With those ominous words hanging in the air like a specter of doom, Kazuki knew that his world had been irrevocably shattered, his fate sealed by the hand of fate itself. As the weight of his newfound predicament bore down upon him, he knew that he could no longer run from the darkness that had long haunted him. It was time to face his demons head-on, whatever the cost.
Caught between the conflicting forces of friendship and enmity, Kazuki's eyes darted frantically between Arashi and Erion, his mind racing with a whirlwind of uncertainty and fear. In Arashi's concerned gaze, he glimpsed a glimmer of empathy, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to consume him. But in Erion's sneering visage, he saw only the specter of his own torment, a reminder of the relentless cruelty that had shadowed his every step.
With a heart heavy with regret and determination burning in his veins, Kazuki made his decision. Without a word, he turned on his heel and dashed off into the darkness, his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night as he fled the confines of Rinera with a singular purpose—to escape the suffocating grip of his past and forge a new path, untethered by the chains of prejudice and hatred that had bound him for so long. And as he disappeared into the shadows, his resolve remained unshakeable, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon where freedom awaited, a flickering beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.
"I-I've got to get out of Rinera," Kazuki muttered under his breath, his voice quivering with a mixture of fear and determination. "I might not know much about the Justice Warden, but I do know they will sniff me out like a dog eventually." His thoughts raced as he considered the dire consequences of remaining in the grasp of the city's merciless enforcers. "I saw them kill people in the street for stealing a couple coins, imagine what they'll do to me!"
As if conjured by his words, a patrol of Justice Wardens appeared on the street ahead, their imposing figures casting long shadows in the dim light. Panic surged through Kazuki's veins as he instinctively dove to the side, seeking refuge in the shelter of an alleyway. But in his haste, he misjudged the distance, and with a sickening thud, his face collided with the unforgiving brick wall.
Pain exploded behind his eyes as stars danced in his vision, but Kazuki gritted his teeth and pushed through the agony. With trembling hands, he scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest like a drumbeat of dread. The echoes of his collision faded into the night as he pressed onward, driven by a desperate need to escape the clutches of the Justice Wardens and carve out a sliver of freedom in a world consumed by darkness.
As blood cascaded down his nose, Kazuki's vision blurred with pain and adrenaline as he cautiously peered around the corner to observe the approaching Justice Wardens. His heart hammered in his chest like a drumbeat of impending doom, every fiber of his being screaming for him to flee. But before he could react, a flash of movement caught his eye—a glint of steel hurtling towards him with deadly intent.
Instinct took over as Kazuki's body moved of its own accord, his senses sharpened by fear as he ducked just in time to evade the deadly blade. With a sickening thud, the sword buried itself into the brick wall, sending a shower of debris raining down upon him.
Breathless and trembling, Kazuki watched in horror as a flame flickered into view, held aloft by the hand of one of the approaching wardens. His blood ran cold as he heard their hushed conversation drift through the air like a sinister whisper.
"You think he's a Dengen user?" one of them muttered, the words sending a chill down Kazuki's spine.
"No, does it matter? Just kill him," came the cold response, dripping with malice and indifference.
With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Kazuki realized that he was no match for the ruthless enforcers of the law. His only hope lay in escape, in fleeing the grasp of the Justice Wardens and disappearing into the shadows before it was too late. With one last glance at the looming figures ahead, he turned and vanished into the darkness, his heart pounding with the urgency of survival as he fled for his life.
As the Justice Wardens bickered amongst themselves, their voices echoing through the alleyway, Kazuki seized the opportunity to make his escape. With every fiber of his being aflame with fear, he sprinted through the labyrinthine streets of Rinera, his heart pounding in his chest like a drumbeat of desperation.
Gasping for air, his lungs burning with exertion, Kazuki pushed himself to his limits, his mind consumed with the singular goal of evading capture. But before he could even catch his breath, he felt a presence at his side, a cold chill running down his spine as he realized that the Justice Wardens were closing in on him with relentless determination.
"You're pretty fast for however old you are," one of them remarked, his voice dripping with contempt. "Not quite fast enough though!"
With a surge of panic, Kazuki glanced over his shoulder, his heart sinking as he saw the figures of the wardens looming ominously behind him. Before he could react, a searing red ball of energy hurtled towards him with deadly accuracy, crashing into his face with a sickening impact.
Pain exploded behind Kazuki's eyes as he was sent reeling backwards, the force of the blow driving him into the unforgiving embrace of a nearby wall. Stars danced in his vision as darkness threatened to consume him, his consciousness slipping away as he fought to stay upright amidst the chaos unfolding around him.
"You've got some balls killing your own parents, kid," one of the Justice Wardens remarked, his voice dripping with scorn as he pointed the blade of his sword menacingly at Kazuki. "Guess we'll be the ones to teach you the consequences of your actions."
