While Kaoru was left speechless, Megumi ran toward the battlefield, which had been temporarily halted by the blinding light.
"WHAT THE… IS THIS REALLY THE TIME TO THROW POTENTIA?" Hitomi shouted, rubbing her eyes in a futile attempt to restore her vision.
"The Light Potentia decided to strike…" Iker mumbled to himself, shielding his eyes from the overwhelming glow.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Megumi rushed to Hitomi, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to safety.
"They're... retreating. It's hard to see…" Iker observed, straining to discern their figures through the chaos.
The two models hurried to Kaoru, and the trio began to flee. They moved quickly, almost running, careful not to trip on debris or get injured. A single misstep could lead to a serious accident.
"MEGUMI, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!" Hitomi shouted, frustrated and struggling to keep her balance in the confusion.
"I expect a very good explanation for all this." Kaoru demanded, trying to escape while keeping an eye on the enemy behind them.
"Hitomi can't fight. He's way too powerful." Megumi replied, simultaneously answering Kaoru's demand and trying to convince Hitomi not to resist.
I'm not waiting for my sight to fully return. Iker thought, calculating his next move despite his current limitations.
He skillfully commanded the wind, drawing it toward himself like a tornado. The fleeing trio was now being pulled toward Iker, who radiated cold, unshakable resolve.
"THE WIND IS DRAGGING US!" Hitomi cried out, the terror of being blind and pulled by the enemy sending her nerves into overdrive.
"HOLD ON TO THIS!" Kaoru shouted, spotting a sturdy metal pillar anchored in the ground.
He grabbed it first, securing himself, then guided the disoriented Hitomi to it for safety.
Megumi was the only one yet to reach it, but the winds grew stronger, pulling her away. Panic surged through her, there seemed to be no escape. Fortunately, Vacchiano's reflexes kicked in. He lunged and caught her by the waist, pulling her back to safety.
Temporarily safe, the trio clung to the structure. Hitomi clutched the bar, terrified of being torn away. Kaoru had assumed the role of protector, hiding his fear. Megumi felt his firm grip and trusted he wouldn't let go.
Then, she released the bar, suspending herself by Kaoru's arms, and raised her hand toward Iker.
From Megumi's hand, an unfamiliar radiance emerged. The flash it produced was brighter than any she had unleashed before. This time, it wasn't just ethereal, part of the light solidified, merging with the wind and being pulled straight toward the enemy.
Still blinded, Iker had no time to shield himself from the blinding burst. The last thing he saw was the light taking form, just before he deflected it with a flick of his finger.
"Damn it… Now I'm practically blind. Will my sight return?" For the first time, Iker broke a sweat. His heart raced. He felt fear. "Solidified light at that level… If that had hit me directly, I could've been seriously hurt… What kind of human… Can do that?"
The battlefield was abandoned. Only the man who had started the fight remained.
"This silence… They're gone." Iker muttered, relying on his other senses.
As evening fell, darkness engulfed the area. Only the moon lit the path for the three survivors, now guided by Megumi through a large square surrounded by trees.
"We're far enough now." Megumi informed the others, who were still unable to see.
Kaoru and Hitomi leaned against trees, sitting wherever they could find comfort. Megumi remained standing, keeping watch.
"Am I going to be blind forever?" Kaoru asked, a mix of frustration and disbelief in his voice.
"When will everything go back to normal? And why didn't you use that power earlier?" Hitomi asked, her voice weak and shaky.
"Well… You'll be fine in a few hours." Megumi replied quickly, her tone tense, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
There was nothing more they could do for now. Since no one was seriously injured, they rested, waiting for the effects of Megumi's Potentia to wear off.
Three hours passed.
"Oh! Finally! I can see again!" Hitomi exclaimed, breaking the silence with excitement.
"..." Kaoru murmured. His sight had returned, but his mind was racing with questions.
"You two are going to answer me… What was that? What is this 'Potentia' you mentioned? You both seemed to know exactly what was happening to me."
