Sendai Colony
The real Takeru rolled his shoulders.
Stretched his arms overhead.
"…Well."
He looked at Yuta.
"Let's get moving."
Yuta nodded.
He already knew how this part of the Culling Games had unfolded in the original timeline.
"…We know what's coming."
Ryu folded his arms.
"And we know who's first."
The Uro traveling with them sighed.
"…This is going to be awkward."
Takeru smiled.
"Very."
The group continued through the shattered streets of Sendai.
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
The sky distorted.
A figure descended.
Floating effortlessly.
Her eyes locked onto the unfamiliar group.
"…Who are you people?"
Without waiting for an answer—
This timeline's Uro attacked.
She twisted the sky itself.
The air bent violently toward Takeru.
Takeru didn't move.
"…Neat."
He raised one hand.
The sky bent.
This timeline's Uro froze.
"…What?"
The warped air surrounding her suddenly obeyed him instead.
Her own technique.
Used against her.
"…Impossible—"
Takeru stepped forward.
His fist pulled back.
Golden sparks erupted around his arm.
BLACK FLASH.
BOOOOOOM!!
The punch landed squarely.
The warped sky shattered around them.
The impact blasted Uro through the street, skipping across broken pavement before crashing into a collapsed building.
Silence.
The golden sparks slowly faded.
Yuta looked over.
"…One hit."
Takeru shrugged.
"She'll live."
The Uro that had been traveling with them floated over to her unconscious counterpart.
Looked down.
Sighed.
"…This is humiliating."
She grabbed her other self by the ankles.
"…Come on."
Then casually began dragging the unconscious Uro down the street.
Scrrrrraaaaape...
Ryu watched for a moment.
"…Should we help?"
She glanced back.
"No."
Scrrrrraaaaape...
Takeru continued walking as if nothing unusual had happened.
Hands in his pockets.
"…Now."
He looked ahead.
"Let's go find this timeline's Ryu."
Yuta nodded.
"…Hopefully he's in a talking mood."
Ryu laughed.
"…Knowing me?"
A grin spread across his face.
"…Probably not."
The group continued deeper into Sendai Colony.
One unconscious Uro being dragged behind them.
One Ryu still waiting somewhere ahead.