Souji's plan to split up had backfired, leaving him alone, facing the original pirate, while Fushi and Mika were being pursued by clones, summoned by some form of Sorcery. Sweat beaded on Souji's forehead as he tightened his grip on his fists, his sorcery simmering just beneath the surface. The streets of mid-apocalyptic Tokyo were quiet, the silence broken only by the sound of crumbling buildings and distant battles. The air was thick with dust and the faint smell of decay, but all of Souji's attention was focused on the man standing before him.

The pirate, a hulking figure dressed in ragged leather armor, smirked as he twirled his short axe in one hand. His expression was one of amusement, as though he found Souji's defiance laughable. But Souji wasn't about to back down. He couldn't—not with so much on the line.

I can't die here. Nii-chan is waiting for me.

That thought anchored him, pushing away the fear that gnawed at his resolve. Souji's flames flickered to life, glowing a fiery aqua around his fists as he squared off against the pirate.

"So," the pirate sneered, "you're another sorcerer, huh? I've killed plenty of your kind. You'll just be another skull in his collection."

Souji's eyes hardened. "Those skulls you pulled out, did you clone them from your own body?"

The pirate gave a quick and precise answer, "No." causing Souji to clench his fists and grit his teeth, clearly angered by this response

Souji looked up, making direct eye contact with the pirate, "Then… Those people… What were their names?"

The pirate paused, clearly caught off guard by the question. Then, with a lazy shrug, he grinned. "Names? Heh, I never bothered to ask."

The casual cruelty in his tone sent a wave of anger through Souji, igniting his resolve. He understood now—this man wasn't just a pirate. He was a killer, someone who thrived on the suffering of others who just so happened to gain sorcery. And Souji couldn't let him walk away. Not after what he had done, not with Fushi and Mika's lives on the line.

Without another word, the pirate lunged, his axe slicing through the air with deadly intent. Souji barely had time to dodge, the blade missing him by inches. He countered with a quick punch to the pirate's forearm, his flames surging on impact. The pirate let out a grunt of surprise as his arm went slightly numb, the axe slipping slightly from his grasp.

"Damn sorcerer…" the pirate growled, shaking his arm as though trying to regain feeling. But Souji didn't give him a chance to recover. He pressed the attack, landing another flaming punch to the pirate's dominant arm. The numbing effect spread further, weakening his opponent's grip on the weapon.

But Souji was already feeling the strain. His sorcery was more powerful than others, sure, but it drained him quickly. Every punch, every surge of flame, sapped his stamina bit by bit. He couldn't keep this up for long.

I have to end this fast before I wear myself out.

Sensing Souji's exhaustion, the pirate shifted tactics. With a wild grin, he kicked up a cloud of debris, sending dust and rubble flying toward Souji's face. Blinded, Souji stumbled back, blinking furiously to clear his vision. The pirate's mocking laughter echoed through the street as he moved in for the kill.

"You're not so tough now, are you?" the pirate taunted, raising his axe for a killing blow.

Think, Souji, think!

Through the haze of dust, Souji's eyes locked onto a nearby building. The structure was already on the verge of collapse, its supports barely holding it together. An idea sparked in Souji's mind. It was risky—dangerous even—but it was his only shot.

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The pirate charged, axe raised high. Souji waited, his heart pounding in his chest. At the last possible second, he dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the axe as it slammed into the ground where he had been standing. As he rolled to his feet, Souji punched the ground, his flames bursting forth in a powerful wave. "PITAAA!" he shouted, much like a battle cry, as his flames snaked through the rubble, igniting the already weakened support beam of the building.

The structure groaned under the strain, and the pirate's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. But before he could react, the building began to collapse, tons of debris falling toward him. Souji didn't hesitate. He charged forward, his fists blazing, and grabbed the pirate's legs, numbing them instantly with his sorcery.

The pirate howled in pain, struggling to move, but his legs refused to obey. Souji's flames intensified as he unleashed his final attack.

"Iden Teitei… Meltdown!" Souji roared the words echoing through the empty streets. His sorcery surged, the flames consuming the pirate's legs as the building came crashing down.

The pirate's scream was cut short as he was buried beneath the rubble, the weight of the collapsing structure sealing his fate as various rocks and building parts landed mere centimeters from Souji's position. Souji staggered back, gasping for breath as his flames flickered and died out. His body ached, every muscle protesting the strain he had just put it through. But it was over. He had won.

It paid off… Too close though…

As the dust settled, Souji swayed on his feet, exhaustion threatening to pull him under. But before he could collapse, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Souji!"

Mika appeared from the shadows, his eyes wide with concern as he rushed to Souji's side. "Are you okay?"

Souji nodded weakly, leaning heavily on Mika for support. "I… I'm fine. But Fushi… is he—?"

"He's safe," Mika assured him, his voice calm but firm. "I found him. We need to get you somewhere to rest."

Souji's mind swirled with relief, but his body felt like it could give out at any second. He had pushed himself to the limit, but he had survived. With Mika's help, he would find the strength to keep going.

As they made their way through the ruined streets, Souji allowed himself to look back at the rubble.

His eyes were in anguish as he stared at the collapsed building. I didn't want to…

Mika had noticed Souji's gaze and had caught his attention, "Souji, it's fine. If you let him go he likely would've gone on to continue doing his business as a pirate. That guy was a murderer, don't feel bad, you were delivering justice in this area that doesn't have a justice system anymore."

Their gazes traveled around them, taking in the view of collapsed buildings, blood stains on the walls, and a murky feel to the atmosphere, aiding the eeriness of the cluttered streets as bin bags flew through the wind, cars remained still on the sides and the middle of the streets, and once in use structures like a bus stop had crumbled before the world, it's bus-stop sign had fallen onto the streets, its paint faded into a musky white, barely legible. In the silence of their gazes, Souji had much to reflect on as they continued to walk.