Vegeta's foot caught on a piece of rubble as he stumbled back, his perfect balance broken for just a fraction of a second.
The world blurred again.
Satou appeared on the opposite side of the square, Lyra cradled carefully in his arms despite the violence of his movement. He set her down gently against a wall that was still standing, his hands shaking as he checked her pulse.
Alive. Barely, but alive.
"Stay here," Satou whispered, his voice barely controlled. "I'll handle this."
He stood slowly, turning back to face Vegeta.
The bloodlust that erupted from Satou in that moment was unlike anything the settlement had ever witnessed. It wasn't just anger. It was wrath given physical form, so intense that the very air became oppressive, suffocating.
The ground cracked further. Small stones began to levitate from the sheer pressure. Shadows that belonged to Vegeta actually recoiled, pulling back from the overwhelming presence.
