shiver of dread through his body.
—She smashed it into the wall.
BPUUSSHHHH
It squashed and splattered like wet paste.
Some of it plastered on Soren’s body. And some even entered his mouth.
He spat out the unsavory remains of his friend in disgust.
Soren’s mind froze, heart racing.
When did she... how did she?
His eyes subconsciously looked to Vass. He was lying on the ground. A deep hole in the middle of his forehead.
Soren tried to back away, but he fell back to the ground.
"Awwwn, after coming so far and working so hard. Tsk tsk tsk." She shook her head in pity. "You can’t blame me, you know. I asked nicely."
Soren kicked against the ground; his hands moved.
Clap. Clap.
Unfortunately, Ivory easily grabbed both hands, twisting them like wet cloth.
CRACK!
His bones, from his shoulder to his wrist, shattered.
"Oh, that’s cute... Hand-to-hand combat technique. Too bad the academy teaches how to defend against most combat techniques from noble houses."
~AHHH
Soren screamed as his hands fell limply.
He backed away, but she walked towards him, heels still clicking gently against the ground.
A low kick.
Crack.
Soren fell on one leg, jolts of pain rushing through his mind.
Then she paused.
Coughed up a bit of blood. "Would you look at that?" She wiped her mouth with a hand. "Using a wounded shade does leave terrible internal injuries."
Soren raised his head to his friends. Pencil, Tommy, and Bloodshine, eyes pleading for help.
But these people were frozen in fear.
She approached him. Then took a knee. She looked into his eyes. "Such pitiful eyes. You know, for some reason, I can tell you must have given a lot to get here." Her voice was gentle and friendly.
Her hands dug affectionately into his dark hair, revealing his face clearly. "But, I..." she chuckled mockingly to herself. "I have given my all..."
Her tongue suddenly shot from her mouth into his forehead.
[You died.]
(Author’s note: Quick question. What ability do you think Ivory’s shade gives her?)