CHAPTER 112
The sky thundered as the monstrous humanoid beast tore downward from the colossal gate like a falling star, its aura shaking the entire district. Its wings cut through the clouds. Its claws glowed with killing intent.
Dracan roared, leaping with everything he had.
"Big brother!!!"
Renji bared his teeth, launching forward right beside him.
The beast's eyes—cold, ancient, merciless locked onto them.
"Shut up."
In one instant—in less than a heartbeat—its arm swung.
BOOOOM!!!
Dracan was punched out of the sky and slammed into the earth like a meteor, the ground exploding upward. Dust and stone shot everywhere.
He vanished into a crater.
"Dracan!!!" Renji shouted.
But the beast wasn't done.
Renji tried to warn the hunters again
"RUN!!!"
But none of them moved. Fear rooted them in place. Their minds couldn't process the sheer pressure in the air.
The humanoid beast spread its wings, charging downward like a crimson comet.
Takeda clenched his teeth. "So fast—!"
Renji's eyes sharpened.
He refused to lose anyone not again.
He gathered strength in his legs.
"I won't hold back this time."
Takeda stepped beside him, fists glowing with golden mana.
"Let's go!"
"Yes!"
Both moved in perfect sync
WOOSH
Their speed tore the air apart as they launched themselves upward to intercept the falling monster.
Takeda aimed first, fist pulled back.
The humanoid beast scoffed.
"Too slow."
Just as he was about to strike Takeda—
Renji appeared in front of him like a phantom blur.
The beast's eyes widened.
Fast!
Renji roared, his fist glowing blood-red—
BOOOOM!!!
The punch smashed the beast straight across the battlefield, his body tearing through the wall of a nearby building.
Takeda landed, shock on his face.
"Nice work, Renji!"
Dust fell from Renji's coat as he exhaled.
But from inside the ruin
The monster rose.
Slowly. Calmly. Smiling.
"I see… he leapt through the air first as a decoy."
His eyes darkened.
"In that case… no more decoys."
Before anyone could blink
He vanished.
Takeda and Renji both sensed the movement but couldn't track it.
"He's coming—!!"
Too late.
The humanoid beast wasn't attacking Renji or Takeda.
He aimed for....
the hunters.
In one instant:
SLASH SLASH SLASH
Hearts ripped out.
Bodies collapsed.
Screams echoed.
Dozens of hunters died without even understanding what killed them.
Blood splattered across the ground like spilled ink.
Kobayashi Ren tried to dodge—only barely—but
A sudden impact blew his torso in half.
"AHHHH!!" he screamed as blood flooded the ground.
Renji's eyes went wide.
Takeda felt his stomach drop.
This wasn't a raid.
This was slaughter.
The humanoid beast turned his head casually, looking at the survivors.
"Next."
In a blink
BOOM
His clawed hand was already around Takeda's throat.
Renji's eyes widened.
I didn't even see him move!
"Takeda-sama!!"
Takeda struggled, gasping, face turning purple as the claws tightened around his neck.
His mind screamed
Impossible… he's stronger than the generals!
The dragon-like humanoid beast raised his other hand, claws shimmering with killing intent.
"Shut up," he said without looking at Renji. "You are in the way. I'll deal with you next."
A burst of invisible force smashed into Renji—
BOOOOM!!
He was blasted across the battlefield, crashing through a building and disappearing under rubble.
Takeda's vision blurred.
The beast stared into his eyes coldly.
"DIE."
Just as the killing blow was about to land
BOOOOOOM!!!
The ground erupted.
Dracan burst out from beneath the earth like a dragon freed from hell, dust exploding around him.
His voice thundered
"Shut up!! Who do you think you are!!"
His fist connected with the humanoid beast's face
BOOM!!!
The impact shook the entire street, sending the monster staggering backward.
Dracan landed, panting, eyes burning with grief and rage.
"I don't care if you are my brother!"
His hands tensed.
Blue draconic mana surged through his arms.
Claws formed over his fingers.
"No… my brother died. I saw it!"
Tears trembled in his eyes.
BUT!!!
"I don't care if you look dragon-like…"
He glared with killing intent so dense it shook the air.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
The winds whipped violently across the fractured battlefield as the colossal gate pulsed behind them, bleeding waves of mana so thick the air felt like liquid. Cracks of lightning arced across its surface, and every flicker revealed the towering silhouette of the humanoid beast waiting on the other side.
