The battlefield was a blur of blood and broken steel. Akira hovered above the ruins, crimson aura spiraling outward, tendrils of blood dancing like serpents around her. The city below had become her playground—and her weapon.
Rin's voice cut through the chaos. "Akira… you've got to control it!"
She smirked, letting a tendril of blood flick against a Sentinel's neck, teasing it before snapping it violently. "Control?" she purred. "I'm beyond control now."
The rogue immortal and Takumi moved in tandem, weapons gleaming, energy crackling. "You've grown… but you can't handle all of us," Takumi hissed.
Akira laughed, the sound sharp and intoxicating. With a wave of her hand, the blood constructs of fallen enemies rose, twisting into massive, jagged forms. They slammed into the attackers, shattering armor and bone alike.
Level Up Tease: Potential Rank 12 unlocked
Every strike, every kill, fueled her aura. Her eyes shimmered, deeper red with gold flecks, almost hypnotic. She leapt high into the air, spinning mid-flight, sending crimson blades raining down in a spiral of destruction. Each enemy she touched became a temporary extension of her will—her blood army.
Takumi lunged, but she stepped into his attack, letting a whisper of her aura brush his mind. "Do you really want to fight me, or do you just want to follow?"
He hesitated, conflicted, and that split second allowed her to drain a fraction of his energy, further amplifying her storm.
But chaos always has a price. From the rift above, the Architect's presence pressed heavier, freezing the edges of her aura. He was not just watching—he was preparing to intervene.
Akira felt a jolt, a sting of danger she had not anticipated. She could handle Rank 11—but the Architect's energy? That was something else entirely.
Her aura surged again, tendrils lashing out. She knew one thing: she could survive… but the next step, Rank 12, would demand more than just power. It would demand cunning, ruthlessness, and a taste for chaos she hadn't yet tapped.
And somewhere behind her, Takumi's betrayal still simmered, ready to erupt again.
🔥 Cliffhanger: Akira has fully unleashed her Rank 11 – Crimson Dominion, commanding her blood constructs and controlling enemies' movements, but the Architect's interference hints at a challenge that could push her toward Rank 12. She's powerful—but still not untouchable, and betrayal lurks in every shadow.