John struggled to stand, overwhelmed by the pain of losing Emily and the sudden attack that had turned his world upside down. His body was exhausted, his mind clouded with grief, and his cards remained unresponsive despite his desperate attempts to activate them. Yet he refused to give up. Even if he had to fight with his bare hands, he wouldn't let Mia escape. He clenched his fists and prepared to attack, but before he could move, Mia suddenly grabbed him and pressed her glowing purple card against his forehead. A brilliant light flashed before his eyes, swallowing everything around him. A strange humming filled his ears, and he lost consciousness.
John suddenly jolted awake with a deep groan. He found himself inside an abandoned factory, surrounded by broken machinery, shattered concrete, and twisted metal. The entire place looked as though a fierce battle had taken place there. Before he could understand what was happening, he noticed Mia standing in front of him, her purple card glowing in her hand. He opened his mouth to question her, but a powerful sound wave suddenly swept through the factory. Mia stay beside him and immediately raised a protective shield, shielding both of them from the devastating impact.
Confused and furious, John turned toward Mia and charged at her. "What the hell is going on? You destroyed the café, killed my coworkers, and even killed my sister!" he shouted, his voice trembling with rage. Mia quickly pushed him backward. "Are you insane? Get a hold of yourself! I'm trying to save you!" John stared at her in disbelief. "Save me? After everything you've done?" Mia gritted her teeth and pointed toward the other end of the factory. "You're trapped in an illusion! I entered your dream to save you. If I hadn't intervened, that man would have burned you alive and taken your cards!"
John froze. "What man?"
Before Mia could answer, another devastating sound wave tore through the factory. Emily's shield flickered under the pressure, forcing her to brace herself. Through the shadows, a hooded figure slowly emerged, holding a glowing card between his fingers. His face remained hidden, but the oppressive aura surrounding him made John's skin crawl.
"Mia," the stranger said coldly, "you're clever. I almost had him. Just a few more minutes, and both cards would have been mine."
John looked between them, completely bewildered. "Will someone please explain what's happening?"
"There's no time!" Mia shouted. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, help me defeat him!"
Still uncertain, John reached for his cards. To his relief, the familiar blue interface appeared, revealing both his red and black cards. He immediately selected the red card, and flames erupted around his hand. Without hesitation, he launched a powerful fire attack toward the hooded stranger. Mia supported him with her abilities, raising protective shields to block incoming sound waves and unleashing sharp air slashes to distract their opponent. Working together, they managed to push the stranger back, their attacks illuminating the ruined factory with flashes of red, purple, and blue.
However, their opponent was far stronger than they had expected. Every attack they launched seemed useless against him, and each counterattack drained more of their emotional energy. John's flames began to weaken, while Mia's shield flickered dangerously. Both were exhausted, struggling to remain standing, but neither was willing to surrender. Knowing they had only one chance left, they exchanged a determined glance and gathered the last of their strength for a final combined attack.
John concentrated all his remaining energy into a massive burst of fire while Mia unleashed a powerful wave of purple energy. Their attacks merged into a blazing surge that engulfed the hooded stranger in a brilliant explosion. The factory shook violently, and thick smoke swallowed the battlefield. John dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, while Mia struggled to keep herself upright. For a moment, they believed they had finally defeated him.
But when the smoke cleared, the stranger was still standing, completely unharmed.
John stared at him in disbelief. "How... is that possible?"
The hooded man tilted his head slightly, almost amused by their desperation. He raised his card, and a terrifying wave of energy began gathering around him. John tried to stand, but his exhausted body refused to cooperate. Mia attempted to summon another shield, but her card barely glowed.
They were helpless.
Just as the stranger prepared to strike, his figure suddenly blurred and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
John stared at the empty space, struggling to process what had just happened. His heart pounded as he turned toward Mia, his expression filled with anger, confusion, and suspicion.
"Now," he demanded, his voice trembling, "you're going to tell me everything."