Kaito's katana and Razor's daggers clashed, sparks flying from every strike. Then Kaito saw an opening. He drove his foot into Razor's stomach, sending him hurtling into a building. Before Razor could recover, Kaito launched him skyward with another kick, his body crashing through multiple floors.
Kaito leaped after him, but Razor twisted mid-air, grabbing Kaito's leg and hurling him toward the ground. Kaito's body plummeted through the collapsing structure, slamming into the ground floor with earth-shattering force.
The entire building began to crumble, debris raining down around them, but neither warrior ceased their battle.
Hataki watched in horror. "Kaito… what have you become?"
The battle raged on, neither warrior willing to back down. Razor grinned, his voice laced with excitement.
"Oi, Kaito, you've gotten a lot stronger. Now, you're almost my equal."
Kaito's eyes burned with anger. "I don't want praise from a killer."
Razor chuckled darkly before his expression hardened. "A killer? You're calling me a killer?" His voice dropped, a dangerous edge creeping into his tone. "You're no different, Kaito. Don't you remember how you slaughtered everyone in that power serum production factory?
Kaito's glare intensified. He clenched his fist, launching a punch mid-sentence. "Who do you think made me into a monster?!"
Razor, already mid-swing, smirked. "Interesting."
Their fists collided, generating an explosive shockwave that shattered the glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The shards fell like snow, glittering as they cascaded onto the battlefield. Both warriors staggered, panting, sweat dripping from their brows. They steadied themselves, ready to clash once more.
Then—psshhh! A smoke grenade landed between them, erupting into a thick, suffocating cloud. Kaito leapt through the smoke, searching for Razor, but his adversary had vanished. As the mist slowly dissipated, there was no trace of him.
Kaito clenched his fists, his fury erupting into a roar. "RAZOR!"
Meanwhile, Razor groaned as he felt himself being carried away. His vision swam as he forced his eyes open. "Where…? Why am I being carried?"
A familiar voice answered with mild irritation. "Oh, you're already awake."
Razor's eyes narrowed. "Shin? What are you doing?"
Shin sighed, clearly exasperated. "I think Sir Genta told you to wait for backup. So why did you rush into a fight?"
"Shut up. I was close to winning."
"Yeah, yeah. I saw that," Shin replied sarcastically. "Anyway, our target has changed. Kyousuke has already acquired the asset and is on the move. We need to leave. Now."
Razor exhaled sharply. "If that's what Sir Genta wants, then fine."
"Good to hear."
Before they could move, a spear whistled through the air, aimed straight at Shin's face. In a flash, he caught the blade between two fingers, barely flinching. His voice was calm, yet chilling. "If you want to hit me, you'll have to do better."
A group of beastmen emerged from the shadows, their leader barking an order. "He's formidable! Transform! We must eliminate him and move to protect Sir Yoto!"
"Yes, sir!" the squad bellowed as they began shifting into their monstrous forms.
Razor's eyes widened. "What…? Why are beastmen here?"
Shin cracked his neck. "Give me five minutes. I'll handle them."
A fierce wind howled through the battlefield as Shin strode forward. The beastman leader let out a deafening howl, a signal that carried through the ruins. Somewhere in the distance, Kaito heard it—and his rage boiled over.
"Razor, I'm coming for you!"
Hatake shouted after him. "Kaito, WAIT!"
Ignoring him, Kaito launched into the air, fury driving him toward his enemy.
Back on the battlefield, Shin smirked at the beastmen. "You made the wrong move."
Then—he vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind them. The beastmen whipped around, startled, their instincts screaming of an overwhelming presence.
Shin's voice was eerily calm. "Let me show you your deepest fears."
His eyes turned crimson Red. Suddenly, the beastmen screamed in terror. Before them, an enormous, bloodthirsty demon loomed—a horned monstrosity, over a hundred feet tall, radiating an aura of pure malice. The hallucination paralyzed them, leaving them utterly defenseless.
Razor sighed and cut them down one by one, slicing through their trance-induced stupor with ease.
Shin pouted. "Oi, Razor! You didn't have to interrupt while I was playing with them."
"What exactly is our target right now?"
Shin's expression darkened. "Razor, go to Kyousuke. I'll send you the coordinates."
As Razor received the coordinates, he frowned. "And you?"
Shin smirked. "I have a visitor coming. Someone strong."
Razor hesitated. "We don't have time for this. Our priority is following Genta's orders."
"I get it," Razor replied before vanishing into the shadows.
Shin muttered under his breath. "Now then… what will you do, Reena?"
Meanwhile, Reena struggled to contain her rising anger. Across from her, Ken glared, his fists clenched.
"Oi, girl. I've been holding back because you're a woman. But not anymore. I apologize in advance."
In a blink, Ken surged forward, fist raised to deliver a devastating punch. Just before impact—
BAM!
Shin materialized between them, catching Ken's punch with a single hand.
Reena's eyes sparkled. "Ooooh, Shin! You came to save your big sister!"
Ken froze, confusion flickering across his face. "Who the hell is this guy? He stopped my punch with one hand?! And why is she calling herself his big sister?!"
Shin sighed. "Don't get any weird ideas. Now, if you'll excuse us—"
Ken roared. "Oi! Are you mocking me?!"
Shin turned, unbothered. "No, I'm not. I'm just—"
Before he could finish, Ken lunged again. Shin dodged effortlessly, placing a palm against Ken's head. His eyes flashed crimson red.
Ken screamed, clutching his ears. "ARGHHH!"
Reena frowned. "Shin, why is he screaming?"
"Oh, he thinks he's hearing an excruciatingly loud noise. His eardrums must feel like they're bursting.
" Now, let's go. We don't have much time."
Reena, still slightly dazed, beamed at him and grabbed his arm. "Yes, younger brother!" she said playfully, as though the chaos around them didn't exist.
As they vanished into the shadows, Shin let out a low sigh, his eyes darkened with thought. "What have I gotten myself into ?"
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the battlefield lay strewn with the fallen bodies of beastmen, their forms motionless, victims of Shin's devastating nightmare effect. The air was thick with the scent of blood and charred earth. Kaito, standing among them, surveyed the wreckage, his expression unreadable.
His gaze fell upon their leader—a towering figure collapsed and unresponsive. Kaito knelt beside him, pressing two fingers to his neck, checking for any sign of life. The man was alive, but his body was too exhausted to move.
Kaito's hands curled into fists. His breath grew heavy, his heartbeat a steady drum of rising fury. This wasn't just defeat—this was humiliation.
His body trembled, his rage palpable. Then, in a voice laced with cold, unrelenting fury, he muttered under his breath, each word cutting through the silence like a blade:
"Razor...."