The sounds of fighting echoed through the warehouse.
Below them, Matt and Selena continued causing chaos.
Above—
Saito and Kaito rushed through the upper floors searching for Steel.
Their cloaks had already been discarded.
There was no point hiding anymore.
Then—
a group of guards appeared from a staircase.
One of them immediately pointed.
"That's Blue Scarf!"
Another's eyes widened.
"Catch them!"
The guards rushed forward.
Weapons drawn.
Saito glanced back.
There were too many.
Kaito cracked his neck.
"Keep going."
Saito looked at him.
"You sure?"
Kaito smirked.
"When have I ever not been?"
Saito nodded.
Then continued running deeper into the building.
Leaving the guards to Kaito.
The Scrap Gang members quickly surrounded him.
One guard looked at his nervous companion.
"Why are you scared?"
"He is just one man."
The nervous guard swallowed.
"That's a Noctarion..."
The first guard rolled his eyes.
"Then let's beat him."
The entire group charged.
Kaito looked at the knives hanging from his belt.
Then frowned.
"Huh."
"I forgot to clean those."
The guards blinked.
That was his concern?
Kaito sighed.
Then pushed the knives back into their sheaths.
"Nah."
"I don't need them."
He raised his fists.
The first guard reached him.
"GET HIM!"
Kaito stepped forward.
Grabbed the man's shirt.
And—
CRASH!
Slammed him straight through a nearby window.
Glass exploded everywhere.
The guard vanished from sight.
The second guard swung a metal pipe.
Kaito ducked.
Grabbed his arm.
Then smashed his face directly into a steel beam.
BANG!
The man collapsed instantly.
A third lunged from behind.
Kaito spun.
Caught him.
And drove him into the floor.
BOOM!
The wooden boards cracked beneath the impact.
The remaining guards froze.
"...What?"
Kaito stretched his shoulders.
Then looked at them.
"Oh."
"There's more."
The guards immediately regretted their life choices.
Then Kaito rushed forward.
THUD!
A punch sent one flying.
BAM!
A kick knocked another into a crate.
CRASH!
A third was thrown into a wall.
Within moments—
the hallway looked like a disaster zone.
Unconscious guards were scattered everywhere.
Kaito stood in the middle of it.
Adjusting his sleeves.
Then glanced toward where Saito had gone.
"Better find Steel quickly."
Because at the rate things were going—
the entire warehouse was about to explode.
Saito rushed up the stairs.
The sounds of battle echoed throughout the warehouse.
Matt's hammer.
Selena's punches.
Guards shouting.
Everything had descended into chaos.
Then—
his instincts suddenly screamed.
Saito immediately threw himself to the side.
SHHK!
A metallic arm burst through the wall where his head had been moments earlier.
Wood and steel exploded everywhere.
Saito slid across the floor and quickly looked up.
A figure stepped through the shattered wall.
Steel.
The officer slowly pulled his metal arm free.
Then clicked his tongue.
"Tch."
"I missed."
He kicked aside the remaining debris and walked into the hallway.
His eyes settled on Saito.
A small smile appeared.
"Blue Scarf."
"Nice to meet you."
Saito immediately drew his sword.
"No more chatting."
Steel laughed.
"Fair enough."
Saito lunged.
CLANG!
The sword struck Steel's arm.
Metal collided with metal.
Sparks flew.
Then Steel's leg suddenly hardened into steel.
BAM!
A powerful kick slammed into Saito's stomach.
Saito was launched backward.
He crashed into a wall.
But immediately pushed himself back to his feet.
Steel nodded.
"Good."
"Most people stay down after that."
Saito wiped blood from his mouth.
Steel slowly walked forward.
"You cannot defeat me, Blue Scarf."
Saito didn't answer.
Instead—
he thrust his sword forward.
Straight toward Steel's chest.
SHHK!
The blade passed through.
But not because it pierced him.
Steel's body became liquid.
The sword sliced through harmlessly.
Saito immediately jumped backward.
"...Invoker."
