In the chaos of the fight, Dark caught a glimpse of Sockoo's injured form, lying motionless among the debris. His heart clenched with a mix of fury and sorrow. "Sockoo!" he screamed, his resolve hardening into steel.

  Drawing on every ounce of his strength, Dark unleashed a massive wave of Shadow Magic, aiming to engulf the boss. Makoto and Emily poured everything they had into supporting him, their faces etched with determination.

  The boss, sensing the combined might of their final assault, raised his hand and unleashed a counterattack of unimaginable force. The clash of energies lit up the night sky, a cataclysmic display of raw power that threatened to consume everything in its path.

  ---

  Hajime, Daka, and Rizra arrived at New Zemron City, greeted by a scene of total devastation. Smoke billowed through the air, and the once-thriving town was now a heap of ruins. Dark and Makoto lay unconscious and bleeding, while Emily, though barely standing, was covered in burns and blood, her barrier barely holding.

  Daka’s eyes widened in alarm as he took in the sight. He summoned a swarm of golden swords and a golden spear, directing them toward the boss. The golden weapons flew with precision, but the boss effortlessly deflected them, his gaze cold and unyielding.

  Rizra, usually reserved, stepped forward with determination. "You won’t get away with this!" she shouted, charging at the boss with a powerful punch. Despite her earth magic abilities, she opted to rely on brute force in this moment. The boss caught Rizra’s arm with a cold, calculating grip. Despite her formidable strength, she was flung back by a tremendous force, her body crashing through the air before she landed heavily, injured but still standing.

  The boss's menacing presence loomed over them as he prepared for the next assault. Hajime’s eyes flared with blue flames, his face a mix of rage and determination. He felt the weight of the situation and knew they had to act swiftly.

  "Get up! We have to fight!" Hajime shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

  Daka, though visibly exhausted, summoned more golden swords and the golden spear, attacking with renewed fervor. Emily, despite her injuries, continued to reinforce her barrier and cast supportive spells to aid her allies.

  Rizra, though battered, joined the fight again. Using her brute strength and determination, she threw herself into the fray, her resolve unshaken despite her reluctance to use Earth Magic in this battle.

  The boss’s destructive magic caused further havoc, and his overwhelming strength and skill made him a nearly insurmountable opponent. The battle stretched on, a grueling test of endurance and will. Hajime’s blue flames intensified with his emotions, adding a dangerous edge to his attacks. The team fought as one, their efforts combining into a desperate, unified assault against the seemingly invincible boss.

  The clash of their powers lit up the night sky, and the sound of their struggle echoed through the ruined city. Every moment brought them closer to the brink, but also closer to the chance of turning the tide. The fight had become a brutal war of attrition, with both sides pushing their limits in a fierce struggle for survival.

  Hajime's magic suddenly faltered, and he struggled to maintain his composure. Daka, noticing the disturbance, was momentarily worried but was thrown into a wall by the boss's relentless attack.

  Rizra, seeing Daka's predicament, felt a pang of worry but charged toward the boss with a powerful roundhouse kick. She quickly grappled with him, hoping to subdue the formidable foe. As Rizra wrestled with the boss, she noticed he was laughing uncontrollably. "What's so funny?" she demanded angrily.

  The more she questioned, the louder his laughter grew until he finally revealed, "God Successor Ability: Gluttony!" A massive hellhound emerged from the boss's side, devouring Rizra whole.

  Hajime, witnessing the horrifying sight, was struck by a deep sense of trauma. The boss then turned his attention to Hajime, sensing something unique about him. "Ah, so you're a God Successor too," the boss mused.

  Still in shock, Hajime asked,

  "What is that?"

  The boss explained with a sinister grin, "God Successors are individuals chosen by the gods. If you lead a life of selflessness and goodness, you might be

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  resurrected by a god and gain a special ability. Your case is unique, however. You're indeed a God Successor, but you've taken many of my attacks, yet your wounds are healing abnormally fast. It's not typical for a human."

  Without warning, the boss moved with blinding speed, thrusting his hand through Hajime's chest.

  Hajime screamed in agony, and the boss noticed something unusual blocking Hajime's heart.

  "Ah, so you possess something that cannot be broken. The Immortal Breakers... I've heard rumors of them but never thought they existed. Why would they be given to a 'loser' like you?"

  The boss pulled his arm back and mercilessly beat Hajime. The others, now awake and recovering from their injuries, watched in horror as Hajime endured a brutal assault. Despite the severe pain and the gaping wound in his chest, Hajime stood his ground, refusing to fall. His determination was evident, even as his injuries made every movement excruciatingly painful.

