Chapter 31 : The mission continues

A sudden, oppressive aura surged from the mysterious man, weighing down the atmosphere like a crushing force. Instinctively, Ikku and Kenny leaped backward, immediately falling into defensive stances."Kenny…" Ikku murmured, his throat tight."Yeah… I know…" Kenny replied gravely. There was no doubt in his mind, this guy was going to be a serious problem.The man smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he shifted into a combat stance."Let's see what you're made of," he said, his voice calm, almost playful.Before Kenny could even process what was happening, the man vanished, leaving only a faint gust of wind in his place."Wh—?!" Kenny barely had time to react beforeA devastating fist crashed into his face, sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. He bounced off the ground, tumbling several meters before smashing into a wooden crate, which exploded into splinters from the impact."KENNY!" Ikku shouted, his voice filled with worry as he searched for his friend through the thick dust cloud kicked up by the attack.A rough voice answered from within the debris."I'm… fine…" Kenny groaned, dragging himself out of the wreckage, wiping the blood from his lip and the fresh gash on his forehead. "But watch yourself ! he's insanely fast…!"Before he could finish his warning, the man reappeared in front of Ikku, fist already cocked to strike.Ikku barely managed to dodge in time, his body moving purely on instinct. Seeing an opening, he retaliated with a spinning kick, but his opponent evaded it effortlessly and immediately counterattacked.What followed was an explosive exchange of blows.Fists clashed, dodges were executed at impossible speeds, counters came the instant an opening was found. Every attack was blocked or met with an equally lethal response. The battle moved so fast that even a blink risked missing a crucial moment.But it didn't take long for Ikku to find himself overwhelmed.With a brutal uppercut, the man sent him flying. Ikku crashed hard into the ground, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs."Not bad at all," the man commented, his smirk widening.Before he could savor his advantage, a blur of movement caught his attention.He twisted just in time to evade a savage strikeFrom a massive black panther.The beast landed with a deep growl, its piercing golden eyes locked onto its prey. Muscles coiled beneath its sleek fur, ready to strike again."An Animagus…" the man muttered, dodging another rapid claw swipe. "Haven't seen one of those in a while.""Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!" Kenny's voice rumbled through the air, deeper, more primal.With a powerful roar, he leaped backward, creating distance"GIGANTO!"In an instant, his body expanded, growing at an incredible speed.Within seconds, he had transformed into a colossal panther, towering over the battlefield at nearly twenty meters tall."Unreal…" Ikku whispered as he pushed himself back up, still reeling from his fight. "So that's his Brand…"The man tilted his head slightly, intrigued."I see… You wield a Brand. What a waste. You two could've been valuable soldiers for the ZD Mafia.""No thanks!" Kenny snarled before swinging his massive paw.The colossal strike connected cleanly, launching the man several meters through the air. He tumbled but managed to land on his feet, skidding to a halt, dust trailing behind him.Slowly, he stood up, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully."Impressive…" His sharp gaze analyzed Kenny's new form. "By increasing your size, your strength multiplies, and your strikes become exponentially more destructive while still maintaining the agility of a feline… Quite the advantage."Then, his expression darkened."But… every Brand has a weakness. And yours is easy to exploit."He knelt slightly, raising his hands as if gripping something invisible."Number 3."A blue light shimmered on his shoulderA weapon materialized.A bazooka."Fire."A massive surge of energy erupted from the barrel, striking Kenny dead center.A deafening roar of pain tore through the air as the explosion consumed him, his enormous body trembling before collapsing.His Brand shattered.Kenny reverted to his human form, crashing into the ground. Smoke rose from his body, his skin scorched with fresh burn marks."KENNY!" Ikku yelled, sprinting toward him in panic.Before he could reach his fallen friendThe man appeared at his side in an instant."You let your guard down."His fist shot forwardBut before it could connect, a chain lashed out of nowhere, coiling around his arm and stopping his attack mid-strike."A chain?" he muttered, surprised.He turned toward the shop entrance.Carla stood there, fury burning in her eyes.The chain snapped back to her fingertip before vanishing in a flicker of energy."Keep your hands off my friends!" she spat.The man examined her for a moment before exhaling in disappointment."Another one wielding a Brand… What a shame."Raising his arm again, he grasped at the air"Number 4."A sleek handgun materialized in his grip.Without hesitation, he fired.A concentrated energy blast shot straight toward Carla."Watch out!" Ikku shouted.But Carla remained unfazed.Her chain snapped outward, forming a tight spiral, absorbing the attack completely.The man's smirk returned."Interesting."Carla raised her hand again."You attacked me. That means the conditions are met."A second chain shot out, targeting him with blinding speed. He dodged, but the assault was relentless. The chain twisted and struck at impossible angles, forcing him into a defensive retreat."She's attacking from a difficult angle to evade…" he thought, beginning to feel the pressure.ThenAt the last second, he sensed another presence.A glowing fist was barreling straight toward him."Damn it… A Sun Warrior?!"A direct hit.Yumé's strike smashed into him, the sheer force launching him through the air like a missile. He crashed into the ground, skidding violently before slamming into a massive rock shattering it into pieces.Through the haze of dust and debris, Yumé smirked."Looks like you let your guard down."A metallic gleam flickered in the settling dust.The man, battered and bloodied, lifted his arm his gun aimed directly at Yumé.Yumé's smirk faltered.He looked downA gaping hole, the size of two fingers, had pierced straight through his chest.His heart."YUMEEEEEEE!!!"Carla and Ikku's screams tore through the battlefield.Yumé had been shot through the heart.