[RECAP]
He attacked YoungThug.
Fast. Precise.
He slashed YoungThug's shoulder and kicked him in the abdomen.
Youngthug stepped back and attacked directly, screaming.
AHHHHAHH — he swung his bat in all directions.
Masajo parried every attack with his blade, looking almost bored.
He lunged at him, got inside his guard.
Before disappearing.
And reappearing beneath him — he attacked with a sweep.
Youngthug lost control.
He pursued him and struck him perfectly on the back of the head.
Youngthug fell forward onto his knees.
He got up with a rage even more intense than before.
Masajo watched him, still incredulous.
YoungThug's bat was glowing with an intense Neon Red.
He attacked and struck Masajo from all sides with even greater speed and strength.
But how is this possible.
His speed and strength increased.
As Masajo was thinking, the strike landed and hit its target with heavy impact.
BAANG.
The metal of the bat struck Masajo full force.
Blood sprayed into the air.
BANNG — another hit landed.
Another one.
Then another.
Then another still.
Masajo couldn't understand what was happening to him as he got beaten down by YoungThug.
How is this possible — where is he getting this strength?
Is it because of his rage?
But it can't be just that — there must be something else… what if it really is just that? Then that means…
THAT'S IT — I'VE GOT IT!
Youngthug stopped for a moment, panting.
"I KNOW THE SECRET BEHIND THIS STRENGTH — JUST LET ME VERIFY IT."
"I'm sure my hypothesis is right."
He attacked YoungThug, who thought he could read his movements for a moment, then…
He saw Masajo jumping from wall to wall with renewed joy, like an overexcited child.
He disappeared and reappeared beneath YoungThug.
And then…
SLASH.
He tore his costume open at the chest.
On YoungThug's muscular chest, there was a mark like a birthmark.
AHAHAHAH!! I KNEW IT.
Masajo exclaimed, all excited.
YOU'RE A BERSERKER — I KNEW IT AHAHAH.
On his chest was an immense {T}
——
AHAHAH IT'S MAGNIFICENT!
A BERSERKER — I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
Masajo positioned himself in front of YoungThug and planted Ku in the ground.
He then tore off his own clothes, revealing his scar-covered chest.
"You Berserkers are rare — a rare type of person born with monstrous physical ability from birth."
"You have no access to ether manipulation, but in exchange you have immense physical strength, which increases with rage and pain."
"Which makes you the perfect warriors."
"You don't seem to have awakened your power yet — doesn't matter, it'll do."
Masajo attacked YoungThug directly, head-on.
The punch landed and hit him in the face.
Youngthug didn't move — the fist was still on his face, blood flowing from his nose.
He grabbed Masajo's arm, pulled it down, and hit him in the abdomen.
Masajo spat blood from the force of the blow. YoungThug's strength had just increased again.
YOU'RE AMAZING — FINALLY AN UNBREAKABLE TOY!
Masajo beamed and jumped directly onto YoungThug.
They exchanged blows continuously, non-stop, in a brutal violence that cracked the surrounding walls.
---
Meanwhile, Kotobe was still searching for Lina as he moved through the dark corridors of the building.
He saw one of Lina's Fly Daemons.
"Damn — a daemon…"
"But wait — it seems Lina can absorb daemons and make them appear if possible."
"Maybe it's hers?"
"It doesn't seem to be moving."
The daemon stared at Kotobe with its enormous yellow eyes that glowed in the dark.
It was hairy with four gray arms and claws over 5 cm long — a daemon in all its splendor.
Kotobe stayed there in a fighting stance — at the slightest wrong move, he'd kill it instantly.
---
At the same moment, the fight that had begun between Masajo and YoungThug seemed to be fading.
They stood there, both shirtless, covered in blood from head to toe.
Masajo stood there with that same psychopathic smile on his lips.
Broken arm and bruises everywhere.
"You're fucking strong — I enjoyed this fight, but I gotta admit, physically, it's still not there…"
"Even a beginner like you put me in a bad spot."
