The sun filtered dimly through the broken ruins of the F-Rank gate — a collapsed suburban area, swallowed by wild vines and shattered glass. Concrete streets cracked open under time and rot, and shadows slithered between buildings. Renji moved with quiet footsteps, his body wrapped in a faint violet sheen — Viper Aura Armor softly rippling like living mist.
A scent caught his nose.
Blood.
He narrowed his eyes, his boots slowing. Not beast blood... human.
He tilted his head slightly. Then he heard it — the barking. Low and sharp, followed by a strained grunt and a crashing sound.
Still alive.
Without hesitation, Renji dashed toward the noise, vaulting over a low fence, his knuckles clenched. His gaze sharpened as he slid behind a crumbling car.
There, in a narrow alley, surrounded by three mutated dogs with bone-like ridges along their backs, was Rex.
The mole-type fighter was on the ground, panting, his right arm bent at an odd angle. His left hand desperately scraped the dirt as he tried to dig through a wall, but his power was sputtering.
"Tch... stupid dogs...!" Rex growled.
A dog lunged at him—
Crack!
A blur passed through the air, followed by a violent snap. One of the dogs flew sideways, spine twisted, blood leaking from its ears.
Renji stood above Rex, expression unreadable.
The second dog charged. Renji ducked low, then spun, his metal knuckles slamming into its ribs with a shattering boom. Bone splinters flew. It howled and collapsed.
The last one tried to retreat. Renji didn't let it. He leapt onto its back, jamming his fist down its skull with deadly precision.
Silence.
Only their heavy breaths remained.
Rex stared, stunned. "You...?"
Renji ignored him. He reached into his side pouch and pulled out a small vial — filled with a thick, silver-blue liquid. He tossed it toward Rex.
"Pour that on your arm," Renji said, wiping dog blood off his knuckles.
Rex hesitated. "Where'd you get this?"
Renji said I got it from Mr Ain.
Rex popped the cork and poured the contents over his mangled arm. The liquid hissed softly as it touched the wound, sealing it slowly, the bleeding stopping almost instantly.
Rex clenched his jaw. "Tch... You saved me?"
Renji finally turned to him, blue eyes piercing for a moment. "No one else was gonna do it."
He walked past him, scanning the alley ahead.
Take care or you can use your escape card don't push yourself.
Rex stayed seated, laughing saying seriously staring at the back of the boy he once made fun of.