The scene shifts to another rooftop.

At this moment, Heartless widened his eyes in astonishment.

How can this be? I know perfectly well how to inflict damage on a human body, how to efficiently kill someone. I thought I had killed so many people by now.

Moreover, this guy should be completely paralyzed by the potent poison coursing through his body, rendering him powerless. But why, why, why is this guy...

"Why can you still move?" Heartless shouted out in anger, then charged forward.

"You damn bastard," he exclaimed.

With all his might, he raised his speed to the maximum and delivered a powerful punch, landing a solid hit on the opponent.

Although the opponent managed to cross his arms in defense, he couldn't fully withstand the blow. After all, being able to move at all in his poisoned state was a miracle in itself; it was impossible to catch Heartless's attack as before.

Indeed, this guy is poisoned; not being able to dodge is the best proof of that. Since that's the case, his attacks cannot be resisted either.

As expected, Ryuto's body slid backward involuntarily due to the tremendous impact from Heartless, but...

He didn't slide very far and quickly came to a halt.

Then, the young man standing with a shaky gait spoke.

"What's wrong? Is this the extent of your justice?"

Those emotionless words again.

"You damn bastard!!!" Heartless shouted angrily. "Since you're poisoned, it means there's no hope for you. You're just a half-dead guy."

With that thought, Heartless charged forward in anger.

He was on the side of justice, and justice could not be defeated.

With a merciless spinning kick, Heartless attacked, but the opponent lowered his body and evaded it, launching a punch at the same moment.

"Don't be so arrogant."

Now the opponent's speed had greatly decreased due to the poison, but even so, his speed compared to an ordinary person could only be considered exceptional.

After the flying kick, Heartless struck directly at the opponent's chest with his right fist, but he was also hit in the abdomen by the opponent. Both of them were sent flying backward.

"Boom—"

The sound of the impact echoed once again.

Then, almost simultaneously, both of them stood up.

What's going on with this guy? He still possesses such strength, he's truly a complete monster.

How can my plan be ruined at the last moment? I can't be defeated. Justice cannot be defeated.

Thinking this, Heartless injected more power into his body and roared as he closed in on the opponent.

"You damned evil practitioner."

However, my victory will not be shaken.

As I think this, the clash between sword and fist intensifies, and the two of them immediately distance themselves from each other.

"The Sword Sorcerer of the Far East, no matter how much you struggle, it's useless. You don't have any means to defeat me now, so you can't harm me at all. Just accept your fate obediently. As a trade-off, I will try to make that guy die more comfortably."

"......"

Hiyori plunges her long sword into the ground and struggles to maintain her own body.

After all, she can no longer feel her whole body, perhaps it has already gone numb.

She can hardly think, and her body seems to be out of her control. It's extremely difficult even to move a little bit.

But...

Even so, I will hold on, my body.

Hiyori screams inwardly and desperately squeezes her own body.

She absolutely cannot collapse here, otherwise, otherwise...

Ryuto will be in danger.

The remaining rationality forcefully drives her already broken body.

There is only one thing that is absolutely not allowed.

If I don't bring him down here, Ryuto and the others will be in danger.

But...

I don't have any means to defeat him now. What should I do? Ryuto...