Inside a burning building in the heart of Tsukuru City's entertainment district, the air was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of charred wood. The flickering flames painted the walls in chaotic orange and red, casting monstrous shadows that danced wildly with every surge of heat.
Amid the destruction, a girl with fiery red hair stood, her stance rigid with fury. Beneath her, a man lay pinned to the floor, his face drenched in sweat—not just from the fire, but from sheer terror.
"Where is she?!" the girl demanded, her voice echoing through the crumbling structure.
"I—I don't know!" the man stammered, struggling against her iron grip. "We haven't heard anything from her in the last three days! I swear!! Please, don't kill me!"
The man—none other than the director of the missing actress's latest film—was in a state of pure panic. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend how things had spiralled so quickly out of control. First, his lead actress vanished without a trace, throwing the entire production into chaos. And now, as if fate hadn't tormented him enough, he found himself at the mercy of this girl, who seemed convinced he was hiding something.
Did I commit some unforgivable sin in my past life to deserve this? he thought, his heart pounding against his ribs.
Then, suddenly, a voice cut through the tension from the side.
"Ariana?!"
The red-haired girl flinched at the sound of her name. Her grip loosened slightly as she turned toward the source.
Standing near the entrance, framed by the glow of the raging fire, was Irana.
"Viola, secure that man!" Irana ordered without hesitation.
Before the director could even register what was happening, another girl appeared in an instant beside him. With a mere touch, Viola teleported away with him.
The man barely had time to process his escape before he found himself outside, gasping for fresh air as the fire raged on behind him.
While the two of them managed to escape the raging fire, Irana and Ariana remained inside the burning structure, the flames crackling hungrily around them. Smoke coiled through the air, making it harder to see and breathe. Yet neither girl moved to leave.
Irana steadied her breath, eyes locked onto Ariana, who still radiated unchecked fury. The heat around her flickered and pulsed like a living entity, mirroring the tempest of emotions raging within her.
"What do you think you're doing, using your Esper powers on innocent civilians?" Irana's voice was firm, cutting through the chaos. "Not only did you put people in danger, but you also risked exposing the existence of Espers in the process!"
Ariana scoffed, her fiery aura flaring.
"Innocent?!" she snapped, her crimson eyes burning with barely restrained rage. "That man is not innocent! He's hiding Syena—I haven't heard from her in days!"
Irana's expression faltered for a brief moment.
"Syena?" she muttered, piecing things together.
Ariana clenched her fists. "Something's wrong. I know it."
Irana exhaled, trying to stay calm. "Whatever your reasons are, you can't justify what you're doing. It's undeniable—this is a crime, Ariana."
Before she could say anything else, a sudden burst of fire shot toward her.
Eyes widening, Irana barely had time to react. With a quick motion, she conjured a thick sheet of ice in front of her, the cold barrier absorbing the brunt of the flames. But the heat was intense—too intense. The ice hissed and melted rapidly, sending steam billowing into the air.
Irana instinctively jumped backwards, trying to put some distance between them. But in that split second, she felt a presence behind her.
She's fast!
Ariana was already there.
Before Irana could turn, a sharp strike aimed for the back of her neck. But the thin layer of ice she had instinctively formed over her skin acted as a shield, dulling the impact just enough to keep her conscious.
She staggered forward, quickly regaining her balance, her heart pounding.
This wasn't just a scuffle—this was a fight.
And Ariana wasn't holding back.
The heat was suffocating, and thick smoke shook the air, but neither girl backed down. Flames licked the walls, casting eerie shadows that flickered across their faces. Ariana's red hair seemed to glow like molten fire, and her eyes burned with determination. Irana, on the other hand, stood firm, her breath controlled despite the stifling heat.
Ariana lunged first. With a swift motion, she thrust her palm forward, sending a jet of fire toward Irana.
Irana twisted to the side, narrowly dodging, but the sheer heat scorched her exposed arm. She winced. I can't let the fire consume too much oxygen, or I'll lose consciousness before she even lands a hit.
In retaliation, she stomped her foot against the charred ground, ice spreading in jagged patterns beneath them. The floor beneath Ariana's feet instantly frosted over, sending a creeping cold upward.
"Slowing me down?!" Ariana growled, flames erupting from her body, melting the ice around her in mere seconds.
Irana expected this. Using the steam created by their clashing powers, she darted forward, feinting left before aiming a precise kick at Ariana's ribs.
Thud!
Ariana stumbled back but quickly caught herself. With a fierce grin, she twisted mid-fall and launched a flaming kick in response. Irana barely had time to raise her arms to block, the force sending her skidding across the burning floor.
The heat was making it harder for Irana to summon her ice efficiently. Every time she tried to coat the ground or reinforce her defense, Ariana's flames melted it instantly. The environment itself was against her.
If this keeps up, I'll be overwhelmed…
Ariana charged again, this time swinging a flaming fist. Irana ducked, feeling the intense heat scorch the air above her head. She countered by driving her knee up toward Ariana's stomach, but the fiery girl twisted her body, avoiding the full impact.
"Not bad!" Ariana smirked before igniting both her arms in a swirling fire. "But I'm just getting started!"
With a sudden leap, she flipped backwards, landing on an overturned metal beam. Raising both hands, she sent a rain of fireballs down toward Irana.
Irana reacted instantly, forming a protective dome of ice around herself. The fireballs pounded against it, melting the outer layers rapidly.
I can't hold this forever…! Irana though.
Knowing she had to change the momentum, Irana crouched low, pressing both palms to the floor. Instead of blocking, she took a risk—she unleashed a concentrated burst of ice straight down, freezing the weakened structure beneath them.
Crack!
Ariana's eyes widened as the floor beneath her suddenly gave way, ice and fire clashing as they both plunged to the lower level.
Irana groaned as she pushed herself up from the debris. Her body ached from the fall, and the suffocating heat was starting to take its toll. Her ice barely held up in this inferno, evaporating faster than she could generate it.
A loud whoosh cut through the air.
Ariana had already recovered. Standing atop a pile of debris, her form wreathed in flames, she wasn't even breathing heavily. The fire around her seemed to dance with her every movement, as if it were alive, responding to her emotions.
Irana thrust her hands forward, sending jagged ice spears shooting toward Ariana.
Ariana clicked her tongue and sidestepped effortlessly, her hands glowing bright orange before she slammed them into the ground. BOOM! A pillar of fire erupted beneath Irana, forcing her to leap back, but Ariana was already on the move.
Too fast!
Ariana closed the gap in an instant, flames swirling around her fists as she launched a rapid barrage of strikes. Irana blocked the first few but winced as the heat scorched her arms. Her ice armour was thinning.
Then—CRACK!
Ariana's fiery fist slammed into Irana's stomach. The force sent Irana flying backwards, crashing through a weakened wall.
THUD.
She coughed violently, her vision blurring. The air was getting thinner, and harder to breathe. The heat was suffocating, making it almost impossible to focus.
"Still standing?" Ariana stepped through the broken wall, shaking her head. "You're stubborn, I'll give you that."
Irana wobbled as she got to her feet, conjuring ice around her arms once more. But it was weaker now. She could feel it.
Ariana sighed. "Let's end this."
Before Irana could react, Ariana dashed forward with explosive speed. She spun, her leg engulfed in a torrent of fire, and delivered a brutal roundhouse kick to Irana's side.
CRACK!
Irana's body twisted in mid-air before she crashed into the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. She groaned, unable to move.
Her ice flickered weakly around her body before melting away completely. She had nothing left.
Ariana stood over her, looking down with a triumphant smirk. "Guess that's my win."
Irana tried to push herself up but failed. She clenched her fists, frustrated.