The seal burned against her skin like molten metal, its glow pulsing with every beat of her heart. Her movements slowed, her aura dimmed—she could feel the power drain, like someone had dipped their hands into her soul and stolen a handful.
The stranger stood just a few feet away, blade resting casually on his shoulder. "Not so untouchable now, are you?"
Akira tilted her head, her voice dripping with playful venom. "Oh, I'm still untouchable, darling. You've just… given me an excuse to stop holding back."
With a slow, deliberate step forward, she dragged her fingers along the glowing seal. It pulsed once, twice—then she pressed her palm flat against it. Her crimson aura snapped to life, tendrils curling around her body like living flame.
The Bean's energy roared in her veins, furious at being restrained. Every muscle screamed, every nerve felt like it was on fire, but her smirk never faltered.
Then—crack.
The seal shattered into shards of light, scattering into the night sky. Power surged out of her like a tidal wave, distorting the air, bending the ground beneath her feet. Her eyes burned gold-red now, her aura spiraling into a cyclone that pushed the stranger back a full ten feet.
"Round two," she purred. "But this time, I'll make sure you stay down."
She moved before he could blink—her speed tripled, her strikes so precise they left glowing fissures in the air itself. His blade met hers again, but now every block sent him skidding back, boots grinding sparks into the steel platform.
The crowd below—unaware of the true scale of what they were witnessing—watched in awe as streaks of crimson and black danced like lightning across the skyline.
But then… something unexpected.
In the middle of her assault, the stranger let his weapon fall. He reached out, gripping her wrist tight, pulling her closer until their faces were inches apart.
"You don't even know what's inside you," he murmured. "And when you find out… it won't be me you'll want to kill."
For the first time in weeks, Akira's smirk faltered—just for a second.
And in that second, he vanished.