Taro Ayato Days

The next morning, Aoi sat at the table with her arms crossed and a serious expression on her face.

"I've decided," she said. "I won't use any more of my money. It's the last thing I have from my parents, and I'll keep it safe—no matter what."

Taro, holding a bag of groceries, nodded with a soft smile. "That's a good decision." He placed the groceries down and walked toward the back, disappearing into the house.

Kaito was sitting nearby, flipping through a notebook. He looked up and said casually, "You're thinking about it again. You don't need to worry so much."

Aoi's eyes narrowed. "Did you just read my mind again?"

Kaito blinked. "Well… it slipped. You were kind of yelling it inside."

Aoi stood up, her voice sharp. "You have no shame, do you? Reading minds without permission—what even are you?"

The room fell silent. Kaito's eyes lowered. "I didn't mean to…"

He slowly stood, grabbed his hoodie, and left without another word, his expression empty.

Aoi let out a frustrated sigh, then quietly returned to the shop. Business was slow that afternoon. She tied on Kaito's apron—he had left it behind—and stood alone behind the counter, arms folded.

That's when the door opened.

Three strangers entered the store, dressed like electricians, but something about them felt wrong. They looked around, their eyes settling on her.

"There," one of them whispered. "That's the one. Matches the description—short, quiet, wearing the apron."

Aoi blinked. "Can I help you—?"

Before she could finish, one man grabbed her arm while the other covered her mouth.

In seconds, the shop door slammed shut.

The van outside started up.

And just like that, Aoi was gone.

Mistaken for Kaito.

As the van sped off down the street, tires screeching, Taro stepped out of the house with a calm face… but his eyes had already noticed something was wrong.

Kaito came running behind him. "That's—!"

"Aoi," Taro muttered.

Without another word, he flipped the switch on a covered tarp near the gate.

A black bike stood underneath, polished, sleek, and far more advanced than anything a normal hitman should own. With one clean move, Taro mounted his legendary hitman bike, and the engine roared like a beast waking up after years.

He pulled the throttle, and in an instant, he was airborne—performing a flip through narrow alleyways, zipping between cars, doing stunts even professional riders would call impossible.

Kaito sprinted after the van and leapt—his body twisting midair—and landed hard on the van's roof.

The van shook.

One of the kidnappers kicked the top open and climbed out. He was dressed in black, his face hidden, and he moved like smoke—silent and fast.

The two locked eyes.

Kaito threw the first punch—straight to the gut.

The man vanished.

"Wha—!?"

A split-second later, BAM!—a kick hit Kaito from behind, sending him flying off the roof. He hit the ground, rolled, and gasped in pain.

The invisible man jumped down, landing right on Taro's bike, just behind him.

Smirking, he pulled back his fist, thinking he'd surprise Taro.

But—SNAP!

Taro caught the punch without even turning his head.

"I'm not blind," Taro said coldly. "I can sense idiots."

With a twist of his arm, he flung the invisible attacker straight into the air—and smashed him against the van with full force.

BOOM! The van swerved, but something strange happened.

A strange spike from the bike's engine suddenly triggered, like it had hit an anti-tech field.

CRASH!

Taro's bike spiraled out and exploded into the side of a dumpster. Sparks flew.

The van accelerated and vanished into the foggy streets.

Taro stood up from the wreck, brushing dust from his coat.

Kaito limped beside him, holding his side. "They're… taking her to the lab."

Taro looked over. "What lab?"

Kaito's face darkened. "The place where I got this cursed power. The place that turns kids into experiments."

He paused. "It's time I tell you everything."

Taro and Kaito sat on a bench near the broken remains of the legendary bike. The night air was cold, and the city lights flickered in the distance.

Kaito looked down at his hands. "You want to know the truth?"

Taro nodded silently.

Kaito leaned back, staring up at the sky. "I was just a normal kid... until the lab found me. They said they were working on a way to 'enhance the human brain.' They made us test subjects—kids like me."

"They gave me a serum. It was thick, cold, and burned like fire inside my head. But it worked." He tapped his temple. "I could hear thoughts… every thought. Every whisper inside someone's mind."

