The room fell into silence, the weight of the presence pressing down on all of us. Even Desmond and Catalina, as confident as they had been moments ago, seemed relieved at the arrival of this new figure.
I didn't dare take my eyes off them as they stepped forward, their movements slow but calculated, like a predator approaching its prey.
The light from the outside barely illuminated their face, but I could make out the sharp contours of their features—a tall, lean frame wrapped in a long dark coat. Their eyes, glowing faintly in the dim light, locked onto me first.
Then, they spoke.
"I expected more from the Elites," the figure said, their voice smooth yet laced with amusement. "And yet… you're struggling against a bunch of rejects."
Desmond gritted his teeth but didn't argue. Instead, he took a step back, closer to Catalina. It was a subtle movement, but I caught it.
Whoever this was, even they knew not to get in their way.
I glanced at Kaito and Xavier. They were still working on the countdown, but if this person was as dangerous as they seemed, we wouldn't have much time left.
Heesung shifted beside me, his stance lowering into a defensive position. "Who the hell are you?"
The figure tilted their head slightly. "Oh? You don't know me?" They chuckled. "I suppose that makes sense. The Elites have a habit of ignoring the real threats."
That sent a shiver down my spine.
This wasn't just a random backup.
This was someone important. Someone strong.
My mind raced through the possibilities. The underground was full of powerful individuals who opposed the Hero Organization and the Elites, but only a few had enough influence to command people like Desmond and Catalina.
And judging by the way they carried themselves, I knew they were one of them.
I tightened my grip on my weapons. "You're wasting your time," I said, keeping my voice steady. "The weapons are already disabled. Whatever you planned, it's over."
The figure's eyes flickered toward the countdown screen behind me. A slow smirk spread across their face.
"Oh, you poor thing," they murmured. "You really think that was the only plan?"
My breath hitched.
Something was wrong.
Desmond, still battered and bruised, wiped the blood from his mouth. "Go ahead. Tell them."
The figure stepped forward, their gaze sweeping across all of us like we were insects. "You focused so much on stopping this launch, but you never thought to ask if there were more."
My heart sank.
No.
"No way," Heesung muttered. "You're bluffing."
The figure smiled, reaching into their coat and pulling out a small device. With a casual flick of their thumb, a holographic screen appeared above it, displaying a map of the city.
Five red dots blinked in different locations.
Active locations.
"You thought we put all our resources into one?" the figure mused. "How naïve."
A cold sweat formed on my brow.
This was bad. Really bad.
We had been so focused on stopping this one attack, we hadn't even considered that there could be more.
I turned to Kaito, who was already trying to access the system again. "Tell me we can stop it."
Kaito's hands were moving fast, typing furiously on the keyboard. "I—I don't know. If this system isn't connected to the others, we're screwed."
The figure let out a sigh, shaking their head. "Well, I suppose I should be going now."
Before I could react, they moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
A blur of motion, and suddenly, they were right in front of me. I barely had time to raise my arms before I was sent flying backward, crashing into a pile of crates.
Pain shot through my back, but I forced myself to move.
This wasn't a fight we could win.
Not like this.
Heesung charged at them, but they dodged with ease, slamming an elbow into his gut before flipping him over their shoulder.
Cherry and Bellarose tried to attack from a distance, but the figure weaved between their shots effortlessly, closing the gap between them in seconds.
One hit—just one—and Cherry was down.
I gritted my teeth, pushing myself to my feet.
We had to do something.
If we didn't stop them now, those weapons were going to fire.
And there was no telling how many people would die.
I reached for my communicator. "Sora, we have a problem."
His voice came through almost immediately. "What kind of problem?"
I glanced at the figure, who was toying with Heesung like a cat playing with a mouse.
"The worst kind."
---
Sora's voice was sharp over the communicator. "Be specific, Akari."
I dodged to the side as the figure sent another powerful strike toward me. The force of the attack split the ground where I had just been standing. Dust and debris flew into the air, but I barely had time to react before they closed the distance again.
"They had more weapons," I shouted, barely blocking another hit with my arm. Pain jolted through my muscles. "Not just this one—five locations. We've been played."
For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the communicator.
Then Sora spoke, his tone eerily calm. "Send me the locations."
I didn't have time to ask if he had a plan. Kaito, still working furiously on the terminal, managed to send the coordinates.
The figure smirked, eyes flashing with amusement. "Oh? Calling for backup?" They flicked their wrist, and a shockwave of energy sent Heesung skidding across the floor. "Do you think they'll make it in time?"
A sinking feeling grew in my stomach. We had to make it in time.
I lunged forward, swinging my blade toward their side, but they twisted just enough to dodge, grabbing my wrist and twisting my arm behind my back. A sharp pain flared up my shoulder as they leaned in.
"Let me tell you something, little Elite," they murmured. "No matter what you do, no matter how hard you fight… you can't stop what's coming."
I gritted my teeth, then slammed my foot down onto theirs.
They flinched.
It was the only opening I needed.
I used my free arm to elbow them in the ribs, breaking free from their grip and flipping backward to put some distance between us.
