Kaze was seated on a throne.
Around him, the wind howled.Gusts tore through the air, whistling between the ruins of an immense city.
For a moment, he smiled.
Then his gaze swept across the horizon.Nothing.Not a sound.Not a soul.
Silence—total. Terrifying.
His smile faded.He stood up abruptly.
— "Is anyone there?!"
He walked.Then ran.
Shattered streets. Crumbling towers. The carcasses of lives consumed.He called out. Screamed.No one.
— "Kaze!"
He turned around, breath caught.
— "Kaaaaaze!"
— "…Mom?!"
— "Kaze… where are you, my heart?"
He sprinted.Raced through the ruins, heart pounding.
— "I'm here, Mom! I'm here!"
He burst into a courtyard.At the center, a woman. Back turned.
— "Mom!"
She turned.
Blood dripped from her mouth.A shard of metal impaled her stomach.
And her voice…It was no longer hers.
— "Why did you do this, Kaze?"
Her body twisted.Snapped.Transformed into a nightmarish beast.
Kaze's face froze. Horror. Panic.
The creature smiled.And struck.
Its fist smashed into Kaze's face, hurling him into a building.
The moment he hit the wall, a second blow crushed him.Kaze twisted his neck, narrowly dodging.A rain of punches followed.
He blocked. Deflected.Countered with a kick to the jaw.
The creature's neck snapped… then reset with a grotesque crack.
The fight resumed.Fury versus clarity.
Suddenly, everything froze.
Before him…A face.Bloody. Eyes wide open. Human.
— "Kaze…"
— "Nato…?"
He hesitated.
The creature seized the moment.A punch hurled him to the ground, creating a crater on impact.
Kaze fell to his knees.
He stood again, trembling.Dodged a blow. Took another.
The beast morphed into his loved ones. Changed faces with every scream.
— "KAZE!"
— "Big brother!"
— "I don't blame you…"
— "Why did you leave me?"
Voices. Everywhere. Inside him.
His body faltered.
Then, in the storm—light.
Everything stopped.
A silhouette approached.Radiant. Blinding. Calm.
Kaze dropped to his knees.
The figure placed a hand on his shoulder.Grabbed his shirt. Pulled him to his feet.
— "What the hell are you doing?"
Kaze slowly raised his head.
— "Dad…?"
— "Look at me, dammit. Stand up. You're not alone.We're all here with you.Now teach that bastard a lesson. For all of us."
A warm gust emanated from him.
His fist clenched.His aura shimmered.The wind howled around him.
He faced the creature.
And the battle resumed.