Editing City Series:Volume4b Chapter 12 (section)

===Part 1===

'''7:23 PM

Nakamura remained motionless after taking Shoui’s punch.

He stood almost entirely upright and looked to Shoui.

He said nothing.

He looked Shoui in the eye and then lowered his gaze with no readable expression.

Shoui’s left fist had hit the left side of his chest.

“…”

Nakamura was wordless.

But there was a sound.

A small but solid sound came from his chest below Shoui’s fist.

It was the sound of metal falling away.

It sounded like flowing sand and it quietly fell from his chest and to the castle tower’s roof.

The sound came from the pieces of his MD.

The Flame High’s MD and its drive had shattered.

When he saw that, Nakamura remained silent and looked over to his hand.

He clenched his right hand, but no fire appeared.

“…”

He was silent.

He clenched his right fist a second time, but still no fire.

The Flame High would not ignite.

After confirming that, he looked Shoui in the eye again.

And he suddenly smiled.

“Was that not…what I really wanted?”

With those words, he took a step back.

Shoui kept his left fist extended and he slowly opened the hand, starting with the little finger.

Nakamura held out his right hand as if he knew what Shoui was doing.

A small light dropped from Shoui’s fist and into Nakamura’s hand.

It was a ring.

Nakamura held it in his hand and shut his eyes.

And he collapsed backwards.

He lost his balance and tilted back as if to fall asleep, so Shoui reached out toward him.

“———!?”

But he saw someone support Nakamura from behind.

So he stopped moving.

He saw Iba standing behind Nakamura.

The man dressed as a monk supported Nakamura’s unconscious form with his shoulder and looked to Shoui.

And…

“You have my thanks.”

With that short comment, Iba turned around.

And then he slowly walked to the edge of the roof and jumped down.

He left.

Shoui breathed a white sigh after watching him go.

He looked down to his feet and picked up the Ogre God that had fallen a short distance away.

–''Shoui – Steel Tech – Take – Attach Arm – Hit.

He reattached the ogre’s right arm and gently clenched and unclenched the hand.

He said nothing.

After confirming he could move the arm satisfactorily, he finally turned around.

He looked to the peak of the roof.

He saw Yuuki sitting in front of the ''shachihoko''.

She quietly looked up at him and also said nothing.

Without warning, the Dog God sitting next to her became two.

One stayed by Yuuki’s side.

But the other ran over.

It passed by Shoui’s side and ran toward the edge of the roof where Iba had disappeared with Nakamura.

Its footsteps sounded quietly on the roof, but after reaching the edge, it briefly glanced back toward Shoui.

He nodded.

“Go on.”

Pushed on by those words, the Dog God faced forward.

And it jumped.

Its long, light brown tail fell into the darkness and vanished.

It was a goodbye with no regrets.

“…”

Shoui sighed and faced forward.

Yuuki was there.

That was all.

But that was enough.

The snow fell in silence.