Fallen was gone.
Not in body—but in mind.
All that was left was rage.
Raw. Unfiltered. Savage.
He tore through the walls of the hospital like a rampaging beast, dragging Rinka—his father's former best friend—through desks, chairs, and reinforced steel like they were paper.
The air was thick with tension, dust, and blood.
Rinka, coughing, stumbled to his feet after being slammed through another wall.
Rinka: (wincing)
"Hmph… not bad. Who even are you, kid?"
His vision blurred, but he still raised his hand. A fiery ring formed in his palm—Ring of Fire—his most trusted weapon.
He launched it.
It sliced through Fallen's wrist, cutting his hand clean off.
Then—BAM—he followed with a roundhouse kick, sending Fallen crashing into a wall.
Rinka stood his ground, panting.
But then—he froze.
Fallen's severed arm…
It grew back.
Instantly.
Rinka: (eyes narrowing)
"Regeneration… and rage?"
"A mutant?"
His voice trembled as realization dawned.
"Wait… Fallen?
Is this really you?"
Fallen didn't respond.
Didn't blink.
Didn't think.
Instead—he picked up his own severed arm off the ground… and used it like a club, smashing it into Rinka's face with a wet crack.
Rinka reeled, backflipped, and sliced the arm in mid-air—
But it didn't matter.
Fallen was already in front of him.
Fists flew at speeds that broke the sound barrier.
Each punch tore Fallen's own skin, the sonic pressure ripping him apart—
And yet—he regenerated instantly.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Like a nightmare without pause.
Rinka: (defensive)
"Fallen, stop! I'm your father's friend!"
But Fallen wasn't listening.
Because he couldn't.
Rage had consumed his soul. His thoughts. His humanity.
There was nothing left but destruction.
Suddenly, Rinka's instincts kicked in.
Something was off.
He paused.
The air had changed.
The pressure he felt before… it was gone.
Rinka (thinking):
"What is this…?
The air… it's changed."
"No... something's missing."
And then—WHAM!
Fallen drove a thunderous fist into Rinka's stomach, sending him flying through two walls, straight into another wing of the building.
Rinka coughed up blood as he skidded across the floor.
Rinka: (desperate)
"Fallen, please! Don't do this!
You're like a son to me!"
But the beating didn't stop.
The onslaught resumed—unrelenting, merciless.
Punches. Kicks. Elbows.
Teeth shattered.
Bones cracked.
Blood coated the floor like a river.
And yet—
They both healed.
Both regenerated.
Only the blood trail proved they were even hurting.
Rinka panted hard, heart pounding.
Rinka (thinking):
"This… this is too much.
I have to end it—now."
Fallen grabbed a broken table and snapped it across Rinka's head.
Mid-air, he snatched him by the collar and knee-struck his ribs, shattering them with a violent crack.
Rinka: (spitting blood)
"Phoenix Regeneration!"
A burning red glow spread across his body as bones reset and organs repaired.
But… something was wrong.
Rinka (thinking):
"No… this time it's different.
I'm healing… but slower.
What's happening to me?!"
He gritted his teeth, backing up.
It was now or never.
He concentrated everything into his arm.
Flames spiraled from his shoulder to his palm.
Rinka:
"Claw of the Red Phoenix!!"
He dashed forward like a flaming missile.
Faster than ever.
Stronger than before.
And then—he struck.
His flaming claw pierced into Fallen's chest.
Straight to the heart.
Time froze.
Blood sprayed.
Flames crackled.
And for a moment—
Rinka whispered:
"…Sorry, Fallen."
But nothing happened.
No collapse.
No death.
Just a blink.
Fallen looked down at him… and smiled.
His body was healing too fast.
Too fast for even Phoenix Flame to keep up.
In horror, Rinka realized—
His arm was now stuck inside Fallen's regenerating chest.
Fallen stared into his eyes—then—SNAP!
He grabbed Rinka's arm and snapped it off at the elbow with inhuman strength.
Rinka: (screaming)
"AaaaAAHH!!"
He leapt backward in shock, holding the bleeding stump.
Rinka (thinking):
"No... no... my arm... it won't grow back!?"
"My phoenix regeneration… it doesn't restore lost organs!"
"Only wounds! Only broken bones! NOT entire limbs!"
Rinka: (gasping)
"…So strong…"
Fallen stood tall. Silent.
Chest glowing from recent regeneration.
No words. Just rage.
Then—they both moved.
One last charge.
Their final clash.
Rinka (thinking):
"If I'm going to stop him…
I have to rip his heart out.
Completely."
He channeled every ounce of flame into his remaining arm.
One last time.
Claw of the Red Phoenix!
He screamed and flew forward with everything he had—
Fallen didn't dodge.
He welcomed it.
The impact cracked the floor.
Flesh tore.
Bone splintered.
And then—silence.
When Rinka pulled his hand back…
He was holding it.
Fallen's heart.
Still beating.
Still warm.
Blood poured down his arm like a waterfall.
Fallen's body trembled…
Rinka stood over him, panting.
Wide-eyed.
Shaking.
Had he done it?
---
Chapter Ends.