Taro stayed quiet.

"At first, I thought it was amazing. I could see who was lying, who was planning bad things. I thought I could help people." Kaito's voice darkened. "But then I started hearing things I didn't want to hear."

"Every person I met thought I was a freak. A weapon. A 'failed experiment.' Even the scientists—every time I walked past, their thoughts were the same: 'Worst invention ever.' 'A mistake.' 'Dangerous.'"

Kaito's voice cracked. "It hurt more than anything. I couldn't turn it off. I couldn't stop hearing them. Every voice was like a knife."

"So," he continued, "one night, I ran away. Left everything. The lab, the project… my name. I joined the assassin group because at least there… no one cared who I was. I could do missions and stay in control."

Taro finally spoke. "You don't seem like a killer."

"I'm not," Kaito said softly. "But I became one… just to silence the noise."

He looked at Taro, eyes serious. "They took Aoi because they thought she was me. That means they want me back… to finish what they started."

Taro cracked his knuckles. "Then we're going to destroy that lab."

The van screeched to a halt in front of a gray, abandoned building on the edge of the city. Cracked windows. Rusted gates. It looked empty from the outside—but deep beneath, the real lab still operated.

Aoi was dragged down into a cold basement through metallic hallways. The air was damp and smelled of chemicals and rot. One of the masked men shoved her into a steel cell and slammed it shut with a loud clang.

She screamed, "Let me go! I'm not who you think I am!"

They ignored her.

In the control room above, the group of kidnappers stood nervously in front of a massive steel door. As it creaked open, silence fell over the room. Footsteps echoed. Heavy. Precise.

Out stepped the leader.

He was tall, dressed in a sleek black coat, with a face half-covered by a metal mask. His eyes were cold. Too cold.

No one spoke.

He scanned the group, then pointed to Aoi's image on the screen. "Where is Kaito?"

One of the men nervously stepped forward. "We… we think this is him. He—he was wearing the apron. And the description—"

SLASH.

The leader's hand moved faster than anyone could see.

Blood hit the wall. The man fell, lifeless.

Everyone froze.

Then, the leader turned slowly to the invisible man. His voice was ice.

"I want Kaito."

The invisible man nodded quickly, his face pale. "Yes, sir."

Aoi sat quietly in the cold, dimly lit cell. The silence was heavy, broken only by distant footsteps and the occasional metal creak from above.

Her fingers brushed against something under the bench — small and dusty.

It was a broken old tablet, screen cracked and frame rusted. She pressed the side. Miraculously, it lit up with a flicker.

The screen flashed weakly.

[PROJECT: MINDWAVE]

SUBJECT #01 – Kaito

Status: First successful experiment. Neural sync: 92%. Risk: High.

Aoi's eyes widened.

Her hand trembled as she scrolled further, revealing a grainy image…

It was Kaito — younger, thinner, strapped to a chair with wires attached to his head.

She gasped. "What did they do to you…"

For a moment, she stared at the screen, stunned. Then her eyes narrowed, and she clutched the tablet tightly.

"I'll be sorry…" she whispered, her voice firm.

"After I get out of this."

Later that night, Kaito led Taro through a maze of back alleys until they reached the edge of the city — the same spot where the van had disappeared.

"This is it," Kaito said, pointing at the decaying building. "The lab is under this."

Taro stepped forward, scanning the structure. Broken windows. Rusted door. Crumbling walls.

They entered.

The inside was silent. Dust hung in the air. Old desks and shattered monitors sat untouched, like the place had been abandoned for years.

Kaito's eyes darted around. "No… no, this isn't right. There was a whole lab under here. Security systems. Guards. Everything."

Taro walked slowly across the cracked floor, kicking aside an old power cable.

"It's empty," he said.

Kaito clenched his fists. "They moved it… or they hid it somehow."

He stepped toward the corner, where an old elevator shaft used to be — now sealed with concrete.

Kaito's voice dropped. "They're watching us. I can feel it."

Kaito stood frozen near the sealed elevator shaft, trying to figure out what went wrong.

Taro stayed silent. His eyes scanned the shadows, alert.

Then he noticed it — high up in the corner of the room.

