Ash dashed through the city streets, his coat trailing behind him. The blood on his blade had dried, but the heat of battle still pulsed in his veins.
He had seen it.
The red symbol carved into the Hero Hunter's flesh—the same symbol he saw once on Renji's glove.
As he reached the Hero Guild base, the heavy gates opened with a groan. Misaki and Koharu were already inside, speaking with Luna.
"Ash!" Misaki stood. "Where were you? We—"
"I fought one."
His voice silenced the room.
"One of the Hero Hunters."
Gasps.
Kaien stepped forward. "You survived?"
Ash nodded. "I froze time. He still managed to speak after the blow. He said something strange—'You're one of them.'"
Koharu looked confused. "One of… who?"
Ash turned to Luna, serious. "Where's Renji?"
Luna blinked. "He left for an outside mission this morning."
Ash's grip tightened.
"We need to talk. I saw that symbol before. Renji wore it once. On his glove."
The room fell into silence.
Kaien's expression hardened. "…You think Renji is connected?"
Ash didn't hesitate. "I don't know if he's with them… but he knows something."
Suddenly, an emergency alert flashed.
"Renji's location pinged—he's in graveyard. Near the hero graveyard."
Ash clenched his jaw.
"Then I'm going. Alone."
The sky hung gray over graveyard , a forgotten land of tombstones and wilting flowers. The hero graveyard—a sacred place for fallen warriors.
Ash walked quietly, his boots pressing into the wet grass. His breath misted in the air, but his eyes stayed sharp.
Then he saw him.
Renji, standing silently in front of a worn grave. His coat fluttered in the wind. The symbol—the one Ash feared—faintly glimmered on the back of his glove.
Ash stopped a few feet behind.
"Renji."
Renji turned slowly, his expression unreadable. "Ash. You came."
Ash's fingers curled. "I fought one of them. A Hero Hunter. He had your symbol."
Renji looked down at the grave again.
"…He wasn't supposed to speak."
That single sentence changed everything.
Ash's heart pounded. "So it's true."
Renji closed his eyes. "Not everything is black and white, Ash. Sometimes heroes die not because they're weak… but because they deserve to."
"You're one of them." Ash stepped forward. "You betrayed us."
Renji's tone remained calm. "No. I did what the system refused to do. I cleaned the filth. I killed fake heroes—ones who sold their justice for money, power, politics."
Ash's voice trembled. "So you kill them all?"
Renji finally looked at him.
"If I have to."
He drew his blade.
"Will you stop me, Ash?"
Ash raised his hand. The time around him rippled.
"If I must… I'll bury the truth with you."
Ash lowered his hand, his time aura flickering as Renji's words echoed.
"Why, Renji...? Why kill heroes?" Ash's voice cracked—half fury, half sorrow.
Renji didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, his eyes blazing beneath his bangs.
"Because they killed my family."
The words were ice, heavy with years of pain.
"And then… they said it was a mistake."
His fists clenched. "They called it a mission gone wrong. They smiled. Laughed. Moved on. I begged for justice."
He pointed at his chest. "I was a hero too, Ash. But they branded me a villain just to silence me. So I made a choice—if this world won't punish its false heroes… I will."
Suddenly—a rush of energy.
Kaien, Misaki, Koharu, Luna, Kai, and Drax appeared behind Ash, teleporting in with urgency.
"Ash!" Misaki shouted, breathless. "Are you okay?"
Renji didn't flinch. "So they sent the whole guild."
Kaien's eyes narrowed. "Renji... it's really you. After all these years?"
Luna stepped forward, trembling. "I looked up to you. You were our senior. You trained us!"
Renji's expression softened—for a second.
"And I hoped you'd all be better. But now you're just part of the same system."
Koharu's tears welled.
"You're wrong. We still believe in justice—real justice!"
Renji turned his back.
"Then try to stop me."
The wind howled through the graveyard.
Ash stepped ahead of everyone.
"I'll face him. Alone."
The air stood still.
Ash stepped forward, time energy pulsing around him. Renji turned, his eyes cold—haunted by years of pain.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else," Ash said, fists clenched.