  The battle raged on, with Hajime's resilience and courage shining through despite the dire circumstances. The boss's power seemed almost insurmountable, but Hajime's will to fight remained unbroken, driving him to push through the torment and continue the struggle.

  Daka tried to get up and help Hajime, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. He could only lay there, watching and feeling useless. Hajime, enduring the relentless assault, found himself drifting into a hallucinatory state. He saw a younger, emotionless version of himself.

  “Are you giving up?” the younger Hajime asked.

  Hajime replied, “I mean, this guy is stronger than me. Way stronger. And this Music Club... I barely even know them. They are just some people I was forced to be friends with.”

  The younger Hajime challenged him, “Then why did you call them friends? Why did you risk your own life for their sake? If you are me, you would have left them to die.”

  Hajime stuttered, searching for an answer. The younger Hajime continued, “Simple. Because you are no longer me. You are no longer the devil they fear. This is a new life for me and you.”

  Hajime looked up, feeling a surge of realization. The younger Hajime said, “Look, you have friends now, so you won’t make the mistakes I made in my previous life. Daka and Rizra will be with you, even if your new friends don’t work out. Show him the true power of your flames and your resolve. Tear him to shreds.”

  At that moment, Hajime felt a deep connection with his blue flames. Some memories started to come back, not all, but just some. He woke up, stopping the boss's punch with newfound strength. “I am the Specter Devil, Hajime Nata Hamamoto,” he declared. Daka and Rizra started crying and smiling, while everyone else was surprised by Hajime's transformation.

  Hajime’s blue flames were now more controlled, and he used his legs in a flexible, gymnastic style that no one could counter. He hit the boss with all his blue flame magic moves, calling out their names as he attacked. The boss managed to stop Hajime's leg in mid-air, but Hajime twisted his free leg and kicked him into a wall. The boss was surprised as Hajime’s flames burned him.

  Hajime untwisted his leg and said, “Let’s get something straight. I’m not immortal. I can still die, so I’m like a semi-immortal.”

  The boss, bewildered, responded, “You’re what?”

  Then the boss got up, revealing his true power. Hajime thought, *This isn’t the past me anymore. This is me and only me. I am just Hajime Hamamoto, not Nata.* He declared, “I’m gonna rage it to the very end.”

  The Music Club members were confused by what he meant, but Sockoo couldn’t help but laugh. “I think he found what he was looking for. His eyes have been nothing but emotionless, but now they are full of sparkle.”

  The boss lunged at Hajime with blinding speed, but Hajime was ready. He sidestepped the attack, countering with a swift kick. “Blue Flame Burst!” he shouted, his leg engulfed in brilliant blue flames as it connected with the boss’s side, sending him skidding back.

  The boss regained his balance and smirked. “Not bad, but let’s see how you handle this!” He extended his hand, and a wave of destructive energy shot towards Hajime.

  “Blue Flame Shield!” Hajime yelled, summoning a barrier of blue flames to deflect the attack. The energy wave collided with the shield, causing an explosion that shook the ground.

  Hajime dashed through the smoke, aiming a punch at the boss. “Blue Flame Fist!” His fist, blazing with blue fire, connected with the boss’s jaw, forcing him to stagger back.

  The boss laughed, wiping blood from his mouth. “Impressive, but you’ll need more than that to beat me.” He charged forward, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks. Hajime blocked and dodged as best he could, but a few blows landed, driving him back.

  “Blue Flame Cyclone!” Hajime shouted, spinning rapidly and creating a whirlwind of blue flames that engulfed the boss. The intense heat forced the boss to retreat, but he quickly countered by summoning a massive hell dog.

  “God Successor Ability: Gluttony!” the boss roared. The hell dog lunged at Hajime, its jaws snapping. Hajime leaped into the air, avoiding the attack, and countered with a powerful kick.

  “Blue Flame Meteor!” he cried, his leg glowing with blue fire as he descended, striking the hell dog and causing it to explode in a burst of flames.

  The boss took advantage of Hajime’s momentary distraction, landing a heavy punch to his chest. Hajime gasped in pain, but refused to fall. “I’m not done yet!” he shouted, summoning all his strength.

  “Blue Flame Dragon!” A massive dragon made of blue flames erupted from Hajime’s body, roaring as it charged towards the boss. The boss’s eyes widened in shock as the dragon collided with him, engulfing him in a sea of blue fire.

  Hajime landed, breathing heavily. “I am the Specter Devil, Hajime Nata Hamamoto,” he repeated, his resolve unshaken. “And I will protect my friends.”

  The boss emerged from the flames, his clothes singed but his spirit unbroken. “You’re strong, Hajime,” he admitted. “But I’m not done yet either.”