The city was quiet now, almost deceptively so. Akira's crimson-and-gold aura pulsed gently, the aftermath of the last battle still lingering in the ruins below. The Blood Bloom Beans had amplified her powers daily, and she could feel the edge of Rank 12 teasing her veins.
Rin hovered nearby. "You've been at this for hours… are you sure you shouldn't rest?"
Akira smirked, flexing her claws. "Rest is for those who can afford to wait. I don't. Not when there's still power to unlock."
She stretched her fingers, letting blood from the surrounding ruins coil and swirl around her. Her constructs moved with precision, slicing the air like ribbons of steel. Each motion tested her limits, each movement a subtle increase in mastery over her Rank 11 abilities.
Then, a ripple across the city's edge caught her attention. A lone figure, encased in shimmering armor darker than night, moved with unnatural speed. High-level target. Perfect for testing her powers.
Akira's eyes glinted. "Let's see if you're worthy of my attention."
She propelled herself forward, blood constructs forming spears and shields mid-air, striking with precision and flair. The figure countered effortlessly, forcing her to weave, dodge, and manipulate her constructs in new ways.
Each strike drained and redirected energy, her aura flaring hotter with every successful hit. Crimson lightning arced across her body as she experimented—blood slicing, blood shielding, even animating pieces of the fallen armored target into temporary allies.
And then—a flirtatious twist. She whispered close enough for the target to hear, letting her fangs just graze the air near his neck: "You're strong… but do you really want to test me?"
The figure hesitated, and in that split second, Akira surged. Her aura exploded upward in a spiraling storm, tendrils lashing outward, demonstrating the potential of Rank 12 without fully reaching it.
Rin gasped. "You… you're on the cusp…"
Akira landed, eyes glowing deeper red, veins humming with new energy. "Rank 12 isn't here yet… but it's close. And soon, I'll be untouchable."
From the shadows, a familiar ominous presence watched—far stronger than the high-level target. The Architect's eyes gleamed in the distance, unblinking. Akira didn't flinch. Instead, she flexed her fingers, letting her blood constructs coil like serpents.
"Let the next challenge come," she whispered, a dangerous smile on her lips. "I've been waiting for it."
🔥 Cliffhanger: Akira edges toward Rank 12, testing her powers against a high-level target while keeping flirtatious tension and strategy in play. The Architect is watching from the shadows, hinting that the true challenge is about to arrive—her next fight could push her past anything she's ever known.