{February 5th}

(Somewhere in london)

The night was heavy with rain, its rhythm a somber melody against the rooftops of London. Shiki found himself in the midst of this storm, pursued relentlessly by a cadre of relentless assassins. Each leap from one building to another was a desperate bid for survival, their encroaching presence a constant reminder of his plight.

Shiki: (thoughts) "This is the twelfth time this month. Peace seems like a distant dream now..."

A sigh escaped his lips. He knew these relentless pursuers wouldn't cease until he was no more. His only recourse, it seemed, was to take them out first.

Suddenly, Shiki found himself cornered at an intersection, the assassins forming a formidable circle around him, their masked faces devoid of mercy.

One of them broke the silence, their voice distorted behind the mask.

Assassin: "There is nowhere left for you to run..."

Shiki met their threatening proclamation with an unruffled demeanor.

Shiki: "Honestly, I was hoping for a non-bloody day. But it seems you don't quite understand..."

Assassin: "Underestimating your opponent is never wise, kid."

Shiki: "Well, the thing is... you guys are actually... REALLY WEAK."

Provoked by his audacious claim, the assassins lunged at him, their determination fueled by anger.

Shiki: "sighs I apologize for this..."

"Memories: Sands of Time..."

In a swift, fluid motion, Shiki activated his ability, "Memories: Sands of Time."

"Sands of Time", Shiki's unique ability, granted him dominion over the temporal flow. It enabled him to manipulate time in myriad ways - halting it, slowing it down, accelerating it, reversing causality, journeying to the past or future, even altering the aging process of himself and others. His power extended to control over the range and area of effect in various applications.

As Shiki wielded his ability, the assassins disappeared, their very existence erased as he altered the cause of their being.

Shiki: Once again, I apologize. But you were all trying to kill me anyway...

A wave of sadness and guilt washed over Shiki as he pondered the weight of his actions.

Shiki: ...

Without further delay, he quickly left the scene, seeking a safe haven to reach out to Nashimi.

(...)