A small, broken camera, hidden beneath cracked wires and dust. The lens was cracked, but the red light on it was still blinking faintly.

Taro walked toward it slowly.

The camera moved—just slightly. Watching.

Taro stopped right in front of it.

He didn't speak.

He just stared.

His expression turned cold… deadly. His usual relaxed face was gone—now replaced by the eyes of a true hitman.

Without a word, Taro leaned slightly closer to the camera, just enough for the person behind it to feel the weight of his gaze.

As if to say: I know you're watching.

And I'm coming for her.

Far away, in a dark surveillance room deep beneath a different hidden facility, the villain watched the grainy feed from the broken camera.

Taro's face filled the screen — calm, cold, and unblinking.

The villain chuckled.

"What an intense stare… for someone so soft-looking."

He leaned back in his chair, the light from the screens casting eerie shadows across his metal mask.

"Let him come," he said, voice low and mocking.

"How can a fat man beat us?"

The invisible man stood quietly nearby, not daring to speak.

The villain turned slightly, eyes narrowed.

"But just in case…" he smirked, "prepare the lab for war."

Taro didn't respond to the villain's mocking words, but his eyes said it all.

Then, without warning—

BOOM!

Taro stepped forward and punched the concrete wall where the old elevator used to be.

The building shook.

Cracks spread like lightning through the stone… and in seconds, the entire elevator shaft collapsed, revealing a hidden passage beneath.

Dust flew everywhere. Kaito coughed, eyes wide. "That was… pure concrete…"

Taro cracked his knuckles. "Soft."

They stepped carefully down the spiraling staircase, the air growing colder, darker, thicker with every step.

Finally, they reached a large metallic door at the bottom. Taro pressed his hand against it.

Creeeeeak.

The door opened.

And in front of them stood a massive underground hall — filled with over a dozen uniformed soldiers in black gear. Their helmets had glowing red visors, and they carried heavy weapons.

But standing in front of them were two towering giants, their muscles like armor, eyes glowing faint red.

One of the soldiers stepped forward and said, voice robotic but smug:

"You've reached the wrong place, weaklings."

"You think you can beat our leader?"

"No one defeats… Mr. Ezui."

Taro narrowed his eyes, while Kaito grinned slightly.

"Wanna bet?" Taro muttered.

Far below the battlefield, inside a dark and heavily secured command room, Mr. Ezui stood alone — watching the monitors.

Sweat dripped from his forehead despite the cold air. The sounds of his soldiers preparing for war echoed in the background… but Ezui wasn't calm.

Not even close.

He clutched the side of the desk, knuckles white.

"They're just two people," he muttered. "One of them's a hitman—a fat one—and the other a failed experiment…"

But his voice trembled.

Because deep down… he knew the truth.

Taro Ayato wasn't normal. And Kaito wasn't just some runaway.

And worst of all—

If he didn't stop them…

Slur would find out.

Just the thought made Ezui flinch. That name alone was enough to freeze his blood.

Slur — the true leader behind the organization. A man (or monster?) with no face, no mercy, and no second chances.

Ezui whispered to himself, "I can't fail. If I don't kill them… Slur will kill me."

He turned to the intercom and shouted, "Deploy the giants! If they get past this point… unleash Protocol Zero!"

Then, under his breath:

"Please… don't let them win".

Taro stood calmly at the doorway, arms crossed, as the army of masked soldiers tightened their formation.

Beside him, Kaito adjusted his gloves, eyes focused.

"Go ahead," Taro said casually. "You warm them up."

Kaito smirked. "Thought you'd never ask."

In a flash, he sprinted forward — faster than the eye could track.

CRACK! He punched the first soldier in the visor, shattering it instantly.

BAM! A spinning kick to the side dropped two more.

Kaito moved like a blur — dodging bullets, sliding under attacks, reading every enemy's next move before they made it.

"Left hook—block."

"Knee incoming—duck."

"Behind me—spin kick."

Within seconds, six of the guards were on the floor, groaning.

But then—

BOOM. BOOM.

The ground trembled.

The two giants stepped forward, their fists like steel blocks, their eyes glowing with controlled rage.

