Editing City Series:Volume4b Chapter 8 (section)

===Part 4===

'''6:09 AM

Shoui moved.

He continued moving.

His mind had grown shallow and his heart had faded.

His mind was blocked out by the drop in oxygen due to the exercise and by his powerful attack instinct.

He only just barely maintained his thoughts thanks to his fear of death.

He did not want to kill or be killed.

But the pain intermittently stabbing into his forehead tried to cut off his mind.

Each time, a memory replayed in the back of his mind.

–''Shoui – Mind Tech – Auto-Take – Release Memory – Hit.

He had forgotten this memory.

It had entirely vanished from his mind.

But it was forcibly replayed.

His memory of Yamashita Gihei appeared before his eyes.

It all happened in an instant.

It was two years ago on a winter night.

After taking the hit to his forehead, he had hopped back up in the north wind.

His body had moved on its own.

Despite the blood flowing from his forehead, he had kicked off the asphalt and charged toward his opponent.

Yamashita had raised his sword to counterattack.

He had swung it.

Shoui had dodged to the side.

Yamashita had tried to turn around.

Shoui had fled further.

He had circled behind Yamashita.

Yamashita had continued turning to pursue Shoui.

But Shoui had delivered a powerful punch to his right arm with a Break High fist.

Yamashita’s right arm had torn off and flown through the air and the impact had spun Yamashita in the opposite direction.

His back had been fully exposed to Shoui.

The blood had yet to flow from Yamashita’s right shoulder.

In the instant before that could happen, fire had wrapped around Shoui’s fist.

Victory.

With that power sealed in his attack, he had thrown his fist into the center of Yamashita’s spine.

The enemy had turned to ashes in an instant and Shoui had passed right through him.

He had staggered forward.

His outstretched fist’s momentum had remained.

His body and his mind had been at odds.

Upon defeating his enemy, the Flame High’s power had vanished and a great emptiness had remained in his heart.

The pain had quickly rushed into his forehead.

His legs had tangled up, he had tripped, and his shoulder had slammed into the solid ground.

Only pain and exhaustion had filled him and he had passed out.

As his vision grew dark, Yuuki had gotten up off the ground and looked to him.

He had heard her voice.

“Shoui-kun…”

It had been a feeble voice.

But it sounded nostalgic to him now.

…''I can’t believe it.

His faint thoughts smiled bitterly.

…''She hasn’t called me that since I arrived in Osaka.

His mind looked to reality.

“!”

His senses were freed from that memory.

He was on an Osaka Bay beach.

The situation had not changed.

He was still fighting.

As before, his body was moving to achieve victory.

Souichirou released a powerful attack with the morning sun in the background.

Shoui’s body moved further and dodged it.

It was an excellent movement.

But Shoui’s mind felt uneasy about the flow of the battle.

Souichirou’s movements were a lot like those of Yamashita Gihei.

A vertical slash arrived.

After dodging that, he had circled behind Yamashita Gihei and torn off his arm with a Break High strike.

Souichirou swung his sword in the same way.

Shoui had a chance at victory.

If he followed the same route, he could win.

He could circle to the right, tear off Souichirou’s right arm with the Break High when he tried to turn around, and use that impact to stop him from moving.

Then he could finish it with a Flame High strike.

He could win.

But that would mean Souichirou’s death.

…''I can’t.

That was what he thought, but his body moved.

So that he could win.