Editing BlazBlue:Bloodedge Experience Part 1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 2===

The girl's eyes widened in surprise as she picked up the cup. Apparently, she liked it. 

"Well, thanks." Feeling a little better, Naoto exhaled. Now, there were a ton of things he wanted to ask this girl. "So... first of all, I want to ask. Who are you?" 

"How rude." 

"Huh!?" Naoto snapped back, irritated by the unexpected retort. The blonde girl looked down at him with condescending eyes. 

"Isn't it polite to introduce yourself first when asking someone's name? Or are you a lowly dog that doesn't know even the most basic manners?" A smooth insult flew at him. Her cold eyes seemed to be tinged with a hint of contempt. 

Naoto felt a vein in his temple throb. If he was a lowly dog, then what about the fact that she was drinking the tea he made and complimenting it? He wanted to ask, but Naoto swallowed his words, realizing it wouldn't get him anywhere.

"... Naoto Kurogane. I'm a second-year student at Shinkawahama High and I live in this room." He replied flatly, looking at the girl to see if that was enough. The girl returned the cup to its saucer with a composed expression. 

"My name is Raquel Alucard. I'm a vampire," she replied casually, leaving Naoto speechless. Staring intently at the girl, Raquel, or rather, unable to look away, he asked, squeezing out the words. 

"Vamp...ire?" 

"It means immortal. You're so ignorant." 

"I know that! That's not what I mean! What kind of a joke is that self-introduction? Are you making fun of me?" Kicking his feet against the table and ruffling his hair, Naoto stood up and raised his voice sharply. 

Vampire. A vampire. Now that explained her absurdly high life force, the ridiculous action scene from last night, and even her bizarre outfit. It all fit. 

"Of course I am. Because you're stupid." 

"What did you say!?" 

"Don't shout. I might catch your stupidity." Raquel made an exaggerated gesture of stepping back, her face twisted in disgust. Her eyes, which seemed to look at him as if he were something dirty, only fueled Naoto's irritation. 

"You're a trespasser who broke into someone else's house and you have the nerve to act so arrogant. You realize you wouldn’t have any grounds to complain if you got kicked out, right…?”

“You saw it, didn’t you?” Raquel calmly silenced Naoto's aggressive words. Perhaps it wasn't her words but her gaze that had subdued him. Her large, clear golden eyes seemed to see right through Naot, and their intense pressure made him feel intimidated.

"What did you see, exactly?"

"The 'abnormality'," she replied. Naoto instinctively gulped, swallowing the saliva that had accumulated in his mouth. Raquel continued to stare at him.

"You were surprised to see me yesterday, weren't you? It must have been something abnormal that you don't encounter in your daily life... No, you can still see it now. Am I wrong?" 
When asked, Naoto carefully closed his mouth. He didn't want her to notice him clenching his teeth. 

As she said, Naoto had indeed seen it. Or rather, he could still see it now. An abnormality, something that was definitely not normal for an ordinary human. The extraordinary number hovering above Raquel's head, reaching eight digits.

"What happened to your 'eye'?" Raquel's question made Naoto feel like a bird caught in a trap. At the same time, he realized something. This strange self-proclaimed vampire girl wasn't just speculating based on Naoto's actions and words from the night before. She knew.

"You... what do you know?"

"Well, I know quite a bit. Or rather, I should say I can know. After all, I’m connected to you."

"What do you mean?" Naoto's expression turned suspicious. Raquel’s golden eyes glanced at him, almost incredulously.

"You keep asking questions. Don’t you ever think for yourself?"

"Shut up! Just tell me already!" Frustrated, Naoto blurted out. He felt he was being a bit too nonchalant, but given that he understood nothing about the current situation, he couldn't afford to waste time putting on airs.

A sigh escaped Raquel's lips.

"Honestly, you’re like a moth to a flame. And on top of that, you seem to have a terrible memory. Have you forgotten what happened between us last night?"

