Chapter 1 – WAIFU
I was four when I first glimpsed the towering forms of the WAIFUs. The mory sears in my mind, vivid as the day it happened. I stood in the heart of a desolate city, my cries echoing through the ruins. The sky lood dark above, heavy with a sense of impending doom. Flas danced hungrily across the rubble-strewn streets, their flickering light casting long, jagged shadows.
In the midst of it all, a colossal form dominated the skyline. A monstrous figure, its scaly black hide shimring under the eerie light. The beast stood on four massive legs, its head shaped like a lion's, but far more terrifying. Hundreds of crimson eyes dotted its face, each one gleaming with malevolent intent. Its mane writhed, not with hair, but with tentacles that lashed out, reducing buildings to rubble with every swing. Its mouth, a grotesque blossom of flesh, opened to reveal rows of saber-like teeth, ready to devour anything in its path.
"Mommy! Help ! I'm scared!" I scread, clutching my bleeding forehead as tears blurred my vision.
The beast's eyes locked onto , its gaze freezing in place. Fear gripped , paralyzing my small body as I sobbed helplessly. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw sothing streak across the sky—a glimr of light against the darkness.
"Mirana Alicent, Launching! Proceeding to eliminate the target!" A synthetic woman's voice rang out, sharp and clear.
The light grew closer, revealing itself not as a shooting star, but as sothing much more powerful. A massive humanoid ch, twenty ters tall, descended from the sky. Its white armor glead, the blue circuits embedded in its fra pulsing with energy. The ch's eyes glowed an intense blue, and as it approached, a green laser sword extended from its arm, humming with lethal intent.
The Cosmic Beast turned to face the newcor, but it was too late. The ch surged forward, thrusters blazing from its back, legs, and elbows. With a single, fluid motion, it sliced through the air, the laser sword cleaving through the beast's left side. Tentacles fell, severed and twitching, as the beast roared in pain.
The beast recoiled, its massive fra crashing into the buildings behind it, reducing them to dust and debris. It seed to understand that close combat wasn't in its favor, and its hundreds of crimson eyes narrowed with cold calculation. With a low, guttural growl, it retreated further, its flower-like mouth unfurling wide. From deep within, a crimson glow began to pulse, gathering into a nacing orb of energy.
The ch's synthetic voice rang out, urgency threading through the calm precision. "Support, give a rifle, quick!"
High above, a floating ship hovered in the sky, its presence dominating the heavens. Though distant, I could just make out the silhouette of a man within the aircraft, his fingers dancing over a holographic interface. He pressed a button, his voice commanding as it echoed through the sky. "Beam Rifle, Equip!"
A massive holographic circle materialized beside the ch, shimring with light before solidifying into a formidable beam rifle. The ch's right hand shot out, gripping the weapon with practiced ease. In one fluid motion, it brought the rifle up, the scope aligning perfectly with its target.
A brilliant green laser shot out, slicing through the air with a searing hiss. The beam struck the Cosmic Beast with deadly precision, obliterating its leftmost jaw and cutting off the energy it was gathering. The crimson orb fizzled and dissipated, the beast's roar of frustration shaking the ground beneath my feet.
Undeterred, the ch fired again and again, each shot driving deep into the beast's gaping maw. The once nacing flower-like mouth was now a ruined mass of molten flesh, smoking and charred.
"&%YF%*TY&%^!" The Cosmic Beast spat out an incomprehensible curse, its voice a guttural snarl of rage and pain.
"Cosmic Beast is staggered! Mirana, finish this!" The command bood from the aircraft above, urgent and forceful. In response, another holographic circle appeared before the ch, its glowing lines pulsing with energy.
This ti, the circle materialized a colossal blue buster sword. The ch's hands moved with precision, gripping the weapon as it began to glow with a golden light.
"Yaaaaaaaaaah!" The ch's voice, feminine yet fierce, reverberated through the air as she surged forward, thrusters blazing like twin cots. The distance between her and the wounded beast vanished in an instant. With a powerful downward slash, the glowing blade sliced through the Cosmic Beast's body, effortlessly cleaving it in two as though it were nothing more than cake.
The beast let out a final, guttural cry, its voice warped into an unintelligible curse. Then, with a deafening roar, it exploded, its massive form disintegrating into a cloud of dust that was quickly carried away by the wind.
The city, once a battleground, fell silent. The terror that had gripped so tightly began to loosen its hold, replaced by a sense of awe. The ch that had saved my life stood tall, its blue eyes glowing softly as it turned to face . For a mont, it seed to regard with a calm, almost gentle gaze. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the ch began to dissolve, its tal form breaking apart into tiny, glowing particles that drifted upward like fireflies into the night sky.
