The Coldness of Freezing Flames

Time slipped by until late at night.

At the entrance to Tokyo Station.

According to Ciel, the massive cavity created by [Manaka] was directly beneath Tokyo Station, with its entrance hidden inside the station's tunnels. It was a well-concealed entry, protected by Magecraft, discovered purely by chance.

"To think it's in a place like this—truly unexpected."

Naoki gazed at the station before him.

Did his journey to Tokyo, which began at a station, now end at one too?

"Fighting underground like this could cause a collapse." Aoko glanced at him. "Remember, don't make too much noise."

"That depends on my opponent cooperating. I'm not confident my other self's personality will let us settle this peacefully."

The moment they met, it would surely be a fight to the death.

Looking at Ayaka beside him, Naoki gently took her hand. "Nervous?"

"A-a little." It'd be a lie to say she wasn't. The upcoming battle would determine the survival of the real world, and her abilities would heavily impact the outcome. Ayaka was trembling with fear.

Squeezing her hand a bit tighter, Naoki smiled. "It's okay. Just stay behind me. I'll do the fighting, and I'll protect you."

"Naoki…"

"Ahem-ahem!"

Aoko coughed loudly without hesitation, then pulled Naoki's arm toward her. "What, don't I need protecting?"

"I'm more scared you'd drag me into trouble. When you go wild, you're kinda like me, right?"

*THUD!*

Naoki's stomach took a punch.

With a wry smile, he watched Aoko storm ahead, pouting, then led Ayaka to follow her.

Inside the station, it was eerily quiet and dark, without a single light or person. Apart from the sound of Naoki and the others' footsteps and breathing, the entire station was silent.

"Something's off." Aoko frowned. "Even if stations are empty at night, not a single person…"

"Could the Church have cleared people out beforehand?"

"I don't sense that thing's presence, and… there's a burnt smell in the air."

Naoki dismissed Ayaka's guess, taking wider strides to walk ahead of Aoko.

The scorched smell grew stronger. Through the pungent odor, an image of someone bathed in flames, like a wild beast, flashed in Naoki's mind.

It's coming—

*BOOM!*

The darkness was suddenly shattered by an exploding fireball. The cold station erupted into a blaze. In an instant, the three, who had been in an empty station, were engulfed in a raging sea of flames!

At the edge of that fiery ocean, a figure shot forward with godlike speed.

*BAM!*

A flaming fist reached Naoki. The terrifying impact sent him crashing through the wall behind him!

The two identical figures locked eyes.

"I've been waiting for you, the original!!"

[Naoki] couldn't contain the excitement and rage in his heart, roaring with a hoarse voice!

"This time, don't even think about escaping! Come on, let's fight to the death and drag each other into the abyss! Break their arms and legs so they can never rise again!"

That familiar feeling surged.

"You're really… the same as always—Hah!"

Forcibly deflecting the fist paused before him, Naoki kicked his other self's chest! As if hit by a speeding truck, [Naoki] was sent flying!

Naoki shook out his hands and legs, stepping out from the wall.

"Aoko, go ahead first. Ayaka and I will catch up—Ugh!"

Approaching Naoki, under Ayaka's shocked gaze, Aoko stood on tiptoes and bit his lip hard, then wiped the blood from her lips. "Remember this pain. I'll be waiting for you to collect it from me."

"Mm."

Watching Aoko leap from the platform and vanish swiftly, Naoki took a deep breath and turned to Ayaka. "Ready?"

"Mhm… Naoki, you and Miss Aoko…"

"Well, it's probably what you're thinking. I'll explain after this is over. For now, first—"

*BOOOOM!*

Flames surged like a tsunami. A destructive wave of fire, paired with [Naoki]'s return, pierced the station's ceiling. A ground-shattering kick tore through space!

*BAM!*

Fist and kick collided in midair, the impact's explosion shattering everything around!

[Naoki] glared at Naoki and Ayaka with blazing red eyes.

"Bold of you to stand here. Strength aside, your courage deserves praise, woman! Ready to head to the afterlife together, a tragic pair of lovers?!"

"Your mouth's still as loud as ever."

Using the impact to pull back, Naoki set Ayaka down from his arms. "You're that confident you'll win?"

"You're that confident you won't die?" The flames on [Naoki]'s body flared fiercer with his will. "I've waited too long for today. Though it's only been days, it feels like years! And that woman kept holding me back… The rage in my heart needs you—and the whole world—to extinguish it!"

Like the towering Babel, endless flames roared skyward. The ferocious pillar of fire nearly turned the dark sky red.

"Run as much as you want! I'll let you run—run to the ends of the earth if you like! Even to the limits of time and space!"

"No matter where you flee, you won't escape!"

The Fire Demon God—in Ayaka's eyes, [Naoki] was such an existence. Those flames seemed capable of incinerating everything with a mere touch, leaving not even bone fragments. In this fiery hell, was survival even possible?

Yet, there was a cold touch.

A cool sensation brushed her palm.

Turning to Naoki beside her, seeing his smile, Ayaka instinctively gripped his hand tighter, trying to strengthen their bond.

Then—

"Here, I'm counting on you."

"Mm, leave it to me."

*SHUA!*

A blue icy light quietly bloomed in the sea of flames. The scorching heat filling the room plummeted rapidly, and the raging fire gradually froze into ice!

At the center of that frozen ground—

"Go on, run as much as you want, my other self."

"I'll allow it."

The blue icy figure whispered.