Brody suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha..."
Kaito frowned.
"...What's so funny?"
Brody wiped the blood from his mouth and looked at the two of them.
"Damn..."
"You gangsters just keep coming."
"One after another."
He slowly climbed back to his feet.
"So be it."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out another serum.
Rin's eyes narrowed.
"...Again?"
Brody smiled.
"This time..."
"It's the final showdown."
Without hesitation, he injected the serum into his neck.
Click.
The liquid flowed into his body.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then the wounds across his chest and arm slowly began to close.
The bleeding stopped.
Kaito's eyes widened.
"...He healed?"
Rin clicked his tongue.
"...Crap."
Brody rolled his shoulders before cracking his neck.
His purple aura flared once more.
He smiled at the two gangsters.
"Now..."
"Let's fight again."
He disappeared in a burst of speed.
Whoosh!
Kaito vanished as well.
The two crossed paths in an instant.
Kaito suddenly appeared behind Brody.
"Too slow."
He slashed with his knife.
But Brody twisted his body at the last second.
The blade missed.
Before Kaito could retreat—
Boom!
Brody spun around and delivered a powerful kick.
Kaito was launched across the room.
Crash!
At the same moment, Rin rushed in from the front.
He swung his scythe toward Brody's side.
Shing!
Brody leaned back, narrowly avoiding the blade.
His hand shot forward.
He caught the shaft of Rin's scythe.
"What—"
With frightening strength, Brody swung Rin around like a rag doll.
Rin's feet left the ground.
Brody released him.
Boom!
Rin crashed into the far wall.
Before Brody could continue—
Thud!
Kaito reappeared and kicked Brody's leg from the side.
Brody staggered for a split second.
Rin immediately seized the opportunity.
He charged back in.
Slash!
The scythe carved across Brody's chest.
Blood splattered onto the floor.
Brody looked down at the fresh wound.
Then...
He smiled.
"Nice teamwork."
Before either gangster could retreat—
Brody shot both hands forward.
He grabbed Rin by the shoulder...
...and Kaito by the collar.
"Now..."
He pulled them toward each other.
Bang!
Their bodies slammed together.
Both of them groaned from the impact.
Brody laughed before throwing them away in opposite directions.
Crash!
The two hit the ground almost simultaneously.
Brody calmly walked forward, the purple aura swirling around his body as the battle showed no signs of ending.
Before Brody could make another move—
"Boom!"
A familiar voice echoed through the corridor.
Brody looked down.
A small device had been attached to the center of his chest.
Bomb grinned from only a few steps away.
"Surprise!"
He snapped his fingers.
"Boom!"
BOOM!!
The device exploded, engulfing Brody in smoke and flames.
The shockwave echoed throughout the hallway.
For a moment...
Nothing.
Then a figure slowly stepped out of the smoke.
Brody swung his arm, clearing away the remaining dust.
"...Is that all?"
Before he could finish—
Thud!
Fanny burst through the smoke and drove a devastating punch straight into his face.
Crunch!
Brody's black glasses shattered into pieces.
The force sent him sliding across the corridor.
Fanny landed lightly on the ground.
Rin couldn't hide his surprise.
"You guys..."
Bomb scratched the back of his head and laughed.
"Sorry we're late."
Brody slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his lips.
He looked at the four gangsters gathered before him.
"...Very annoying little subjects."
Without another word, he lunged toward them.
Whoosh!
Kaito immediately threw several knives.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Brody twisted his body, avoiding every single blade.
Kaito watched carefully.
"...I've never done this before."
"But..."
"I'd like to try."
He placed a hand on Fanny's shoulder.
"Ready?"
Fanny smiled.
"Always."
In an instant—
Whoosh!
The two disappeared.
A split second later, they appeared beside one of Kaito's knives that had landed behind Brody.
Fanny's eyes widened.
"...Oh."
"Nice."
She immediately drove a heavy punch into Brody's back.
Boom!
Brody staggered forward.
At the same time, Kaito appeared beside Bomb.
"You're next."
Bomb looked at him in confusion.
"Wait a second..."
"I don't like—"
Before he could finish—
Whoosh!
The two vanished.
They instantly reappeared beside Brody.
Bomb turned pale.
"...I'm going to be sick."
Even so, he threw a punch.
Bang!
