The night air was thick with smoke.
Ka-nar's chest heaved as he stumbled away from the pool, soaked and coughing, his legs barely holding him upright. Every nerve in his body screamed from the aftershocks of Satsujin's blows. The taste of blood lingered at the corner of his mouth, metallic and bitter, reminding him he had barely escaped death.
But the battle wasn't over.
From the corner of his eye, Ka-nar saw it—something burning above, a figure half-consumed by flames.
Satsujin.
The exoskeleton that had given the monster his inhuman strength was now tearing him apart, its internal circuits glowing white-hot as if molten metal flowed beneath the armor. Sparks burst, cables flailed like fiery veins, and with a scream that was more mechanical than human, the body toppled forward—straight toward Ka-nar.
His pupils shrank.
"Shit—!"
Ka-nar forced his legs to move, his instincts drowning out the pain. He splashed across the pavement, lungs bursting for air, his every step echoing like a drum of survival. The world slowed—he could hear the hiss of burning metal cutting through the air as Satsujin's body plummeted. The heat surged behind him, blistering the back of his neck.
He dove forward just as the corpse crashed onto the ground where he had stood.
BOOM!
The explosion shook the street, sending shards of metal and flaming debris flying past him. A wave of heat scorched Ka-nar's back as he hit the ground hard, rolling across the asphalt. His vision blurred, his ears rang, and for a moment he thought the world had gone silent.
When the smoke finally settled, Ka-nar lay face down, chest heaving. The stench of burning flesh and melting steel filled the air. He pushed himself up slowly, every muscle aching.
The body of Satsujin was gone—reduced to a twisted heap of molten scrap, embers still glowing where the exoskeleton had been.
Ka-nar staggered, staring at the remains. His Neno Lens flickered across his vision, still active despite the damage he had taken.
[Warning: Vital signs unstable. Adrenaline at dangerous levels. Injuries detected: fractured rib, internal bleeding risk, muscle tears.]
Ka-nar ignored the warnings. He wasn't ready to collapse. Not yet.
He stared at what was left of his enemy, his hands trembling.
"He… he was a monster," Ka-nar whispered, his voice raw. "But… even monsters burn."
And yet, beneath the small victory, an unease rooted itself in his gut.
Satsujin had been powerful, yes. But he was still just a weapon—one pawn among many. The Akuma Gang wouldn't stop with him. And if Sato Akari had already sold himself to them…
Ka-nar clenched his fists.
He had walked into a trap tonight, and though he'd survived, he couldn't shake the bitter truth—this wasn't just luck. Without the Neno Lens, he would already be ashes beside Satsujin.
---
Ka-nar limped away from the poolside ruins, the echoes of the battle replaying in his head. Each step was agony, but he forced himself forward.
The streets were eerily empty. The fight had been so loud, so destructive, yet the city around him remained silent, almost indifferent. Perhaps that was the scariest part—how much control the Akuma Gang must have had over this district.
"Even the police don't show their faces here," he muttered bitterly.
His body felt heavy, the adrenaline finally draining from his veins. He collapsed against the side of an abandoned vending machine, sliding down to the ground. For the first time, he allowed himself to breathe—really breathe.
But the silence gave way to thoughts. And thoughts were heavier than wounds.
---
He remembered the Protector's words.
"You won't always be saved."
The warning had come true. Tonight, Ka-nar had stood alone. The mysterious man hadn't arrived to shield him. It was only him, the Neno Lens, and his will to survive.
Was this what it meant—to carry this cursed gift?
The Lens flickered again. A soft holographic text shimmered faintly before his weary eyes:
[Survival chance recalculated: 23% → 0%. Status: Alive against probability.]
Ka-nar laughed bitterly. "So even you didn't believe in me, huh?"
The Lens, of course, gave no reply.
---
He leaned his head back, feeling the night wind against his face, cooling the sweat that drenched him. His ribs hurt with every breath. His muscles twitched with fatigue. But worse than the physical pain was the gnawing fear—how close he had come to dying.
And then he thought of Sato Akari. The man who had smiled, spoken sweetly, only to betray him in the blink of an eye.
Ka-nar's teeth clenched.
He wouldn't forget that face.
---
Time slipped by. Slowly, he rose to his feet again. The night was deep now, the moon hidden behind clouds. His wet clothes clung to his body, and his footsteps echoed as he began the long walk back toward the city's edge.
He didn't know where to go. The Protector was gone. The company was a trap. The Akuma Gang was everywhere.
But even so… something inside him refused to give in.
"Fine," Ka-nar whispered to himself, his voice hoarse but steady. "You want me dead? You'll have to try harder."
For the first time since receiving the Neno Lens, Ka-nar realized something important.
It wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about fighting back.
---
As he disappeared into the shadows of the city, the molten remains of Satsujin cooled in silence. The air reeked of finality, but it was only the beginning.
Somewhere far away, unseen eyes were already watching Ka-nar's every move.
And in the ruins of that building, beneath the smoke and ashes, a faint blinking light pulsed from what was left of the exoskeleton's core—transmitting.