Kaito and Xavier weren't done yet. I could hear them still scrambling with the system, trying to break through whatever security was in place.
But time was running out.
Desmond and Catalina were back on their feet, watching with dangerous smirks. They weren't worried. Why weren't they worried?
Then it hit me.
They knew we were out of time.
A loud beep filled the air, and the figure's smirk widened. "There it is."
I turned toward the screen Kaito was working on.
The countdown had reached zero.
The weapons were launching.
And we had lost.
---
The room was silent except for the blaring sirens and the sharp beeping of the countdown that had already reached zero. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might shatter my ribs. This was it. We had failed.
No one spoke. No one moved.
Then Bellarose did.
She slammed her fist against the nearest desk, making me flinch as papers and tools scattered onto the floor. "Are you all seriously giving up now?!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the thick air of hopelessness. "After everything we've done—everything we've fought for—you're just going to stand there and let this happen?"
No one responded.
My stomach twisted, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
Bellarose wasn't done. "We can't let this happen. We won't let this happen." She turned suddenly, eyes locking onto mine. "Akari, you and I… our abilities are alike. If we work together, we might be able to stop this."
My breath hitched.
Our abilities…
She could control the trajectory of objects. I could control their velocity. If we combined them—
I clenched my fists, shoving my doubt aside. "Tell me what to do."
Bellarose smirked. "Follow my lead."
We turned to the launch zone where the missiles were rising—all five of them. The powerful machines rumbled as they lifted from their containment, seconds away from taking off.
There was no more time.
Bellarose inhaled deeply, then thrust her hands forward. The air around us warped, energy crackling as she activated her ability. The missiles jerked, their paths wavering slightly, but they kept moving.
I focused everything on their speed, pushing back against their momentum. My energy surged forward, latching onto the missiles, but they were still rising.
My muscles screamed in protest. The weight of the projectiles pressed against my power like an unstoppable force.
"Come on," Bellarose growled. "Come on, just a little more—"
I clenched my jaw, pouring everything I had into slowing them down. My head pounded, my body shaking under the strain. Then, finally—
The missiles lurched.
The engines sputtered.
One by one, they veered off course, spiraling wildly.
I barely heard the explosions as they collided into the distant mountains, flames and smoke erupting into the night sky.
But the Elites headquarters—our home—was safe.
A breathless laugh broke through the silence. Xavier. "You two are insane."
Kaito shook his head, grinning. "Remind me never to get on either of your bad sides."
Even Heesung let out a quiet chuckle. "Guess we're not done yet, huh?"
I exhaled, my entire body still trembling. "Not yet."
Because Desmond and Catalina were still standing.
And they looked furious.
---
Desmond's eyes were wild with fury, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Catalina, still holding the key, stared at the smoldering sky where the missiles had disappeared. Her face was unreadable at first, but then—she laughed.
A slow, mocking laugh that sent chills down my spine.
"Well, I guess we underestimated you," she said, tossing the key into the air and catching it effortlessly. "But you do realize that all you've done is delay the inevitable, right?"
I kept my breathing steady, though every muscle in my body felt like it had been lit on fire. "We just stopped your entire plan. I don't see how that's inevitable for you."
Catalina smirked. "Oh, Akari. You think so small."
She walked over to the desk where the red button was and opened a little compartment where a keyhole was, then she entered the key.
A strange, mechanical humming filled the room.
I spun around—one of the launch pads was still active. A hidden compartment within the machinery slid open, revealing one last missile.
"You really thought we'd only have five?" Desmond sneered. "The real weapon wasn't meant to be fired with the others. This one… is personal."
My blood ran cold.
Xavier cursed under his breath. "We don't have time for this!"
I glanced at Bellarose. She was panting, exhaustion clear in her eyes. She had used up so much of her energy stopping the first missiles—there was no way she could handle another.
And I wasn't sure I could either.
We need a new plan.
Catalina must have seen the desperation flicker across my face because her grin widened. "It's already over," she whispered. Then she lifted the key. "And now…"
She made a move to insert it into the final missile's control panel—
And Kaito was faster.
Before she could react, he launched himself forward, grabbing her wrist in a vice grip. Catalina's eyes widened in shock, and for the first time, I saw something other than confidence flash across her face—fear.
But Desmond was already moving.
I barely had time to react before he was in front of me, swinging a punch straight toward my head. I ducked, barely avoiding the force of the blow as it shattered the floor where I had been standing a second ago.
"Kaito, get the key!" I shouted.
Kaito gritted his teeth, twisting Catalina's arm to force her to drop it. But she fought back just as fiercely, her knee slamming into his stomach.
I couldn't focus on them for too long—Desmond was relentless, attacking me with brutal force. I blocked one hit but wasn't quick enough for the second. His fist connected with my ribs, and pain exploded through my side as I stumbled backward.
I could hear Heesung and Cherry engaging the other enemies, but I had no time to check on them. I had to focus on Desmond.
He smirked. "You're strong. But not strong enough."
I wiped blood from my lip and narrowed my eyes. "You talk too much."
Then I lunged.
This fight wasn't over.