chapter 35: The Fire That Refuses to Fade

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

We continue staring at each other, suspicion etched onto both our faces.

I stand before him, trying to steer the conversation in another direction.

"Did you just deliberately attack me from behind?"

I step closer to him, narrowing my eyes as I scrutinize his face.

"It's easy to dodge. If I were you and couldn't dodge it, I'd have killed myself out of shame."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise at his sharp words. I was about to attack him, but suddenly my instincts alert me to an incoming assault from behind.

With a quick flick of my fingers, I evade the attack—a large ball, similar to the one from earlier, but this time blazing with an intense fire ignited by Dahi's fury.

Because I was blocking The old-looking young man's view, I saw that he couldn't dodge it. The ball struck him with a force that sent him flying far away.

Boom.

I turned to Dahi, who was in his usual rage, screaming madly, 

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

I cautiously step back a couple of paces, never taking my eyes off The old-looking young man for even a second.

With the long piece of cloth in his hand, he skillfully tosses it onto the flaming ball as though taming a wild beast. The fabric swallows the ball as if it never existed. Then, with surprising agility, he straightens his posture.

I inch closer to him cautiously, my gaze still fixed on Dahi, anticipating any sudden attack.

"I'll wait for you to kill yourself"

He turns to look at me, and I shrug mockingly.

"What? Didn't you just say it was an easy attack to dodge?"

His breathing quickens, his embarrassment quickly turning into seething anger. He turns to Dahi, and though I can't see his eyes, I can imagine they're gleaming with hatred.

Foolishly and recklessly, he charges at Dahi, gripping his hammer with a hand trembling from rage.

As for me, I exploit the situation with finesse, turning and sprinting in the opposite direction as fast as I can.

While running, I scan my surroundings, hoping to spot that life-saving red box. It's the only solution now. The sound of sirens—either the police or firefighters—becomes louder and clearer. If I wait until his strength runs out, it will already be too late.

Boom.

I hear a deafening crash behind me. Seconds later, something slams into the ground beside me, bouncing several times with such force that it surpasses me.

Moments later, I see him lying on the ground, his head smashing violently against the hard surface, leaving it bleeding profusely.

Because of my constant running, I reach him as he struggles to get up. From his tense body language, I can tell he's still eager to charge at Dahi again. It seems he's a slow learner.

I pass him by and say with a voice dripping with sarcasm 

"You can try again if you want, but I'm going to keep running."

As if he didn't hear me, he charges forward again with stubborn foolishness, only to repeat the same painful scene once more.

Boom.

But this time, it seems he's finally learned his lesson. Instead of recklessly charging, he joins me in the marathon.

"What's on your mind?"

I wanted to annoy him further, but there's no time for that. The sirens are getting sharper, a sign that the authorities are nearly at the scene of the fight.

"I'm looking for a firebox. Water's the only thing that can stop him, but I can't find one in this cursed street."

"This street doesn't have one. There's one on the opposite side,".

How does he know something only locals would? Don't tell me he lives around here. Such coincidences can't possibly happen, can they?

the sharp scent of burning fills the air, drawing closer to us rapidly. We pause for a moment, then move apart swiftly to avoid it. Dahi, however, appears to have learned something too.

He remains rooted in the same spot we were just in, like a ticking time bomb about to explode.

Boom.

The force of the blast sends both of us flying backward violently. We keep tumbling until we crash hard into a nearby building.

"I'll kill you."

Thankfully, I have a strong body, so I didn't feel much damage. I quickly regain my balance and stand, ready for whatever's coming next.

"I know, I know. You'll kill me. I got it. Can you shut fuck your annoying mouth? It hurts more than your flames."

"Ahhhhh!"

The old-looking young man isn't as lucky as me. From his painful groans, it's clear he's severely hurt from smashing into the wall. It takes him a lot longer to stand, and when he does, he's visibly trembling.

The firebox is in an alleyway at the far end of the street—a distance that now feels unreachable because of the street's length and Dahi's relentless pursuit. At this moment, only one idea comes to mind to escape this mess.

I take a deep breath, looking at my clothes, which I'll inevitably have to sacrifice. As I mentally and physically prepare myself for what's next, Dahi begins to scream hysterically, his body staggering from the objects being thrown at him.

The old-looking young man appears out of nowhere, wielding objects resembling playing cards. With movements so swift they're nearly imperceptible, he starts launching them at Dahi, skillfully moving his arms in every direction.

The sharp sounds of the cards slicing through the air fill the scene, accompanied by Dahi's agonized cries.

The strange cards pierce Dahi's blazing body with astonishing ease, and some even come dangerously close to me. I quickly tilt my head to the side, avoiding one that embeds itself into the wall behind me. Curious, I turn to examine it closely.

