The tower, FL: 3

The wind was howling, pushing itself against us. My grip on the floor was getting undone. I held Junpei, Yukari, and Makoto as close as I possibly could. The energy irradiating from the man that is Hifumi was swelling and expanding, circling into a single point: himself. The wind pushed outward one last time, it was stronger than before, it nearly blew me away. After the air around us calmed down, I was able to get a good look at our opponent.

"Gah!" Every hair on my body stood up, my brain was screaming out "run" the moment I laid eyes on him. His body was bulkier than it was before to the part where his whole figure changed; to call it a bodybuilder build would be a disservice to the nature of his body now. He had tattoos all over his body; on his legs, arms, chest, and face. The air around him calm, but yet dangerous, it was like he was the eye of the storm while being the furious storm itself. He lifts his arm and flexes his muscles.

"Magnificent," he said to himself, loud enough for us to hear. "Truly magnificent, this body is sublime!" He was into his new form, he was checking out his body. "ROOOOOAR!" He howled wildly, his yell was powerful, it felt as if he was just showing off his power through it. My feet were glued to the ground, sweat was rolling down my face as if the sun itself was beaming down on me.

"This excellent, truly excellent! I have ascended beyond!" His voice was louder, beast-like even. "I am no longer a feeble human!" He stomps one foot on the ground. "I am no longer Hifumi Sadao!" He stomped with the other one, making an even louder impact.

"...With life beneath me and death beneath me, I ascended to a further plane of existence! I am a being that is above humans and demons alike."

Ryota projected a large energy weapon, he swung it at Hifumi, who just waved it away.

"What," Ryota expressed shock from Hifumi'a absolute block. "Such pitiful power pales before me!" In the instance Ryota created another weapon, Hifumi had leaped towards Royta, slamming him with his bicep. The attack alone devastated him, but Hifumi punched him three times over and then slammed him into the ground with an overhead kick. Hisoka tried his hand by shifting around and then building an ice pillar, only for it to be shattered to pieces.

"How dare you touch me with such poor magecraft."

One quick hit to the gut with his knee cap had Hisoka crashing into a wall. Hisoka barely got up on his feet, he was staggering as he walked. His posture wasn't fit to fight.

"Shadows shall never touch my supreme light, so begone, shadow!" He was going to finish him off, but not on my watch! I got the lead out and got in between the two of them, stopping Hifumi's motion.

"You alright!?" "I'm...fine." "Then get out of the way!" I threw Hifumi against a wall. "You dare lay a hand on me!" "I dare too, so you fight me alone, you son of a bitch!" "Fine, you shall be the first to be a tribute to me." I took out the gate key from my pocket and threw it over to the others.

"Kazuki-kun, what are you doing," Yukari asked. "Just go, get to the gate while I keep him busy. He only wants to fight me!" "Come on, that's crazy man," Junpei bit back. "We don't have time to discuss this, just go!" Both SEES members were surprised by me raising my voice. Hana walked onward without a hint of hesitation.

"You sure about fighting him by yourself, Kazuki," she asked. "I am." "I see, alright then." "Not going to stop me?" "No point, I've seen those eyes once, you're not going to back down." She walked onward without stopping. Everyone else didn't follow suit behind her. "Kazuki-kun, you do realize that," Yukari told me as if I was unaware of that. "Yeah, I know I can get killed, but I won't let it happen, I need to get to the top after all. Besides, even if you guys try to help me, he'll just overwhelm us." "But-" "Just go! I can't protect you if you stay, so just get out of here!"

Yukari went silent, not moving a single. I took off my jacket, folding it up neatly. "Can you take care of this?" "Why are you?" "It's my prized possession, so I don't want it getting destroyed. Plus, I have to come back for it, so that means I have to live to come and get it. I just need you to hold that for me until this fight is over, okay?"

Without another word, Yukari walked off. She turned around and said, "you better win, or I'll be extremely angry at you, okay!?" I nodded at her, she walked off with my jacket in her hands. Everyone went off behind Yukari and Hana. Ko stopped next to me. "You can't stay," I told him, squatting next to him. "But I need to heal you if you get hurt." "If you stay here you'll get hurt." "I can heal myself, so-" "-Want Takoyaki?" "Huh?" "Takoyaki, it's a ball that's made from octopus. They're really delicious too. I eat those whenever I get the time, and it would be great if we could get some together. Right now though, I need to beat him. If you leave me to fight I'll definitely win. So how about it, can you trust big bro?" I put my hand on his head. He fidgeted his feet and hands. His puppy dog eyes stared into my eyes. They worried-filled for a moment but so after he turned and ran off by himself.

