Atop the crimson bandit’s pound:

  "You didn't o take the stairs. I wasn't going to set you alight in the elevator." Reiji sat behind his desk. Gss of bourbon in hand, and another poured and ready for his adversary.

  "..."

  It was good practice to er a cramped location with your oppo. One never knows the kind of tricks an enemy would have prepared. 'Better safe than Sorry.'

  With a gss of drink in hand, he gestured for Eren to sit down, to which the reaper did.

  "The Reaper... A monster of the shadows. Sitting before me. When I first heard of you, I thought my men made you up. To get out of work." Reiji smiled, taking a sip of his drink.

  "How foolish I was."

  The Reaper looked around the office; remarkable liness and well kept. Extravagant finely carved shelves, desk, and chairs. Almost like a museum of a artifacts.

  '...Baelor.'

  "I don't regret it." Reiji tinued.

  "I assume he told you about me? Taking his guild, building all this, my boys running rampant." Gss in hand, he stood by the window. Looking out at the age that had befallen his base.

  "..."

  "Why..."

  "Eh, he does speak." Reiji turned back. Surprised, but not shocked, at his sudden voice. A low rumble, of a man of few words, yet great impact.

  "...Why did you betray him?" Reiji could feel the reapers gaze from behind the mask. A cold gre sent a chill through him. Yet Reiji remained calm, even his heart rate didn't skip a beat.

  "I'm afraid I don't have an eloquent reason like my former master would. I wanted my own empire. Simple as that." He returo imbibe his drink. Enjoying the smoothness of the bourbon.

  "However, I suspect as you see me now, I too saw the rot of this world. I thought I could make a differeher all those rotten souls. Use them, teach them honour. To give them a ce. I would do it all again."

  "Even with the bodies of is?" Reiji didn't answer. Keeping gaze to the towers in the distance. His refle betrayed him. A sadness in his eyes, a regret. Ohat Eren could see, ohat Reiji was all too aware of.

  "The sun will rise. Soon. Then, the police will swarm in. This pce will fall. There's only one loose end." Reiji turned back; his toothy smile returned.

  "Me."

  "..."

  "I few days, I have made ehat my past self would have balked at. Now, they will be after me. Even if I best you I will not see the end of tomorrow. So, I say let's go out in a bze of glory." Reiji's power was beginning to swell, filling the air with a pressure. His words carried his full i, no more lies, no more hiding.

  He drank the Reaper's untouched gss in one gulp. "I do..."

  "... If I could do it all again differently. Then perhaps we wouldn't be here. You and I. We could have done some good." Reiji began to glow. A crimson aura enveloping his body.

  "I hope you’re ready, Reaper. CRIMSON SUN." Power surged, aed from his palms. Destroying all in its path.

  'Shit.'

  ***

  Outside:

  "If you keep pag like that, yonna dig a trench." Kenji watched on at his partner Akiko. Bad forth through the cordon.

  "I'm sick of waiting. People are dying in there, whilst we sit around with our hands under our arses." She fumed, looking on at the still mingling police. More ied in gossip rather thatle. Even from outside, the gunshots had long stopped. Silence, a deafening silence.

  "Rex my spunky ss. The Reaper is making our lives that little bit easier. What's a few dead criminals?" The witted words of senior detective Takashi brought a scowl to Akiko's face.

  "He is not above the w. No one is. Criminals, is and the Reaper, all are judged equally." She spoke back with a fierce determination. Takashi could see the fire in her eyes, a fme that burned bright. Not even his wit could dim.

  "...That was good. 'All judged the same'." He plimented.

  "If only it were true. I don't know about you, but to me, the Reaper isn't human. Would you try a demon in the court of w? Have him sit in jail, hmmm. What if he were to outlive his sentence-"

  "Enough you old bastard." Akiko stood over him.

  "It's a valid question Aki." Mai joined, looking up to Akiko.

  "Whose side are you on?" Anre. Although, not a fierce as the previous. Akiko had to admit it was a valid . If this world had rules, then what rules does a demon have to follow. their rules even apply to a demon?

  "Akiko. Go a some coffee for the squad. Your pag is putting everyone on edge." Captain Shimada ordered. Akiko didn't argue. Turning away to do as she was asked.

  Through the crowd of officers, she went. Towards a small portable sta up for the police.

  'Coffee. Oh, how I need you.' A small queue had formed. Everyone was starting to feel the effects of a sleepless night. Yawns and stretg, a sombre mood in the line, waiting for a drink to wake them up.

  *Phhht* (Wolf whistle)

  Two pin clothes officers, standing on the er. Eyes locked onto Akiko's; Sizing up her body. Both men's eyes lingered on her lower body. A wry grin across the firsts' face, as though he were about to speak, until Akiko's own gre was felt by him.

  "What?!" Akiko was too tired to deal with the leering and jeering of these pigs.

  "Nothing. Just admiring a beautiful woman." This only enraged her further. A fist ched in anticipation.

  "Is that right?" Akiko took a step forward, fists ready to beat the shit out of them.

  "Oh shit, is the crusader of justice going to beat two defenceless officers?" Both raised their hands, feigning surrender.

