Yumi's focus shattered for a second, her heart pounding against her chest and sweat rolling down her temples.
"Kill the body," Andrew said sharply. "It doesn't matter how many illusions he—"
One of the Gabriels appeared right in front of him.
Andrew's blade moved instantly. The Deletion Edge cut straight through its neck.
The head separated cleanly, then shattered into smoke and disappeared.
"Wrong one," Yumi said, pupils shrinking. "That one was pure disturbance."
The Gabriel at Andrew's rear kicked.
Andrew barely got his arm up to block.
The impact numbed his fingers again. He slid forward instead of back, boots carving another groove.
A third Gabriel appeared on his right, driving a punch toward his ribs.
He twisted; the blow grazed his side—enough to bruise.
Another slash—the Deletion Edge carved through two more illusions. They broke apart like black mist.
Andrew's head started to pound.
