Kaito lunged toward Enma.

«Spirit Binding—»

The words died in his throat.

Enma had already drawn the Wakizashi.

«What…?!»

Kaito immediately understood what was about to happen.

«Spirit....»

Time seemed to slow down.

Enma was controlling the power of the Wakizashi.

«Slayer...!»

A blue beam erupted from the blade.

The strike cut through the air in a flash.

Kaito’s body was hurled away.

An instant later, he slammed back into the ground.

The earth buckled beneath the impact.

Silence.

—No…—

Kaito trembled.

—Ah… ah… impossible…—

Blood began to flow from the gash across his chest.

He fell to his knees.

His breath broken.

«How…»

He clenched his teeth and slowly stood back up.

«How did he…»

His eyes locked onto Enma.

«How did he use a Spirit Slayer…?»

«Give up…»

Enma stopped at the edge of the split in the ground.

«Hand over the other Wakizashi.» he said, extending his hand.

Kaito spat blood.

«Tell me something…» the boy slowly raised the blade.

«Why are you people from the Reikeitai so obsessed with these weapons?»

The metal reflected his wounded face.

«These…» he gritted his teeth.

«Are his last legacy.»

He bent his knees.

Ready to spring.

«You’re the one who should give it back to me!»

His body vanished.

Enma followed the movement with his eyes.

A flash.

Kaito’s blade sliced across his shoulder.

Or at least…

so he thought.

«A scale barrier!»

A violet layer formed in front of Enma’s body.

Orochi’s scales had deflected the attack.

«What—»

A gigantic shadow crashed down on him before he could react.

Orochi’s body swept over the hill, uprooting trees.

An instant later Kaito was trapped.

The serpent’s coils closed around him.

—Shit!—

The pressure increased.

His ribs began to creak.

It started to crush him.

Enma jumped onto Orochi’s tail.

He landed lightly atop the serpent’s coils and leaned toward Kaito.

«You know…»

Kaito could barely hold back his screams as the crushing grip squeezed him tighter.

«I was born with a spiritual energy capacity… way beyond the norm.»

His voice was calm.

«Using these blades is child’s play for me.»

Kaito tried to move his arm.

In vain.

«You thought you were hunting us down…» Enma continued.

«You thought the path shown by that blade would give you an advantage…»

He paused briefly.

«But in reality, it only allowed me to find you.»

He extended his hand.

Kaito’s fingers slowly opened.

The blade slipped from his grip.

Enma caught it.

«Now this is mine.»

Kaito’s eyes were already losing focus.

Orochi had already shattered several of his bones.

Enma straightened.

Then he turned his back on him.

«Toss him down.»

He took a step forward.

«He’s nothing more than a petty criminal now.»

«He’s no longer a threat.»

The serpent’s coils loosened.

An instant later, Orochi hurled Kaito’s body down the hill.

The boy rolled through rocks and dirt.

Lower and lower.

Orochi slowly vanished into Enma’s shadow.

Silence returned to the devastated hill.

Enma slipped a hand into his coat pocket and took out a phone.

«Neriwa.» He paused briefly.

«Inform the capital.» His eyes settled on the slope where Kaito’s body had disappeared.

«Tell them I recovered both of Ren Ryuzen’s weapons.»

Then he concluded coldly.

«And report that the criminal known as Kaito… is dead.»

Enma walked away.

Meanwhile, Kaito’s body lay on the ground, submerged in a pool of blood.

—It’s… cold…—

His thoughts were blurred.

—Am I… dying?—

He lowered his gaze.

The blood kept flowing down to his legs.

—So much blood…—

He stared at it almost hypnotically.

—I'd like… to sleep…—

His eyelids began to give way.

«Kaito! Are you okay?»

A worried voice called out to him.

He slowly lifted his gaze.

«Yume…»

The girl was in front of him, kneeling.

«I told you not to do it.»

The space around them began to bend.

The world warped.

The environment changed.

An instant later Kaito found himself inside the ruined cabin of a train.

He looked around.

«This place…»

The memory hit him.

«This is where I saved Yume from Shirogane…»

Something moved among the broken seats.

A mass of shadows slowly gathered in the corridor of the cabin.

Kaito clenched his fists.

«You…»

A figure emerged from the shadows.

A face Kaito knew all too well.

«Kaito… long time no see.» It gave a faint smile.

«What are you doing here?» the boy asked, keeping his distance.

The figure looked at its own hands.

«Nothing.»

It moved them slowly.

«I’m just a product of your mind.»

He paused briefly.

«I’d even say… well done.»

Kaito remained silent.

«You’re dying from blood loss.» the figure continued calmly.

«A part of you is still clinging to life.»

Suddenly the train began to bend.

The metal screeched.

The windows exploded.

«What are you doing?!»

Kaito grabbed onto the seats as the cabin shook violently.

«Your subconscious thinks you can save her…»

«Just like you did with me.»

It took a step forward.

«But the truth…»

It stopped for a moment.

«Is that you are dying.»

it continued.

«You didn’t protect her like you promised Hauromi.»

Another step.

«Reina… Ren… and Rin.»

Its eyes grew colder.

«They died because of you.»

Kaito stood frozen.

«You won’t be able to save anyone!»

The train crumpled in on itself.

«Hah…!»

Kaito jolted awake.

His breath came in short gasps.

He was soaked in sweat.

A few moments passed as he tried to steady his breathing.

«Are you okay?»

At the voice, the boy slowly lifted his head.

«Lio?»

He recognized the child.

Then he looked around.

He was in a small room.

The lights were dim, the windows broken.

It looked like the inside of a destroyed house.

He lowered his gaze to his own body.

He was wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

«What am I doing here…?» he brought a hand to his still aching head.

«My sister and I saved you.» the child explained.

«This is our base.»

Kaito remained silent for a moment.

«Well, thank you…»

«We don’t want your thanks.»

Another voice joined the conversation.

Kaito looked up.

«Rika…»

The girl was wearing an apron and holding a tray with a hot plate on it.

She approached and set it down in front of him.

«Here. Try to eat something…» she said, trying to sound indifferent.

«Why are you being so kind?» Kaito asked, taking the tray.

Rika blushed slightly.

«My sister will never admit it, but she’s grateful you let her escape.» Lio said with a smile.

«Hey! Shut your mouth!» she snapped at him.

Kaito watched them for a moment.

Then he spoke.

«I’ll join you.»

Rika widened her eyes.

«What?»

Kaito lifted his gaze.

«I said I don’t care if you’re criminals.»

He paused.

«I’ll save Yume.»

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