The forest burned with black flames and golden light. Shadows twisted around the trees, moving unnaturally, while Akira's aura flared higher than ever. Her arms were alight, every strike a storm of raw energy.
Her crew scattered, ducking, diving, and scrambling as the tidal wave of shadows crashed around them. Fear gripped them, but Akira didn't falter.
"Stay with me!" she shouted, voice cutting through the chaos.
Tamaki was beside her, his sword flashing as he deflected a shadow that lunged for a weaker crew member. "Akira… this is—"
"Not your fight," she snapped. Her eyes blazed crimson. "You survive by following me. Now move!"
Testing the Crew
The stranger above laughed softly, golden eyes gleaming. "They're trembling… yet they still follow. But for how long?"
A smaller shadow slipped past Tamaki and Kairos, brushing against one of the newer crew members. It whispered doubts, doubts about Akira, about the danger she brought.
A tremor ran through the crew. Kairos froze, eyes flicking between Akira and the shadow. Fear tightened around his chest.
Akira noticed the hesitation. Her gaze hardened. "I'm your leader," she said, low, dangerous. "If you falter now, you die. Loyalty isn't optional."
Her black flames surged, slamming into a group of shadows that dared to linger too close. Sparks and smoke filled the air, and for a moment, the crew stared in awe… and terror.
The Fracture Begins
One crew member, eyes wide and shaking, muttered under their breath: "Can we trust her…?"
Akira's gaze snapped to them. Her flames flared, scorching the ground between them. "I've killed for this crew before. I'll do it again if I have to. Don't test me."
The words sank in. Fear rooted some of them to the spot; others' eyes flicked nervously toward the stranger above. Loyalty was being tested, and cracks were starting to show.
Tamaki's jaw tightened. He had seen the real Akira, the side no one else could handle—but even he felt the tension thickening.
Power Unleashed
The massive shadow predator above launched a coordinated strike at the crew. Akira reacted instinctively, her black flames flaring fully, wrapping around her body. The heat radiated outward, pushing back the tidal wave of shadows.
Her strength was incredible, but the effort drained her. Every strike tore at her chest, every movement sapped her stamina. Yet she pressed on, black flames swirling violently as she protected her crew.
Some followed without question, moved by survival and loyalty. Others hesitated, eyes flicking with doubt. Akira's glare cut through hesitation like a blade. "Choose now!" she roared.
Cliffhanger Ending
A shadow lunged directly at one of the hesitant crew members. Akira's flames struck it mid-air—but in that moment, the crew member's fear almost betrayed them.
The stranger above tilted its head, golden eyes narrowing. "Interesting… very interesting," it whispered.
Akira inhaled sharply, black flames surging in response. "Loyalty isn't a suggestion," she said. "It's a rule."
And in the pause, a new, unseen movement stirred in the forest—a figure even darker than the predator, watching, waiting for the perfect moment.
The next battle wasn't just about power. It was about who would survive Akira herself.