They're really just playing cards, but unlike anything I've seen before. I cautiously touch one with my fingers, and suddenly, it loses its sharp, solid form, returning to a simple, bent card stuck to the wall.

The old-looking young man persists in his relentless attack. I wonder how many cards he has in his magical arsenal.

Dahi continues to scream and stumble as he endures the onslaught, but I can tell he's building up energy. He's going to explode soon, and if I'm not mistaken, this time it'll be far more powerful.

I move with lightning speed to avoid the blast. The old-looking young man notices my swift movements and seems to deduce the reason, following suit but in the opposite direction.

"I'll kill you."

Boom.

This time, the explosion is unlike anything I've ever seen. The ground melts like wax, and the heat reaches my feet with terrifying speed. As if the massive explosive pressure wasn't enough, the ground has become fragile and unstable.

Summoning all my strength, I leap into the air. To my surprise, I reach the height of the second floor of a building. Unfortunately, there's nothing to land on as it's engulfed in raging flames.

So, within moments, I fall back to the ground, but this time, I spring off with only the tips of my toes. Once again, I launch myself into the air, this time managing to grab onto a streetlight pole that has somehow survived all this chaos.

I stand on the narrow edge of the streetlight pole, staring directly at the center of the explosion where Dahi stands, trying to assess the situation quickly.

The force of the explosion and the melting of everything around us have caused thick smoke to rise, making it nearly impossible to see clearly.

Damn that monster! He's made everything worse than I ever imagined. What should I do now? What should I do? My plan was to exploit his hatred for me so he'd use his fire to create a path to the other alley, but now, all I can see is the chaotic destruction surrounding us on all sides.

Is it just me, or is his fire growing hotter with time? At first, it could barely burn the buildings, but now it's melting them, turning them into wax. Damn it!

I notice the molten ground creeping dangerously close to the pole I'm standing on, forcing me to leap to the farthest one I can reach.

The idea of abandoning everything and running away rises strongly in my chest, but I push it down. I lift my head, taking a quick glance at the nearby buildings, searching for an escape route.

Could I climb the buildings like a monkey, leaping from one to another? That thought vanishes the moment I take a closer look at the warped, misshapen structures.

The buildings are melting, collapsing without even needing the flames to touch them. If even a single shard grazes me, I'd likely melt away like ice cream on a scorching summer day.

Once again, as I try to think of a solution, the molten destruction rushes toward me at a terrifying speed, forcing me to leap backward with all my strength. But there's nothing solid to land on, so I end up standing on a patch of ground that the melting hasn't reached yet. Without waiting, I start running in the opposite direction from Dahi as fast as I can.

"I'll kill you."

The voice I used to mock every time I heard it now sends shivers down my spine. Without thinking, I glance back and see a massive flame in the center of which two fiery red eyes glare at me with unspeakable fury.

My sweat-drenched body, acting on its own, leaps forward, turn directly at his eyes, bracing for his next attack.

What am doing? I was about to resist, but a thought crossed my mind: if it weren't for this body's instincts, I wouldn't have survived until now. With this realization, I place my trust in it, my heart pounding wildly as I await the inevitable.

It's as if he was waiting for me. As soon as I gather my courage, he lets out his usual scream and opens something like a void from which emerges an enormous ball, larger than anything I've seen before.

"RRRAAAAAAAHHH!" 

"WHOOOOOOOSH-CRACKLE!"

The closer the ball gets, the more I doubt my decision, but it's not as though I have another choice. It's so massive there's no way to avoid it or leap over it.

I crouch low, spreading my arms wide, readying myself for whatever pain comes. As it nears, I strike it with my bare hands as if wrestling a raging bull. Fueled by the idea that suddenly comes to mind...

Boom.

My arms collide with the massive ball with shocking force. To my surprise, the fire and pain I expected weren't as overwhelming as I'd imagined. But that doesn't mean it was easy by any means.

I spoke too soon. The immense pressure created by the ball pushes my body back forcefully, weakening my momentum to counter the attack. If I give in, it'll consume me in an instant. I don't know my body's limits, but I can easily predict it can only take so much.

Suddenly, I remember a move I once saw in an anime.

Bit by bit, I shift the ball's weight and momentum onto one leg. I can feel the muscles straining to the point of tearing, not to mention the bones creaking under the tremendous pressure. Gritting my teeth, I move with speed, lifting my other leg, and with a kick that carries every ounce of strength I have, I send the ball hurtling toward the sky.

Boom.

The impact of the collision sends a violent shockwave through the air, instantly extinguishing most of the surrounding flames. 

"WHOOOOOOOSH-CRACKLE!"

The massive fireball soars into the sky like a rocket, piercing through the clouds gathering on the horizon.