"PLEASE COME BACK BIG BRO, DON'T LET THAT CREEP BEAT YOU," he yelled as he ran off. Junpei put his hand on my shoulder.

"Dude, are you sure bout this," He asked, concern in his tone. "Don't worry, I won't lose, just make sure to protect Makoto." "Got it, but don't die, kay? We got a girl to rescue." "Trust me, I know." He walked off while helping Makoto walk. The navy blue-haired teen looked back at me. There was no worry in his eyes, they seemed void. Ryota helped Hisoka up despite looking as if he was going to collapse any second now.

"Kazuki, we'll wait for you, but we'll only wait an hour. If you aren't caught up with us..." "Go without me, save Fuuka for me." Ryota didn't spare any more words, guess he knew that he didn't need to.

"You're...a fool," Hisoka said, his voice showed off how weakened he was. "...Why would...you fight this thing...alone?" "Cause you guys can't handle him. You guys are more skilled than me, but you're not physically stronger than me, so I need to do this, even if I'm not the best."

Hisoka dryly laughed as he was holding onto his stomach. "You're a fool...but interesting." He painfully couched after his outbreak of laughter. Ryota patted him on the back. "Kazuki, don't lose, I want to conquer this tower with all my allies!" "Sure thing, we'll go up together after this!" I gave him a thumbs-up, Ryota gave one back. He limped off with Hisoka. With that everyone had left me to the enemy in front of me. Good, now I don't need to worry. I shift into Shadow-mog without a moment's hesitation.

"Boy, I shall crush you into the paste for the mere thought of standing before a God." "God? Yeah right, you're just a fraud." "The audacity in such a vermin. For such sacrilege, I shall wipe your existence from this world." "Bring it on then!" Whatever move he makes I'll be ready for it, I have to be! As I chanted this in my mind, Hifumi made his move, in an instant, he moved. I immediately lost sight of him. "What!?"I was able to pick him up again, but he was behind me. I tried to make a move before he could but I was too late. He shoved his foot against my chin. It was a singular kick, but this kick was unlike any other I've taken. He spun to perform a roundhouse towards my stomach. The singular kick was able to knock the breath out of me. I fumbled about as I tried to catch my posture. He already caught up with me though, another hit connected. it crushed against my back, the pain was unbelievably painful. Again, I was flung away from my enemy, this time, I was ready for a surprise attack. My eyes were on him as he kicked off where he was standing. He had a weird forward boost, then a downward boost towards me. It looked almost identical to my Ocean Stream (or my Black Stream). It had a tang of blue in the black burst. I put my guard up as he came crashing into me like a missile. He kept kicking off the ground after the attack even as I was blocking. His sheer power was outrageous, he was pushing me back, even as I was in Shadow-mog, using all my strength. His right arm locked onto my shirt, he lifted me with just one arm, slamming me against the ground. My body broke the ground below me, it felt as all the air in my body was sucked out, pain etched throughout my entire body as if something had broke right then and there. I was thrown up and kicked with the force of a sledgehammer. Like a rock skipping across a lake, my body was hopping up each time I even touched the ground. I dug my hand into the ground to stop my momentum. Facing up, Hifumi was behind me again, miniature crates from every step he takes. A fist flew towards my face. I blocked the incoming attack, but it was no good as it was still a devastating blow against my arm, breaking it upon contact. My body went soaring as right above the floor, I heard something that sounded like an explosion going off, coming closer and closer toward. Hifumi caught up with me, he pressed my chest against the ground, dragging me forward as he was dashing forward. He threw me up from the ground and only for him to open his mouth wide, magical energy was gathering from inside his mouth. And like a jet engine, t came out like so. Even when blocking, the pain was scorching. If I wasn't in shadow-mog I would've been done for by now. After that attack he continued his fast assaults, each one becoming faster and painful than the last. He kicked me up into the air, he kept hitting me upward until we're yards away from the ground. His final strike was with his knee cap, his magical energy backing up the attack. My mind went blank from the godly pain. This was too much, he was too much; did he actually become a god, and if so, how in the hell am I supposed to beat a god!? Hifumi punched me back to the ground.