Renji's voice was low. "Then die like the rest."
A sudden burst of pressure cracked the ground as both clashed.
Ash vanished, appearing behind Renji with lightning speed. A sharp time-imbued punch aimed for Renji's ribs. But Renji twisted midair, blocking it with his forearm, a trail of flame spiraling around his arm.
"Flame Cloak: Ember Slash!"
A blazing arc tore through the battlefield, forcing Ash to dodge. The nearby trees erupted in flame. Koharu screamed from the sidelines, trying to shield Misaki.
Ash froze time.
"Time Frizone."
The world stilled. Renji was frozen mid-step. Ash rushed in, aiming a strike to his gut—but
Renji moved.
"Flame Core Break: Burn Beyond Time."
Flames erupted from Renji's chest, piercing the Frizone. Ash was flung back, tumbling across stone and dirt. Blood trickled from his lip.
"He broke through time?" Kaien gasped.
Renji stepped forward, his coat torn, eyes burning.
"You think you're special, Ash? You're just like them."
Ash stood up slowly, hands glowing with a blue aura.
"I'm nothing like them."
"Chrono Surge: Phase Impact!"
The punch landed clean—Renji spat blood, sliding back. He smirked.
"Not bad... but not enough."
Flames spiraled up Renji's arm—"Final Art: Infernal Collapse!"
A fiery phoenix formed behind him, roaring toward Ash.
Ash narrowed his eyes, heart steady.
"Time Compression: Zero Break."
Everything slowed. The flames stopped midair. Ash dashed in—dodging each ember, every burn. He reached Renji's core.
One punch. Straight to the chest.
Time resumed. BOOM!
Renji collapsed, flames extinguished.
The silence was deafening.
Ash stood above him, panting. "You're wrong, Renji. Justice didn't die… you just stopped believing."
Renji looked up, weak, whispering,
"Then show me a reason… to believe again..."
And he passed out.
Ash stood still, breath heavy, blood on his fists. Renji lay on the scorched ground—defeated.
But then…
Renji laughed.
A deep, broken, triumphant laugh.
Ash narrowed his eyes. "Why are you laughing?"
Renji raised his head, blood trickling from his mouth, and whispered with a smirk:
"I already won."
Everyone froze.
Kaien took a step forward. "What do you mean?"
Renji smirked wider. "Before coming here… I gave all the hero guild's darkest secrets to the world. Their crimes. Their lies. Their murders. It's all out there now. Your world will burn itself."
"No..." Misaki gasped.
Koharu covered her mouth in horror.
Luna stepped forward, eyes shaking but voice steady.
"You're no hero… you're the villain who wants money and fame."
Renji's eyes gleamed. "And what are your heroes? Hiding under capes, pretending to protect while silencing the weak? The real villains wear badges and titles. I'm just the echo of their sins."
Luna shouted, "You're wrong!"
"No," Renji said coldly. "I just told the truth no one else dared to speak."
Renji laughed again.
"And your so-called heroes? They just want money and fame. They pretend to save lives—but they'd rather be celebrities. They kill innocents and call it justice."
The entire team stood in silence.
Ash clenched his fists. "Even if the system is broken… what you did only spreads more hate."
Renji gave one final breathless laugh.
"Good. Then maybe the world will finally see… heroes are just another form of evil."
The wind howled through the broken battlefield. Renji stood barely, blood dripping from his mouth. His words hung heavy in the air.
"They lied to the world... and I exposed them. So kill me, heroes. Prove me right."
Ash stepped forward, eyes shadowed by sorrow.
"No, Renji," he said quietly. "We're not like them. We don't kill the broken… we try to save them."
Renji's smirk faltered.
"Save… me?" he whispered.
Kaien looked away. Koharu gritted her teeth. Misaki clenched her fists.
Luna walked forward, raising her hand—and a golden seal appeared around Renji, suppressing his movements.
"You'll face judgment," she said. "But not death. You'll live… and see the world change. That's your punishment."
Renji's knees buckled.
For the first time, he cried—not from pain, but from the weight of everything he had become… and what he could never undo.