Glitched Goddess: My Skills are maxed out

Kana's chest rose and fell rapidly as she gripped the chair with trembling hands. Her heart thundered, each beat pounding against her ribs as she faced the man lunging toward her.

Summoning every ounce of strength, she swung the chair down at him — but the sudden weakness in her left leg betrayed her.

Her balance wavered, her knee buckled slightly, and she almost fell forward.

Before she could recover, a shrill alert echoed in her mind.

[Warning! You are under attack!]

Kana's brow twitched, and she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"I know I'm under attack! Tell me something new, you useless thing!"

She snapped at the system internally, annoyed at the incessant beeping that was only worsening her headache.

But the warning didn't stop. It grew louder, sharper, until it felt like tiny needles pricking at her skull.

Kana winced, clutching the side of her head instinctively — and that was when something in her instincts screamed. Her gaze darted sharply to her left, where Dorian had been just moments ago.

He was gone.

Kana's breath hitched, and she turned quickly, scanning her surroundings. Her pulse raced as she strained her senses, trying to detect even the faintest movement, the sound of footsteps, the shift of air.

For a split second, the silence was deafening — and just when she thought she was safe, her body moved on its own.

With a sharp twist, Kana swung the broken piece of chair she had picked up earlier, intercepting a glint of steel headed straight for her.

A loud clang rang out as the splintered wood blocked Dorian's dagger mid-strike.

Her arms trembled at the impact, but she had stopped him.

Kana's breath came out in shaky bursts, her grip tightening on the makeshift weapon as her wide eyes locked on Dorian's.

He looked equally surprised, his brows furrowing as if he couldn't comprehend how she managed to react in time.

"You—"

He muttered, pulling his dagger back and leaping a step away to reassess the situation.

Kana didn't respond, her chest heaving. Her instincts screamed at her to stay on guard, yet she had no idea how to fight properly. That was when the system's voice returned, calm yet oddly firm:

[Host, would you like for the system to take over combat operations?]

Kana hesitated for only a second before blurting out.

"Yes! Take over — I don't know what I'm doing!"

The shift was instantaneous.

Her breathing steadied, her stance adjusted, and her grip on the broken chair tightened in a way that felt alien — as though her body was no longer her own.

Kana lunged forward, her movements suddenly fluid and precise, each step calculated, her strikes sharper and faster than before.

Dorian's eyes widened.

"What…?!"

He barely had time to raise his dagger to defend himself as she unleashed a flurry of attacks.

Her swings were no longer clumsy and desperate; they carried weight, accuracy, and intent.

Every time he tried to counter, she slipped past his guard, forcing him onto the defensive.

Beads of sweat trailed down his temple as he parried blow after blow, realizing with growing dread that this was no ordinary girl.

'This isn't her anymore. This feels like fighting someone… dangerous.'

Dorian thought, gritting his teeth as he blocked another strike.

His muscles strained, his breaths grew heavier, and every movement he made felt slower compared to the relentless pressure Kana now exerted.

He tried to maneuver around her, to create an opening where he could knock her out swiftly and end this confrontation, but each attempt failed.

Every time he thought he found an opening, Kana's counterattack came — swift, precise, merciless.

For the first time in years, Dorian felt the creeping edge of panic.

He jumped back, trying to create distance, but Kana didn't let up. She surged forward again, striking with a speed that forced him to focus entirely on defending.

Her broken chair scraped against his dagger in a screeching clash, sparks flying from the force of impact.

And then — just when she had him cornered, just when the finishing blow was imminent — something inside her faltered.

Kana's grip loosened. Her gaze flickered away, distracted by something unseen.

Instead of swinging at Dorian, her body twisted sharply, attacking an empty direction with the full force of her strike.

Dorian blinked, momentarily stunned by her sudden misstep.

And that was when a faint whoosh cut through the air.

A small object flew toward Kana, bursting into a cloud of fine, pale powder right before her face.

She gasped instinctively, inhaling the strange substance.

Her vision blurred instantly.

Her knees buckled, her senses dulled, and the chair slipped from her hands as dizziness overwhelmed her.

She staggered backward, trying to resist, but her strength gave out. Within seconds, her body collapsed to the ground with a soft thud.

Dorian straightened his posture, chest rising and falling from exertion, as he glanced toward the source of the thrown powder.

From the shadows emerged a tall, graceful figure cloaked in flowing silk. Her presence was commanding yet elegant, her calm gaze sharp as a blade.

"Lady Seraphine…"

Dorian breathed out, relief washing over his features.

She stepped closer, her expression unreadable as her eyes briefly scanned Kana's unconscious form before meeting Dorian's.

"You took your time."

She said coolly.

Dorian bowed his head slightly, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"I… apologize, my lady. She was not what I expected."

Seraphine didn't respond, her gaze lingering on Kana for just a heartbeat longer. Then, with a faint sigh, she whispered almost to herself:

"…I see."

But her expression remained guarded, betraying none of the thoughts swirling behind her calm demeanor.

For now, the fight was over.

Kana lay unconscious.

And Dorian, though shaken, was glad to see his mistress safe and unscathed.

Kana's breathing was faint, her body unmoving on the cold floor as Seraphine's shadow loomed over her.

Dorian tightened his grip on his dagger, steadying his ragged breath. Relief coursed through him, but unease lingered.