"What do you mean... what happened?" The only thing he could recall was nearly being killed by that insect-faced man. Just as he was about to retort, Naoto suddenly realized something. After almost being killed by the insect-faced man, what happened next? His consciousness was hazy, making it hard to remember clearly. But he woke up unable to move, and right beside him was Raquel. When he became aware of his impending death, what had occurred? Naoto pressed his hand, which had been tangled in his hair, against his neck.

"You bit my neck, didn’t you? You had some weird teeth. And then you drank something..."

"Let me enlighten you once more, poor little dog. I am a vampire. What I drank wasn't just anything; it was your blood."

Naoto knew from what he'd read that when a vampire drank someone's blood, certain consequences followed.

"So... what does that mean? Does that mean I was bitten by you yesterday and... became a vampire?"

"Not yet. You're not a complete vampire yet. You're dead but still functioning. You're a sort of in-between existence."

"Dead... So I'm dead, huh?"

"Well, you are dead." Raquel's blunt confirmation stunned him. At the same time, a sense of indignation welled up within him. It wasn't fair. It was absurd, irrational.

"Wait a minute. You said back then that you would help me, right?!" This was just before he had his blood sucked. His consciousness had been hazy, but he remembered that clearly.
Raquel nodded casually at Naoto, who leaned forward.

"Yes, I did." 

"But I'm dead, right!?" 

"I've been telling you that." 

"Doesn't that mean you didn't save me!?" 

"Would you rather have died then?" 

"I... I guess..." Naoto had no answer to that. He leaned back, defeated. It was true that if it weren't for Raquel, he wouldn't be sitting here drinking tea now. Although, if it weren't for Raquel, he probably wouldn't have come to this abandoned apartment complex either.

Raquel took another sip of her tea and placed the cup back on the table.

"Naoto Kurogane, you died last night. But you are alive. Why? Because you are living using my life."

"...I don’t really understand what that means."

"To put it simply, you and I share 'my' life. That's why I can understand some things about you, and as long as I'm alive, you won't die. But if my life ends, so will yours." 

"So... does that mean I'll be like this until you die? Neither alive nor dead, just in-between?" 

"Not quite." 

"What do you mean, not quite!?" That was an unexpected response. Raquel's nonchalant answer quickly dispelled the seriousness that Naoto had felt just moments before.

"You can only stay in this in-between state for a year. In a year, you will transform into a complete vampire." 

"A year... a complete vampire. What does that mean?"

"You won't be human anymore. You'll probably crave human blood, and you may not be able to resist attacking people like I do now. Maybe... no, you'll probably attack someone. The person most likely to be a victim would be the person closest to you." 

From Raquel's words, Naoto understood one thing: if he became a complete vampire, Haruka would be in danger. By none other than Naoto's own hand. The "person closest to you" that Raquel mentioned could only mean Haruka. He might even kill her. 

He couldn't bear the thought of Haruka dying for even a moment. He remembered the blackened mass he had seen last night. If Haruka were to become that object, lying on the cold road, right in front of his eyes.

As he thought about it, Naoto found himself clenching his fists tightly, to the point where his nails dug into his palms.

"What the hell are you talking about...? If I'm going to become something so messed up, then it doesn't make any sense for you to have saved me! Don't screw with me, what have you done to me!" The angry words seemed to spill out of his throat on their own. He didn't want to take them back. A burning rage distorted Naoto's expression as he wanted to lash out.

"Calm down. And call me 'Lady Raquel', servant."

"Shut up! I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you!"

"So am I." Raquel's voice grew stronger, reprimanding him. "Listen to me. In a year, you won't be human anymore. Maybe it's more accurate to say that you won't be 'you' anymore... but anyway, you have a year. So during that time, obtain the Azure."

"... 'Azure?’" It was a word he had never heard before, and Naoto frowned more than ever. 

Raquel nodded slightly, as if to encourage him. Her long hair swayed like luxurious fabric.

"'Azure refers to the power of the origin." Her clear voice began to seep into the air, creating a mysterious aura that transcended the simple term of an enigmatic girl. Although she looked like a girl of the same age, she had an otherworldly quality as she gazed at Naoto.

