A tsundere, fool-hating, ridiculously strong, cocky Sentinel x a ruthless, soft-spoken, rational, cunning Guide
Seven years ago, an asteroid impact dealt a devastating blow to life on Earth. It also gave rise to a group of Awakened whose senses and physical abilities surpassed those of ordinary people. The Hongmeng Coalition, made up of the top Awakened, rebuilt the world's shattered order.
A mutant beast rampage in District 1 threw the restored order into chaos once more. Underlying tensions stirred among the various factions, and the Divine Insight Bureau and the Mediation Office were ordered to investigate. Long-buried events came to light, and a new storm slowly gathered.
Mo Wan is an S-rank combat-type Awakened feared by both humans and beasts. She single-handedly formed the only all-female Divine Insight unit. Her personality is as overbearing as her strength, and she especially loves putting arrogant idiots in their place. To top it off, she has a face people can't help but envy. The Awakened she's trampled underfoot only dare mock her behind her back, saying her arrogance will eventually drive her mindscape into a violent frenzy and kill her.
Mo Wan doesn't care. Following the principle that "I'm in charge of my own mindscape," she does whatever she likes and never accepts a Guide's mental-calming sessions, until she meets Gu Lingxi.
At first, Mo Wan thinks Gu Lingxi, her poker-faced frenemy, is a brilliant but frail, beautiful, cold healer. Later, she realizes she's a wolf in rabbit's clothing, with a heart of black.
Once again surrounded by enemies and on the verge of mental exhaustion, Mo Wan's opponents receive reinforcements first. She mocks herself for seeming destined to die from a mindscape meltdown, then forcibly pushes her potential to its limit.
Before she can take her enemies down with her, an overwhelming surge of life sweeps across the battlefield, breaking through the thick, cloying stench of blood. The arrogant, ferocious Sentinels all turn into helpless weaklings, sprawled across the ground.
The black-hearted beauty is still breathtakingly beautiful as she walks step by step toward the person standing tall in the middle of the battlefield like a banner. Mo Wan suppresses a groan and shudder that almost escape because the relief feels so good. She raises a hand to cover those eyes, once clear but now blood-red, and says in a calm, hazy voice, "Commander Gu, rein in your mental power."
Gu Lingxi finds Mo Wan adorably contradictory. She's a master of advanced equipment and lethal techniques, yet like someone from ancient times, she uses street racing and clubbing to calm the mental power that's become a complete mess.
Just like the little white tiger in her mindscape: it bristles before you even touch it, but once you pet it, it rubs its tail against you. So tsundere.
Later, though, the prickly thing starts treating her like an all-purpose therapy pod. Turn the power up too high and it's no good; turn it down too low and that's even worse.
Luckily, they're a perfect match.
My take on the Sentinel-Guide genre, with lots of original worldbuilding. The story is entirely fictional.
You don't need to have read Sentinel-Guide stories to enjoy this.
Core theme: Even in darkness, keep your heart turned toward the light.
