The clang of metal echoed through the dark room, then silence. Your chest heaved. Not from fear—but from adrenaline. From something deeper. A thrill crawling just beneath your skin. Across from you, Akechi stood with his sword still half-raised, the faintest tremble in his shoulders. His breath came sharp through gritted teeth. Sweat clung to the edges of his bangs, his coat rumpled, gloves scuffed.

You’d fought like you meant it.

So had he.

Neither of you had held back—and you both felt it.

He let out a quiet laugh, breathless and sharp. “You’re really something, you know that?” His voice was low, deeper than usual. There was a wildness behind his eyes—not anger. Not quite. Something else.

“Every time I think I’ve figured you out, you turn the tables on me again.”

You took a step forward, heart pounding. Neither of you said anything for a moment. The air between you shimmered with something unspeakable. The fight wasn’t over. Not really. It had just… changed shape.

Akechi tilted his head, licking a split in his lip before speaking again. “If we keep going like this,” he murmured, voice dark and unreadable, “I think we’ll go past the point of no return.”

You didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

He smiled—but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yet, in all honestly, I'd love to see how far we could go."

The area was silent, save for the dull thrum of your heartbeat in your ears and the occasional trains of mementos passing through.