His fist connected with Brody's face, smashing him into the floor.
Crash!
Brody pushed himself up, breathing heavily.
"...What..."
"...is that move?"
Before he could recover—
Whoosh!
Kaito appeared directly in front of him once more.
This time...
Rin stood beside him.
Rin smiled faintly.
"Hi there."
Slash!
His scythe carved across Brody's chest again.
Brody reached out to grab them—
Too late.
They vanished.
Whoosh!
Kaito suddenly appeared behind Brody.
Shing!
His knife plunged into Brody's back, striking along his spine.
Brody's body stiffened as the four gangsters surrounded him from every direction, leaving him no chance to catch his breath.
Brody's expression darkened.
"...Enough."
Before Fanny could throw another punch—
Whoosh!
Brody grabbed her by the wrist.
"What—?!"
With a powerful motion, he slammed her into the floor.
Boom!
The ground cracked beneath the impact.
Fanny gritted her teeth.
"Gah..."
Rin appeared from Brody's blind side.
He raised his scythe.
"Your fight is with me!"
Shing!
The blade swept toward Brody.
Brody turned at the last second.
Instead of blocking the scythe, he grabbed Rin by the collar.
"Too predictable."
He spun and hurled Rin across the corridor.
Rin crashed straight into Bomb.
"Oof!"
The two tumbled together, sliding across the floor until they nearly went over the edge of the second floor.
Bomb quickly grabbed the railing.
"Whoa!"
"That was close!"
Rin steadied himself and climbed back to his feet.
Above them—
Kaito leaped high into the air.
He pulled a rope from his belt and tied it to one of his knives.
"...Let's try this."
With a sharp flick of his wrist, he threw the knife.
Shing!
The blade shot past Brody before embedding itself in the nearby ruins.
Kaito immediately grabbed the rope with both hands.
"Come here!"
He pulled with all his strength.
Using the tension, his body swung through the air at incredible speed.
Like a pendulum, he flew straight toward Brody with his knife ready.
Brody calmly raised one hand.
Thud!
He caught the rope before Kaito could reach him.
With a violent tug—
Snap!
The rope tore apart.
Kaito's eyes widened.
"...What?!"
Brody rushed forward before Kaito could recover.
Boom!
His fist slammed into Kaito's crossed arms.
Kaito blocked the punch, but the force was overwhelming.
Crash!
He was launched backward and smashed into the wall, cracks spreading through the concrete behind him.
Brody slowly lowered his fist.
"You gangsters..."
"...are starting to annoy me."
Brody slowly walked toward Kaito.
Each step echoed through the damaged corridor.
Kaito tried to push himself off the wall, but his body refused to respond.
"...Damn."
Brody reached down and grabbed Kaito by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground.
"How about..."
"I deal with you first?"
Kaito looked back at him without saying a word.
Then—
"Guys!!!"
A familiar voice echoed through the corridor.
Brody frowned.
"...What?"
He looked up.
There was nothing.
The hallway above was completely empty.
Brody looked back at Kaito.
Kaito simply smiled.
Brody narrowed his eyes.
"...What's so funny?"
A brilliant light suddenly illuminated the corridor.
Both of them instinctively looked up again.
Standing on the upper level...
...was Saito.
His eyes glowed with a radiant light.
On each pupil appeared the symbol of Seraph—a divine spear with a pair of wings spread along its sides.
At the same time, streams of glowing wings unfolded behind his back.
Saito smiled down at them.
"...Not fair."
"You guys are having fun without me."
His gaze shifted toward Brody.
The smile disappeared.
"Divine Spear."
A massive spear of light formed high above the corridor.
It hovered for a brief moment...
...before plunging downward.
Brody's eyes widened.
"What—?!"
He raised both arms to block.
Boom!!
The divine spear crashed into him with overwhelming force.
The floor beneath Brody shattered.
Cracks spread across the corridor before the entire section collapsed.
Brody was driven straight through the broken floor into the darkness below.
Saito immediately jumped after him.
As he disappeared into the dust, he shouted,
"Find Alya!"
"I'll meet you there!"
A second later, both Saito and Brody vanished into the darkness beneath the ruined floor.
Silence filled the corridor.
Kaito stared at the massive hole left behind.
Then he let out a tired sigh.
"...He should've come earlier."