He stood up, facing them with a piercing gaze. He wanted answers, right now. Megumi met his stare, but not coldly. She seemed uneasy. Kaoru's attitude was different from anything she was used to.
"They're… our powers." she said, her hand clenched, voice low but steady. "Sir has the same kind of power as I do. That's why I knew you were glowing…"
Despite his cold demeanor, Kaoru noticed Megumi's discomfort, and he realized it was because of him. But he wasn't ready to drop the mask. Instead, he turned to Hitomi, with whom he had more familiarity.
"And those burned clothes? That outfit was expensive!" he barked.
"NO NEED TO THANK US FOR SAVING YOUR LIFE!" Hitomi shot back sarcastically, her anger boiling over.
"This day just keeps getting better." Kaoru said, crossing his arms and lifting his chin dramatically. "The event? Gone with the wind. Clothes? Destroyed. I nearly died…"
He was cut off by Megumi's disappointed expression.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Mr. Vacchiano. I know you suffered losses, but… I did my best to help. I'm really sorry." she said, voice trembling.
That was when he finally let his guard down. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and softened his tone.
"Megumi, is that it? I need to shoot the commercial catalog tomorrow. Hitomi will be the model, but I can work with both of you." He paused briefly. "Be at the studio on time."
"What? A catalog?" Megumi asked, blinking in confusion. The businessman's unpredictability left her speechless.
"Congrats!" Hitomi chimed in, hugging her friend, already forgetting her earlier anger.
"We're at the square, right? I'll call a taxi." Kaoru offered.
The taxi dropped Megumi and Hitomi at the hotel. Kaoru was dropped off last, at his home. As always, he paid for the ride as a gesture of thanks.
Exhausted, they all slept deeply that night, though not for long, as a new day awaited them.
April 16th, Friday, 6 a.m.
At one of the most well-equipped photo studios in the city, the hustle had started early. Everything had been meticulously prepared the day before so the photoshoot could unfold quickly and precisely, in line with the high standards of the Vacchiano brand.
But, as in any place, and especially in the fashion world, things can change, and the atmosphere was chaotic. You could hear the hurried steps of the styling team, makeup artists adjusting colors, picking new tones, and the photo setups being reworked.
"REORGANIZE THE SET!"
"LET'S REARRANGE THE LOOKS! WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE MODEL!"
"ACCESSORIES NEED TO BE REMATCHED TO SUIT HER SKIN TONE!"
In the middle of all these commands, a true revolution was unfolding, all because of a decision Kaoru Vacchiano had made the day before: inviting Megumi to pose as a model for the main catalog.
"What a rush, feels like a fashion show…" Megumi was amazed. Until then, she had only posed for small local brands near where she lived, nothing on a national level, or rather, international, as the brand had a presence in several countries.
Hitomi, on the other hand, was already familiar with this kind of rush. She walked into the studio and greeted the team, who were working tirelessly. She was also disciplined and knew that whenever she was called, she should go without question.
The woman in charge of the catalog spotted Megumi, and, stressed about the time, approached her rather energetically:
"OH, YOU'RE HERE, GO STRAIGHT TO MAKEUP!"
"Yes, yes." Megumi followed the instructions, still adjusting to the studio's high-energy environment.
The two models were then styled and prepared by the city's top beauty professionals, handpicked by the brand's owner himself. This was one of the most crucial stages, as their appearance had to be flawless so the brand could become an object of desire for its customers. Therefore, it was not a step to be rushed, ensuring they could maintain the perfect look throughout the entire day.
Elsewhere in the studio, the male model who would also be featured in the catalog was already styled and was receiving direct instructions from Kaoru, while the stylist adjusted his outfit. Noticing the two models approaching, the businessman turned to greet them:
"Are you ready? We're running late."
"Someone woke up grumpy, huh?" Hitomi snapped. "We got here early; it was your team that took their time getting us ready. Stop being rude."
Megumi was stunned by Hitomi's attitude. It seemed she still wasn't used to the dynamic between the two, who now exchanged looks of disapproval.