Akari and Emma stood face-to-face, their eyes locked in silent determination.
Without hesitation, Emma fired a barrage of water bullets. Akari raised her hand and unleashed Water Burst, forming sharp slashes of water that cut through the bullets mid-air. The collision splashed into mist.
Emma narrowed her eyes. "So… you have the same magic element as mine."
She charged forward, launching more bullets as she ran. Akari moved swiftly, weaving through the attacks with graceful steps and countering with her own slashes. The two projectiles collided again—blast against slice—exploding in scattered water droplets.
Their gap closed quickly.
Emma summoned a massive Water Axe, while Akari materialized a sleek Water Sword in her grip. Steel-like water clashed with force, ringing out as their weapons struck again and again. Movement became a blur—attack, dodge, counter, strike. The ground trembled under their speed.
Both girls thought the same thing in unison: "She's strong…"
With a fierce roar, Emma pressed forward, swinging her axe in a powerful arc. Akari blocked, struggling slightly under the pressure.
"I'll kill you no matter what!" Emma shouted, her eyes wild.
"Then try it," Akari replied coldly, parrying and retaliating with a slash.
Emma jumped back and raised her hands. "Let's see you dodge this!"
She summoned a swarm of glowing blue bullets—dozens, maybe hundreds—flooding the air. They rained down with deadly force.
Akari's eyes widened. Time seemed to slow as memories resurfaced.
---
Flashback
I once had a peaceful life...
A small, happy village. A father who trained her, a mother who smiled gently, a younger brother she always protected. She trained every day, proud of her strength, always praised by her family.
Then it all vanished.
She had gone into the forest for a quick training session. When she returned—destruction. Her home, her village… gone. No bodies, no signs of life. Just ashes and silence. She collapsed, sobbing, unable to understand.
She searched for answers. Her uncle denied knowing her. Even her own sensei claimed she never existed.
That's when she arrived at Lunavere, a place filled with mystery. She fought soldiers, faced death again and again—but never gave up. She held onto her strength, driven by one question:
"What happened that day?"
And one truth:
"It's the king's fault."
---
Snapping back, Akari's expression hardened. "I don't have time for this."
She raised both hands, her energy surging.
A glowing sphere of water formed around her, protecting her from the incoming bullets. None could pierce it.
Emma gasped. "What is she doing?!"
Water spiraled around Akari's body, twisting into shape.
She raised her voice:
"Hex Aqua Draco: Crystalline!"
Water surged skyward, forming a long, elegant water dragon. Its eyes glowed, and its scales shimmered with liquid magic.
Emma stepped back, trembling. "What… what is that?! I've never seen anything like it!"
Akari pointed forward. "This is my full strength."
The dragon roared and launched toward Emma. In a panic, Emma fired enhanced water bullets, but the dragon absorbed them with ease, growing larger and more unstoppable.
"No! I never wanted this!" Emma screamed. "They forced me to fight! I didn't want to be a commander… I just wanted peace!"
Her voice broke. Tears welled in her eyes.
The dragon struck from behind. With a final, echoing roar, it engulfed her completely. Emma cried as the jaws closed, silencing her forever.
The dragon burst into mist.
Akari collapsed to her knees, coughing as water poured from her mouth.
"Ugh… That drained everything," she whispered. "Using Hex almost killed me."
She looked around—everything was soaked and destroyed by the dragon's wrath. Her legs trembled as she forced herself to stand.
"I need to hide… If anyone finds me like this, I'm done."
She limped forward, barely able to move, scanning for shelter.
"I hope the others are safe… Please, be safe," she thought, staggering into the unknown.