Outside the crimson bandit base:

  Akiko and Mai pulled into the chaos of a police sirens and cars surrounding every entrance. Men and women in blue uniform, setting up cordons, preventing any publitry. Civilians watched on, standing outside their houses, windows, balies; dressed in loose attire uhe intense warmth of the crimson sky.

  "Akiko. Mai. Over here." Captain Shimada waved them over to a makeshift tent filled with tables and officers. They ran to his side.

  "What’s happening?" Mai looked on to the t base. Gunshots still ringing out from its depths.

  "The Reaper has picked a fight with the entire criminal unity. They're all in there." Shimada poio the base.

  "We o get in there. Why are we sitting around?" Akiko asked, looking around at all the stationary officers.

  "Because girly..." In strut the fat captain of the ward; dressed in dishevelled uniform and staiie, he was clearly enjoying other pleasures prior to the siege.

  "Your Reaper has kicked up a hor’s in there." Flig cigarette ash into the ashtray on his desk.

  "And they're shooting at anything that moves. Even a police officer."

  Akiko ched at his words. Standing by whilst others were dying. Criminals and all.

  "...Captain." Shimada held his hand up. This is not her call.

  "We don't have authority over this area, we are here to assist Captain Matsuo and to ensure public safety." Shimada's stern words spoke volumes to Akiko. There was nothing she could do but watch.

  Captain Matsuo took enjoyment from her frustration. Taking a drag and exhaling in her face.

  "Don't worry, we have some 'fun' while we wait for the dust to settle."

  "Captain Matsuo!" Shimada stood betweewo. Akiko was ready to throw hands with this lecherous swine.

  "A joke... Captain. I am sure that we find some paperwork for these two to plete." A smug expression and wink to the girls.

  'Screw authority, I will kick your head in.' Akiko was ready to knock his teeth out then and there. However, a soft hand came to hers. Kenji stood behind his partner. He knew what she was thinking; temper always an issue.

  Calm eyes won the day. The pig sauntered off joined by other officers. No doubt to get a good view of the age inside.

  "Don't go causing trouble now." Kenji smiled. Knowing full well how close his partner was to attag.

  "Whatever." Akiko was done. Looking back up to the base, the gunfire was slowly being less.

  "The sun will be here soon. Then we go in." Captain Shimada added.

  "Until then, we wait."

  ***

  Inside:

  In the silend still. Hiro stood alohe other side of the Reaper. Slumped against the wall, asleep, his torso visible with the broken armour. Hiro looked on in pt, hatred for a man that had caused Reiji great pain. To eradicate the monster would be a great deed.

  "Mr. Kikuchi will be free."

  With Ninjato in hand, Hiro approached. Bde poised overhead, ready to strike down with all the force he could muster.

  "Hey, Hiro..." A voice came from behind. One of familiarity, drawing great disdain from Hiro.

  "Jun..."

  Jun slowly walked into the room, standing a few meters in front of the other student. In his hand; Seraph oio the ground. Eyes looking around rather than at Hiro. Slightly hesitant, a hidden shame behind his expression.

  "Get lost Jun. This ain’t got nothing to do with you." Hiro sneered back, a hidden hatred behind his eyes.

  "It does. That's my master behind you. What sort of student would I be if I didn't defend him."

  "It makes sense a coward like yourself would learn under a coward." Hiro stepped back, pointing his bde towards Jun.

  "...I know you don't want to hear it but-"

  "NO! You don't get to speak about them. YOU ARE THE REASON THEY ARE DEAD!" Hiro exploded with emotion; his voice cracked with grief. Anger and sorrow swelled from a held hatred long overdue to explode.

  "...Hiro-"

  "SHUT UP!" He dashed forward, Ninjato aiming for a ssh across the face. Seraph the se sword blocked the strike. Defleg, without any input from Jun.

  Hiro didn't let up, furious sshes, thrusts, blows rained down on the bde. As though a dam had burst, the emotional flood swept Jun off his feet.

  Jun did nothing but dodge and evade. Hatred behind everything Hiro did. Every attack, even those that failed, hit with great ford speed.

  *Ssh* *Parry* *Swing* *Block* *Strike* *Catch*

  "Fight back!" Hiro yelled. Frustration, anger, hatred all directed at Jun.

  "Hiro please..." Memories were still raw for Jun. Guilt weighed heavy.

  "You left all our friends to die... Coward!"

  Once upon a time, they were friends; scripted into the army. The same squad of ‘ward 4 rats’, fighting as friends and rades.

  Until the siege of Tokyo.

  Against overwhelming odds and many a casualty, fear took Jun.

  Abandoned his post, terrified of the mohat stalked every turn in the ruined city. Even now he would have nightmares, sleepless night of his friends cries and faces as he turned his ba them.

  Yet Hiro survived; watg his friend run away. Surrounded by dead bodies. Hiro's heart hardened, and vowed to never feel weak. Never again be powerless in the face of death aru. Never again stand by and watch his friends die. o be like Jun.

