Blood was spilling onto the broken pavement beneath your aching feet.

How did I get here? Your brain is reeling immense pain as you feel the heat only rising, and you just barely stumble back to dodge yet another attack. He was relentless with his attacks, yet you were more than sure he was just toying with you, as would a cat with a mouse.

“Awh, I thought I’d get you with that one. Surely you can’t dodge this?” Ryomen chortled with a hint of sarcasm in his teasing tone. He was loving every second of this like it was a movie in theaters before him. Well, as if seeing a damaged body desperately try to dodge and barely miss attacks was any different from all the movies on TV you’ve watched.

As if Ryomen caught you in thought, you’d felt a stinging heat on your spine. You itched to react, and your body was screaming weakly for relief, but you just couldn’t. It wasn’t because you were afraid, no. You’d watched this man kill all of your friends, family, and even innocent beings—Fear wasn’t even a question in this situation. Your body was too exhausted and in pain to do anything but collapse, so you did.

“Hm. Looks like you’re weak after all, but I shouldn’t be surprised.” Ryomen’s footsteps were muffled by the sound of your heavy breathing. It didn’t feel real, and you could barely feel any part of your body through the intense pain trickling about.

Is this the end? Your mind was too full to pinpoint one idea or another. You didn’t have to think for too long, though. Not as Ryomen grabbed you by the collar of your bloodied shirt and pull you up to his eye level, and gave an amused chuckle at your exhaustion.

“Oh? You’re still alive? I thought you died on me, what a surprise!” Ryomen sounded pleased in a way, as if this was some sick entertainment.