"I'd let the world burn"

Krrrroooaaaa!!! A deafening, cacophonous growl reverberated from the creature's maw, precipitating a seismic tremor that shook the very foundations of the earth beneath their feet as it advanced its colossal body with malevolent intent. 

Haruki instinctively positioned himself as a bulwark between the monster and Hina, his arms outstretched in a futile attempt to shield her from the impending onslaught.

The creature closed in, its screeching steps a jarring cacophony that pierced their eardrums like a thousand shards of glass.

With a swift, almost imperceptible motion, it extended one of its razor-sharp, pitch-black arms and impaled Haruki with ruthless precision.

"Hhhuuuh... cough... khh..." A crimson rivulet trickled from Haruki's mouth as his vision began to blur, his eyes clouding over like a stormy sky. 

He stumbled backward, still transfixed on the creature's arm, his body convulsing in agonized spasms. As the monster extracted its arm from Haruki's chest, a gush of vital fluid erupted forth, bathing its limb in a ghastly, viscous liquid. 

The creature's arm was now slick with Haruki's lifeblood, which dripped onto the ground with a steady, metronomic beat. Haruki's body swayed precariously before he crashed to the ground, his impact sending shockwaves through the earth.

"Ha-ru-ki?" Hina whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of her own terror.

"HARUKIIIIIII!!!" she screamed, her eyes fixed on the gruesome spectacle before her, her gaze transfixed in horror. 

She took a step forward, her hands outstretched as if to grasp the shattered remnants of Haruki's life, her body racked with convulsive tremors.

My—chest… It… Burns… why… can't… I… move… where... is... Hina? Haruki thought, his mind foggy with pain and disorientation. 

A wet, gurgling cough racked his body, and warm, viscous fluid bubbled from his lips. Hina hovered above him, her face contorted in a mask of panic, as she frantically applied pressure to the wound with her hoodie.

The fabric was rapidly saturated, and the blood continued to flow, forming a small, crimson lake beneath him.

Meanwhile, the beast raised its blood-soaked arm towards its maw and drank Haruki's lifeblood, the crimson liquid trickling slowly into its hungry maw as it swallowed with an audible gulp. 

Hina's desperate cries filled the air as she pressed down on the wound, her fingers slippery with Haruki's blood, but it was a futile endeavor. The blood flowed faster than she could staunch, and she knew she was losing him.

"Haruki, just hang in there! You're gonna be fine… everything's gonna be fine! So please... please don't die!!! Hina cried, her voice cracking with desperation. She yelled for him to stay alive, her words pouring out in a frantic, incoherent torrent.

As Haruki's breathing slowed, his eyes gradually lost their luster, and his gaze began to unfocus. 

What... is… She saying? I… can't… hear… a single… word… it… all… sounds… like… muffled sounds… 

He thought, his mind slipping away into the abyss of unconsciousness.

I… can't die… just yet… I… promised… her… I'd… protect… her… at all costs… for her… I'd let... the world burn… The light in Haruki's pupils vanished, leaving his eyes dull and lifeless. His heart still beat, albeit slowly, and slow breaths escaped his lips.

The monster finished drinking and transitioned to the two of them, its eyes fixed on Hina with a hungry, predatory gleam. It began its approach, its massive body moving with deliberate, calculated slowness.

Hina, realizing it was getting closer, stood up and stood in front of Haruki, her fear replaced by a fierce determination to protect the one she loved. She took a deep breath, let out a heavy sigh, and her eyes narrowed, a sharp glint now showing in her eyes.

“Come at me, you big meanie! I'm not scared of you. I'd die before I let you lay another claw on him!” Hina yelled, storming towards the monster with a fierce, unbridled ferocity.

She gained momentum as she launched a weak punch, but the monster knocked her away with a casual swipe of its arm, sending her crashing into a wall with a loud thud-crack. 

The impact was followed by a faint cracking sound as the plaster gave way to fine cracks that spread out from the point of contact like a spider's web.

Hina slumped to the ground, her body broken and battered. As she sat, leaning against the wall, her red fluid had painted the wall in a gruesome, surreal artistry. It streamed down from her forehead, flowing into her eyes, turning them red as well.

"I'm… sorry… Haruki… I… ended up… being… nothing… but… dead… weight…" She muttered, her tone as cold as the Antarctic air. The monster screeched towards her with all of its six eyes reflecting her bloody profile.

It stood in front of her, then picked her up and raised her above its maw. The sharp teeth parted slowly, each one sharper than the last. She dangled above its mouth, helpless and broken.

Then, suddenly, whoosh! An accelerated flash of light tore through the air. In an instant, she had vanished from its clutches, along with half of its arms, which were now dripping with green ooze. 

The red light stopped in its tracks behind the monster, revealing the unconscious Hina being carried like a princess, and a figure who stood 6’0” tall, its entire body enveloped in a crimson aura that radiated intense energy. 

Its eyes glowed bright red, its pupils like a cat's, its short white hair now flowing into the air like leaves resonating with the gentle breeze.

The atmosphere shifted because of this figure’s powerful aura, which made the air swirl slightly. The figure gently placed Hina at a safe distance, then turned to face the ugly monster. 

The figure squinted its eyes, lowered its eyebrows, and stood still and confident. Then the figure pointed at the monster, its eyes glowing intensely as it spat, its tone venomous.

“You hurt My Hina, and for that. I'll show you no mercy…” 

The air had shifted in the figure's favor, as the monster lingered without moving, studying the confident figure who stood before it, who was none other than Haruki Mizuno.

『To be continued…』