  "Use your sword with your own hands. Not a tool to fight for you!" Hiro yelled once more, striking down with his bde.

  *CLASH*

  Seraph blocked without Jun's intervention, taking the brunt of the Ninjantos edge.

  "Fine..." Jun gripped the handle.

  Briefly his eyes caught the Reapers. Azure eyes glowed in a crimson light. Jun's resolve strengtheenfold. His master was watg and he o prove to both that he is not a coward.

  "...Is this what you wanted?" Jun spoke with fidence. A new man stood before Hiro.

  *g* *Bang* *Shink*

  A flurry of swordpy began. Bdes danced, a performance of skill and power. Seraph and the Ninjato both singing to each other in tune, as though their bdes were alive and dang with one another.

  *Fwoosh*

  The Ninjato engulfed in blue fme. Eyes of Hiro's now matg. Each of his steps leaving a trail of blue. Overtaking the crimson sky.

  *swing* *Swing* *SWING*

  Each attack from Hiro was driven by anger. Harder and harder. Jun was only just blog and dodging the flurry of attacks, uo ter nain a foothold. No form to speak of either. Pure fury was driving his oppos' bde.

  "Fight back!" Hiro screamed, striking, and striking down. Each blow aimed for the kill.

  "No!" Jun tried to reason with Seraph.

  Eventually, cracks appeared in his form, a downwards ssh, leaving a clear opening to his neck. Jun however did not exploit it. Instead, slig thinly oop of Hiro's forearm.

  "Hiro please-" Jun stopped. The urge for peace strong.

  *Ssh*

  A wide art a wave of fme towards Jun, who blocked with Seraph. Fmes licked up the se sword, and Jun's arms. Pain shot up; Jun's face sched in pain, but he still didn't try to attack Hiro.

  *Dash* *Ssh* *Whoosh*

  Hiro's form became more and mgressive. More power behind each attack, less time for Jun to block, eveime for him to ter strike. Blisteringly fast, a blur of blue. His attacks had no disible pattern. Pure emotion was driving the bde's edge to cut deeper and deeper.

  *Swing* *Fwoom* *Ssh*

  Another opening, Jun could have sliced off his arm. End the fight. Instead, he went for another nohal cut. The bde dropped from Hiro's hand, nding at his feet.

  The blue fmes died with his rage, leaving only grief behind.

  "There is nothing I say that will make it right. I know that." Jun stood, Seraph lowered, pointing its tip at the ground, still smoking from the fmes.

  "I was a coward. I left you all to die. I'm sorry."

  "...You left them to die. All of them." Hiro was on his knees. Clutg his hands close to his chest.

  Jun walked away; towards his master who now stood against the wall.

  "...Don't turn your bae!" Hiro yelled, scrambling to his bde. Charging once more to the back of Jun.

  *k*

  The Reaper grabbed the bde in his palm; holding it tight with his grip, only inches away from Jun's neck.

  "Stop." The Reapers voice was still, like the calm in the o after a storm.

  "If you knew what he did you wouldn't-"

  *Whack*

  A smack to the mouth sent Hiro to the floor. Dazed, his eyes blurred, vision unclear, a ringing in his ears. Hiro tried to stand but failed in doing so. Falling back down.

  With the Ninjato in hand, Reaper pressed it against his cheek. A trickle of blood ran down.

  "It does not matter. You… have joihe side of cowards. You have been given your life, leave." His words cut like a hot knife. A venomous truth behind his words.

  Hiro was uerred; raising his palms blue fmes engulfed his hands.

  Eren couldn't fault the kid’s determination.

  'I would have fought to my st breath also. Even Jun would if he stood where Hiro did.'

  "Hiro!" Reiji called out to the young man.

  "Enough." From the hallway, he appeared in his suit, still tidy, untouched by the ongoing war.

  "Mr. Kikuchi I-"

  "No, he is right. This is no longer yht." Reiji walked up to his student. Pg a hand on his shoulder, to calm and prevent him from fighting further.

  "Please, you've been given your life. Don't waste it." Handing him a dot.

  "No! Mr. Kikuchi. Please." Hiro refused, pushing it away.

  "I don't o start a new life. I'll die with-"

  *Thud*

  Reiji chopped to the side of Hiro's neck. Knocked out, he slumped against his master, who caught him aly cradled him.

  "Please, Mr. Jiao. you take him away from here?" Reiji hahe boy to Jun, who nodded silently. Taking Hiro and disappearing into shadow, to emerge outside the warehouse.

  "Now. The Reaper... Not as tall as I first thought."

  "..."

  "e to my office. We will settle this like gentleman." Reiji beed to the Reaper, who followed him to the shadow.

  Every fibre of his being warned him against Reiji's words. A trap no doubt, not like Panic who we knew would want a fair fight. Reiji walked him casually into danger.

  With all his experience of the bandits; he should just cleave his body.

  Against his better judgement he followed. His tip off against Shinya, asking to spare his student. At least vindicated a ce for speak for himself.