Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Hitori rushed through the stairs, he heard the cracking sound downstairs, then he heard the guards screaming and shouting for backup. He reached the landing, then continued climbing the stairs.

A door greeted him, he grabbed the handle and pushed his shoulder against the door. To his surprise, the door banged open, and he rolled into the hall.

He stopped with his face on the polished floor and his right hand under his stomach. He groaned and wondered if his wand had snapped.

In the heat of the burning stairs and crashing elevator, a late realization hit him that he was on the seventh floor, the final floor– and the floor where HE was waiting for him.

He kicked himself off the floor and grabbed his wand on the way. He hoped to have a perfect grip on the floor, but when he turned around, his feet slipped on the floor.

Damn it! He grunted as he fell to the floor once again. What is this, a skating ring?

Before getting up once again, he took off his shoes while scanning the empty hall for Onogi, his men, and Reon. But he saw no one.

No one but chairs in the corner and, what was it? A ring? No, but it had bounds around it. It was a square ring in the middle of the hall and… the lights were turned on.

That bastard! Hitori turned around and shouted, "Come out! I know you are hiding somewhere. I am here to end this and I am here alone—"

Then came a voice from beyond the ring– from behind the curtain that was behind the ring– it said, "Then you must be a total fool."

Hitori realized the voice at once. He raised his wand to his ear and was about to cast the killing curse when the curtain fell.

"Cast the curse that killed Erabu and Gigi if you want, but make sure who you are casting the spell on."

He pulled his arm from the shoulders and stopped his wand from falling. He bit his lips to stop the curse from coming out of his mouth.

Tears in her eyes, a metal plate on her mouth, and a chair for her to sit on. Reon was staring at him with an 'I know you would come,' look in her eyes.

He raised his eyes from her and behind her was Onogi. Hands in the pockets, an angry frown on his face, while the scars on his forearm covered the veins of anger.

Hitori took a step back and he heard the guards behind him. "To the seventh floor! The intruder is on the seventh floor!"

He bit his lip tighter than before, jumped, and closed the door. Then he looked at Onogi who was now standing in front of Reon.

What do I do? Fight him? Kill him? But what will happen to me and Reon then? Those guards…

"I called them, of course, I was expecting you," he said and turned to Reon, "she did say that you would come no matter what. Just wanted to make sure…" he took his hands out of the pockets, "and now that I have made sure… let's get down to business."

Hitori swung his wand and tried to levitate Onogi, but he dodged the spell and Hitori got Reon instead.

I don't have to fight him, he realized, I have to get out alive. If I died, who will keep Kamiya alive? Not Akemi-san, I want it to be me.

He then tugged his arm and pulled Reon's chair towards the ring, but could not get it past the ring, and by the time he could lift her and cross her over the ring, Onogi raised a remote control in his hand.

That did not stop him, Hitori tried to lift her when she started shaking her head and trying to break free– no, she was telling him to stop.

"That mouth bandage is not for display, I can stab a screw down her mouth anytime," Onogi said.

Or I guess I will have to fight him. He dropped Roen and pulled his wand near his waist, then lifted it.

A beam of green light erupted from his wand. Onogi dug the remote in his coat and formed a cross with his arms.

The beam struck him but did no damage. Hitori, on seeing that, moved forward. He kept his wand at eye level and tried to break through Onogi's defense.

Onogi grunted, he threw open his arms, and Hitori's beam shattered. His wand tried to fly out of his hand but Hitori clenched it down and ran across the ring.

Onogi disappeared. Then appeared on the other side of the ring. Hitori fired a spell, he disappeared and dodged it again.

"Come on, Hitori, drop that wand."

"Yeah, I am that stupid."

"I am unarmed, take a look." Onogi appeared and opened his jacket. He was unarmed.

"I can't believe you," he said and fired another spell.

"How about we end this the old way? Through a fist fight?"

Hitori swung his wand but nothing came from it. He paused, tilted his head, and asked, "A fist fight? Insane, man."

"You know what is more insane than a first fight? The fact that I am not letting the guards inside. Accept my challenge."

Hitori still looked like he was in a denial state. He looked at Reon and she shook her head. That might be a trap, he thought she would have said if her mouth was not sealed.

"Accept it, you are going to die if you deny, anyway," he said. "Deny and you will have to face around fifty guards outside. And not to mention… you will have to face ME with my gear. And you don't want that, but I do."

Of course, Hitori thought, you were not one of the best scientists for nothing.

"What is the catch, Onogi? Will you pull a dagger from the bounds and stab me in the middle of the fight?"

"I would not even if I could fit a knife in those bounds. Let us test our strength– no curses, remember that shit."

"Well, how about freezing you to death?" Hitori raised his hand and formed ice crystals.

"If you have guts, face me without your shitty magic." Onogi walked into the bounds and stood in the middle, looking at Hitori, then went to one of the corners.

He gave Reon a last glance, she did not bother shaking her head, she knew he had accepted the challenge, so he walked into the bounds.

"This… is a fight for death," Hitori said as he put dropped his wand out of the bounds along with the potions. "And when it comes to life and death, guts don't matter."

Hitori took his stance.