“Wha–?” Agami blurts.

  “Apologies, Agami,” Arcadius says. “But this is the quickest way to transfer my power.”

  Arcadius faintly glows as he speaks. He grabs the back of Agami's head and pulls him in close. “No one can know! I trust you with my hopes and my legacy.”

  Agami struggles to focus due to the pain. He feels all of his nerves scream, but for some reason, this feels…familiar. Too familiar.

  As he struggles through the pain, he sees Arcadius slowly disappear. He has a calm smile. Agami shuts his eyes, the pain overwhelming him. He feels his consciousness begin to slip away.

  A few seconds later, he slowly opens his eyes and looks around. He struggles to stand up and regain his balance. The burning sensation slowly withers away, slightly more bearable. He can barely focus on anything.

  Was this the right choice? His right arm continues to brighten as he adjusts to the pain.

  He tries to remember his conversation but is interrupted by a raindrop falling on his head. He looks up and stares at the dark clouds above him. He takes in the smell of the rain and the feeling of the raindrops falling on his skin. The rain is soothing his nerves.

  A bright light flashes from his arm. When it fades, his right upper body is covered in a strange metal.

  Agami studies it for a few seconds. Compared to its previous form, it looks more refined. It's no longer covered in black scales but instead a silvery metal. Moving his arm slightly, he feels lighter and less rigid.

  What happened to my arm? Tenmei?

  Tenmei appears before him and says, “Apologies for taking so long, Agami! I activated the armament to help us take on Baltro.” He is referring to the armament’s new form.

  Agami stares at the ball of flame, unsure what to say to him.

  “Hm?” Tenmei floats around the destroyed area in confusion.

  Agami looks around and notices the scenery. He had been so focused on Arcadius that he didn't notice his surroundings. Around him is a destroyed floor. The top half of the building had been demolished by something or someone. It barely resembles a floor. Collapsed pillars, exposed rebar, destroyed furniture, and rubble are all that remain.

  “Where is Baltro? I can not sense him anymore,” Tenmei asks.

  Agami ignores his question and walks over to the edge of the building, climbing over the broken walls as he makes his way there. He stares into the distance as Sora and Imino are fighting Baltro– or his impostor.

  Tenmei appears over his shoulder. “We were too late to stop the Ascension! Quick, Agami! We need to assist and vanquish him!”

  He remains silent; the pain from the transfer hasn't fully disappeared.

  “Agami?” Tenmei asks.

  He remembers Arcadius asking him to keep their deal a secret. He can't afford to have anyone be suspicious. Agami snaps awake and blurts, “Oh– Uh, sorry. I– I was just taken aback by the destruction.”

  “There is no time for that!” Tenmei hurriedly says as he retreats back into Agami's armament. “We need to hurry! Use the upgraded armament to slide down the tower!”

  “What?! How am I supposed to do that?!” Agami argues.

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  “Just jump, and I will do the rest!” Tenmei instructs.

  “Damn it, Fine!” Agami answers. He quickly runs back to fetch the Sharpshooter.

  “Where are you going?! We can reach them faster that way!” Tenmei shouts in confusion.

  “I'm grabbing the Sharpshooter! I'll need it if I want to be helpful.” Agami reaches the Sharpshooter impaled in the wall. After a strong tug, it comes out of the wall, throwing him back. As Agami gets up, he notices a small cartoon raccoon keychain lying on the floor.

  Is that Stella's?

  He stands and goes to pick it up. Meanwhile, Tenmei continues to rush him. “Agami, we are wasting precious time here. Every second wasted is a chance for Baltro to escape!”

  He puts it in his pocket and runs to the wall facing Baltro. “Sorry, I got distracted!” Agami climbs over the broken walls to reach the edge of the building. While he sprints, he forces his focus onto the jump. It isn't the first time he jumped off a building today, but hopefully this time is the last.

  Don't focus on it, just focus on running! He nearly trips on some rubble but keeps his balance. He sees the edge, and his heart races even faster. He jumps.

  The wind pushing past him no longer feels unfamiliar. For the past week, he has been jumping from buildings. He doesn't scream. He doesn't panic. He only feels the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

  “Tenmei!” Agami shouts.

  “I am on it,” Tenmei says as he takes control of the armament. His palm suddenly points toward a building near Baltro and fires a blue beam at its surface. A bright blue glow emanates from where it lands. Agami is yanked towards it, the ground rushing up beneath him.

  As he gets closer to the wall, his body begins to slow down, as if to prevent him from crashing into it.

  “Agami, use the armament to help you slide down the wall!” Tenmei instructs.

  Without question, he buries his fingertips into the wall. The sound of the wall breaking trails him as he descends. As he slides, his descent slows, but not enough to stop him from crashing into the floor.

  On instinct, he vents the armament in a controlled jet. It feels as if his arm is going to be torn off. He clenches his teeth and keeps his focus. Pain tears through his arm as he slows down. Moments later, he comes to a halt.

  He opens his eyes and realises he is a couple of centimetres above the floor.

  “Oh,” Agami exclaims in surprise. He does a little hop and lands on his feet. His right arm feels extremely heavy.

  “What ha–” Tenmei interrupts him.

  “There is no time for explanation. We need to hurry and vanquish Baltro before it is too late!”

  A roar is heard from the collapsed building next to the hotel. A large rumble follows shortly after. Agami readies the Sharpshooter and runs toward it.

  As he rushes toward the fight, he notices how the streets are empty. Destroyed vehicles and buildings litter the roads. The rain raises the dust from the ground and washes the blood off the streets.

  He can't stop now.

  Agami arrives at a destroyed building where Sora is facing Baltro. Agami stops, only able to stare at the flesh-covered monstrosity in front of him. Similar to a spider, the monster has eight legs that hold its cephalothorax and glowing abdomen. At its front, multiple bodies fused together– man, woman, child. There isn't a singular person controlling it.

  Across the street, Imino sits on a rooftop, watching. From the fight, the monstrous Baltro looks worn down compared to Sora, who has a wide grin. Sora's eyes meet Agami’s.

  “Finally! You know how hard it is not to obliterate an enemy like this?” Sora complains.

  Baltro follows Sora's gaze. “NO! THE REAPER!” The monster's skin begins to move as bubbles form.

  “What now?” Sora says as he takes a relaxed pose.

  The bubbles suddenly open, akin to a flower blooming, revealing the people hidden inside. They suddenly detach themselves from Baltro, making splashing sounds as their skin slaps the floor.

  “KILL HIM, MY CHILDREN!” Baltro shouts.

  The people shriek and rush at Agami, obeying Baltro’s commands. Agami tightens his grip on the Sharpshooter and aims it at them. He looks at their faces. Their eyes.

  “Agami, shoot!” Tenmei warns him.

  My purpose!

  Agami’s vision blurs as his thoughts spiral. The stress overwhelms him, and his fingers don't want to move.

  “I– I can’t!” Agami says.

  HAPPY NEW YEAR! Although it is off to a rough start with what is happening in Venezuela (My heart goes out to them), I hope the rest of the year is better.