"Yeah. I really can't hold on. My magic is at rock bottom."
Renji nodded in acknowledgment. Reze didn't reply—just watched him quietly. Renji panted, meeting her gaze. They stared at each other in silence.
Slowly, Reze extended her hand toward him. She flicked her finger lightly. A spark shot out, flew straight at Renji's chest, and exploded with a roar right in front of him.
Renji's body flew backward once more, crashing heavily onto a lower rooftop not far away, raising a cloud of dust.
His magic depleted, the armor on his chest could no longer bear the strain. It shattered into countless fragments, scattering across the ground.
But just behind him stretched the endless, vast ocean. Waves continuously crashed against the shore.
Reze landed beside him.
"I'm at full strength now, and you're in this state, Renji. You have nowhere left to run."
Renji lay amidst the broken tiles and sighed helplessly.
"Sigh… I really regret it… Back then, at that abandoned middle school in the countryside, I should have suggested we go swimming. Actually, I've always thought your figure was great and your skin beautiful. I always wanted to see it… in the water… your dewy skin…"
"I wanted to, too."
"Huh? You did?"
Renji blinked in surprise. Reze nodded.
"I also wanted to swim with you and see your skin. But I hadn't figured out how to lure you there when something else interrupted us."
Renji processed this, then smiled.
"Oh, right—how could I forget? You admitted yourself that you're an incurable pervert, just like me. So what I want to do to you, you probably want to do to me, too."
Reze extended her hand again. Sparks flew. Another explosion—Renji's face contorted in pain.
"That hurts…"
"You think this hurts? I was hurting much, much more just now. My leg was cut off countless times. All because of you."
Renji struggled for a moment, then asked,
"Um… I want to stand up now. Can you not blow me up? Before you take me away, I want to strike a cool pose—like a manga character in the final panel. Can I?"
"I understand. Stand up."
Renji pushed himself up on the broken rubble, his body trembling as he slowly straightened.
He closed his eyes tightly, imagining himself looking incredibly cool, striking an invincible pose. After a moment, he opened them again.
"Have you already storyboarded it?"
Reze asked.
Renji gave a slight nod—then, without hesitation, turned and ran. But Reze wasn't surprised at all. She had expected this.
"Big liar."
Just as Renji reached the edge of the roof, about to leap down, a tiny spark burst from Reze's hand and shot toward him. A scream—and Renji was blasted backward again.
But as he flew back, a sharp clatter rang out behind him. A chain slid toward him at astonishing speed.
Reze's heart skipped a beat. She spun around—but the chain had already wrapped around her slender waist like a nimble snake, coiling tight.
Then the chain yanked hard. Before Reze could react, she was pulled off her feet, flying through the air alongside Renji.
"What?! When?!"
Reze was utterly stunned. She'd known Renji had a chain—she'd seen it. But she thought it was just something he'd grabbed while dodging the missile. She never imagined he'd use it like this—or notice when he'd positioned it so perfectly.
But now, Reze finally understood what Renji intended to do to her—and the real reason he'd come to this uninhabited zone.
Renji tumbled across the ground a few times before stopping. Ignoring his injuries, he gripped the chain with both hands and spun with all his might.
"Reze! Can your gunpowder still detonate if it's soaked in water?!"
He roared as he hurled Reze toward the sea. Her body arced through the air, flying directly over the water's surface.
Midair, Reze tried to use her bomb ability. Clusters of dazzling sparks erupted from her feet as she attempted to stabilize and fly away.
But Renji gave her no chance. He ran, leaped, and caught her in midair, holding her tight as they plummeted together into the bone-chilling cold seawater.
With a resounding thump, the calm sea surface erupted in a massive splash. Ripples spread outward toward the shore.
Renji used his last remaining points to purchase an underwater breathing skill. Slowly, the two of them sank to the seabed.
At first, Reze's vision was clear. But as they descended further, everything around them grew increasingly blurred.
The light faded, swallowed by the depths. Darkness spread like ink, engulfing them completely. Gradually, even the faint sounds of currents and popping bubbles vanished, leaving only a deathly silence.
...
...
"A rat trapped in a snare can't escape, so eventually they huddle together for warmth."
"Hey, Renji… have you ever wondered what lies outside Tokyo and Kyoto?"
"Then… Renji, have you ever thought about going to see what the outside world is really like?"
...
...
At the edge of the horizon, the sun rose slowly. Its light pierced through the clouds and scattered across the shimmering sea.
Refracted by the water, the sunlight took on a dazzling golden hue. Beneath that brilliance, countless tiny specks seemed to dance and sparkle on the surface—vibrant and beautiful, rippling with the waves.
In the sky, a flock of birds flapped their wings and flew past. Some flew in neat formations; others soared freely.
Along the shore, scattered crabs scuttled sideways, their claws occasionally waving as if busy with some task.
Wave after golden wave rolled in, continuously breaking against the sand. Reze lay quietly on the beach, soaked through. Slowly, she regained consciousness.
She looked around blankly at first, then her gaze settled on Renji beside her. He sat quietly, watching the beautiful sunrise.
Renji had deactivated his transformation and now wore his festival clothes—also thoroughly drenched.
"It's truly beautiful…"
Renji murmured to himself.
"You know, suddenly I feel like this uninhabited place isn't so bad. If it could always stay this quiet… that would be nice."
Reze sat up, clutching her knees tightly. She lowered her head slightly.
"Why did you save me? Even if you couldn't bring yourself to kill me, you didn't have to bother. You could have just left."
"Because I like you."
"Big liar."
"This time… it's real."
Reze was silent. Renji continued.
"What are you going to do next? Hide somewhere? Or try to escape to the outside?"