Rayl roared, "Yahageshii, take my mom and go! Don't hesitate—hurry!"
Yahageshii's eyes reddened, his tightly clenched fists trembling slightly. He stared at Rayl, his gaze filled with pain and unwillingness. "Why, Rayl? Why do you always have to bear everything alone?! Why do we have to just stand by and watch you risk your life?"
Rayl turned, his usually cold eyes now filled with heavy determination. His voice was low but resolute: "Because this is my choice. My responsibility."
The watcher, leaning leisurely against a crumbling wall, smirked at their argument. His tone dripped with mockery: "Oh? Such noble self-sacrifice. It's touching, really. But do you really think you alone can stop me?"
Ignoring the taunt, Rayl forcefully pushed his mother toward Yahageshii. His voice dropped into a commanding tone: "Take her and leave! This is not something you need to involve yourself in!"
Yahageshii grasped Biyu's arm, his roar filled with defiance: "I'm not leaving! We're family, damn it! Protecting Aunt Biyu isn't just your responsibility! If you're fighting, then we fight together!"
Rayl spun around, his glare as sharp as a blade: "Yahageshii! Listen to me! Take her and go!" His voice, like thunder, stunned Yahageshii into momentary silence.
Biyu, her tear-streaked face full of anguish, shook her head as she looked at Rayl. "Shingen, I won't leave! You're my son—I've already lost you once. I won't lose you again!"
Rayl's throat tightened. He clenched his teeth, his voice softening, though no less firm: "Mom… don't worry. I won't let them hurt you."
Yahageshii howled in frustration: "What makes you think you can carry all this on your own?! Why do you always push us away?!"
Rayl was silent for a moment before exhaling deeply, as though forcing all his emotions into the pit of his stomach. He locked eyes with Yahageshii, his voice steady and heavy with conviction: "Because this is my fight. If I don't walk into hell, who will?"
Yahageshii staggered, Rayl's words hitting him like a sledgehammer. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Tears slid down his face as he clenched his fists tighter, his knuckles turning white.
Rayl turned away, his back resolute like a towering mountain. His voice carried back, firm and unyielding: "Go. Leave this to me."
Yahageshii stared at Rayl's back, his expression filled with helplessness and agony. Finally, biting his lip, he grabbed Biyu's hand and turned to run. His steps were heavy, each one like a dagger slicing through his soul.
Behind them, the watcher's mocking laughter echoed, thick with glee. "Ah, the selfless sacrifice of a hero. How touching! Too bad it'll only make you die faster!"
Rayl stood his ground, drawing a deep breath. Slowly, he turned to face the watcher. His gaze was no longer haunted by fear, replaced instead by a steely resolve. "Then come and find out."
The watcher burst into maniacal laughter, his eyes brimming with malicious glee. "Oh, this is too good! Watching you struggle is simply exquisite!"
Without another word, Rayl charged. His movements blurred, so fast he became almost invisible. He lunged at the watcher, each step carrying a deadly intent.
The watcher's eyes narrowed, though his grin didn't falter. With a dismissive smirk, he stepped forward, his fist shooting out like a comet.
Boom! Their fists collided with a deafening crash. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, shattering the pavement and sending debris flying in all directions.
Rayl staggered back two steps, his boots carving deep grooves into the earth. But his eyes remained locked onto the watcher, unflinching.
"Oh?" The watcher flexed his fingers as if testing their resilience. A spark of interest flickered in his expression. "Your strength and speed are better than I expected. A pleasant surprise, considering your earlier failure. But do you think that's enough to defeat me?"
Rayl's lips curled into a cold smile. "Your arrogance blinds you. That will be your downfall."
Without waiting for a reply, he darted forward again, faster this time. His fists and feet wove a web of relentless strikes, each blow aimed with deadly precision.
The watcher remained eerily calm, evading every attack by mere fractions of an inch. Rayl's punches grazed his cheek, but none landed true.
"What's wrong?" The watcher's smirk grew wider as he effortlessly sidestepped another punch. "No matter how fast you are, you'll never outrun my foresight."
Rayl growled low, somersaulting backward to dodge the watcher's retaliatory strike. Planting one hand on the ground, he spun sharply, his leg lashing out like a whip toward the watcher's face.
The watcher leaned back slightly, dodging the kick by a hair's breadth. With a cold gleam in his eyes, he clapped his hands together. Light flared between his palms before streaking toward Rayl.
Rayl leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the twisted beam of energy. But as he landed, a scream pierced the chaos.
Whipping around, he saw the beam strike a civilian man. The man crumpled to his knees, his body rapidly shrinking until he transformed into a wailing infant.
The watcher's laughter rang out, tinged with madness. "Do you see now, Rayl? Your precious ideals mean nothing. Everyone you care about will suffer because of you!"
Rayl's fists clenched, his knuckles white as bone. His voice was a low growl, brimming with rage: "No… I won't let this happen again."
Blue energy exploded around him, his aura surging like a roaring inferno. His eyes blazed with fury, twin flames of determination. Slowly, he raised his head, his voice cold as ice: "Laugh while you can. It won't last long."
The air grew heavy, saturated with his killing intent. Each step he took reverberated through the ground, shaking the very earth beneath them. His gaze burned with a singular purpose—to end the watcher.