Shiro and Kenzo were on the move, tracking the rogue devil through the night. The creature had fled into the shadows, but Kenzo's keen senses didn't miss a thing. They followed its trail through the twisted alleys, the quiet hum of the city replaced by the sound of their footsteps and the faint echoes of the devil's frantic flight.
Shiro couldn't shake the thoughts swirling in his head. The fear, the desperation in the rogue devil's eyes when Kenzo appeared—it wasn't just from the battle, it was something deeper. The presence Kenzo had exuded was powerful, frightening even. Shiro couldn't help but wonder how far Kenzo was willing to go, what kind of strength he truly possessed. It had been clear from the moment Kenzo arrived that he had been holding back.
Shiro (thinking): What was that back there? Kenzo... he didn't even break a sweat, but I could feel it. That power... I wasn't even close to being ready for something like that. How much more does he have?
As they continued, Shiro couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy. The rogue devil had been terrifying, sure, but he couldn't help but feel like he was nothing more than a spectator in his own life.
They stopped at the edge of a dark alley, the sounds of the city now eerily distant. The trail had led them here, and Kenzo's sharp eyes scanned the shadows, already knowing what was coming next.
Kenzo: "This is it. Stay sharp, Shiro."
Shiro nodded silently, his hands balling into fists. He wasn't sure if he was ready for what was coming, but he knew one thing for sure: he couldn't let himself fall behind. Not again.
They crept into the alley, moving with purpose and precision. Kenzo's presence seemed to grow even more intense, the air thick with anticipation. The rogue devil's scent was strong now, the madness lingering in the air like a poison.
The devil was cornered.
He stood there, hunched over, eyes wide with terror, staring back at the two hunters who had tracked him down. There was no escape now, no way out of the situation he'd created for himself.
Rogue Devil (panting): "No... no! You can't... I'm not ready! I can't die yet!"
Kenzo stepped forward, his eyes cold and unfeeling. The rogue devil's frantic cries did nothing to deter him. The creature's human form was barely a shell anymore, its body twisted by the devil inside.
Kenzo (low voice): "You've caused enough damage. It ends now."
Shiro stood at the ready, watching intently. The rogue devil was clearly scared, but there was something in its eyes that made Shiro uneasy. It wasn't just fear—it was desperation. It was as if the creature knew it was finished, and now all it could do was beg for its life.
But Kenzo didn't show any mercy.
In one fluid motion, Kenzo surged forward, his fist connecting with the rogue devil's chest with brutal force. The devil's body crumpled, but Kenzo wasn't finished yet. With a swift movement, he grabbed the creature by the throat, lifting it off the ground with ease.
Kenzo (quietly): "This is the price for living like you did."
The rogue devil's eyes bulged with terror as it gasped for breath, clawing at Kenzo's hand, but it was no use. Within moments, the creature's body went limp, its life snuffed out like a flickering candle.
Kenzo let the lifeless body fall to the ground with a thud, wiping his hand as if he had just brushed off an annoying insect. He didn't speak for a moment, just stared down at the devil's corpse with an unreadable expression.
Shiro stood frozen, unable to look away from the scene. The fight had been quick, decisive—Kenzo had ended it in a single, effortless move. But something about it felt wrong. The whole situation felt... off.
Shiro (thinking): I've seen that before... No... I haven't. But it feels like I have. Why do I feel like this isn't over? Like... like there's something more to this?
Kenzo finally turned to him, his eyes sharp as ever.
Kenzo: "You did well staying out of the way. But I can see it in your eyes, Shiro. You're still thinking too much."
Shiro's thoughts were clouded with doubt, the questions swirling in his mind making it hard to focus.
Shiro: "I... I just can't believe how easy it was for you to end it. It's like you didn't even break a sweat. You held back, didn't you?"
Kenzo's gaze softened, but only for a moment. He didn't answer right away, and for a moment, Shiro wondered if he was being too forward.
Kenzo (calmly): "Sometimes the world isn't about fighting to the end, Shiro. It's about knowing when to end it. And I know when to stop. I'm not a killer, but I don't hesitate when lives are at stake."
Shiro couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. He had always admired Kenzo's strength, but now he saw something else in him—something colder, more calculating. It was as if Kenzo had been detached, clinical in his actions.
Shiro (thinking): I still don't understand... How can he be so calm about all this? Is that what I have to become?
Kageboshi's voice echoed in Shiro's mind, breaking through his thoughts.
Kageboshi: "Shiro... something's not right. I feel it too. That devil wasn't just some rogue creature. I've seen this kind of thing before."
Shiro's eyes widened slightly, his heart racing. Kageboshi's words had caught him off guard.
Shiro: "What do you mean? What's wrong?"
But Kageboshi didn't respond, and Shiro felt an uncomfortable tension growing inside of him. It wasn't like Kageboshi to hold back on something this important. There was something deeper at play here—something that had to do with the rogue devil they had just ended.
Kageboshi's unease was unmistakable, but he kept it to himself. The bond between him and Shiro had grown stronger, but even so, Kageboshi was still holding back something crucial, something that could change everything.
As Shiro stood there, staring down at the lifeless body of the rogue devil, his thoughts turned inward. The whole night had been a reminder of how far behind he was. How much stronger Kenzo was, how much more control he had over himself.
Shiro (thinking): I have to be stronger. I can't keep running from things. I need to catch up...
But something in the back of his mind kept nagging at him. Something told him this wasn't over, that the real threat was still out there, waiting in the shadows.
And that feeling? It was only just beginning.