Sakura's eyes, wide with shock a moment before, suddenly narrowed. The pale, startled expression vanished, replaced by a chilling, ancient malevolence that sent a cold shiver down Li Wei's spine.
It was a transformation, a mask falling away to reveal something far older and darker beneath. The girl's lips, once soft, now curved into a thin, cruel smile, utterly devoid of warmth.
"My master," Sakura rasped, her voice no longer the quiet, unassuming tone Li Wei knew. It was layered, guttural, echoing with a haunting resonance that seemed to vibrate through the very floorboards of the classroom. It was the sound of a thousand whispers, a chorus of ancient malice. "Is none of your business, General."
Li Wei's breath caught. She had been right. Sakura was not merely an observer. She was an enemy. And the way she used "General," the casual dismissal of her authority, spoke volumes. This was no Awakened puppet. This was a soul from their past, twisted and bound to Valerius, but with a terrifying spark of its own.
Sakura slowly, deliberately, rose from her chair, her movements fluid and unnatural.
Her gaze, fixed on Li Wei, was devoid of human emotion, filled only with cold, predatory intent. "Hand Kaelen and his little pet over to me," she continued, her voice gaining strength, the multiple echoes intertwining into a terrifying harmony. "And you can walk out of here alive. Unharmed. This is not your fight, General."
Li Wei felt the familiar surge of righteous fury, the same fire that had fueled her through countless battles. "Ren is my Emperor," she stated, her voice firm, unwavering, echoing with her own ancient authority. "And Itami is his friend. I will not betray them, not to you, and certainly not to Valerius."
Sakura's cruel smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed a shade too sharp in the fading light. "Foolish loyalty. It was always your weakness, General. And Kaelen's." A faint, dark aura began to shimmer around her, the air in the room growing heavy, charged with a sinister energy.
"Then you leave me no choice," Li Wei said, her stance shifting, her body tensing, ready for combat. Her own essence, the latent arcane power within her, began to hum in response, a faint, ethereal glow outlining her form.
Sakura lunged. She moved with a terrifying speed, far beyond human capability, a blur of dark hair and school uniform. Her hand, open and claw-like, lashed out, aiming for Li Wei's throat.
Li Wei reacted instantly. Her years of training, the muscle memory of a lifetime of combat, kicked in. She sidestepped the attack, a graceful, almost dance-like movement, and countered with a swift, open-palmed strike to Sakura's arm. It connected with a sickening thud, but Sakura barely flinched. Her skin felt unnaturally hard, like toughened leather.
"You're quicker than I remember," Sakura hissed, her voice a low growl, as she spun, launching a powerful kick that whistled past Li Wei's head.
Li Wei ducked, the force of the kick stirring the air around her. This was not a physical brawl. This was a clash of ancient powers, channeled through fragile modern bodies. Sakura fought with a brutal, unrefined ferocity, relying on raw strength and speed. Li Wei, however, fought with the precision of a general, seeking weaknesses, exploiting openings.
She moved around Sakura, a blur of motion, her strikes aimed at pressure points, at the joints, at anything that might disrupt the dark energy animating her opponent. But Sakura was resilient, absorbing blows that would have crippled an ordinary human. Her eyes, now glowing with a faint, malevolent red light, tracked Li Wei's every move.
Sakura unleashed a torrent of strikes, a flurry of punches and kicks, each imbued with an unnatural force. Li Wei blocked, parried, and dodged, the air around them crackling with the clash of their hidden energies. The desks and chairs in the classroom rattled, a faint tremor running through the floor.
"You cannot win, General!" Sakura snarled, her voice echoing, "Valerius's power flows through me! I am merely his vessel! And only he can release me!" The words were spat out, a desperate, chilling defiance that hinted at a deeper torment.
Li Wei felt the truth of her words. Her own arcane abilities were still nascent, fragmented. She could push, she could deflect, but she lacked the raw destructive power she once commanded. Sakura, however, seemed to draw endless strength from her master, her very being a conduit for his will. The realization that Sakura was not merely a willing servant, but a prisoner, added a new layer of grim understanding to the fight.
Sakura caught Li Wei's arm, her grip like iron bands, and twisted, forcing Li Wei to her knees. A searing pain shot up Li Wei's limb, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out. Sakura raised her other hand, a dark, pulsing energy beginning to coalesce in her palm, aimed directly at Li Wei's head.
"Give them to me, General," Sakura hissed, her voice triumphant, "or perish here."
Li Wei looked up, her eyes blazing with defiance. She would not yield. Not now. Not ever. Even without her full power, she was still a general of the Sun Empire. And she would protect her Emperor.
With a desperate surge of will, Li Wei channeled every ounce of her fragmented power. A blinding flash of azure energy erupted from her, not a directed attack, but a raw, concussive burst that slammed into Sakura, sending her flying back across the classroom, slamming into the blackboard with a sickening thud.
Sakura lay motionless for a moment, the dark aura around her flickering, her eyes wide with shock. She slowly pushed herself up, a faint wisp of smoke rising from her uniform. Her cruel smile was gone, replaced by a look of stunned disbelief, and then, a chilling, ancient fury.
"You... you still have power," Sakura rasped, her voice no longer echoing, but raw with hatred. "Very well, General. This is merely the first exchange. The game has truly begun."
She stood, her body trembling slightly, but her eyes held a new, terrifying resolve. She would not attack again. Not now. She had learned what she needed.
With a final, malevolent glare at Li Wei, Sakura turned and vanished, melting into the shadows of the empty classroom as abruptly as the Awakened had disappeared the day before.
Li Wei remained on her knees, her body aching, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The air in the room slowly returned to normal, the heavy charge dissipating. She had survived. But the fight had revealed a terrifying truth: Sakura was a formidable opponent, a powerful agent of Valerius, and she was far from a mere pawn. Her words echoed in Li Wei's mind: Only he can release me. The war had just escalated dramatically, and Li Wei knew, with a chilling certainty, that the next encounter would be far deadlier, and perhaps, more tragic.