  However, the air began to ge. It was still warm but now, there rig sensation. Like a million needles, prig and pressing against skin. Everyo it; stopping to look around for the cause of this sensation.

  *FWOOSH* *BOOM*

  From the top of the tower, crimson fire exploded. A fissure of fire tore its way towards the streets. Through the cordon, the coffee stand attendees, and several police vehicles. Fire swept them all aside.

  Akiko, who had stood in the line was knocked across the road. Rolling onto the curb with great momentum, her head smag the ground, a ringing in her ears and blurred vision. Hands burnt, and her legs too, ripped her trousers leaving only scraps of cloth c her legs.

  "Aki...Aki... AKI!" Kenji's voice drew closer until he was standing above. Cheg on her wounds and burns. "Aki are you alright?"

  *Nod*

  Although the line was not as fortunate. Ma no trace behind. Others were just bck charred corpses. Even the crete melted from the heat. Fmes still licked up the buildings.

  "The Reaper is attag! Prepare to do ehe base!" Captain Matsuo yelled, pointing to the tower. Police scrambled, grabbing ons from the remaining cars.

  "No! We o help the civilians. Now." Captain Shimada yelled back, gesturing to the burning streets, people screaming and running about.

  "No. That son of a bitch has attacked us. We o show him-"

  "We o help these people!" Shimada was having none of Matsuo's bravado. Lives were more important than fighting with the reaper.

  "Captain Shimada. I have jurisdi over this operation. And I say we attack-"

  "Matsuo." Putting a hand on his shoulder. "The civilians need help. Imagine all the positive press you and your men will receive if you are the ohat leads the charge to save them. 'Captain Matsuo, hero of the m siege of ward 4.'" This was a gamble, although amongst many vices was vanity.

  "Besides, that was clearly Reiji Kikuchi. Whoever wins will be exhausted. An easy arrest. Two things in one m hero captain." Shimada's words struck true. A glint of ambition was in his eyes.

  "Get some buckets, find some water. Put these fires out!"

  "YES SIR!" Matsuo's officers saluted and began to scramble. Putting on protective gear and gathering tools and equipment.

  ***

  Inside:

  The fmes settled in the office. Fmes licked across the floor, red hot. Paper in a bze, furniture turo ash, even the door was gone; only an open hole to the crimson night sky remained. A slight draft of wind flowed, not enough to cool the air.

  The Reaper y adjat to Reiji; narrowly avoiding the bst heading to its in point.

  "...Well done... I reparing that the eime we spoke." Betweehes. On his khe attack had left him exhausted, downing another fsk from his jacket pocket.

  *Schick*

  A crimson sword, summoned from the fmes. "I haven't had the opportunity to use my powers in years. For that you have my thanks."

  To his feet; whip uncoiling, ready at his feet. He struck first, a crack of rattling bones echoed.

  *Twang* *Twang* *Twang*

  Several defles from the sword, Reiji had a mastery over his bde. Form impeccable, bance perfect. Each strike arried, a danes and bone.

  *Fwoom* *Fwip*

  A ssh of fmes forced a quick dodge from the Reaper, a follow up attack to his left shoulder.

  'His quick.' Despite his age, an agile adversary. The Reaper had to be on his guard, for he certainly had more tricks.

  ‘Fmed breath.’ Fire spewing from Reiji’s mouth, like a dragon. Fmes ed the space betweehrough the fmes Reiji ran through charging Reaper into the wall. Pinning him with the bde.

  This area was far too small, Eren needed more space.

  *Crack*

  A swift ko the stomach, and a head smashed into the wall. A small gap opened for the Reaper to move. Rolling away he swiped, cutting through the right arm. A hiss left Reiji, as he clutched his stump.

  "ARRGGGGGHHH!" The sword dropped aumbled back.

  "ARRrrggghh- He-ha-he-ha." A smile broke from his pain, followed by a chuckle.

  "I almost fot that a fight should hurt." Reiji was clearly enjoying himself, too mu fact. In the pain was an odd sense of pleasure, a masochistic glee to his wounds.

  "Fihen, outside we go." With his remaining arm he cauterized the stump. Followed by a ball of fire aimed directly in the middle of the office.

  *Boom*

  Another explosion, sending the Reaper into the hard ets behind. Knocked against his head, and spine, Eren had to gasp for breath. Fmes licked at his exposed skin.

  'Fuck!' He had to move quickly to put out the fmes.

  Reiji was gohe window which he loved to watch the world, broken. "Down here, Reaper."

  Reiji sat atop one of the crete vertices. Left arm a light with fire. Taunting him with a toothy smile.

  "e back." He raised his ring; shadows erupting from the ground. Arms pulled themselves out from the darkness. 22 knights gathered behind Eren. Peering down at the tiny old man.

  "Kill him." The Reaper pointed; his army desded.

  Whilst one remained by his side. A giant of a shadow; shirtless with thick muscle, long brown hair, and a scar across his heart. Shadowed skin and azure eyes.

  Guren the blood juggernaut; formerly known as Danya.

  "Go."