In mid-air, she saw the opening: a hairline fracture in the Sentinel’s chest plate. “Finish it,” she whispered to the blade.

The cavern was quiet again, save for the steady drip of water and the fading pulse of her own heart. Another floor cleared. Another step closer to the end.

With a sharp exhale, she threw herself forward. Her boots skidded across the wet stone, but her grip on the hilt of the Scarlet Sakura was unwavering. As the Sentinel raised a massive, jagged claymore, Yuki triggered the blade’s release. A flash of crimson light blinded the darkness.