One roared and charged.

The other swung a massive arm, knocking aside even their own soldiers.

Kaito tried to dodge—

But WHAM!

A giant backhand sent him flying across the hall.

He crashed into the wall, groaning as debris fell around him.

Before he could get up, the second giant was already there—

A foot slammed down where Kaito had rolled just a second earlier.

Kaito stood, panting. "Alright… maybe I do need backup."

He looked toward the door.

Taro hadn't moved.

Still calm.

Still watching.

Before anyone could blink, the first giant charged again, roaring like a thunderstorm.

But in a split second—a millisecond—Taro moved.

He didn't rush. He didn't yell. He simply stepped forward, calm as ever.

With one swift punch, harder than a battering ram, he struck the giant square in the chest.

CRACK!

The giant's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground with a deafening crash.

Dust exploded around him as he hit the floor, groaning in shock and pain.

The room fell silent.

Even the soldiers stopped mid-step.

Kaito's eyes widened. "How—?"

The invisible man behind the leader furrowed his brow, trying to sense what just happened.

He closed his eyes, focusing hard.

Suddenly, his expression twisted. He had read Taro's mind.

He whispered, "He did that in a millisecond..."

The leader's soldiers exchanged horrified glances.

The leader himself clenched his fists.

Taro stood motionless, a cold smile on his lips.

No one moved.

They all knew—

This fight was far from over.

The silence only lasted a second.

Then—chaos.

The second giant roared and lunged at Taro with both fists raised.

But before he could even land a blow—

WHAM.

Taro ducked and punched upward. The hit connected with the giant's jaw and lifted him off the ground.

BOOM! He crashed down beside his fallen partner, unconscious.

The remaining soldiers hesitated—but that was a mistake.

Taro moved like lightning.

CRACK!

SMASH!

THUD!

One by one, the soldiers were thrown aside, knocked out cold before they even realized what was happening.

Kaito barely had time to blink. "He took them all down… in seconds."

Taro dusted off his coat and walked toward the heavy steel door at the back of the room.

Kaito followed, still catching his breath. "You're not even tired, are you?"

Taro smirked. "That was the warm-up."

He reached the door and placed his hand on the scanner. The metal hissed and slid open.

Inside was a dimly lit room, filled with control panels, sealed gates, and red warning lights.

Taro walked straight to the intercom and pressed a button.

His voice echoed through the facility:

"This is Taro Ayato. Stop hiding."

"Release your strongest fighter."

"Show me… Protocol Zero."

A loud alarm blared across the facility.

"WARNING: CONTAINMENT LEVEL BREACHED."

"RELEASING: PROTOCOL ZERO."

The lights dimmed. Steam hissed from the floor. Then—

CLANG.

A massive gate at the far end of the chamber began to rise, the heavy chains rattling like thunder.

Kaito stood still, eyes wide. "No way… they actually kept it ready."

Behind the gate… stood a silhouette.

Then it stepped forward — one foot, then another — shaking the ground with every move.

Its body was a terrifying fusion of machine and flesh. Towering, covered in armored plating, with glowing veins of red energy running through its arms and chest. Its face was half-human, half-mask, with sharp mechanical eyes that locked straight onto Taro.

And worst of all…

It wasn't screaming.

It wasn't roaring.

It was smiling.

A calm, twisted grin — as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

The voice over the speaker boomed:

"Protocol Zero: Activated."

"Mission: Eliminate intruders."

Taro took one step forward.

Kaito whispered, "Be careful… that thing isn't like the others. It's built to adapt. It doesn't feel pain."

Taro cracked his neck.

"I don't need it to feel pain," he said calmly.

"I just need it… to fall."

Protocol Zero's body lit up with warning signals. Its voice boomed through the chamber:

"Target locked. Engaging at 100% strength."

Armor plates shifted. Jets ignited along its back. The monster looked unstoppable — a machine designed to kill anything.

Across the room, Taro stood still, looking as soft and harmless as ever, chewing slowly on a piece of candy.

Kaito shouted from the side, "Taro! Don't hold back! That thing's on another level!"

Taro let the candy wrapper fall from his fingers and crushed it underfoot.

