The marked men lay scattered across the shattered rooftop—bruised faces, cracked limbs, broken teeth gleaming wetly in the rain.
Jin stood among them, relaxed, rolling his shoulders once. He lifted two fingers to his lips, miming a slow drag from an imaginary cigar.
"Man," he muttered, exhaling nothing. "If I actually smoked, this would look way cooler." He glanced at his hand. "Too bad."
Ogi laughed through blood and missing teeth."Aye… this is a good way to go out." He coughed, then grinned wider. "Finish me, Jin."
Jin dropped the act and looked at him, genuinely puzzled."…Huh?"
He gestured vaguely at the fallen bodies."You're not dying. I don't like killing. You'll all spend the rest of your lives locked up by the Hunter Association. Same with Scissors." He paused. "Except that one kid. No idea how he burned through a manta ray that fast."
Ogi forced himself upright, shaking, hammer dragging behind him."My wish is to die to someone strong—in a blaze of glory." His eyes burned. "You're a good man, Jin. So grant it."
Jin walked over calmly and extended a hand."Or," he said evenly, "you could use that strength for something useful. Join the Hunter Association. Work under me."
Ogi stared at the hand.
Then dropped to his knees—and spat on it.
Jin sighed, lifting his fist to end it cleanly.
But his punch hit nothing.
Fabric tore. Jin's fingers closed on empty air as Ogi twisted past him, slipping into his blind spot. Jin's jacket fluttered down behind him.
The hammer came down where Jin had been.
Blood slid down Jin's temple from the earlier blow. He wiped it away with his thumb, eyes narrowing—not angry. Focused.
"Got it," he said quietly.
He turned back to Ogi.
"That mark you all carry—it steals your youth in exchange for power." Jin's gaze sharpened. "That's why you hesitated earlier. You were afraid to use it. And that kid?" He nodded toward the city. "He burned everything he had left to escape."
Ogi's grin stretched, feral."I'm going out in a blaze whether you like it or not!"
Jin stepped in and punched him once.
Then twisted, driving another blow straight into Ogi's chest.
Ogi staggered—but didn't fall.
Every hit… he's getting stronger.The hell is this? Is he playing with me?
Ogi roared and swung the hammer with everything he had, pulverizing the rooftop where Jin stood.
Smoke rolled.
When it cleared, Jin was untouched.
Then he moved.
A storm of blows followed—each punch faster than the last, heavier, sharper. Every strike stacked on the previous one, momentum compounding endlessly.
"I'm sure you've figured out my Bloodline by now," Jin said calmly, striking between words. "I've locked us into a restriction. Damage scales only with consecutive hits."
Another punch.
"For a speed build like mine?" Jin continued. "It's ideal."
Another.
"But for a power build like yours?"
He leaned in.
"You're helpless."
Ogi collapsed to his knees, body trembling, ribs caved—but still smiling.
"Aye…" he rasped. "I'm not done yet." He lifted his head. "Finish it… Second Asura."
Jin smiled—not mockingly. Respectfully.
"Then die in a blaze of glory, Ogi."
He took a step back.
"…Menace."
The air split open.
A Yokai rose behind Ogi—massive, grotesque, its jaws stretching wider than possible. Before Ogi could laugh again, it lunged forward and swallowed him whole.
The rooftop went still.
Jin turned away, blades dimming, rain washing the blood from his hands.
The fight was over.