Kazuki's heart hammered in his chest like a drumbeat of dread as the weight of their words bore down upon him like a suffocating blanket. "They're gonna kill me," echoed a relentless refrain in his mind, each repetition sending waves of nausea coursing through his trembling form.
As the blade came slashing down towards him, Kazuki braced himself for the inevitable blow, his muscles tensed with fear. But to his astonishment, something unexpected happened—a sudden burst of flames erupted from his body, engulfing him in a protective barrier that fended off the attack. Despite the apparent heat, Kazuki felt no pain, only a surge of newfound strength coursing through his veins.
"So he is a Dengen user, eh? And an Altercation type at that," one of the wardens observed, his tone tinged with begrudging admiration. "This changes nothing. Kill him."
As the blade descended once more, Kazuki's instincts kicked in, his arms enveloped in a pulsating purple aura. With lightning reflexes, he brought one arm up to deflect the attack, the impact sending sparks flying as metal clashed against energy. In the same fluid motion, he unleashed a devastating blow with his other arm, the force of his strike amplified by the mysterious aura that surrounded him.
The punch landed with bone-crushing force, sending the warden hurtling backwards through the air like a ragdoll. With a sickening crunch, he crashed through the brick wall of a nearby shop, the impact shattering the fragile facade and sending debris flying in all directions.
For a brief moment, silence descended upon the alleyway as Kazuki stood amidst the wreckage, his breath ragged and his heart pounding in his ears.
The Justice Warden's head slowly turned back to Kazuki, their expression a mix of surprise and intrigue as they muttered, "So Altercation and Augmentation type? That's new?" The realization dawned on them that Kazuki possessed a rare combination of abilities, a combination that had caught them off guard and left them scrambling to adapt to the unexpected turn of events.
But before they could formulate a plan of action, they were met with another surprise—Kazuki had vanished once again, leaving behind only a faint trace of his presence in the empty alleyway. Panic rippled through their ranks as they frantically scanned the surroundings, their keen senses strained to their limits in search of any sign of their elusive quarry.
Meanwhile, Kazuki raced across the rooftops with a newfound sense of urgency, the purple aura that surrounded his legs propelling him forward with astonishing speed. With every leap, every bound, he pushed his body to the limit, driven by pure adrenaline and the primal instinct for survival that burned within him.
But this rooftop trot was not without its challenges, as Kazuki soon discovered. Despite the enhancement provided by the mysterious aura, his breakneck pace left little room for error, and he found himself stumbling and tripping over obstacles in his path. With each misstep, his heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought to maintain his balance and keep his momentum.
Yet, despite the obstacles that threatened to impede his progress, Kazuki pressed on, his determination unyielding as he hurdled over rooftops and raced towards an uncertain future.
As Kazuki raced across the rooftops, the vibrant purple aura that enveloped his legs began to flicker and fade, its ethereal glow diminishing with each passing moment. With every leap and bound, the once-powerful energy waned, until at last, it vanished altogether, leaving Kazuki's body feeling drained and depleted.
With the last vestiges of the aura dissipating into the night air, Kazuki finally reached a secluded place in the depths of a dense forest. Surrounded by towering trees and enveloped in the soothing embrace of nature, he collapsed to the ground, his body trembling with exhaustion and his breath coming in ragged gasps.
The depletion of the aura, combined with the physical exertion of his mad dash across the rooftops, left Kazuki feeling utterly spent. Every muscle in his body ached with fatigue, and his eyelids grew heavy with the weight of his exhaustion.
As Kazuki lay in the secluded sanctuary of the forest, his body heavy with exhaustion and his mind awash with tumultuous emotions, tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the line between wakefulness and dreams. In the quiet stillness of the night, he allowed himself a moment of vulnerability, allowing the weight of his grief to wash over him like a tidal wave.
With each tear that slipped silently down his cheeks, Kazuki's thoughts drifted back to a time before the darkness had consumed his life—a time when his existence had been filled with the simple joys of childhood, surrounded by the love of his parents. But as he traced the tangled threads of his memories, he realized with a bitter pang of regret how swiftly and mercilessly fate had torn his idyllic world asunder.
The events of the past day played out in his mind like a twisted nightmare, each moment seared into his consciousness with painful clarity. He remembered the fear and loathing in his mother's eyes, the hatred and resentment in his father's voice, and the overwhelming sense of despair that had consumed his very soul. And as he relived the horrors of his past, Kazuki felt a surge of anger and betrayal welling up within him, directed not just at the cruel hand of fate, but at the parents who had failed him in his hour of need.
With a bitter curse upon his lips, Kazuki cursed his parents for the pain and suffering they had inflicted upon him, for the scars that marred his body and soul, and for the shattered remnants of the innocence that had once defined him. And aas he drifted into unconsciousness, his mind filled with fragmented dreams and fleeting memories, Kazuki found solace in the peaceful tranquility of the forest around him. And as the darkness of sleep enveloped him, he knew that he was safe, if only for a moment, from the chaos and turmoil that had consumed his life.