Left behind in the ch's place was a woman, her figure descending gracefully to the ground. She was stunning. Long blonde hair, tinged with green, flowed around her like a halo. Her snow-white skin glead in the moonlight, and she wore a skin-tight bodysuit that emphasized her elegant, mature form. As she landed, her green eyes t mine, and she smiled—a smile that radiated warmth and reassurance.
"Don't cry. You're safe now," she whispered, wrapping in a gentle embrace. "My na is Mirana Alicent, a Warfare Augnted Intelligent Fra Unit. I will protect you with all my best."
Warfare Augnted Intelligent Fra Units—WAIFUs, as everyone called them—were the galaxy's champions. Genetically enhanced girls who could transform into colossal chs, they were the beacon of hope against the terror of the Cosmic Beasts. They were like the superheroes of our ti, adored and celebrated across the stars.
Growing up, I was one of many kids srized by these awe-inspiring figures. We watched their movies, devoured every piece of dia that showcased their epic battles against towering monsters. The more I saw, the more I wanted to be a part of their world. So, when the ti ca to choose my future, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
Upon graduating high school, I set my sights on cyber-engineering support—dedicated to aiding WAIFUs in their fight. The path was clear: to help them in their mission, I needed to leave Earth behind.
I boarded a sleek space shuttle, its hull gleaming under the stars, and embarked on a journey to Xyraxis. This cyberpunk planet, a marvel of human ingenuity, floated between Earth and Mars. It was ho to the Orbital Technology Applied Kinetics University, the sole institution specializing in training WAIFUs.
As the shuttle approached the neon-lit tropolis of Xyraxis, my heart raced with excitent. The towering spires and holographic billboards promised a future brimming with possibilities. This was it—the start of my dream.
But reality hit hard once I arrived. The grandeur of the university faded quickly. The slick corridors and high-tech labs, once so enticing, now seed intimidating and impersonal. The enthusiasm I had felt evaporated, replaced by a gnawing doubt. The excitent of pursuing a life among WAIFUs gave way to the stark reality of my new surroundings, and I found myself questioning my choice.
My journey with the WAIFUs had begun, but not as I had imagined it.
The first day at Orbital Technology Applied Kinetics University felt like a whirlwind. I sprinted down the labyrinthine hallways, my heart pounding as I navigated the maze of corridors. The sheer scale of the university was overwhelming, a sprawling complex of buildings that seed to stretch endlessly. It took three tries to find the right one, each turn a frantic guess.
After what felt like an eternity, I skidded to a halt outside my classroom. I glanced at my reflection in the glass door: a pale face, dark circles under my eyes, brown eyes wide with anxiety, and ssy red hair sticking out in all directions. I looked every bit the flustered teenager I felt like. I straightened my red tie and brushed off the dust from my gray uniform, hoping to appear sowhat presentable.
Taking a deep breath, I cracked the door open. The instant I stepped inside, every head turned towards . Silence fell, and the eyes of both students and professor fixed on my disheveled figure. My face flushed with embarrassnt as I forced a nervous smile and shuffled to the front.
"I-I'm sorry I'm late," I stamred, rubbing the back of my neck as I t the professor's gaze.
The professor, a stern figure with silver hair and glasses perched on his nose, adjusted his glasses and studied for a mont. "You must be Mister Zaft Callahan," he said, his voice carrying an air of authority. "Roll call is over, but since it's your first day, I'll let it slide."
I exhaled in relief, bowing slightly. "T-Thank you, and apologies, Sir."
"Now go and pick your seat," the professor instructed, his gaze moving to the front of the classroom.
I scanned the rows of desks, each one occupied, until I spotted the only empty seat—at the very back. My heart sank as I made my way to it. There, seated with an air of effortless grace, was the last person I wanted to see.
She was stunning, with long blonde hair streaked with green, porcelain skin, and piercing blue eyes. Her beauty was striking, almost ethereal, and she wore the university uniform with a regal elegance. Her face was the mirror image of the WAIFU who had saved years ago, the one who had beco my childhood hero.
I sighed deeply, plopping down into the vacant seat beside her, feeling the weight of my bad luck settle in.
"Can't believe you're so hopeless, Zaft Callahan. You're a college student now. How sloppy can you be?" Her voice was sharp, carrying a mixture of annoyance and amusent. She narrowed her eyes at , her smirk barely concealing her disdain.
I shot her a glare. "Shut up, Myrrh Alicent."
Her smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "You still look like one of those goons who drop common loot when killed."
I clenched my fists, my irritation flaring. "That dirty mouth of yours is probably why your ex left you for a junkie stripper."
Myrrh Alicent, the source of many unpleasant mories from high school, was now sitting right next to . Our past had been a string of conflicts and insults, and I had hoped to escape it all here. But fate, it seed, had other plans.
One bitter twist of irony: her mother had been the WAIFU who had rescued as a child.
And now, Myrrh herself was a WAIFU too, the last person I wanted to encounter in this new chapter of my life.
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