"RAGGGHHHHH!" I could hear the monster coming down from the sky at a rapid speed. He was going to crush me where I laid. My body was sore all over, not a single muscle was responding to me. I was fading in and out, the pain all over was worse than anything I'd ever experienced before, this next attack was probably going to kill me. But honestly, I was amazed by how savage his attacks were, how each punch and kick made me flinch in pain. I was used to getting hurt long before fighting Shadow, but this, this was on another level... So this is what power looks like. Then, my mind goes blank as he delivered his final attack, my vision cuts off, I felt nothing...

...

The thing that I struck with my lightning had its attack on Kazuki cut off. I went to check upon him. He was laying on the ground, he wasn't moving at all. He was still breathing, his heartbeat was there as well, but it was growing silent. Damn, he was badly beaten! I healed his body with Mediarahan. "Kazuki, wake up!" Nothing, he was still asleep.

"You..." "Hm, what are you? Wait, are Hifumi?" I can tell by his energy. It became overwhelming, to say the least. It was enough to crush a weaker person's will, however, I can still move so it doesn't matter much to me.

"My, how low you sunken," I said. "I have ascended, you failure." "A failure am I? Maybe you should've chosen a more obedient slave then." "I do not need to manipulate anymore or anyone else, I am a man who has ascended the latter of evolution, I am the one who'll reach out beyond the earth and into the heavens; for I am a God amongst humans!"

He got into a stance, powering up for intimidation factor. Honestly, his power was quite terrifying, if not beyond human. But that to me is of no concern, for I am as well.

"...You are the failings of the human that once was Hifumi Sadao, thus, I shall crush you!" He released a burst of power. "I shall dissipate your soul!" He released another burst. "...Then, I'll feast on your heart!" His last burst sent him zooming toward me. "Shizuka, move!" "Get Kazuki to a safe distance, I'll deal with this monster!" I threw my fist at the monstrosity that was Hifumi Sadao. Our fists clashed, creating a shockwave from our powers meeting one another. His power was greater than any demon I ever fought, but I could feel even more access to power that lied dormant inside me, so I can keep up with him, however, I don't know if he's fighting with his all at this moment. Either way, I have to stand my ground here. I know I won't win but I have to hold him off still until they get away from here!

"Go now!" My scream reached Ichirou, who was quacking with fear. She was probably overwhelmed with the power he was displaying right now. Regardless of that fact, she took Kazuki and began to run past us. The monstrosity tried to attack them with his claws but I stopped him. "You blight, die!" "I should say the say the same to you, you inhumane bastard!"

...

I dragged Kazuki's body away from the fight that was unfolding. Shizuka was fighting the monster that was Hifumi. She was able to hold her ground but she seems like she has to put her all into attacks and movement while the monster is just moving and fighting naturally as possible. She was able to since she's not normal just like him. My strength paled in comparison to hers, some jumping in to help her was a no go. Even if she fights him with all her strength she'll still lose. It completely hopeless, why would she fight a battle she knows she'll lose? Is it for him? Why is he so special?

"She's still fighting out there, putting her life on the line for you..." The fact she's alone didn't sit well with me, there has to be a way to help her...

...

I was sitting on this chair again, my body felt numb, my thoughts were all but weighing. What had happened just now was beyond anything I've handled. Those other fights on the lower floors paled compared to him. He's just too strong, I'm too weak.

"That's true, you're incredibly weak." That figure with my face looked down at me. He was smirking with a grimace on his face. He seemed as if he was having a good time.

"...How am I supposed to beat that thing?" "You beat him, simple." "It's not that simple." "But it is. He overwhelmed you, nearly killed you. Do you know why?" "Because he was powerful?" "Exactly! But why was he?" "Cause..." "...Cause he embraced his true nature! He allowed the wild, vicious, destructive, and savage impulses to take hold and look at him! So savage, so raw, so powerful!" "So he became a monster?" "He became a powerful monster. Humans cannot hope to match such a powerful being, not even when huddled in a group... Only another monster like him can match him."

Was that true, could another monster really match him?

"...That monster needs to destroy him, leave no traces of his existence. It needs to ravage him, decimate him into nothingness, and greatly overwhelm him to finish the job... Only then, may you continue on your journey to the top."

He was was right, a human has no right to fight a monster, no, they can't. A true monster is savage and has no regards to who or what it crushes, so there needs to be another that can meet it in combat...

"The time is now, awaken, play along to the tune of destruction as you both try to kill one another. Fight with the strength of a beast and win with the mentality of a monster. Now, awaken to OUR power..."