Mariana vs. the Electro-Shield
Mariana sprinted like the wind toward the front post. Only her shadow flickered in the air.
Behind her, Nagini followed, her lightness skill making her appear like a streak of red shadow.
Furious, Mariana swung her broken fan left and right as she ran.
Her immense inner power blasted Densus 88 operatives, strike team members, and even bound security guards—sending them flying like leaves in the wind.
Nagini could only watch in distress as Burhan, Rudin, Tono, and the others were hurled around helplessly.
Even the tied-up guards were tossed about.
Slam!!
Several Densus 88 operatives slammed into the security post wall.
Wham!
Bound guards crashed into one another.
Rudin staggered weakly against the scorching blasts.
Rudin: "Mercy! It's burning hot…!"
Tono nearly toppled.
Tono: "No way—Mariana's hands are this powerful?!"
Legi, Paiman, and the other guards rolled across the ground under the burning wind.
The front post courtyard became a living hell—bodies falling, rolling in pain.
Dust clouds rose where Mariana's strikes hit the ground.
At the front, Mariana spotted Tina.
Blazing with wrath, she aimed her fury at Tina. She lowered her stance, channeling her full inner power into her hands and fan.
Nagini's heart raced.
Nagini: "Tina, watch out! Move!"
But too late—Tina couldn't hear her.
Mariana's broken fan whipped forward. A blazing gust roared at Tina.
Whoosh!
Tweet!
The whistling blast surged toward her.
Nagini cried out in despair, pale with dread. He imagined Tina's body burning away. His eyes welled with tears.
But Mariana and Nagini didn't know—Tina had already activated her stun device.
An invisible dome of electricity surrounded her—a half-sphere of shimmering blue arcs, shielding her body.
Nagini: "Tina…"
His voice broke as Mariana's strike landed.
Boom!
The scorching blast hit Tina's shield.
Kaboom!
Ancient mystical power clashed with modern high-tech electricity. A fiery explosion burst forth.
Mariana was hurled four meters back, crashing down. Blood gushed as she coughed violently, chest tight, face pale. Her striking hand swollen and bruised blue. Her fan was ruined.
Tina adjusted her glasses with a faint smile. With a finger tap, she turned off her device.
Nagini arrived, clutching his backpack straps, staring wide-eyed.
Nagini: "You're unharmed, Tina?"
Tina nodded.
Nagini approached the badly wounded Mariana.
Nagini: "How could you be hurt so badly? Tina has no inner power like you."
Mariana only shook her head, coughing.
Nagini turned to Tina.
Nagini: "How did you injure Mariana?"
Tina held up her device.
Tina: "This stun weapon, Nagini."
Nagini studied it. Tina glanced around at the wreckage Mariana had caused.
***
Tina Defeats Mariana
The police and KPK officers began to rise again.
Burhan, Tono, and Rudin re-secured the bound guards.
Two female officers escorted the exhausted, defeated Mariana.
Burhan looked at Nagini and stepped closer.
Burhan: "Nagini—you joined this mission?"
Nagini smiled faintly.
Burhan: "You fought Mariana and saved us?"
Nagini gave no reply.
Tono, aware of Nagini's bond with Burhan, cut in.
Tono: "Of course Nagini fought Mariana."
Rudin: "But the one who defeated Mariana was Tina."
Tina chuckled.
Tina: "If Nagini hadn't weakened her first, I'd be the one needing your help."
Nagini laughed softly.
Nagini: "You're talking nonsense, Tina."
Tono: "Tina's just being modest."
Rudin: "Truly—she knows the mountain's height and the ocean's depth."
Tina couldn't help but laugh.
***
Tina's Modification
Nagini: "How did you manage to defeat Mariana?"
Tina adjusted her glasses, smiling.
Tina: "I modified this stun weapon."
Tono and Rudin exchanged looks.
Tono: "You… modified it?"
Tina nodded.
Rudin: "How?"
Burhan: "And how did you measure Mariana's energy?"
Bombarded with questions, Tina's short hair glimmered under the sunlight as she smiled.
Tina: "Friends…"
They leaned closer.
Tina: "First, I saw the clash of Nagini and Mariana's energies in Ramayana Mall's basement."
Tono: "And?"
Tina: "I measured it with my equipment. Mariana's energy was about 1000 volts."
Rudin: "Then?"
Tina: "So I modified this 100-volt stun weapon into 1000 volts."
Burhan: "Meaning Mariana's energy matched your modified stun device?"
Tono: "That's how you beat her?"
Amid their amazement, Tina only nodded with a smile.
Rudin: "Brilliant!"
Nagini: "I'd need years of training to defeat Mariana!"
Tono: "And Tina just needed a few days of tinkering."
Rudin: "You're amazing, Tina!"
Tina chuckled.
To be continued