The warehouse trembled under the force of Apex 47's flames. Heat rolled through the metal walls like waves. Pipes creaked. Dust drifted from the ceiling. The projectors around the room flickered violently as the temperature rose.
Apex 47 stepped forward, his boots leaving melted footprints in the concrete. He didn't look reckless. He looked confident. Trained. Someone used to being one of the strongest people in any room.
His eyes locked on Yaka."You're the Eclipse kid. Rank 4. The ghost with white hair."He cracked his knuckles. "Let me see what all the hype is about."
Yaka didn't answer. He rolled his shoulders once and let Eclipse energy ripple down his arms. The aura wasn't flashy like lightning or fire. It looked like distortion in the air, like bending light.
Yorshiro was already scrambling through the wires leading to the giant generator. The thing hummed like a heartbeat. Sparks flew from overloaded circuits.
Yorshiro yelled, "I'll shut this thing down. Just don't let him flambé me."
"No promises," Yaka replied quietly.
Apex 47 launched himself forward, flames twisting around his body. His fist came screaming through the air, trailing a burning arc. Yaka stepped sideways, barely moving, letting the punch pass inches from his face.
Apex 47 grinned. "You dodge well. Try this."
He clapped his hands together and an enormous flame ring erupted outward. The heat slammed into everything around them, knocking over metal crates and sending tools flying.
Yaka braced his arm with Eclipse energy and let the flames crash over him. The aura bent the fire around him, warping it like heat haze.
Apex 47 raised an eyebrow. "So that technique can distort heat. Interesting."
He rushed again, but this time he didn't go straight. He zig-zagged, leaving flaming footprints across the floor. Yaka tracked him calmly, watching the pattern, feeling the aura's pulse.
A fist wrapped in fire shot toward him. Yaka ducked. Another strike from behind. He slid under it. Apex 47 moved fast, fast enough to leave afterimages of flame.
Yorshiro yelled from across the room, "He's using First Form: Ignition Rush! Watch your back!"
"I noticed," Yaka said.
Apex 47 appeared behind him and threw a heavy cross aimed at Yaka's jaw. Yaka's hand snapped upward, grabbing his wrist. Eclipse energy surged into the contact point.
For a moment, fire and shadow clashed.
Apex 47 gritted his teeth. "That's… strong."
Yaka's voice was calm. "You shouldn't rely on fire in a closed metal room."
He twisted Apex 47's arm, flipped him over his shoulder, and slammed him into the floor. Eclipse energy pulsed and cracks shot through the ground.
Apex 47 rolled away and shot a blast of fire that exploded against a wall. The whole warehouse shook.
Yorshiro yelled, "Guys. The generator is heating up from all this. If it blows, the whole block goes with it!"
Apex 47 rose to his feet, flames coating his body like armor. Sweat dripped down his jaw even through the heat. He wasn't a fool. He understood what an explosion this size meant.
But he smirked anyway. "I'll just finish this fast."
He inhaled deeply and the flames gathered above his head, forming a pulsing fireball the size of a car. The heat was so intense that the lights shattered overhead.
Yorshiro panicked. "That is not Fire Rank 2 level. That's Fire Rank 47? How much training does this guy do?"
Yaka narrowed his eyes. Even he felt the heat now.
Apex 47 hurled the fireball toward him. It tore through the warehouse like a meteor.
Yaka sprinted forward instead of away. His feet blurred. His body leaned into the run. The Eclipse aura thickened around him, swirling upward like smoke rising in reverse.
He punched the air once.
The Eclipse strike hit the fireball dead center and split it into two separate streams that bent around him and hit the far wall.
Apex 47 froze in disbelief."You… divided it?"
Yaka appeared in front of him and delivered a knee to his stomach. Apex 47 coughed hard, flames flickering weakly.
Yaka grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into a steel pillar."You're strong. But you're throwing fire around without thinking."
Apex 47 wheezed. "I'll burn you to ash."
He tried to ignite again, but the flames sputtered. Eclipse energy wrapped around him, smothering the heat like darkness swallowing light.
Yaka struck him once more. Apex 47 collapsed completely.
The warehouse fell quiet except for the humming generator.
Yorshiro managed to pry open the panels and disconnect the power lines. The humming slowed, then finally stopped.
Silence.
Yorshiro slid down the generator casing and sat on the floor, breathing hard."Bro. That guy was ridiculous. And that explosion move? I thought we were done."
Yaka walked over. "You handled the generator."
Yorshiro smiled tiredly. "Teamwork, right?"
Yaka didn't respond, but Yorshiro could tell from the small nod he gave that he meant it.
He looked around the damaged warehouse. "So Apex is willing to send assassins after us now."
"Not just any Apex," Yaka said quietly. "Someone ordered this."
The idea settled in the air.
Someone inside Apex didn't want Assassins investigating the illusion tech. Someone who didn't want the truth exposed.
And they were willing to sacrifice their own ranks to keep it hidden.
Yorshiro stood, stretching his sore back. "Guess we really are partners now."
Yaka brushed his hair out of his eyes. The white strands glowed against the shadowy corners of the warehouse.
"Yeah. Looks like it."
Outside, sirens began echoing in the distance.
The real fight was only beginning.