The air crackled with crimson lightning as Akira and him collided midair.
Every strike sent shockwaves rippling through the maze, tearing chunks of stone and steel into rubble.
The walls groaned, struggling to contain the power surging between them.
"You've grown," he shouted over the roar of energy, smirk barely hiding awe.
"Not enough," she shot back, letting her aura expand, twisting into sharp, living blades that whistled through the air.
Each blow they traded pushed their powers past Rank 14, igniting sparks that carved glowing scars into the maze itself.
Tendrils of energy danced along their arms, legs, and torsos, pulsing in rhythm with their heartbeat.
The floor beneath them cracked, shaking as if the maze itself feared their strength.
Then, Akira made a decision—one she hadn't dared before.
She merged the lessons of her blood-drenched self with her controlled Akira instincts. Her aura spiraled into a tornado of pure crimson fire and precision.
Every strike became predictive, every movement anticipating him before he made it.
But he wasn't holding back either. His aura flared, a mirror of hers, twisting and snapping like living shadow.
They clashed at the center of the arena, the impact so powerful it ripped the maze walls apart, sending shards flying like meteor showers.
Akira grinned, adrenaline and power surging through her veins. "Ready to see what happens when no one holds back?"
He returned the grin, dangerously confident. "Always."
They launched at each other again—faster, harder, stronger—each strike reshaping the maze, sending it collapsing around them, sparks of energy painting the arena like fire in motion.
And somewhere deep inside, Akira felt it… a whisper from the Bean's energy, teasing a new level she hadn't even imagined.
"Beyond Rank 14… beyond anything you know…"
The walls shattered completely. The maze wasn't a maze anymore. It was a battlefield.
And the real test?
Not surviving each other.
But surviving themselves.