"It exists everywhere, yet nowhere. It’s a power that affects all living beings, as well as everything from time to grains of sand. Thus, it transforms all 'possibilities' into 'realities.'"

"'Possibilities'? Isn’t that supposed to mean turning the 'impossible' into the 'possible'?" Naoto questioned, caught on the phrasing, and Raquel shook her head, her long hair swaying from side to side.

"'Impossible' refers to things that lack any 'possibility' from the start. What the 'Azure’ enables is the countless 'possibilities' that exist in all dimensions of the world. Regardless of how slim the chances might be, it can make them a reality. If you really want to, you could even manipulate time."

For example, while today is sunny, there is a possibility that clouds could suddenly gather in the morning and it would pour rain. There was also a possibility that Naoto could fall out of bed when he woke up. Moreover, there was a chance that a neighbor might come over to borrow soy sauce, preventing him from witnessing Raquel's shower scene. All of these could be controlled freely by the 'Azure.'

"So you're saying that you can create any world you want as long as there's a possibility?" 

"Yes."

"So if I have that, I wouldn’t need to become a vampire... No, even in this half-baked state, I could go back to being a normal human, right?"

"Yes." Naoto couldn't help but smile at her short affirmative answer. He felt like scolding her for surprising him. He thought he had been thrown into a hopeless situation.
He realized how simple-minded he must seem, yet he was in such a good mood that he turned to Raquel with a smile. Looking closely, he saw that her cup was empty. A kind thought surged up within him: should he offer to refill it?

"That's amazing, it's like having omniscience and omnipotence. It's like being a god. If such a thing exists, you should have said so earlier. So where can I find this 'Azure'? Let’s go look for it right now!"

"...Huh?" The cheerful exchange that had flowed so smoothly suddenly came to a halt. The grand concept of 'Azure,' which could change the world. Having known of its existence and understanding the magnitude of its power, Raquel, who had seemed so confident just moments ago, now appeared somewhat stiff. Yet she tried to maintain a calm demeanor, lifting her cup. When she touched it, she remembered it was empty. For a brief moment, her golden eyes showed a hint of distress, and she hastily set the cup back down.
Even though Naoto wasn't particularly skilled at sensing other people's emotions, he could still pick up on the subtle hints from her actions.

"...I can’t believe it, but... you really don’t know?" Thinking it was a joke, Naoto peered closely at Raquel. Suddenly, he felt a sharp slap on his right cheek.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Shut up. You’re so impertinent for a servant. You need to learn how to speak to your master."

"What do you mean 'master'? If that's the case, then why don’t you give your servant some concrete instructions? What is this 'Azure‘? Where is it, and how do you plan to obtain it, oh master?"

"So I'm going to investigate that now. I came to this city for that purpose!" Raquel stood up abruptly, shaking off Naoto, who was leaning over the table with both hands on it, complaining. She crossed her thin arms beneath her cloak.

Naoto looked up at her with a dissatisfied expression. "Investigate? Why this city?"

"I don't know the reason. Just..." Raquel, who had seemed sulky and uninterested, looked off into the distance, her golden eyes losing their intensity. The crossed arms relaxed and slipped back inside her cloak. "Just, I can feel the 'Azure’ very strongly from this city."

Is 'Azure’ something you can sense? Naoto looked around the living room skeptically, unsure of what Raquel was feeling. Aside from the strange visitor, it looked like the usual living room. He felt no presence of this mysterious power called 'Azure.'

However, just because he couldn't sense it didn't mean he could deny its existence. He couldn't just turn away from such a ridiculous story and return to his everyday life, pretending he didn’t know anything.

A year. When the deadline Raquel mentioned arrives, what will happen to him? What kind of impact will it have on those around him? He couldn’t stake Haruka’s life just to confirm the validity of Raquel's claims. That was something that absolutely must not happen.

"Anyway, I understand the situation. In short, if we find this 'Azure,' everything will be resolved."

"That’s about right."

