Aki and Megumin froze in shock and confusion. They hadn't expected a little girl to be standing there in the middle of the abandoned city.
The girl said with a grin, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips,
"Oh, hello, my dear friends."
Megumi stammered,
"W-who are you?"
Her voice trembled slightly. She was alert, but at the same time, a deep terror bubbled up inside her. Something about this girl's presence felt… unnatural.
Aki said,
"I've seen you before… you're—"
Before he could finish, the girl vanished into the shadows, striking at Megumi with a blur of motion—but Aki reacted instantly, yanking her back.
The girl tilted her head, confused.
"Not bad," she said. Then, with a sly smirk, she manipulated her shadows into a storm of razor-sharp shards, hurling them toward them like deadly comets.
Aki twisted and ducked, his shadow hands spinning out to catch the shards midair. With a flick, he sent them back toward her—but she dissolved into darkness again, a phantom, dodging with impossible speed.
Megumi barely had time to scream as the girl's shadows slashed at her arms, leaving deep cuts. With a powerful slam, Megumi hit the wall, groaning in pain as she struggled to move.
Seeing this, Aki charged, shadow hands whirling like whips. The girl struck at him again, aiming to sever his arms—but Aki's regeneration flared, stitching the wounds instantly. He lashed out, shadow whips latching onto her and slamming her against the wall.
The girl twisted midair, her shadow forming spikes and chains, trying to bind Aki's limbs. He barely dodged each strike, countering with spinning shadow fists, tossing chunks of debris back at her. Sparks flew as her shadows collided with his, cutting through concrete and sending dust raining around them.
Megumi gasped,
"Aki! She's in her breaking stage! Control her!"
(A "breaking stage" is when a user overuses their element beyond its limit, making it more powerful but dangerously unstable, which is why she's attacking Aki and Ai.)
Aki's eyes narrowed. Shadow hands snaked out, grabbing both of the girl's arms and pinning her against the wall. She thrashed, her shadow claws scratching at the concrete, but slowly her movements faltered as exhaustion crept in.
Megumin let out a relieved sigh, and soon Yuta and Yuki arrived, panting from the sprint.
Aki asked,
"Where have you two been? We heard you called for help."
Yuta replied,
"Yeah, a girl came and nearly killed us, but she disappeared."
Yuki pointed at the girl, still pinned.
"Isn't that the girl we encountered?"
Megumi nodded.
"Yeah, she was in her breaking stage, but we managed to control her."
Yuta relaxed.
"Ah, okay."
Aki muttered,
"Do I really need to keep her pinned like this until she's fully under control?"
The three of them nodded in unison.
Aki sighed, noticing the girl was now calm but unconscious. He carefully let her drop, catching her in his arms.
Yuta cooed,
"Aww, she looks cute, like a little baby."
He added with a grin,
"Especially in Aki's arms."
Hearing this, Megumi pouted in jealousy and looked away.
Aki glanced around.
"Uh, where are Fuji and Anna anyway?"
Yuta shrugged.
"I dunno."
Yuki explained,
"Ah, right. Yuki and Megumi planned it internationally and told both of them we don't have a mission."
Aki shot them a glare.
"Your payment for this mission will go to them, and no bonus for the next mission."
Yuki and Megumi groaned in unison,
"C'MON!"
Aki shouted,
"No!"
Suddenly, the girl stirred awake. Aki gently put her down, and she blinked up at him
The girl: bro...
Everyone: WHAT!?