Chapter 18 – Midnight Militia.
The streets were quieter than usual.
Damon walked the rooftops slowly, hands in his coat, his head heavy with thoughts that wouldn't sit still.
"Everything's changed for you," Natsuki's words echoed again.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe this time, he couldn't go back.
He stared up at the stars. The ones above Earth were smaller — duller somehow.
But they still shone bright.
He was thinking about what Gamishi, how Gamishi is just a victim of circumstance that needs to be put down. Then-
"Get me a larger gun, dude!"
Damon froze.
That voice…
"Daigo," he muttered, a faint smile touching his lips.
Daichi's ears perked. Hazel peeked from his collar. Nyra tilted her head.
"You know them?"
"Yeah," Damon said, eyes glinting. "I do."
He leapt off the rooftop.
One second — Thud. Damon landed on Daigo's neck, sitting on his neck like a son would on their fathers. Then he rested his elbow on his knee with his face on his palm.
The whole alley went quiet.
Guns clicked. Safety catches lifted.
Even the air seemed to become tense.
Damon smirked without looking up.
"Hello, boys. You forget me that easily?"
A dozen barrels aimed at his head. Even Daigo aimed one.
Damon lifted his head into the light. The gang froze.
"Cipher…?" Daigo's muffled voice came from under Damon's knee.
"Boss?"
"Surprise," Damon said lightly.
Nyra dropped beside him, dusting off her skirt, Daichi padding next to her. Hazel peeked out of Nyra's pocket.
Kuroshi stepped forward, puffing smoke from his cigar, with his calm demeanour as always.
"You always have perfect timing, don't ya?"
"I dunno what you mean by that," Damon replied. "But I see you've been keeping the streets clean like I asked. And Kuroshi—" he pointed at the cigar, " why are you still smoking?"
Kuroshi chuckled. "Old habits I guess."
"Cipher," said Rukito — the tall one with brains that only worked when he was sober — "you've been gone two weeks, man. Two. Weeks. Quite franky, we should be the ones asking questions."
Damon jumped down from Daigo's neck. "You can come out now. They're friends."
Nyra stepped out folding her arms "Damon do you mind explaining why your friends with the soldiers."
"Soldiers?" one of the gang members asked in confusion.
"They're not soldiers, Nyra. Think of them as good outlaws." he said.
"Sooo they're a gang?" she said.
Damon huffs "and I'm their leader." Damon explained.
"Who is this girl?" Daigo asked. "Well she's a friend of mine" Damon said turning to Nyra. She played along.
"Yeah, you should know we know about your dad." Kuroshi stated staring Damon in the eye. "He's not really a cop now."
"While you were gone, the police themselves suspected us of your 'kidnapping' and none of them acted like a father would."
"Well yes. He's not a cop I only said that so you guys wouldn't kill me"
Rukito crossed his arms. "So, where did you go boss?"
Damon rubbed the back of his neck. "Lets just say I went training."
Daigo raised an eyebrow. "You disappeared for training? For 2 weeks?"
Kuroshi blew another puff. "Everything's got its time, kid. You're seventeen, not seventy. Why rush to be grown?"
Half the gang laughed.
Damon's smirk faltered, then returned. "You're right. But tell me why you're all strapped like a militia at midnight."
Kuroshi's expression shifted. His tone serious now.
"When you were gone, the other gangs got bold remember Takeshi from the Flame Rings. Drexel from Undisputed? Damon nodded. "They thought it best to strike while our leader was away. It starts tonight."
"So its a 1v1v1?"
"No." Rukito answered.
"A two-on-one"
"Exactly and we are the '1s' getting roasted" one of the gang members added.
Kuroshi said. "They're bringing hell with 'em."
"What will you do?" Nyra asked quietly.
Damon remembers she can understand Daichi. He tells Dachi to tell her-
"Well I most certainly won't be allowing my sister join this" he says telepathically through Daichi.
"But I can help without my eterna." Nyra pestered.
"Yes but I don't feel comfortable with you joining in. If I need your help I'll give you a sign."
Damon thought for a moment, then looked at Daigo.
"Did you prepare the file I asked for?"
Daigo nodded, tossing a folder from the van. Damon flipped through it. His eyes moved fast, scanning every detail.
"Alright," Damon said at last, closing the file "I have a plan."
Kuroshi raised an eyebrow. "Already?"
"One with a plan decimates one without," Damon said simply.
Kuroshi asked. "You sure you're seventeen?"
"Mentally? Nope." Damon said.
Nyra smiled faintly from the side, proud.
"We'll need your stash."
"Our stash?"
"The fake bills," Damon said. "The files says they're untraceable?"
Kuroshi smirked. "Heh. You devil."
"Where's the meet?"
"Old steel warehouse by the docks."
"Perfect." Damon looked at Nyra.