Renji exhaled, his glowing eyes fixed on the monster now standing fully in their world.
"Let's go, Dracan…" Renji said, stepping forward as his aura surged. "We can take him."
Dracan, now in his mid-sized battle-form, spread his wings wide, mana crackling through his scales. "Renji-sama… I am ready."
Takeda readied his blade, sweat already forming at his brow from the sheer pressure radiating off the intruder.
Renji's gaze sharpened like steel.
He stepped even closer.
"Tell me where my brother is."
The humanoid beast tilted its head, horned jaw cracking into a wicked grin.
"uhhh..So… it's true."
His voice was like rolling thunder.
"You really are my king's brother."
Takeda's eyes blew wide open.
"Brother!? Renji what the hell is he talking about!?"
What are you even talking about?
But Renji didn't answer.
Couldn't answer.
His mind was already locked onto the intruder like a predator.
He repeated, voice low and lethal:
"I'll ask once more.
Tell me where Azerin is."
Takeda asked again, desperate, "Renji! You're not making any sense! Azerin is Januza's brother what are you talking about"
Renji cut him off sharply, without turning.
"I'll explain later for now we need to take him down"
Dracan's tail snapped against the ground, flames curling around his fangs.
The humanoid beast laughed—loud, unhinged, shaking the broken confines of the battlefield.
"If you want my king…" He cracked his knuckles, muscles swelling, mana flaring sky-high.
"Then you'll have to beat it out of me."
A cold, dead silence.
Then
BOOOOOM!!!
The beast vanished.
Takeda barely had time to blink.
"Wha—"
A fist the size of a boulder smashed into Takeda's guard, sending him skidding across the asphalt like a meteor.
"TAKEDA!!!" Renji roared.
But the beast was already rotating bringing its leg around toward Renji.
Dracan burst forward with a roar.
"Don't touch Renji-sama!!!"
He unleashed a cyclone of flame from his jaws, the heat warping the air like molten glass.
The humanoid beast punched straight through the flames.
PSSHHHHHH!!!
The fire parted like it was nothing.
Dracan's eyes widened
"—!!"
A backhand slammed into him, sending the dragon spiraling, crashing through three skyscrapers before exploding into rubble.
"DRACAN!!!"
Renji's aura exploded in wrath.
He blurred and appeared in front of the beast, fist aimed at its jaw
The beast caught it easily.
"Too slow."
It drove its knee into Renji's ribs.
CRACK.
Renji spat blood as he was hurled backwards, tumbling through the air.
But he flipped mid-fall, landing with a burning trail beneath his feet.
Takeda reappeared beside him, panting hard, face bruised.
"Renji… that thing… it's beyond SSS-rank…!"
Renji wiped the blood from his lip.
"I know."
The beast walked toward them, each step shaking the pavement.
"You three…"
It cracked its neck.
"…are not even enough to warm me up."
Takeda gritted his teeth. "Tch talking like he's untouchable Renji, what's the plan?!"
Renji's aura erupted, black and crimson threads swirling around him.
"We overwhelm him together."
Dracan burst from the rubble in the distance, now in full gigantic dragon form, wings spreading across half the district.
"RENJI-SAMA!!! YOUR ORDER!!"
Renji pointed at the humanoid beast, eyes fixed.
"Kill him."
Dracan roared, unleashing a tsunami of flame bigger than an entire street.
Takeda dashed forward, blade glowing, aiming for the beast's legs.
And Renji charged from the front, fists blazing with pure mana.
The battlefield exploded.
Flame. Steel. Impact.
Each blow shook the sky.
But
The humanoid beast moved like a phantom.
He caught Takeda's blade between two fingers.
He tanked Dracan's flames like warm water.
He dodged Renji's punches with minimal effort.
Then
He struck.
A single spinning kick.
BOOOOOOOM!!!!
All three were blown away at once—three arcs streaking across the sky in different directions.
Renji smashed into the remains of a collapsed skyscraper.
Takeda tumbled across the ruined street, coughing blood.
Dracan crashed, carving a canyon through several blocks of the city.
The beast stood unscathed.
Untouched.
"Pathetic," he growled.
"You're all insects compared to my king."
Renji rose slowly… eyes glowing brighter than ever.
In his chest
A pulse.
A memory.
A voice.
Azerin… calling his name.
Renji clenched his fists, aura rising like a hurricane.