Then, with a calm voice, he said:

"Alright… I'll use 30%..."

He paused.

A soldier gulped.

Then Taro added:

"…of my chubby body. Not my true form."

BOOM.

A sudden shockwave burst from around him — not visual, not flashy — just felt. The air went heavy. The steel beneath his feet cracked slightly.

He didn't change. Still round. Still soft. Still… chubby.

But now, everyone could feel it.

That this wasn't a joke.

That even at 30% of his chubby body — Taro was terrifying.

Protocol Zero launched forward, moving like a rocket. Its plasma blades screamed through the air—

CLANG!

Taro raised one arm, blocked both blades with a single forearm, and didn't move an inch.

Protocol twisted, attacking with blinding speed.

Taro dodged with slow, smooth steps — like he knew the future.

Then—BAM!

A single punch from his round fist smashed into the machine's side.

CRASH!

The monster flew sideways, flipping through the air, and crashed into a support pillar, breaking it clean in half.

Kaito gasped. "That's just 30% of his chubby form?!"

Taro began walking forward, calmly.

Protocol Zero rose, roaring, its voice glitching.

It charged again.

Taro whispered:

"Too slow."

He stepped in—

WHAM!!

A spinning palm strike to the core.

The machine was blown back, skipping across the ground like a boulder, before slamming into the far wall and falling silent.

Sparks flew. Smoke filled the air.

Taro turned around and said casually, "When you're done sending toys… show me the real threat."

Yesss! Aoi finally breaking free, showing her courage, and then that emotional moment with Kaito — it's the perfect balance of action and heart after Taro's godly display. Here's the continuation:

Underground, deep beneath the lab, Aoi sat in the cell, gripping the old tablet tightly.

Then—BOOM!

The walls shook violently. Dust fell from the ceiling. Lights flickered.

She stood up fast. "That was Taro…"

More rumbling. Then — crack! — a piece of the cell wall loosened from the impact above.

Aoi didn't hesitate.

She ran forward and slammed her shoulder into the weak spot again and again.

CRASH!

The wall gave way.

She stumbled into the hallway — heart pounding.

Two guards rounded the corner. "She's escaping! Get her—!"

But Aoi was ready.

WHAM!

She kicked the first one in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall.

BAM!

The second raised his baton — too slow. Aoi grabbed it mid-swing and swung it back into his face.

He collapsed.

Breathing heavily, Aoi sprinted through the corridors, following the echoes of battle and shaking floors.

She climbed stair after stair until—

She reached a wide, wrecked chamber filled with smoke.

She saw him first: Taro, standing calmly in front of a burning wreck that used to be Protocol Zero.

And then — Kaito.

His back was turned, checking the wreckage.

"Kaito!!" she cried.

He turned—

Aoi ran to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry— I'm so sorry— I didn't mean what I said— I was scared— I—I—" she choked on her words, crying hard.

Kaito blinked, stunned, then slowly placed a hand on her back.

"…It's okay," he said softly. "You're safe."

Taro looked over his shoulder with a small smile.

"Looks like we're all back together," he said. "Just in time."

The moment calmed for just a second.

Then—CRACK!

Taro clenched his fist and walked toward the far wall of the chamber. Without hesitation, he punched straight through it.

BOOOOOOM!

The concrete exploded outward like paper, revealing a hidden room behind — filled with sleek black walls, glowing monitors, and a long chair facing away from them.

Inside stood the invisible man, now visible, blocking the path.

In front of him, turning his chair slowly, was Mr. Ezui.

The leader stood up with a slow clap. "Bravo, Taro Ayato. You really are something."

Taro narrowed his eyes.

Ezui smiled. "But let me tell you one thing before you try anything heroic…"

He pointed upward toward a massive digital screen where a symbol flickered — an X, blood red, rotating slowly.

"If you kill me…" he said, eyes glowing, "you won't survive what comes next."

Aoi gripped Kaito's arm, her heart racing.

Ezui stepped forward. "Because I am not the final boss here. I am only a general…"

He paused.

"My leader—"

His voice dropped cold.

"Is the one they all fear."

