Kula froze.
Her brain, implanted with countless combat programs and functioning like a supercomputer, at this moment, entered a "crash" state.
She couldn't understand the "rules" this man before her spoke of.
She felt like an NPC who only followed programmed actions, encountering a super player with "GM permissions."
"Mission... failed..."
"Requesting... backup..."
Her mouth unconsciously spoke the pre-programmed directives.
"Little girl, no need to request backup."
Cloud's figure appeared before her as if teleporting.
He extended his hand—not to attack, but to gently pat her head.
Kula, this "ultimate weapon" of NESTS, was looking at this man who treated her proud ice powers like "air conditioning breeze" with an expression of existential crisis.
[Target... Cloud.]
[Ability Analysis: Suspected of possessing rule-level flame power.]
[Threat Level: ??? (Cannot calculate)]
[Response Protocol: ...ERROR! ERROR! No valid countermeasures exist in database!]
[Recommendation: ...Retreat?]
"Retreat" appeared in Kula's "command set" for the first time.
She was a "weapon" manufactured for combat.
Her existence was for fighting, and for victory.
Her programming had no "failure," and certainly no "retreat."
But now, her "system" had given such an inconceivable recommendation.
"What's wrong? Little girl, did your CPU crash?"
Cloud smiled as he watched this ice girl floating blankly in mid-air, her ruby-like eyes filled with a confused "404 Not Found" expression.
He found this little girl quite interesting.
Despite possessing terrifying power capable of destroying a city, she was essentially as pure as a blank sheet of paper.
This stirred a long-dormant desire for "cultivation" within him.
"Come on, don't just stand there. Continue." Cloud clapped his hands like a teacher urging a student to submit homework. "Let me see what other fun chilled tricks you've got."
Kula sensed Cloud's teasing, and her body once again assumed an attacking posture.
"Crow Bite! Spinning Reese!"
Her petite body transformed into a blue phantom, like a dancing ice fairy, instantly closing the distance to Cloud!
Her elbows and knees condensed razor-sharp ice blades, carrying bone-chilling cold as they struck at Cloud's vital points!
This was a close-combat combo that was fast to the extreme, filled with elegance and killing intent!
However...
"Slap."
Cloud casually caught Kula's wrist.
Those ice blades capable of freezing steel couldn't leave even a trace of frost on his palm.
"Slap."
He casually blocked Kula's knee strike.
To him, that force was like a kitten scratching an itch.
All of Kula's attacks were effortlessly neutralized by him in an extremely "dismissive" manner.
Throughout the entire process, Cloud's face even wore an amused smile.
The scene looked like an adult "playing" house with a little girl throwing a tantrum.
"Im... impossible..."
Kula was completely dumbfounded.
Her close-combat techniques had been designed by NESTS' supercomputers, synthesizing data from all the world's top fighters into the most perfect "killing art"!
Yet...
In front of this man, they were as useless as a child's punches and kicks?!
"Little girl, your moves are too rigid." Cloud explained on-site while easily dismantling Kula's attacks.
"Every one of your movements is precisely calculated, pursuing the optimal solution."
"But combat isn't solving math problems."
"It's full of variables and surprises."
As he spoke, he suddenly flicked his wrist!
A subtle force sent Kula stumbling, throwing her directly into his embrace.
"For example... this kind of surprise."
Cloud took the opportunity to fully embrace this ice-cold yet faintly fragrant "doll girl."
"Mm...!"
Kula's body instantly stiffened.
Her brain completely crashed.
Her "programming" had never included a countermeasure for "being embraced by a male"!
[Alert! Alert! Physical contact! Body temperature... rising! Heart rate... accelerating! Program... experiencing unknown error!]
[Rebooting... Reboot failed...]
"Alright, I'm done playing with you."
Just as Kula completely "blue-screened."
Cloud released her.
Then, as if performing a magic trick, he produced a colorful lollipop decorated with cute smiley faces from somewhere.
He tore open the wrapper and held the strawberry-scented candy in front of Kula.
"Fighting is so tiring."
Cloud's face showed a friendly smile resembling a "suspicious uncle" luring a "little girl."
"Here, try this."
"Strawberry-flavored lollipop, no additives, all-natural, green and healthy."
"Guaranteed to taste way better than those ice cubes you blow from your mouth."
Kula stared blankly at this crystal-clear, sweet-smelling "unknown object" before her.
A hint of curiosity flickered in her hollow eyes.
Her programming told her she couldn't accept anything from an "enemy."
But her instincts produced an irresistible craving for that "sweetness" she had never smelled before.
"What? Don't dare eat it?" Cloud saw her hesitation. "Afraid I poisoned it?"
"Don't worry, how could an upright, kind, handsome good person like me possibly do something like that?"
As he spoke, he first stuck out his own tongue and licked the lollipop.
"Mm~ So sweet!"
Then he once again brought the lollipop to Kula's lips.
...
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