Kaito’s sword clanged against the enemy’s blade, the force of the strike reverberating through his entire body. He’d managed to parry the blow, but just barely. His arms shook from the impact, and his breath came in short, ragged gasps. Stranger smile widened, as if Kaito’s defiance only fueled his sadistic pleasure.

Yuna stood a few feet away, frozen in place, her wide eyes locked on the scene unfolding before her. Kaito, her friend and partner, was fighting for his life—and hers too. She could feel the cold weight of fear pressing down on her chest, threatening to crush her.

Yuna felt her throat tighten, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yuna: "Kaito... what do we do?"

The man chuckled, the sound sending chills down Yuna's spine.

Stranger: "Oh, come now. No need to be so tense." His eyes gleamed with twisted delight. "Let me guess... you made a little deal, didn’t you? You thought you could gain strength, but you didn’t read the fine print, did you, boy?"

Yuna: "What is he talking about?"

Stranger smile widened, mocking them with calm malice.

Stranger: "You don’t even know what your friend did for you." He tilted his head slightly. "What did you give to him? What did you sacrifice, little brat?"

Yuna’s confusion only deepened. She looked at Kaito, her voice trembling.

Yuna: "What is he talking about, Kaito? Answer me. Did you... did you really sacrifice something?"

Kaito’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t answer. His gaze remained fixed on the enemy, the weight of his secret pressing down on him like a boulder.

Kaito: "Run, Yuna," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Just run!"

But Stranger laughed, stepping even closer.

Stranger: "Running won’t help. It’s already too late for both of you." His voice dripped with mockery. "You know... I made a sacrifice once too. My mother, father, even my six-year-old sister. I gave them all to him. And in return, he gave me this..." He gestured to himself, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Power."

Before Yuna could process, Stanger attention shifted to Kaito. His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was appraising him for the first time.

Stranger: "You’ve got guts, kid," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Even though you’re weak. What’s your name, brat?"

Kaito swallowed hard, his voice tight.

Kaito: "Kaito."

Stranger grin widened, and for the first time, he introduced himself.

Stranger: "Kaito, huh? Interesting... I suppose it’s only fair you know the name of the one who’s going to kill you. Call me Shigaraki."

He let out a chilling laugh.

Shigaraki: "I don’t regret a thing! I love him, you know? The one you call ‘God.’ He took everything—my sanity, my family—and in return, he gave me this glorious, wonderful life. And now, I get to play with little mice like you."

Kaito’s body tensed, his grip on his sword tightening.

Kaito: "Shut up!" he shouted, his voice filled with both anger and fear. "Yuna, run! I’ll hold him off!"

Yuna’s heart raced.

Yuna: "What? No! I’m not leaving you!" Her voice trembled as the words escaped her lips. She looked at Kaito, confusion and fear swirling in her mind. "What is he talking about? Sacrifice? What... what did you do?"

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Kaito’s jaw clenched. He didn’t answer immediately, but the guilt in his eyes spoke volumes. He glanced back at her, his voice tight.

Kaito: "Just go, Yuna! Please... I can’t hold him forever!"

Yuna shook her head, panic rising in her chest.

Yuna: "No! Kaito, tell me! What’s happening? Did you... did you really sacrifice something? But why?" Her voice cracked as she took a hesitant step forward, her confusion mingling with the terror of the situation.

Kaito’s heart pounded in his chest. He didn’t have time to explain. He knew what was coming—his deal with the god, the price he’d paid for this fleeting moment of strength. He had sacrificed something far deeper than life itself.

Kaito: "I don’t have time to explain!" Kaito shouted, his voice shaking. "Just go! Now!"

But the enemy chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.

Shigaraki: "Ah, this is rich! You really didn’t tell her, did you?" He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. "You see, little girl, your friend here made a deal. A very interesting deal. He gave up something... precious. And now, he’s going to die for it."

Kaito swung his sword in a wide arc, his movements faster and stronger than Yuna had ever seen before. But Shigaraki dodged easily, laughing as he toyed with them.

Shigaraki: "Around five minutes," he taunted. "That’s how long your friend’s strength will last. After that... he’s as good as dead."

Yuna’s breath caught in her throat.

Yuna: "What...? Kaito, what did you—"

Kaito cut her off, his voice harsh.

Kaito: "I did it for you, Yuna!" His words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. "I made the deal to protect you! Now run!"

Yuna’s chest tightened, her mind reeling from the revelation. He had sacrificed himself... for her? But why? How could he do something so reckless, so dangerous?

The enemy clapped slowly, mockingly, as if he were watching a tragic play unfold before him.

Shigaraki: "Touching, really. But it won’t matter. You see, I gave up my entire family for my deal. And what did I get? Power. True power. I can feel it, coursing through my veins. Your little sacrifice is nothing compared to mine."

He took another step forward, his grin widening.

Shigaraki: "You want to know what’s funny? You can’t even protect her. You think this little gift from God makes you strong? It’s a weak sacrifice. Short-term. Fleeting." He chuckled, his eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement. "But the best part is... you still can’t protect her."

Kaito’s muscles burned, the divine power surging through him starting to wane. He could feel it slipping away, the strength he had gained in the deal fading faster than he had anticipated. But he couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop.

With a roar, Kaito lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air toward the enemy. But Shigaraki moved faster than he should have been able to, dodging with ease. His movements were almost casual, as if he were playing with them.

Shigaraki: "You see," the man continued, his voice dripping with condescension, "this world... it’s designed for the strong. And you? You were born weak. Even with that little boost, you’ll never be more than prey."

Kaito gritted his teeth, swinging his sword again, but the enemy caught the blade with a single hand, pushing Kaito back with a flick of his wrist. The force sent Kaito stumbling, barely able to keep his footing.

Yuna: "Kaito!" Yuna’s voice was filled with panic, her hand tightening around the hilt of her own sword. She wanted to help, to fight, but her legs felt like lead, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t lose him—not like this.

Shigaraki grinned, stepping closer to Kaito, who was struggling to stand.

Shigaraki: "You’re running out of time. But don’t worry... I’ll make sure you watch her die before I finish you off."

Yuna’s blood turned to ice at his words. She drew her sword, stepping forward.

Yuna: "Stay away from him!" she shouted, but her voice wavered.

Kaito turned to her, his eyes filled with desperation.

Kaito: "Yuna, please... just run. I can hold him off for a little while longer, but you need to go!"

Tears welled up in Yuna’s eyes.

Yuna: "I’m not leaving you! I won’t let you die for me!"

Shigaraki laughed, a high-pitched, cruel sound that echoed through the forest.

Shigaraki: "Oh, how sweet. But it’s too late for that."

With a sudden burst of speed, Shigaraki lunged at Kaito, his blade gleaming in the moonlight. Kaito barely managed to parry the strike, his strength faltering as Shigaraki’s blade pushed against his own.

For a moment, Kaito held his ground, their blades locked in a deadly dance. But Yuna could see it—the exhaustion in his eyes, the way his body trembled under the strain. He couldn’t keep this up.

Kaito: "Run... Yuna!" Kaito shouted, his voice strained as he pushed back against Shigaraki’s blade.

Yuna shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

Yuna: "No! I won’t leave you!"

Shigaraki grinned, sensing Kaito’s weakening resolve. With a final, brutal shove, he knocked Kaito’s sword aside, raising his own blade for the killing blow.

But Kaito, summoning every last ounce of strength he had left, brought his sword up in a desperate parry, blocking the attack at the last second.

Shigaraki: "Bye-bye, Kaito," he whispered, his voice a cold whisper as he lunged forward, his blade gleaming as it aimed straight for Kaito’s heart.

End of Episode.