The air felt heavier the moment it stepped out from the shadows.
Not walked — stepped. Slow, deliberate, each footfall echoing like a warning.
Akira narrowed her eyes.
The thing wasn't just looking at her… it was studying her. Like she was the main course.
Her crew shuffled behind her, muttering. Fear. Distrust. Kale's death was still fresh, and she could feel the weight of their doubt pressing against her back.
Tamaki stood silent. He knew better than to question her here.
"Stay behind me," she ordered. Her voice was flat, but her pulse had picked up.
The predator's skin shimmered faintly, shifting colors like oil under sunlight. Its eyes glowed faint orange — a predator's glow.
And Akira knew, instantly, what it was.
Soul Feeder.
A rare breed. One that didn't just feed on flesh, but on the power within someone's core. If it touched her long enough, it could strip away everything she'd earned.
"I don't like the way it's looking at you," one of her crew muttered.
"Shut up," another hissed.
The Soul Feeder tilted its head. Then, with no warning, it lunged.
Akira met it halfway, her body blurring into motion. Her fist slammed into its jaw — but it didn't even flinch. Its clawed hand shot forward, grazing her shoulder.
Her breath hitched.
Her vision blurred for half a second — she felt a sliver of her power being pulled away.
It grinned.
She hissed, baring her teeth. "You picked the wrong target."
Flames of raw energy began curling around her arms — the DBZ-style power she'd sworn she wouldn't use unless absolutely necessary. It burned hot, and her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Her crew stumbled back. "What the hell—?"
The predator hissed, circling her, wary now. It could sense the shift.
Akira launched forward, her new speed making the ground crack beneath her feet. The first strike hit — and this time, it staggered. A sharp follow-up knee to its ribs made it cough dark liquid onto the dirt.
But it wasn't done.
It darted past her, straight for her crew.
"Move!" she shouted. But it was too fast.
One of the crew — Juro — wasn't quick enough. The Soul Feeder's claws dug in, its glow flaring as it began to drain him.
Akira's rage surged, hotter than ever. The burning inside her chest peaked, and something snapped.
The flames turned black.
She vanished in a blur and reappeared behind the predator, hands locked around its skull.
The sound of bone shattering echoed across the clearing.
It collapsed, twitching once before going still.
Juro dropped to the ground, gasping — alive, but pale.
Akira stood over the corpse, black flames still curling around her hands. Her crew stared, wide-eyed.
"What… are you?" someone whispered.
Tamaki's gaze met hers. He didn't answer for her — but the look in his eyes said he knew the truth was bleeding out faster than she could hide it.
She turned away, forcing the flames to die down. "Pack up. We're leaving."
But deep down, she knew.
They wouldn't look at her the same again.
Cliffhanger for 82: the black flames come with a side effect — and Akira's about to find out she can't turn them off.