"We've wasted a lot of time, young master. I'm relieved you're alright, and I have to commend you for your intelligence and determination," Mika said, his voice calm but tinged with concern and admiration. Souji, however, wasn't listening to the praise. His gaze was focused on Fushi, unconscious on his shoulder, and the bitter memory of the fight they'd just finished.

"Yeah, but that wasn't who we're after. He was probably just one of the sorcerer's goons, like those pirates who brought us here, that's because he didn't have an ability that involved the bones of humans, Shoko could probably send himself into different objects, I don't see why he would need human skulls…" Souji responded sharply. His mind raced as he thought about Shoko and the other threats that still lay ahead. "But if Shoko was here, if he was affiliated, then the sorcerer must be close by."

Mika's eyes followed Souji's toward the elevator. It stood ominously at the far end of the room, its steel doors a barrier between them and whatever lay ahead. "And since he didn't attack us during the fight," Mika added, "it means he's further ahead, likely up above the Tokyo Skytree, it's gonna be a dangerous setting, it's like fighting on a crane but we get a wider stage. You ready for this, Souji?"

Souji turned to him, his face set in grim determination. "I'll accept nothing less," he declared, his hand clenching into a fist.

Mika's heart ached for his young master. He couldn't help but admire Souji's resolve, but he also knew the boy carried too much on his shoulders—searching for his brother, protecting his friends, all while staying true to his ideals. As Mika stood beside him, a tear welled up in his eye, though he quickly wiped it away before Souji could see.

"They'll pay for making him suffer like this," Mika thought bitterly, his hand tightening around the the pins in his hand, which he stuffed back into his hair.

With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid open, and the two of them stepped inside. As the elevator ascended, the tension between them grew, unspoken but palpable. The hum of the machinery was the only sound in the tight space.

Mika broke the silence. "Souji… how do we know that guy won't come back? Fushi hasn't woken up yet, so we don't really know who's in control. Is it really safe to be carrying him around like this?"

Souji glanced at Fushi, slumped and unconscious on his shoulder. His face softened, though his voice remained firm. "Fushi will come back," he said with quiet conviction. "I'm sure of it. He's stronger than we give him credit for. After all, he has the largest energy capacity out of all three of us."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Souji's thoughts churned as he recalled the fight. "What I did back there… using my sorcery like that, I've never done anything like it before. I didn't even realize I could use it that way. If I could just tap into that creativity more often, I know I could become even stronger. Strong enough to find Toru." His eyes narrowed with renewed focus.

It's because I was immersed, that level of immersion, with my life on the line, that level of a fight, it wasn't a usual brawl I had to use my brains, I had to think outside the box… It was, invigorating…

Mika's voice cut through his thoughts. "Let's kill that sorcerer, Souji. He's the one behind all of this."

Souji nodded, his determination unwavering. "Yeah. We will."

[h3]Ten Minutes Earlier[/h3]

A group of rough-looking men stepped out of the same elevator, their footsteps echoing through the narrow hallway. At the front of the group was a towering figure, his broad shoulders barely fitting in the confined space. He grinned darkly as he stared ahead at the figure standing before him—a man cloaked in shadow, his face obscured.

"So this is the guy, huh? Mr. Zombie-dude?" one of the men sneered. "Or should I call you 'Yuzu'?"

The cloaked figure didn't respond. He simply stood there, motionless, as the group of goons advanced. The first man, wielding a large gut knife, charged forward with a ferocious yell, his muscles bulging as he threw himself at Yuzu with reckless abandon.

But Yuzu barely reacted. Just as the knife-wielding goon was about to strike, Yuzu's hand shot out, grabbing a bone from a pouch on his side. In a blur of motion, the bone morphed into a long, jagged blade. He moved with such speed and precision that the goon didn't even have time to react before Yuzu slashed across his face, sending the man tumbling to the floor in a heap.

"Meaty legs," Yuzu muttered, almost to himself, as he glanced down at the fallen man. Without a second thought, he threw a handful of small bones onto the ground. The bones clattered across the floor, and from them, shadowy creatures emerged, their forms twisting and writhing as they crawled toward the goon. The man's eyes widened in horror as the shadowy beings latched onto his legs, their inky tendrils tightening around him.

"Damn it!" he cursed, struggling to free himself, but it was too late. Yuzu stepped forward, raising the bone-dagger high, ready to strike again.

Before he could bring the blade down, another of the goons, a man named Genji, leapt into action. With a powerful kick, he sent Yuzu flying backward, the bone-dagger clattering to the floor as Yuzu stumbled.

"Don't die yet, Venn," Genji said, his eyes locked onto Yuzu with cold determination. "We still need you."

Venn gritted his teeth as he struggled to break free from the shadows binding him. "Thanks, Genji."

Yuzu stood, his bones already reforming. His hood had fallen back, revealing his face—large, unnaturally round eyes and a gaunt, skeletal expression. He grinned, though it was more unsettling than anything else.

"Beautiful…" Yuzu whispered, seemingly admiring the chaos around him. "Do you enjoy… opening things up too?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Genji growled, his body tense, ready to spring into action.

But before anyone could move, another goon, who had stayed back during the initial fight, appeared out of nowhere. His leg shot forward in a high arc, slamming into Yuzu's face with enough force to crack bone. The sound echoed through the hallway, and Yuzu's body crumpled to the floor.

For a moment, there was silence. The goons stared down at Yuzu's lifeless form, stunned by the sudden end of the fight.

But something was off. The man who had delivered the final blow narrowed his eyes as he looked down at Yuzu's body.

"Wait…" he muttered, a sense of dread creeping over him.