Ryu moved like a walking calamity.
Each step he took erased what stood before him. Stone shattered, steel twisted, and entire streets collapsed under his weight as if the city itself were pleading for mercy. The ground screamed beneath his feet, fractures spreading outward like veins of destruction.
At the end of the ruined street, two figures stood their ground.
Small. Wounded. Unyielding.
Hima Saeed's fists were clenched tight, blood dripping steadily from her arm and staining the shattered pavement beneath her boots. Kaizen Ryujin stood beside her, his aura flaring violently—bright, unstable—fighting back the fear gnawing at his core.
Ryu stopped.
His massive form loomed over them as his crimson gaze locked onto their figures.
"Move from my way," he growled, his voice thick with contempt.
"You little brats… or I'll end up killing you both."
Kaizen didn't flinch.
"Whether you kill us," he said steadily, teeth clenched, "or destroy us—"
Hima stepped forward, her stance firm despite the pain ripping through her body.
"We're not moving away."
For a brief moment—
The world held its breath.
---
The Zenin household shook violently.
The walls groaned as if the very foundation of the city was unraveling. Lamps rattled wildly, wooden beams cracked under pressure, and the air itself felt wrong—thick with dread, heavy with the presence of something ancient and malicious awakening.
The quiet hum of critical energy twisted, warping into something unstable.
Tomioka burst through the front gate.
His global form flickered violently, struggling to maintain cohesion. Sweat streamed down his temple as his hands trembled, fighting to keep control. He barely registered the damage around him—his focus was singular.
"Suzune!" he called urgently.
Suzune Zen rushed toward him, her face pale, eyes wide with fear.
"Tom… what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Before he could answer, a small voice echoed from the corner.
"Rein…?"
Tomioka froze.
Rein stepped forward hesitantly, confusion etched across his face.
"Sensei…?"
Tomioka straightened at once, forcing his breathing to slow. He wiped his face, carefully shaping his expression into something calmer—something reassuring.
"Rein?" he said gently. "What are you doing here? Where's Star and Ash?"
Suzune looked down, fingers tightening against her sleeve.
"They went outside… just a moment ago."
Tomioka clenched his fists.
His aura flared sharply, the air rippling around him.
"Good," he said after a breath. His voice was firm, but something beneath it trembled.
"Then listen to me carefully."
He knelt slightly, meeting Rein's eyes.
"Rein—take Ash and Suzune. Leave the city. Head straight for the Black Dynasty. Now."
Rein's eyes widened.
"Sensei…? Why all of a sudden?"
Suzune stepped closer, fear finally breaking through her composure.
"Tom, what are you doing? You're scaring me."
Tomioka turned away slightly, his jaw tightening.
"Xaphan's children have attacked the city," he said quietly.
"There's no time to explain. You need to hurry."
Each word felt like a blade carving deeper into his chest.
The door slid open.
Ash stood there, panting, dirt smeared across his face.
"You're late… again, Dad."
Tomioka froze.
The chaos, the dread, the looming disaster—everything fell silent in that instant.
His eyes softened immediately, the storm inside him giving way to something unbearably human.
He forced a smile, even as his voice broke.
"I'm sorry… Next time, I'll come early. I promise."
The words echoed painfully against memory.
He chuckled weakly through the tears—a sound no one was meant to hear.
For a fleeting moment, his mind drifted.
He remembered standing beneath falling petals, Suzune beside him, her hands trembling as she held his. The world had been peaceful then. No wars. No demons. Just vows whispered beneath a clear sky.
He remembered Suzune's smile when she spoke his name for the first time as his wife.
Tomioka.
Then another memory—
Ash's birth.
So small. So fragile.
Tomioka had been terrified to hold him, afraid his own strength might harm the tiny life resting in his arms. Suzune had laughed softly, guiding his hands, telling him it was alright.
And Star—
Star had cried louder than Ash, stubborn even as a newborn. Tomioka remembered laughing through tears, realizing then that no matter how strong he became, he would never be strong enough to protect them from everything.
The present came crashing back.
Tomioka grabbed Ash's wrist and Suzune's hand, pulling them toward the door. His grip was firm—desperate. His eyes glistened.
Suzune turned back, her voice barely a whisper.
"Come back as soon as possible…"
"I promise I won't die," Tomioka replied softly.
Ash struggled violently.
"What's going on? Who's dying? Dad—where are you going?! Let me go already!"
Rein tightened his grip, shouting over the shaking walls.
"Shut up, Ash! Just—keep running!"
The house shook violently.
A deep tremor rolled through the ground as dark energy flooded the air, suffocating the room with fear. The presence was closer now.
Too close.
Tomioka reached the doorway—
And stopped.
His hand trembled.
He watched his family disappear into the distance, their figures growing smaller with every step.
His chest tightened until breathing hurt.
"This could be…" His voice cracked.
"…our last conversation…"
He swallowed hard, tears finally falling.
"I didn't even get to hold Star… one last time."
The silence answered him.
And Tomioka Zeki turned back toward the darkness.
END OF CHAPTER 7