"Then first, there’s something I want to resolve before we even get to the 'Azure'..." As he said this, Naoto resolutely rose from his seat. He fixed a strong, determined gaze on Raquel. There was something he couldn’t compromise on.

"Can you please put some clothes on?" Having her wander around in front of him completely naked was mentally exhausting, not to mention he didn't know what misunderstandings could arise if Haruka were to stumble upon this scene. 

Raquel tilted her head slightly, considering the seriousness and intensity of Naoto’s voice. "Why?"

“Why? Why are you arguing? I’m a man. Isn’t it embarrassing being completely naked in front of a man?”

“That’s ridiculous. Are you embarrassed to be naked in front of dogs or cats?”

“I’d still wear clothes in front of dogs and cats. Ugh, just put something on!” Raising his voice, Naoto thrust the change of clothes that had been beside him towards Raquel. Unfortunately—or rather, as expected—there were no women’s clothes in this house. So, he rummaged through the drawers and found a nearly unworn T-shirt and a fairly new pair of shorts.
He had already suggested it to Raquel before making the tea, but she had completely ignored him, simply scowling.

"You, a mere servant, dare to order me? Clearly you need some training, you useless dog."

The doorbell rang from the intercom. Ignoring the sound, Raquel furrowed her thin brows in annoyance and turned her face away with a huff.

Without hesitation, Naoto maneuvered to face her directly and grabbed the slender arm beneath her cloak.

"Stop your whining! I’ve been patient enough. Whether you like it or not, you’re changing!"

"Who do you think you are, touching me? Let go!"

"Not a chance! Just give in..." The chime rang again, but its faint electronic sound was drowned out by Naoto and Raquel's voices.

"Hey, don’t touch me like that!" Raquel pulled hard on her arm, trying to shake off his grip, but Naoto had anticipated that. If he let go, she would likely turn and dash outside. He couldn’t let a naked woman burst out of his house in broad daylight—it would be a disaster. Naoto was just as desperate.

"I'm serious... Just give in and do as I say!"

“What a barbaric man you are! You pervert!”

"I'll hear your complaints later. For now..."

"You’re dead wrong if you think you can have your way with me!"

"How am I wrong...? Ugh!" As Raquel struggled to pull away, Naoto tried to restrain her. While they were quietly grappling, Raquel lost her balance and fell onto the sofa. Naoto took advantage of the situation, falling on top of her, pinning her shoulder down and looking down at her.

I’ve won. He was convinced of that.

"Haha, there’s no escaping now, is there, Raquel?"

"How dare a servant pin down their master... This is outrageous! Get off me right now!"

"...Hey."

"What do you mean, 'servant'? You should say that only when you look more dignified."

"This is humiliating..."

"Haha, then how about I make you experience even more humiliation?"

"Hey, Nao-kun..."

[[File:BE1-6.png|frameless|right]]

"I'm a bit busy right now. Can it wait, Haru...?" 

After reflexively responding, Naoto froze at the name he had just blurted out. He felt like a rusty machine. He turned his creaking neck to the side. At the entrance to the living room stood his childhood friend. She was smiling.

"What are you doing, Nao-kun?"

"Uh, well, this is..."

On a weekend afternoon, in a room of an apartment where a high school boy lived alone. A girl was sprawled on the sofa, and a boy was on top of her, pinning her slender body down. The girl was not wearing any clothes. How could he explain this situation in words? How could he convey the balance of common sense and wrongdoing?

Still smiling, Haruka suddenly turned on her heel and headed toward the kitchen. She quickly returned, holding something in her hand. Naoto felt a cold sweat break out all over him at what she was holding.

"Uh, Haruka-san... what is that in your hand?"

"A sharp knife."

"Uh... aren't knives for cutting...?"

"That's fine too." With a gentle smile, Haruka stopped a very, very awkward distance away. From a spot where she could objectively observe the situation in the living room, she gazed at Naoto and tilted her head as she always did, asking, "Maybe I asked the wrong question. Hey, Nao-kun, what are you doing?" As she said this, her childhood friend's eyes, which were fixed on the silver back of the knife she was holding, were not smiling at all.