When the rift separated them, Akiba Yellow found herself alone.
She stumbled forward, boots scraping against damp cobblestones. The air was heavy, thick with mist that clung to her visor. Lanterns glowed faintly along crooked alleyways, their light struggling to pierce the darkness.
"This… this isn't Akihabara…" she muttered nervously. Her voice echoed, hollow against the walls.
The buildings around her were tall, gothic, and lifeless, their windows shattered like empty eyes. The streets were deserted, but she swore she could feel something watching her.
She swallowed, trying to joke to herself.
"Well… maybe it's one of those anime worlds where the cute girls with magic swords show up to help, right? Eheh… right?"
But her laugh rang false.
---
The Hunters
From the shadows, figures emerged—men and women in dark cloaks, their faces hidden by masks shaped like beasts. Each held weapons that glimmered faintly in the moonlight. Their eyes, visible through the masks, glowed with unnatural hunger.
Yellow's heart skipped. She raised her hands instinctively. "Uh—Hi there! I'm an unofficial hero, emphasis on unofficial! So maybe you don't need to—"
They lunged.
Yellow yelped, flipping backward and activating her transformation.
"UNOFFICIAL SENTAI… AKIBA YELLOW!"
Her bright yellow armor shimmered, but against this eerie backdrop, it looked out of place—like a cartoon character scribbled into a horror story.
She swung wildly, her punches and kicks landing clumsily but fueled by desperation. The cloaked hunters hissed and swarmed her from all sides. One slashed across her arm, sparks erupting. Another struck her in the gut, forcing her to stumble back.
Her chest burned. She couldn't keep up.
---
The Dream Shatters
They circled her, weapons raised. Yellow's breathing grew heavy.
Her thoughts spiraled. This isn't funny. This isn't like the shows. This isn't supposed to happen to me.
In her mind, she saw flashes—her days in Akihabara, laughing with Red and Blue, chasing delusional plots. It had always been a game, a parody, a safe place to play hero.
But here… her armor cracked, her visor flickering. She was bleeding. Her knees trembled.
"Am I… really just a joke?" she whispered.
One of the hunters laughed darkly. "You don't belong here. You're weak. A fake."
Yellow's body froze. The word hit harder than their blades. Fake.
Her visor dimmed, her transformation faltering.
---
The Flame Within
But then—another memory.
Her friends. Red's fiery speeches. Blue's quiet insecurities masked by courage. The way they always fought, no matter how silly, no matter how impossible.
Unofficial didn't mean fake. It meant freedom. It meant heart.
Yellow clenched her fists, slamming them into the ground. "No… I'm not fake! I'm Akiba Yellow! And unofficial heroes fight even when the world laughs at them!"
Her body erupted in golden light. The hunters staggered back as her armor shifted. Plates of sleek, radiant yellow reformed across her body, glowing with energy. Her visor sharpened, resembling the keen eyes of a predator.
Akiba Yellow Blaze Form.
Her aura flared, burning away the mist around her.
---
The Counterattack
She launched forward, faster than before. Every strike carried precision now, a fighter's instinct she never realized she had. Her hands glowed with golden fire as she spun, delivering a blazing kick that sent two hunters crashing into the walls.
The others rushed her, but she twisted, her movements graceful and sharp. A palm strike to the chest sent one sprawling. A fiery roundhouse shattered another's mask.
"Fake? Please," she growled. "I'm unofficial—and that makes me unstoppable!"
The hunters hissed, retreating into the shadows, vanishing as if swallowed by the mist itself.
Yellow stood in the middle of the street, chest heaving, her Blaze Form still glowing faintly.
For the first time, she felt… real.
---
The Mysterious Girl
A slow clap echoed.
Yellow turned, flames flickering across her armor.
From the mist, a girl emerged—pale, silver-haired, her eyes glowing faintly violet. She wore a dark cloak, yet her presence was different from the hunters. Calmer. Stronger.
"You… don't belong here," the girl said softly. "But you've proven yourself stronger than I expected. Perhaps… you can survive."
Yellow tilted her head. "And… who exactly are you? Friend, foe, or… mysterious side-character who'll betray me later?"
The girl smirked faintly. "That depends. But for now… follow me. You'll need answers if you want to escape this world alive."
Yellow hesitated, then powered down slightly, her form flickering but still holding. "…Fine. But if you're secretly evil, I get to say I called it."
The girl chuckled, turning into the mist. Yellow followed, her steps heavier now—but steadier than before.
For the first time, she wasn't laughing to hide her fear. She was serious. Ready.
---
To be continued…