[attr="class","likedo"]

[attr="class","likedo"]

While Mark might not have been treating this with the same level of gravitas of a typical hero, he was still helping in his own way. His priorities might've been a bit skewed, but he wasn't impeding on the other first-responders' efforts which was more than they could ask for.

The punks didn't really care what Mark had to say. This was a prime opportunity to profit off of the misfortunes of others. Besides, it was a harmless crime in their eyes. All this shit was going to burn up in the fire anyway. In fact, they were doing the store owners a service by making sure that their goods didn't go to waste.

"Tch...Shyeah, whatever, man," one of 'em rolled their eyes at Mark, stuffing their pockets full of whatever looked even vaguely valuable.

Meanwhile, fires were spreading all across Shinjuku, and this store was just about to be another victim of the Embers. The fire spread from the building next store. Starting from the roof, the ceiling started to come tumbling down while the failing sprinkler's systems kicked in to mount a pitiful resistance against the fires.

"Shit! Time to go! C'mon! Pack it up!" one called out before quickly booking it through the back door of the store, setting off the store security alarm which was pretty useless right about now. The rest were quick to try and follow after the guy, running as fast as they could.

Outside, the situation was only getting worse as people were screaming, coughing, and fleeing through the streets, hunched over and begging for help.

The sniper's shots were fast, but with all of that distance between them, Raito was faster. Quick, sudden bursts of movement meant that the only way the sniper was going to hit Raito was if he predicted Raito properly, and he had to do this all while accounting for several other variables like the wind speed, wind direction, etc. Rather than waste time trying to shoot a difficult target, he opted to gun down the easier one: Emi. After all, even if Raito were to make it through, he'd be just one man against an entire group of robbers.

Psi-Ko passed along Raito's message to Emi, repeating what he had said word-for-word. He had no reason to change the message yet as it was good advice. After all, he didn't want to risk both of them to begin with. Of course, he opted to stay far behind so as not to put a target on his back either. His goal was to pass, so he needed to ensure his own survival in the competition.

A mailbox would've made for decent cover were it not for the fact that they were dealing with a pro-hero and excellent marksman. He had already fired more than enough shots to serve as a warning. The gloves were off now, and so he planted his next shot firmly into Emi's right shoulder. Were it not for her unique muscle composition, she'd probably have been quickly knocked out like all the others as well. At worst, she'd probably have just felt like she took a heavy punch. Seeing as how she didn't go down to one shot, he slotted in a fresh mag, giving her about ten seconds to reassess the situation and act accordingly. If she stayed out in the open, he'd be sure to fire more, waiting a short while between each confirmed hit to see if she'd go down.

Meanwhile, Raito was free to proceed up ahead which would lead to an unmarked building. Up the stairs that led to the glass door entry, there'd be a wall with a floor directory. The one listing that would've likely caught his eye was for floor nine: an investment bank. There were two ways up to floor nine: a spiral staircase or the elevator.

Towering waves surged upward, dwarfing many of the surrounding buildings in the surrounding area. The monstrous being known as The Tide had descended from the sky, manifesting in the heart of Koto-Ku. As it made its way south it became quite apparent to first responders that it was making a move towards Tokyo Bay for some strange reason. While the first responders dealt with trying to stop it from achieving whatever its goal was, chaos was unfolding already at its destination.

Tokyo Bay had begun to churn and froth with a furious energy. The water level was beginning to rise rapidly, creeping up the Tokyo Bay shore and slowly overtaking the docks. Meanwhile, further off over the horizon, larger swells began to form in the water, rolling forward and traveling on the raised ocean level. The Japan Meteorological Agency had already begun to detect the seismic activity and began blaring the evacuation notice to the coastal region.

Panic gripped those who were close to the ocean as residents and tourists alike scrambled for higher ground, desperately seeking refuge from the encroaching tidal waves. Meanwhile, the authorities were being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the disaster, struggling to coordinate an effective evacuation plan. They also had the other disasters that they needed to contend with as other anomalies were appearing.

The water level had already risen to spill over the docks, and traffic had set in. Some had even fled their vehicles, running on foot to save their lives. This certainly didn't help the already congested flow of traffic. As the situation grew more and more dire, it became quite evident that the on-site authorities needed help.

As the sun began to dip below the Tokyo skyline, causing the tall cityscape buildings to cast long shadows over the bustling streets of Shinjuku an ominous glow emerged on the horizon with plumes of smoke creeping out from the direction of the glow's source. At first, it might've seemed like a distant wildfire—uncommon (unless you lived in the U.S./Canada in 2023 apparently but quite possible given the existence of quirks. It soon became quite evident that it was far more sinister than a quirk-related accident or an act of God. Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, a monstrous entity resembling a raging fire with a life of its own had materialized.

Chaos erupted among the pedestrians and the bustling cityscape became a battleground. Sirens wailed, and people screamed as they fled from the fiery terror that now engulfed Shinjuku. Yet, amidst this towering inferno, a more insidious threat had emerged: the Embers. These small, sentient flames, born from the malevolent heart of the The Inferno, scattered like wildfire throughout the district. Each Ember had a sinister intelligence of its own, driven by a relentless desire to burn and destroy.

The heroes, vigilantes, and authorities scrambled to respond, but their efforts appeared futile against the colossal, fire-like creature that seemed impervious to their attempts to quell it. Even more problematic were the criminals and villains that used the chaos of the whole situation to their benefit, looting stores and working with the Embers to take down the pesky agents of justice that often got in their way.

As darkness settled in, the Embers blended into the surroundings, their eerie, flickering glow barely noticeable amidst the chaos. They slithered through narrow alleyways, crept up the sides of buildings, and sneaked into homes and businesses, all the while leaving smoldering trails of destruction in their wake. Anything they touched ignited instantly, and the once-vibrant district of Shinjuku was rapidly being reduced to a fiery wasteland.

The battle had only just begun, and the fate of Shinjuku hung in the balance. Would justice prevail, or would the Elementalist have the last laugh after all?