The city's ruins glimmered under Akira's crimson aura, now a calm storm of barely restrained power. She had pushed herself against high-level targets, teasing Rank 12, and felt unstoppable—until the Architect's presence pressed down like a hammer from above.
Suddenly, the shadows shifted. Multiple elite Sentinels, each faster and stronger than before, emerged from hidden rifts. But they weren't attacking normally—they moved as one, synchronized, their motions coordinated with an invisible force.
Rin gasped. "Akira… this isn't normal…"
Akira's fangs flashed as she twirled, unleashing a storm of blood constructs. They struck down Sentinels in her path—but one figure remained untouched: the Architect's personal envoy, cloaked in black-gold armor, eyes glowing with eerie light.
He moved through her attacks as if the constructs didn't exist. Every punch, every slice she directed bounced harmlessly off him.
This was different.
Akira felt the first sting of real fear in weeks. Her aura flared, but the envoy seemed to absorb it, turning her attacks against her. A pulse of corrupted energy surged through her blood constructs, destabilizing them. Some fell apart midair, splattering crimson across the rubble.
Takumi's eyes widened in shock. "He… he's… absorbing your power!"
Akira gritted her teeth, fury and disbelief mixing with adrenaline. She tried to retreat, regroup—but the Architect's envoy had anticipated her moves. With a swift strike, he shattered her protective blood shields, forcing her to stumble backward.
The envoy whispered, calm and lethal: "You've grown strong, but you've overreached. Blood alone will not save you."
Her aura flared violently, desperate to reach Rank 12—but the surge fizzled. The setback burned, leaving her shaken.
Rin shouted, "Akira! You can't let him break you!"
Akira's eyes narrowed, pain and determination intertwining. This isn't the end. Not even close. She flexed her talons, letting a faint pulse of energy from the Blood Bloom Bean ripple through her. Recovery would be slow—but this setback… this humiliation… would only fuel her.
The envoy vanished into the shadows, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.
Akira's crimson aura flickered, weaker than before—but her eyes glimmered with cold determination. "Rank 12… I'll reach it. And when I do…" Her lips curled into a dangerous smile. "No one will stand in my way."
🔥 Cliffhanger: Akira faces a major setback. Her attacks are absorbed, blood constructs destabilized, and the Architect's envoy proves she's still vulnerable. Rank 12 is still out of reach, leaving readers on edge and desperate to see how she recovers.