The sound of something inhuman growling.
The camera drifts through the dust and rubble to the far corridor where Ken staggers up, facing the giant with fire in his eyes.
Across from him, the giant a tower of muscle and fury stared at the stump of his arm, blood dripping like a waterfall, his breathing heavy and animalistic.
"You—" the giant growled, voice deep like grinding metal. "You'll pay for that, brat."
Ken grinned through a trail of blood sliding from his lip. "Heh. It's just an arm don't cry."
The giant roared, charged forward, and his punch landed square on Ken's face. The impact cracked the floor beneath him and sent Ken crashing into the wall dust and rubble exploding outward.
"KEN!" Hayato's voice cut through the echo as the dust settled.
Ken slid down the wall, coughing blood. "Tch… still standing," he muttered, pushing himself up with trembling legs. His grin that same twisted, fearless grin that mirrored Nifumi's spread across his bruised face. "Guess training wasn't for nothing."
Hayato appeared behind him, silent, calm coat torn, blade dripping red from the earlier carnage. The giant's head snapped toward him, sensing the stronger presence. His single eye gleamed with primal fury.
"You… you're the one who killed the others."
Hayato's tone was casual, almost bored. "Probably. Hard to remember faces when they stop having heads."
The giant bellowed and charged again, ignoring Ken completely fists swinging like hammers toward Hayato.
Hayato didn't even flinch. As the giant's shadow fell over him, he simply exhaled slow, measured then drove a single punch into the giant's gut. The sound was like thunder.
The giant's feet lifted off the ground, his eyes bulging as blood flew from his mouth. Before he could hit the floor, Hayato spun and kicked him in the ribs sending the mountain of a man sprawling back across the hall, tearing tiles apart as he slid.
Hayato cracked his neck, resting the katana on his shoulder. "Your opponent isn't me," he said flatly, glancing at Ken with that lazy half-smile. "He is."
Ken wiped the blood from his mouth, breathing heavier now. "You always steal the spotlight."
Hayato tossed his katana, handle first. "Then finish it, so we can move to the next floor."
Ken caught it the weight familiar, comforting, perfect. He took a step forward, dragging the blade along the ground with a metallic hiss. "You heard the man," he said, eyes locking onto the giant's. "Stand up."
The giant groaned, spitting blood, and pushed himself up, veins bulging. "You little insect… I'll crush you both with my own hands!"
Ken tightened his grip and whispered under his breath, "Hey but you only have one hand."
They collided steel flashing against skin, air exploding with force. The giant swung wildly, each punch a shockwave; Ken dodged low, side-stepped, then slashed in a perfect horizontal arc that split open the giant's chest. The man howled but kept coming, grabbing Ken's shoulder and headbutting him so hard the sound cracked like stone.
Ken reeled, then smirked through the blood. "That all you got?" He lowered his stance, blood dripping from his chin. "Nifumi hits harder."
The giant roared again and swung a final, desperate blow but Ken's shintai aura flared faintly around his legs, smoke curling as his speed exploded. He dashed in, blade trailing light, and slashed upward with terrifying precision.
" Moon Fang Severance!"
The blade ripped through the air like lightning and the giant froze mid-swing. His knees buckled, his head tilted and his body split open from shoulder to hip, collapsing with a thunderous crash.
Ken stood there, panting, blade dripping crimson. He turned his head toward Hayato, a tired grin spreading across his face. "Did i make you happy?"
Hayato stretched, sliding his cigarette back between his lips. "Not bad you took down an S++," he said casually. "But you surely took your time."
Ken scoffed, resting the katana on his shoulder. "You wanna do it next time?"
"Nah," Hayato said with a faint grin. "You kids need the practice."
All the girls were behind bolted doors now, breathing shallow and safe. Ken stood by the doorway, crouched, eyes trailing the hallway like he could still see the fight's ghosts.
"They're all secured," he said. "Girls are in the safe rooms."
"Good," Hayato answered, voice flat. He scanned the corridor. "Where's Itsuki?"