They made preparations then left.
When they arrived, both enemy gangs were already there.
Two leaders, two armies, one broken roof above them.
Damon walked forward, hands in his pockets, calm like the wind before a storm.
Kuroshi followed behind, silent.
Takeshi — built like a moving wall — grinned. "So this is the new kid leading you?"
"And what's he wearing?" sneered Drexel, tall, lean but built, long hair gleaming in the low light.
Damons gang, Nyra, Hazel and Daichi all thought "everything's going as planned."
Damon sighed. "We can end this without bloodshed. There's enough money to go around."
He dropped two bags in front of them.
Both leaders sent men to check.
"Its legit sir." they said at the same time.
Takeshi crouched, flashlight in hand. "Guess you got lucky, Kuroshi. Didn't think—"
BOOM.
The explosion wasn't fire. It was acid — silent and violent. It splashed across Takeshi's face, melting skin like wax under a sun. Resembled the feeling of salt on open wound, burning every piece of skin on his face.
He screamed. Resisting the urge to touch his face.
Damon's men didn't wait for orders. Chaos erupted. Gunfire, fists, panic.
Half of Damon's gang clashed with Takeshi's men. The other half charged Drexel's.
"You sure this'll work boy?" Kuroshi asked.
But Damon only smiled faintly. "Told you — one with a plan."
Drexel snarled, kicking a bag toward Damon's head. It burst open midair — not with money alone, but with a thin metal wire that wrapped Drexel's long hair, yanking him down.
He froze. One move and his hair was gone.
Takeshi in rage charged at Damon. Kuroshi blocked it, his arms crossed X like, holding ground. Damon glanced over, smirking. "You good?"
"Everything's working. Don't spoil the plan!" Kuroshi yelled back.
"Right, right."
Nyra watched from above, arms crossed. "Boys," she muttered.
Damon walking over to Drexel. Then- "Ouuh that's gonna hurt" Daichi barked as an enemy tried landing a bat on Damon.
One punch to the core. The enemy's head hit rock bottom. Lights put.
"You know my men are losing this fight."Damon said staring down at immobilised Drexel. "But, I could kill you and change that."
"You don't have it in you boy." Drexel smirked.
"Perhaps not. But.."
Damon's finger glowed faintly. The air hummed. A razor-thin beam of light grazed Drexel's hair.
"NOOO!!!STOPP BOY!!!"Drexel yelled.
"Stay still," Damon said, walking toward him. "Or I'll shave off your pride."
Drexel hissed. "You don't know who you're messing with."
"Oh, I do."
Then Drexel's ear — sizzling.
The smell of burnt hair filled the air.
Another enemy fired one at Damon. Nyra jumped down, caught it, and launched it back.
"Told ya I could help." she said. Damon smirked.
Damon looked forward and say Kuroshi tanking a large one from Takeshi.
"Well I did try the easy way" Damon said while Drexel tried to reach the bag.
Damon's laser flashed again, this time cutting a perfect smiley face on Drexel's butt.
Drexel using all his strength to resist the urge of moving as fire played on his ass.
"Move again," Damon said, "and I'll add eyebrows."
Nyra covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. Even Hazel giggled from her pocket.
Finally, Drexel gave up. "I surrender! Just—just take the damn napkin in my pocket!"
"Good boy," Damon said. "See? Communication solves everything."
"Stage Two" Hazel whispered.
Then he turned, Takeshi still standing, breathing hard, bleeding. Damon crouched slightly.
He launched forward — one clean strike under the jaw.
Takeshi hit the ground.
Silence.
Damon exhaled. "That's that."
Then Takeshi's hand twitched. He swung wildly like a beast. Before Damon could move, Nyra stepped in and spun — one clean kick to the face.
He dropped cold.
Takeshi's men froze. Drexel's did too.
Damon dusted off his coat. "According to your rules, you're mine until someone beats me. Right?"
No one answered — just nods, trembling.
Nyra stepped forward, pointing. "Then first order—clean this dump. The blood, in fact all dirt in this factor. Separate the recyclables."
Every man stared at her.
Damon rested a hand on her head, expression blank but eyes sharp.
They moved instantly.
Hazel floated out, whispering. "How'd you know your plan would work?"
Damon looked at Drexel, still kneeling, his hair tangled, butt etched with light.
"I read the file," he said simply. "Takeshi always checked the bottom of cash stacks. Drexel loved his hair. Everyone has a weakness."
"Please! Help me!" Drexel yelled. "My ass hurts!"
Damon waved a hand. "Leave him like that till you're done boys."
"Wait, wha—!"
"Motivation," Damon said calmly.
Nyra laughed. Hazel sighed.
High above, somewhere beyond stars, the Eternal One sat on his throne, eyes dim with knowledge.
"The boy," he said quietly,
"is not ready."