Unchained

BOOM.

A deafening crash shook the entire office as Sylara's desk was obliterated, wood and papers scattering like debris caught in a storm. The sheer force sent splinters flying, embedding themselves into the walls and floor.

And in the center of it all—

Akira.

His right hand was pressed against Sylara's face, fingers twitching, trembling—not from hesitation, but from the barely restrained rage surging through his body. His grip was just a breath away from shattering her skull.

His veins burned like molten steel, pulsing with an unnatural glow. White-hot fury crackled beneath his skin. His eyes, shining with an unearthly brilliance, locked onto hers.

Pure, seething anger.

His breath was ragged. Heavy. Dangerous.

Yet—

CLANG.

Sylara's slender fingers caught his wrist.

Just one hand.

The pressure against her face halted, frozen in place by her sheer strength.

Her violet eyes, now glowing like molten amethyst, stared into his with something that was neither fear nor intimidation.

No—

It was amusement.

She tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a knowing smirk.

"Calm down, little demon."

Her voice was smooth, unshaken—almost teasing.

Like she wasn't standing inches away from death itself.

Mocking.

Her grip didn't budge.

Akira's fingers twitched, his body tensed, his mind raced.

"How does she know?"

"Who told her?"

"Why the hell she mentioned my father?!"

"This bitch."

His aura flared violently, raw power spilling into the room like an unchained beast. The air cracked with pressure. The wooden floor beneath him groaned, splintering under the weight of his unleashed energy.

His left fist clenched—tight.

And then—

BOOM.

Another explosion.

Akira's left hand shot forward, a blur of destruction aiming to crush her.

But Sylara dodged.

Effortlessly.

A streak of violet light as she twisted away, her own aura flaring in response. The pressure in the room shifted—two monstrous forces clashing in an enclosed space.

The windows cracked from the sheer intensity.

Sylara smirked, her voice dripping with amusement.

"Wow. That would've been pretty bad if that hit me."

But Akira wasn't done.

His fury only grew.

His breath came in sharp, ragged bursts, his entire body thrumming with unrestrained violence.

"ANSWER ME!"

His voice was a thunderclap.

"WHO TOLD YOU?!"

"CHA-JONG?!"

"DID HE BETRAY ME AGAIN?!"

Lightning cracked around his body, arcs of blinding white energy dancing across his skin. The air boiled from the sheer intensity of his presence.

He moved.

A blur of rage.

Faster.

Stronger.

Sylara's office—now barely even recognizable—collapsed around them as Akira launched himself at her.

Another thunderous impact.

Another near miss.

Sylara dodged, her movement effortless, her violet eyes glinting with something almost hungry.

"Tch."

She clicked her tongue as Akira's fist ripped through the air where she had been an instant before—

But she was already behind him.

Akira noticed.

Reacted.

His fist lashed out—fast.

She dodged. Again.

Then—

She caught him.

BOOM.

A thunderous crash as Akira was slammed into the ground.

The impact sent deep cracks spiderwebbing through the stone floor. Dust and debris shot into the air like an explosion had gone off.

Sylara was on top of him.

Her knee pressed against his chest, pinning him down with absurd ease. One hand gripped his wrist, locking it in place.

Her violet eyes—brilliant, sharp, almost glowing—stared down at him with that same unshaken amusement.

Like this was nothing but a game.

"Calm down," she murmured, tilting her head slightly.

"You're going to bring the entire guild running in here if you keep this up."

Her voice was soft.

Almost soothing.

Almost.

But Akira knew—he knew.

That if he stopped now—

Later it would be troublesome.

Too troublesome.

His lips parted.

A single whisper—

"Soul Infusion."

"ACTIVE."

BOOM , BOOM.

The very air trembled as Soul Infusion activated.

The glow in Akira's eyes intensified, shifting from a brilliant white to something even more—. His entire body pulsed with energy, a white aura crackling like an untamed storm, distorting the space around him.

Sylara's grip faltered.

Her fingers, once effortlessly pinning him down, could no longer restrain the sheer force surging through his body.

A moment later—she was forced to let go.

She backed away.

Fast.

Her violet eyes narrowed as she observed him—no, studied him.

Her instincts screamed at her—this wasn't normal.

"This skill…" She thought

"This isn't a mere physical boost like other awakened abilities. The power , the energy I feel from him now is several times stronger than before."

