The sound of the collapse echoed through the whole tower.

«Alright! Grab the Fuyumi!» he ordered. «I’ll hold them.» His gaze went to Kaito, still struggling to free himself from the ash.

—Shit! I can’t get it off—

The boy’s hands were completely locked by Akizame’s power.

The Reikeitai member approached Yume first. He fastened special manacles onto her wrists, each topped with a glowing crystal.

«Akizame! Don’t touch her!» Kaito snapped.

With a simple movement, the opponent lifted the ash, dragging Kaito into the air.

«I warned you… and you did as you pleased.» Akizame pulled out another pair of manacles.

He hurried toward the boy.

At that moment, Kaito pitched his body forward: with a kick he sent one of his blades spinning into the air.

He caught it between his teeth as he fell.

«Pressure Mode!»

A wave of energy burst from his body, sweeping away the ash that had imprisoned him.

He landed immediately after, grabbing the other blade and preparing to fight, breathing hard but with a fierce look.

«I don’t have time for this!» Akizame said, bringing his hand forward.

Shards of ash shot from his fingers.

—I can dodge them…—

Kaito tried to move, but his body wouldn’t obey.

—Tsk!!!—

The shards hit him squarely, hurling him against one of the large fallen concrete slabs, pinning him against it.

Meanwhile, the top of the Tenshō Tower split completely and toppled backward.

Above them, the sky opened.

«Fuck!» Tetsuya exclaimed, watching the scene. He had already restrained Reiji, too shocked to react.

—I can’t… move…!—

Kaito was still conscious, but barely.

—Could it be from the constant use of Pressure Mode…?—

He tried to lift his gaze toward the Knight.

But he was gone.

—I’ve even run out of Shirogane’s energy…!—

A chill ran down his spine.

—Wait… the voice!—

An idea came to him.

—Can you hear me?! I’m talking to you, voice!— he kept calling inside himself.

But no one answered.

At the same time, Akizame hoisted Yume onto his shoulder without the slightest hesitation.

—I… can’t do anything more…—

Kaito understood. In his condition he had no chance of winning.

The concrete that trapped him crumbled a little more.

The boy fell to the ground, helpless.

«Yume!!» he managed to call weakly. «I promise you… I’ll come get you!»

The girl, just conscious, looked at him with effort.

Kaito, in a desperate gesture, threw one of his blades toward her.

Akizame reached out and caught it midair.

At the same instant, the ceiling above the boy’s body began to shatter.

—Okay… the important thing is that the blade is close to her…—

The ceiling collapsed completely, burying Kaito.

A cloud of dust enveloped the area.

Akizame covered his face and waited.

When the dust cleared… there was no trace of the boy.

—Could he be… dead?— he thought, scanning the rubble.

He glanced at Yume. «She’s lost consciousness again.»

«Tetsuya! Let’s go!» Akizame ran to him.

His companion had already taken the two remaining Fuyumi.

Another section of the tower exploded into pieces.

The two Reikeitai members lunged for the White Place exit.

A few seconds later they reached the long staircase connecting to the tower’s main structure.

—We won’t make it like this…— Tetsuya thought, out of breath.

At that instant, what remained of the Tenshō Tower began to tilt forward, giving way entirely.

The floor beneath their feet bent, slick and slanted.

Akizame, Tetsuya, the two Fuyumi and Yume lost their balance and were dragged toward the huge windows.

Parts of the structure, previously fallen, began sliding toward them because of the slope.

«This is getting bad! Enzo....» Akizame didn’t finish the sentence: air-blades descended onto the debris, shattering them and stopping them suddenly.

«You?!» he turned sharply.

Reiji was there and had just helped them.

The two Reikeitai members quickly got to their feet.

«Why did you help us?» Tetsuya asked.

«To get Kagura out…» Reiji replied, icy.

«And you?» Akizame pressed.

«I… will buy you some time.» Behind him the spirit appeared, still bound, his face contorted with pain.

«With my spiritual power I can keep the tower standing a few more seconds. You… go.»

«You’re a criminal. You should come with us.» Tetsuya retorted.

Reiji remained silent.

Akizame passed him without turning. «Let’s go.» He picked Yume up again.

«Are you kidding me?!» Tetsuya burst out.

«You don’t understand.» Akizame answered without looking back. «He knows he’s going to die. And, given who he is… the higher-ups would execute him anyway. It doesn’t change anything.»

Tetsuya fell silent, digesting the words. Then he lifted Kagura.

«Akizame, break the glass. Then make a bridge of ash.» he suggested, looking at the distance to the adjacent building.

«Sounds like a great idea. Hold her too.» Akizame handed Yume to him; then, with free hands, he summoned Enzo.

With a single stroke the window exploded outward.

«Go, Enzo!» A long bridge of ash shot into the void, connecting to the neighboring building several meters away.

Tetsuya was the first to dash across.

«Member of the Reikeitai!» Reiji called Akizame one last time.

«What is it?» Akizame kept walking.

«I know I have no right to make requests…» Reiji gasped, crushed by the effort of the spiritual energy he was using.

«Help Kagura… don’t let her be executed. Please…» he gritted his teeth, trembling.

Akizame was silent for a moment, then barely nodded.

«I can’t promise you anything. But… I’ll do my best.»

Having said that, he ran along the ash bridge.

A bitter smile crossed Reiji’s face.

«Good… mother, father… I’m coming to join you.»

A final tremor ran through the tower. Then the Tenshō Tower collapsed completely.

The roar was so powerful it shook the entire city.

«I can’t believe it! The Fuyumi tower has collapsed!» a woman in the crowd cried, in shock. The murmurs erupted everywhere, uncontrollable.

Akizame and Tetsuya had just managed to reach the roof of the other skyscraper.

Both turned toward the huge cloud of dust that darkened a part of the sky.

«It’s… over.» Tetsuya murmured.

At the end of the clash that had involved Kaito, Yume and the Fuyumi… the only ones who had lost nothing were the members of the Reikeitai.

That evening, the papers talked of nothing else. Images of the collapse filled every screen in the city.

In the alleys of the outskirts, shrouded in shadow, a figure staggered, trying to move away from the disaster zone.

That figure was Kaito.