The factory trembled under the pressure.
Cracks spread across the walls.
The air itself felt unstable.
From the rubble—
Claw stood up again.
Its body… damaged.
Burned.
But not defeated.
"…hehe…"
Its claws—
Dripped with blood.
Then—
Something changed.
The blood began to harden.
Freezing.
Forming into a massive, reinforced claw.
Larger.
Sharper.
More deadly.
Claw grinned wildly.
"If I kill you…"
A pause.
"…I'll be promoted."
Its eyes glowed with madness.
"…to Special Level."
It laughed.
Across from it—
Seiichi Asuka stood still.
Crimson sparks flickered faintly.
"…if you can defeat me."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Lightning began to crackle around him.
Claw's grin widened.
"…then die!"
It roared—
"…Blood Demon Technique—"
The air distorted.
"The Deadliest Claw Spinning!!!"
WHOOSH!!!
Claw launched forward—
Spinning at terrifying speed—
A vortex of blades.
Destroying everything in its path.
The ground shredded.
The air screamed.
A killing move.
Hina's eyes widened.
"…that's insane—!"
But—
Asuka closed his eyes.
Silence.
"…Lightning Ashira…"
A whisper.
"…Recharge Volt."
In that instant—
ZAAAAAAAAAAPPPPP!!!
Lightning exploded around his body.
Wild.
Violent.
The entire factory lit up in crimson light.
Outside—
Metal objects began to shake.
Then—
Rise.
"…?!" Aoi gasped.
Steel rods.
Broken pipes.
Scraps of metal—
Floating.
Pulled by something unseen.
Shin's eyes widened slightly.
"…electromagnetic pull…"
She turned sharply.
"Aoi! Hina! Get to cover!"
"Somewhere without metal—now!"
They didn't hesitate.
Both of them rushed behind a broken concrete wall.
Back inside—
Claw's spinning attack closed in—
And Asuka—
Moved.
He leapt forward.
Straight into it.
"…?!"
For a split second—
Everything went white.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
A massive explosion of lightning erupted.
A brief—
domain of lightning—
Formed around them.
Crackling.
Expanding.
Then—
Gone.
Silence.
Smoke drifted slowly.
Hina peeked out.
"…what… just happened…"
As the dust cleared—
A figure stood.
Asuka.
Lightning still crackling faintly around him.
His arm—
Slightly burned.
In front of him—
Claw.
Standing.
But—
Its body was charred.
Burned black.
Smoke rising.
"…impossible…"
It staggered.
"…this power…"
Before it could react—
CLAP.
A single, slow clap echoed.
Everyone froze.
Footsteps followed.
Calm.
Confident.
A figure walked out from the shadows.
"…I didn't expect this."
His voice carried amusement.
"…you've grown quite a bit…"
A pause.
"…since two years ago, Asuka."
Silence.
Asuka's eyes widened slightly.
Then—
Darkened.
"…you…"
His voice dropped.
Cold.
"…Mizorogi."
The name echoed in the broken factory.
And the air—
Turned even heavier.
To be continued…