It happened in an instant.
Katarina had been lost in her thoughts, her mind drifting through calculations and possibilities, and that brief lapse was all it took. By the time her instincts screamed at her, it was already too late to react.
The ground below them ruptured violently.
A thunderous crack split the earth as Sai appeared, moving faster than sound itself. His figure blurred into existence with a force that distorted the air around him, his leg already in motion. His kick drove straight toward Belphegor's jaw with overwhelming speed and precision.
There was no pause. No hesitation.
The impact alone was enough to launch them both skyward.
Without slowing even slightly, their bodies shot upward like missiles, tearing through layers of air. In less than a heartbeat, they pierced through the atmosphere of the battlefield and reached the red-stained skies above.
Katarina watched their ascent, her expression tightening slightly.
'Well… this is bad.'
…
'What was that?'
