As Anthony and the woman stared into each other's vivid blue eyes, the world seemed to fade into nothingness for a fleeting moment, as if only the two of them truly existed within it; enveloped in a realm painted entirely in shades of serene blue. The air itself seemed to hum with a quiet stillness, suspended in the moment of their gaze.

"Hooo... You keep staring at her. Don't tell me you've already fallen for her," Charles Evander's voice echoed sharply, shattering the delicate bubble of quiet moment that Anthony and the woman seemed to have stepped into.

Anthony's gaze reluctantly shifted toward Charles as he broke eye contact with the woman. "I don't remember you speaking this much the last time we met," he said evenly, his tone calm yet carrying the weight of observation. Indeed, his words rang true; Charles had been notoriously reticent during the Starborn Tournament, always keeping to himself, seldom engaging with anyone beyond necessary interactions.

Charles's lips curled into a small, knowing smile as his black pupils met Anthony's sky blue ones. "Well… nobody really talked to me, so there wasn't much to say. You don't expect me to mumble to myself like a madman… do you?" he replied, the same enigmatic smile lingering as effortlessly as ever.

Anthony paused, studying Charles for a brief moment before diverting his gaze back to the woman, who still regarded him with calm, serene eyes. Without speaking, he took a step forward, walking past Charles with measured steps, their echoes faintly reverberating through the quiet expanse, until he stood before her.

Stopping just a few feet away, Anthony raised his hand in a composed introduction. "Null Anthony," he stated simply, leaving no room for embellishment, his voice steady yet quietly confident.

"Aura Nova," the woman replied, accepting Anthony's handshake with grace. Her blue eyes shimmered with a calmness deeper than any lake and more peaceful than any sky. There was a sense of tranquility radiating from her presence, as though serenity itself had taken corporeal form.

Every element of her being seemed to harmonize with her chosen color: her eyes, a brilliant blue; her flowing hair, cascading down her back in waves of blue; the elegant gown draping her figure, a seamless shade of blue. It was as if blue had been woven into the very essence of her existence, creating a timeless beauty that felt both ethereal and grounded.

"You seem… special," Aura Nova said abruptly, her words spilling out with sincerity, unfiltered and unguarded. Her declaration caught Anthony slightly off guard, prompting a subtle smile to curve his lips. "Why do you say that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

'Did she feel the same sensation I did when I first saw her?' Anthony pondered internally. 'If that were the case, then Aaaninja, Lucian, and Kingsley should have felt something similar, yet none of them had spoken on it. Perhaps it has to do with her eyes, or some latent ability… After all, ocular abilities are not uncommon,' he reasoned silently. Still, he had not sensed any activity from his Perfect One skill, not even a flicker, indicating that Aura was not probing for information.

As Anthony awaited her response, a sudden presence diverted his attention: a small cat appeared, settling comfortably atop Aura's head without disturbing the meticulous arrangement of her hair. Anthony's senses immediately picked up a subtle spatial anomaly, his gaze shifting to the feline intruder.

The cat's black eyes locked onto him. Its fur was a striking contrast of black and white, white cascading from its neck down to its belly, while the sides and remainder of its body were inky black. Its limbs, too, were adorned with black fur, except for its delicate paws that were white. The cat's black tail twirled in midair with a fluid elegance, and its black eyes remained fixed calmly on Anthony.

Then, in an almost whimsical motion, the cat's mouth opened, and a soft, childlike voice emerged, lazy yet bossy in its tone. "You both have been holding each other's hands for quite some time now," it remarked, a subtle hint of mischief lacing its words.

Anthony's mind snapped into clarity at the words, realization dawning. He withdrew his hand gently from Aura's. "My apologies," he murmured, his eyes shifting from the talking cat back to Aura.

"There's no need to apologize. It wasn't anyone's fault," she replied, a gentle smile spreading across her face, the first since Anthony had laid eyes on her.

"Your cat… seems unique," he remarked, his gaze returning to the feline, which appeared to possess the extraordinary ability to manipulate space and communicate verbally.

Aura's smile widened at his observation. She lifted the cat gracefully from her head, cradling it as one might an infant, her hands gliding over the soft black fur on its back. "Her name is Akira," she intoned. "Akira, say hi to Anthony."

Akira's black eyes, previously closed in contentment of Aura petting her, opened with a flash of indifference. Her gaze met Anthony's, yet she refused to speak, choosing instead to close her eyes and ignore him entirely, exuding a stubborn independence.

"Well… it seems she doesn't want to speak," Aura said with a sigh, accustomed to Akira's indifferent temperament. Some things, it seemed, could not be forced.

Anthony merely smiled, unbothered. After all, it was a cat, and the best way to charm one often involved food. Moreover, he knew the irresistible allure of cat food from the system shop was something Akira could hardly resist.

'This will be the first time I'm buying cat food from the system shop,' he mused to himself. Without hesitation, he opened the shop interface and purchased a small pack of dry kibble, which materialized in his hands instantly.

Aura raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sight. 'Does he… like cats?' she wondered silently.

Anthony carefully opened the pack, and the moment the scent wafted into the air, Akira's black eyes snapped open, her head tilting eagerly toward the source. Anthony guided a piece of kibble toward her mouth. She accepted it, swallowing with apparent delight. Her small paws, claws lightly flexed, gripped the treat, and without hesitation, she leapt from Aura's arms toward Anthony, seeking more.

Before she could reach him, time seemed to freeze, Aura halting Akira mid-leap with a subtle spatial manipulation.

"I apologize for that," Aura said softly, her calm smile soothing as Akira reversed course gracefully into her arms.

"It doesn't bother me," Anthony replied, his tone relaxed and unaffected.

Finally, Akira spoke, a soft, deliberate "Hi," clearly motivated more by the anticipation of food than social pleasantries.

Anthony chuckled lightly, shaking his head as he passed the pack of kibble to Aura with a smile, choosing not to respond to the feline's greeting. The moment hung in the air, a quiet, whimsical interlude amid the profound connection between Anthony and Aura, punctuated by the mischievous presence of Akira, whose enigmatic charm added a layer of playfulness to the serene, moment of their meeting.

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