"He's wiping out every assassin group in the world, one by one. Replacing them."

"His dream?" Ezui smirked. "To make his own kingdom — the X Organization — the only one that rules from the shadows."

Kaito's breath caught. "…You mean…"

Ezui nodded slowly.

"His name… is Slur."

Even the invisible man flinched slightly at the mention of it.

Ezui laughed bitterly. "You think I'm scary? Slur would erase this entire building just to kill you. He doesn't forgive failure. Even I am disposable."

Then he looked directly at Taro.

"If you defeat me here and now… just know—"

"Slur will come for you."

Taro cracked his knuckles.

"Good."

"Let him come."

As Ezui finished his sentence, the massive digital screen behind him flickered.

Bzzzt—static—then darkness.

Then a video started playing.

Everyone turned.

Aoi gripped Kaito's arm tighter.

Even Taro narrowed his eyes.

The screen showed grainy security footage from around the world — hidden cameras, private vaults, assassin safe houses.

And in each one…

A figure moved through the shadows.

Slur.

His face was never shown. Sometimes the screen would glitch just enough to blur it. Sometimes a hood, a mask, or darkness hid it entirely. But the chaos he left behind?

Clear. Brutal. Terrifying.

In the first clip—

A dozen masked assassins stood guarding a compound. One blink later, they were on the ground. Sliced open.

On the wall, Slur calmly dragged his fingers across the surface… using their blood to draw a massive X.

Second clip—

He walked through flames. An entire assassin guild set ablaze behind him. The only thing left? A giant X carved into their burning banner.

Third clip—

A well-known assassin master begged on his knees. Slur walked behind him — quiet — and ended him in a flash. Blood sprayed across the wall… another X painted with no emotion.

Ezui smirked as the footage looped again.

"This… is your future."

"This is the world now. All the old assassin groups are falling. Slur is replacing them with his own kind—genetically enhanced, brainwashed killers. The X Organization will be all that remains."

He looked straight at Taro.

"And if you think your little team can survive that… you're already dead."

Ezui stood proud in front of the bloody screen, arms crossed.

"You think you can stop this?" he sneered.

"You, your assistant, and that girl? You're just a small team. Slur will erase you like all the others."

The room was thick with tension.

But then Taro stepped forward.

His voice was calm… but thunderous.

"We're not a little team."

Ezui blinked.

Taro continued, his tone unshaken:

"In my organization… there's a unit. A hidden force known only by those who fear them."

He looked Ezui dead in the eye.

"They're called… The Order."

A silence fell.

Even the invisible man tensed.

Taro's voice sharpened.

"Five legendary assassins."

"Each one a nightmare on their own."

"And all of them would give their lives… to protect me."

Kaito looked shocked. "You brought them into this?"

Aoi whispered, "The Order… that's not a rumor?"

Taro didn't look back. "No rumor. No myth."

Ezui's smirk faltered.

Taro stepped forward once more, hands in his pockets.

"So send your invisible freaks. Send Protocol Zero. Send Slur himself."

He leaned slightly toward Ezui.

"Because the next time he paints an X…"

"It'll be with his own blood."

Ezui let out a low, twisted chuckle.

The screen behind him still flickered with blood and fire from Slur's massacre.

But he wasn't afraid.

He stepped forward, lifting his arms proudly.

"You speak of The Order like they matter."

"But you forget one thing, Taro Ayato…"

His eyes glowed a deep crimson now. Strange markings lit up across his chest and neck, pulsing like cursed runes.

"I am not a man…"

"I am immortal."

His voice echoed unnaturally. The room grew colder.

Kaito's eyes widened. "What…?"

Aoi stepped back. "He's not bluffing…"

Ezui's grin widened.

"Stab me. Crush me. Burn me. I'll keep standing."

"You can't kill what's already beyond death."

He pulled a blade from his own side and plunged it straight into his stomach—

SHINK!

Blood poured…

And then it vanished.

The wound closed instantly.

He yanked the blade out and tossed it aside like it was nothing.

"Do you understand now?" Ezui hissed.

"I don't fear death—because I've already conquered it."

Taro just stood there. Unmoving.

He slowly cracked his knuckles.