Steel smirked.
"I already told you."
The liquid metal flowed back together.
Reforming his body.
Without a single wound.
Saito narrowed his eyes.
A troublesome opponent.
Then yellow auris began flowing around his blade.
The sword glowed.
Steel noticed immediately.
"Oh?"
Saito moved.
SLASH!
The glowing blade cut across Steel's shoulder.
This time—
a small cut appeared.
A thin line of blood.
Steel's eyes widened slightly.
Then he jumped back.
The wound wasn't serious.
But it proved something important.
Auris could hurt him.
Saito lowered his sword.
His eyes never left Steel.
"Not now."
Steel touched the cut.
Then looked at the blood on his fingers.
For the first time since the fight began—
his smile disappeared.
Because Blue Scarf had just proven he could actually kill him.
Steel looked at the small cut on his shoulder.
Then back at Saito.
A grin slowly returned.
"You figured it out already?"
Saito adjusted his grip on his sword.
The yellow auris continued flowing along the blade.
"When you have a lot of allies..."
He lowered his stance.
"...you learn a lot of things."
Steel chuckled.
"So that's your answer?"
Saito didn't bother responding.
Instead—
he charged.
BOOM!
The floor cracked beneath his feet.
Steel immediately moved aside.
The glowing sword sliced through empty air.
Then Steel counterattacked.
His arm stretched forward.
Transforming into a sharp metallic blade.
SHHK!
The attack flashed toward Saito's neck.
Saito ducked.
The blade passed inches above him.
Steel followed with a kick.
His leg hardened into steel.
A powerful strike aimed directly at Saito's ribs.
But—
THUD!
Saito caught it.
Steel's eyes widened.
For a moment, neither moved.
Saito's hand held the steel leg firmly in place.
The two stared at each other.
Steel smirked.
"You've gotten stronger."
Saito's expression remained calm.
He glanced toward the floor.
Toward the warehouse beneath them.
Toward the tunnels hidden below.
Then a small smile appeared.
"...Anytime now, Bomb."
Steel frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
The answer came almost immediately.
Far below the warehouse—
a tiny fuse reached its destination.
And somewhere in the darkness—
Bomb's grin became very, very wide.
Deep beneath the warehouse—
Bomb was running out of patience.
And running out of places to plant explosives.
Several TNT charges were already hidden along the tunnel.
But there were still more support pillars ahead.
More places that needed to be destroyed.
Unfortunately—
the Scrap Gang had noticed him.
A group of guards rushed through the tunnel.
"There he is!"
"Stop him!"
Bomb clicked his tongue.
"Tch."
"I really hate interruptions."
He threw one guard into a wall.
Kicked another aside.
But there were too many.
A third guard tackled him.
Then another joined in.
Soon Bomb was pinned against the ground.
One guard grinned.
"I got him!"
Bomb struggled.
"Crap."
The guard raised his weapon.
Ready to strike.
Then—
SHHK!
The guard froze.
A slash appeared across his chest.
He slowly fell to the ground.
THUD.
The remaining guards turned.
And immediately regretted it.
Rin stood there.
Scythe resting on his shoulder.
A smile stretched across his face.
"Hello there."
The tunnel suddenly felt much colder.
The guards backed away.
Rin pointed at Bomb.
"...That's my partner you're messing with."
Bomb blinked.
Then pointed at himself.
"Partner?"
Rin nodded.
Bomb thought about it.
Then nodded back.
"Fair enough."
Rin's smile widened.
Bomb immediately stood up.
Dusting himself off.
Then looked deeper into the tunnel.
Still plenty of work to do.
So he left the fighting behind.
Continuing deeper underground.
Planting explosives wherever he could.
Meanwhile—
Rin stepped in front of the guards.
Cracking his neck.
The guards nervously raised their weapons.
Rin looked delighted.
"Oh."
"More volunteers."
The scythe slowly spun in his hands.
And somewhere in the tunnel—
the sounds of battle began once again while Bomb continued preparing the grand finale.