Ken pushed off the floor, jaw working. "He was dealing with a woman. Might've been a national-level. Then I lost sight of him." He pointed toward a side door. "That way. But there's another problem."
He yanked open the nearest room and shoved the door wide.
The interior smelled of expensive liquor and stale smoke. A dozen suited men hunched over low tables, phones out, briefcases open. They were arguing in clipped, oily voices — traders at a market that sold everything criminal.
"Where's the merchandise?" one barked, waving a handkerchief in front of his face like it could mask the dirt. "We paid a premium. Don't give me cheap goods."
A lean man with a gold ring chuckled, leaning back. "Relax. These things take time. The boss said entertainment would be… special tonight."
Another laughed, dark and mean. "You always complain, Yamamoto. Either make it worth my money or I take my next deal elsewhere."
A younger man, eyes darting, hissed, "Didn't the escorts say there was trouble? I saw blood on the stairs what kind of operation is this?"
"Keep your voice down," growled the ringed man. "You don't want to draw attention from the hosts."
Hayato's hand settled on Ken's shoulder. He looked at the men like they were a pile of trash he could kick away. "I'll leave their punishment to you," he said, and there was no question in the sentence.
Ken's grin sharpened. He ripped a grenade free from his kit, the pin a small piece of glittering metal in his fist.
"Nice and tidy," he murmured, like a man doing a favor for himself.
He lobbed it into the overcrowded room. The grenade struck the floor by the table with a dull clatter. Ken slotted the latch, slammed the door shut and flipped the bolt.
Inside, the men realized what had happened a breath too late.
"No—what the hell? Open the door! Open the—" a voice screamed.
"Get the staff! Get the staff!" another shouted, pounding on the wood. The room filled with panicked curses and the metallic rattle of chairs as they scrambled for exits that had just been sealed.
Hayato and Ken didn't wait to hear the blast. They turned and sprinted toward the sound of Itsuki's fight a different chorus now, high with strain and a raw animal edge. From behind the closed, slamming door came muffled screams and the panicked beating of men suddenly realizing they were trapped.
Ken and Hayato walked down the blood-streaked corridor, their boots echoing against the cracked marble. The air smelled of iron and smoke, bodies still cooling behind them.
They rounded the corner and froze.
Down the hall, Nifumi was casually dragging Izuku's limp body by the leg, humming something offbeat like a man hauling groceries instead of a body. Behind him, Itsuki staggered forward, blood-soaked from head to toe, shirt torn open, face bruised but somehow still carrying that faint, defiant smirk.
Nifumi looked up, grin splitting wide. "Yoooo, brother! Look who I brought with me!" he said, swinging Izuku's leg up like a trophy. "He didn't believe you were alive, so I thought I'd help him see you properly."
Hayato exhaled a low chuckle, flicking the ash from his cigarette. "You really beat the shit out of him, didn't you?"
"Beat him?" Nifumi tilted his head innocently. "Nah, I just… encouraged him to visit family."
Itsuki waved weakly as he walked toward them, blood dripping from his fingertips. "Good to see you both again," he said, voice rough but steady.
Nifumi dropped Izuku with a thud, crouched beside him, and grabbed the man by the collar.
"Hey—wake up, wake up!" slap! "Come on, see? Kurogami's right there!" slap! "Open your damn eyes, asshole, he's here!"
Izuku groaned faintly, eyes fluttering open as another slap landed.
Ken leaned on his knee, half laughing, half wincing. "You're seriously slapping a national-level awake right now?"
Nifumi didn't even look up. "It's called tough love, Kenny. Family tradition."
Hayato sighed, shaking his head as he took another drag of his cigarette. "You're insane."
Nifumi grinned without missing a beat. "Runs in the family, doesn't it?"
Itsuki finally stopped beside Hayato and Ken, breathing hard but grinning faintly. "You two missed quite a show," he muttered.
Hayato looked at him bloodied, barely standing, yet smirking and smiled back. "We'll catch the next act. You still alive?"
Itsuki nodded. "Barely."
Nifumi looked up from the unconscious Izuku and called out, "Then let's hurry up, boys. We've still got floors to burn."