Then said:

"Immortal?"

"…Let's test that."

Ezui was still grinning when it happened.

WHAM!!!

Taro's punch connected straight into Ezui's chest — with 30% of his chubby body's power, still more than enough to shatter the entire room.

BOOOOOOM!!!

The wall behind Ezui exploded into debris as the two of them crashed through layers of reinforced concrete, sparks flying.

They blasted through multiple floors, smashing through steel pipes and wiring, before slamming into a long, dark tunnel—

THUD!!!

They rolled across the ground until they both stopped in the middle of a dusty, abandoned train track.

Sparks flew from the broken wall behind them.

Smoke drifted into the air.

Ezui slowly stood up, cracking his neck, still smirking even with blood on his face.

"That actually hurt…" he muttered, wiping his lip.

Then grinned wide.

"But it won't matter."

Taro stood as well, calm, adjusting his coat.

Then they both heard it—

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

A distant rumble echoed through the tunnel.

Kaito's voice came faintly from above:

"TARO!! A train's coming in five minutes!! Get out of there!!"

Ezui smiled, eyes glowing red.

"Perfect."

"Let's see if you can survive with the clock ticking."

Taro cracked his knuckles.

"Let's see if you can survive without a head."

Back in the control room above the train tunnel...

The dust from Taro's punch was still settling.

Suddenly — SWOOSH!

A blur rushed past Aoi — almost slicing her neck.

She ducked just in time.

"He's here!" Kaito yelled, backing up fast.

The air around them shimmered, distorted — like heat waves in human shape.

Then the shimmer stopped… and from the shadows stepped Toji — tall, lean, wearing black assassin armor. His face was half-covered in a high-tech mask, and he held two reverse daggers — blades coated with strange glowing poison.

"I was ordered to kill Kaito…" he said coldly, eyes locked on him.

"Guess I'll take the girl too."

Kaito stood in front of Aoi protectively.

"You're fast," he said, "but I can read your mind."

Toji smirked. "Then read this."

BAM!

He disappeared instantly.

CLANG! — His blade nearly struck Kaito's side, but Kaito dodged at the last second.

KRRCH! — Aoi kicked upward as Toji landed behind her, but he vanished again mid-air.

Kaito's eyes glowed slightly — reading thoughts, tracking motion—

"Left—he's flanking!"

He turned and blocked just in time — but Toji was strong, pushing him back.

"This guy's trained to not think clearly… he's purposely scattering thoughts—" Kaito realized, gritting his teeth.

SLASH!

Aoi blocked a swipe with a metal bar she found.

Toji snarled. "I don't need to kill you both. Just slow you down."

Aoi wiped blood from her cheek. "Too bad we're not slowing."

She looked at Kaito. "You ready?"

He nodded.

"Let's fight as one."

TUNNEL – 3 MINUTES UNTIL TRAIN ARRIVAL

Ezui charged forward, body glowing with cursed energy, each step shaking the rails.

Taro didn't move.

He simply muttered:

"Let's fly."

And—

BOOOOOOM!!!

Taro's fist exploded into Ezui's gut with a shockwave that shattered the walls around them.

Ezui's eyes went wide.

"—!?"

He was launched upward like a missile.

CRRRRRAAAASH!!!

Ezui smashed through the ceiling, tore through pipes and steel beams, and BLASTED into the control room above—

—RIGHT into Toji.

KRAKK!!

Toji was mid-swipe, about to vanish again, but got slammed into the wall as Ezui's body collided full force into him, sending sparks and blood everywhere.

"WHAT THE—?!" Kaito yelled.

Toji hit the ground hard, dazed.

Aoi didn't hesitate.

She jumped and landed a spinning kick right into Toji's ribs — CRACK!

Kaito followed with a direct punch to the jaw — WHAM!!

Toji stumbled back, but Kaito didn't stop.

"For reading Aoi's mind without permission—"

"And for trying to kill us—"

WHAM! BAM! SLAM!

They hit him again and again — a brutal combo of teamwork, speed, and fury.

Toji tried to go invisible—

But Aoi threw red dust from a crushed fire extinguisher — revealing his outline.

