The arena trembled beneath Akira's aura. Her body throbbed with power she had never felt before, the energy of the Overseer's attack surging through her like liquid fire.
"Rank 14… no longer enough," she muttered, teeth gritted. Her crimson aura flared violently, stretching like living flames around her. Sparks carved lines across the broken maze walls, scorching the air.
Her heartbeat synced with the surge of energy. Memories of every fight—her blood-drenched self, her controlled self, the lessons of the maze—flooded her. And then it happened:
The surge exploded.
Her vision tinted deep red, veins glowing with pulsating energy. The air screamed with the force of her awakening.
Rank 15 had been reached.
New abilities erupted alongside her transformation:
Crimson Mirror: Every strike she made could replicate instantly in multiple directions, hitting enemies from angles they couldn't anticipate.
Blood Sense: She could track the life force of every being in the arena, even through walls or illusions.
Overdrive Surge: Temporarily multiplies speed, strength, and aura output ×3, leaving foes nearly frozen in her wake.
Her aura now danced around her like a living, flowing storm of red energy, tendrils whipping through the air with sharp precision.
The Overseer's eyes widened. "Impossible… she's exceeded every calculation. She's evolved beyond my control."
Akira's lips curved into a confident smirk. "You thought this was a test? No… I'm rewriting the rules."
She moved.
Lightning-fast strikes, a blur of crimson, whipped through the arena, scattering debris, dismantling the floating walls of the maze. Each motion left afterimages, clones of herself striking from unexpected angles, a perfect combination of her blood-drenched instinct and calculated control.
The Overseer tried to counter, but Akira's Rank 15 form allowed her to anticipate every move, redirecting attacks and turning them against him.
Her heart surged. She realized the full scope of her power. With Rank 15, she was no longer just Akira… she was a storm incarnate, unstoppable.
And somewhere, in the distance, a new presence watched—a flash of movement that hinted at the arrival of someone else. Someone strong. Someone ambitious.
Akira's grin widened, crimson eyes glinting. "So… the next challenge arrives. Good. I was hoping for one."
The arena shook again, louder this time.
The stage was set.
Rank 15 Akira was ready.
And the real fight—the one that would test everything—was only beginning.