Her gaze sharpened.

Then, it hit her.

"Wait… energy?"

"Not mana?!"

Her chest tightened slightly as realization sank in.

She tried to sense his mana flow—but there was nothing.

No magical signature. No familiar currents of mana surging through his body. Only raw, uncontrollable energy.

Her breath hitched.

"In all my years as an awakened… I've never encountered someone like this." - Her mind raced.

"Since the day earth changed"

"Every awakened. Every hunter. Every single being who had ever used power in this world had mana."

"Even those who relied purely on physical enhancements still had some trace of mana within them."

"But this boy in front of me?"

"Nothing."

Not a single drop of mana could be felt from him.

"This guy… he's full of mysteries before he unleashed this skill called Soul Infusion i could feel his mana just fine but now its...gone."

She thought

"What the hell are you, Akira?"

Akira moved.

Lightning surged beneath his feet as he prepared to launch himself at her again—his rage not yet spent.

His instincts roared at him.

Yet—

Sylara raised her hands.

A sharp, deliberate motion.

"I give up."

Silence.

Akira's body froze mid-step, his aura still raging, his power still surging, but his mind was hit with genuine shock.

"What?"

His eyes narrowed. He studied her face—searching for a trick, a lie, a shift in her aura.

But there was nothing.

No deception. No hidden agenda.

Just calm resignation.

"I will explain everything," Sylara continued.

Akira's fists remained clenched, his aura still flickering like a wildfire, but he didn't attack.

Tch.

His gaze sharpened.

"She is not the type to back down," - He thought 

"But even when I attacked with intent to kill, sheonly tried to stop me… not fight back."

Sylara smirked.

"I mean wouldn't be fair if I went all out, right?"

Akira's rage simmered, but the logic in her words couldn't be ignored.

"Then speak,"- He demanded, his tone edged with lingering hostility.

"How do you know?"

Sylara crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly.

"Look, Akira."

"I simply pried a bit into your identity."

"It's not exactly hard to connect the dots about you or your origins."\

"Even you know that."

Akira's jaw clenched.

"That's why," - She continued,

"I was able to find out you were his son."

Her eyes remained steady, unwavering.

"But I've known for a while."

She shrugged.

"I never told anyone."

"Never judged you for it."

"Never favored you because of it, either. Just kept it to myself."

Akira's mind raced.

Yeah… she's right.

If someone really wanted to know, all they had to do was dig deep enough."

His appearance might have changed a bit, but his past all the interview when his father presented his family akira too was shown—those weren't something that could be erased completely.

A sense of unease settled in his gut.

"How many others have already figured it out?"

"Did Eri found out to?

"How many are watching?"

His eyes darkened as he slowly turned his gaze back to her.

"You didn't tell anyone else?" His voice was sharp.

Sylara shook her head.

"No. I wouldn't do something like that."

Her tone was firm. Certain.

"If you kept it hidden, who am I to expose it?"

Silence lingered between them.

Akira exhaled slowly.

Then—

His aura receded.

Soul Infusion: Deactivated.

The white glow in his eyes faded turning to the original dark color. His body relaxed slightly, the violent storm of energy around him settling back into his core.

A deep breath escaped him.

"Fine."

His voice was quieter now, but still sharp.

"Keep it that way. I'll tell you when the time is right."

Sylara grinned.

"Good."

Then, as if the last five minutes of pure destruction hadn't happened—

She tilted her head, placing a hand on her hip.

"Now, about the damage you just caused…"

Akira's eye twitched.

"You're gonna compensate me for all this."

She gestured dramatically to the completely wrecked office—the shattered furniture, the cracked floor, the broken windows.

A mischievous glint entered her violet eyes.

"I think I'll just take a cut from that recent  dungeon you cleared."

She smirked, her voice playful yet undeniably mocking.

"Heh. Consider it an anger management fee."

Akira clicked his tongue.

"Do what you want."

A chuckle left Sylara's lips.

"I always do."

CRASH!

The door slammed open—

A wave of footsteps thundered into the wrecked office.

Cha-Jong. Grido. Imzar. And nearly half the damn Silver Aegis guild.

Eyes wide. Mouths agape.

Staring at the absolute carnage.

The room was a battlefield.

And in the middle of it—Akira and Sylara, standing calmly like nothing had happened.

Cha-Jong blinked.

"The hell happened here?!"