"Got you."

BOOM! Final punch from Kaito — straight to the chin.

Toji collapsed, knocked out cold.

Meanwhile—

CRASH!!!

Ezui's body landed back down into the tunnel through another hole in the floor — completely unfazed. Cracks in his body healed instantly.

He stood slowly, chuckling darkly.

"I told you… I'm immortal."

Taro landed a few steps away, calmly walking forward.

"Then I'll just keep sending you back up…"

"Until the train arrives."

RUMBLE.

In the distance…

The train was coming.

And it wasn't slowing down.

TRAIN TUNNEL — 1 MINUTE UNTIL IMPACT

Taro was pummeling Ezui, blow after blow echoing through the tunnel.

CRACK! BAM! THUD!

Ezui's healing kept up, but barely. His arms trembled from the force of the attacks.

Taro didn't stop.

"You said you're immortal."

"So if I can't kill you…"

He slammed a knee into Ezui's ribs.

"…I'll just keep beating you…

"…until you're too broken to move."

Ezui's eyes widened — and then—

RRRRRRRMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

The train was coming. FAST.

The rails beneath them lit up. The tunnel roared like a monster.

Ezui looked back.

Taro smiled.

"Time to ride."

They both jumped—

BOOM!!!

Just as the train blasted through, they crashed through a wall on the opposite side, flew over the tracks, and—

SMASHED into another train car on the parallel track, just boarding for the city.

BOOM!

They burst through the side of it — people screamed — the train lurched.

Taro landed inside the coach, rising slowly.

Ezui stood across from him, shocked, trying to blend into the panicked crowd.

But then…

Taro took a deep breath.

His body began to glow faintly.

His muscles tightened.

His chubby form melted into something terrifying — not bulky, not overdone — just pure, clean, deadly.

His eyes sharpened. His hair shifted slightly. His aura crushed the air around him.

Taro's true form… had awakened.

People stepped back instinctively.

Ezui tried to run—

Too late.

WHAM!!!

Taro blitzed forward, faster than anyone could see, and landed a punch that sent Ezui flying through two train cars.

KRRRRRRAAASH!!!

Ezui crashed into the side of another moving train, denting its steel hull.

He gasped, dizzy.

"I… I escaped him," he said, crawling to his feet.

He wiped blood from his mouth and looked around.

Silence.

Nothing.

Then—

CLANK.

The back door of the train car slowly opened.

Taro stood there.

Eyes glowing.

Face calm.

Presence like a reaper.

Ezui's soul froze.

"H-How… how did you catch up?"

Taro stepped in, slowly.

"You thought you were safe."

"But you forgot…"

"I never stop."

INSIDE THE TRAIN – FINAL ROUND

The city lights flashed past as the train sped through the final stretch. Passengers had all cleared the area, hiding, trembling behind seats and doors.

Ezui, barely standing, his body bruised and cracked, blood leaking from every corner, stared at Taro in disbelief.

"Y-You can't… You shouldn't still be standing…!"

Taro's breath was heavy now.

His true form still glowing faintly.

His legs shaking.

Sweat dripping down his face.

He was tired.

More tired than he had ever been.

But he didn't stop.

He took one final step.

The train began to slow—

"Approaching Central Station…" the intercom announced.

Ezui took one final swing—desperate, reckless.

Taro dodged.

Then, gathering all the energy he had left in his bones…

He whispered:

"Let's end this."

WHAMMMMMM!!!

A spinning kick.

The final kick.

It connected with Ezui's face with such force—

The windows shattered.

The door behind him exploded open.

And Ezui was sent flying out of the train, crashing onto the platform like a comet, smashing through benches, signs, and the tiled floor.

BOOM!

The train came to a full stop.

Steam hissed.

Taro stepped off slowly, his body trembling.

He looked down at Ezui, who was twitching, his healing slowing… broken.

Taro could barely speak, but he muttered:

"…Immortal or not… you're done."

Then his legs gave out—

And he fell to his knees.

Exhausted.

Battered.

But victorious.

Than he go to his house and rest and than there was a letter where was written " The fight is not over."

Kaito and Aoi came and take care of Taro.