"This ends now," Renji whispered.
But the beast only grinned wider.
"No…
This is only the beginning."
The battlefield shook as Renji pulled himself from the rubble, dust falling from his hair like ash. His eyes glowed brighter—brighter than they ever had almost as if trying to burn through his entire eye
More memories were rising.
More truths.
More fragments of the past he had spent years forgetting.
FLASH—
He saw a boy standing in a cracked wasteland, silver hair, eyes burning like dying stars.
Azerin.
"No matter what we're always brothers…"
FLASH—
A throne made of corpses.
Azerin sitting upon it, smiling.
"The world you protect… I will burn."
FLASH—
Renji kneeling beside Azerin, a battlefield of monsters behind them, blood covering their hands.
"You two… were born from the same catastrophe…"
The light vanished.
Renji exhaled sharply, trembling.
"…Azerin…"
The humanoid beast laughed, arms wide open.
"I see it in your eyes, brother of the King. You're remembering."
He pointed at Renji.
"That fear… that anger… that bloodline."
Takeda forced himself up beside Renji, clutching his blade.
"Renji… what is this…? Who the hell is Azerin to you?"
Renji didn't look at him.
Didn't breathe for a moment.
"He's…"
His fists tightened.
"…the one who wants this world destroyed."
The beast grinned.
"Correction—he wants you. The world ends only after you die."
Takeda's face twisted. "What!?"
But the beast didn't stop.
"It was Azerin's order:
Break the seals.
Awaken Renji
Bring him home dead or alive."
Renji's gaze sharpened.
"You're not taking me anywhere."
The beast laughed again, spreading its arms.
"Oh, I will. Even if I have to tear this country apart."
As you are now even 10 of yourself can't even scratch my king
That's why...
The ground cracked beneath its feet as it prepared to charge
My king kill you before you awaken again!!
Sirens blared across every hallway, bright red lights spinning violently.
WEEEOOOO!!! WEEEOOOO!!!
STATE OF EMERGENCY. ALL CIVILIANS MUST TAKE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Hunters ran everywhere shouting, trembling, carrying the injured, blood staining the floor tiles.
Arisa burst through the front doors with Lily and Choji.
Lily clung to Arisa's coat.
"Arisa… is this really okay? Is Choji going to be fine?"
Choji answered instantly, forcing a smile.
"Y-Yeah… Renji is strong, y'know? Nothing takes him down."
But even he sounded unsure.
Just then
An officer sprinted toward them, pale and shaking.
"Hunter Arisa!!!"
Arisa turned sharply.
"What's the status!?"
The officer gulped hard.
"It's… it's bad. Dozens of hunters have already been killed Takeda is fighting but even he's being overwhelmed!
All other SS-ranks are out of the city except Kobayashi Ren who is already badly injured and Hiroto Kenzaki is on his way but hasn't arrived yet!"
"Shit…" Arisa whispered, fear crawling up her spine.
The officer motioned urgently.
"You three come with me! The Commander wants everyone in the command center!"
The room erupted in shouts from every direction.
Screens flickered with live drone footage.
Renji—
Takeda—
Dracan—
All three were being pushed back.
Hunters stared at the screens in disbelief.
"Is that thing even a monster!?"
"Takeda is a pillar! Why is he losing!?"
"Renji can't match that thing's speed—look!"
"We need reinforcements!"
"We have none!"
Wang Chi, the commander, slammed his fists against the console.
"Shit!!! If this continues Tokyo will fall!!!"
Just then
Arisa, Choji, and Lily rushed into the room.
Their eyes shot instantly to the largest screen.
Takeda was bleeding heavily.
Dracan was pinned under debris.
Renji was being launched backwards by a single punch.
Lily covered her mouth in horror.
Arisa froze.
Choji's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
"Renji…"
He stepped forward
Trembling.
Burning.
Angry.
Then he suddenly ran.
"CHOJI!!" Arisa screamed.
But he didn't stop.
Hunters turned as he sprinted down the corridor.
"Kid, come back!!"
"It's too dangerous!!"
"Choji!!!"
But he kept running, refusing to slow.
Outside the Bureau, he leapt off the stairs, panting, eyes burning.
"I'm coming, Renji…"
His voice cracked—not with fear, but determination.
Then he sprinted toward the battlefield
As the gate above Tokyo pulsed again…
Growing.
Cracking.
Something even worse was coming.