There was no response from the communicator for a moment, not because communication had been cut off, it was simply because the mechanic responsible for communication was still shaken by the event.
He himself was a Grade B and had been in that Grade for decades, yet he couldn't even be considered a Grade B+, let alone have hopes of advancing to Grade A.
Hila's advance practically subverted this Godorian's beliefs, so he fell silent for a moment. The Grade A mechanic beside him was also shocked, but he couldn't remain stunned for long, after all, he still had to stop the Dark Star's artificial intelligence from regaining control of the Self-Destruction. He wasn't a virtual mechanic, so fighting for control of the ship was much more complicated for him, for him, simply maintaining control over a single module was already a significant feat.
He took a deep breath and transferred the communication to his communicator, he really wanted to ask how Hila did it, but at the moment he didn't have time, Sarota was almost in Hila's position.
-Captain Hila.- He began, adding a simple title before Hila's name, but that was enough to show that this mechanic had already begun to treat Hila as someone of equal standing. -Sarota is almost here. Although you managed to advance, he's not your average Grade A, he's been in that Grade for decades and is one of Dark Star's most powerful executives. I recommend you stay away, Aron and Ramon are already arriving to intercept Sarota.
Hila completely ignored the guy's words, she had just advanced and was eager for a fight. As for winning and losing? She'd find out after trying!
Hila couldn't be considered completely impulsive, at the very least, there were several other Grade A allies on that ship. Sarota was alone, and now that she had advanced to Grade A, the black armor she wore could finally unleash its full power. At the very least, she wasn't afraid of being beaten to death before reinforcements arrived.
What if she dies? So what? She still has an extra life, she can resurrect. Even though she'll be weak for a while, it's worth it to have a good fight and discover her current power!
If it were Eva advancing, she probably would have cursed that Grade A mechanic, she would just want a good fight, it didn't matter if she won or lost. Hila, on the other hand, wanted to know how far she was from Ringo.
Ringo was already one step away from Grade S, so Hila didn't think she could fight him, but Sarota was much weaker than Ringo. At the very least, Hila wanted to be able to tie with Sarota for a while, that would show she had enough power to fight alongside Ringo now.
This was the first time in a long time that she was in the same Grade as Ringo, and there was no way Hila, this woman who hated being the weak partner in a relationship, wouldn't be excited.
Because of the situation with Aurora, Hila had an almost obsessive drive for power, for her, only being powerful enough to protect her loved ones could bring her peace. Among those close to her, only two truly deserved to be called 'loved ones' by Hila: Aurora and Ringo.
She was reluctant to put it into words, but in her heart, it was a fact.
She was stronger than Aurora, but Ringo was far stronger than her. An ordinary woman would be satisfied with a man who could protect her, wouldn't she? Hila felt that at the very least she should be able to fight side by side with Ringo, only then could she feel satisfied.
Unfortunately, Ringo was almost ahead and she would soon be left behind.
Hila completely ignored the mechanic's advice, she knew Sarota was coming towards her, so she just needed to wait there.
Hila's helmet closed completely, that black armor covering her entirely as the deathly power of the armor and Hila reached an unprecedented synchronicity.
Hila, with that armor, despite having just reached Grade A, didn't think she would lose to Sarota.
The Black Devil was online.
When the steel gate leading to Hila's corridor finally opened, Sarota's figure appeared before her. Sarota had an imposing physique, he was clearly a pugilist. Even so, Hila, who could be considered a mid-range fighter, did not retreat. Instead, as soon as she saw Sarota, she charged forward with a burst of speed.
Sarota's eyes widened slightly as he sensed Hila's cold, sinister energy, but he didn't have time to think much about it. Seeing Hila advancing fearlessly towards him, he became completely furious.
Damn, he's a Pugilist, okay? A Pugilist with way more energy than Hila! How did that crazy woman find the courage to attack him head-on?!
Enraged, Sarota didn't back down, but advanced, just like Hila. A battle in Grade A can involve dozens or hundreds of blows in a second, it took only a fraction of a second for the two to hit each other.
Hila tried to punch Sarota, but he only showed a mocking expression as he easily dodged the punch and retaliated with a punch of his own, hitting Hila in the head and sending her flying backward.
Boom~
The metal alloy wall completely shattered as Hila passed through two more walls before stopping. She was trapped amidst the crumpled metal for a moment, but soon her energy shattered the metallic prison around her, and she advanced again, fearless, instead, her excitement only grew.
Sarota was truly powerful, but her armor was no joke! It would take a lot of effort to destroy it. Sarota himself frowned, that armor was truly a good thing, if not because he would probably die. He would have preferred to drain Hila's energy in order to steal her armor.
Although he himself probably couldn't use it, after all, Hila was an Esper and he was a Pugilist.
Furthermore, Sarota looked at his own fist, he felt a residual energy clinging to his flesh, seemingly corroding his cells. He scoffed and used his puligist flames to burn away this energy, just in time to see Hila advancing towards him again.
Hila had learned her lesson, this time, a burst of red energy shot towards Sarota, who dodged and accelerated towards her again. While Hila was still adjusting, Sarota had already grabbed her helmet before focusing his energy.
-King's Throw!- He shouted as his energy exploded, enveloping Hila's body and then hurling her away with far more force than before. That was clearly a Pugilist skill.
Hila crashed through dozens of walls this time, but Sarota didn't care. Since the ship couldn't destroy itself, it was better for him to destroy it himself! It was much better than leaving the remains for Godora!
Hila, who was thrown, suffered minimal damage, but this also made her realize how weak she was, even after advancing to Grade A, she could only be considered a rookie.
This infuriated her inside, but more than that, it calmed the erratic mindset she had recently acquired, she still had a long way to go, she wouldn't stop here, she would only become stronger and stronger!