Youngthug, on the other hand, was on his knees, out of breath — the {T} on his chest seemed to shift from blazing red to pale orange, then slowly fade away.
"Fuck… what's happening to me — I feel heat in my body…"
"Don't worry — I think it's just your Berserker body trying to boost your endurance, but I'm definitely not gonna let you do that."
Time to end this fight.
He took the blade.
And traced an arc.
SLASH.
An X appeared on the young hero's chest. Blood sprayed.
Youngthug collapsed, hands pressing against his chest.
"FUCK… THAT HURTS…"
He fell straight to the ground after the blow.
It was so fast that his body didn't have time to react.
"I'm about to kill you. Any last words?"
Youngthug looked at him. A mean smile stretched his lips.
"Eat my balls, asshole."
Masajo stabbed him without hesitation.
Youngthug felt life leaving him. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"What a shitty life…" he murmured. "I didn't even get to touch any tits…"
His eyes closed.
---
Kotobe was still facing the Daemon.
When it suddenly started moving.
It ran toward Kotobe.
Kotobe prepared to strike it when…
The daemon was sliced in two in front of him, and blood splattered onto him.
Kotobe gritted his teeth.
Analyze. Adapt. Survive.
He charged.
He raised his leg and performed the same Brazilian kick he'd seen Nagato do the other day.
The blow caught Masajo off guard.
He followed up.
His fist shot out — straight. Masajo dodged. A second one — dodged. A third — blocked.
But Kotobe was learning. Every movement of Masajo, every dodge, every feint — he memorized them, analyzed them.
Suddenly, he anticipated. He struck where Masajo was about to be.
BAM.
His fist hit the assassin's shoulder.
Masajo stepped back, surprised.
He then attacked with a technique he knew by heart.
He grabbed Kotobe by the arm, neutralizing all movement for an instant.
Then threw three blows into his abdomen at nearly instantaneous speed.
Kotobe was thrown backward and spat a wad of blood onto the ground.
He attacked, focused, with a spinning kick freshly imitated from Dante.
The kick didn't hit Masajo — in fact, it passed within centimeters of his face.
Kotobe grabbed him by the arm and sent three blows into his abdomen.
Masajo stepped back and wiped the blood flowing from his lip.
"You're… you're copying my moves?"
Kotobe, out of breath, smiled.
"I learn fast."
Masajo growled, annoyed. He grabbed Kotobe by the collar and hurled him through a window.
CRASH.
Kotobe crashed onto the roof of a parked car outside, winded, bones aching.
He tried to get up, but his body wouldn't respond.
"Shit…"
——
STILL INSIDE THE BUILDING – LINA
She was running. Corridors flashed by. Her limbs… her limbs?
She looked at her legs. They were there. Yet she felt them cut off.
Illusion. Everything is illusion.
She stumbled, fell. Looked up.
Masajo was there. In front of her. Far away. Then close. Then behind. Then in front.
She summoned her Black Wolf.
The beast charged.
Masajo, without even looking at it, slashed. The wolf disappeared in a flash.
He reappeared behind her. She turned around. He was in front. She spun. Behind. In front. Everywhere.
SLAP.
His hand struck her cheek.
Lina, panicked, remembered Kotobe's gesture. She put her fist forward, copying his technique.
In her mind, her hand was cut off. But in reality, it was intact.
"Focus," said Masajo, right in front of her. "That's the key."
He drew Ku and plunged the blade into her neck.
Lina felt the cold metal pierce her throat. She fell to her knees.
He slashed her legs — in appearance. In reality, she was unharmed, but her mind was shattered.
Before passing out, she gathered her remaining strength.
"NOKOAKA!"
A demon erupted from the ground. Massive. Terrifying. A nightmare beast.
Masajo leaped back, surprised.
Lina collapsed, unconscious.
He stood there — the massive White [demon] with visible holes covering its immense body.