Boom!

The 58th floor collapsed in an instant. The deafening roar of grinding steel and cascading rubble swallowed Iger's warning completely, burying his voice somewhere beneath the ruins of the 57th floor.

Even with chaos erupting all around him, Ashe's gaze remained locked onto the shifting heap of debris, his focus absolute.

Suddenly, he felt a frantic tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he met Lys's conflicted expression, her wide eyes brimming with fresh tears.

"Don't… don't go," Lys whispered, her voice trembling. "You can't win…"

"Hey, all you need to say right now is, Thank you, Daddy," he replied softly, reaching out to wipe her tears. Of course, his calloused hand only succeeded in smearing dirt across her cheeks, making her look like a frantic little calico kitten. "Besides, there's no escaping now. If I don't step up, will you...