The city trembled under the faint pulse of Akira's crimson aura. Blood Bloom Beans had pushed her daily strength higher, each heartbeat nudging her closer to Rank 12. But today… something felt different.
Takumi approached, eyes serious, hands trembling slightly. "Akira… there's something I haven't told you."
She tilted her head, a playful smirk curling her lips. "Oh? Secrets now? You're full of surprises."
His face darkened. "I… I've been feeding information to the Architect. I didn't want to, but—"
Akira's smirk widened into a dangerous grin. "Ohhh, so that's your little game." Her aura flared, crimson tendrils coiling around her like snakes. "Brave… or stupid."
Before Takumi could defend, she twirled, letting her blood constructs sweep past him, teasing without harm. She leaned close, voice low and seductive: "Lucky for you, I do enjoy a little betrayal… if it's entertaining."
Her aura exploded outward, testing the limits of the Blood Bloom Beans' power. The city shook as crimson lightning arced through the air, shredding debris and testing her newly mastered abilities.
Takumi staggered, awe and fear in his eyes. "I… I didn't think you'd—"
"Tested me? I always test myself," she purred. Her fangs glinted in the neon light. She let a tendril of blood gently brush his neck, playful and teasing. "And now… it's my turn to see how far I can go."
From above, a shadowed presence loomed: the Architect. He didn't strike—yet—but the pressure was suffocating. The subtle manipulation he had woven through Takumi had forced her hand, but it had also revealed a new edge in her abilities.
With a roar, Akira unleashed a storm of blood constructs, each one sharper, faster, and more precise than ever. She danced through the chaos, her aura expanding, heart pounding—Rank 12 whispered on the edge of her control.
She glanced at Takumi, eyes gleaming. "Keep up… if you can."
And just as the Architect began to intervene, Akira felt it—a surge, deeper than any she'd felt before. Rank 12 was within reach. But would she take it… or would betrayal cost her everything?
🔥 Cliffhanger: Akira faces Takumi's betrayal while teasing Rank 12. Her blood powers are stronger than ever, flirtatious and deadly, but the Architect's looming presence hints that her ultimate test is imminent. Readers are left wondering: will she ascend fully, or will the betrayal tip the balance?