(Chapter starts)
Kazuto was walking alone on the footpath. It was quiet. Cold wind blew through his white hair. He looked tired, lost in thought.
Suddenly, he heard a scream.
It came from an unfinished building nearby.
Kazuto stopped.
"That sounded like a girl," he said softly. He looked around. The streets were empty.
His eyes turned sharp.
"Safians…"
He ran toward the building without thinking. His boots hit the ground fast. He reached the wall and began to climb. As he climbed, he whispered in his mind:
"I'll kill all of them."
He reached the top and opened the door.
But what he saw was strange.
Inside the room was a little girl. She sat on the floor, holding a teddy bear. Her face was dirty and tears were falling from her eyes.
Kazuto narrowed his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
The girl looked up, crying. "I got lost… I want my mother…"
Kazuto slowly walked toward her. He bent down to pick her up.
But then—
Click!
Suddenly, the teddy bear opened. Dozens of small sharp knives shot out from it and flew straight at Kazuto.
"Damn you shits," Kazuto whispered.
"Fixo."
Time slowed.
Kazuto quickly dodged to the side. The flying knives froze midair, moving slowly like they were underwater.
He pulled out his sword and swung it toward the girl's face.
Three seconds passed.
Time went back to normal.
Slash!
His blade went straight through the girl's eye and cut her face deeply. Blood sprayed. Her nerves were visible. She wasn't human. She was a Safian.
Suddenly—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots fired from outside the room.
"Agh!" A bullet hit Kazuto's leg. He jumped behind cover, breathing hard.
"I can't die here…" he whispered. "I have to live… for her…"
He stood up, ignoring the pain.
Two Safians were shooting at him.
Kazuto pulled out his pistol and fired back.
Bang! Bang!
Both fell.
Then, from the shadows, many men stepped forward. They all wore the same clothes. The same red mask.
They all shouted together:
"I am the Red. This is your last day, Kazuto."
Kazuto stepped forward, standing tall.
"I never thought I'd see the Red in front of me…"
In his mind, he thought:
"There's almost no chance I win this. I've already used Fixo twice today… I can't use it again. All I can do now… is fight."
He opened his arms wide.
"I, Kazuto, challenge the real Red to fight me. Face me yourself!"
Suddenly, a calm voice spoke from behind him.
"I, the real Red, accept your challenge."
Kazuto turned around quickly.
He pulled out his sword and pointed it forward. "Then let's fight!"
Red looked at the others.
"All of you. Step aside."
They all answered together:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
They moved away.
Red smiled under his mask.
"I think two hands are all I'll need to defeat you."
Kazuto rushed forward in a blink.
"Then do it!" he shouted, swinging at Red's leg.
But Red dodged fast. He disappeared from Kazuto's sight, moved behind him, and delivered a powerful kick to Kazuto's back.
Boom!
Kazuto flew backward and crashed into a pile of metal drums. Dust filled the air.
Red couldn't see him.
But then—
Kazuto started laughing.
Out of the dust, he dashed forward and slashed Red's leg and both arms.
Blood splashed.
But then—Red's eyes glowed.
His body started to change.
Shing!
Red activated his Safian power—Blood Spike. From his body, sharp red spikes exploded out in all directions.
The blades pierced through Kazuto's chest.
"Gaaah!" he cried, falling to his knees.
Red walked toward him.
"You've lost."
Kazuto was bleeding badly. But he smiled through the pain.
He raised one finger and pointed at the ground.
Red looked down.
Sticky bombs. Dozens of them, attached to Red's clothes.
Kazuto whispered:
"Goodbye."
BOOM!
A huge explosion shook the whole building. Red's body was blown apart. Kazuto was also thrown far away. His whole body hurt. Blood leaked from his mouth.
"I won't… die…"
But then—
Through the smoke… someone walked out.
Wearing the same red mask.
Kazuto's eyes went wide in shock.
"How…?"
The man knelt beside Kazuto. Slowly, he took off his mask.
Kazuto's mouth opened in disbelief.
"You… You are—"
WHAM!
Red kicked him hard. Kazuto's body flew and landed inside a huge drum full of acid.
Ssssshhhhh!
Kazuto screamed in pain. His skin burned. His body felt like it was melting.
"I can't die! I can't! I can't!" he screamed, crying.
"I have to kill them… I have to live… I don't want to die!!"
Suddenly—
Everything went silent.
Kazuto opened his eyes.
He was in a bright place. A sky so blue it looked like heaven.
He looked around slowly, confused.
Then he lifted his head.
Someone was standing in front of him.
Someone.
---
(Chapter Ends)