The first beam shot out in a perfect straight line. It wasn't a continuous laser, but a high-frequency pulse train. The pulses were so close together that, to the human eye, they appeared as a solid thread of cyan energy. The air in its path underwent instant ionization, leaving behind a trail of ozone and a filament of glowing air that took a second to dissipate. Aku tilted his torso to the left with a sharp, precise movement. The beam passed just millimeters from his shoulder, close enough for the residual heat to make the fibers of his uniform vibrate. The bolt struck the stone wall behind him—not causing an explosion, but melting the material at an exact point, creating a small crater of vitrified rock.
There was no time to evaluate the mark.