All my strength abandons me in that moment, and I collapse onto the ground, gasping for every shred of oxygen I can get. The hot air makes breathing harder than it's ever been.

As my chest heaves in search of relief, a deafening explosion comes from the dark sky above. 

"doooom"

I don't know what the ball collided with, but the impact creates an indescribable force. The resulting windstorm sweeps everything into the air like autumn leaves.

I'm literally thrown into the air like a feather. No matter how much I try, I can't control my movements or regain balance. I have no idea how far I've been flung, spinning like a ball in the air, my limbs flailing. The immense pressure robs me of my hearing, leaving only a sharp ringing in my ears.

Finally, I crash to the ground, and the pain that erupts in my back is beyond description.

"ahh"

A scream I didn't know I had escapes me, raw and powerful. I'd started to think I was invincible, but this pain pulls me harshly back to reality.

As I struggle to process the agony tearing through my body, I manage to move my eyes slowly, the only part of me that doesn't hurt to shift.

The scene around me resembles a fiery hell. The flames that consumed everything moments ago have now vanished, leaving behind nothing but smoldering debris.

Wherever I look, all I see is blackened ruins.

The sky is black with smoke, the ground charred and scorched. The walls that somehow remain standing are cracked and blackened, while those that melted into thick, solid sludge are just as dark as the night.

Bit by bit, I begin to regain feeling in my legs, accompanied by waves of pain. Using what little strength I have left, I lift myself up with great difficulty, searching for that lunatic Dahi.

I finally manage to rise, realizing there's not a shred of clothing left on me. Yes, I'm completely naked now, save for the clown mask that somehow survived—don't ask how. 

Anyone who sees me now would get quite the view of my little friend now.... my honor is at stake. But in this chaos, who cares about that? Luckily, I don't have any serious burns.

Am I somehow anti-combustion? That question lingers briefly before I refocus on the current situation.

All the flames have died out now, leaving behind only rubble and columns of steam rising into the air. The steam blocks my view, making it impossible to confirm whether that monster is still alive or if he's finally met his end.

I'm sure the fire consumed him. He must either be dead or on the brink of death. 

The steam rises slowly, joining its companions in the clouds forming above, and reveals the still-burning curse that refuses to die.

Damn you and your entire lineage! Why is he still alive? Just die already, you bastard!

"...kill you... It's your fault... it's your fault..."

He keeps repeating the same sentence endlessly, staggering toward me at an unnervingly slow pace.

I can barely stand, leaning on my trembling knees for support as exhaustion and pain overwhelm me.

He approaches at an agonizingly slow speed, his body still emitting flames. But it's clear that his fire is on the verge of dying out completely.

I'm so drained that I can't even move, let alone run or dodge. All I can do is stand here and wait for my fate.

When he's halfway between us, something gleaming slices through the air with remarkable precision, striking him directly in the knees.

"Aaaah!"

For the first time, Dahi lets out a scream of pain instead of his usual threats.

Behind him appears The old-looking young man, completely naked. He's lucky he wasn't the one to confront that massive fireball earlier, or he'd undoubtedly be dead by now.

I can see that his body is far weaker than mine. Damn, what a disgusting sight. I wasn't wrong when I said he's sick. His body is that of an old man, covered in wrinkles and scars. Could this be a side effect of the mysterious serum?

Wait, am I imagining things, or he doesn't have little… no, it's better not to think about that right now.

Dahi doesn't stop crawling, pushing himself forward with his hands. Even though it's over for him, he's determined to reach me somehow. The few remaining flames flicker weakly on his charred body, a body even his fire didn't spare.

"It's… it's… fault..."

If I didn't already know the words he was mumbling, I wouldn't have been able to hear him; he can't even fully open his mouth anymore.

He keeps crawling closer while I continue gathering what little strength I have left in my battered body. Meanwhile, the revolting, naked old man stumbles toward us as well, his body marred with burn marks, as if he needed any more disfigurements.

Just as Dahi gets within a few steps of me, a light drizzle begins to fall from the sky. The drizzle gradually turns into a downpour, drenching him completely and extinguishing the last of the flames on his body. Along with the fire, his life fades away as he utters his final words:

"You… fault, you..."

I take a deep breath as I collapse to the ground, utterly spent. 

Stop blaming me and blame your greed. If you hadn't dared to take the serum, none of this would have happened. This is all your fault, not mine.

The old-looking young man stands over Dahi's charred corpse, snorting in contempt. Out of nowhere, he produces a long cloth, tossing it over the body, which vanishes as if it never existed.

He slowly turns to face me.

"Let's go. We don't have much time,"

His words send a surge of unease through me.

"Where are we going?"

Turning to me with an icy calm

"To the place where he worked—the animal shelter."

His words erase every trace of my exhaustion. I stand up, cursing silently to myself.

shit, I've been caught?